Part 1…A day in Normandy..Profoundly moving experience…

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The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Tom has always been the war buff in this family. His knowledge of wars astounds me at times. Having never taken a particular interest in past wars, other than feeling pride and compassion for our loyal soldiers, I didn’t expect I’d find the 10 hour day exploring Normandy interesting.

The region of Normandy is rich in history and charming for its appealing French architecture of the century’s past.

Not only did we both find visiting Normandy interesting, but our hearts were embraced by the way France and the US have maintained a peaceful and respectful tribute to our fallen soldiers from World War II.

Of course, we’re anxious to share some of the many photos taken throughout the day. Unfortunately, we just returned from our small group of eight chartered tour and time is short. 

The fog rolled into the Normandy region as shown in our early morning two-hour drive

It’s almost 7:45 pm Monday evening and our dinner reservation is at 8 pm tonight leaving little time to complete today’s post with photos before getting changed and ready for dinner. Most likely, we’ll return to our cabin after 10:00 pm tonight with another early morning chartered tour. Sleep will be the first priority.

As in many other areas of Europe, many of the homes and buildings are attached, each with its own definitive front.

This Thursday will be our first “sea day” and Friday, our second, during which I’ll finally have time to complete Parts 2 for today’s, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays tours. As a result, over the next few days, there will be a short post each day with only a few photos with more following upon completion, each of which will be clearly marked as to the event and part number.

Once these are posted, we’ll be back to our normal daily schedule with many sea days as we sail across the Atlantic Ocean sharing information as to the ship, the wonderful people we’ve met, the activities, and of course, many food photos.

The area is filled with tourists from all over the world.

Please check back tomorrow at about this same time for Part 1 of the short post regarding Tuesday’s chartered tour to the Stonehenge in England. By far, this will be the busiest cruise we’ve ever experienced, and look forward to sharing details with our readers.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 1, 2013:

The final goodbye to the house in Boveglio as we began the drive to Venice to spend the night and begin the 22 hour flight to Kenya.  For details of that date, please click here.
Day #158 in lockdown in Mumbai, India Hotel…Cleaning up old posts…

Winding down London…Three days and counting…Post #750 today!…Food photos from last night’s dinner at Daquise…

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Various ferns look like marine life.

We’re done sightseeing in London. With the crowds, the daily rain, the waiting in queues (“lines” per British speak), we’ve basically made a decision to stop. Yes, we’re here and yes, we could easily get to other points of interest.  

Prehistoric creature.

However, as we’ve often mentioned, we do exactly that which “trips our trigger” and fits our budget, as opposed to doing that which might be “expected” of a traveler in a big city. That’s the nature of our lives. That’s why we’re happily living life as we choose.

Man-made replica.

There’s a price to pay for living life on our terms. We gladly pay it. We pay it in the knowledge that others may be annoyed or disgruntled by our choices. Where are the photos of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and on and on? We never intend to disappoint. 

Various reptiles.

But, the difference in our travel writing as opposed to what others may write, is simple, we tell it like it is. This life we live is not a honeymoon or a two-week vacation. This is our day to day lives and the greatest joy we find is when we’re living on our terms.

Prehistoric creature.

With two cruises and several small group (8 to 10 travelers) tours scheduled, we’ll have many exciting photos to share in the next few weeks on the first cruise, including Normandy, Stonehenge, Cork, Ireland (Blarney Castle), Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, and Reykjavik, Iceland. Our readers will be bombarded with photos. Sit tight, dear followers. More will come.

We’d seen a few of these snakes on the road in Africa and one on our veranda in South Africa, the Mozambique Spitting Cobra.

As for London, we’re done spending money other than for the three remaining dinners and the long drive to Harwich to the pier.  The cost of everything is at least 70% more than one would expect to pay. With our family coming to Hawaii for Christmas (14 arriving in December), the cost of two houses, airfare, food and incidentals we need to continue to carefully monitor our budget.

A prehistoric Amphibian.

Months ago, we paid for all of the above upcoming tours, the cruises, the hotel in Boston, the flight and hotel in Vancouver. We’ve prepaid in full, the first two months in Hawaii, on Oahu and Maui and also the four months on the island of Kauai. 

Fish from lakes and streams.

Soon, we’ll pay the balances on the two houses on the Big Island and the more substantial chunks will be out of the way though May 15, 2015. But, the small stuff when traveling can cut deep into one’s planned budget if not careful. 

This is referred to as a Football Fish.

Are we hypocrites when we don’t like crowds and yet we love cruising? I suppose we may appear to be. Sunday’s upcoming cruise holds 2501 passengers. 

More fish from rivers, lakes, and streams.

How do we tolerate those crowds? We avoid lines. We find cozy, quiet spots where we feel as if we’re in our own little world. If the theatre at night is booked at the 8 pm show, we’ll choose the 10 pm show. 

Fish found in the ocean.

After eight cruises in the past 2o months, we feel we have it fairly well figured out. We love the sea, making new friends at dinners for eight or ten, the gentle rocking of the ship. We even found the storm at sea on the Norwegian Epic commencing on April 20, 2013, to be an adventure.  

More ocean fish.

We wandered about the ship for those three stormy days with nary a moment of seasickness with swells as high as 50 feet, 15.24 meters, when many passengers and crew were hunkered down in their cabins for days. We’ve loved it all.

A Lizard that puffs up the frill around the neck to scare off predators. This could be intimidating, to say the least.

In essence, we may contradict ourselves at times. We can avoid a 300 person deep line at a venue and then stand in line 300 deep line to get off the ship for a tour. All of us love what we love whether it’s the award-winning rose in full bloom or the lowly dandelion spewing pollen into the air. One may not be connected to the other.

“Jaws!”

Yesterday, we embarked on our final sightseeing stint by visiting London’s Natural History Museum. Having avoided hour(s) long queues both mornings or midday, we chose to enter around 4 pm. There was no line at all, although it was fairly crowded inside. 

Komodo Dragons are found on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Flores. We’ll be spending four months in Bali, Indonesia in 2016, where tourists have spotted Komodo Dragons on occasion. Komodo Dragons are of the species of Monitor Lizards, two of which lived in our yard in Marloth Park, South Africa. Please see this link to see our photos when they made a rare appearance by the pool. 

Little did we think how odd it would be for us to see animals in either a state of taxidermy or man-made to look lifelike. Having seen most of today’s animals alive while on safari in Kenya or surrounding our home in Marloth Park, seeing them in these lifelike forms held little interest to us, except when we spotted a Warthog.

More marine life.

We took many photos focusing on the thousands of replications of the live animals that we’ve yet to encounter in our travels. For those that may never see a live lion other than in a zoo, this museum and those like it are an alternative. 

Seashells.

After our two hour tour of the museum, we wandered off to try a new restaurant, the popular Polish restaurant, Daquise. My portion of meat consisted of five tiny bites with a side of green beans and a few boiled vegetables. 

We saw a smaller version of similar crabs at the beach in Kenya, which is on the eastern coast of Africa. They moved so quickly, we couldn’t get a photo.

Tom’s dinner of veal schnitzel with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and, bread was satisfactory for him. Had I been able to have starch and gluten, I would have enjoyed the food. 

Many of us lobster enthusiasts would appreciate a lobster of this size on a platter.

The staff was stumped as to what would work for me so I chose the meal they suggested based on a recommendation by their chef. We’ll write a positive review on TripAdvisor later today. Our dinner with tax and gratuity, without beverages, sides, or desserts was a total of US $66, 40 pounds.

After many visits by Zebras in our yard in South Africa, seeing this lifelike rendition made me miss them. Click this link to see Zebras that visited us in South Africa.

Today, we’ll be working on financial matters, booking vehicles in Hawaii, and taking a walk later in the day if it’s not raining. 

Some of the displays of Rhino were taxidermy. There was a sign stating that the horns had been removed and replaced with man-made materials. We saw Rhinos in the wild in Kenya. Please click here for a few of our Rhino photos from Kenya.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the balance of the museum photos and take the long hike to do our final loads of laundry. 

This is the actual fossil of a boar as shown.

On Saturday, we’ll wrap up our total expenses for London sharing the details and breakdown of the costs for the 15 nights we spent in this fine area of South Kensington, London.

We weren’t certain if these are actual fossils or man-made representations.

On Sunday, departure day, we’ll post later in the day after we arrive on the ship sharing photos from our 2½ hour drive through the English countryside along with the ship’s boarding process including photos of the ship and our cabin.

These Elephant tusks are the real deal.

Each time we board a ship early in the day, most often the cabins aren’t immediately available. Usually, there’s a few hours wait. As is the case with most passengers waiting to gain access to their cabin, everyone heads to the restaurant for a late lunch, the first inclusive meal. 

Ah, my heart did a flip flop when Tom spotted this warthog. The first time either of us had ever seen a warthog was last October in the Masai Mara, Kenya while on safari. Of course, later in South Africa, we joyfully saw them each day. Click here for the first time we saw a live warthog (scroll down the page).

It is during this period, that I’ll upload and prepare Saturday’s post with photos (barring any WiFi issues), which most likely will be available approximately five hours later than usual. 

The view from our table last night at Daquise.
The pleasant place setting at Daquise.
Tom’s Veal Schnitzel topped with an egg, mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots. He didn’t eat the egg. He doesn’t eat egg and meat together unless it’s bacon or sausage. He has lots of “food rules.”
Those thin pieces of beef hardly filled me up. The cream sauce was made without flour.

Have a happy day!

                                     Photo from one year ago today, August 28, 2013:

On this date a year ago, as we busily prepared to further lighten our load, we packed and made a pizza for ease of eating leftovers on the remaining nights, which we now find easy to do at the end of a two or three-month stay in a vacation home.  Also, I wrote about the benefits of eating nuts in moderation.  While in Paris and London, with small portions at restaurants, nuts have been a much-needed lifesaver for me when I’ve been hungry after a tiny meal.

No photos were posted on that date. Instead, I posted this nutritional chart on various types of nuts. For more on the story, please click here.

Carbohydrates and Fats in Nuts and Seeds (1 Ounce Unshelled)

Cal Tot. Carb Fiber Net Carb Sat. Fat Mono Fat ω-3 Fat ω-6 Fat
Almonds 161 6.1 3.4 2.7 1 8.6 0.2 3.4
Brazil Nuts 184 3.4 2.1 1.3 4.2 6.9 0.05 5.8
Cashews 155 9.2 0.9 8.1 2.2 6.7 0.2 2.2
Chestnuts 60 12.8 2.3 10.5 0.1 0.2 0.03 0.22
Chia Seeds 137 12.3 10.6 1.7 0.9 0.6 4.9 1.6
Coconut* 185 6.6 4.6 2 16 0.8 0 0.2
Flax Seeds 150 8.1 7.6 .5 1 2.1 6.3 1.7
Hazelnuts 176 4.7 2.7 2 1.3 12.8 0.24 2.2
Macadamia Nuts 201 4 2.4 1.6 3.4 16.5 0.06 .36
Peanuts 159 4.5 2.4 2.1 1.9 6.8 0 4.4
Pecans 193 3.9 2.7 1.2 1.7 11.4 0.28 5.8
Pine Nuts 188 3.7 1 2.7 1.4 5.3 0.31 9.4
Pistachios 156 7.8 2.9 5.8 1.5 6.5 0.71 3.7
Pumpkin Seeds 151 5 1.1 3.9 2.4 4 0.51 5.8
Sesame Seeds 160 6.6 3.3 3.3 1.9 5.3 0.11 6
Sunflower Seeds 164 5.6 2.4 3.2 1.2 5.2 0.21 6.5
Walnuts 183 3.8 1.9 1.9 1.7 2.5 2.5 10.7

Part 2…Booking cruises, competitive prices…How we book our cruises…

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Even a cloudy day has some appeal.

Yesterday, we described two important elements to booking cruises, one, “determining the starting prices” and two, personal preferences that determine the final cost of a cruise. Here’s the link to yesterday’s post, in case you missed it.

Over the past several days, as in the past when booking cruises, these factors come into play, as we just so happen to be in the process of booking two cruises to be finalized today receiving the booking confirmations by the end of the day.

View of the ocean as we drive further into Sao Vincente.

Here’s some of our “why” and “what” of cruising:

1.  We enjoy cruising to various locations that we’ll either visit for a short term or stay for as long as 89 days or longer, visas permitting. In most cases, we choose one-way cruises staying at the new location, rather than taking a “round trip” cruise which usually works best for most travelers.
2.  Appealing itinerary: Hopefully, with ports of call we’ve never visited in the past.
3.  The length of the cruise: Befitting our preference for longer cruises as opposed to those three or four-day cruises crowded weekend tourists.
4.  The quality of the ships and cruise lines: Often based on past experience. We’ve never chosen a ship rated under 4 stars, in this case, Celebrity Solstice is rated a 5.5 and Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas is rated a 4.5 (older ships, although often remodeled within the past 5 to 7 years usually receive a lower rating than if new or newer).
5.   The final cost: Including the opportunity that most agencies offer at a price reduction if the actual cost of the basic cruise which is reduced prior to paying the final payment, usually up to 90 days before sailing. Since we left the US on January 3, 2013, we’ve been able to be credited US $2000, EU $1468 on booked cruises on our first of eight* cruises. It is the customer’s responsibility to watch for price reductions promptly reporting them to the agency for a credit. More than one price reduction is accepted. But, if not reported promptly and the price goes back up, the credit is no longer available. Check the free popular cruising site, www.cruisecritic.com for updates on price reductions. Another site we use, for a small fee, automatically notifies the customer by email of a price reduction. For this check www.cruisefish.com which charges are based on the number of cruises booked. 
6.  Cabin selection: Each ship has a “deck plan” that clearly illustrates the placement of all cabins, stairwells, elevators, and venues by number. Before we attempt to book any cruise with our chosen agent and agency, Anna Urban at Vacations to Go, we decide on 3 choices of cabins, in order of preference, which we provide to our agent, hoping to pin down one of the three which is relatively easy when booking early.
7. Researching prices at other agencies: While in the process of preparing to book a cruise, we research other pricing offered by other agencies by using this free website:  www.cruisecompete.com which once we enter the cruise and our preferences, within hours we receive “bids” from other agencies. Once we receive several bids, we request that our agency match the lowest bid which they do.

Many areas may look the same as we post photos here, but as we drive to various villages, we note distinct differences.

*(An error correction from yesterday’s post: I miscounted past cruises, accidentally including two upcoming cruises in the next three months. I stated that we’ve been on 10 cruises when in fact we’ve been on eight with two more upcoming shortly which are not the same two cruises that we’re booking today).

More hillside farming.

Many have asked us, “Why do we like cruising when we vigorously avoid crowds?” 
1.  We use cruising as a fun means of transportation, not a vacation. It’s easier than flying when we’re in no rush. We plan our vacation home bookings around cruises, not vice versa. Cruising is relaxing and relatively stress-free as opposed to flying.
2.  The are no fees for overweight baggage.
3.  We’re housed, fed, and entertained. In most cases, when calculating the cost of flying, meals, and daily rates in vacation homes or hotels, the cost becomes more affordable.
4.  As for the crowds, we plan our time carefully avoiding venues at the busiest times, when possible. Within a day, we settle into a comfortable routine we’ve found to be extremely pleasurable. Plus, at night when dining in the main dining area, we chose “table sharing” where we are able to join a table for 6 to 10. In most cases, we have a fabulous time meeting new people often making new friends. On occasion, we dine alone in order to experience the specialty restaurants, usually at an additional flat fee per person.
5.  The small cabin, often under 200 square feet, 18.58 square meters, isn’t problematic for us. We spend as little time as possible in the cabin.
6.  The chefs on all cruises have been 100% cooperative in complying with my way of eating.
7.  Attending educational classes and seminars have been a highlight on many of our cruises, often centered around historical and geographical topics concerning our itinerary. If a movie theatre is available, we may attend an afternoon movie. We don’t nap. Instead, a movie is an excellent form of relaxation for us both.

Although the roads are often steep and winding, the roads are in excellent condition.

Based on the above criteria, last night we notified our rep at Vacation to Go with the following on the two cruises we’d like to book, both in 2016, January and April:
1.  Preferred cabin numbers (three for each ship)
2.  Choice of offered packages: Celebrity Solstice has a 1-2-3 promotion now which includes the choice of one, an onboard credit of $300 or, two, prepaid gratuities at US $24, EU $17.82 (in this case 14 days includes both of us) for a total of US $336, EU $246.68; three, identical beverage package required for both us at US $98, EU $71.98 per day for a total of US $1372, EU $1007.70. 
Although I don’t drink alcohol or sweetened beverages, it made economical sense for us to choose the free for two beverage package if Tom had four cocktails per day at the usual US $9, EU $6.61 (including tax and tip) the total for 14 days would have been US $504, EU $370.17 for the entire cruise. Comparing this cost to the other choices, it made sense to choose the beverage package. Plus, with my having the beverage package, my bottled water is included throughout the day. It was a no brainer for us.
3.  Charge the US $900, EU $661 deposit per cruise to our credit card number on file.

Weathered house situated in the hills.

Soon, our cruise confirmations will arrive in my email with the document as a web page. I convert this to a PDF, placing a copy into the cruise folder on my desktop, saving it on the cloud and external hard drive, and sending a copy to Tom’s email. Once we both have a copy we review it together for accuracy. We’ve yet to find an error.

Once we arrived in the village of Sao Vincente, we drove through the neighborhood of well-kept homes.

Over the next few days, we’ll be posting the details, final cost, and itinerary of each of these cruises enabling our readers to see the completion of the booking process.

This may seem complicated but, it has become a normal course of action as we strive to receive the best possible pricing, terms, and accommodations ensuring a great experience, barring any unforeseen obstacles or incidences over which we have no control.

Peculiar tree.

Please check back tomorrow for the details and prices of these two exciting cruises. At this point, we have 5 upcoming cruises. This may seem to be a considerable number but, they are broken up as follows:
2 cruises in 2014
1 cruise in 2015
2 cruises in 2016

Of course, our primary concern in all of our travels is the budget and estimates and later, the final cost per day.  Our goal is to secure affordable vacation homes to ensure that we stay within the budget in order to be able to include cruises in our travels. So far, we’ve stayed on target. And, it’s entirely our responsibility to engage in diligent planning as we continue on this journey.

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2013:

The entrance to many of the old stone houses in Boveglio, Italy were often decorated and appealing to the eye as in this house in the neighborhood. For details of that day when we visited the local pub, please click here.

Cruise to Australia details…Itinerary, cost, details, deck plan and how we chose a cabin…

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No matter how busy we may become in planning for the future we never fail to stop and notice the beauty surrounding us at the time, whether its a simple flower on our veranda or an expansive view.

Following is the information about the cruise we’ve booked in Sydney, Australia on May 24, 2015. Once we arrive in Sydney, we’ll stay for a few days to see the beautiful city and then take off for the first of several vacation homes in which we’ll live in various parts of the continent.

One of our top priorities will be to go on a wildlife photography safari which we’ll arrange to occur between vacation homes to avoid added costs. Australia has a wealth of wildlife and scenery we can hardly wait to see. 

When we leave Australia we’ll then move on to New Zealand where we’ll also live for a yet to be determined period of time taking advantage of what treasures this island will also have in store for us.

Once again we booked our cruise with Vacations to Go although we’re now working with a new rep when Joaquin our former rep is no longer employed. With a little work, we’ve found a new rep and so far we’re pleased with her assistance. Anna Urban can be reached by email at aurban@vacationstogo.com

Here’s the cruise to Australia that not only provides us with transportation to Australia but also interesting ports of call along the way. Scroll further down the page for the cruise itinerary.

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas

One of Royal Caribbean’s Vision-class ships, the Legend of the Seas is well-equipped with many of the line’s signature features. The multilevel Centrum, an open atrium with gliding glass elevators, palm trees, panoramic windows, and gleaming brass, is the center of all the action and an ideal spot to gather for a pre-dinner cocktail and listen to live music. Other popular hot spots include the convivial Schooner Bar, the sophisticated Champagne Bar, and the Viking Lounge, which is an observation point by day and a pulsating dance club at night. There’s also a glitzy casino, a show lounge, and Solarium with a glass-enclosed pool area and retractable roof. Go for a seaside jog on the top deck, spend a few hours being pampered, or work out with a view at the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. Kids will love the 18-hole miniature golf course and Adventure Ocean youth facilities located on the top deck. The Windjammer Café is a casual alternative to the formal, two-level Romeo & Juliet Dining Room. Staterooms amenities include a private bath, vanity area, and sofa, as well as a mini-bar, hairdryer, TV, and phone. Legend of the Seas
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 1995
Last Refurbished 2013
Tonnage 70,000 tons
Registry Bahamas
Length 867 feet
Beam 105 feet
Passenger Capacity 2,076
Crew Size 720
Total Inside Cabins 327
Total Outside Cabins 575
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 231
Suites 87
Maximum Occupancy per room 7
Age Restrictions One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 2
Seating Assignments 
in Main Dining Room		 Assigned
Dining Hours 6:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Recommended? Yes
Tipping Guidelines Royal Caribbean will automatically add a $12.00 USD gratuity ($14.25 USD for Suite guests) to each guest’s onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis. 15% tip included on beverage orders.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
Services & Amenities
Bars/Lounges 8
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Casino Yes
Note: The casino does not operate when sailing within the Hawaiian Islands.
Chapel Yes
Disco/Dancing Yes
Elevators 3
Hot Tub 4
Cell Phone Service Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Note: Available in certain areas
Laundry/Dry Cleaning Yes
Library Yes
Movie Theatre No
Outdoor Movie Screen Yes
Onboard Weddings Yes
Self Serve Laundromats No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Spa Yes
Video Arcade Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court No
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track Yes
Mini-Golf Course Yes
Rock Climbing Wall Yes
Swimming Pool 2
Note: 1 Heated
Tennis Court No
Water Slide No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting Yes
Children’s Playroom Yes
Kiddie Pool Yes
Supervised Youth Program Yes
Teen Center Yes
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)		 Yes
Kosher Meals Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins 17
Single Share Program No

The D2 Balcony Cabin we chose was an upgrade from the prices listed below. Plus, there was a sale in progress until May 31, 2014, much to our delight that resulted in a savings of US $1700, EU $1250.4. Had this discount not been offered, we would not have chosen this cruise. It was only Tom’s daily diligence in checking possible cruises that presented this opportunity. Below are the charges, after the discount:

Charges
Cruise (includes port charges) US $5,308.00, EU $3898.49
Government Taxes US $294.64, EU $216.73
Prepaid Gratuities US $408.00, EU $300.11
Total Sale US $6,010.64, EU $4421.22
Total Payments: Deposit Paid 5/27/2014, US$ 900.00, EU $662.01 Balance Due March 5, 2015, US $5,110.64, EU $3759.29

 Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas
 18 nights departing May 24, 2015  
Cheapest Inside $1,762
Cheapest Oceanview $2,182

Cheapest Balcony $2,460
Cheapest Suite $3,165

ITINERARY

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Sun May 24 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 11:00pm
Mon May 25 At Sea
Tue May 26 At Sea
Wed May 27 At Sea
Thu May 28 At Sea
Fri May 29 At Sea
Sat May 30 Moorea, Society Islands 8:00am 5:00pm
Sun May 31 Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands 8:00am 9:00pm
Mon Jun 1 Bora Bora, Society Islands 8:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jun 2 At Sea
Wed Jun 3 At Sea
Thu Jun 4 At Sea
Fri Jun 5 Cross International Dateline
Sat Jun 6 Suva, Fiji 9:00am 5:00pm
Sun Jun 7 At Sea
Mon Jun 8 Ile des Pins, New Caledonia 7:00am 5:00pm
Tue Jun 9 At Sea
Wed Jun 10 At Sea
Thu Jun 11 Sydney, Australia 6:00am

Cabin Choice:

We chose the cabin based on several factors based on past experience:
1.  Avoid bars, restaurants, or discos above or below the chosen cabin.
2.  Avoid a cabin with the pool directly above due to the noise from the crew cleaning and moving deck chairs during the night.
3.  Avoid being too close to the bow or the stern of the ship. The center of the ship has more stability.
4.  Consider elevators, recreation areas and stairwells for possible noise.

The above listed prices for various cabins (before discounts) are based on the lowest prices, many of which may fall into the risks of our comments above.  We chose a D2 cabin as described below.  Each ship provides a deck plan from which to choose for example, as shown below, keeping in mind that each ship is unique:

Legend of the Seas Deck 7

Please scroll to the right for full view of the deck plan.
Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony

Category D1

Category D2

Category D3

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, private balcony, sitting area with sofa bed, and a private bathroom. (190 sq. ft., balcony 37 sq. ft.)
Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom

Category PV

Floor to ceiling window. Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, sitting area with sofa, vanity area and a private bathroom. (220 sq. ft.)
Superior Interior Stateroom

Category J

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area and a private bathroom. (142 sq. ft.)
Large Interior Stateroom

Category L

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area and a private bathroom. (142 sq. ft.)
Interior Stateroom

Category N

Two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, vanity area, and a private bathroom. (132 sq. ft.)
Legend:
Stateroom with sofa bed.
Stateroom has third Pullman bed available.
Stateroom has third and fourth Pullman bed available.
Connecting staterooms.
Indicates accessible staterooms.
Stateroom with sofa bed and third Pullman bed available.
Stateroom has four additional Pullman beds available.
Deck 7 (starts 4-29-15)

This is enough info for one day. We’ll be back tomorrow with more on Madeira for which will include photos of an interesting weather phenomenon that kept us outdoors most of the day on Wednesday, excited and in awe.

Happy day! 
__________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 29, 2013:

Umer, our taxi driver, and tour guide took this photo of us before we entered the White Mosque. It was so hot! Tomorrow, we’ll be caught up on all the missing dates from the days we didn’t post while we were in Dubai. Watch for a great photo tomorrow! For the story and more photos from this date a year ago, please click here.

Cruise decisions…

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As the date for our first cruise inches closer, we find we must make some decisions about our upcoming cruising experiences.

Our first cruise, on Celebrity Century, has had a price increase since we booked it many months ago.  We paid $2199 plus tips and taxes for a balcony cabin, for a total of $5545 for the two of us, a locked-in price.  If purchased now, the total for two would be around the $9500 range (at $4199 each) with tips and taxes, $4000 more.

Here’s the current pricing information directly from our cruise booking company Vacations to Go. 

15 nights departing January 3, 2013 on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Century
Brochure Inside $1,449
The  Inside $1,049
You Save 28%
Brochure Oceanview $2,449
The Oceanview $2,449
You Save 0%
Brochure Balcony $4,199
The Balcony $4,199
You Save 0%
       
Thu Jan 3 San Diego, CA 4:00pm
Fri Jan 4 At Sea
Sat Jan 5 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 11:00am 6:00pm
Sun Jan 6 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 12:30pm 7:30pm
Mon Jan 7 At Sea
Tue Jan 8 At Sea
Wed Jan 9 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala 7:00am 6:00pm
Thu Jan 10 At Sea
Fri Jan 11 Puntarenas, Costa Rica 7:00am 6:00pm
Sat Jan 12 At Sea
Sun Jan 13 Panama Canal (Full Transit) 6:00am 6:00pm
Mon Jan 14 Colon, Panama 6:00am 4:00pm
Tue Jan 15 Cartagena, Colombia 9:00 am 4:00pm
Wed Jan 16 At Sea
Thu Jan 17 At Sea
Fri Jan 18 Fort Lauderdale, FL 7:00 am

We decided when booking this first cruise that we would exercise our right to “buyer beware” by educating ourselves to the possible “up” charges that inevitably exist on cruises.  After reading reviews over these past several months, talking to experienced cruisers, and more recently calling the cruise line and asking questions, we feel satisfied that we have an idea as to potential additional charges. Over and again, we’ve heard from experienced cruisers as to the shock of seeing their “tab” at the end of their cruise, always backed up by a credit card, leaving no margin for negotiations or adjustments. 

One big point of discussion for us has been as to whether or not to purchase a “beverage package” for Tom.  I seldom drink alcohol.  Mostly, I drink copious amounts of iced tea or hot tea which is provided at no additional cost.  Tom, when socializing, may enjoy a few cocktails, otherwise, he doesn’t drink at all.  His drink of choice is Courvoisier, a pricey cognac, which we discovered would be $8 per cocktail plus a 15% tip.

The beverage package that works for his cocktail of choice is $810 (just for him!) for the length of the cruise, allowing him to drink all he wants and includes tips.  For one second we considered this.  He feels he cannot justify the expense since he doesn’t want to feel like he is pressured into getting his money’s worth.

On the other hand, I don’t want him to feel he can’t have a cocktail when he wants one so we went to work and did the math.

If he has three cocktails a night (highly unlikely he’ll drink every night), the total would be $27.60 per night x 15 nights for a total of $414.  Considering that some nights he won’t drink any alcohol but instead may have a non-included soda, we feel comfortable that the drink bill won’t exceed $400. 

Then, there’s the question of dining in any of the non-included restaurants. It’s unlikely we’ll choose to dine in these extra-charge restaurants due to our limited low carb, grain, sugar, and starch free diet. The exception to this would be a social situation whereby fellow travelers we’ve befriended invite us to join them at one of these restaurants. We’ll decide at the time if it makes sense to bear the added expense. We aren’t “tightwads.”  We’re world travelers with a desire to continue traveling for as long as our health holds out and that we stay within the budget we’ve established for our travels. 

We’ve allowed ourselves an average of $75 per day for extras on cruises.  If our alcohol beverage budget is $27.60 per day, that leaves us $47.40 per day in other extras. 

The next expense we’ll most certainly incur is the cost of Internet access on the cruise. At a cost of $395 for the 15 days, we will each be allowed 60 minutes of Internet access per day. (There were other less costly packages available but, cost per minute increased with lower minute packages).

As a result, I will write the blog offline then go online for posting, editing, and adding photos. This amount uses up $26.33 per day leaving us $21.00 per day average for incidentals which is enough for us to go on two excursions if we so choose.

Our habits of researching our travels, mindless reading online will literally be metered while we’re on a cruise.  Odd?  Yes, but do-able. We’ll have plenty to do to keep us occupied leaving us ample time to read one of many pre-downloaded books. 

Oops, there’s another task we must complete before the month ends…download books to the Kindle app on our phones and laptops, all of which may be read offline. It’s easy for me to imagine sitting in a lounge chair on the deck of the ship reading, “NeanderThin: Eat to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body” while Tom peruses, “The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-and-True Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors.”    Ah, nice.

P.S.  Please excuse gaps in editing.  When copying and pasting from other websites, spacing becomes an issue in Blogger.