Equinox Transatlantic, Nov. 5, 2009 - Page 107 - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

excitedofharpenden · 10-27-2009, 12:14 PM

Chris, I think the Sunset Bar may be a favourite place for me and it's going to be fun discovering the ship. I know others have been on Solstice and know the ship a bit more, but for me it's going to be a new thing stepping on and not knowing where to head off to first. Well, there are LOTS of bars so I don't think it will be an issue

Safe travels to all of you and see you onboard. I'm not going to mention the "R" word again

Phil

CAnderson · 10-27-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by excitedofharpenden

. I'm not going to mention the "R" word again
Phil

While you're about it, don't mention the "S" word, either... Is there ANY chance we can just move this whole thing up a few days??!?!

nu2sea · 10-27-2009, 02:00 PM

Bon voyage all!

Sorry we won't be cruising with you this time but hope it is a memorable cruise and that the Equinox is all that you want it to be.

Have a great time.

Susan

goofysmom99 · 10-27-2009, 05:26 PM

Thanks Susan. And thank you for the luggageforward info. It was a godsend. Our suitcases began enjoying their Roman vacation this morning.

CAnderson · 10-27-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goofysmom99

Thanks Susan. And thank you for the luggageforward info. It was a godsend. Our suitcases began enjoying their Roman vacation this morning.

I looked at that after she mentioned it, and pulled up a price for one normal "up to 50 pound" suitcase from Denver to Rome (actually, "USA" to "Italy", and they quoted me $278! They wanted $478 for two. For that plus another $25, I could have bought another 1-way seat on my flight from Denver to Rome, sent two more bags that way, and had the extra cabin space in the aircraft to enjoy as well.

How did you get a decent price from them? Or did you?

goofysmom99 · 10-27-2009, 10:25 PM

Chris, price wasn't the point of using luggageforward. I assume you are able-bodied and a capable of handling luggage yourself. My traveling companion is a polio survivor who has occasional mobility issues. We are going to VENICE, land of no cabs and many steps. It was worth every penny to her. She is now excited and looking forward to this trip. Before, she was worrying herself sick that she wouldn't be able to get to the hotel and later, manage the train. And she knew I couldn't handle all the luggage myself. We had the luggage delivered to our hotel in Rome rather than the ship because in Rome, we have cabs and hotel assistance (no trains). Luggage isn't a problem there.

BTW, we already DO have an extra seat on our flights to Venice. Flight from Orlando to Frankfurt is completely sold out so it will be a good thing. Otherwise, we'd be packed in like sardines.

CAnderson · 10-28-2009, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goofysmom99

Chris, price wasn't the point of using luggageforward. I assume you are able-bodied and a capable of handling luggage yourself.

Yes and no. I can handle a cruise's worth of luggage ONLY with the assistance of a large rolling cart or a porter, and I'm not bashful about employing either of them! Unlike the U.S., the former is easily had in most foreign airports without having to search for a source of local coins!

When we cruised in the 80's (NCL - never again) with my wifes 94 y.o. aunt and her mother, we engaged help all along the way ... it was more than the two of us could manage with our own stuff in tow as well.

The only time I thought things were going totally down the tubes (pun entirely intended) was on a vacation to Europe about 15 years ago where we wound up in (I think) Victoria Station in London, and couldn't find a way down to the lower level tracks that we needed that didn't include a spiral staircase. Neither of us were the same after that one.

Quote:

BTW, we already DO have an extra seat on our flights to Venice. Flight from Orlando to Frankfurt is completely sold out so it will be a good thing. Otherwise, we'd be packed in like sardines.

Excellent! Our flight isn't 100% yet, but it's darned close. The other couple traveling with us made reservations via airfare.com at the same time I did last March, but she forgot to make the followup call to Useless(US)Air to actually reserve specific seats for the flight. She called them last week (finally) when she was looking over my hand-made itinerary and noticed seat numbers and realized she didn't have any. Unfortunately, she and her husband wound up with the two middle seats in a four seat row. Yuck. It's an A330. We're hoping they can find a way to switch when we get to Philly for the Rome leg of the trip.

CAnderson · 10-28-2009, 01:49 PM

Yup - waited a week too long to leave Dodge. They're sending us home at noon today due to snow.

Lost a mountain ash in the front yard today. Poor thing. It had a tough life with early disease and beat it back, growing to about 20' tall, but a full set of little leaves remained and the sloppy wet snow finally got it. There's only about 3' left above ground level. Rats.

FinelyCruising · 10-29-2009, 08:26 AM

So Chris...are you going to work today???

Sorry to hear about the Mountain Ash...here we have seen in the past two years a lot of decline, there is something to it I imagine, just kind of all of a sudden things. Not just at home, but at properties that I manage and the landscapers are puzzled too. Environment.

Only a few more days!!!

CAnderson · 10-29-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinelyCruising

So Chris...are you going to work today???

Yes, it's off to work this morning. Funny that they called it at noon yesterday, but with every school in town closed today, we're open. Ah well. Bought some new wheels last Spring that are designed just for this kind of fun and games, so at least it'll be a painless (apart from the traffic) commute this morning.

The Chrysler will spend the day in the garage.