Nearly Live from Oosterdam Med Empires June 13th - 25th.

[irishjim]

On 6/9/2022 at 6:17 AM, kazu said:

 

Oh dear - I hope the dentist can fix this ASAP.  Prayers for her 🙏🏻 

+1

[VMax1700]

If we wished it was no problem to upgrade the SBP to the Elite.  Cost quoted was $10 per day + 18% service charge and both occupants of the room were required to purchase it.  (We passed on it)

 

The only water offered on SBP are the 330 ml cans of water.

 

 

[Kobra_Kommandor]

Thanks for all the updates VMAX!!

Can you tell us a bit more about the embarkation process?  I'm very concerned I will be missing a document and not be allowed to get on the ship!   I've flown A LOT over the past 2 years with covid and the airlines were pretty relaxed re vaccine docs and test results (ie photocopies ok vs real cards) and treated covid docs more like a formality vs a bonafide req.  Was it like that at embarkation?

 

I'm also worried my covid test results will be emailed and I will not have access to a printer in Venice.  I'm scheduled to take the test the previous day.  Will they accept me showing them the email from my phone or do they collect the paper documents for physical passenger files?  Are they HAL employees checking vaccine cards and test results or CDC transport authority officials?   Sorry for all the questions 🙂 Thanks again!!

[VMax1700]

Today's Rates of Exchange at the Front Desk.

(no comment!)

 

 

I am really having trouble getting the images to show correctly.

Anyone have any tips?

[VMax1700]

This evenings menus from MDR and Lido

 

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Thank you for taking us along on your cruise.  Somehow, I missed this until today, but I've now caught up, and hope you have a great cruise.  I'm glad the dentist was able to halp your wife before you left.

[VMax1700]

And today's (Monday) Where and When.

Sorry about the quality, I will try harder tomorrow 😉

[VMax1700]

To Internet from Surf package to Premium page was shown on Navigator as $50 for 12 days.  I have stayed with the surf pack and see how it behaves,

[VMax1700]

@Sharon in AZ

Thank you!  Delivered this afternoon by our room steward.

Grazie mille.

 

 

I just cannot get the images to behave 😢

[VMax1700]

Ships clocks go forward one hour tonight, so as it is now 1am Tuesday morning I will wish you all a 'goodnight' from Oosterdam.

I will endeavour to answer the questions posted to the thread during tomorrow.

 

[cat shepard]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Today's Rates of Exchange at the Front Desk.

(no comment!)

 

 

I am really having trouble getting the images to show correctly.

Anyone have any tips?

Colin, I always encounter this problem when I take a picture I snapped and resize it from “actual”, usually to “small”. Though I have encountered it with “medium”, too. 
 

if you have been resizing pics, try posting the actual size. It might be HUGE , but…. 😎

[pschweig]

When you are in Katakolon, could you please confirm if there are buses at the end of the pier for which you can purchase round-trip tickets to Olympia?

[Heartgrove]

33 minutes ago, pschweig said:

When you are in Katakolon, could you please confirm if there are buses at the end of the pier for which you can purchase round-trip tickets to Olympia?

 

There is a train less than 1/2 mile from the pier to Olympia which might be easier. You pay the conductor for the ride.

 

https://www.katakolon.org/katakolon-train/

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

20 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

 

There is a train less than 1/2 mile from the pier to Olympia which might be easier. You pay the conductor for the ride.

 

https://www.katakolon.org/katakolon-train/

 

Jack, we some how missed the train in 2019.  The bus was €8/pp.  We'll have to check out the train next time.

[Himself]

Colin, Thanks for all your postings,

[sfocruiser]

thanks very much for providing updates and fielding the questions.  We have several friends boarding later this month and know they appreciate the posts.

 

Seeing the bread pudding makes me want to join them last minute 😉

[VMax1700]

16 hours ago, BarelyACruiser said:

You used the Comp Transfer service, airport to Trieste correct?

No, we took a private transfer, who collected us at our Mestre hotel.

Price for the two of us was €245.  It was a Mercedes van with room for more pax or baggage.

[VMax1700]

13 hours ago, kazu said:

Did you feel safe when he drove like a maniac, Colin?  I know some drivers are not worrisome when they do that but not true for all of them.  Sound like the coast road was a pretty drive

No I didn't.  I was 'white knuckling' it.  We tried talking to him and dropping hints, but to no avail.  Ellen was quite uncomfortable.  After the hints were ignored, I straight out asked him to slow down, but it only last a few minutes and then it crept back up again.

I will be writing to the owner to let him know that we were not happy.

 

[VMax1700]

12 hours ago, johnnyswitzerland said:

@VMax1700, can you tell me if there's an excursion from Souda/Chania, Crete to Knossos Palace?  I understand it's quite far away (around 2 hours by car) and more visited from Heraklion, but it's such an important and popular site.  Are they offering anything?  I couldn't find the answer on the HAL website.  Thanks!

There is no tour listed to Knossos.

I have been a couple of times but always from Heraklion.

If I get the chance I will check if there is anyone at the port gate in Souda offering a tour to Knossos and post again.

[VMax1700]

10 hours ago, cat shepard said:

Colin, I always encounter this problem when I take a picture I snapped and resize it from “actual”, usually to “small”. Though I have encountered it with “medium”, too. 
 

if you have been resizing pics, try posting the actual size. It might be HUGE , but…. 😎

It is also the size of the file.  I don't believe I will be able to post 4mb image files on this internet connection.

I will play around and see what happens.

Anyway, it will be good neck exercise for anyone reading 😂

[VMax1700]

7 hours ago, Himself said:

Colin, Thanks for all your postings,

Good to here from you father.  I hope you are well.

 

[VMax1700]

8 hours ago, pschweig said:

When you are in Katakolon, could you please confirm if there are buses at the end of the pier for which you can purchase round-trip tickets to Olympia?

I will check, but it was not operating when we were there last in 2019.  Due to winds we missed Katakalon in October 2021

[kazu]

52 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

No I didn't.  I was 'white knuckling' it.  We tried talking to him and dropping hints, but to no avail.  Ellen was quite uncomfortable.  After the hints were ignored, I straight out asked him to slow down, but it only last a few minutes and then it crept back up again.

I will be writing to the owner to let him know that we were not happy.

 

Yikes 😱 I had a white knuckle ride once and it is not fun an no where near as long as the ride you had.  

 

Glad to hear you will share your experience with the owner.  👍 

[VMax1700]

Today's Lido lunch menu.

Although a sea day, MDR is closed for lunch, but PG is listed as open 12n - 1pm

[VMax1700]

And this evenings dinner menus