Live Voyager of the Seas Baltic Cruise (by way of a short stay in London & Copenhagen) May 22-29th

[CatLadyFemme]

Hello - it's time for another live review!

 

I'm CatLadyFemme, a professor at the University of Michigan, a cat lady (obviously, with four cats and one cat like blue nose pittie across our two homes), and a moderately experienced cruiser. I am disabled/live with chronic pain, and so walk with a cane, plus I am a vegetarian and have Celiac disease, so am super duper gluten free.
 

In addition to things like photos of the rooms, ports, pools, etc., I will post about finding vegetarian GF food (we've had some AMAZING luck like with Belic on the Explorer, and some not great experiences where I ate iceberg salad and berries for days), and access/ADA issues. Oh! I'm also queer and nonbinary, so there may be some stuff about the LGBTQ meet up, etc.

 

I like to stay in the shade/find a nice lounge and read, or enjoy the hot tubs with a big floppy hat if it is warm enough. We have a RCCL excursion in Stockholm, and booked accessible excursions through a local accessible guide in both Helsinki and Tallin. We also plan be to do the last day Royal tour of Copenhagen and getting dropped off at the airport. We will test, spend the night in Copenhagen and then fly home (fingers crossed, though I also booked a week in a local hotel I can cancel in case).

 

This is me and MrCatLady:

 

 

We'll be staying in an accessible panoramic ocean view, which we have never done! We bid to Royal Up to a GS or OS, but no luck. Oh well. This is my second time on Voyager; first was summer 2002, so it’s been a while.

 

We have early seating at dinner, like seeing most of the shows, and I am super excited to travel with MrCatLady together for the first time in over 2 years. (MxCatLady and I did Allure in April). We both have the refreshment package, internet packages (surf only, and will likely upgrade), and will probably do one night at Giovanni’s if we get a good deal.

 

I should note I am immuno compromised, and despite isolating for two years, I finally got COVID in January (MxCatLady caught it from work for the second time), and have dealing with some pretty seriously long hauler syndrome. I also know getting it more than once can be additive, so at my HCP’s advice, we will be masking indoors or in crowded outdoor spaces. I also got my 4th shot (which is considered my booster) in March, with MrCatLady having gotten his two weeks ago,  so we will be at maximum protection for this cruise. Please don’t argue COVID stuff with me, and I won’t spam you with peer reviewed studies, and we can all have a nice time.

 

Our trip starts tonight (Monday the 16th) with flying DTW to Heathrow on Delta One (combined all of our canceled trips over the past two years to afford it).   Either of us have ever flown first class or been in a Delta Sky Lounge, so excited to feel fancy. Then we will have a few days in London (including an all you can eat cheese conveyor belt visit and a GF/veggie friendly High Tea to hopefully celebrate my tenure decision. Then to Copenhagen on Friday for a few days before we leave next Sunday. 

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions or requests; otherwise, I'll try to do regular updates (assuming the internet isn't wonky), post occasional pictures, and hopefully induce a small amount of envy.

[Mrs.Dukes]

Looking forward to following along. Enjoy your time in London before the cruise.

[adam7392]

On the 31st July sailing so following all the Voyager Baltic posts at the moment.  Enjoy London, weather is going to be good here the next few days.  Hope you have a fantastic cruise and looking forward to hearing the details.

[Sunshine3601]

Looking forward to your trip.     We love London too!     

Safe travels

[ckmommy]

Safe Travels!  Can't wait to read all about your adventure.  We are taking the June 15th trip--and going to London before the start of our adventure as well.  Enjoy First Class!!

[perfect match]

I’ll be following along with you. Sounds like a great trip!

[CatLadyFemme]

Top of the morning to you from across the Pond (for us at least).

 

Our flight was delightful and let me tell you, I don’t know if I will ever be able to do longer haul flights without first class (I say this never being able to afford it again 😂). We felt so fancy, though definitely out of place. Not sure if it was age based (though we are in our 30s) or queer based or we just didn’t look like we belonged,  but we definitely had more than one person act surprised through out the check in and boarding process that we were in Delta One, and the FAs were not nearly as friendly as those in the main cabin.  
 

Neither of us slept much; I’ve been having severe back pain, and so when we got off the plane at 10am, we were a bit out of it. If you are disabled or have chronic pain from walking, I cannot recommend getting a wheelchair enough at Heathrow. I don’t always use one of the gate is nearby or I know the airport well and it is small, but holy guacamole; so much walking here. So glad I did the wheelchair and trolly. The CBP officer was the nicest I have ever experienced anywhere, and our cab driver was support friendly (though a bit put out I support the Tottenham Hotspurs).

 

We booked our hotel through Delta, because we got a good price, and it is right at the edge of Trafalgar Square; so neat! We got some pizza while waiting for our room to be ready (best GF pizza I have had in years) and then spent some time in the lounge before we got to our room and took a 4 hour power nap. Dinner was takeaway from a Poke place that was 95% gluten free and with lots of veggie and vegan options. Firstly, it was so delicious and light and refreshing, and secondly, I forgot how much better Europe is for folks with Celiac disease and other food intolerances or allergies. Everything is so well labeled and it is such a relief to have so many choices to eat. 
 

Finished up the night by teaching our first session of a social work course I picked up in our online MSW program (booked the trip before I got offered to overload into the summer, so making it work as best I can). I was relieved not to have any issues with connectivity. So neat that we can have a life class with people across the US while the professor is in London!

 

Then off to bed for us, though of course I woke up randomly at 6am after going to bed at 2am post-class.  Hopefully I can get back to bed before we go on your conveyor belt cheese adventures later today!

[aussielozzie18]

Following your adventure.  Enjoying all the detail.

[CatLadyFemme]

Also; please excuse all the typos I have from posting during my 6am insomnia!

[TexasRon]

Did you feel the FAs treated you differently than other passengers or was the service in that class just below par overall?  I would complain to the airline either way—you paid for premium service and deserved to get it.  One is worse than the other but both deserve follow up because they are both unacceptable.

 

Premium service is rare for us but we do it once in a while.  We flew on a trashy looking plane to Jamaica last year (looked like the same interior from when I first flew first class on the same airline 20 years ago; it was the same plane type) but the FAs made it a first class experience.  
 

You deserved premium service.

[TexasRon]

Looking forward to your report!

[laurieal]

Excited to be following along.

 

Are you also in an accessible room in your London hotel? If so, would you mind sharing the name? The location sounds ideal.

 

Have a fantastic trip!

[CatLadyFemme]

10 hours ago, laurieal said:

Excited to be following along.

 

Are you also in an accessible room in your London hotel? If so, would you mind sharing the name? The location sounds ideal.

 

Have a fantastic trip!

Yes! It is the Grand at Trafalgar. Accessible shower, extra space. Small one person lift up the outside stairs, and then lifts inside.

Edited May 18, 2022 by CatLadyFemme

[CatLadyFemme]

12 hours ago, TexasRon said:

Did you feel the FAs treated you differently than other passengers or was the service in that class just below par overall?  I would complain to the airline either way—you paid for premium service and deserved to get it.  One is worse than the other but both deserve follow up because they are both unacceptable.

 

Premium service is rare for us but we do it once in a while.  We flew on a trashy looking plane to Jamaica last year (looked like the same interior from when I first flew first class on the same airline 20 years ago; it was the same plane type) but the FAs made it a first class experience.  
 

You deserved premium service.

I just know things are hard so don’t want to make it a Thing or get anyone in trouble, but it definitely felt like they were way nicer/more attentive to the folks who were brusque and rude with them. I guess we will see how the flight home goes!

 

Y’all; today was amazing. Only second behind the Sloth excursion last month on Allure of things that have brought me deep joy recently. After have a cuppa on the sidewalk in front of a cafe, we putzed around a bit on Trafalgar Square, and then went to look for a cab. That is the hardest part of our visit so far. Many of the roads near us are closed preemptively  for the Jubilee, so traffic is wild, and then most cans were full. A full 7 that were empty shook their heads at us. Again, maybe it was their lunch time or something, but in the US, there are several ongoing law suits about visibly disabled people getting rideshares cancelled and taxis passing them up. So who know? 🤷🏻‍♀️ We had almost given up, and then a lovely gent named Walt picked us up, gave us some nice history and a good conversation, and dropped us off at the Seven Dials Market.
 

Oh. My. Goddess. I have been looking forward to this for months. We did the unlimited all you can eat at conveyor belt cheese, called The Cheese Bar at Seven Dials. What a treat, total cheese heaven, and they even made me a few plates without gluten so I could try them too! I could die happy now.

 

After our cheese-gasms, we wondered around Covent Gardens and the West End a bit before grabbing some lemon sorbet and coffee gelato, and catching a cab back to the hotel. I took a nap to regain spoons while MrCatLady went and saw Big Ben, the Thames, and took pictures of Parliament and the London Eye. Dinner was takeaway Vietnamese! Again, shocked at how inclusive their menu was of both veg related and celiac safe options.

 

Heading to bed bit earlier so we ca. wake up tomorrow for a full English Breakfast (they are going to make me a veggie GF version), more exploring, and then high tea to celebrate my (hopeful) tenure case, heading to the hotel to watch the Regents vote, and then checking out this Chippy shop in Mayfair that does GF and veggie items. Can you tell we are foodies and I haven’t traveled in 2.5 years?

 

Lots of folks on the book of faces group saying they are en route. Finally starting to feel real!

 

[CatLadyFemme]

Today was a proper English breakfast (traditional for MrCatLady, Gf and veggie for me, obviously) at the hotel. I cannot get over how much better folks are about food allergies/intolerances and veggie/vegan stuff here. Everyone just makes it work, no one rolls their eyes, and everyone takes cross contamination seriously. Totally mind boggled! I have eaten better in the past few days than since before my Celiac DX in Jan 2016. So delightful! MrCatLady did feel adventurous trying both the black pudding and the marmite…though he has since told me he regrets trying both 😂

 

 

After that, I took a nap as I had not slept well, while MrCatLady explored the Diana memorial and looked around Buckingham Palace. Then we meandered a bit around Whitehall before having an afternoon tea at the Royal Horseguards Hotel. Also GF and veggie friendly, and so so so delicious. Shoot; as much as I love so much of the others things, as a foodie who often can’t eat at trendy or nice places, the accessible food as been a highlight of this trip! I only hope that continues in Denmark.

 

We meandered a bit more, took some fun pictures, and are now chilling out and resting. I am still navigating post COVID syndrome, and even these short walks are kicking my butt. Oy! Just checked in for our British Airways flight tomorrow (just regular economy, so will be super anxious I’m sure, as well as masking with our KN95s of course). Need to figure out how to get to the airport tomorrow. Tonight, if we have capacity, we are going to try a fish and chips place that has GF veggie options.  I may wind up being let down by the food on the ship because I have been so spoiled so far (oh! We also did super yummy Vietnamese takeaway last night, lest you assume that all we had to eat was cheese and ice cream!).

[SullytheBFG]

Great review so far! GF, vegetarian, vegan etc is never a problem in the U.K. for anything.

 

Have a look at the Paddington Express to get to Heathrow it takes 15 minutes, get a cab to Paddington it’s about 3 miles from Trafalgar Square.

 

If you are looking for queer space get down to Soho!

[Husky1987]

Loved you Allure review, excited to be following along.  Enjoy!!!

[Kellie in Texas]

Y'all are so cute. Love the pics by the phone booth. Hope your trip continues to be wonderful.

[CatLadyFemme]

1 hour ago, Kellie in Texas said:

Y'all are so cute. Love the pics by the phone booth. Hope your trip continues to be wonderful.

Thanks! We try to have fun 🥰

[StanleyandGus]

I can’t believe I missed the start of your trip report, however, I’m caught up now. 
 

You are one of my favourite trip reporters, so I am looking forward to more!

[flamingos]

Following - it looks like you're having a great time and you've given me some ideas for our next London trip as well!

 

We are on the last two Baltic cruises and then the crossing to Boston, so a month on board starting August 21.  I look forward to enjoying the trip with you!

[CatLadyFemme]

Exciting news! Just did a Zoom meeting with my Dean to find out I officially got promoted and tenure! So that’s a weight off my shoulders, and something to celebrate with the rest of the trip.

 

[CatLadyFemme]

15 hours ago, StanleyandGus said:

I can’t believe I missed the start of your trip report, however, I’m caught up now. 
 

You are one of my favourite trip reporters, so I am looking forward to more!

Awww. You’re so sweet! Thank you 💜 Glad you found it!

[CatLadyFemme]

We made it to Copenhagen! There are some things I love about Heathrow, including how friendly everyone is and their accessibility services (called “assistance”) are fantastic. I do NOT love the whole “wait till like 40 min before departure to find out your gate and make a cattle call run for it” part, not how often planes get switch gates mid boarding. Which happened to us today. Oy. Otherwise, trip was uneventful.

 

The city is lovely. Our cab driver gave us a little tour on the way to our hotel, which was much appreciated. However, our hotel is smack in the middle of the city center (good) and waaaaay too trendy for us. There is currently some sort of drinking/dance party in the lobby (which our room looks over into), and the music is infiltrating our room. I am probably only grumpy because I got glutened and kind of want to die. I can’t use my heating pad because while I DID bring an adaptor, I didn’t realize I needed a converter too, so am a bit miserable. It’s totally my fault; I got cocky after places in London were so accommodating, and suggested we stroll around and just choose a place. We did, and while they said that this dish was vegetarian and GF without the bread, I am pretty sure the “parsley salad” was tabbouleh, and that while I didn’t actually eat any, it was blended with the other foods on my plate. Womp womp. Will be more careful tomorrow and hit up Find Me Gluten Free for meals. Also, while the hotel is generally accessible (including elevators to every floor), there are two significant steps to get up into it, so definitely not wheelchair accessible.

 

Everyone keeps telling us that no one needs masks anymore. We obviously are not wearing them outside but are wearing them indoors and people are shocked. Just a heads up for anyone.

 

enjoy the few pics we managed to snap before the Glutening. We will probably do our EMed tests shortly soon.

 

[MLAW]

Congratulations on tenure.  Huge achievement!   I am enjoying your live report.  I am really loving your dresses!!!!   Looking forward to following the rest of your trip.