SLSL

We are boarding today. 😍 Thank you for posting the Daily for today. That was extra thoughtful and much appreciated! 

Just received our Wonder of the Seas block from our sailing April 2022.  So it took about 5 months...but we got it!

Thank you for your response.  We are not Christian.  Yes,  we feel confident having booked the tours with Guide Tours Israel...we have read only good things.  They are being very flexible with what we want to do...we just don't know what we should do since our time is limited and there are so many wonderful sights.  Guide Tours Israel is kind to offer us three different options...still researching which would be best for us.

We have an upcoming cruise with stops in Israel. We will be  in Ashdod from 8am on a Sunday until 6pm the next day, Monday. On Tuesday, we will be in Haifa from 8am until 7pm.  My husband and I have a private tour scheduled with Guided Tours Israel.  We have never been to Israel before and I know it is impossible to see everything.  We enjoy getting the "feel" of a country when we visit...not only seeing the "must see" sights. We also feel like we should visit Tel Aviv, which was not originally on our itinerary.  So, basically we have the following options and we are asking our Cruise Critic members for their opinions. Thank you all!

Option 1 – original itinerary (NO Tel Aviv) 

October 23 – Ashdod port to Jerusalem-Yad Vashem – overnight in Jerusalem

October 24 – From JLM to Dead Sea/Masada – return to port of Ashdod

October 25 – Haifa port to Jewish Galilee – return to port of Haifa

Option 2 – Dropping Dead Sea/Masada with overnight:

October 23 - Ashdod port to Jerusalem-Yad Vashem – overnight in Tel Aviv

October 24 – From TLV to Tel Aviv-Jaffa-Caesarea – return to Ashdod port

October 25 - Haifa port to Jewish Galilee – return to port of Haifa

Option 3 – Dropping Jewish Galilee if you want to do overnight:

October 23 – Ashdod port to Jerusalem-Yad Vashem – overnight in Jerusalem

October 24 – From JLM to Dead Sea/Masada – return to port of Ashdod

October 25 – Haifa port to Tel Aviv-Jaffa-Caesarea – return to port of Haifa

We always bring wipes for hard surfaces and spray can of lysol for soft surfaces. As soon as we enter our cabin on boarding day,  DH and I go into sanitization mode! Do this for hotels as well.

Does anyone know if you return to the USA by ship (transatlantic sailing), how do you get the VAT tax returned to you on your purchases? Typically, this is done at the airport, but we won't be going to an airport.  I remember years ago, the ship had someone come on the ship while we were still in port, and do this for the passengers.  I don't remember which cruise line this was;  nor do I know if this is routinely done or is currently being done?  Looking forward to a nice purchase as long as the dollar/euro rate stays like this. Thanks for any help.

Susan

Those chocolates are the chocolate fruit truffles you can choose on the Diamond Plus gift amenities. 

17 minutes ago, Keksie said:

Probably caught it in the bus.  Highly unlikely the cabin attendant could spread it.  The virus does not work that way.  If the bus made you uncomfortable you could always have gotten off before the excursion started.  

We changed our seats. 

We took ship excursions when we reached the ports.  When we boarded each bus, we were told to wear a mask. It was mandatory.   People were taking their masks off as soon as they sat down.  And some of those people were sneezing...coughing...repeatedly.  They were obviously not well and spreading their germs in a contained bus. It is disrespectful not to wear a mask if told to wear one AND especially if you are spreading germs. I believe this is possibly how I caught covid.  OR...my cabin attendant informed us that people 3 cabins down the hall from us each came down with covid...as well as their friends.  If the cabin attendant went from their cabin to mine, can she possibly spread it?  

45 minutes ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

It ironic that I know a lady from the same cruise who had the same situation.  Were you on DL 195?  She was glad to do it all at home.

No - we flew on TAP Portugal.  

Just returned home from the Wonder sailing on 4/20 and tested positive with Covid this morning.  Stayed one night in Barcelona after debarkation so we could test (emed) in the hotel and fly home the next day. Test was negative...all was great.  Next day, long travel day and long flight home.  Started to not feel great on the plane...stuffy nose, that was it. Woke up this morning with chills, fever...so tested myself and it was positive.  Had a telemed video call with my doctor who said I definitly had covid on the cruise because the positive results on rapid tests take a few days to show.  A few days ago, I was on the ship. I feel so lucky that I was able to fly home and deal with covid recovery in my home vs getting stuck in Barcelona for ??? how long.   But...I was on the cruise and an airplane and I had covid...I just did not know it.    There were probably others in the same situation. As of now, my husband is fine, hope it stays that way.

Yes,  understand the suites get Malin+Goetz products, but wasn't sure what you receive when in a regular balcony with over 340 loyalty points (which on the loyalty benefit lists upgraded amenities).  I guess it would be the same as the suites amenities.  I understand that sometimes you do need to ask your attendant for the products.  Happened to us when we were previously in an Aqua Suite on the Anthem.  We needed to ask for the upgraded lotion, etc and laundry bag.  Our attendant wasn't even aware that our cabin should have these items.  However,  this was in December...not a full ship...the crew were recently back and I believe we were the only suite our attendant was taking care of.  She wasn't provided with the instructions and products for the suite. Not her fault at all. We did receive the products immediately after asking.  And we enjoyed them!

Thank you.  Do you know if it is shampoo, conditioner, body wash or just lotion?

When you have over 340 C&A loyalty points you should receive upgraded bathroom amenities. Does anyone know what the actual upgraded products are? Will they automatically be in your cabin? Do you need to request them from your cabin attendant to get upgraded bathroom amenities?  

Perfect...now I can start my research.  Thank you both for these suggestions.

Cruise will be from Civitavecchia in the middle of October.  Have visited Rome numerous times.  Looking for suggestions where to stay pre-cruise, for a couple of days, but still an easy drive (an hour or so) to Civitavecchia on cruise day. Is there an area/town someone would recommend and why?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Susan

Nope -- I'm wrong.  We were in a private area in the Solarium.  I was just there in September and it was difficult to remember.  ugh. Due to Covid, there were only 8 of us at a table that could seat 12-14.  We were spread out at a large table and they had two huge air purifiers in the room with us.

Chefs Table is in a private room inside Chops Restaurant. Love the Chefs table! Enjoy!

Thank you dogs4fun....unfortunately we aren't on our own time schedule: we are relying on the tour company's transportation so i am not sure if we would be comfortable without reserved seats . We can't control what time we would arrive at the theater.  DH likes to know he has a decent seat/view. Sounds like the Hermitage is the nicer theater for the acoustics. Oh well. 

Shone216 - we just purchase our tickets for the performance at the Alexandrinsky.  See you there!

Susan

On 6/29/2019 at 1:32 PM, Shone216 said:

Wondering if anyone could recommend which theatre is best as we’re considering going to a ballet performance in St Peteresburg

We are on the same upcoming sailing on the Regal.  We are also planning on attending the ballet.  For the eve we are in St. Petersburg, (9/1) our options are Swan Lake at either the Hermitage or the Alexandrinsky.  From what I have learned so far, the Hermitage does not have reserved seats...it is a first come first seat experience and maybe bench style seating (?)...not sure about that.  Perhaps someone who has attended the Hermitage can let us know about the seating situation.  I have read people squeeze in the rows of seats, so that made me think it was like a bench row.  The Alexandrinsky, on the other hand, has reserved seats.  Because of that, we are leaning towards that theater. We prefer to have our seats in advance.

My husband and I have enjoyed reading about you and Judy on your cruise adventures.  We were so heartbroken to read about your loss… we can’t imagine what you are going through.  Please know there are so many people that you and Judy have touched, even though we may never have met. You are in our thoughts and have our deepest sympathy.

Here's my school of thought: You can always make a big ship "feel" smaller, but cannot make a smaller ship "feel"bigger. On a big ship, if you prefer to get to know crew and have them know you, than you should visit the same bars, dining venues, etc. and you will get to know the crew there. One reason some people prefer smaller ships because the crew remembers them and they know them. On smaller ships, if you don't like the bar or venue, there aren't as many options to try a different one. On a bigger ship, if you book your cabin closer to the dining venues, you won't need to walk too far every time you need to go to the dining venues, which is the area of the ship you will be walking to the most. Anyway, big ships, small ships, any cruise ship is good for me :)

On the ship tonight and saw the itinerary updated on the iconcierge app. We will now arrive in Aruba Wednesday and are only there from 7-1. We went from a beautiful overnight stay to a morning only. We are very disappointed.

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I think it's crazy that I saw this thread today, since yesterday I found my scrapbook from my first cruise with my husband - The TSS Fairsea, August 1984. We had just gotten engaged and this was our engagement celebration, 11 days down the Mexican Riviera. I even have the Passenger List - wow! - we actually had a pamphlet that listed all the passengers on the sailing, and where they were from. I just added this cruise to my signature - hey, why not? Going through the scrapbook brought back lots of fond memories. Yup, cruising after that stopped for many years...we were only 24 years old then. We wanted to buy a house and wait for the kids to get a bit older, and having the money for a cruise would have been helpful. But as soon as we could...we were back to cruising and don't plan on stopping any time soon. Thanks Sitmar for giving us the cruise bug!

Sorry - wasn't aware. It was news to me.