Fairgarth

We found that not every bank in Italy would produce cash from an ATM using our card. Ironically, one of the best which always worked was Deutsche Bank.

We have not been to Bari but always wondered if it was worth a visit. Now we know. Thank you!

Well, yes, but....the excursion you want is fully booked. OK then, we'll take our second or third choice. Or maybe take your first choice since you really want to see it but pay a local guide. Everybody gets to eat in the speciality restaurants at least once. But again....some passengers (frequent fliers?) can eat there every night so the rest of us peasants could only get 8:30 on Wednesday night. No thanks. Never did make it. Overall, however, I rate Regent in a different league from Celebrity.

We did LA to Ft. Lauderdale. The canal is the highlight of the trip. Obviously! It was a long, boring haul southbound from LA till you get to the canal. For us, that was the right direction. I would not want the excitement early on and then spend days and days anxious to get home.

Same with entertainers. They can join in the middle of a cruise, spend a couple of nights and then they're gone.

I don't get it. Ships offload people all the time, at any port, for medical reasons. Is that considered some kind of exception that does not apply to the rest of us peasants?

No, sorry, QM2 is not for you. I'm don't want to pour cold water on your trip but am trying to be realistic. Others may disagree and are free to chip in. I can't imagine an 18 month old on QM2. They don't belong in the dining room, for instance. How are the parents going to enjoy the many activities that QM2 offers? Afternoon tea, planetarium, top class lectures, ballroom dancing, evening shows, library, art classes, passenger choir etc etc. The ship will get you there but I don't see how you can enjoy the Cunard experience. Just one person's opinion. You did ask.

Padova - 20 minute train ride from Santa Lucia. We rented an apartment in the historic centre for four weeks and loved it. Do your own research for things that interest you.

Thank you for all the interesting and informative comments. So buffet is off the hook. We did enjoy many of the shows in the packed theatre and spent to much time in the Wheehouse Bar. Yesterday, Day 7, enough is enough and we went to emergency. Chest X-rays and blood work were normal so we have flu or RSV. We had flu shots in the fall but RSV is a new one on me. And the treatment? Nothing. Just time. Today is Day 8 and we are both miserable, sick puppies.

Last Thursday we were in Aruba. We went up to the buffet for a quick bite of lunch, first time up there. Friday, sea day, I was coughing all day. Sturday, sea day, we were both pretty miserable and stayed in bed, coughing and shivering, no appetite. Sunday we had to get off and fly home. That was a miserable 6 hour flight. So now we are at day six with no end in sight. It's not Noro, it's not Covid so what is it? How long does it last? Did anybody else get it? It's the first time is 23 cruises that we have come home with an 'unwanted' souvenir.

So we booked a ship's tour. We were in Fuerte Amador and they offered a train ride across to Colon, bus back and a one hour stop at Agua Clara visitor centre. I thought this could be a great way to see it all: canal, ships, locks. The train is air conditioned, comfortable seats and snacks included, drinks for sale. We like a train ride. And that's what you get. So how about taking in the canal sights? Nope. Trees. Both sides. Mile after mile. Ah well, maybe the bus back will be better. Nope. Trees. Both sides. Mile after mile. We had maybe 100 yards where you could actually see a ship. We got lucky at Agua Clara and saw a large ship entering the new lock. So if you like a bus ride and a train ride, go for it. If you are interested in the canal, forget it.

I wondered if a gust blew the aircraft sideways and down and the right gear went off the tarmac and collapsed. Hard to tell.

A retired flight attendant friend remarked that their training will now have to be updated. To include the procedure for evacuating an inverted aircraft. Who saw that coming?

I never knew that. Thank you!

Thank you so much for this fascinating cruise report. Antarctica has been on my bucket list for quite some time but I had been giving up hope. Having read through this, I really must make the effort, it would be unforgettable. I was born and raised in Dundee which used to have a strong connection with Antarctica. Capt. Scott's ship, RRS Discovery was built in Dundee. It is now moored in Dundee and open to the public. I have visited it along with the museum on shore. I came away with the impression that he was an upper class twit out of his depth. Now Shackleton however - what a man! Yes, he lost his ship but he did not lose any men, not one. The book I like is "The Endurance" by Caroline Alexander. Shackleton and five men rowed in a 23' open lifeboat across 800 miles of open seas from Elephant Island to South Georgia. The lifeboat was named "James Caird". Shackleton was having difficulty financing his expedition and a Dundee jute baron called James Caird helped him out. Today the James Caird lifeboat is in Dulwich College in London and is open to the public.

No, sorry, you got lucky. They went back to work on 17th December. After a month on strike, you might think that you would get a flood of mail in the next two weeks i.e. six weeks of mail compressed into two weeks of delivery. Nope. I have a subscription to 'The Economist'. As of the 9th January, how many December Economists had been delivered? None.

I second that.

Thank you so much, Lindsey. We have been following along with great interest since we are doing the canal shortly on Coral Princess.

Good point, I should have mentioned that. In our case, we went to St. Exupery and took the fast tram which goes downtown and Part-Dieu.

We have taken the TGV from CDG to Lyon, straight through, no connections. The TGV station is right in the airport. Watch out though, there are two TGV's: Ouigo and Inoui. Ouigo is Ryanair on rails and the other is full service. If you book early enough we have found that first class on Inoui was not much more than peasant class.

We sail Princess in late February. We were planning to buy Princess Plus before we go at USD $60 each per day. We do have a US credit card but would it be possible to have Princess bill our Canadian credit card at their favourable conversion rate rather than the bank's rate?

It's great to see another GSJ and I'm enjoying it as always. Thank you. We sailed Koningsdam to Alaska last year and had a wonderful time. Now then - when I see a trumpet player with a mic clipped to the bell (same on Koningsdam) I'm outta there. I play trumpet. That thing is loud. It has to be made even louder? Really? Are they trying to entertain Norwegian and Azamara too? And I notice that the drummer is encased in glass. Too many rotten tomatoes heading in his direction? Chaque un a son gout mais pour moi, there's no pleasure there.

Drive to Grand Forks.

You haven't mentioned if you are flying back out of LHR. They got you there. British departure taxes are absolutely outrageous and going up. I suppose you could take the train to CDG but in the end have you saved anything?

We are following with great interest. We are booked on Coral Princess for February - first time through the canal. Our last Princess cruise was 2006 (I had to look that up!) so we'll be curious to see how it shapes up now. Many thanks for reporting as you go.