MTV43

57 minutes ago, GreenDice said:

Nice pictures!

 

Where was this one taken? Thanks,

Port of call is Molde, on a tour to Atlantic road with Norwayexcursions.com.  This is the famous Storseisundet bridge.  The tour stopped here for about 30 minutes.

We would like to experience Northern light cruise. Greatly appreciated for a suggestion of which cruise line, time frame and itinerary.

Thanks

Albi

Also, attached are images I captured during the trip.  These are in order of each port of calls, each morning I was up on the deck 12 at 6am to capture the sceneries changed as the ship slowing sailed to port.

We just returned from 8 days on Jewel of the Sea sailing out of Amsterdam from May 5-May 12.  It was our 11th cruise over the year but the first to Norway. We were blessed with beautiful weather and calm sea the entire sailing except for the last sea day.  It rained, cold and very foggy the entire day but it was our last day, we just relaxed and ready to go home. Below is my review to help traveler who plans the first Fjord cruise.

At first, we were concerned about the North Sea, but we only experienced half day on the first sea day with some movement, but it was not bad.  2 pronpeople in our group who very prone to sea sickness got sick and stay in bed for half of the day.  The rest of time, sailing was very smooth.

We booked all our excursions independently and if you have at least 8 people in your group, some excursions allowed 10% discount.  We liked all of our stops.

First port of call - Olden - we booked with Oldencruise.com, Briksdal Glacier shuttle bus and troll car separately.  Really enjoyed the excursions.

Second port of call - Flam - we booked one way catamaran from Flam to Gudvangen and bus back to Flam with Norway's Best AS.  Enjoyed it as well.

Third port of call - Geiranger - we booked Geiranger Mt. Dalsnibba and Eagle road with Norwayexcursions.com.  Highly recommended it and must reserved it early because when I reserved around March, it was only had 4 seat available. Our ship was the first cruise in the season and the road to Mt. Dalsnibba was not yet opened, so we stopped at lake Eidsvatnet instead.  We were totally happy with that because the lake was absolutely beautiful with snow capped mountains with beautiful reflections over clear water.  If this is happened to you, the tour will reverse the order and do the stop to Flydalsjuvet view point last.  On the way back to Geiranger, you can request to drop off at the waterfall, that saves 300+ steps walk up from town.

Fourth port of call - Alusend - We opted for the blue train at the pier to ride up to Mt Atka, then walk around the waterfront.  The fish and chip stand near the pier was good. If you have the energy, you can walk 400+ steps to the top. Beautiful city

The last port of call - Molde - we booked the Adventurous Atlantic Ocean Road with Norwayexcursions.com again.  Beautiful scenery as well.  Our ship changed the time from 8am-4pm to 7am-3pm the day before docking.  The tour cut one stop to top of Mount Varden due to an hour short.

Cabin - our group stayed at balcony cabin on decks 7 and 8.  We stay at inside cabin 3506 forward under theatre.  Never experience any noise except a bit of light music during rehearsal around late afternoon. However, it was the first time we stayed at the beginning of ship, it was a bit of walk to the end to the dining room area.  The same size room, except their have the balcony but never used it because it was cold, and it was port intensive.  The saving compared to balcony was $900.

The ship - We picked this ship due to the itinerary, I found there is not much of public area like bigger ship and not much to do.  If it was not for the ports, we would be bored on the ship.  We spent 7 days pre-cruise (5 France and 2 Amsterdam), so we were tired, relaxed the first sea was good.  After 5 continuous ports, a last day relax was also needed.

Foods - Not much to be desired, especially dining room meals.  Luckily, we don't cruise for the foods, but for the itinerary, the price we paid and the hard-working employees, pretty much made up for the taste of the foods.  However, we all agreed that hamburgers, French fried and pizza were always good.  Stir fried station was decent but the wait was long if there was about few people ahead of you. 

Entertainment - 3 or 4 shows were entertaining especially the Argentina tango show.  

We enjoyed our first Norwegian Fjord cruise, and the sceneries are beyond ordinary. 

Our first time cruising Norwegian Fjord early May on Jewel of the Sea with stops at: Olden, Flam, Geiranger, Alesund, Molde.  There are many excursion choices, we narrow down to what we want to do but would like to hear your options so we can avoid exploring similar view at each port. 

Olden: Briksdal Glacier Shutte Bus with Troll car or Loen Lake and Kjenndal Glacier in the morning? Will the view from Lake similar to what we see on cruise during cruise in/out of port?  will do the Lift in the afternoon with weather permits.  Is this tender port? we are the only cruise in port that day arrives at 8:00am.   If it is tender, do we have enough time to meet our independent tour at 9:30am?

Flam: we decide not to do the Train ride, will take shuttle bus to Stegastein viewpoint. Do we need to book this shuttle in advance?

Geiranger: Mount Dalnisbba and Eagle Road.  We are keen in landscape photography, is this good option if weather permits? is this also a tender port? we dock at 10:00 am.  Do we have enough time to meet our independent tour at 11:00 am. 

Alesund: just walk around town and up to view point

Molde: Adventurous Altantic Ocean Road.

Thank in advance for your replies?

Thank you all for your suggestions!

This is the first time that I booked a cruise based on a group's decision. I am glad that the itinerary is good with many stops, and we are able to see the fjords during sail in/out.  We were on Alaska cruise pre-covid, and I hear that Norwegian fjord is much better.  On that cruise, we stayed on ocean view cabin, but I spent all the time on the deck to take photo when the ship sail/in out.  I prefer to see the horizon, I often got up just in time to capture sunrise and stay late for sunset on most of the cruises.  

MTV

4 couples invited us to join them on RRC Jewel of the Sea sailing from Amsterdam on 5/4-5/12.  I have not do my research on Norway itinerary but based on what I read, the below ports are frequently mentioned on this board except for Molde.  I have few questions and greatly appreciate for your suggestion:

1) What do you think about this itinerary and what is not to be missed on each port of call?  We are keen in landscape photography.

2) Balcony or Inside? The difference is $908 for two, we sailed Balcony once on British Isles Itinerary and never had time to enjoy our balcony because it was a port intensive itinerary.   Also, it is May, is still too cold to out to balcony?

3) Will we able to see Fjord from this sailing below?

Many thanks for your reply!

MTV

There are many tours but offer 27 waterfalls from its website.  We only want to do 7 or 15, how to book it or should we wait until the arrival day and find one at the exit gate? Some reviews mentioned about taking the taxi to the location and buy entrance admission, but I am wondering about if they offer tour guide, helmet rental at the park?

Thanks

Carnival Magic will dock at Grand Turk on from 8am-5pm on May 21, 2020.  There will be another ship docks later in the afternoon.  A family of 4 would like to take a good snorkel tour only with good weather condition. Our past Caribbean cruises were nearly 10+ yrs ago,  there were a lot of tour offered right at the exit gate of cruise terminal.  Will we able to find a good snorkel tour on the arrival day?

Thanks 

There are few ways to get from central Tokyo to Narita: 1) Narita express between 56 - 60 minutes from Tokyo train to Narita terminal 1 and 2 at approximately 3,070 yen one way.  All Narita express required a seat reservation which is more than the train fare 1,730.  The first train at 6:18 am and the next train is at 7:00 am but every 15 minutes after 7. 

2) Ordinary train does not require seat reservation and costs 1,730 less but includes one change.  If you are not familiar with Japanese trail system plus with luggage, I suggestion not to use this

3) Express bus - about the same cost as option #1 but it is convenient if you stay at the hotel where the bus drop/pick up passenger.  

4) Ordinary bus - less than express bus but I never considered bus option especially on the way to airport.  Bus can stuck in traffic.

 If I have one night to stay, I would not stay near Narita town unless I have a very early flight.  That said, stay near Tokyo station and option #1 to Narita the next morning.  Hotel price in Japan vary per day of the week.  I paid double the price at the same hotel for Saturday stay vs. Monday stay.  Price seems to be higher near Tokyo station than other areas, but if you pick business budget hotel, price is reasonable. I find Tokyo hotel is much more reasonable than New York, Boston, Seattle jus to name a few.  I paid the most $150 per night or as low as $60 at the same hotel.  Clean, new, safe but the only down side is its size, small like cruise ship cabin.

Costa mediterranea 7 day itinerary looks good to us: 

1. Singapore 8pm

2. Sea day

3. Langkawi, Malaysia 8am - 7pm

4 +5 . Phuket 7am - 6:00pm

6. Penang 8am - 6pm

7. Port Kelang 8 - 6pm

8. Singapore 9:00 am

We had never sailed with Costa Mediterranea and it appears to be an older ship.  Reviews are mixed but cannot find one out of Singapore. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

In Malaysia, how far from cruise ship port to city center? 

Hi, 

Celebrity allows 2 bottle of wines on per cabin on embarkartion and corkage fee is $25 per bottle.  Some passengers stated in the review that they poured wine in the glasses and bring to dinning room to avoid the charge.  Is that allowed? just glass only or opened bottle too?

Thanks

Hi,

Celebrity Reflection will dock  at Greenock on Sunday Aug 18 and we are going to reserve a mini bus taxi van for our group to get to Glasgow.  There are two addresses and not sure which one to use: 1) Cruise terminal at Campbell street which the closest and 2) Cruise terminal Passenger entrance on Patrick street.  Is 1) for pick up and 2) for drop off?

Thanks

Thanks everyone for your replies!

Hi,

We will on Celebrity Reflection sailing to British Isles in August.  It is our first time to these destinations and we prefer to find a private driver for group of 8 for most of the ports.  Greatly appreciate your recommendation for a reliable driver. Are there independent tours available outside of cruise terminal?

We are also looking for suggestion what not to be missed at each port.  We are couples at 60's, enjoy nature and photography, not much of museum, like visit quaint town. We see a picture of an English alley with full of flowers hanging outside the window, can we find this at any of the port below?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

Hi,

We would like to take a Norwegian fjord cruise around mid June of 2020.  We have 4 choices: Carnival Legend (9 day from Dover, UK) and Rotterdam (7 day from Netherlands) are old and small ships; P&O Iona will be new ship and bigger ship will be sailing in 2020 (could be a plus or minus). - 7 day from Southampton.  We are keen in photography, thus any route that more scenic than other will get our attention.  Greatly appreciated your inputs to narrow down our choice.  Below are the 4 ships with itinerary:

Great, thanks for your reply!

Based on your suggestions, I search cruisetimetables and find few more choices.

P&O has at least 3 sailings in July with similar itinerary like Princess, except 1 port Flam instead of Hellesylt/Geiranger but the price is nearly 1/2 less than Princess.  I find P&O online booking is not as user friendly as others, has few price ranges with different limitations but no direct contact representative to ask question unless I call UK.  Travelocity does not list P&O.

The travelers here have wealth of information, I appreciate any inputs about P&O and its booking/cancellation policies.

Thanks a lot!

Hi,

We are currently looking at 7 day Northern Europe round trip from Southampton-Stavanger, Olden, Flam, Bergen.  Ventura, Azura and Britannia seem to fall into our radar.  We are from US and normally booked directly with cruise line and few times from Travelocity, but always talked directly with a sale representative. It seems like P&O doesn't have that option and we have trouble with online booking as well because it does not recognize the phone number field and Travelocity does not list P&O line.  That said, we have few questions and greatly appreciate for your help:

1) How to make the reservation?

2) Ventura, Azura and Britannia - What is the best choice?

3) P&O cancellation policy - is it the same as other cruise line, ie. nonrefundable after 90 days?

Thank you all for your replies!

Kaisatsu, you ease my concern regarding the rough sea.  We sailed Hawaii islands and the sea was rough though, we wobbled out of the dinning room but were fine.  I heard stories that people held on the stairwells and threw up, it must be a stormy weather.

With Princess sailing, are any port tender?

Thanks

Hi,

We are just thinking about Norwegian Fjords for this coming July.  We just look at a few options and greatly appreciated for inputs to help making the decision.

1) Princess has 7 day from Southampton with the following ports of call: Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt, Geiranger, Bergen back to Southampton

2) Holland America Line from Amsterdam with the following stops: Eidfjord, Scenic cruising Hardangerfjord, Cruise Sognefjord, Alesund, Bergen

3) Costa line 9 days from Amsterdam with the following stops:Bergen, Hellesylt, Olden, Stavanger, Bremerhaven Germany

Questions:

1) How rough the north sea? does it matter much between crossing the sea from Southampton or up/down from Amsterdam?

2) We sailed Princess twice and were happy with its cuisine. How is Holland and Costa compared to Princess?

3) We are keen of landscape photography, so looking for destination with great photo opportunity.

4) Are any other cruise lines?

Thanks in advance for your reply!

MSC Sinfonia disembarkation time is 9am at Genoa and the airport is only 20 minute drive away. We have to catch the 12:30pm flight to Paris. I assume that we would have enough time but would like to make sure with previous cruisers that disembarked the same port.

Itinerary shows 'arrive 9am' is that disembarkation time or docking time?

Thanks in advance for reply!

MSC schedules to disembark at 9 am at Genoa. Will we have enough time to board Airfrance flight to Paris at 1230pm?

It is only 11 minutes by car from cruise terminal to airport.

Thanks in advance for your reply!

Hi,

I am currently looking at MSC Sinfonia 5 day sailing from Venice - Genoa (10/30-11/4/2018). We sailed with MSC Mediterranean itinerary back in summer 2014. We are not fan of MSC, but the price and itinerary really catch my attention so I am willing to give it another chance, just use it as a floating hotel. We won't fly to Europe just to cruise, we will add 1 week pre-cruise and few days at Portofino after the cruise when the ship docks at Genoa. My dilemma is the time frame, we are frequent travelers to Europe but always from early - late summer. I know that weather is very unpredictable but how bad the cold could be in late October - Early November?

I just learn about MSC dinning arrangement depending on price. There are 8 of us, how difficult to get a table together with Bella experience. I assume it is not peak sailing, so hoping there won't be overflow in regular dinning room, but I may be wrong.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

How did you get in contact with him?

Shane Williams 907-723-4550