Hlitner

We agree with Marazul that it is doable if you are good walkers :). Your comment about seeing everything did make me smile. DW and I have literally spent weeks walking in Paris and we still have not "seen everything." In fact, one could spend weeks inside the Louvre and still not see everything in that one museum. IMHO doing only a port day in Paris should be a crime. The city is worthy of many days, weeks, or even months. Hank

So lets talk about the train. It is a little more than a mile from the port to the train station (in Le Havre) and you can sometimes have a problem finding a taxi (at the port) to do the short haul. All the Paris trains go to the St Lazare Station which is on the northern side of Paris. The trains generally take over 2 hours (each way). While some folks like HoHo's I am not a big fan...especially when you are in a big city (with lots of traffic) with a limited amount of time. You are going to spend several hours of your day just waiting for buses and being stuck in traffic. If you know where you want to go it is faster to take advantage of the Metro and walking. As to doing Paris "on your own" it is the only way DW and I ever do Paris (or most cities). Paris does have an excellent Metro system (great for getting from point A to point B if its too far to walk). But DW and I have literally spend weeks walking in Paris (the best way to appreciate this city). As we walk down the various streets smelling the food, browsing the windows, visiting shops, we cannot help but notice the tour buses (and HoHos) with the noses pressed against windows. Seeing a city like Paris through a window is akin to seeing it through a TV tube (just one person's opinion). On a typical port day you cannot possibly see all of Paris. So what to do? Your homework. You should prioritize your "wants" and develop a strategy. Keep in mind that many attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre are very popular and will usually have queues if you actually want to go inside. DW still considers Paris her favorite city (in the world) although our recent (last week) visit to Prague had us thinking that city does give Paris a run for the money. Hank

Just a warning about Greenland. With the exception of Nuuk, the other Greenland ports are tiny tender ports that are often a mess with large ships. It can take many hours just to tender folks ashore in some of the ports that can handle no more than a single tender. So when it comes to Greenland I strongly recommend a smaller cruise ship that preferably has fewer then a 1000 passengers. We once were on the Caribbean Princess where there were two Greenland tender ports that were a disaster. In one case there were many passengers who waited over 3 hours to get ashore (many of them simply gave up). And returning to the ship meant waiting for over an hour in a long tender queue. Hank

We were somewhat anal in our constant search for COVID related information (in terms of Europe) prior to our departure (from the USA) back in March. In fact, as the result of our online research we changed our original plan (for our 3 week post cruise independent travel) and decided to eliminate a few days in Vienna. Why? Because at the time we sensed that the Austrian government was still overreacting in terms of restrictions. But times have been changing in Europe and most restrictions (and even concerns) have all but disappeared in the last month although we did hear that Italy is still treading lightly in terms of COVID. For the most part, Europe is so over COVID (in terms of the people) and life has returned in a good way. The larger cities that we visited (Nice, Prague, Dresden, and Krakow) were amazingly back to normal Prague and Krakow were overloaded with tourists all enjoying the good weather, beer. and food. You rarely saw a mask in the cities although some countries still had a mask requirement on public transit. The one shocker (to us) was our flight home. Lufthansa is one of the few European airlines still enforcing a mask requirement (on board) despite the European Aviation agencies recommendation that masks are no longer necessary as of May 16. Airlines are still free to follow their own dictates and Lufthansa goes their own way. When we boarded our A350 in Munich, there was no masking in the airport or even on the jetway. The Lufthansa employees (we spoke to several in the airport) were not even aware of their latest policy. So as we walked through the jetway there were few folks wearing masks. But upon reaching the aircraft door the flight attendants told folks they needed to mask on the aircraft (unless eating or drinking). When our plane arrived at Newark the masks quickly came off as folks exited into the jetway. I have never been a fan of Lufthansa (we seldom book this airline) and nothing about our flight changed my mind :(. Actually, we were booked on a United flight until a few hours before departure, but some United cancellations of our USA flights (United actually cancelled 3 of our domestic flights ....because they could) ended up having them reroute us onto the Lufthansa flight so we could make a different United connection at Newark...which was also cancelled! A warning to all cruisers! The US airline industry is out of control when it comes to cancellations. They simply do not have enough pilots to staff their scheduled flights and this has created havoc with our entire air system. When we received a text message (from United) that they had cancelled our connecting flight we were in a lounge in Munich. I immediately booked a Hertz rental car so we could simply drive the 2:45 min home rather than spend at least one night in Newark waiting for another future flight (which we just heard has been delayed and may be cancelled tonight). By the time we reach Newark we heard that most of the rental car companies were out of cars (no problem for us since we had one reserved) because of cancelled flights. One young lady told us she had been stuck at Newark for 2 days because of cancelled flights. My advice is to avoid commuter airline flights (i.e. regional jets) like the plague since they have the biggest crew shortage problem. United's various commuter jet partners apparently have over 150 aircraft grounded for lack of crews. This problem also exists for other airlines and is expected to get worse over the next few years. Hank

We do not use any specific web site although we like reading hotel and restaurant reviews on Trupadvisor. I think many of their rankings are somewhat phony but it is easy to find the legit reviews. We did it need any plfs and the biggest hassle was needing to test before coming home (we used an online proctored test). As to traveling in Europe, a lot of good Incan be found here on CC. There are quite a few of us with extensive first hand experience. Post specific questions on the Ports blogs and you will usually get some good answers. The Public forum tends to keep us all honest :). The biggest hassles now seem to be dealing with the airlines who routinely cancel flights Hank

You can access it from your in line booking account

Keep in mind that Viator is not a real tour company but simply a booking company. So you are dealing with a third party. That is why many experienced travelers suggest only booking directly with a tour provider. Hank

The rules keep changing so your best bet is to directly contact HAL or ask your travel professional to do that deed. HAL used to have a form for early debarkation and it needed to be submitted in advance for a determination. These days I would not be optimistic about approval but you will not know until you actually try. Also keep in mind that itineraries keep changing and this can even happen during your cruise with little or no notice. This recently happened to us on a Seabourn cruise (part of the HAL Group) when 2 Moroccan ports were replaced by Gibraltar and Malaga. SB never even notified us of the change (even though we were aboard) and Guest Relations even denied the change rumors until the last minute. Hank

Just a reminder that all the rules keep changing and there have been some new changes today vis a vis masking on European flights. We have been traveling in Europe for three weeks and have never needed a PLF (even in France). Today when we flew from Prague to Munich was the first time anyone has ever asked to see any COVID document and that was only because we are flying back to the USA later in the day. Hank

We are in Europe now where we have been traveling 3 weeks in France, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic after a cruise that stopped in some ports of Spain, Italy, and France. We have not had any restrictions other then a few rare places (like public transport in France) where masking was theoretically required. For the most part the Europeans have shrugged off COVID and resumed a normal life. Tourist places seemed pretty normal with the usual crowding and folks enjoying their freedom. Some have told us they are concerned that restrictions might return in the Fall, but that is pure speculation. Hank

Just some related Europe info re COVID. Today is the first day that the European Air folks no longer suggest masking on flights. We checked in at 6:15 am in Prague for a flight to Munich later connecting to a Lufthansa flight to Newark. There is no masking in the Czech Republic but when we asked the Lufthansa rep whether we needed to mask on their flights she laughed and said nobody had any idea. As we entered the jetway for the short commuter flight o Munich we were told to mask. On the Flight we had so much drink and food (45 min flight) that those of us in Bus Class removed masks. Once we exited the plane at the Munich airport there was no mandatory masking. Nobody seems to know if we will need to mask on the 9 hour flight to Newark. Another humorous incident was when we cleared Passport Control here in Munich they wanted to know why we had no EU entree stamp in our Passports. We explained that we had disembarked the Ovation in Monte Carlo (3 weeks ago) and nobody even checked our Passports. The immigration guy shrugged and said we must have come ashore with the crew and than passed us without a Passport Stamp. Crazy world. Hank

I normally bring a tux on Seabourn. But on our recent Ovation cruise (last month) a tux did not fit our itinerary which included three weeks of independent post cruise European travel. So I only packed a blazer which could also be useful in Europe. A felt in the majority with my toned down formal dress. No more than 1/4 of the men had tuxes with most wearing a suit or sport coat/blazer and a smaller number not wearing any jacket and sly not dining in the Restaurant.

The logistics of handling luggage should never be under estimated. This is especially true for we seniors and others with various mobility/strength challenges. We now spend significant pre trip time and thought on how to deal with this issue. Bottom line is that in many circumstances folks are on their own in terms of luggage handling (especially with train transportation). Hank

Wow! I prefer to post here (rather then do private messages) since it benefits others and also let’s others correct me…if I err. In terms of medical coverage I believe that GeoBlue is not responsible for medical bills (or co pays) once you have returned to the USA. If you incurred additional transportation cost to get home they would likely deny a claim since you were not an inpatient and/or did not seek emergency evacuation in advance of the flight. GeoBlue is not “trip insurance” but rather trip “medical insurance.” That is the bad news. The good news is that you are home (that is the impression I get from your post. Thinking out loud I do wonder if you can get financial help or an insurance settlement from your balloon tour operator. This issue is completely outside my own knowledge but might be worth exploring. I am curious if Steve Dasseos has any experience/advice along these lines. It is possible that the balloon tour operator has insurance but we can only begin to imagine the complications regarding an international claim/liability Issue. Hank PS. I do wish you a speedy and full recovery from the injury

A few thought from a too heavy packer. We have been traveling since late March (still moving around Europe) and have had to deal with formal nights ona cruise, warm weather in Europe, chilly weather in Europe ( Into the 40s f), rain, sun,etc. We managed to pack for this 7 week trip with two cases (about 49 pounds each) and two stuffed carry ons. We though that getting everything into just two checked bags was an accomplishment. As to using laundry on ships (we do this):keep,in mind that some lines take up to three days to return laundry. Many cruisers have issues with the fact that cruise lines launder everything in hot water. i do think a back pack or carry on can easily work on a 7 day cruise that involves one type of climate. But please tell me how to do this on a cruise that involves a hot South America coupled with a week in Antarctica eith multiple daily Zodiac excursions? My message is that this is not a one solution fits all. Hank

We have taken flights, a few times, that depart around 11 am. This was not a problem since we arranged for a 7am private transfer (Rome Cabs) and was at FCO around 8. Your 9:55 flight is a bit tight for my taste and you will likely pay extra for a private transfer prior to 7. You would also be well,advised to do,Express Disembarkation where you must go ashore with all,of,your luggage. If your ship docks on time and is cleared n the normal time (usually about 20 min) then that early flight is doable. Personally I would not like the additional stress. You also should have a Plan B which is what you do if you miss that flight. Hank

The Old Bear gives good advice so we will not repeat much port info in this thread. But Ravenna is different since it has become a more important port because of the recent rules prohibiting cruise ships from docking in Venice. Where best to stay depends on your specific cruise line. Some lines will provide bus transfers from Venice to the pier at Ravenna. In such a case we would recommend staying in Venice (for at least 2 nights). If a transfer is not provided then the situation becomes more complicated depending on your spirit of adventure, budget, etc. Hank

And I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you for a good price :). In theory the system does support video calls but whether you can maintain a connection for the 20+ minutes necessary..is a real gamble. If the connection fails your test becomes worthless since it is no longer proctored. We have been on many cruises (HAL and other lines) where Internet is sporadic or not working at all for hours and sometimes days. Hank

You can purchase proctored self kits for about $70 (2 tests). You simply buy them for delivery to your home and take them on the cruise. Since ship Internet is not reliable it is probably best to do the tests the morning you dock using land based cell or Wi-Fi. You will have your results in a few minutes. Hank

A tough problem for HAL. Will Japan reopen to tourism/cruise ships in 2023? Nobody has a clue. We have had the 3 previous Japan bookings cancelled and kept rolling it over to the next year. Our patience with Japan has reached our limit and if the March itinerary gets cancelled we will take our money and run to another cruise line (recently had 3 great cruises on Seabourn). The problems with recent HAL cruises and HAL cost cutting games (remember production shows?) have soured us on HAL although we are willing to stick with our 42 day Asian commitment. We hope that if that cruise does happen the extra year will give HAL time to get their act together. Hank

DW usually brings a supply of tea bags on any cruise or trip. They weigh next to nothing, take up little space, and she has a guarantee that she will have the tea she likes if there are no readily available alternatives. In this era of supply shortages one can no longer rely on past history. Hank

We just did a TA cruise on Seabourn where the first nine days were glorious sea days. We were actually sorry when we finally reached our first port (Funchal). There were many lazy days with some lectures, lots of reading, card playing, and lots of enjoyable socializing. While this kind of cruise does not suit everyone there are many of us who consider all those sea days the best part of cruising. Hank

COVID has played havoc with all the cruise line schedules. But there are usually quite a few summer cruise options that include Iceland, or both Iceland and Greenland. HAL has long run their popular Voyage of the Vikings cruise in late July or early August which can be done one way or round trip to-from Boston. Other lines (such as Oceania) have also offered some options. Adding Ireland to the mix does make it more complicated but there are usually some options if one expands their horizons and is willing to spend the extra time. In some cases you might want to consider two cruises (one around the UK/Ireland) coupled with a 2nd cruise that does the TA component. Speaking of Ireland, I would recommend visiting that island on a land trip (independent or tour) before or after a TA cruise. Much of Ireland cannot be fully appreciated without days/weeks of land travel. Hank

We met more then a few “ Crystal Refugees” on our recent 27 day Ovation cruise and heard a fair number of complaints regarding the comparison to SB. We finally suggested to one party that perhaps they should go back on Crystal. The reality is that most of these folks got a very nice discount from SB (enough to pay for hundreds of COVID tests) which was something not offered to regular SB cruisers. We also have previously cruised on Crystal, enjoyed the experience, but found that we preferred SB for a multitude of reasons. Folks that travel (we are currently driving in the Czech Republic) or cruise need to start dealing with COVID like any other disease and stop expecting mommy (cruise lines) to take on all the responsibility. Your comments are a bit harsh since the “SB” promise never promised post debarkation testing. The policy did offer some guarantees if a person happened to get COVID immediately before or during a cruise. On our cruise there were more than a few COVID cases and those folks seemed to be cared for by SB. Hank