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Posted by Ellen McNulty Dec.
03-12, 2007 Norwegian Gem Transatlantic cruise Barcelona to Boston A solo cruise on the Atlantic in December was just what I needed - no phones, no emails, and just many days of lazing around, doing whatever I liked on a brand new ship.. Just perfect! Launched: 2007 Passengers: 2,384 Registry: Bahamas Tonnage: 93,000 Crew: 1,154 Decks: 15 Since I was traveling solo, I was determined to be outgoing, although that is not my nature. When we arrived at Barcelona Airport, I talked to anyone who looked like a likely prospect for the same cruise. I met Pat and Mike, a nice couple from Connecticut, who had spent the prior week in India, at their son's wedding. They did not like India, and were pleased to be back in civilization. I met another fellow, and then a very proper looking American fellow, none of whom wanted to share a cab to the ship. (Too much luggage, I was told). 20 euros later (with tip), I was at the docks of the sparkling Norwegian Gem. The decoration that look from afar to be flowers on the hull, were gems. I should have guessed that. No fanfare, no lines, and within 5 minutes I was through the duty free area and on board.. The decor was more subdued than most NCL ships, thankfully. Still all turquoise, blue, melon and burgundy was everywhere. The carpet pattern in the hallways is ocean like, and I was later told, the carpet dolphins swim towards the front of the ship to aid in finding your way. It was 5PM by the time I boarded. I met with our Cruise Critics in the Star Bar at 6PM. A nice bunch of people, but I had the good fortune to sit at a table with two English couples, Wendy and Mike, and Ken and Jean. They were friendly and welcoming. I discovered that Wendy and Mike now lived in Florida, and the other couple in California. After an hour or pleasant conversation, they invited me to dinner, but I declined. I was still dressed in jeans, the one outfit that is not allowed in the fancier dining rooms. They recommended the Blue Lagoon, and I had some good Tex-mex food there. The evening entertainment in the Stardust Theatre was a singer- dancer replica of Sammy Davis Jr, whom I did even like when he was alive. I stayed for the whole show, though and won $54 in an instant win game (Like Lotto scratch off cards) . Day 2 I really wanted to sleep all day, but with a meet and greet party at 1030, that wasn't possible. All 103 Cruise Critic people were there, and we met some of the staff. I met a few more people whose names I knew from the board. Always nice to associate a face with a name. An art lecture (and one free print later), a Red Hat Lady meeting where I seemed to be the only participant the dinner with Ken and Jean. Ken excused himself and Jean told me her very interesting life story until the wee hours of the morning. Mine is not an eighth as interesting! Everything from the daughter of a chip shop owner, to a single mother after a failed marriage to finding her way to America with her second husband Ken and her then teenage daughter. Day 3. I slept so late that I missed breakfast. I went to the gym, but with a massive headache, I felt sick and lasted there only a few minutes. I walked by the outdoor pool, and the sunshine was warm, even though we were now in the Atlantic. Bingo for 40 minutes, and I left $35 poorer. A VERY L O NG art auction brought a second free print, but not much else. Day 4 Funchal our only port of call. Madeira is a jewel rising from the Atlantic with poinsettias on TREES, beautiful orange cone like flowers - aloe. And bougainvillea. The island features a long steep climb to top with volcanic peaks, and Nuns Valley below. It was a beautiful day. At the top of the toboggan run, an accordion player in a white outfit with a Madeira hat entertained us while we waited a few seconds for our sledge to arrive - a two seater flanked by two men in white with jaunty straw hats. The toboggans or sledges were fun, When the slowed or stopped, the men added wax to make them run over slow spots. The photo taken en route showed two large sized women, crammed into the sledge with mouths open. I bought a brightly colored Madeira hat and football jerseys featuring the local hero, who apparently plays for Man United. We returned to the ship just before it left. Day 5 I was scheduled for a bowling tournament, but arrived ½ hour after it started. What a concept, bowling at sea. The waves did nothing to help my score. We each threw a ball, and the next person finished the frame. My team was easily eliminated on the first try. The highlight of the day was the murder mystery dinners. We were assigned to teams of 6, each with the same story, and led to the Grand Pacific dining room, where we acted out our parts. I played Holly Day, a billionaire's wife on vacation in Hawaii. It certainly kept the conversation going during dinner. Day 6. Today's evening entertainment, a comedy troupe from Second City were excellent. Ship - excellent, spacious, always being touched up, even only 6 weeks after 1st sailing. The rest of the journey was blur. I read 3 ½ books. I slept well. The weather on board out on open deck was warm enough to just wear a long sleeved shirt - no coat or vest needed. My overall impression: Food excellent Specialty restaurants Teppenyaki very good (like a Benehana) and the Italian La Cucina was excellent. Do it yourself laundry on board. Entertainment varied, some just okay, some excellent. Room stewards efficient and made fun towel animals nightly. I would definitely travel on the Norwegian Gem again, and would not hesitate to do a trans-atlantic cruise, even in the dead of winter. Posted by Nicola Mooney on Oct 18, 2006: Having worked on Cruse Ships for five years, having slept, eaten, worked and breathed cruise ships I have a good ‘insider' view. We take it all for granted and forget that some passengers have never sailed before and don't know the procedures, the ship ‘lingo' or what it is really like on board. These ships are like floating cities. Huge resorts on water. So for you ‘First-Timers'or veterans that have been too afraid to ask, I will give you the answers to the ‘silly' questions that people DO ask. To you they may not seem daft, and they were probably questions I had before I ever boarded, but to the staff on board we get a huge kick out of passengers asking them! Does the Crew Sleep on Board? Yes, we do! They don't disembark us every day and fly us onto the next port. Crew can live on board for anywhere up to a year or more. The Crew quarters tend to be way down below. On the very bottom decks, some below sea level. There are rooms, and depending on rank depends on the cabin situation. The Captain and First Officers have their own area up by the bridge. There is also the Staff Mess, for meal times, a Crew bar, a laundry, a library, a hospital, a fire department. As I said they are like floating cities. What time is the Midnight Buffet? Duh! OK, but I must admit sometimes they are a little earlier or later. But if in doubt you can take a good guess. I have found the elevators that go up and down, but how do I get from one end of the ship to the other? This is an easy one. You move one leg in front of the other. Does the ship generate its own power? Unfortunately there are no power cables long enough, so yes it does. It generates its own electricity. The ship also has its own water supply, which is filled in Port time. What happens to the Ice Sculptures after they melt? Needless to say erm...nothing - they melted. How will I know which photograph is mine? If you haven't cruised before you will be unaware that there are photographers EVERYWHERE on board trying to catch every moment of your cruise. The pictures are then put up in a gallery for you to view and but in you want. And in answer to the question-try to look for a familiar face on the photos. Does this line cruise to Las Vegas? You will have a hard time finding a cruise to Las Vegas, since there is no coastline for miles. But hey-leave it to Las Vegas, if anyone can make it possible they would be the ones! These are just a few-and if you have any questions you would like answering, I will do my best. Don't be afraid-as you can see we get some pretty daft questions all the time. Nicola Mooney Review of the Viking Burgundy River Cruise by Ellen McNulty - My husband and I took this cruise in April 2004. When I boarded the Viking Burgundy in Avignon (the reverse cruise), I was impressed not only with the ease of reaching the port, but with the ship and the efficient staff. After a welcome drink, we found our spacious upper level cabin, located just a few steps from the dining room. I quickly learned what makes river cruising so different from ocean cruising. Although both are stress free, the ease of traveling by river allows you to reach some less known and authentic countryside. There is nothing to compare with awakening to a new port just outside your door. The Viking Burgundy docked in the center of town, a convenient way to stroll though town and return on our own to the ship whenever we chose. This cruise had it all - good food, vineyards, castles and Roman monuments (The Pont du Gard is so famous that it is on the reverse of the Euro note.) Avignon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its medieval walls and historical monuments. The Palace of the Popes was the highlight. Arles, has a Roman Arena, which is still used for Spanish bullfights. Arles also inspired more than 200 paintings and 100 drawings by Vincent Van Gogh, who lived in the city from 1888 to 1890. The Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard was an hour or so by motorcoach from here, and well worth a visit. We visited Beaune, the capital of Burgundy's wine country: The Hôtel-Dieu of the Hospices de Beaune, a hospital from the Middle Ages that was built in 1443 to care for sick and starving residents of the town. You can still see the rooms and red draped beds where patients received care until the 20th Century, and the building itself is a beautifully preserved Gothic masterpiece with an arcaded courtyard and a multicolored tile roof. Chalon, where the tour ended, was the birthplace of photography in 1822. It was easy to reach Paris from here, or to join the Normandy cruise (which we did not have time to take). Good things: up close docking for some of the most historically important towns and villages, included shore excursions with English speaking knowledgeable guides, good and varied menu, interesting table companions (with freestyle seating, so you meet different people each day). Some things to consider: I am fond of quiet evenings. However, unlike large cruise ships, there are no Broadway style shows, or big name entertainment. Evenings are spent participating in Trivia contests, playing bingo, and listening to a 2 or 3 piece local band. About Airfare posted 12/6/06 You should make your decision knowing all the costs and potential problems involved in purchasing your own airfare. First, realize that if you do not purchase the airfare from the cruise line, you will have to purchase the transfers from the airport to the port separately or do that separately also (by taxicab or bus). These transfers can range from $20.00 roundtrip per person in Fort Lauderdale to $100.00 or more roundtrip per person on Alaska or European sailing, and even more elsewhere. Next, realize that if you arrange the airfare separately, the cruise line is not responsible and has no obligation to you if you miss the cruise due to delay FOR ANY REASON. Mechanical, weather, overbooked, strike, bankruptcy, etc. It does not matter. If you do not purchase the cruise line's airfare, you are on their own to get to the ship. Celebrity Mediterranean May 03, 2007 - Posted by Ellen McNulty We sailed from Marseille on a Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity, on the Millennium. A business meeting in Dublin caused us to miss the first day of the cruise from Barcelona, but since that was also where the cruise ended, we knew we would see it anyway. Marseille - taxi from airport 40 euros. Arrived in the rain, so tired that we decided to sleep the day away rather than visit Marseilles or nearby Provence. Dinner companions included a couple from Northern Ireland, a couple from Holland Park in London and another from Miami. Traveling with my best friend was an asset as we moved around the table nightly to talk to the others at the table. Food. The first night, I was disappointed by the food. Celebrity has such a fine reputation for food that I was expecting more. My cruising experience is not vast to this point, but I was expecting it to be better than Holland America, and it was not. On our first formal night there were only 6 of us rather than 8, and the food was excellent. After a LONG day in Rome, we opted for the buffet dinner, which was fine and filling, but not memorable by any stretch of the imagination. Lunches on board were the usual salads, hot meals, hamburgers and pizza, which the very popular ice cream bar. Spa: The first day on board, we signed up for everything for our day at sea - classes, lectures, and a pedicure. It was excellent. However, being a day at sea, the only spa appointment to be had was at 8AM, and that early start required that I take a nap (oh the luxury of cruises) late morning to recoup. Our day at sea was event filled, from pedicures to a shopping lecture to an art auction, ribbon rose making, lunch, spa lectures, history lectures and more. We had so many things on our agenda that we missed our Cruise Critic meeting and a few other things as well. Simply too much to do. Our ports: Villefranche, the port for Nice was alluring, with its typical Cote d Azur landscape of seafront restaurants with their awnings blowing in the breeze, ochre and saffron colored houses stretching up the hillside, citadel and gardens. The charming small town of Villefranche easily occupied us for an afternoon, but fellow travelers marveled at the beautiful hilltop village of Eze, and the ease of taking the train to Monaco or to Nice and Cannes. . In half an hour and only for a few euros, you are in the center of Cannes or Monaco. For Rome, our port was Civitavecchia, well worth a miss on a Sunday. The train to Rome is about an hour and a half from there, but the infrequent train schedule on a Sunday (check Trentitalia before you leave), caused us to wait an hour for the train, and arrive in Rome too late for our appointment at the Villa Borghese, which has Rome's premier collection of masterpieces, including works by Titian, Caravaggio and Raphael.. In any event, by friend was able to talk our way into the fabulous art collection at that late hour, and for free as well. It was raining when we came out, a reason to stay in the museum café and have an overpriced (though typical for Rome) lunch before making our way to St. Peter's. We had both visited previously, so ours was just a quick visit to oogle some of the things we had missed on other occasions. Afterwards, a taxi to the train station had us arrive, panting, just in time for our train back to the port. A misunderstanding meant that we did not have tickets, and were fined for not having a ticket when boarding, but the whole trip was worth the expense. Mykonos We docked at 1PM, and took the shuttle to the town for $10 each. We walked around the harbor, mainly browsing the shops, but also seeing the local church and the Catholic church, the windmills, Little Venice, and walking the winding alleyways with the whitewashed houses, agean blue doors and purple bouganvilla. Back on board, the Greek dancers brought on board made the atmosphere more special. We took a shore excursion. Ephesus - the highlight of the trip. An unusually early departure 715Am for a full day tour that included Mary's House, Ephesus, a museum, and St John's Church. Marys houses was the most solemn and serene place of the day. In the cool air of morning scented by what I believe were laurel trees, it was wonderful. The trek through Ephesus, by contrast was out in the blazing sun (even in May), but was the highlight of our cruise. It was most impressive - from the men's latrine, the library, to the amphitheatre, and more. The museum had many mosaics and statues from the area. St. John's church was interesting as well. I did not care for the rug store we were shown at the end. The vendors in all shops were TOO aggressive. A lazy day at sea followed, with lectures, art auction, theater, films and more. Palermo. My choice was to give it a miss, and none of the shore excursions sounded interesting. We did explore on pour own, during siesta, when the shops were closed. It was a mistake - I have never seen a dirtier, less friendly city. We walked to the cathedral and the opera house. I should have stayed on board. Barcelona: Our cruise ended in Barcelona. We chose a late departure from the ship, and took a taxi to the train station. We were able to store our luggage in lockers, and then take a hop on hop off tour of the city right outside the station. The train to the airport was simple and inexpensive, and easy walk to the terminals. The RENFE train service runs approximately every 30 mins to and from Barcelona airport to the city centre. Travel time approximately 25 minutes. You can catch the train from Estacio de Franca, Passeig de Gracia, or Barcelona Sants (otherwise known as Sants Estacion) The name of the stop you want for the airport is Aeropuerto. Celebrity Inside Passge of Alaska July 13-20, 2007 - Posted by Ellen McNulty Celebrity Cruises Mercury Alaska Inside Passage Cruise 7 Nights Round Trip from Vancouver, BC Date: July 13, 2007 Fri, Jul 13 Vancouver, British Columbia Depart 5:00 PM . We flew from JFK to SLC and then to Vancouver. There were long, long lines in customs -a t least 200 people ahead of us. Some people chose USA direct, where the cruise line takes you through, directly to the ship. In hindsight, if we had limited time to get to the ship, we should have chosen this method. It was glorious in Vancouver - nice and sunny, not too hot. We arrived at Canada Place by taxi, waiting on a security line, US customs (we had only been in Canada about ½ hour), and then another line to check in. The whole procedure from getting off the plane and onto the Mercury took about 3 ½ hours! Once onboard, an attendant took my carry on and took us to our cabin, on the continental desk (bottom of the boat). The room, an outside cabin, was spacious, and well laid out. The bathroom, however, reeked of mold. We look around, thinking it was faulty caulking, but we could not see anything obvious. We thought of asking to change cabins since we had not yet unpacked. We instead asked at the guest relations desk to have our cabin thoroughly cleaned. While we were at dinner, it was doused with Clorox. It still reeked of mold. I went to a cocktail party for a few minutes, and then went to the theater for a preview show. The 2 or 3 segments by the singers and dancers was good, much better than on the Millennium, so I have high hopes for the entertainment on other nights. We had a wonderful table in the dinner room, directly in front of the Captain's table. We solved the mold problem by leaving the bathroom door open. Sat, Jul 14 Inside Passage (Cruising) Cruising I woke up at 540 AM, to find out that breakfast did not start for quite some time, the pools don't open to 8AM (I was hoping for an early morning lap before anyone could see me in my bathing suit). Instead, I walked the jogging track. 12 laps=1 mile. There were many 20 or so people there, and the first whale of the trip was spotted on the side of the ship. A few minutes in the gym, and then breakfast, which was delicious and uncrowded at 730AM. I changed into my bathing suit, but the pool was too cold even for polar bears. I was the only one in the whirlpool. A few minutes freezing on deck afterward trying to read my book. Our first formal night. Waiter made recommendations, which were excellent. Show was fabulous. Best I have seen on a cruise. Lots of Broadway tunes, and popular songs, done with dancing. Some of the ballet moves were a bit awkward, however. Sun, Jul 15 Juneau, Alaska Docked Arrive 1:00 PM Depart 10:00 PM Track in the fog. What a wonderful sight when the mountains suddenly broke through the fog. Snow capped, pine tress, the works. We sailed for several house glimpsing a glacier through a passage, and seeing small boats nearby. We reached Juneau, the capital on time and waiting for the announcement to disembark. Just outside the docking area are tour booths. We choose MGT who gave an AAA discount. I wanted just a transfer to the Mendenhall Glacier $6 each way, but my husband choose a city tour as well. Funny commentary. We stopped at a beautiful log cabin church by the lake. Spectacular view. The vehicle was like an old city bus, but clean and comfortable. The weather was glorious. Everyone gasped with the first sight of the glacier. Awe inspiring!. Light blue, and massive. There are park rangers there to explain things. The visitors' center costs $3 more. We did not have time for it. The small gift shop charges no tax because it is a non profit. I bought some local wildflower seeds. It says they grow any where. We'll see. Our first real shopping opportunity in town . We were too tired to eat in the main dining room, so we ate at the buffet (Italian), and then saw a movie in the cinema. By the way, I was wearing layers, but in the brilliant sunshine, I required only a long sleeved cotton shirt and a hat. More info: http://www.traveljuneau.com/planner/attractions/results.cfm Mon, Jul 16 Skagway, Alaska Docked Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 6:00 PM bus/train. We woke up to fog and rain. Really happy I bought the fleece in Juneau and had a poncho. The rain was rolling off the decks. The bonus was that we were so close to the shore on our Continental deck (lower level) cabin that we could see a sea otter frolicking on the shore just outside our cabin window. Not much happening on board on a port day. The Jacuzzi and Thalassotheray pool were closed. I was a bit sorry that we had prebooked a trip independent of the trip (no refunds), because the weather was not conducive to a trip. I guess it was better than having booked a bike trip! The puoring rain was lighter by lunchtime, when we boarding our train to the summit. They picked us up at the dock and took us to the main station to board the White Pass. We had a private car just for our small group. We could move from right to left as the views changed. Lots of empty seats. The rain made the rivers and waterfalls very active. I can't imagine how the gold miners ever survived life outside in this for months at a time! The town is colorful - both in the color of the buildings and the personalities of the eccentric locals. Since this excursion enters Canada, US and Canadian citizens must carry a passport or birth certificate with photo ID. Guests of other nationalities must bring their passport. Tue, Jul 17 Hubbard Glacier (Cruising) Cruising Arrive 10:00 AM Depart 1:00 PM Arctic blue ice moaning and groaning. When you get to the glaciers, you'll see calving (parts of the glaciers falling into the water) and can actually hear the glaciers move! We went right up to the face of the glacier, much closer than I ever thought we would.. The best view ( and the warmest) was from the treadmill in the gym- right at the front of the ship. We went outdoors as well to hear the naturalist on board do here commentary. There were seals nearby.. Later when exiting the bay, we was pairs of dolphins swimming towards the ship and jumping along the way. Wed, Jul 18 Ketchikan, Alaska Tendered Arrive 1:00 PM Depart 8:30 PM You can also walk in the town on the well marked city walking trail. There are many totems in the town, in parts and elsewhere. The lumberjack show is good, not too hokey, or so we were told by some who attended. We chose to walk through the town and do a bit of shopping. There are good shops for buying native crafts here as well. The weather was fabulous again. Some of the local kids were spending their afternoon jumping from the bridge into the - cold - water. In the same area, fisherman were catching large fish. Formal evening again. Good entertainment, too. http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/ThingstoDo/ToursandActivities/tabid/99/Default.aspx Thu, Jul 19 Inside Passage (Cruising) Cruising. So many activities on board that it was hard to choose - a film, a cocktail party, talks and lectures, and more. Fri, Jul 20 Vancouver, British Columbia Arrive 7:00 AM.. 1/2 hour by taxi to the airport. Long lines at check in, security, customs, everywjere! Suggestion – the best tip I can give is to do as many of the activities as you can on the ship and at ports of call. Some people spend most of the cruise relaxing in their cabins or sitting pool side. Well, they can do that anywhere…. Each night you'll be given a schedule for the next day's activities. Pick out a couple of things and be sure to attend. Don't miss the nightly entertainment—most of the shows are quite good. Get there early for the best seating. When you're in Glacier Bay, be sure to be outside on the front deck for most of it. Dress warmly—even if it's a nice day, while the ship is still moving you can feel quite chilly. You have a good opportunity to see wildlife (bears, eagles, etc.), so bring your binoculars and camera. When you get to the glaciers, you'll see calving (parts of the glaciers falling into the water) and can actually HEAR the glaciers move! What to bring: Layers - everything from shorts and tee shirts to long sleeved shifts and a fleece. If you forget something warm, you can always buy something there. My husband a I both bought winter jackets really cheaply. -available in all sizes and colors. Before we boarded the ship in Vancouver, we had gotten these free coupon books at the port. They proved to be a great benefit - free gifts in most stores we would have gone to anyway - everything from Alaska hats to souvenir mugs and tee shirts with a purchase. Overall: The Mercury is a mid sized ship, much more to my liking than the mammoth Millennium that I sailed on in May through the Mediterranean. No long lines anywhere. The staff were excellent, the cabins a good comfortable size, and the entertainment good and activities very varied. It lived up to Celebrity's 4 star reputation. Next Cruise - Holland Ameica Ryndam Mexican Riviera Dec. 30, 2007
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