Getting ready for the Millie cruise

[rannoch]

After the concerns about baggage allowances, flight connections, and latterly will the Millie be ready or not?, it's now time to get into the holiday mood for our cruise on the 5th August out of Venice.

 

I'd be very grateful for some guidance and advice.

 

We arrive on Sunday, and the ship sails on Monday afternoon. Is the ship moored at a pier, or does it use tenders. Will be allowed get off the ship on Sunday evening to stroll around Venice

 

There a couple of ports where we will be staying on the ship. Are there any activities when the ship is inport.

 

How do we purchase wine for our cabin (we have a balcony and I have this vision of lazily lounging on the balcony with a glass of chilled wine).

Is there a fridge in the cabins.

 

I'm assuming that when we get to the ship, our baggage will be transported onto the ship by the porters while we check in. Do we tip them in Euros or Dollars, and how much.

 

Many Thanks

 

Rannoch

[Lsimon]

Can't help with Venice, but I can with some of the other questions:

 

On port days there are fewer organized activities on board, in comparison to sea days, but there are still plenty. The shops and casino will be closed, but most other areas will be open including the pools, dining rooms, fitness center, library, spa, etc. If you want to try a massage or spa treatment there are often discounts while a ship is in port. There will be a daily program listing all scheduled activities delivered to your cabin each night for the following day.

 

You can order wine for your stateroom from room service, any bar, the sommelier in the dining room or the specialty restaurant, and maybe even your stateroom attendant. There are slightly different wine lists for the dining room and the specialty restaurant. Most bars just have a smaller selection of the same wines available, but a couple, like the Cova Cafe, have a few different wines. There is even a wine list on the special services screens on your cabin TV. You'll do best by pre-ordering some from room service or one of the sommeliers a little in advance of your needs. The wine lists are usually on display a couple places around the ship, in addition to the dining room, such as just outside the cafe on deck 10. You'll also find a couple of other wine sales events during the cruise, including a wine tasting or two.

 

You can also bring two bottles of wine on board with you at embarkation for use in your cabin. You can take these to the dining room too but there is a $25 corkage charge. Your room steward will bring you wine glasses, or a wine chilling bucket filled with ice, on request. They will even have it chilled and waiting for you if you ask ahead of time (to be ready when you get back from port). You can also ask for these things to be available in your room ahead of time to avoid last minuites waits for delivery.

 

There is a mini fridge in each room, but most don't get very cold, are pretty small, and they are stocked with a mini bar. Your steward will empty this on request (he/she might want to store contents on a shelf in your room).

 

I'm sure the ship staff will accept tips in any common currency. Most people probably tip in US dollars. There is a program to have tips charged to your shipboard account. There is a charge form for this distributed mid-cruise. Tips on the charge program are in US$ and to charge to your room you must tip in an amount equal to the recommended amounts, or higher (but not lower) for all the recommended staff. There will be a tip guide in the info book in your stateroom, on the form discussed above and in the daily information sheet at the end of the cruse. There is a web site tip calculator that shows each lines recommended amounts at the following web site: http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

[hcat]

you can also add the tips to your account before you make final payment...we have done that making one less item to worry abt--any extra tips will be incash...

[iandjm]

 

We arrive on Sunday, and the ship sails on Monday afternoon. Is the ship moored at a pier, or does it use tenders. Will be allowed get off the ship on Sunday evening to stroll around Venice

 

There a couple of ports where we will be staying on the ship. Are there any activities when the ship is inport.

 

 

Hey,

 

You are going on my favourite cruise :) I was lucky to do it twice last year, and will be again in October.

 

The ship berth's at a pier in Venice. You can pay for a day pass on a waterbus shuttle from the ship to St marks sq ($20 I think) or its a 10 min walk to plaza Roma from the ship, from where all the regualar water busses depart. Its also a lovely walk from there to St Marks, exploring all the wonderful streets. Venice is an amazing city to explore on your own. I recommend walking from the ship to St Marks and catching a water bus back to plaza Roma. Venice is an amazing place, you will really enjoy yourself there.

 

As for daytime entertainment onvbaord, during a port day. Yes there are activities organised for those who stay onboard.

 

I hope you have an amazing time.

 

Ian :D

[berryhappy24]

Activites on port days are minimal (about 1/2 the normal amount), but there are some. Use the pool and Aquaspa on these days, they will be empty and you get a discount at the spa on port days.

 

I would recommend bringing on your own wine at each port. You can try regional wines from each port. We brought 3 bottles on at embarcation and our friends brought 1-2 bottles on at each port. They don't seem to mind or even check for it.

[lucky white heather]

After the concerns about baggage allowances, flight connections, and latterly will the Millie be ready or not?, it's now time to get into the holiday mood for our cruise on the 5th August out of Venice.

 

I'd be very grateful for some guidance and advice.

 

We arrive on Sunday, and the ship sails on Monday afternoon. Is the ship moored at a pier, or does it use tenders. Will be allowed get off the ship on Sunday evening to stroll around Venice

 

There a couple of ports where we will be staying on the ship. Are there any activities when the ship is inport.

 

How do we purchase wine for our cabin (we have a balcony and I have this vision of lazily lounging on the balcony with a glass of chilled wine).

Is there a fridge in the cabins.

 

I'm assuming that when we get to the ship, our baggage will be transported onto the ship by the porters while we check in. Do we tip them in Euros or Dollars, and how much.

 

Many Thanks

Rannoch (quote)

 

 

 

 

If you are mooring in Venice on boarding day and the next day before you sail off , you can come on and off at will. There will be a time posted at which you should be back on board ( see it at the gangway ) ..but you will need to get into the main part of Venice..there are water shuttles which X organised when we last did this trip and for which you pay. These take you right to the centre of town so you unload and walk right into St Mark's Square.

 

You will have your "keycard" before you leave the ship( issued when you check in) and it is simple to have it checked by security when you return to the ship...you can leave the ship immediately after boarding if you wish but your card is an essential to take with you.

The porters will take your bags (tip them if you wish a couple of euros is more than sufficient ) beside the check in and these bags will appear at the door of your cabin later. We never attach the cabin no. labels until we arrive at the destination airport..do it while you are checking in with the meeter and greeters..if you put them on while you fly from EDI/GLA and have a connecting flight in London for example, they can be torn off altogether or give a false reading to the machines which direct them for delivery to your aircraft I've heard.

 

Activities still go on while the ship is tied up...read your "daily" delivered every night to your cabin for next day's activities etc etc .It tells you everything that is happening including what kind of "dress code" it will be that night and what shows are etc. happening. There is also info on the port you will arrive into....this is also sometimes on your cabin TV (recorded).

 

Enjoy your cruise...safe travelling.

[Karynanne]

Along with your "Seapass" (keycard) card, always bring a photo ID with you, when disembarking at a port. Both the Seapass and photo ID need to be shown when re-entering the ship at any port.

[berryhappy24]

Along with your "Seapass" (keycard) card, always bring a photo ID with you, when disembarking at a port. Both the Seapass and photo ID need to be shown when re-entering the ship at any port.

 

Photo ID was never necessary for re-entry, just our Seapass. We did carry copies of our passports though.

[excitedofharpenden]

The best part of cruising out of Venice (click for larger pic):

 

 

Phil