GJH123

We have been on eight Oceania cruises and found them delightful. We especially like the port intensive itineraries. We were once on a Mediterranean cruise in early April--Barcelona to Rome. For about three days, it was rainy and cold as we were following a weather front because of prevailing winds. To avoid, please think about sailing west to east. Thinking that late April or early May might be the ideal time to travel.

Regarding your flight, you might check Google Flights to get an idea of the cost. My suggestion is to book through either Oceania or a travel agent, especially if there are connecting flights and deviations involved. Once we had planned to visit Amsterdam for the tulips post-cruise when the Icelandic volcano intervened. It was so nice to make one call to our travel agent and find ourselves rerouted home through Athens which has a hotel within walking distance of the airport and a metro into city. We have also found a wide variation in the quality of the Premium Economy seats, so be sure to check or have your agent check on what exactly the upgrade entails.

As for insurance, we have used several reputable companies and found them to be excellent. To be covered for pre-existing conditions, you need to enroll within 14 days of initial deposit. As you add the details of your trip--tours, hotels, etc., be sure to add the additional coverage to your insurance. If something does happen to disrupt your trip, be sure to document. For example, one time our flight was delayed because of weather. At the hotel, I took a screenshot of the announcement from the airport. Keep all receipts for reimbursements. Another time we missed a port where I had pre-booked several tours. I saved the cruise notice of the missed port, and was reimbursed for all of them. I usually download a copy of the policy and all additional arrangements to my iPad before departure.

Regarding tours, pre-COVID, we preferred small group tours as a more immersive experience. You can check for availability on your Cruise Critic roll call. At this time, I would not book unless fully refundable and after researching the company or individual guide. Don't be afraid to explore on your own, just carry the hotel card or remember the port. If you're able to flag a taxi, you will always safely return. The roll call might also help securing a small group transfer, Rome is about an hour from the port.

Congratulations on your anniversary and best wishes for a wonderful cruise.

If you disembarked from Oceania Marina, Cabin 8111, at Southampton on

June 1, 2017, please post a email address where we might contact you.

Thus far, PE shows availability. Paid for cruise this morning before due date and gave TA selected flights, authorizing a deviation if required even though we'll be flying on the days that are typically included. We'll see where it goes from here.

Thanks, everyone for the valuable info. I received an email "deal"only applicable to O Choice pricing and amenities with the $99 premium economy upgrade available. So here's my thinking, please correct me if I'm wrong. I pay for the cruise, PE upgrade and Air Deviation and then I can select our seats. With the limited availability of PE, I'm wondering if there will still be an additional charge for seat selection of aisle /window vs the dreaded middle. I just despise the 3-4-3 economy seating that the bean counters have seen fit to install. I'm guessing they will next initiate an additional charge for restroom privileges. Anyone else remember a time when flying was an experience you dressed for?

For those of you who have used the air deviation on Air Canada, please advise about the seat selection process. I seem to remember having difficulty in selecting a seat, but that may have been using Choice Air with Azamara. My locator number wasn't recognized and was advised that final seat assignment would be made at check-in or something like that. Would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks so much!

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information!

It sounds like the port is better equipped to handle the volume of passengers than I anticipated. I had imagined gridlock with traffic backed up for miles (visions of Lincoln Tunnel chaos). There was $20 difference between taxi and car service, may just go with that for the convenience and known fare.

There are 15,000+ people scheduled to depart within a two hour period on January 31st, which suggests major congestion. We will be departing from Terminal 25 which seems to be one of the farthest from the entrance. We had planned on a taxi, directly from the hotel, but now wondering if we should take a shuttle to avoid huge metered fare spent waiting to get into the port or to Terminal 25. Would appreciate anyone familiar with the port chiming in on whether this is a valid concern and/or recommendation for taxi or shuttle. Thanks so much for your help!

This is our first time to sail out of Port Everglades. How much time should we allow to get to the airport? We will disembark on February 7th from the Celebrity Silhouette. There are two other ships scheduled in port that day. Would it be best to park in a garage there and drive to the airport or line up for a taxi? One of us is driving and one flying, so either is possible. Is the park'n go lot a possibility? Is their pick-up prompt and on demand or regularly scheduled?

Of the available garages, which is closest to where Celebrity docks? Is it possible to get the car from the garage and return to pick up the other passenger and luggage from the ship or is access limited to shuttles and/or taxis for security purposes?

Thanks so much for helping us explore these possibilities.

Thanks so much for your detailed and helpful response! We will be traveling on a Sunday, May3rd which is a holiday weekend, so not sure how crowded the trains will be.

Frecce sounds like a great idea.

We will be arriving by train from Milan to Rome and then proceeding to Civitavecchia, I have read reviews describing Termini as too large and chaotic. Is it worth it to take the local from Tiburtina to Ostensie and then catch the train to Civitavecchia or will that pretty much guarantee we will be searching for a seat? Any helpful hints about which trains do not require taking the steps up and down at Civitavecchia? Thanks in advance for any insight you might provide!

It's my understanding that four of the eight R ships have experienced a similar engine room fire. Given the age of these ships, I personally would not be comfortable on a trans-oceanic cruise on any of them.

That said, we were on a Norway cruise this summer and the ship was perfect for navigating the fjords.

Deirdra:

Given Phil's comment about the Trans-Atlantic voyage where the name of the ship was half-erased by the waves during the crossing, I'm thinking you may have made the correct decision;-) You might want to look at cruises for Canada and New England during the fall. We were in New England (land trip) during the first and second weeks of October 2014 and the colors were stunning. Acadia National Park was especially beautiful.

Happy travels on your alternate journeys!

Thanks for both of your responses, guys. While I had heard of non-alcoholic beers, non-alcoholic wine is a new concept to me. After your responses, I "googled" the subject and am intrigued; apparently have been around for quite a while. May just have to give them a try--especially the one that won a gold medal over alcoholic wines. I guess the limited alcohol content precludes them as the beverage of choice for Captain and CD, though!

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic event Sincerest condolences and sympathy to the families and friends who lost loved ones

Hopefully the old adage of there being no dumb questions will justify this post;-) When we were on a walking tour of Bilbao, we were offered a sampling of various of tapas and wine or non-alcoholic wine. Since it was about 10:45 and within two hour of our breakfast, I chose the non-alcoholic wine. To me of the uneducated palate, it tasted a lot like grape juice. How does non-alcoholic wine differ from grape juice?

I think we have all learned something about accepting a guarantee for the double upgrade fare special from your experience. My take away would be only to accept the offer if a specific cabin number is indicated.

Please keep us posted about how and when your dilemma is resolved.

Here's what I have learned. My experience is limited to six cruises with Oceania. Only in one case, where our options were severely restricted (flights to Tahiti) did we choose to take the included air. Given that we are not able to fly from one of their hubs, it's an additional $199 per person plus the deviation fee of $175 which pretty much insures that I can match "the free air" and be assured of flights that accommodate my schedule and seat selection. If you do choose to take Oceania Air, my advice is to make your decision sooner than later, as the allowance to Europe decreased from $1100 to $800 as final payment approached on one of our 2013 cruises. It might also be advisable to check with the airlines involved before accepting a deviation to see if seat selection is available. I have found that Air Canada and Qantas will not allow seat section in economy until 24 hours prior to departure. Additionally, I was not allowed to upgrade to premium economy with Air Canada until 24 hours before departure. When possible, we fly with a European rather than domestic carrier to Europe as the designated compensation for flight delays or cancellations applies in both directions. We were to fly at the time when the Icelandic volcano erupted; British Airways was more than fair regarding compensation. For a true premium economy experience, not just additional leg room, fly Virgin Atlantic. Pre-approved status with TSA really cuts the time in lines. And finally, when considering your own air, take a look at the second port on the cruise and assess the difficulty in reaching that destination from your original scheduled departure. Hope this is helpful to someone!

I had posted this message on another thread but thought you might find it helpful as you begin planning your Norwegian cruise. Have wonderful time!

We were fortunate to be on the June 2014 cruise. Just a few tips to offer.

Bergen was one of our favorite ports, we took the funicular and also managed an English tour of the Hanseatic museum, all within easy walking distance as is the fish market.

We booked the seven hour tour that included the Flam Railway, Voss, and Stalheim Hotel as we were fearful that we wouldn't be able to replicate this tour independently. It sold out before departure. Once back on the ship at Gudvagen. we sat out on the back deck enjoying a drink and the scenery we had missed on the way in.

In Lofoten, we rented a car from Hertz, the location is very close to where we were tendered. When I asked about the GPS, the guy said we wouldn't really need any more than the map as there was only one main road. Book early if you need an automatic as the quantity is very limited.

At the North Cape, a fellow cruiser arranged a private tour with Arctic Guide Service--great experience. In addition to the North Cape we visited a Sami Camp, fishing villages and artist's gallery. Guide was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English.

In addition to the roll call, there is a thread on Alesund and the Fjords by I-cruiser on the Northern European Ports Board that we found most helpful.

This was one of our most scenic cruises and we enjoyed the experience of the "Midnight Sun" as we were there over the summer solstice.

Likewise, I received a very sincere response from Nicole. She seems to make every effort to go beyond and above what is required. The tone of her reply reminded me of that taken by Bill Leiber, who was responsible for us sailing on our first Azamara cruise. I hope everyone will give her an opportunity to prove her exceptional potential.

We were fortunate to be on the June 2014 cruise. Just a few tips to offer.

Bergen was one of our favorite ports, we took the funicular and also managed an English tour of the Hanseatic museum, all within easy walking distance as is the fish market.

We booked the seven hour tour that included the Flam Railway, Voss, and Stalheim Hotel as we were fearful that we wouldn't be able to replicate this tour independently. It sold out before departure. Once back on the ship at Gudvagen. we sat out on the back deck enjoying a drink and the scenery we had missed on the way in.

In Lofoten, we rented a car from Hertz, the location is very close to where we were tendered. When I asked about the GPS, the guy said we wouldn't really need any more than the map as there was only one main road. Book early if you need an automatic as the quantity is very limited.

At the North Cape, a fellow cruiser arranged a private tour with Arctic Guide Service--great experience. In addition to the North Cape we visited a Sami Camp, fishing villages and artist's gallery. Guide was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English.

In addition to the roll call, there is a thread on Alesund and the Fjords by I-cruiser on the Northern European Ports Board that we found most helpful.

This was one of our most scenic cruises and we enjoyed the experience of the "Midnight Sun" as we were there over the summer solstice.

Like Terrier, we also took our first cruise with Azamara this year. Her review is comprehensive and spot on. We booked a suite for the extra space and found the Butler service comparable to Oceania. He offered to switch out our bottles of liquor for wine when he saw we weren't consuming them.

We booked one of the land tours and found it well-organized and the guide well informed. Additionally, when at a tender port, a priority access ticket was placed in our room the night before. This came in very handy when we had private tours booked and we were allowed to include the entire group in our departure even though they were not booked in suites.

Lecturers on board were interesting, informative and witty. We had five sea days and I found myself attending nearly every session.

They brought additional entertainers on board from Celebrity which not only enhanced the diversity but also the quality of the entertainment. Both the cruise director and activities director had amazing voices and were featured in their own shows. In the tribute to Abba, six foot six inch tall CD appeared in drag on roller skates. Somehow I can't imagine this happening on Oceania.

In general, there is a more laid back vibe on the ship, not sure if it's because of the included beverages or just a more affable group. Heard no one complaining about the on board experience.

Booked this cruise through an internet agency and the pre-cruise experience was a bit "loosey goosey." The website is convoluted and not user friendly. Additionally, you print your own documents and boarding pass. Later learned that you can elect to have a brochure at an additional cost. The folks on the Azamara board were helpful in alerting us to the schedule--supposedly, things are being revamped; but I have found large corporations (RCCL) subject to bureaucratic inertia. Just don't let this deter you from booking with Azamara.

Happy to hear that your surgery went so well--count us among those wishing you a complete and speedy recovery!

Hi TMLAalum:

I would say it took about 30 minutes to walk down from the fjord center to the dock at Geiranger. This was at a pretty steady clip not strolling.

We also used Geiranger Taxi and Tour Bus. I had inquired about the driver speaking English and was assured that he could answer any questions we had. Well, he spoke about three words of English. There was absolute silence on our trip up Dalsnibba, all 35 minutes of it. Thankfully, I was traveling with a "go with the flow group", but in all of the private tours I have arranged--think 30-40, this was the worst experience of all. I would suggest that you ask for a guide to join the tour or take the hop-on bus as we heard from others on the cruise that they played a recording with dialogue as to what you were seeing.

Additionally, I left my raincoat on the mini-van (couldn't get off there fast enough) and had the concierge on the ship e-mail Geiranger Taxi since the internet connection on the ship was at best sporadic. I had asked that they mail it to the agent at Olden which was a later stop( 10 days) on our trip with the notation that I would reimburse them for any expense and time involved. There was no response from them; unlike the pre-cruise when they were always quick to answer my questions.

This was the first tour I had arranged that required a transfer instead of credit card which required additional effort and expense on my part. I should have read between the lines then. Buyer beware!

Hi Lars:

We are two weeks back from our Norwegian cruise.You have a stunningly beautiful country. We enjoyed every minute of our cruise from charming Bergen to the North Cape. The waterfall walk in Geiranger and cruise on Lake Olden were highlights for us--both your recommendations. Thanks so much for your time and effort on this board!

Jade 13:

This was our first cruise with Azamara and also with a "big box" agency. As part of our "package" which included a significant amount of refundable OBC, we had $500 credit per person toward airfare. I booked online with Choice Air paying the full fare and then received $1000 credit toward final payment of our cruise. I therefore assumed that Choice Air was a division of Royal Caribbean as there were separate websites for RC, Celebrity and Azamara.

The agent from Choice Air was the person that informed me that the port agent would be waiting for us at the Bergen airport and taking us to a hotel for the evening before boarding Journey the next morning.

This was the first time we had not gone in a couple of days early as we had determined that Hamburg had little of interest to us, which according to our ship mates was a big mistake--Hamburg had lots to offer. Hence, we have since vowed to always go in at least a day or two early. After embarking at Hamburg, our second day of cruising was a sea day, so we caught up with the cruise on the third day at the first scheduled port in Bergen.

I purchased trip insurance from a separate agency and will be filing a claim for trip interruption with them. We inquired at the United counter about a hotel for the night in Indy and were told that they are not responsible for weather related delays.

A few years ago, we were in Rome when the Icelandic volcano erupted. I and the concierge at the hotel tried unsuccessfully to find an alternative route back to the US--everything to the north and west was closed. I called our independent agent in the US and asked her if she might find a way out using a more southern route. Long story-short, we were able to fly out through Athens before the "cloud" reached there. We paid for everything and then were reimbursed by insurance and British Air as EU airlines were required to compensate for additional expenses incurred when airports were closed. Not sure if the rule is still in effect though.