Boreus

While this information in Fodor's blog on Cesme is four years old, I thought it had some information you might find of use: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/turkey-beaches-cesme-or-olu-deniz.cfm

I wonder when in port and getting some free time, how many officers are inviting the schmoozies to hang out with them on shore?

A great question, fizzy. I have never heard of it happening.

I prefer to see the captain steering the ship and the chief engineer tending to the machinery or whatever rather than spreading charm, although I realize that is part of their jobs too.

I am a trivia nut and find that my fellow-players are excellent company. Some teams I have been on have arranged special dinners with spouses so we can get to know each other better. This is probably strange enough that I am not justified in casting aspersions on the friendship or non-friendship patterns of other passengers.

It made us wonder if trainees are assigned to deck 7 on the Mariner since there are only five cabins that are "concierge" or above (we were in one of the two Seven Seas Aft suites -- there are also 3 Horizon suites). Some officers also have suites on deck 7. We were not fond of being on deck 7.

We have followed your postings with interest, and we have learned from them. Thank you. We are looking forward to our first Regent cruise out of Venice April 30 on the Mariner and have just been assigned to one of the category H cabins aft on deck 7. Was there anything besides the possibility of trainees being assigned there that made you not fond of deck 7?

I noticed in one of your posts that electronic cigarette smoking is permitted in non-food areas. Did this create any problem?

Could tobacco from traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes be smelled outside the designated smoking areas? The Connoisseur Club is aft on the sixth deck. Did you smell smoke from it on the seventh deck? I ask because my wife is made ill by tobacco smoke, and I try to avoid it myself. Our last cruise was on Silversea, and we had to change cabins because of tobacco and other smells coming through the ventilating system.

It is obviously not just one case - why would spammers only target one individual? It is actually quite widespread - it is already reported as being on the watch lists for fraudulent emails (I don't know how to provide links - google it)

gnomie :)

TechHelpList.com reports that as of April 9 they had received 149 of these bogus Regent e-mails from 126 IP addresses in 30 countries. This was the same day the OP reported her bogus e-mail which, to repeat, was not really from Regent. I believe that Mr. Moore and his colleagues could craft a non-alarming warning about the threat, but it may be that by now the e-mail has run its course and is no longer circulating. I appreciate Mr. Moore's contributions to this thread, and I assume he may know of current reports of the false e-mail.

The e-mail you received is, of course, bogus. You were right not to click on the links. The false Regent e-mail is discussed on the following web site which I guarantee can be clicked on safely: https://techhelplist.com/index.php/spam-list/780-regent-seven-seas-cruises-invoice-guest-malware

I thought that I was the only person supporting Soft Surroundings and Chicos:D :D

I think I pay the light bills at Chico's and Soft Surroundings has super pretty stuff....

I have a tendency to overdress and am delighted that my Chico wardrobe will suffice.

Chico's is the middle-aged female cruiser's BFF, in my book.

Our first cruise on Regent comes up at the end of this month, and I mentioned your comments on Chico's to my wife. The light went on, and she dragged me to our local Chico's! We just spent about 40 expensive minutes there and you (Travelcat2, nana541, Starry Eyed, and montanarose12) all owe me a substantial OBC. After decades of marriage one should know better than to open up clothing possibilities, but that is to blame the victim (me). Besides, as an American I do not take responsibility for my own actions, which may explain our politicians. I look forward eagerly to the amounts you will contribute in restitution.

You're welcome, Boreus. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

The full album is here if you're interested: http://bigdogwebpages.com/bdhome/tinydancer/tinydancer.php?path=f238150b9faa&ratings=345

Interested? I was fascinated by your Venice album, drib! You are a terrific photographer. My lens cap is off to you. Once again, thank you. I hope we cruise together sometime. I will try for some photos on the Mariner when it sails from Venice on April 30 at 11:00pm, but dark as it will be at that hour I think even you would be challenged.

I have been planning to take the Line B bus from the Information Center at the port entrance to the Terme Taurine. This used to be a bus that started at the train station, stopped at the port entrance and went on to the Terme Taurine (among other places.) Does anyone know where the bus stops now in relation to where the shuttle from the ship leaves one off?

I don't know how accessible it may be to a wheelchair, but the Terme Taurine, also known as the Baths of Traiano, in Civitavecchia are worth a visit. They are reviewed on Trip Advisor and here is a web site on them: http://civitavecchia.net/places-traiano_baths.html#anc

Docking at San Basilio would provide a much better view I would think

From San Basilio (where we docked on the Mariner) once the fog lifted we had a wonderufl view - of the Hilton.

When we sailed in on the Mariner, we were in starboard aft suite on Deck 7 with the wraparound balcony. It was perfection. And we had a view of the Grand Canal from our cabin.

San Basilio provides a better view to the north than any view from the passenger terminal (Stazione Marittima). To the south of San Basilio, however, is Giudecca canal and island, which as Hambaghaie suggests is no great shakes. If there was any doubt about the view to starboard (north) coming into Venice being superior to the one to port (south, Giudecca island) it was refuted by drib's video, which brought back happy memories to me and is the view to starboard. Thank you drib.

I have been advised to have a starboard stateroom as this will give us best views of Venice when we sail in. Does anyone know if this is the best side of the ship when she is docked.

Sailing into Venice is a treat and as you have been advised the best views are from starboard: Piazza San Marco, Santa Maria della Salute, and a glimpse down the Grand Canal. Giudecca island, the area to port, does not equall the panorama of the rest of Venice in my opinion. The major attraction on the port side is San Georgio Maggiore, famously painted by Claude Monet.

The view once docked is a different matter, and likely to be less interesting and more chancy, depending on where the Navigator is located. If it ties up at the passenger terminal I don't think you will have much to see. But if the harbor master directs the Navigator to San Basilio, on the Giudecca canal, the scene should improve. You will not know which side will be to the quay, port or starboard so you will not know in advance which side to be on for the more interesting sights.

I think Hambagahle has a point when he advises being on deck for the 360 degree view of Venice as you arrive, but I have greatly enjoyed sitting on my own balcony and having a quiet drink as this beautiful city unfolds.

Regarding the dog...if the owner can get a doctor's note verifying the need for a therapy/assistance dog to help mitigate anxiety then the law requires the dog be permitted to go wherever the owner goes. The scam is that many (not all) people are just paying doctors to provide the documentation just so they can take there pet everywhere. Quite often these dogs are just pets and have not been highly trained as most true service dogs are. Most service dogs cause no problems and should certainly be accommodated for the wellbeing of the owner.

Right on, Gourmet Gal, and evidence that the dog in question was not a service dog was the OP's observation that the dog barked on the odd occasion when he was in the restaurant. Service dogs are trained to bark only under special circumstances, such as emergencies.

The Sunday Times apparently missed the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Report of its July 19, 2014 inspection that failed the Silver Discoverer with a score of 75. The report is at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/InspectionDetailReport.aspx?ColI=MTg2NDAzNjI%3d-3Dmg90MRiag%3d along with Silversea's Corrective Action Statement. The Silver Discoverer has not been reinspected.

Like captjohn I am not sure that Regent will do British Air, but if they do a BA non-stop flight leaves for London Heathrow from Phoenix at 8:00pm. After a three-hour layover in London the next day another BA flight leaves for Barcelona, nonstop. Total travel time is under 15 hours.

Starting to get nervous about our spring 2015 cruise ending in South Africa (not on SS) and wondering what those on the West African SS cruise (Capetown north) are doing.

 

As I'm looking 6 months out, it is hard to figure to balance safety/price. My travel agent has come up with $25K but as that's a whole other cruise, we'd like to come up with something less. BA won't have a reasonably priced ticket for us due to the one-way flight (we are Star Alliance members and have no status on One World) and I really don't want to stop at Senegal and then transit through the US given the current level of concern around Ebola. On the other hand, going through the middle-East seems dodgy as well!

Turkish Airlines, a Star Alliance member, has a flight from Johannesburg to New York via Istanbul for $2,700 business class one way. Since both legs of the flight are long a stopover in Istanbul - one of my favorite cities - is called for.

Do you remember if Philippe, the French waiter usually at La Terrazza, was on board?

Sorry, I do not recall Philippe as being on board. Rest assured, though, that the service will be as good as ever. The second time I had breakfast at La Terrazza they knew I drink two Cappuccinos in the morning. If you speak with Saskia please tell her that the couple whose cabin she shifted because of an odor think fondly of her and appreciate the seriousness with which she treated the problem and the speed with which she resolved it.

I disembarked from the Spirit earlier today and Herman the Cat has it right on personnel. The captain is Alessandro Zanello, the hotel director is Paolo Percivale, and the cruise director is Kirk Detweiler. The guest relations manager is Saskia Harm from the Netherlands, and she is a spectacular problem-solver. Things go wrong even on the best cruises, and this was a great cruise that I will write a review on later, but when there is an difficulty Saskia moves right in and corrects the situation. This happened to us when there was a smell in our cabin. When I spoke with other passengers I found a few who had similar experiences Saskia on this and previous cruises.

I second everything mjnvoyager says about the Spirit and its crew. It was a nine-day cruise with never a mediocre meal. Two nights ago I had Tournedos Rossini; probably the best I have ever had. The service, of course, was tops. The people in the crew could not do enough for the passengers. Rosepark you can be assured of a terrific cruise.

I am on the Spirit and I notice on the daily programs that at 7:00pm each day there is a gathering of solo passengers hosted by the international hostesses. I do not believe there are any gentlemen hosts aboard. This has been a terrific cruise with near-perfect weather, and I believe that all the passengers are having a good time. I know I am.

"In Senegal, one person, who travelled by road from Guinea to Dakar on 20 August, tested positive for Ebola on 27 August. 74 contacts are being followed-up, none of whom have tested positive for EVD so far." That quote is taken from the World Health Organization Ebola Response Roadmap Situation Report,18 September 2014, and suggests that in Senegal at least the Ebola situation is little changed from the report of September 5 when 67 contacts were being followed. The only Ebola case reported in Senegal is the one person who came from Guinea. The full text of the latest WHO report can be found at http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/133833/1/roadmapsitrep4_eng.pdf?ua=1.

A Situation Report on Ebola Response as of September 5, 2014 from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) states that: "In Senegal, one person, who travelled by road from Guinea to Dakar on 20 August, tested positive for EVD [Ebola virus disease] on 27 August. 67 contacts are being followed-up; none of these have tested positive so far... In Senegal, the identified case is currently in isolation, with 67 contacts being followed." The full report is at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/5-september-2014-en.pdf?ua=1

I could find no WHO recommendation on travel to Senegal.

You are in for a treat in Dubrovnik. One of the best things to do is simply walk the walls and then stroll down the main street, the Placa.

The following is taken from the web site http://www.mediterranean-cruise-ports-easy.com/getting-to-dubrovnik.html I suggest you take the local bus, option 4.

If your ship is docking in Dubrovnik, it will always be in the port of Gruz.

This port is 2.5 km away from the Old town of Dubrovnik. So when it comes to getting to Dubrovnik you will need some kind of motorized transportation.

Here are your options:

1. Taking one of the cruise line organized tours. If this is your first visit to Dubrovnik, make sure you choose one of the tours that will take you to the Old Town and give you some time off here to walk around and explore! Really, this is where you want to spend your day!

2. Taking a taxi

– there are always taxis available right in front of the cruise ship. They will charge you about $10 or 50 kn (Croatian kunas) to Pile Gate, which is where you enter the Old Town. Split between up to 4 people it’s actually quite an affordable, quick and hassle-free way of getting to Dubrovnik Old town.

dubrovnik gruz, dubrovnik cruise, getting to dubrovnik, dubrovnik transportation

3. Taking the ship organized transfer bus – some cruise lines will charge for this service and others will not. Inquire about your Dubrovnik transfers, once on the cruise ship, at the Tour desk!

These buses will also drop you off right by the Pile Gate where the pedestrian area of the Old town starts. The ride takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic.

This is where you will catch them to get back to the cruise ship too. Just make sure you inquire what time the last bus back to the port is.

All ships that tender/dock in Gruz will have their bus drop offs here, so also make sure you get on the right bus for the right cruise ship when coming back.

Most cruise lines will have organized a staff member to wait for the cruisers there and keep them organized in a line.

Due to the crowds and long intervals in which buses show up to pick up the guests, it can get very crazy and stressful there. So either be very patient or choose to take one of the last buses, as usually most people will have departed earlier in fear of missing the ship. As long as you catch that last bus, you’ll be fine! ☺

4. Taking a local bus – yes, there is a local bus station on the main street in front of the cruise terminal and you can take getting to Dubrovnik into your own hands. You will find it next to a little newspaper/magazine stall.

Just remember you will need some local currency to purchase the bus ticket. If your ship visits Split before coming to Dubrovnik, you might still have some Croatian kunas sitting in your pocket, but if it doesn’t you’ll need to get them somehow.

Most ships will not have any kunas available onboard. That’s why you will need to get some at the money exchange office or ATM machine at the Main Bus station, which is right next to the local bus stop.

pile gate dubrovnik, dubrovnik walls, dubrovnik old town

Get your local bus ticket in the news-stand for 8kn per person (just over €1) or on the bus for a little more - 10kn. Look for buses #1, #1A or #1B. Get on the bus through the front door only and validate the ticket in the little machine by the driver.

You will get off at the last stop which is right in front of the Pile gate, which is the entrance into the Old town of Dubrovnik.

From there, getting around Dubrovnik is very easy – you will most likely spend all day inside the walled Old town which is a pedestrian only area and you will not need any other means of transportation.

I never cease to be amazed at how we can second guess major medical organizations like the WHO, Doctors Without Borders, etc.

 

Only the information that comes directly from the various government agencies has value. All the rest is conversation.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not issued a Travel Health Notice for Senegal. The CDC has issued Level Three Travel Health Notices (avoid nonessential travel) for Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia due the prevalence of Ebola, and a Level Two Travel Health Notice (practice enhanced precautions) for Nigeria. See the full text at this site: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

The US Department of State Travel Alert Potential Implications for Travel Because of Ebola in Parts of West Africa was last updated on August 28 and does not mention Senegal. The text is here: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/ebola-west-africa.html

Doctors Without Borders is a non-governmental organization.

The UK Foreign Office Travel Advise for Senegal has this to say about the threat from Ebola: "An outbreak of Ebola virus disease has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. [it is now also in Nigeria.] If you travel to this region you should follow the health advice issued by the National Travel Health Network and Centre. There have been no suspected cases of Ebola in Senegal. On 21 August the government of Senegal announced it was closing its land border with Guinea, and its air and sea borders to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone." For the full text click on: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/senegal

The US Department of State Country Information Sheet for Senegal does not mention Ebola, although it discusses the risks of contracting malaria and TB in Senegal. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/senegal.html

From Dakar to the border of Guinea, the nearest country to report Ebola, is 488 km, or a little over 303 miles. While the possible spread of Ebola merits close attention from anyone traveling to West Africa, I agree with Wendy that if Senegal does not have any cases, what is the problem about sailing to Dakar?

Comboios de Portugal runs about two trains an hour from Cais do Sodre Station to Cascais for 2.15 Euros a person. The train takes 33 minutes, and can also be boarded at the Alcantara Mar Station. This web site is partly in Portuguese but should give you some idea of what is involved: http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=bf066e29d6b74010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD

I just booked the 12/4 Silver Spirit and getting on to chat with my fellow passengers is all too new to me. I'm trying to figure out how not to make it so complicated to get to this site, Please share with me how I got here.

 

Anxious to meet some people Before sailing. I live in So. Florida Boynton Beach and have been cruising since 1984. First time tho' on Silversea and I'm so looking forward to it.

If someone answers this, I'll know I've finally found where I want to be talking to you.

 

Thanks,

G

G: I think you will be interested in the Roll Call for your cruise. Click on: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2029447