ILCTCRUISER

26 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Well then just stay in Barcelona and forget the cruise. No biggie.

Well…I guess most, if not all, of us who’ve had the privilege of viewing your posts over the years, probably could have anticipated a response like this.  You know, there’s more to life than Deflect, Deflect, Deflect.

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

LOL....OMG....we adore Barcelona!  😉 No problem with late arrival.  😄 

@Jimbo,  see @island ladyreply.  Love Barcelona!  More time there pre or post cruise, the better!

8 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

If the cruise resume in Venice(Ravenna) on the 20th of June and just picks up and goes from there as scheduled, why would there be a need to come into Barcelona late?

Barcelona.  For @island lady, this would be ideal.  More time in Barcelona.

16 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Well, I am just hoping the new itinerary won't affect the date for Barcelona.  If they come in late...oh drats...guess I will just have to extend my stay in Barcelona.  😉 

Oooh….BARCELONA!  Fingers crossed for LATE!

Not on cruise so my opinion is just that.  I know which I’d take but I’d like to ask:  A vote?  Has any provision been made for those who vote but the option they chose is voted down?  Can they bail w/ a refund or are they locked in?

12 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

We were 2 of 600 on Allure for her post covid tryout.

 

What was odd is we were also on her last voyage pre covid. It was like we never left

We were on the Liberty “test” cruise out of Galveston.  While on the shuttle from IAH to Galveston, we found out that many of our fellow cruisers with us were RCL employees.  Maybe 400 or so on cruise.  Recall having a limit on the number who could be in the pool at the same time. Lounges were closed.  They had a happy hour “event” in the VCL but they scheduled half of D and up one day and the other half the next day.  Also, no complimentary drinks.  They gave a reason but can’t recall what it was at this time.   Also did the restart Ovation cruise to Alaska.  Maybe 800 onboard.

21 minutes ago, pstone1 said:

We did not see the presentation.  Thanks for pointing it out though as we will plan to do it next time!

Correction:  Mary Lou Ridinger is an archeologist.

5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Sorry...could not resist...you know I was just messing with you.  😉  I can't tell you how many times I have done the same thing. 🥰

We were in Antigua last March.  2nd time in Antigua.  Did anyone sit in for the presentation.  We were lucky enough to have the owner give the talk and she was very, very interesting.  She and her husband (who’s deceased), both geologists I believe,  went to Guatemala to search for jade.  Jay and Mary Lou Ridinger.  And did they hit the payload!  She was delightful.  And YES, I knew!

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

Now where did I that just recently.  😉 😄 

Saw @pstone1post and responded.  Then saw your post.

1 hour ago, pstone1 said:

Glad you liked your tour in Antigua!  It looked fabulous!  Very smart to have the decoy pocket - glad it was only $12.  We spoke to others last night that also enjoyed their day in Antigua.

 

We elected to stay on the ship instead of taking our planned, long, 8 hour tour since we will be back in October.  Hopefully the weather will be cooler then.  We wandered around the Port area a bit and Jim bought a shirt from one of the vendors.  There was a lovely band playing in the little park area, and we enjoyed their music from our balcony all afternoon.  Funny - the Port area also had a Jade Museum!

 

 

Jade Museum is owned/operated by same owners of museum in Antigua.  

9 minutes ago, ChollaChick said:

Husband and I just booked Brilliance from Southampton in 2025.  This is our first sailing as diamond and I was trying to find the Diamond Lounge on the deck plans buy I seem to be missing it.  Does BotS have one?    I ask because I have heard that there is a nice coffee maker there and hubby loves coffee.  Thank you in advance.

Deck 13.  No longer called Diamond Lounge; it’s now Crown Lounge.

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Have never cruised out of LA before.  Not sure what to expect.  Apparently LAX is about 20 miles away...which could take 2 hours in traffic?  😬  Our flight is 12:45 pm.  May be tight?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday disembark.   You should be OK with a 12:45 flight.  I’d disembark as early as I could, which is what we tend to do anyway.

11 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Have never cruised out of LA before.  Not sure what to expect.  Apparently LAX is about 20 miles away...which could take 2 hours in traffic?  😬  Our flight is 12:45 pm.  May be tight?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

It will depend largely on rush hour traffic on 405.  Do you disembark Sat or Sun?

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

LAX

Booking flights has all to do with schedules and fares.  When we can, we really like using Long Beach (LGB) for cruises out of LAX.  Hop, skip and jump from ship to airport and usually in morning you’re driving opposite rush hour traffic.  Long Beach airport area?  Wasn’t that where Steven Douglas worked?

13 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Where is Chevy Chase when you really need him🙄😄

Does anyone remember the movie Moon Over Parador with Richard Dreyfus and Raul Julia?

39 minutes ago, pstone1 said:

Our last stop of the day was in the Barranco District, or arts district.  This was my favorite area, with the brightly colored murals and interesting statues, just a few blocks from the beach!  Each mural has a complicated meaning - all interesting!

 

This tour was amazing!  We left the Port around 8:30am and finished at the Miraflores bus pickup spot at 5pm.  The tour started with 6 people, but just 4 of us after lunch in a new, comfy van.  Big kudos to our driver - can’t imagine navigating Lima on a daily basis.  Streets full of traffic and crazy drivers!  We loved our time in Lima!

 

 

We stayed in the Barranco district for a few days pre-cruise.  If anyone plans to visit again, may I suggest Casa Republica Boutique Hotel.

1 hour ago, pstone1 said:

Our tour went on to visit “Union Street”, with its UNESCO protected historical buildings.  Beautiful mixture of architectural styles and a stop for delicious chocolate filled churros, handmade right in front of us!

 

 

We stopped at same churro shop.  Of course, these Haku tours are uniform.

1 hour ago, pstone1 said:

Yesterday, we ended up on a fantastic full day Lima City tour that included lunch with Raku Tours!  A driver and assistant tour guide picked us up at the gate and drove us to the Plaza St Martin, in the historic center of Lima. While waiting for the other 4 people in our tour group of six, we stepped into the Gran Hotel Boliver, the first modern hotel built in Lima in 1924.  In the 1940’s and 1950’s lots of celebrities and politicians.  It was also known for its Pisco Sours. The hotel is still quite grand, but apparently people don’t feel safe staying in that area anymore due to the many protests in the Plaza across the street.  The hotel also had a lot of interesting art on the walls.  We enjoyed wandering around before our tour!

 

 

Isn’t that dome amazing?  The grand days of hotels.

41 minutes ago, jakeil7 said:

I’m wondering if they were just adapted to the climate given how much colder it gets there versus most parts of Spain

A very likely reason.

12 minutes ago, CSHS1979 said:

 

Very common in Cusco 

It’s interesting that these balconies seem much more “open” to the public.  Might they have been renovated and windows added?

3 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

OMG...it was great!  One of the best tours ever...and love those small group tours.  Just not into "cattle call bus tours".  😬

We did an all day “walking” tour of Buenos Aries a few weeks ago.  Booked through Viator.  Only three of us.  Guide was an English teacher on summer vacation.  Nanci and me.  Other person was from Andorra.  Meeting someone from Andorra?  What are the odds?  “Walking” because we did use bus system since attractions in BA are spread out.

13 minutes ago, island lady said:

With purchases ready to go...we started our cooking class.  Bucky really got into the spirit of it.  🙂 

 

 

Looks like a lot of fun.  Need to try sometime.

Enclosed balconies are representative of the time when Spain was under Moorish control.  Veiled women could go out onto the balcony and lower their veils w/o being seen.

2 hours ago, pstone1 said:

We took a tour around Lima this morning, visiting at least 7 of the 15 “neighborhoods”.  One of our stops was Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas, where the President of Peru lives.  There was a very heavy Police presence everywhere, and the Plaza was closed due to a very loud protest taking place a block or two away.  We walked a few blocks around and were able to take decent pictures of the Plaza buildings, including the Municipal Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace. Buildings with beautifully carved wooden balconies were also around the Plaza.

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Need more complaints on social media. 

Twangster has hit the nail on the head.  We’re on an 25Oct TA on Adventure.  It was originally a 13N but was changed to a 12N.  Initially, RCL didn’t offer ANYTHING.  Complaints came on strong and RCL then prorated the cruise for all, whether you complained or not.

47 minutes ago, pstone1 said:

We just booked that tour for our (now) second full day in Lima!  It’s with Haku Tours but through Viator, as round trip transportation from the Port was included.  It looks great and in addition to the City Tour, it includes the Monastery with a visit to the catacombs, dinner, and the Magic Water Fountains for $105 each!

We had a good experience with Haku in Lima.