ContemporaryTraveler

Really disappointed as I had just booked the Dubai to Singapore cruise for February 2021. I'll be canceling since there are no cruises that interest me around that time. 

I don't know where to start in correcting the misinformation already presented. But here goes:

 

1) You will be passing through outbound IMMIGRATION at CDG, not "customs".

There's no reason to say my information was "misinformation." I believe it was easy to understand what I was talking about when using the phrase customs.

Kat,

You will have to go thru passport control, which means security for you and your carry-on baggage. We did it on our southern France cruise, which had a connection to Marseille thru CDG.

When I flew through CDG in June I only went through customs for a passport check. My carry-on bag never went through any security check-point.

I flew from Budapest to Miami via CDG this last June. I flew Air France on both legs, but the process should be similar. I was able to walk from where my Air France flight landed to the customs line to enter the other terminal for my Miami flight, which was 2E. I might have lucked out because the walk really wasn't that long.

I did go through customs, which took a bit of time in the line for non-EU citizens. Due to this I might look at a longer layover instead of 90 minutes. One thing I didn't have to go through was security, which helped after the long customs line. The only problem I had at CDG was my flight to Miami was listed at 2 different terminals and no one was able to answer why it was listed in 2 different places at once.

I went on this itinerary in May on the Viking Baldur and wore jeans almost the entire time. No issue at all wearing them to the dining room in the evening. A lot of people wore jeans throughout the cruise I noticed in various styles.

I'm actually currently on this cruise and the PDF doesn't include some of the new optional and alternative excursions available. Today for example a Franconia countryside tour was offered in Bamberg that wasn't originally listed by Viking. Also in Vienna an evening backstage tour was added at the Vienna's boy choir.

I also did the new added culinary tour in Miltenberg. This tour does the exact walking tour offered in Miltenberg but adds a culinary component. That tour only cost 12 Euros and you tried schnapps, cake, chocolate, and received a bottle of beer.

Yesterday I did the Rothenburg tour and I highly recommend it. The village is fun to walk around and look at on your own. There is a German lunch involved also.

Tomorrow I'm actually going on the Nuremberg tour, unless something changes. We had a delay today due to an oil spill in the lock ahead of us, which delayed ships sailing in the Bamberg area today.

Lastly if any of you are interested, I am writing a blog. There is more information there about some of the optional or alternative tours. Here is the link to it, I'm just behind a day for posting: https://travellindsay.wordpress.com/

Update:

The Viking Baldur transited the canal within the last hour or two. It sounds like only boats that were in the spill zone were able to transit the lock before Hassfurt. As of now we are slightly delayed but haven't heard the latest update yet. So far Viking has provided everyone with updates once they have heard the news, which has been impressive from what we normally read here.

We were able to tour Bamberg today but the tour was shortened slightly due to a longer bus ride into the city. Also, the ship was not able to meet us there this evening like planned. Instead we had to be bussed back to Hassfurt due to the delay.

For anyone interested, I'm currently on the Viking Baldur and we are supposed to be in Bamburg today. We are currently delayed due to an oil spill in one of the locks ahead. The boat leaking oil is still stuck in the lock. Viking has provided constant updates and we still are going on tours. So far very impressed.

Tickets for Anne Frank House are now available online for months through September 2015. We got ours for June!!

Thank you for posting this! Just purchased my tickets for May.

I'm just off the Star Princess as well. Sorry to be contradictory, I do want to clarify that as someone who personally purchased the AI drink package, there is no limit to the # of drinks you can get in a day. Carnival does have a limit of 15, but not Princess. The only thing that was weird was that you had to sign the slip even for a $0 amount; this seemed like a waste (Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, whose drink package I have also used, do not require this).

Thank you for reconfirming there is no limit. I was recently on the Royal Princess and there was no limit for drinks as well. I couldn't imagine Princess would just add limits to the drink package, even for a shorter cruise. I did find signing the drink slips to be strange. I appreciate you letting us know.

Did Princess add on any additional Black Sea ports? Most of the other cruise lines have been replacing the Ukrainian ports with Sinop and Trabzon, Turkey. I think these would have been fascinating replacements since they are in the Black Sea and other major cruise lines are now sailing to these ports instead.

Crepes? Really? :eek:

Yes they are definitely included. When I purchased the drink package the bartender was not sure ice cream or crepes were included since no information stated they were. He double checked and found out everything in the gelateria is part of the package. One of my travel companions was able to order crepes with the drink package. Had no problems using my package in the gelateria, all the employees who worked there knew what the sticker meant on the card.

It has been posted on CC Gelato & Crepes are included in the all inclusive alcohol package, can you confirm?

Thanks and sorry to hear it was cool and windy on your first Sea Day!

I just got off the Royal Princess today and had the drink package as well. Yes on Ice Cream and Crepes. Anything on the menu in the gelateria is included. Crepes are only available on sea days and I was told from 2pm to 4pm.

Just got off the Royal Princess today and purchased the drink package. Definitely a great addition to Princess and definitely did not see anyone on the cruise I got off acting intoxicated. I feel the people on your cruise were a bad bunch and would act that way even without a drink package.

Our dining room situation became even more awkward tonight. Tonight, there was some Jewish ceremony going on. I tried to Google it with no luck, so maybe someone knowledgeable can fill me in!

I believe it may be the Shabbat dinner, but I could be wrong since my knowledge of Jewish ceremonies is pretty slim.

Victoria

I think the guy in green is wearing underwear. :confused::confused::confused:

I'm pretty disappointed that Princess has stooped down to Mr. Sexy Legs competitions. I've never noticed that before. :(

I remember some version of this competition back on the Tahitian Princess in 2006. An older Scottish man in a speedo will forever be burned into my brain.

1. Istanbul, Turkey

2. Odessa, Ukraine

3. Moorea, French Polynesia

I also second checking out Folica! I purchased a 220v hair straightener by Sedu a few years ago for travel from Folica and was definitely pleased. It was nice having the straightener ahead of time and not having to search over in Europe once I got there.

I never saw visible soot on the balcony, but I went on it barefoot at night after it had rained, and when I came back inside, my feet were black! That was the only time I had a problem.

Thank you for responding so quickly! That's good to hear the deluxe cabins on dolphin don't seem to have the issue.

Thanks for the clarification, I had always wondered about that.

At one time it may have been accepted but I know Royal Caribbean is having to be careful due to previous issues. If an expired passport is scanned, the system will actually notify the pier agent that the passport is expired. Least this way there won't be a mistake unless someone manually overrides it.

there is so much bad information in this thread it's really scary.

What bad information are you referring to? I work at the pier and know they take faxed copies of birth certificates. I've experienced at least 3 people having to get birth certificates faxed to the pier on time to be able to board. If they don't get the copy they are denied boarding, which sadly happens a lot. Copies are accepted by Royal Caribbean. The only time there is an exception is if CBP and the ship clears it ahead of time, which occasionally happens.

I'm really enjoying the photos you have posted so far, also great photos of Disney World on your blog! By the way, did you have any issues with soot on your balcony?

Actually Royal Caribbean cannot accept the expired passport as proof. If a pier agent accepts the expired passport, they can get in huge trouble. The pier is really cracking down on documentation lately and closely checking passports. Occasionally the ship itself will allow certain documentation after checking with CBP, but even that is rare (Example: One person was recently allowed to board with a hospital birth certificate after the ship gave permission, though hospital birth certificates are not allowed).

I work at the pier and copies are faxed in at least once a week because someone almost always forgets the correct paperwork. I highly doubt any of the employees will realize it isn't the original copy since we are looking to may sure it is official and not a hospital certificate. The most important thing is to have a birth certificate from the state or county health department. If anyone does notice it, most likely the pier will take a copy of the certificate. With copies that are faxed in, they do keep a copy of the birth certificate.

Thank you Compozer for keeping up the live thread. I hope you have a nice last day on board.