Where’s Waldo

We had a ship swap with Viking from Vidar to Lofn B-A and took bus to day boat along Rhine gorge and during the bus ride, it looked very narrow during at least one turn. With the lower water level you also run into que in traffic just like getting through the locks. We were in Kinderdijk yesterday and no rain but day prior in Cologne it rained most of the day so I doubt Viking knows exactly what will happen.  We  were told by our program director from the start there would be a swap than the day prior he said conditions improved so we did not coach as far. Good luck to all. 

31 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

I spotted the Lofn on marinetraffic in transit at an unusual hour last night. Now I know why. Levels still tricky downstream from Koblenz of course. You are in Köln Niehl, which is actually the winter harbour for many river cruise ships. I think the Viking Bestla is at the usual Viking dock along the Rhine. Not sure why you ended up in the harbour then. A safety measure, or no double docking allowed? If you are interested, I am sure the cruise director is happy to explain.

 

Can you remember which excursion boat you took through the gorge?

 

Have a great time in Cologne and in the Netherlands. It has been a bit of an adventure for you, for sure.

 

The wind today feels ice cold. Skies should clear up and there are warmer temperatures forecast for tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Not sure what excursion boat yesterday was, off hand. We did see a boat at port along river in Cologne. We are definitely not in an ideal location. We brought the ship location card and taxied back but driver had a difficult time finding location, being there are 2 entrances, attempted to call reception but unable to speak German for our driver. Did find it by asking someone working the port. Town was great, nice to get out and walk around. Rain had taken a break but it has returned. 

Sorry forget to mention ship, we started on Viking Vidar and now on the Loftn. Rain this morning but clear for the past 2-3 hours. We are 3 Viking boats docked along 2 other cruise boats in an industrial port in Cologne. 

We left Koblenz last night about 9pm on 10/29, was scheduled for 1am on 10/30 but I was told last night the captain wanted to leave at 8pm. We were told before reaching Koblenz we didn’t have to bus as far north due to conditions improving. So I wonder if the improvements were short lived. We are docked in an industrial port in Cologne and supposed to be a 10 minute shuttle. Without the obvious downside to the water levels is docking of boats. We have been docked along or docked to nearly everyday.

Currently cruising with Viking along the Rhine starting in Basel-Ams. We made it to Strasbourg Saturday and yesterday  took a bus to Heildelberg castle and then to Koblenz with a boat swap in Koblenz. Viking did a great job setting up lunch in a German pub for us in Heildelburg. Bus was not fun but par for the course; about 1:25 to Heildelberg and a little over 2 hrs to Koblenz. 

It appears the ships are unable to go north of Strasbourg or south of Koblenz currently. Today we are to catch a bus going south and then take a scenic cruise to see the castles and then return to our new boat in Koblenz; so we are close to our itinerary. This is supposed to be our only boat swap. We were told river is improving and we didn’t have to go as far as anticipated for the boat swap. 

Correct, in my experience you oils go and go. It’s very similar to the going through tsa. Have your passport out with visa for customs line, they will take your visa and stamp your passport the first time. Then you step over to X-ray, they had 2 machines. After that is money exchange, plenty of lines, but get enough for tipping guide/driver and souvenirs. Then walk down to buses or straight outside, you will be close to a town square. Getting back, you need to have your cruise ship card out to get in the building, back through customs and X-ray and you walk back on ship. When we returned it was pretty quite but we stayed out after our tour. Next times through it’s the same process just no visa and maybe no money exchange. It seemed very simple. If your organized we were off ship to bus in about 15 minutes but we try to make it smooth, didn’t seem the norm for everyone we were last out for our tour from the ship and easily the first on the bus. Don’t stress about it, Norwegian runs you through it well.

We did the Cigar and Rum tour, night-time tour of the squares and Sloppy Joes, and the Hemmingway house.

Cigar and Rum tour: We like it. Rum factory is closed but had live music playing, had rum tasting and they really pushed cigars. They also had a coffee shop at the Rum factory which was included but nice to tip; the fun drink was fire water mixing a flaming rum with coffee and pouring from overhead to the bars, lights off of course. Then we went to the cigar factory and got to see some of the process, smelled very good in there. Also went to an artsy street/alley. Guide then took us to another cigar store. And then finally to another venue with some older historical prints.

Night on the square was made even more interesting with the thunderstorm but was nice eating and drinking at Sloppy Joes; they brought us huge a Cuban sandwich, rum and coke and then a beer. Then brought us back to the Squares near port and had mojitos at an alley bar and the guide discussed the squares.

Hemingway’s was busy but still an interesting house. You are not allowed in but all the doors and windows are open and it looks like a museum. They say it’s how he lived, he left meaning to return. The second half of the tour felt repetitive for us, going back to the square.

We didn’t do the Tropicana because I don’t like to sit but didn’t hear any great reviews, people said it was ok but wanted to experience.

If you take a tour, time can feel rushed you don’t have much time while on to stop in a shop so if you see something you should get it then.

There is time between day and night tours but my wife wanted time to refresh and recharge.

Have fun. Whatever you do, Cuba in general is a great experience.

We were there 2 days and I only exchanged money on the first day but we were through every time very quickly. In Havana they have multiple custom agents, then I think two x-ray belt lines and metal dectors. Then you can go to money exchange with I think at least 8 booths.

If you are familiar with traveling and pack ready for security scans and keep documents ready it’s fast. We took tours and ended last in line from the boat but made to the buses first every time.

Yes you can wander on your own just keep in mind you have to maintain your itinerary for 5 years and it has to meet the US travel reasons.

You don’t need to say much between tours, you could just note on your plans you were back on the ship.

You can bring back as much as you want but you have declare when you come back through US customs anything over one bottle each and just pay the taxes on them. The restriction is how much we can bring back duty free.

You can always bring water off the boat but some don’t allow back on.

While on our first day we had some lemonade style drinks, not sure where but was where a scene of Fast and Furious was shot. Also went to Sloppy Joes and had Cuban sandwich along with Rum and Coke. Then went to an alley bar in the square near port for a mojito.

On our second day, we had daiquiri’s at el Floridita and another mojito at the prior days bar.

All drinks had ice and we luckily did not get sick but I had brought OTC meds just in case.

2 hours should be plenty. If you have your stuff organized to go through security like our TSA and keep your visa and passport out, you can be out of port in 15 minutes with exchanging cash.

I didn’t see any taxis right out of port but they are fairly close. We were in the square across from the port and walked down the street and kept getting asked if we wanted a taxi.

I think booking online would be my next trip, it seemed like you can get your own guide and customize your experience. We booked onboard and it was nice but it felt a little rushed.

I’m not sure about Oceania but Norwegian didn’t or even ask about cigars. Why would they even care. From my understanding smoking can be ok onboard but in only specific areas.

Didn’t know about any Cuba loose cigar law. We went through port customs a few times in Havana and we were never questioned and we had varying cigars. Also never heard anyone on the boat get questioned.

100 cigars. As of March 2017 you don’t need to do a written declaration if you don’t go over $800, 2-bottles of alcohol or 100-cigars. There were some others things also. If you go over you have to fill out the old written declaration and just pay tax. If you don’t go over now it’s just supposed to be an oral declaration at customs but they may not ask. We walked up, handed our passport and he said have a good day.

Probably. I actually left most of my US money on the boat. We did tip a band with dollars when I saw others doing it and I didn’t have small CUC bills. That was a huge mistake at the money exchange not asking for smaller bills. I had thought I could break the largeer bills but as I spent them I still had to large of bills. They have 1,3&5 CUC bills I thought were great for street tipping and vendors. They also had coins in small denominations. My wife did see one guy come up to a person in our group with a sketch and he did take US dollars but he didn’t look too happy about it.

In regards to the cool Cuban he was making his way through the crowd at a mojito bar outside, we told him we didn’t have any small bills for tipping and he insisted on me and him getting pictures due to our beards then he just moved on. We felt bad because he was so generous and made a cool travel photo for me; we were able to get some smaller bills traded with one of guides and tipped him even though he didn’t expect it and he was so gracious.

Yes the sky has two, the Palace and Crossings. It was a Cuba cruise and dress code was resort casual so nicer shorts were accepted and I thought also a collared shirt but I saw plenty of t-shirts. We only ate the Palace so I’m not sure how they enforced the dress code at the other.

We did the ship tours but heard a lot of people did private so we got the name a couple use for under $100 for all day. One thing I found frustrating about our tours was that the guides took you to small cigar shops. With our first guide she got behind the counter at 2 of the shops. Then during our cigar factory tour she tried to get people to not go into the government shop attached which you know are real official cigars. During our last tour, I was last to leave the shop and our guide was waiting. Initially I thought I was holding up the group and he was just waiting for me but then he stayed in a bit longer. I later heard they get paid cigars for bringing customers in. We did the rum/cigar/art tour 1st. Rum factory was closed but still a good experience tasting and buying legendario rum. Also had an attached coffee shop when a great show for fire water pouring a flaming coffee from overhead. At the cigar factory they don’t allow photography upstairs but was cool to watch the process. We were then brought on art tours that were interesting. At night we did the walk in colonial park. We stared at sloppy joes huge Cuban sandwich and food drinks Cuba libe and beer include then to the square for a great mojito then came then rain but made for sun experience. Day 2 we went to Hemingway’s, Floridita was a daiquiri and again the alley mojito.

When we go back we will do a private tour to hit the highlights and move at our pace, sometimes we felt rushed and others it felt like we were just sitting. I would go get a mojito off San Francisco square alley, go to Floridita (my wife thought it was the best daiquiri she’s had), Sloppy Joe’s cuba libre was very good. If you want to see Hemingway’s, it seemed the private guides got in easier then the buses. The people we spoke with were very happy with their guides also showing them the cigar shops.

I would image so. I just got off the Sky and saw someone wearing basketball shorts at the main dining room.

CUC are 1-1 with dollar minus 3% exchange fee and 10% for US dollar. I was there last week and exchanged 400 US and got 350CUC.

One guy told me, he didn’t exchange anything. At shops, except small ones, they took US dollars and took off the 13%.

Cigars vary a lot. Met someone he said he only came down for cigars and rum and he bought boxes of cigars for 300 CUC but he was very specific on brand and type and from a government shop. Then met someone else who got a box for 125 CUC near Floridita. I took cruise tours and felt like the guide pushed us towards smaller shops and purposely avoided the government shops even when we toured the government factory. I ended trying my luck on my own and didn’t get official cigars but once visiting a factory we learned a roller is allowed to take home 4 cigars/day. I got a box of 25 Cohibas for 70 CUC, box labels weren’t perfect neither were the bands but I’m not a cigar smoker and they smelled very good to me. Later I got a box of monte cristo 25 for 60 CUC. Again these weren’t official but good enough for me. My wife got 5 in a small shop our guide took us to for 30 CUC. In the guided shops they were trying to sell variety 5-packs in cedar carrier from 50-80 CUC.

Coffee was 14.50 CUC for 1000g bags

Rum started at 6.50 CUC. Most at Legendario was 6.50. Aged Havana Club, I think was about 16-20 CUC.

Saw Cuban shirts for sale at Hemingway’s for 15 CUC for polyester and 38 CUC for linen

Our drinks were included on our tours but looked like about 4 CUC at both Sloppy Joes and Floridita.

I would recommend keeping some small bills also to take pictures with super Cubans and tip after, they are walking around the square with large cigars. The one even have a hat for me to wear and a cigar for me to hold. It was also nice to have small bills to buy items quickly from street vendors.

Also don’t forget to tip your guides and drivers.

Yes. Just got back and we were able to get off ship and through customs in about 15 minutes or less.

We did a cruise through NCL and excursions through the boat; they tagged us with stickers to match our group and bus.

You get off the ship at the terminal and enter into customs, they will usually guide you to shorter lines. Keep your passport and visa ready, take off hat and sunglasses. They will take your visa and stamp your passport. Then bags get x-rayed and you walk through a metal detector, feels very much like US customs and TSA. Now you can make your way to the money exchange which was very quick. Then down stairs to where they have buses lined up. If you took a private tour you can just walk outside.

Getting back is very similar. Have cruise keycard in hand to get back in terminal, go back upstairs to X-ray and metal detectors, then to customs with passport in hand (leaving to the left, entering straight ahead), now with keycard out back onto the ship.

It all went very smooth.