smithley

Just want to put in a second thumbs-up for TayMac Tours. Great pace, great information, and it left us with time for a delicious lunch, walk along the boardwalk for ice cream and beer. FYI if you're on a cruise stop it might be helpful to note that the Public Library (that looks like a big stack of books) has free WiFi and restrooms.

Not sure about its proximity to the port, etc., but my husband and I had an absolutely delightful stay at the Hotel du Vieux-Quebec about 10 years ago (and reviews suggest it hasn't declined a bit). It's in the upper town on a great street walkable to all of the sights of Old Quebec. I strongly suggest you book directly with the hotel - they have a lovely breakfast in a basket option with French pastries from the legendary bakery up the street. Warm and friendly staff will assist you and you can chill out in the comfy lounge.

We went on RCCL's Jewel of the Seas for a Transatlantic starting in Amsterdam (Aug/Sept '23) with 3 stops in Iceland, cruise through Greenland's Prince Christian Sund, another stop in Greenland and then stops in Newfoundland, and two in Nova Scotia before disembarking in New Jersey. We have cruised to Alaska twice, cruised from England through Scandinavia and the Baltic, and have done the Norwegian Fjords. All of those trips were absolutely fabulous and up to this point the fjords took the cake. However, the transatlantic was an experience like no other - absolutely breathtaking scenery, especially through the Sund. Glacier after glacier, iceberg after iceberg, crossing the Arctic Circle and even a bit of the Northern Lights. Be forewarned that weather may not be your friend and you might miss a port - we had an extra night in Akureryi because the seas were too high to dock in Reykjavik - but enjoy. Also - our cruise was a great value since there is no need for a balcony room in the colder and foggier climes.

For a cruise stop in Sydney I would definitely recommend some sort of excursion. Sadly, most of the folks we talked to felt like they didn't have sufficient time at the locations they visited (Louisburg Fortress, Bell Museum, Highland Village Museum, etc.) and the day was quite foggy so some folks were unhappy about their views (not sure how the tour operator could fix that). We normally like to do things independently, but didn't find that much to do in town after our tour. We did enjoy our visit to Island Folk Cider House. https://www.islandfolkcider.ca/

We were in Halifax on September the 10th and there were several tour operators in the cruise terminal as well as just outside. The biggest was a HOHO operator. I can highly recommend Tay Mac Tours: we took their Historic Halifax walking tour which was very reasonably priced and included the sights the posters above have mentioned. https://www.taymactours.com/historic-halifax-by-foot We stepped off our cruise ship and immediately located our meeting point and our guide, Glenn. We had a small group of only 6 and began our leisurely stroll through town. Glenn provided lots of great historical information but at a pace that wasn't overwhelming. The route to and from the Citadel (entrance is not included in this tour) was good and probably not one we would have selected just looking at the map. After the tour we had a nice seafood lunch at McKelvie's, some great ice cream at Cow's along the boardwalk, and enjoyed beers at Garrison's which is within sight of the cruise pier. Yum! Loved our visit and hope to return to Halifax one day.

I can highly recommend Tay Mac Tours: we took their Historic Halifax walking tour which was very reasonably priced and included the sights the posters above have mentioned. https://www.taymactours.com/historic-halifax-by-foot We stepped off our cruise ship and immediately located our meeting point and our guide, Glenn. We had a small group of only 6 and began our leisurely stroll through town. Glenn provided lots of great historical information but at a pace that wasn't overwhelming. The route to and from the Citadel (entrance is not included in this tour) was good and probably not one we would have selected just looking at the map. After the tour we had a nice seafood lunch at McKelvie's, some great ice cream at Cow's along the boardwalk, and enjoyed beers at Garrison's which is within sight of the cruise pier. Yum! Loved our visit and hope to return to Halifax one day.

Thanks for the distillery tip - we'll be heading to The Hague one day for museum-ing and I'm sure we can squeeze in a little tasting too. Also good to know that an early drop off is doable.

MAVIP - thank you so much for your reply! The last time we visited Amsterdam was in 1984 - I imagine we'll see a lot of change. We're looking forward to spending time outside Amsterdam in Delft and The Hague too.

We're sailing on the Jewel at the end of August, but we'll spend several days beforehand in Delft. We were thinking about taking the train to Amsterdam the morning of embarkation, dropping our bags off at the terminal, and then spending some more time in Amsterdam before actually getting on the ship. Since every port is a bit different, does anyone know if that's a doable plan? Also - any idea how early we might be able to drop off our bags? Thanks in advance!

I've enjoyed your posts and pics so far - that sail into Geiringer is truly breathtaking! We'll be on the Jewel out of Amsterdam in August headed to Iceland and Greenland and excited to be back on a Radiance ship. Wondering if the thermal suite up in the spa is still there with full length windows as you recline on the warm loungers? If you get a chance, would you check it out for us? Thanks and keep on sailing through beautiful Norway.

We're taking our 1st Oasis Class cruise and it's our 1st as Diamond Plus so we're a bit overwhelmed with the size and offerings of the ship. Here are our questions - I apologize in advance if these have been answered previously, but in searching I haven't located clear answers yet. Is it essential to get pre-cruise reservations for the Aqua and Mamma Mia shows? Can we wait and get them onboard after we've sorted out dining, etc.? (We're currently on the waitlist for early seating rather than the 7:45 slot - which seems to really class with showtimes.) Are the 3 Aqua shows the same show repeated or 3 different shows? We're not much into specialty dining (we have lots of really yummy places in Dallas); however, we're thinking about using the BOGO that we're entitled to with D+. Do we just go up to the restaurants on Day 1 to arrange that? I've read great things about the new terminal in Galveston and easy, breezy embark/disembarkations. If we arrive before our allotted time slot, can we just get in the Priority line and board early? Assuming that they're not swamped, of course. Any other favorite must-do tips or cautionary tips are appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.