What to Pack in Your Carry-on Bag

What to Pack in a Carry-on Bag

We all know that cruise lines advise us to put such items as medication, jewellery and anything else of value in our carry-on bags. But what else should you pack in your hand luggage in case something goes wrong?

   Jeanette and Dan had a very stressful start to their Mediterranean cruise. They were in Venice; their luggage was in Vancouver! Another horror story about airlines leaving bags behind! 

  So began a hurried round of shopping to buy underwear, in an unfamiliar city that seemed to sell mostly souvenirs! They boarded their cruise ship with only one small carry bag between them. Fortunately the rest of their luggage arrived within 30 minutes of sailing - the airline couriered the bags to the ship just in time.

  Here are Jeanette's recommendations for extra items to pack in your carry-on bag just in case  you and your luggage are spending the night on different continents!

• spare pair of knickers and nightwear
• change of clothes
• basic toiletries
• mobile phone charger
• copy of complete itinerary
• copy of travel insurance documents

Jeanette and her husband went on to enjoy the cruise, but could have done without the hassles in the beginning.

  Take their advice. Be prepared for a luggage hold-up, and pack things to get you through the first couple of days - just in case! 

  Thanks, Jeanette, for the cautionary tale.

Mediterranean Cruise for 2013

A Mediterranean Cruise with NCL

Yippee! We've got a Mediterranean cruise sorted for next year. It's a wonderful itinerary over 12 days. We'll be visiting Barcelona, Toulon, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Istanbul, Izmir, Mykonos, Athens and Venice with 2 sea days.
  And we'll be able to cross sights off our bucket lists - Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral, Pompeii, Ephesus and Hagia Sophia.
  The cruise is with Norwegian Cruise Line. We haven't sailed with them before so it will be interesting to see how different they are from others. 

Looking for a Mediterranean Cruise

We're getting ready to go to a cruise expo in a couple of hours. I've been researching Mediterranean cruises for next year so am looking forward to seeing what's on offer at the expo.
  We want to cross a few places off our bucket lists!
 Pete wants to see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona. I want to go to Pompeii and Istanbul. And, having lived in Greece, I'd love to go back there, even if only for a few hours over a couple of days on a cruise.
  Let's hope we can find an itinerary that works for us and the dates we have to work around so we can turn our dreams into reality!

European Rivers - Which One to Cruise?

River Cruises in Europe

This page from the Avalon Waterways brochure gives a great view of Europe's rivers. Which one would you choose to cruise? Or would you plan for a combination of cruises for a longer holiday that spans Europe?

• The Rhine River - across Holland and Germany and down to Switzerland
• The Main River - through central Germany
• The Danube River - through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary
• The Moselle River - through Germany, Luxembourg and France
• The Seine River - through Normandy in France from Paris to the English Channel
• The Rhone River - through Burgundy and Provence in southern France
• The Elbe River - through Germany and the Czech Republic

There are so many river cruises to choose from ranging from 5 to 15 days. Some offer add-on days in major cities such as Prague, Paris and Budapest.

  And when would you go? In summertime when the weather should be pleasant but there would be lots of tourists around? Or would you go in winter on a romantic, but freezing cold, Christmas cruise to visit the traditional Christmas markets in the riverside towns and villages?

  I want to go on them all!

Thinking of a River Cruise in Europe?

Research a River Cruise in Europe

My daughter and son-in-law are moving to Germany to live so the thought of visiting them next year sent me scurrying to my stack of brochures about European river cruises.
  Viking, Amadeus, APT and Avalon Waterways seem to be the main cruise lines in the area. In fact, the future of river cruising looks so bright that this year Avalon have two new 'suite' ships and Viking are launching six new ships, with another four to debut in 2014.
  The prices for European river cruises seem to be quite a bit more expensive than ocean cruises. But you have to think what is included in the cost:

• all gourmet meals (wine and beer and soft drinks included in on-board dinners and lunches)
• accommodation in large staterooms (with floor-to-ceiling windows on upper and middle decks)
• all gratuities
• all guided shore excursions daily with local guides
• transportation, entry fees and reservations on tours
• personal audio headsets for tours
• port charges
• lectures about local areas visited
• wi-fi connections
• excellent crew:passenger ratios ensures excellent service

Now to work out which cruise we might go on!

Celebrating your Birthday on a Cruise

The Birthday Boy

My husband was really looking forward to his birthday this year. He would be celebrating it while we were on the cruise. I had put the date in the 'cruise personaliser' part of the online registration, so then it was a case of wait and see what the day would bring.
  Well, it brought a cluster of balloons outside the stateroom and a big 'Happy Birthday' poster stuck on the cabin door. Of course I had to take a photo!
  At dinner that night, some of the waiters gathered round the table and sang a rousing 'happy birthday' to him. He also got a delicious chocolate cake and a birthday card.
  However I didn't get to see all that. I was in the ship's infirmary hooked up to an intravenous drip! But he did save some of the birthday cake for me. I had it for breakfast the next day! It was delicious.

Navigation at Sea

On a Princess Cruise

When on a Princess cruise recently I went to a lecture about navigation at sea. Taken by the First Officer, it was an interesting look at what goes on on the bridge. He explained to us about the different navigational aids that are used, the regulations governing cruise ships and the procedures that are followed to safely navigate the ocean waves and get in and out ports.
   There are at least four officers on the bridge at all times. As well as using sophisticated electronic equipment, there are two helmsmen, stationed one on each side of the bridge, constantly taking visual bearings using binoculars. 
   The officers work on a rotation of four hours on, eight hours off, every day during their two or three month contracts. Then they go home for two or three months for a break before returning to sea.
   The ship's watches are of four hours duration, starting at midnight. Often the busiest time is the 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. shift, the time a cruise ship usually comes into dock at a port of call.
   Usually a ship's arrival and departure from a port is taken by a local pilot although the captain is still officially in command. There are only two places in the whole world where captains completely hand over command of the ships to local pilots - the Panama and Kiel Canals.
  I like going to lectures on a cruise, finding out about what goes on behind the scenes while we passengers are lolling about in deck chairs!