trvlfan

16 hours ago, mariettagal said:

I'm thrilled you tested negative. Fingers crossed for tomorrow! I must say you've had the most positive attitude. It would be easy to have a full blown pity party.

 

Just curious - are the quarantine cabins ones at the back of the ship?  My husband and I are booked on Voyager in November and I was noticing that several of the cabins on 6 and 7 in the aft are blocked (not even showing cabin numbers) and I was guessing that was for spacing out crew or quarantine purposes. 

 

Christie and Greg

Atlanta, GA

We are booked on Voyager (July 30) in Suite 650 and was concerned as well that we would be arbitrarily switched!  

- my TA responded:

thanks Mura and Tansy Mews, we'll definitely embrace the sharing table concept, something we have done on our own on previous cruises to enjoy some lively meal time conversations. Our roll call has recently revealed some other single women traveling with us, will search them out at the M & G, and see if we can gather informally or at a meal as well.

Working hard to keep the sibling happy and not feeling "left out". In our 60s, it seems like this should not be an issue.... but it is, with hyper sensitive feelings that could be hurt.

Unless she is looking for some sort of a shipboard romance (and it is absolutely no reflection on your sister when I say that the odds are not good), I'd suggest that she simply ask to share a table without mentioning "singles" at all.

Good suggestion,romance is not in her itinerary, just good times, great food and enjoyable conversation. The hard part is getting her to be independent from us, without feeling rejected (a sibling issue... Not one that all of you kind responders need to resolve!)

I bet she'll be fine on her own, and you both will have fun.

I am sure we will have fun (!!) - and hopefully will be independent somewhat too! My DH has no problem going off on his own, at the ports, but I'm not sure if DS is as willing to be independent!

We'll see!

Thanks Mura and Lyn for your suggestions. I am truly hoping she will meet some new friends on this trip... 18 days, 3 meals a day, plus, plus, plus.... can be wearing on any sibling relationship!

I will suggest the "sharing" request!:)

Does anyone have an specifics on the AMEX Platinum card wine tasting event? Is it similar to what JimandStan just described? I thought I read somewhere, that in addition to the tastings, one leaves with a bottle "gratis", chosen from the wines presented...

The Amex tasting on our last cruise was hosted in the Polo Grill, so I guess there were a large amount of attendees.

I am traveling with my DH and sister, and was wondering if there are set up in any of the dining rooms (GDR and Terrace Cafe), any "permanent" singles tables, where one can join a group of like minded travelers? I would imagine there may be a singles group that the Social Director may organize, but if she did not want to formally attend that, is there, in fact, a "single travelers" dining table?

She has no interest in room service at dinner time, but maybe too shy to just invite herself to an occupied table with an empty chair...

Thanks everyone for your feedback! One less "timing" problem to deal with! I didn't even think about it until I read all the comments regarding delays for people disembarking in Miami…. but this does not seem to be the case in Barcelona!

Our spring transatlantic from Miami, with stops in Tangiers and Madeira, disembarks in Barcelona. Has anyone had any experience in how much time one needs to get through customs and immigration? I want to book a private taxi, but am afraid of how much delay I might encounter, thus the taxi might give up and leave. I am not interested in using the general taxi line, as I have read of hour long waits.

BTW, this past fall, we had disembarked on our last O cruise in Barcelona, but since it made several stops in Italy and France, the only customs/immigration we went through was at the beginning of the cruise in Venice. Therefore, we were off in a matter of minutes, and met our private car transfer on time.

So you should be able to get a reservation for all of you on the day you board ... especially if you have a butler who can do the work.

 

Mura

I am hoping to take advantage of the butler on the 2nd "go-round" of reservations! I just want to ensure we get the time we want- which may be too popular to leave it for the last minute, especially for reservations made for the early days of the cruise!

Thanks Jim & Stan, I guess we will book the shared table, and then hopefully be able to invite them into our reservation at their booking date. If I am unsuccessful, I'll try calling the dining reservations # and see if a "live" person can help hook us up!;)

I know that we can book our reservation 75 days out, as we are in a penthouse suite, but want to include people who are in a much lower category (inside stateroom). How exactly do we do that (I have their booking #s and cabin numbers). The "invite" button presumably won't work until that booking # has reached its "release date", so I can't invite them at my actual booking date. I only want to "share" the table with my other friends, but also want it to be at my preferred time. If I book the table for 2 with no sharing, and then "invite" my friends at their date, the larger table may not be available at the preferred time. I am sure some of you must have the exact formula for how to do this!

Here is the post from PAULCHILI last month

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40716836&postcount=41

Thanks LHT28 for the link - for those who don't read it, PAULCHILI stated: "...I was informed by our butler that Perrier is no longer available as a standard sparkling water option in your cabin unless ordered ahead of time (much like caffeine free diet coke and such) - who knew?"

A great "heads up" to ask my TA to put in the request (along with hypo-allergenic pillows!) in advance of boarding.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Will they stock Perrier or other named brand sparkling water, or is there an additional charge for this? On our first (and only) cruise with "O" we just had a generic club soda (cans) in our fridge.

When the beds are separated, the nightstand on the bathroom side is moved between them. One half of the split love seat remains at the foot of each bed. The glass topped table is either removed, or moved into the sitting area.

Hope this helped, enjoy your cruise! :D

Thanks Jim & Stan for the explanation, glad to still have the chairs, although the moved table might make the "living room" area of the suite a tad crowded!

I am continually amazed at every nuance and bit of info you come up with - you should publish "The Oceania Bible" and it should be distributed to every newbie!:D

We will be in a penthouse on the Riviera for the TA, and choose to have the bed set up as twins.

How will they arrange the "dining table and chairs" situated at the base of the beds when there will now be the open space between the two beds? Anyone had that configuration who can explain?

adding my thanks - for a comprehensive review with wonderful pictures. It really gives one a sense of what Madeira looks like. We'll be there in the spring on our transatlantic - perhaps we will be a bit luckier and get some sunshine!

Great job!:)

Thanks Lyn for a sample scenario. I probably made a mistake by booking this first cruise coming up in October directly with O, and so will be on the phone to them this week, right after I pay for the cruise in full. Since I won't have any hand holding with a TA, all my arrangements will be directly with them. Since we decided the $799 upgrade to business was so much better then what we could get on our own (alas we do not have sufficient FF miles to get a better deal), we are using O's air, and with no pre or post cruise added days. The itinerary starts and finishes with 2 days in each beginning and ending port, so we decided not to extend the trip. Thought I could get away without the deviation, and there was some flexibility on choosing air - but apparently "flexibility" always comes with a cost! So be it. I guess we will just have to cut out a couple of those bottles of wine with dinner;)

"It sounds like you do not understand the process fully."

That is true - naive newbie here!

I'll try again...

Thank you-

If you don't pay the deviation then you won't have the option of "agreeing to" anything. Flights are simply assigned in your name.

I understand now- looks like I will probably have to ante up the deviation fee...

No they won't, because the tickets are not actually purchased until after you make your final payment.

But.... if I prepay today, say 145 days out, will they ticket me now on the flights they have chosen (and I have agreed to?). Or do I still have to pay the additional deviation fee just to have them ticket me (now - after full payment), for my requested itinerary which may be different then the flights they had offered me? Do you have to take the first offered flight, in order to avoid the deviation fee, or will they consider other variations you may submit?

.... I think I would do a tour of the bay as Stan and Jim suggested. Beautiful scenery. On the way out you should look for where the submarines were hidden. .....

Interesting! Now I have to read up more on Kotor and it's history - an enticing tidbit - thanks!

Thanks everyone for the info and tips! May do it all- the water tour of the bay, the taxi tour, while first heading up to the top deck for the sail-in and maybe returning for the sail away as well!. We have a verandah, but I think it is on the wrong side, so definitely will head up before going ashore.:D

We were there 3yrs ago and we were docked. Walkable, but we opted for a taxi tour. Many vendors on the docks, reasonably priced. The driver we had was friendly, english speaking and would stop for walk abouts and photos, spectacular views. Beautiful port.

Do you remember what you paid (I presume in Euros?), and did you tip on top of the quote? Also how long was your taxi tour?

Thanks!