Riviera Trans-Atlantic April 2015

[Hambagahle]

Hey Gerry, I know you're going to have a fabulous time and I look forward to reading your reports. Still can't believe we're having to miss this cruise, but shall enjoy it vicariously. Will email you next week ref Rod's surgery...

 

Daisy - we'll miss you two as well! Will be thinking of Rod on Tuesday.

 

Miami - on arrival yesterday was 29° and steamy. We flew in over the Beach and had a great look down at Terminal J at the cruise port where we will all be on Wednesday! Took a while to get our bags but the new kiosk system for Immigration seemed to work well (once you know what you are doing!) Rain started as we got out of the taxi at our friend's house...and then it chucked it down! Donner und Blitzen and all that. High winds too. Today is overcast and cool - 64F right now, going I think to about 70F so sweater weather... But no rain in the forecast through Wednesday which is great for us all.

 

Our agenda here is to shop and to eat. Sadly no golf! That is for Bermuda.

Gerry

[dlouise]

Welcome to cloudy, cool and windy South Florida, I hope you enjoy your stay.

[fairbourne]

Hambagahle - wishing you and your DH a fabulous cruise! And looking forward to reading your review.

 

DaisyUK - I'm sorry you're missing your cruise and the "fore and aft" parties! But DH comes first, wishing him well. :)

[DaisyUK]

Thank you Fairbourne. Yes, it's a shame but as you say DH and his health come first. We have cheered ourselves up a little by booking an alternative cruise in May, by which time we are hoping all will be well.

[LuAnn]

We were very very pleased with Iberia all round. Our flight GVA/MAD left on time and arrived early. We had a nice hot breakfast served (we were in Business) Very friendly crew. Lounge at the MAD airport was huge and comfortable and the airport itself is a dream to transfer in - very very clear signs (unlike Frankfurt) and an easy transfer from Schengen to extra-Shengen. Our trans-Atlantic flight to MIA left on time and arrived 20 mins early. Excellent cabin service - lovely crew and delicious food. Seats roomy and totally flat. Superb IFE with good quality screen. All in all we found it to be far superior to BA's business class - and were very surprised! We would fly them again with no hesitation!

Gerry

 

Glad you feel the same way about Frankfurt as I do!! The first time we were there (transferring to get to Barcelona) we were so lost we ended up OUTSIDE the terminal and had to go back in and go through security again and almost missed our connecting flight! Except when are friends who live in Germany take us there to drop us off for flights home we try and avoid Franfurt for that very reason!! :eek::confused: LuAnn

[JMBobB]

SWMbI and I just finished packing. We'll drive a rental car to SFO on Monday, fly to MIA Tuesday afternoon. Only question is if there is a decent liquor store near Chopin Plaza to pick up some wine before heading to the ship Wednesday. I was totally unable to get a helpful response from anyone at Oceania about where to ship a case of my favorite wines. :(

 

Howsumever, t'ain't nuthin' gonna ruin the fun of this voyage for us. Wonder if we'll have the same wonderful butler from the opposite run in Nov '13? Worry, worry, worry... :rolleyes:

 

JMBobB

 

B.S. Dun packed dem beeds too! :cool:

 

B.B.S. Butlers are cool too! :D

Edited March 28, 2015 by JMBobB

[OctoberKat]

SWMbI and I just finished packing. We'll drive a rental car to SFO on Monday, fly to MIA Tuesday afternoon. Only question is if there is a decent liquor store near Chopin Plaza to pick up some wine before heading to the ship Wednesday. I was totally unable to get a helpful response from anyone at Oceania about where to ship a case of my favorite wines. :(

 

Howsumever, t'ain't nuthin' gonna ruin the fun of this voyage for us. Wonder if we'll have the same wonderful butler from the opposite run in Nov '13? Worry, worry, worry... :rolleyes:

 

JMBobB

 

B.S. Dun packed dem beeds too! :cool:

 

B.B.S. Butlers are cool too! :D

 

We wanna cruise with y'all, like your style.

[Toranut97]

I just want to note that, from the comments by people here who will be on this cruise - it sounds like a rollicking good time and I'm jealous of all of you who are on this sailing!! Have a great time and I am eager to read all of your reports!!

 

Donna

[Paulchili]

I just want to note that, from the comments by people here who will be on this cruise - it sounds like a rollicking good time and I'm jealous of all of you who are on this sailing!! Have a great time and I am eager to read all of your reports!!

 

 

 

Donna

 

 

 

Donna,

You still can join us - there are cabins available.

Come on and get onboard :D

Paul

[Toranut97]

Donna,

You still can join us - there are cabins available.

Come on and get onboard :D

Paul

 

Aw, thanks, Paul! I think my judgely hubby would enjoy visiting with you! We sail on Regatta 4/23 - I will have to wait for that one... Maybe we will meet up some other time!

 

Donna

[Hambagahle]

SWMbI and I just finished packing. We'll drive a rental car to SFO on Monday, fly to MIA Tuesday afternoon. Only question is if there is a decent liquor store near Chopin Plaza to pick up some wine before heading to the ship Wednesday. I was totally unable to get a helpful response from anyone at Oceania about where to ship a case of my favorite wines. :(

 

Howsumever, t'ain't nuthin' gonna ruin the fun of this voyage for us. Wonder if we'll have the same wonderful butler from the opposite run in Nov '13? Worry, worry, worry... :rolleyes:

 

JMBobB

 

B.S. Dun packed dem beeds too! :cool:

 

B.B.S. Butlers are cool too! :D

 

 

Seems there is a wine shop called "Clos" at 100 S. Biscayne Blvd in Miami and this should be a 5 min walk from Chopin Plaza....

[OctoberKat]

Is it possible to send Bon Yoyage gifts to folk on this cruise? It seems most lines require a booking code plus real name which dilutes the pleasure of the gift and the surprise to zero.

[Travelcat2]

Gerry, hope you are enjoying steamy Miami. I suppose that our embarkation port will have similar weather (but we are not staying there for more than 9 hours:-) What kind of weather are you expecting on this crossing? We have done November crossings in the past but not April. Hoping the weather will be mild (meaning 16-20C).

 

LuAnn: Most of the time when you go to Frankfurt, even if you don't go outside of the terminal (as we have also done), you have to go through security for a second time (after a very long walk). It has to do with "Schengen" vs. "non-Schengen". Gerry is the expert in explaining why this occurs at some airports (particularly Frankfurt).

 

It really is too bad that the Riviera and the Mariner do not dock together on the way to Barcelona. I believe that you have more sea days than we do (love sea days) and our cruise is a bit longer than yours.

 

Looking forward to your reports:)

[ORV]

Aw, thanks, Paul! I think my judgely hubby would enjoy visiting with you! We sail on Regatta 4/23 - I will have to wait for that one... Maybe we will meet up some other time!

 

Donna

 

Paul was on our Riviera TA in 2013. Did you not meet him then?

[Hambagahle]

Gerry, hope you are enjoying steamy Miami. I suppose that our embarkation port will have similar weather (but we are not staying there for more than 9 hours:-) What kind of weather are you expecting on this crossing? We have done November crossings in the past but not April. Hoping the weather will be mild (meaning 16-20C).

 

LuAnn: Most of the time when you go to Frankfurt, even if you don't go outside of the terminal (as we have also done), you have to go through security for a second time (after a very long walk). It has to do with "Schengen" vs. "non-Schengen". Gerry is the expert in explaining why this occurs at some airports (particularly Frankfurt).

 

It really is too bad that the Riviera and the Mariner do not dock together on the way to Barcelona. I believe that you have more sea days than we do (love sea days) and our cruise is a bit longer than yours.

 

Looking forward to your reports:)

 

hi Jackie -

 

Miami isn't steamy (wish it were...) A cold front came through Friday evening and yesterday and today have been cool. I see a thermometre from my friend's house and it says 73° which is about 20° I think? It is also windy. However forecast for Mon-Wed is for a little warmer (great!) and no rain (greater!)

 

Security checks at European airports vary enormously. In Switzerland you go through security to enter the transit lounge whether you come from inside the country, or another Schengen country, or a non-Schengen country. In Madrid we (coming from Schengen - ie Switz.) had no further check. Frankfurt is a total mess because the signs are abominable. You never know where you are nor where you are going until you have been there a lot. Which is silly. One would think that of all people the Germans would get it right. Security checks have nothing to do with Schengen either... nor does customs in our case because we aren't in the EU though we are in Schengen. Now I suppose I have really confused everyone...

 

On that score MIA has been equipped with kiosks to read passports of US, Canadian and ESTA holders. So passport lines are vastly reduced. But baggage is very very slow. And you have to walk for kilometres to get anywhere.

 

It has been fun this weekend watching the ships going out from Miami. Especially thinking that very soon ours will too!

[JMBobB]

Seems there is a wine shop called "Clos" at 100 S. Biscayne Blvd in Miami and this should be a 5 min walk from Chopin Plaza....

 

'preciate thet Bubba :D

 

JMBobB

 

B.S. Wonder if they have rental rollin' carts to git the gud stuff back to the hotel? Yew cain't stop at jus' one bottle a fine grape juice! :eek:

[dlouise]

TC, Miami steamy, not at all. Maybe you should come and spend some time here this time of the year, before commenting on the weather.

Right now it's 69 and no rain in the forecast for the week.

You have made it quite clear in another post that you are not a fan of Miami, but there are many people on these boards that live in the Miami area and love where they live!

[Hambagahle]

TC, Miami steamy, not at all. Maybe you should come and spend some time here this time of the year, before commenting on the weather.

Right now it's 69 and no rain in the forecast for the week.

You have made it quite clear in another post that you are not a fan of Miami, but there are many people on these boards that live in the Miami area and love where they live!

 

And here is a Swiss that LOVES Miami. What a town!! Great food, very clean (cleanest town I have ever seen in the USA in fact). The only blot on the Miami copybook is the airport. Which is a zoo. And needs redesign and paint. But once one is through that everything else is beautiful. :)

[dlouise]

Hambagahle,

Thank you, we love our city. Unfortunately you were here during the Ultra Music Festival, but its over and the city will return to normal today.

If you want any restaurant recommendations please ask.

Enjoy your cruise and please say hello to Churchill from the Friedman/Cohen family, the little ones still ask for him!

[hypercafe]

Hope you have a great trip. We love Miami, I do not want to offend anyone but I look Miami as the NY of the south. I would love to live there but my grandchildren are here.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[Ocean Hills]

Are you really ready for all of us?????????? Here we come.

[Zqueeze1]

We were very very pleased with Iberia all round. Our flight GVA/MAD left on time and arrived early. We had a nice hot breakfast served (we were in Business) Very friendly crew. Lounge at the MAD airport was huge and comfortable and the airport itself is a dream to transfer in - very very clear signs (unlike Frankfurt) and an easy transfer from Schengen to extra-Shengen. Our trans-Atlantic flight to MIA left on time and arrived 20 mins early. Excellent cabin service - lovely crew and delicious food. Seats roomy and totally flat. Superb IFE with good quality screen. All in all we found it to be far superior to BA's business class - and were very surprised! We would fly them again with no hesitation!

Gerry

 

 

Thank you so much for the info and we will certainly consider Iberia's business class in the future. I was thrown off by negative comments on their service in other boards, but I believe those stemmed from an older configuration of their aircraft. I'm afraid I made a hasty decision but as long as The Boss gets her champagne and her shuteye on our BA flight then I will be ok.

 

Z and TB

[Hambagahle]

Thank you so much for the info and we will certainly consider Iberia's business class in the future. I was thrown off by negative comments on their service in other boards, but I believe those stemmed from an older configuration of their aircraft. I'm afraid I made a hasty decision but as long as The Boss gets her champagne and her shuteye on our BA flight then I will be ok.

 

Z and TB

 

It is very true that Iberia had a shoddy reputation before BA bought it. But BA has put a lot of money into getting new planes and I suppose crew training, food service etc. All I can say is that our two flights were superb and we had no complaints at all. (We normally fly business class on either BA or Swiss) No champagne though... cava was offered on take off and I suppose could have been asked for during the flight. We had a magnificent spanish red wine which I would like to have at home!

[findacruise]

It is very true that Iberia had a shoddy reputation before BA bought it. But BA has put a lot of money into getting new planes and I suppose crew training, food service etc. All I can say is that our two flights were superb and we had no complaints at all. (We normally fly business class on either BA or Swiss) No champagne though... cava was offered on take off and I suppose could have been asked for during the flight. We had a magnificent spanish red wine which I would like to have at home!

We have friends who recently flew from Lima to LA on Iberia in business class and said it was one of the overall best flights they can remember and the lie flats were extremely comfortable. Knowing them, that's high praise. Glad to hear it from someone else. Enjoy your cruise.

[Zqueeze1]

It is very true that Iberia had a shoddy reputation before BA bought it. But BA has put a lot of money into getting new planes and I suppose crew training, food service etc. All I can say is that our two flights were superb and we had no complaints at all. (We normally fly business class on either BA or Swiss) No champagne though... cava was offered on take off and I suppose could have been asked for during the flight. We had a magnificent spanish red wine which I would like to have at home!

 

 

Thanks for the info and I wish you all a wonderful cruise! I may be downtown tomorrow so will try to catch a glimpse of your ship. Enjoy!

 

Z and TB