Shining Clem

At Men's Wearhouse, DH found himself happily at the mercy of a very good saleswoman and ended up getting a tux plus and even a new belt, for more than he supposedly wanted to part with. Since rural upstate NY doesn't offer too many opportunities to wear tuxes (local Cornell Co-op Extension dinner?), we'll just have to go on more Cunard cruises. :rolleyes: LOL!

Thanks for all the great suggestions - they would have been more useful if things hadn't been postponed until 10 days before they were needed. sigh...

To Jordon's Mom-

One place you might look is on YouTube. People have posted films of the evening dining and other spots on board the QM2 such as the buffet, pub. You don't have to eat in the MDR, or the Grills every night.

I also think the degree of formality goes up when you chose a cabin where you eat in the Grills.

Thanks so much for the helpful answers to the tux mysteries. The rental expense is more than we would like to spend! Don't know if there is such a thing as a 'cheap tux' in the Rochester area (where they make Hickey Freeman suits & tuxes and have a true factory store)! But we'll see what we can find.

He already has the 'jewelry' covered. 51 years ago, my grandmother gave him my grandfather's cuff link and stud set. They are rather modest by today's standards, but I'm so pleased he'll finally be able to wear them. Also found some funny 'space' socks :D.

I have glanced at the sailing bds - once we have some of this other stuff under control, will get back to it. Wonder what percentage of the passengers are interested in the Space topic? Thank you for your welcome!

Speaking of 'formal' - Can one rent a tux on board through Cunard? On a very superficial look at the web site, I didn't see any thing about rentals, but our TA thought they did rent on board. ???

We are going for Space Week from Brooklyn next month and returning to NYC on the QM2 the following week. I know my DH would rather wear a space suit, than a tux! :evilsmile:

Any information would be appreciated.

"... Formal evenings are as the word implies formal with tux the choice of most with a decent black or dark blue suit, white shirt and tie followed. As others have stated you can still find a decent dinner in the buffet section should such attire not be to your liking and the lounge next door is quite nice with the redo and it offers libations and music.Transatlantic sailings tend t be more formal both day and evening than the cruises.

I don't understand the "glove" thing unless you changed them often. Like riding in a cab and then changing them for eating.

If you were to touch something that has germs, and then touched your eyes, nose or mouth with that gloved hand, you could still transport the germ to your body? So what is the trick?

No trick, but just as you wrote, changing to a clean glove as needed. Don't do it excessively. I've even washed my hands before eating, with the gloves on. Having the gloves on, makes me even more aware of not touching my face. They are also the responsible thing to do when touring historic buildings. If you need to touch a plastered wall as you descend a narrow spiral stairway, the gloves protect the wall from the grease of your hands. A situation often encountered in 400 yr old churches.

We got the clear ones, not the blue. Most people don't even know we have the gloves on. Less obtrusive than the gauze face masks often seen in Asia. YMMV

On the Nov/Dec 2016 TransAtlantic, Spain to Miami there did not seem to be any outbreaks of Noro. Maybe it was because we saw our wonderful, cheerful cabin attendant, Rosa, down on her knees, scrubbing a grate with a tooth brush to get into every nook and cranny.

There was not a speck of norovirus escaping into her hall if she had anything to say about it!

Flying from NY to Barcelona, we made extensive use of hand gloves like they use in medical settings and wipes in airports, on the plane and during the days we were in the city, before boarding Riviera. Couldn't find the right size in local drug stores, so ended up with mail order. It was the first time neither of us had a cold or an intestinal upset on the boat or afterwards. We wore them in taxis, restaurants. Also had hand sanitizer with us. Our local Wegmans offers hand & cart sanitizers which we use; we do not go near the local Walmart, the germ capitol of the county.

I did recently read in the WaPo, that there was an noro outbreak in the DC area. They also said it was still contagious 2 to 3 days after you started to feel better. If you really want to wallow in it, here is the follow-up article.

Wash your hands well and often !!!!! :)

Oceania Riviera, Nov-Dec 2016, (50th Anniversary Cruise) Barcelona to Miami

What can a Butler do for you?

He can contact other locations on the ship that you can't.

We had the usual reservations at the specialty restaurants. Toward the end of the recent Atlantic crossing on the Riviera, just before a scheduled dinner, one of us wasn't feeling very well due to a sinus headache. We decided we needed to make other plans and at 6 PM tried to call the restaurant to let them know. We couldn't get through (got a recorded message) because they had blocked the phone just before the dinner rush.

Later we mentioned it to our Butler, Titus, and he suggested the next time, we could contact him, and he could contact the restaurant for us.

*Oceania Riviera, Nov-Dec 2016; transAtlantic, Barcelona to Miami

Thank you so much for posting this news about HAL!

It was the only thing holding us back from some of the HAL itineraries. We had put $$ down on a sailing to Hawaii in Jan '17 trying to chose our cabin very carefully. But between the long cruise and the possible effects the election might have on worldwide economies, we were thinking of bailing.

We took a HAL cruise to Alaska, because of family timing with a wedding, and it was short partly because of the smoking issue. We figured we would hope for no nearby cigars (the worse!) on balconies for a week. Fortunately the cabin didn't have anyone else on either side and we were OK. We found the other pax on HAL very friendly and interesting.

Celebrity will continue to be the first choice when we look to book a cruise, but it is nice to have alternatives. And they were our first, first choice because of the mostly no smoking policy. People who smoke should have an area where they can smoke, so they don't try to sneak around and smoke someplace dangerous. I wonder if the line didn't have some near misses, with live ashes etc, even on the balconies. :eek:

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BTW we liked the outlook on the world expressed in the latest Celebrity ad campaign. It was a calming break after all the nastiness of the debate. We didn't see it as political at all, but a reflection of our interest in the world. Let us have respectful conversations, as Lisa sez, not name calling and fights. We have been enriched by our travels. We want to do as much as we can before we age-out. There is a lot of pent-up desire to travel, to see new things in nature and learn from people on the ship and on the land.

On a recent non-Oceania cruise, one leg was bandaged up from toes to knees in a specialized type of bandage, with instructions to keep it elevated. Our balcony cabin chairs did not have a stool, and the small table was too high.

When we boarded, we showed the note from the doctor to our steward, and he came up with a "stool"; one of those white plastic shower stools! * Not elegant, but the leg height was adjustable and with the addition of a folded towel for padding, it was perfect! :D

If you need (or want) a leg/foot rest for your balcony, you might ask if one of these is available. We brought it inside at nightfall, so it did not blow away or incur anymore salty air than was necessary.

* Dealing with the challenge of keeping the leg dry in the shower was another whole matter! :eek:

The special butter you are probably referring to is sometimes generically called European or Plugra Butter. There are several brands available in the US. What makes it special is the higher butterfat content - 84% as opposed to 82%, with less water. It is churned longer in smaller batches, and available in unsalted & salted versions.

One company with a larger distribution has branded their product 'Plugra Butter' and so just like Kleenex, it is starting to be a commonly referenced name. Another is 'Kerry Gold' from Ireland. My local Wegmans carries both brands, but they are found in the specialty cheese refrigerated section, not in the dairy section with common butter, margarine, yogurt. Neither of these brands comes from cows which are not fed growth hormones. However, the butter from a European Union country has to be totally organic. Check specialty cheese shops - one person reported it being sold at their local WalMart. Probably definitely available in Canada :).

Just like regular butter, the fresher it is, the better.

We were introduced to this butter at classes with the wonderful Peter Reinhart in NC. (If you are wanting to get 'into' bread making or pizza, his books are the best!) It was a privilege to both make and taste croissants with this product. Since Oceania uses French flour, and their croissants are some of the best we've ever had, I am guessing that European Butter is layered in the croissants.

I've had to cut back on such things, but one reason my spouse was eager to go on another Oceania cruise this year was so he could have those wonderful croissants with good coffee every morning. :D

If you sign up for a Guaranteed, you will not get a cabin assignment for some time - perhaps not even until you board. You are guaranteed to get the category you paid for, but you won't know what deck, part of ship, etc. you will be on. I've heard of some being upgraded to the next category upon boarding, but the guarantee is for the category you booked.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Does that mean a particular category (in this case PHs) are becoming scarce?

On other lines (mainly Celebrity) when I've seen that designation, the cabins are priced lower than if you had secured a definite cabin reservation. Is that the case with O?

Oceania Cruise website????

The sailings now have availability of the different cabin categories listed for every upcoming journey, which is very helpful.

However, I am uncertain what Guaranteed signifies. I understand "Available" and "Wait List". Thanks in advance!

Gee, you folks on the Summit just got one of those now forbidden 'cruises to nowhere'!!! (Up into the NY harbor, and back to Bayonne. :D )

Actually, it was good that your Capt tried to give you that little extra excursion past the Statue of Liberty & lower Manhattan. If he hadn't, the problem would have happened further out at sea. Which might have been more difficult for keeping the ship steady, and a more difficult repair.

Plus it would have been more costly for Celebrity to hire heavy duty ocean going tugs if they were needed, until the harbor area was reached.

Hope you have a good cruise and excellent weather!

(And another vote for venturing up north for the sail-by the SoL, when possible)

Thanks RichardQ for taking the time to post the list for the Silhouette. :)

We were able to magnify it, but it seems the original image is out of focus.

Perhaps Richard would be kind enough to list the names with their positions?? Or try again for a better original? Thanks for your efforts---

We are looking forward to being in Amsterdam again at the end of our upcoming Silhouette Baltic cruise! :):cool:

So glad to know these men are safe and thankful that the Solstice was able to help out. Maybe Celebrity will put the video referred to, on YouTube.

No, we don't "go there" with the bean counters, on one of the oldest, most important, international laws of the seas. Excluding warfare or piracy, any one who knows of a vessel or sailors in distress, is obligated to try to help out. Undoubtedly one of the calculations under consideration, was the amount of fuel available, so the Solstice would not be stranded.

Before we started going on cruise ships and knew about CC, we didn't know of this practice when we just had our small 17' sail boat on inland lakes. Now when others poo-poo cruise ships, one of the things we tell them is the marvelous response to those in trouble by the cruise ships. Thank you Celebrity! We are pleased to be sailing on one of your ships in 2 months.

Remember, there for the grace of God (or the FSM) go thee. Wasn't there an incident just this past winter where one line helped out another in a berth/port situation in the Bahamas or Caribbean ?

I'm sure all the relatives and friends of these two will strongly consider a Celebrity ship in the future.

In looking at the wine list, quite a mark-up is found from what we paid in the United States on Infinity in October '14 and your posting of the prices on Luminae this past month.

Specifically I am looking at #1061, Gevrey Chambertin from Louis Jadot, full bottle, priced at $106. I don't remember the year of the bottle on the Infinity, and no year is given for the 2015 Wine Menu just posted.

However, in Oct 2014 on a TransAtlantic the bottle was $62. for a significant, round birthday. (price in both United States and Blu) This year it is $106. :eek: Ouch!!!

Yes, it is Jan 4, 2015 in the US. We are booking the Baltic cruise leaving Stockholm at the end of May on the Silhouette.

Were supposed to finalize that today, but our travel agent just called in sick, so we will try for tomorrow with her. She has done something to hold our cabin choice in Aqua 2 for another day. There wasn't much left in that class cabin.

Also under serious consideration was another sailing on another line, which did have a deadline of Dec 31st, so we had to at least decide over the week-end.

Celebrity will probably look at their booking numbers in the US for that cruise to decide about whether to offer additional 'specials' for that cruise.

I think the cabin choices will be pretty picked over past this week-end, judging from the few we found still open. But we never considered an inside or the top suites, to know how they are selling.

Like the port schedule of that cruise. I'm half Danish ancestry (and have been to Denmark) so like the 2 1/2 days at those ports.

Maybe we will see you aboard!

I would like to let people know that we agree with Host Jazzbeau about the Barclaycard Arrival Plus card.

In planning for our transAtlantic on Insignia in Oct, we were seeing ads for various credit cards, esp in travel magazines. We had already gotten our flights to France & trip insurance (put on an AMEX, and pd - they have a pts program too) but still had the balance to pay for the cruise, plus 4 nights in Paris. We also wanted to have the Chip & Pin feature (which the US will pickup in the Fall) because some toll rds and Metro & RR stations only have auto ticket payments using these and do not accept reg US cards or cash.

Found a helpful web site, http://thepointsguy.com/. I think it started out as a site for just airline & hotel points, but has added credit card deals. Seems to be very up-to-date. Lots of info to the right and be sure to scroll down.

From there we chose the BarclayCard (a Master Card) - called the info in to apply, and they expressed the new cards to us within a week. :D Facing a deadline on the final cruise payment, we made it. We also used it for an unexpected expensive brake line leak on a van, adding to the total charged within the 3 months. We used it for a rental car, in NE France. We had 90 days to charge up $3,000. to get the bonus pts.

Then we used it as the credit card on the boat.

When that bill came, we had enough points with the 30,000 bonus pts to pay ALL of the ship charges - $500. worth! (A significant birthday was celebrated in the United States restaurant, with a wonderful bottle of French wine!). You do have to use the pts to pay for a travel related charge, can't pay for your new stove with it.

With the aid of a web site such as The Points Guy, you can see numerous offers and see which one is best for you. It's really gotten to be quite the competitive jungle out there. Hope this helps people to sort through it.

From the Captains to the laundry people, there seems to be a stability & competence in the crew working for Oceania & Regent.

Such things as terms of employment, personnel policies, work load, all factor in for employees; especially at the point where they interface with the passengers and their knowledge & pride in their jobs, efforts. Good Captains & staff captains can take their people skills & abilities to make good decisions in emergency situations (Concordia's captains, anyone?) elsewhere, if they are not supported and appreciated by management.

In addition to the food budget, we would hope the maintenance mechanics, and marine skills are maintained, and we sail on "happy ships".

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Another trend Oceania has given passengers is the inclusive dining policies, but NOT bundling that into a forced package that includes liquor as Chrystal, etc & now Azumara have. We are not opposed to alcohol, but limit ourselves due to moderation and medical reasons. We do not want to pay for others overindulgence. We like the choice.

We have a significant anniversary coming up, and were planning to take an Oceania cruise in the next year or two.

Mr Del Rio & his team are an asset which cannot be forgotten by any Boards and shareholders. Hope NCL has not taken on too much debt that it pressures them to cut, cut, cut.

We will be watching and hoping for the best, for pax & crew.

Thanks so much for the additional info on Harwich!

The North Sea crossing to Denmark one Sept was 'lively' but not without it's own bit of drama ;)

Far worse was a crossing in Ontario Canada where all of Lake Huron was trying to get into Georgian Bay - I was one of the few that held onto my delicious cold salmon sandwich. Don't let the word 'lake' ever fool anyone - there are reasons ships & boats still go down in the Great Lakes.

We'll have to connect over dinner or something on the trans-Atlantic. Are you registered on the roll call here?

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OT: The French might have been speaking German even earlier, if it weren't for the Americans, Aussies & Canadians of 1916-18.

As for feelings following war, one of the main reasons we are making this trip to France is because of my father-in-laws experience in WW One. His leg was blown off in the trench warfare of July 1918 and left for dead by his First Division American comrades (as were many).

A group of Germans were going through the area, picking up their dead & wounded. Dumped into a horse cart of dead Germans, he let out a groan. They took him to a German Field Hospital. A German doctor saved his life by cleaning up the wound, closing up a stump. He was traded back to the US in a prisoner exchange. Those Germans' saw a person in need, who had endured terrific pain, even as they were loosing the war. A tiny bit of the better side of humanity in the midst of horror.

I've been reading The Sleepwalkers, by Christopher Clark - quite a detailed history of the start of WW I, with echoes still into today's relations. Sometimes I don't know which century I am reading about.

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All a good reason to travel - to see others POV (even one's we don't like) and the splendor of other cultures and their achievements through a different lens. We feel that traveling by ship today instantly gives one some perspective on an area, because it is only recently that people have relied more on airplanes. Boats & ships show you history, as you approach a port.

Yes, the refrig can usually be locked.

But if you need to use it for insulin or some other medication (I had to take a liquid anti-biotic by mouth during the NZ/Australian cruise, which needed to be kept cool - had 2 good sized pharm bottles which had been prescribed at the wonderful Hamilton NZ hospital for a dangerous infection which nearly had me staying there, rather than at a B&B) or just wish to use it for soda, iced tea, water or your wine; then you need the space.

There was no trouble complying with this request on Oceania's Regatta.

Thanks so much to the posters for the helpful info/replies on the distances & food options at the various terminals in Harwich.

Yes, It is the ferry from Hook, Holland we will be taking. Sounds like we better do the "Gobble & Go" breakfast on the ferry. (Gobble & Go is the name of a team Pem Corgi race!)

I'm sure we would normally have no trouble walking from one to another, but with the luggage it might be a different matter. It seems silly for such a short distance, but now we feel assured we could engage a taxi, if need be, thanks to your replies. Cheaper than muscles or tendons out of wack for a month.

BobnJac, we are planning on being on the Oct 13th sailing too! Aqua Class.

Cheers!

Perhaps. But even if they take the items out, they just stash them in the room somewhere, possibly under the bed r at the back of a closet. Stewards on Celebrity are usually pretty used to that request

We had a refusal to remove the liquor on our last cruise on Infinity. The steward was from the Philippines and had worked for something like 17 yrs for Celebrity he said. We needed the space for medicine and just to not have it there. He told us that we were free to remove it.

We found this unacceptable - we are not in this category, but some fight to stay away from their toxic problems with alcohol; plus we didn't want to touch it, or have it loose in the room, rather than chance being charged for consumption. I felt like going to a "Friends of Bill W" meeting, and asking them how they handled a situation like that. And given that some have serious problems with alcohol, it is wrong that they will not remove it upon request.

We had pre-paid our gratuity, but for the first time we did not leave anything extra. We did slip his assistant, who was always stuck cleaning the bathroom (and did a good job), a bill when the sr attendant was not around.

We will be requesting an ice bucket for cooling drinks, along with daily ice in it on an upcoming trans-Atlantic - in Aqua Class. If there is refusal again, we will take it to a higher level this time plus a mention on the evaluation.

Hi-

My question is about Harwich & the terminals.

We will be boarding Infinity there in October, arriving in the morning via the overnight ferry from Rotterdam (no car). On port diagrams it looks like the ferry terminal is directly next to the cruise ship terminal. We two will have 2, 25" rolling bags plus backpacks, having been in Europe for the previous 2 weeks. Are there porters to help with baggage? We are also not 30 any more!! (twice that) and will probably be tired after tramping around WW I trenches. :eek: So will appreciate any help available.

Is it possible to roll/cart our bags from one place to another? Is there a place in the cruise terminal to get breakfast? They serve breakfast on the ferry, but the timing seems a little 'gobble & run-ish' (just like the cruise ships, they want to hustle you off, to re-board the new cars & people), and we'd rather not do that, and eat once we arrive in Harwich. Before boarding the Infinity. How about places just to sit while we wait to board? TIA.

Glad you had a good cruise - we've seen some of the same British & Scottish ports from the land side. The M class ships are about as big as we'd like to go.