Afloat

Hi Janet-

I booked directly through HAL.

Thank you everyone for your prompt and helpful replies.

We booked flex air along with our cruise after first deciding which flights we wanted. The record locator was available at the time of booking and we selected seats. I was not able to upgrade to comfort plus on Delta until final cruise payment was made, however.

I continually checked on the cost of the flights before making final cruise payment. The flights went down in price and an adjustment was made on my invoice when I called HAL.

Enjoy your cruise!

We have arranged for several privately guided tours for our upcoming Mediterranean cruise. Do we ask our guide to join us for lunch and if so do we treat them to lunch? What is the proper etiquette?

The tours are not inexpensive but we would like to do the proper thing.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

We have OBC for our upcoming Mediterranean cruise. We have already purchased several shore excursions and specialty dinners.

Can our OBC be applied to these charges and our purchases be refunded?

I have read all the threads concerning tipping not being offered in Europe. We have arranged for several private tours for our upcoming Med cruise. The voucher for one of our tours recommends a 10% tip (or more) if we are very pleased with the service. Is this just a scam aimed at American tourists?

In several cases our tour is with a guide who owns the business. Am I correct in assuming that we would not offer a tip even after spending the whole day with them?

Thank you for your input.

I would suggest contacting the cruise line. They can advise as to the earliest flight that is feasible. Hope you enjoy your cruise.

My wife and I have decided to take our cruise, but we will obviously monitor events up to the time of the sailing.

Thank you everyone (with the exception of the posters that hijacked the thread) for taking the time to share your thoughts and opinions. They were very helpful in making our decision.

To respond to sail7seas-

Itinerary is Barcelona, Toulon, Monaco, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Taormina, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Venice.

Recently paid in full for a European cruise for September. This is a special trip to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We are nervous with the current state of affairs in Europe. and are conflicted as to whether we should still go. We have trip insurance but does not cover cancel for any reason. If we cancel we will be out $2500.

Would appreciate others thoughts as to still taking our trip.

I currently use a Canon EOS Rebel T2i with an 18-200 EFS lens. I would like to purchase a super zoom back up camera that would be fairly compact. I will be taking both cameras on an upcoming European cruise.

I want a viewfinder and my preferable budget would be up to $500. I predominately shoot with the pre-programmed modes but occasionally also use P.

Two cameras which interested me were the Sony DSCHX90V/B and the Canon SX60 HS. I am more familiar with Canon but the camera is larger.

Any recommendations about these cameras or any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi-

My wife and I will be visiting Kotor on the Eurodam. The ship is in port from 8am to 2pm. I am in touch with a tour operator who is offering a tour of Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, and Kotor or Budva, Sveti Stefan, and Kotor.

I understand that we will see Perast and Our lady of the Rocks from our ship during sail in.

I like to take pictures and the Budva tour would offer a panoramic view of Kotor Bay but Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks also seem scenic.

Which tour would be preferable?

Thanks rdt10!

We will be visiting Venice on Monday, Sept. 26 in the afternoon on our cruise on the Eurodam.

Is it advisable to purchase skip the line tickets for St. Marks and also for the Campanile? It is difficult to estimate the exact time we will be there. The ship docks at 1 pm.

Thank you.

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

Hawkeyetlse- We will be staying at the Gallery Hotel near Paseo de Gracia and Plaza Cataluña. We would like to start our cruise as soon as possible and would like to feel settled and relax on Thursday.

If we stick with our tour of Barcelona and Montserrat on Wednesday it seems that we should see the interior of the Sagrada Familia on Tuesday afternoon, jet lag or not.

Thanks for your insights Turtles06.

This is our first time in Barcelona and we currently have a group tour booked. Your suggestion is a good one and I will look into the cost of a private tour of Barcelona that would include the interior of Sagrada Familia, possibly forgoing Monserrat.

My wife and I will be in Barcelona prior to cruising on the Eurodam in September.

Our flight arrives at BCN at 11:30 am on Tuesday. Hotel check-in is at 3pm.

We have arranged an all day tour of Barcelona and Monserrat with Barcelona Day Tours on Wednesday. I have checked with them and the tour does not include the interior of the Sagarda Familia, which looks amazing from pictures I have seen.

Our cruise departs Barcelona at 4 pm on Thursday. I am not sure of embarkation time but would think it will be late morning or possibly noon.

We would like to see the interior of the Sagrada Familia. When should we purchase tickets for? Should we drop luggage at our hotel on Tuesday (we figure to be quite tired from the red-eye flight) and tour the Sagrada. Should we try to squeeze in a visit on Thursday morning before embarking? We could check out of hotel and ask them to hold our bags, but I am not sure what time the included transfer from hotel to the pier is.

Thanks for your advice.

Thanks Campolady.

My wife and I have booked private shore excursions for several of the ports on our Mediterranean cruise.

Forgive me if this has been covered in other threads, but what is the suggested gratuity for the driver and for the guide for an all day tour? What is the suggested gratuity if the driver and guide are one in the same? The tours are not inexpensive but I want to do what is appropriate.

Thank you.

We were planning on visiting Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello. In looking at the map we will be closer so we don't mind.

Recieved an email from Holland America today informing us that the Eurodam will now call at Salerno rather than Naples on the September 15, 2016 cruise due to operational reasons.

When researching Barcelona there are bold printed warnings on some web sites about rampant pickpockets and thieves. There are recommendations to wear money belts and use steel reinforced camera straps. Is it okay to use my digital SLR or should I buy an inexpensive point and shoot?

I live in a big city and I fully understand the use of common sense and being aware of your surroundings.

I would not want these concerns detracting my enjoyment of what seems to be an amazing city but do not want my vacation to be ruined.

I would be interested in knowing what others have experienced.

Thank you.

Does Holland American offer a behind the scenes ship tour? Specifically we will be on the Eurodam.

Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions.

We will be in Venice in September on the Eurodam. Does anyone know if HAL offer a complimentary water shuttle between the cruise port and Piazza San Marco?