Chmielel

I have cruised twice to Alaska. Both where 7 days. Once to western Med. for a 7 day cruise and a 12 day eastern Med. With only 7 days I would choose Alaska.

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I just completed a 12 day eastern Medit

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I am another fan of your entertaining reviews. Thanks for posting.

Noumea - I recommend Aquanature full day snorkeling tours they are just a short walk from the ship. They also have 1/2 tours and will work with you around your ship's schedule. You will see lots of sea life and beautiful hard and soft corals in amazing colors. I can't begin to count the number of sea life we saw but they included stingrays, moray eel, and sea cucumbers. Even saw a black tipped reef sharks or two which made my heart pound. On our way to the 2nd snorkeling site our boat spotted and followed behind a humpback whale. We snorkeling above canyons that make up the reef and saw giant clams in bed in the coral. This was the best snorkeling I have ever done and that includes Hawaii, Mexico, Fuji, the Caribbean and the 2 sites I snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef.

Luganville - Known for it 4 lane road built during WWII. I have not done this tour but the people on my ship that did enjoyed swimming in the Blue Hole. Nanda Blue Hole (also known as Jackie's Blue Hole) is often referred to by visitors as the most beautiful blue hole in Vanuatu. There is a $5 entry fee and you can google it for more information.

I hope you enjoy your cruise.

Here is a second vote for Aquanature in Nomea. I had my best snorkeling with them.

It is just 4 days until I sail away on NCL Jewel!

I will second ColumbiaSC choices

Ship: Amsterdam

Port: Sydney

On my 21 day cruise there where new items each night. One night one of our table guest requested an Indian menu, for the follow night, for the table to share (we could also order off the evenings menu). It was an interesting treat.

On a longer cruise the entrée changed often but it seem that green beans where always served with my entrée choice. The fix was simple I requested a substitute veggie be served with my meal. The waiters have always been pleased to make dinner enjoyable.

I recommend using Aquanature, in Noumea I did a full day tour with them on the 30 feet Catamaran and they have very good equipment and wetsuits that will make you float. They had 3 guides and only 3 clients per guide and one older man in my group was towed along by our guide because he didn't swim. The reef has both hard and soft corals and a wonderful variety of sea life.

Take a ride on the White Pass Scenic Railway to the scenic White Pass Summit.

The White Pass and Yukon Route is a narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. The unforgettable journey on the White Pass Scenic Railway is not just another train ride; built through rugged terrain, the route passes through tunnels and valleys en route to the scenic White Pass Summit.

The railroad began construction in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush as a means of reaching the goldfields. With its completion in 1900, it became the primary route to the interior of the Yukon, supplanting the Chilkoot Trail and other routes. The route continued operation until 1982, and in 1988 was partially revived as a heritage railway.

The ballet Cinderella is playing from 9/25/14 to 10/5/14 and the opera Rigoletto 10/21/14 to 10/31/14 at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.

You can order your tickets online. It is a beautiful theater I saw the opera Macbeth in 2011. I purchased my ticket the day of the performance at the theaters box office.

I have cruise HAL to New Zealand and Australia in October which is fall and cruise RCL Australia in February which is Spring. Both lines were enjoyable but the weather was better in the Spring. Less rain and nicer temperates.

When I asked a tablemate who worked in Singapore and who wife was from Singapore where to stay in Singapore they highly recommended Royal Plaza on Scotts. I stay two nights and was delighted with the hotel.

My longest cruise was a trans pacific. I worked up slowly from 7 to 10 to 21 days. The 43 day South Pacific Treasures with New Zealand & Australia was a dream come true.

It begin in Vancouver and ended in Sydney. We had port call in Seattle, Nawilliwili, Honolulu, Kona and Lahaina in the Hawaiian Islands. Visited Pango Pango, and crossed the international day line. Dravuni, Suva, Fiji, Port Vila, Vanuatu, Luganville, Vanuatu Noumea, Ile des Pins.

Next we cruise around the North and South Islands of New Zealand and White Island an active marine volcano. Cruised Milford Sound, Dusky Sound and Doubtful Sound.We crossed the Tasman Sea to visit Tasmania, Eden and Sydney. The trip was full of special surprises!

There are plenty of things to do in the French Quarter while waiting for you flight . World famous for its cafe' au lait, beignets and people watching is Cafe Du Monde. Across the street tour Saint Louis Cathedral is the oldest Cathedral in North America, founded 1720. Take a Mule-drawn carriages can be boarded on the Decatur Street side of Jackson Square almost any hour of the day to tour the French Quarter. Another famous French Quarter establishment is Pat O'Briens HURRICANE an adult beverage. Take a ghost tour of New Orleans if you can find one that leaves early enough.

I hope that helps a bit.

Then are so many things to do in Sydney you 'll have a wonderful time. You might book a event at the opera house or just take the tour the Opera House. Afterward walk through the botanical gardens. If you want to spend $200 for the 3 hours sign up for the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.

To see the wonderful Australian unique animals go to the Wildlife Park or tour the Taronga Zoo. For a free activity go to the Rocks Discovery Museum and learn about the early the 1st year of British life in Australia. Have lunch in one of the many great fun Rocks cafes. There many interest site to tour in the Rocks.

If the weather nice go to one of the famous beaches. Take a city tour.

It's a great city and you have a great time.

I fished Ketchican and catch both salmon and trout in August. I think you would find the fishing very slow in May.

The Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter parking is covered and secured. They have park and cruise packages. You'll need a taxi to get you to the port. We stayed there but did not know about the park and cruise packages so we park across from the pier in the Hertz garage for $12 a night it was cover but I won't guaranty it secure. We had no problem with our car.

I have had beginning scuba in the Cook Islands it wasn't a shore tour. We start in a swimming pool. We move to a lagoon were it was shallow enough to stand up if you wanted and then on another day we did a 30 meter dive. It was fun. The things that are different from snorkeling are that it louder ( we can hear yourself breath ) and your mouth get dry. I enjoyed scuba but I love to snorkel.

You can take the Hop Off and Hop On bus to see many of the sights in NOLA.

You can take an air boat drive through the bayou and swamps.

You can visit the areas Plantations Laura is a Creole Plantation (that give you a $10 discount for the swamp tour). About three miles away from Laura is Oak Alley and it's a beauty with it's Greek Revival architecture.

I found the cost of eating in NOLA expensive (but if you from Sydney it might not shock you.)

Since you have visited before you might know about some of the city highlights Light Café du Monde for beignets and the opportunity to people watching across from the Jackson Square.

New Orleans haunted tours of cemeteries, haunted houses and ghosts in areas including the French Quarter maybe interesting.

Enjoy you time in the USA. I have loved my time in OZ!

There are Tour Information Offices at nearly every port in NZ or one near by to arrange tours. I visited Tauranga twice on a B2B. So I have explored the Mt Manganui area and Rotorua. Rotorua has more to see with it's hot mud pots and stops to see Kiwi (the bird and the fruit). I booked from the Tour Information Office and had a interesting tour.

At Mount Maunganui you can walk around the old dormant volcano Mauao or up it to see the views. There is a nice beach and a nice town swimming pool at the base of Mauao. Mount Maunganui in a nice beach town with many shops.

Enjoy your time in New Zealand.

Cabo has an adventure Zodiac whale-watching tour. Here's the you tube high lights.

I was lucky enough to book the no single supplement TA on the Indy of the Sea sailing in May from Ft Lauderdale to Southhampton for 13 nights @$649!

Hotel Sonya is a three star hotel located directly in the very heart of Rome – just steps away from all the major cultural attractions – the Spanish Steps, Veneto Street, Capitoline Hill.

Standing directly in front of the Opera Theater and just a few minuets from the Termini Train Station. It was a hotel recommend by Rick Steves the author of Europe thru the Back Door, they have a lovely breakfast and it was 80 Euro a night.

Our family of 4 privately book a Misty Fjords trout fishing trip. The waders, rods, reels, fishing lures and face netting mask were all provided.

Our pilot flew us near the eye of the needle, over a lake the spilled over granite walls to see stunning scenery. He even try to show us a bear and her club that often visited a mouth of a stream that teemed with 100s pinks.

We caught and released trout in a lake with waterfalls at every turn. When it was time to try another spot our pilot taxied us across the lake while standing outside the plane on the pontoons! We caught fish a each location. When it was time to try another spot we talked our pilot into return us to the stream when the pinks were pool up. It was a thrill catching 4 to 7 lb fish on 2 lb fishing line.

For the flight back to Ketchikan our pilot roll coasted the plane to the delight of our 13 and 15 year old sons. Our youngest son was sitting in the co-pilot chair and under the watchful eyes of our pilot was given the controls of the plane. As we approach Ketchikan the sound of Louie Armstrong "What a Wonder World" play through our earphones. It was one the best shore excursion of our lives.