Gourmet Gal

Flyers, thanks so much for the details of this interesting itinerary. Just a couple quick questions…my Japanese friends have taught me to steer clear of hot sake. Sake is usually served heated when it is of poor quality. Are there any better or upgraded sakes available in Kaiseki, such as ginjo or daiginjo? Also, is the meal an actual Kaiseki dinner with all the traditional courses and seasonal garnishes (6 courses or more)?

Bean counters at work. That’s really penny-pinching.

Wow, if Albergo Senato is #1 I’d hate to see the rest. It’s very basic though the location is really great.

Are you on the F1 sailing? If so I’ll look for the non-drinker swilling sparkling l’aqua minerale!

It’s been reported Nova has very little vibration and wouldn’t it only be a real problem if the ship is anchored overnight? We spend very little time in our suite during the day.

That would be interesting to know. Perhaps we can find some photos of the aft exterior of this ship. I’ll try to search that. Edit: now that I’ve seen some photos it may be possible that the center aft suites on 6,7,8 might not have a full 180 view because of the curvature of those decks. Otherwise I don’t see any large obstructions.

That would be interesting to know. Perhaps we can find some photos of the aft exterior of this ship. I’ll try to search that.

Can they just create a link?

I don’t have any recommendations but it’s always great to share your observations here, either while onboard or after. Will you be sailing on Nova? If so, people are very keen to read anything about that ship because it’s do different from the rest of the fleet.

Chili prompts pain which then stimulates endorphins which becomes addictive! I love hot chilis but honestly, I find the traditional Italian chili flakes a bit boring. For more interesting, though not as hot, try Aleppo pepper flakes. A nice Calabrian chili paste is great with red sauce pastas and pizzas. I could go on and on but will leave it there since I’m way off-topic!

I think SB and SS are head to head competitors and there are now complaints about both. At the very least they are both inconsistent but are courting the same clientele. If the decision is between the two then itinerary should be a big deciding factor. To me, price consideration comes after because cruising is not the only way I travel and I value going to new, interesting places with as few sea days as possible.

Sorry, off-topic but I have a cruise planned on Nova…what were some of the exciting events?

Can’t resist…what a First World problem! 😱

We did a similar thing after a Residensea sailing using Rome in Limo. Visited a cute village - Ceri, had an awesome lunch there and a visit to Ostia. Our driver was amazing and so informative. He was a retired military jet pilot. Can’t remember what we paid.

Yes, The World is still sailing. Not sure of an apartment sale price these days but when we sailed her they were under $2 million for 1300 sf and the annual cost for fuel, food, maintenance, staff was at least 6 figures. I believe one is required to have a land-side residence so no one lives aboard year round. There are a lot of sea days if you’re onboard for an extended time but multiple overnights in major ports. I have access to a 2 BR apt anytime but have only sailed a few times because it’s hard to find easy ports to travel to for boarding and also hard to find 2 week or longer trips that don’t involve many boring sea days which I deplore. They still have to abide by cabotage laws.

This is so confusing. My husband and I each received an email from SS with links to Blacklane. Do we each need to book a transfer as there is no way to add passengers on their site other than to select the vehicle size. I have booked through the portal sent by SS just for myself but does DH need to do the same?

There are a few places on CC where you might find Hapag Lloyd comments. Other Cruise Lines, Luxury and Small Ship both under Specialty Cruising. Or just use the search function.

You very likely could have asked for an earlier flight once SSAir sent a flight itinerary. There is usually some flexibility but there may have been an extra air deviation charge. But you might not have minded in this case.

That’s so offal.

Yes. Check the RCL investor website under FAQ. Shareholder benefits. $100 6-13 days, etc….

Another query; how far in advance does SS send an email with instructions for booking Blacklane? I have a departure in less than a month.

Not all sailings are bridge sailings but there usually are at least a few players so all the more reason to keep it replenished. The Observation Bar is my favorite spot in the mornings, especially for sailing into port. Hopefully if there are enough complaints there will be more attention paid to this area. On other ships the Panorama bar also had coffee and pastries available even those with an Arts Cafe. You know, a lot of people are addicted to caffeine. SS needs to fix this.

Hmm. What about the Observation lounge? Isn’t there usually coffee all day and limited cocktails in the evening?

Similar here. We have a Med cruise next month and will cancel our 2026 Nova Japan booking if we’re not pleased with the experience. We’ll lose 15% but I’m not throwing more good money after bad.

Unfortunately, income strata does not deter boorish behavior nor a sense of entitlement.