A thread about traveling for vacations, conferences, etc.
The wifey will return from her homeland in another few months (she's been riding out the pandemic on another continent). She should be able to get the coronavirus vaccine soon after her return, which leaves much of the summer available for travel. However, it doesn't make sense for us to vacation where she is now, so soon after she's left, nor do I want to risk planning a major trip to some other part of the world while the pandemic is still causing lockdowns and border closures. Can't even get into Canada! So I'm thinking about a trip that is technically domestic. Does anyone have recommendations about Puerto Rico? Ideal arrangements would be an AirBnB facing a deserted sandy beach with a grocery store down the block. While we are not the all-inclusive resort types, an eco-friendly experience that is higher end than an AirBnB would be good, too. And we like yummy local food. We don't fly thousands of miles to subsist on KFC and McDonald's.
I'm not planning any travel until a year from now.
Too many folks still think it's cute to go maskless.
But I wish you both safe journeys!
M.
I'll be driving from TX to SC next month, to spend a week at Fripp Island. Sit on the deck, watch the sun rise and the alligators slither into the lagoon, stroll a half mile to the beach, spend weekend with my brother's family. We will have two households together, but all of us are vaccinated.
We thought about flying, but Partner and I prefer the two-day drive to the day spent in airports and planes. We usually drove before we had to think about wearing masks for 6-8 hours.
Maybe next year we'll finally make our South Dakota road trip. We're just not ready to sightsee among strangers this year.
I haven't been on a plane or outside of my state in over a year. Hoping to see family out of state and to take a vacation over the summer, and expecting some work-related travel in late summer as well.
Quote from: mamselle on March 23, 2021, 04:24:00 PM
I'm not planning any travel until a year from now.
Too many folks still think it's cute to go maskless.
But I wish you both safe journeys!
M.
I'm in denial, as I entertain fantasies of traveling and looking at possible itineraries. Then a post like yours slaps me back down to reality.
Thanks.
I do get it.
My annual migratory research trip to France, Belgium, etc. couldn't happen, so I started a long series of Google map searches in a compensatory 'as-if' gambit to assuage my wanderlust last December.
Thankfully, this year's conference papers are based on last year's work and findings, and many more libraries have kindly mounted more of their holdings in online digital format (even the ones closest to me, in fact!) so I'm not as bereft of resources as I might otherwise be.
But real 《croque-m'sieurs》, my Belgian cousin's shrimp-and-tomato salad, and...sigh....the chocolates she puts beside your breakfast plate every morning can't be digitally replicated.
And my bechamel sauce isn't bad, but the bread and cheese for a good《croque-m'sieur》have to be right, and....they're not...so I'm definitely bereft of those.
Sigh.
M.
It all depends on what the policies of different countries are to visitors. While there's been talk of vaccination passports, there's been nothing official.
But I do hope to get out of the USA this summer. Or possibly at least Puerto Rico or Hawaii. It seems a little early to make definite plans.
A friend of mine got a super-cheap flight to Spain for May. But then the airline cancelled it.
Quote from: spork on March 23, 2021, 10:38:51 AM
A thread about traveling for vacations, conferences, etc.
The wifey will return from her homeland in another few months (she's been riding out the pandemic on another continent). She should be able to get the coronavirus vaccine soon after her return, which leaves much of the summer available for travel. However, it doesn't make sense for us to vacation where she is now, so soon after she's left, nor do I want to risk planning a major trip to some other part of the world while the pandemic is still causing lockdowns and border closures. Can't even get into Canada! So I'm thinking about a trip that is technically domestic. Does anyone have recommendations about Puerto Rico? Ideal arrangements would be an AirBnB facing a deserted sandy beach with a grocery store down the block. While we are not the all-inclusive resort types, an eco-friendly experience that is higher end than an AirBnB would be good, too. And we like yummy local food. We don't fly thousands of miles to subsist on KFC and McDonald's.
And here I feel like I've really gone someplace whenever I go to a city where I can visit a White Castle....
My means and schedules only ever permit road trips within the U.S. I hope to have a chance to go out-of-state this fall, to a place with great fall color. Between now and then I need to make time to visit some of our state parks and enjoy the outdoors. We have several great state parks, but none of them very near me.
Quote from: apl68 on March 24, 2021, 06:12:35 AM
Quote from: spork on March 23, 2021, 10:38:51 AM
A thread about traveling for vacations, conferences, etc.
The wifey will return from her homeland in another few months (she's been riding out the pandemic on another continent). She should be able to get the coronavirus vaccine soon after her return, which leaves much of the summer available for travel. However, it doesn't make sense for us to vacation where she is now, so soon after she's left, nor do I want to risk planning a major trip to some other part of the world while the pandemic is still causing lockdowns and border closures. Can't even get into Canada! So I'm thinking about a trip that is technically domestic. Does anyone have recommendations about Puerto Rico? Ideal arrangements would be an AirBnB facing a deserted sandy beach with a grocery store down the block. While we are not the all-inclusive resort types, an eco-friendly experience that is higher end than an AirBnB would be good, too. And we like yummy local food. We don't fly thousands of miles to subsist on KFC and McDonald's.
And here I feel like I've really gone someplace whenever I go to a city where I can visit a White Castle....
My means and schedules only ever permit road trips within the U.S. I hope to have a chance to go out-of-state this fall, to a place with great fall color. Between now and then I need to make time to visit some of our state parks and enjoy the outdoors. We have several great state parks, but none of them very near me.
Planning a USA summer road trip is the smart thing to do. I'm thinking mountain regions without much population.
Since the pandemic began, I haven't physically left my neighborhood more than a dozen times. Even going over to the next province (I live in an urban area that straddles two provinces) feels like going someplace exotic.
But I've been "travelling" a lot to Paris -- I've been watching lectures at the Collège de France. (This one's fantastic (https://youtu.be/K13oU31p1Oc).) I've also been "travelling" to Colombia, a country I visited four years ago and have longed to visit again -- I've listened to a lot of cumbia music. And then there's the rainy day coffee shop ambience video (https://youtu.be/mkgylOJSdhE) that I have put on in the background as I write or grade papers. It's all atmosphere, but it takes me out of my basement office.
Quote from: traductio on March 24, 2021, 07:27:41 AM
And then there's the rainy day coffee shop ambience video (https://youtu.be/mkgylOJSdhE) that I have put on in the background as I write or grade papers. It's all atmosphere, but it takes me out of my basement office.
Wow, I needed this today. Thank you.
Quote from: Cheerful on March 24, 2021, 07:55:05 AM
Quote from: traductio on March 24, 2021, 07:27:41 AM
And then there's the rainy day coffee shop ambience video (https://youtu.be/mkgylOJSdhE) that I have put on in the background as I write or grade papers. It's all atmosphere, but it takes me out of my basement office.
Wow, I needed this today. Thank you.
I'm glad you like it -- I hope it transports you the way it transports me. Today is one of those days where I just can't focus -- I'm reading every sentence three times, and things that should be easy just aren't. There's something about the rain sounds that relax that part of my brain that seems to be misfiring somehow.
Plans: 3-day backpack trip with young family member, road trip to a beautiful coastal state I've not been to in 30 years, and family tent camping trip. Good enough, if not exactly how I had originally envisioned the summer with a milestone birthday.
This weekend I will book a 10 day cruise to Alaska for May 2022. (We have a 7 day cruise, and a few days in the SEattle area planned for 2020, but that was cancelled, as was a fall back trip to Disney World last May that was also cancelled).
While I will book the Trip, the final payment isnt due until February 1, so I can book now and delay paying for several months to see that I want to go and am able to go then.
I Might visit my parents in Florida this summer. We would drive. Though my bride and I are vaccinated as are my parents, there isnt much to do there, so that is good and bad. It will be good to visit my parents and get away from town, but it is a long ass drive to get there and then back! And Florida in the summer (Hurricane months) makes this a bit interesting.
I normally travel a crazy amount, with maybe 8 intercontinental trips per year and a bunch of more local trips (the joys of field-based research and a non-teaching position).
I haven't been outside of bicycle range from my house since August. I haven't been on an airplane in over a year (first time this has happened since I was maybe 10 years old). My stir-craziness comes in waves - sometimes I appreciate having the time to completely explore my local area, other times I am desperate to get the hell out of here, even for one or two nights. But even that isn't possible under our lockdown restrictions. Aside from the stir-craziness, this past year of no travel has been a complete disaster for several of my projects and "just" pretty disruptive for the rest. Fun times.
But in June I am busting free and flying to the US to see my family. Hopefully I can arrange to get vaccinated upon arrival, and then we're going to the beach. I don't hold out much hope that work travel will be allowed before the fall, so it'll be another disastrous year research-wise.
I am planning once again to look for affordable apartments, by plane, won't drive. In April, I think. Car rentals are high.
You can wait until youre vaccinated, then go. Funny how traveling looks like a great idea at first, and when the time comes, I get cold feet.
I am inordinately excited about the weeklong conference in Michigan that I will attend this summer. It's not Paris, but it's not here. It's a start.
I usually travel quite a bit, but I'll be waiting indefinitely, watching how things play out. I've been asked to do a couple lengthy house sitting stays at a small farm in my area that's surrounded by conservation lands, so I'm treating those as quasi writer's retreats.
I miss traveling, but I've become quite accustomed to being at home. I got my second shot last week, so I plan to visit relatives who live three hours away by car in April after I build immunity. Then, perhaps a road trip will occur in May to a nearby city I have never visited. I am probably not going to fly on a plane until June, when I hope to meet my sibling's child in person rather than on video chat (pandemic baby).
International travel conditions:
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/01/surviving-global-travel-during-covid-478821 (https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/01/surviving-global-travel-during-covid-478821).
A bit of humor to start your week:
https://www.gocomics.com/speedbump/2021/04/12 (https://www.gocomics.com/speedbump/2021/04/12)
From "Speed Bump" syndicated daily comics (4/12/21)
To when we all can travel again!
I spent the morning in Rouen.
Google Street View showed me exactly where I got lost going to the train station the first time, helped me re-find the Donjon de Jeanne d'Arc on the way, and helped me start to figure out what possible areas the processions for various saints' days might have gone to.
I don't have access (yet, it seems) to a processionale from the town the way I have for a couple other towns, but it's fun just wandering about and seeing where the earlier monasteris and parish churches (where the processions usually went to and from) were.
I always believe the first thing you should do in any town you've never visited before is to get lost in it.
And don't bother finding where you are until dinner, when you want to eat.
And then find a place to eat and ask them for directions back to your hostel, or BnB, or whatever.
Reims, tomorrow...never been there.
M.
I have hopes of being able to visit a neighboring state this fall.
OMG!!!!
NY Times is reporting that people from the USA will be allowed to travel to the EU, this summer.
Quote from: lightning on April 26, 2021, 08:12:16 PM
OMG!!!!
NY Times is reporting that people from the USA will be allowed to travel to the EU, this summer.
Hopefully not just able to visit, but able to visit with no quarantine for the vaccinated.
Sitting here in my EU quarantine after just returning from the US, this feels like quite a tease...
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Just booked tickets for late July to visit my parents in WA and then we all go together to ID to the family cabin in the Sawtooths, to spend time with my 92 year old grandmother (and mountains, which I have dearly missed). It feels like a big step but we are all or will be soon fully vaccinated. How weird and wonderful to actually have something to look forward to!
Quote from: larryc on April 27, 2021, 09:07:56 AM
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Oh poor you, how will you ever survive?
The honeymoon cruise that I had booked for last December was cancelled because of Covid.
My bride would like a honeymoon cruise similar to the one initially booked. Princess Cruises has just published the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Mexico itineraries.
I have some questions, and I hope that some of you here would be able to help me/us decide.
There are 2 voyages we are considering. The first question would be if any of you have a port preference. Have you been to Manzanillo or Loreto? Which would be more fun (in the first half of December or the first week of January, respectively?) (The other ports are essentially the same, though one departs San Francisco and the other Las Angeles)
A second choice is about the dates. The first would overlap with the exam window. My exam will be online, but I will need to grade some while on the ship. The other includes New Year's eve, (so it is much more expensive)! Would either of these give anyone a reason to reconsider?
Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas?
Thanks!!
My suggestion (always the contrarian): forget the cruise, just fly to Mexico and stay in one of the beachy locations that a cruise ship would stop at for only eight hours. Cruise ships are petri dishes for lots of viruses besides SARS-CoV-2.
My spouse and I booked our first plane trip for June! We will be meeting my sibling's first child, who was born during the pandemic and is already over a year old. I cannot wait to meet this adorable child in person!
Quote from: clean on April 27, 2021, 03:35:21 PM
A second choice is about the dates. The first would overlap with the exam window. My exam will be online, but I will need to grade some while on the ship. The other includes New Year's eve, (so it is much more expensive)! Would either of these give anyone a reason to reconsider?
Is this your first cruise? I've never sailed with Princess, but my experience with ship internet (wifi and labs both) is that it is both expensive and slow. Check package prices before you go. Obviously you could set up the exam ahead of time, but if you need to change the settings, answer emails, or download essays/exams, expect those activities to take 5-10 times as long as usual. Since you would need to grade, you would probably find it less expensive to download the essays in a clump and grade offline. If your ship is stopping in a port that has cafes with internet, you could also plan to visit one of these for the download if your bride didn't mind the delay in sightseeing. The cafe will be jammed with other people also trying to check in online, so I don't know how much faster the internet would be, but it would at least be cheaper.
Personally I would be a bit grumpy if my spouse or I spent much of our honeymoon cruise grading, so I would choose the later trip even with the added expense.
AR.
QuoteIs this your first cruise? I've never sailed with Princess, but my experience with ship internet (wifi and labs both) is that it is both expensive and slow. Check package prices before you go.
Not my first cruise. This will be at least my 15th cruise, though most are shorter. (There was a time I decided that I wanted to be 'elite' on Princess because I really liked sailing to Alaska and qualifying for elite status can be done with either cruise days or cruise numbers. So I am 'elite' because I have booked enough cruises, and sailed alone for double credit. With elite status, I get 2 hours of free internet. As I usually cruise to Alaska, I use my cell phone in port as a hotspot, however, this will be in Mexico, so I dont know what Verizon would charge me for international data!
However, the princess ships, especially the newer ones are supposed to have upgraded internet abilities. AS it wont be Alaska there should be more access to the satellites that connect the ship's internet to shore.
Lastly about internet, the current cruise 'sale' offers 'unlimited internet' as part of the package. So even if it is slower, it would be included in the price.
Last night, the discussion also swung to November. There is a 7 day voyage over Thanksgiving that I could take instead of the 2 ten day voyages I was initially considering. It doesnt go to the same number of ports, but it will hit 2 ports I ve not visited, and she would be happy with that alternative. It should not conflict with the class schedule, and while Thanksgiving is a holiday, and the cruise is pricier than the week before or after, it is a lot less than the New Year's Eve cruise.
With the November/Thanksgiving cruise, there wont be any conflicts with Christmas. Either of the 10 day voyages either ended or started within 3 days of Christmas, adding to the stress of the season. SO IF she is going to be satisfied with a Thanksgiving cruise, that is the direction I am leaning.
However, I am still interested in hearing about anyone's experiences with the Pacific Coast Mexican port cities. While I LOVE Alaska (In MAY when it is still relatively cool - which I like!!), my bride would probably prefer a warmer cruise location for future cruises when the school calendar permits early December and Spring Break cruises.
.... Soapbox time for pontificating...
I have been to Alaska on cruises in every month except June (damn summer school!) . Ive been in May when it is cool and spring is springing, so you can see tree pollen in streaks all over the calm waters (.. ask other passengers if it is 'Whale Pee' and watch their reactions!!), and the flowers are in full bloom in the city gardens... I ve been in July when the salmon runs are in full swing, and Ive been in late August/ Early september when the prices fall again and the fall is starting, and the last salmon species are finishing their runs... blueberries and fire weed are in full force making bear watching a bit easier... All of it is great! IF you have not gone but want to, my first suggestion would be the June/early July time to see the salmon runs. (THe later salmon runs can be a bit more odoriferous as the remains of the earlier runs are still 'ripening' and making their way back down the streams.) May and September are cheaper.
July has the most sun! I was in Anchorage for midnight, July 4th and the fireworks that were essentially at dusk as it didnt get much darker until much later!
I did a Land/Sea visit for my parents' 50th anniversary, and enjoyed the land portion of the trip as well! Princess has several lodges that are great places to stay and visit as well!
IF covid hadnt screwed us all up, I would be very much looking forward to another Alaska trip in just a few weeks! Not to be this year)
Ive already booked a May 2022 Alaska trip, but that doesnt count as a honeymoon trip as my 'best man' is going too.
Been checking on Avalon Waterways for updates. Guess it'll be next year for me sailing the lower Danube!
Quote from: Puget on April 27, 2021, 03:09:28 PM
Just booked tickets for late July to visit my parents in WA and then we all go together to ID to the family cabin in the Sawtooths, to spend time with my 92 year old grandmother (and mountains, which I have dearly missed). It feels like a big step but we are all or will be soon fully vaccinated. How weird and wonderful to actually have something to look forward to!
Quote from: larryc on April 27, 2021, 09:07:56 AM
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Oh poor you, how will you ever survive?
I would take the cabin in the Sawtooths over Cape Cod.
Quote from: Vkw10 on March 23, 2021, 08:26:04 PM
I'll be driving from TX to SC next month, to spend a week at Fripp Island. Sit on the deck, watch the sun rise and the alligators slither into the lagoon, stroll a half mile to the beach, spend weekend with my brother's family. We will have two households together, but all of us are vaccinated.
We thought about flying, but Partner and I prefer the two-day drive to the day spent in airports and planes. We usually drove before we had to think about wearing masks for 6-8 hours.
Maybe next year we'll finally make our South Dakota road trip. We're just not ready to sightsee among strangers this year.
Returned from Fripp a week ago. Enjoyed the long drive, but at least 50% of people we saw at each stop weren't wearing masks or had them dangling under chin instead of covering mouth/nose. At Fripp, we had windows open, wore masks, and kept our distance from each other. Great trip, even though I did have to log in for my classes. It's been years since I've seen azaleas and daffodils and crepe myrtle blooming in spring.
Now that we've done one road trip, I'm feeling better about scheduling a few shorter road trips this summer. Maybe a mixture of hiking and small museums, within a few hours drive?
clean, the Alaska cruises sound glorious, and it sounds like your internet would not be the problem I envision. Hope other folks can answer Mexico questions!
AR.
Quote from: lightning on April 28, 2021, 07:19:38 PM
Quote from: Puget on April 27, 2021, 03:09:28 PM
Just booked tickets for late July to visit my parents in WA and then we all go together to ID to the family cabin in the Sawtooths, to spend time with my 92 year old grandmother (and mountains, which I have dearly missed). It feels like a big step but we are all or will be soon fully vaccinated. How weird and wonderful to actually have something to look forward to!
Quote from: larryc on April 27, 2021, 09:07:56 AM
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Oh poor you, how will you ever survive?
I would take the cabin in the Sawtooths over Cape Cod.
Me too, though I suspect us "mountain people" are outnumbered by the "beach people". Nonetheless I wouldn't say no to a week on the cape with a good book and a cold drink.
Quote from: clean on April 28, 2021, 03:25:10 PM
I dont know what Verizon would charge me for international data!
Double posting to say-- Clean, just switch to T-Mobile and you will have free international data and texting (I believe Canada and Mexico also have free voice). It is also less expensive. There was a time when Verizon had the better network but I think that time has past.
Quote from: Puget on April 29, 2021, 06:13:42 AM
Quote from: lightning on April 28, 2021, 07:19:38 PM
Quote from: Puget on April 27, 2021, 03:09:28 PM
Just booked tickets for late July to visit my parents in WA and then we all go together to ID to the family cabin in the Sawtooths, to spend time with my 92 year old grandmother (and mountains, which I have dearly missed). It feels like a big step but we are all or will be soon fully vaccinated. How weird and wonderful to actually have something to look forward to!
Quote from: larryc on April 27, 2021, 09:07:56 AM
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Oh poor you, how will you ever survive?
I would take the cabin in the Sawtooths over Cape Cod.
Me too, though I suspect us "mountain people" are outnumbered by the "beach people". Nonetheless I wouldn't say no to a week on the cape with a good book and a cold drink.
I like beaches, too, but I still want to socially distance, this summer. I would have a hard time with social distancing at a beach.
I suppose if more people would prefer to go to a crowded beach, even in a pandemic, that's great, because that might mean less people in the mountains, for the "mountain people" who are in places like the Sawtooths for a socially distanced vacation.
I'm more of a mountain fancier myself. We have mountains in-state. I unfortunately don't live near them. My parents do, so maybe we'll be able to get a glimpse of them over Mother's Day weekend.
Serious question: what do people find attractive about cruises? I'm curious; I've never been on one and have no urge to do so.
Would anyone like to make a prediction on when the U.S.-Canada border will reopen to tourists? The ban on cross-border transit was renewed yet again, until May 21.
As I have indicated, my preferred destination is Alaska. Not just any Alaska cruises, but ones that include Glacier Bay National Park. You will see several glaciers on a few different days. You can also, from the ship, see whales, otters, seals, bears, and eagles. The Glacier Bay day includes a park ranger coming on board and discussing the sights. I enjoy watching the glacier calving and hearing all of the creaks, cracks and groans that the glacier makes.
In addition, there is top notch entertainment! From comedians to musicals. There are other entertainment options as well, from the piano bar, dance lessons, trivia games, to "voice of the ocean" where very talented passengers are selected through the week (tryouts are open and pretty damn good) and then those selected work on their number for several days and there is a final show of them performing their song.
Of course there are plenty of food offerings. If you eat at the buffet, you may have an opportunity to try things that you have never seen or tried before, and whether you prefer 'anytime dining' where you are mixed with different people every night at dinner or a fixed table of people, there is usually plenty to talk about with other passengers! And this may be an even better way to try different foods that you have not tried before as the serving staff are very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu items.
You visit different ports with different excursion opportunities. You are not forced to select those offered by the cruise line, but there are some benefits to doing so. (IF something happens on a cruise purchased one, the ship will not leave you!) . IF you prefer to just walk the town, you are free to do so and you may have a different experience!
(Except for the excursions, which are extra, and some add ons that are available on board), all of this is available for the price of the cruise, which can be less than $100 a day per person!
I have only sailed with Princess, and would not sail with some of the other lines owned by that corporation (namely Carnaval). Some lines cater to different crowds/clientelle, so it may take the help of a travel agent to get the right fit for you, but the experiences are reasonably priced!
Quote from: lightning on April 29, 2021, 09:12:26 AM
Quote from: Puget on April 29, 2021, 06:13:42 AM
Quote from: lightning on April 28, 2021, 07:19:38 PM
Quote from: Puget on April 27, 2021, 03:09:28 PM
Just booked tickets for late July to visit my parents in WA and then we all go together to ID to the family cabin in the Sawtooths, to spend time with my 92 year old grandmother (and mountains, which I have dearly missed). It feels like a big step but we are all or will be soon fully vaccinated. How weird and wonderful to actually have something to look forward to!
Quote from: larryc on April 27, 2021, 09:07:56 AM
I was planning on riding my bicycle across the state in June. But a sudden inheritance means we are going to Cape Cod instead, which is not so bad.
Oh poor you, how will you ever survive?
I would take the cabin in the Sawtooths over Cape Cod.
Me too, though I suspect us "mountain people" are outnumbered by the "beach people". Nonetheless I wouldn't say no to a week on the cape with a good book and a cold drink.
I like beaches, too, but I still want to socially distance, this summer. I would have a hard time with social distancing at a beach.
I suppose if more people would prefer to go to a crowded beach, even in a pandemic, that's great, because that might mean less people in the mountains, for the "mountain people" who are in places like the Sawtooths for a socially distanced vacation.
All the data indicate that outdoors fully vaccinated is very, very safe, even without social distancing, so I'm not too worried about that (I understand risk tolerance differs though- you do what is comfortable for you).
I don't like crowds period though, especially not in the wilderness. The Sawtooths are largely saved from the hoards by being fairly inconvenient for most people to get to.
I need to finish visiting Hereford and Rouen (online), so I can get on over to Salisbury and Worcester (which I visited for a day each, and worked in their libraries, but might still like to wander around in more, and eat food in and buy scarves and other gifts in, and...).
Rouen is especially compelling...I already know I want to return to Hereford sometime, but (despite the awful time I had finding my apartment when I was there in Dec/2019) I'm seeing more to like about Rouen and thinking of using it as a hub to visit other parts of Normand (maybe a day to Le Havre, to contemplate the English Channel from that side of things, and a 2-day trip to Mont-St.-Michel, to allow for tides and things)...
Reims seems interesting, too, but I haven't had much time to work there yet. It could serve as a center from which to look up Isbergues (where my grandfather was born) and look up more on manuscript production in Arras; maybe I'd make a loop and come back through Rouen before going to Paris next time.
Or I could continue up to Bruxelles via Tournai and go to Liege that way, then back the long way to Paris via Luxembourg and maybe Strasbourg (more friends to see).
Oh, the places we'll go!
;-}
M.
* Clearly I'm not a cruise person. I'd want a rowboat so I could get off and visit all the little port cities every time we docked, and I get bored (and severely sunburnt) lying around pools. And I like eating at different places, so, not even differently-themed restaurants on a big ship would satisfy my culinary wanderlust...
And it would be hard to find a place where I could vocalize and practice the accordion without being heard, and... - M.
Got an e-mail blast from the Travel & Adventure Show about upcoming events. I went to its annual DC exhibit some years ago and have stayed on the mailing list since then. The event schedule is up on the homepage:
https://travelshows.com (https://travelshows.com)
Quote from: spork on April 29, 2021, 10:44:51 AM
Serious question: what do people find attractive about cruises? I'm curious; I've never been on one and have no urge to do so.
Spouse and I have mostly only taken transatlantic crossings, and not much any more. When I was in grad school overseas, crossing the Atlantic by ocean liner (Cunard) was comparable to a one-way flight (but with unlimited luggage, free food, and a built-in vacation, which we otherwise couldn't afford), so we used it for our move overseas, our move back, and a few crossings in between. I expect cruises will be a lot more expensive for a few years, but we had a few really lucky trips that saved us a lot of money.
From a practical standpoint, we liked the free luggage; the freedom from cooking and chores; the ability to wake up each day with minimal jet lag; and the functionality of being somewhere we needed to be, rested and refreshed, at the end of a relaxing week.
From a pleasure standpoint, I could sit on the deck of a ship and watch the water go by for hours. Our usual ship had a library on board, so I would pick something I wouldn't otherwise have read and sit on deck reading for hours. Cell phones didn't work and internet was expensive, so we only used the latter in emergencies; I don't think there is anything I appreciate more than a week without electronics (obviously, this could also be done with a cabin in the woods, but that doesn't get one to Europe at the end). As clean has noted, the entertainment and food on board are excellent and fun, but for me it is just the quiet that is wonderful.
Spouse and I tried a Caribbean cruise a few years ago. It was all right, but I wouldn't book it again. Unlike clean, I prefer sea days to port stops, and we found the vibe very different: more of a party boat than a quiet getaway. Our company offered an all-inclusive drinks package, which we elected not to buy as we realized we would each need to consume about 8 drinks a day to break even. I would estimate that at least 40% of the other travellers had bought the package, and some never stopped drinking.
AR.
I have been on several cruises in my quest for status, so most are short cruises and I sailed by myself. So take that for what it is worth. I have been to Alaska at least 5 times, and I took my girlfriend (now Bride) on a 4 day trip to Grand Cayman so that she would be able to see if she was able to be on a ship. I have only sailed Princess.
My sister in law has sailed more often, and has sailed since she was a teen. She likes Royal Caribbean and recently has had good things to say about one of the newer Norwegian ships, but also is a fan of the Disney line (though it is expensive)
The crowds/clientele for different lines, destinations and times of the year certainly change the feel of the cruise.
For instance, I would not like Carnival. These 'fun ships' seem to specialize in shorter trips and family trips. IF Panama City, Florida is known as the Red Neck Riviera, then, from what I have heard mind you, this would be the line specializing in similar entertainment.
Holland America, from my understanding, has an older clientele. So the entertainment may be more for the slower/older crowd.
Certainly Disney would have a different target audience than Carnival! However, my brother's family has sailed on them a few times and note that it is not exclusively a 'kids' trip. While there is no casino, there are plenty of things for adults to do and some of the other benefits of a Disney ship may help. (For instance, the inside cabins have a 'Virtual Porthole'. Most of my voyages have been interior, and there is no way to know what is going on outside the ship short of turning on the TV and looking at the Bridge Cam channel.
Princess is not a party ship, but the Alaska trips draw more families and kids than some of the other trips. One of my friends that has over 45 cruises notes that cruises over holidays are different. A cruise that covers New Years Eve or Christmas will have a lot more kids, be louder, and on those days a lot of free drinks, so this time of the year would draw a different crowd and have a different feel.
From what I have gathered from the crews, Australian cruises are very different! Lots of drinking, and very loud!
QuoteUnlike clean, I prefer sea days to port stops, and we found the vibe very different:
My parents have cruised a few times, but prefer some sort of 'affinity' cruise. My dad, especially, likes gospel and blue grass music. Sometimes there are cruises that bring several bands together, so they like those cruises most.
Port Days are especially fund times for my dad. He doesnt leave the ship, but with the crowds mostly ashore, he uses those times to hit the hot tubs! There are often specials for the spa as well, while in port. So if you want a massage or want other spa times, those are some of the better times to schedule.
(I think that the primary reason he discovered this was that his first visit was prior to his knee surgery, so he didnt feel comfortable trying to get around, and really liked the relief that the hot tub provided his knee!)
As someone who is (a) a bit of an introvert, and (b) prone to sea sickness you would have to pay me very good money to get on a cruse ship!
I've been discussing summer travel plans with the wifey, who has been outside the USA for the last five months. Given the need for her to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 upon her return, it looks like July is the window of opportunity for a trip together. We were thinking of traveling to a Central or South American destination, but I don't like the risk. Also airfare is much higher than when we last went in that direction.
It would be so nice if the border with Canada was opened this summer.
Quote from: spork on April 30, 2021, 01:45:53 PM
It would be so nice if the border with Canada was opened this summer.
My brother (in Michigan) and his fiance (who was staying in Ottawa, where she has some property, when things were shut down) are hoping the same thing...
M.
clean, I have made the same hot tub discovery as your dad. It is great!
Puget, I am also an introvert, and I unfortunately do have to take motion sickness pills for cruises (but I also sometimes need them for ground transport, so that's not a dealbreaker for me). I don't find it hard to be an introvert on board. I sit and read and enjoy ignoring the world--but that's me, and YMMV.
Spouse is raring to go on another cruise as soon as it's safe. We just can't figure out what counts as safe. I am less interested in cruises at the moment but longing to get back to Europe for some research that was scheduled for April 2020. Even if it were safe (destination country is on lockdown at the moment), my library isn't accessible yet. I so look forward to in-person research again.
AR.
I see countries are prohibiting travelers who have been in India. Australia is telling its citizens that they will be jailed if they try to come home from India. This is the kind of complication that makes me reluctant to plan a July trip to Central or South America. Or pretty much any other part of the world.
Anyone from the USA managed to get into Canada lately as a regular tourist? I'm seeing some information that vaccinated travelers can enter as of August 9, but Covid tests are required before and after arrival. How this is supposed to work for people who cross the border by land is beyond me. Do you get detained by RCMP if you try to leave without proof of being tested while in Canada?
Some good prices for beachfront hotels in Haiti, but getting out of PAP airport via ground transportation probably necessitates hiring a security escort before arriving. Domestic flights from PAP to other cities seem ok.
Lebanon looks like its headed toward becoming a failed state, so Beirut is off my list for the time being.
Hi Spork, I think as of August 9, the Canadian border will want proof of vaccination and a negative test within 72 hours of crossing for Americans; then at the border (whether land or air) you need to do another test, but you don't have to wait for the results before proceeding. Here is more info:
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#determine-fully (https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#determine-fully)
Quote from: Morden on July 28, 2021, 09:42:19 AM
Hi Spork, I think as of August 9, the Canadian border will want proof of vaccination and a negative test within 72 hours of crossing for Americans; then at the border (whether land or air) you need to do another test, but you don't have to wait for the results before proceeding. Here is more info:
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#determine-fully (https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#determine-fully)
Thanks. This still sounds very cumbersome to enforce.
Wifey is headed back to homeland soon for the remainder of the summer. So any joint travel will happen this fall at the earliest. Spending an extended fall break weekend in Canada, or even the week of Thanksgiving, would be nice. Things still look uncertain though. I generally hate flying and don't want to return to pre-pandemic norms for air travel, which is why driving to Canada is an attractive option.
If my campus shifts to remote-only during the fall semester because of a Covid outbreak, I'll go on vacation and teach online from wherever I am.
Yes, it's cumbersome.
Right now Canadian tourists can fly into the US (I think they have to produce a negative test taken within 72 hours--at least they have to for Hawaii), but they are not allowed to cross by land at all.
With all of THAT, is the land border really open?
My PhD School officemate lives close to the border and would sometimes stock up on food in the US. While he is Canadian, he may be subject to different rules, but I wont be making any plans to visit HIM!
He would have liked to cross the border and travel the US in the Spring and Fall, but at this point, it doest look like he will be in any rush to travel here (or me there!)
Though, I m not looking to travel anywhere with 2 summer classes going on! Flying is terribly expensive from what I can see, and then the rental car prices are as much as the plane!
Driving to my parents requires almost 40 hours round trip. I just dont have 40 hours before Christmas to get there and from what I can see it would be close to $1000 to travel by plane (risking the airport/airplane issues). And flying would not make my parents all that comfortable. My niece would probably bar us from visiting The Baby if we flew, and may even ban anyone we visited from being in the presence of The Baby, so we would end up spending a bunch of money to NOT be visited or visit many people!
Back in May I really wanted to travel. I chatted with someone who had a nice trip to Costa Rica. But other international travel was difficult, and it was hard to be sure about travel policies two months in the future. So I've stayed home mostly. It turned out I needed to work on my house anyway, so it was OK. My wunderlust has gone. I feel nostalgic for it, and wonder if it will perk up again soon. I'd at least to be able to plan 2022.
I'm hoping that in a few months I can have an opportunity to go out of state.
Is anyone skittish about international travel over Xmas/NYE break?
I'm still licking my wounds from canceled international trips in 2020, where I did lose some money.
A few months ago, when we all thought things would be back to normal, international vacation planning for a trip in between semesters was the usual argument about where to go. Now, it's an argument about whether we should even book anything.
I have not booked anything, yet, and I don't plan to book anything, at least for now.
Recent international travel bureaucracy encountered by an acquaintance flying from the USA: Turkish Airlines required display of the CDC coronavirus vaccination card for a flight into Istanbul. The final destination country required display of a QR code obtained from this CDC vaccination registration website: https://vsafe.cdc.gov/en/ (https://vsafe.cdc.gov/en/).
I have a travel question that someone can help me make my decisions.
The humble brag is that I scored a deep discount on a short cruise from LA to Vancouver in late April that will not interfere with my classes. I have put down a deposit but here are the questions:
Initially I thought that I would use all of my sky miles to book a first class ticket from Vancouver to my nearby airport. However, my friend from Canada reminded me that under the current conditions that I may need a COVID test taken the day before the departure in order to fly from Vancouver (YVR is the airport code).
I could possibly take the test in Victoria Canada the day before as that city is on the ship's route. However, my first searches for places show that they are really expensive!
Alternatively, I have booked a transfer from the cruise line that will take us from the port in Vancouver to the airport in Seattle (SEA). As we are fully vaccinated, I dont think that we currently need anything special to return to the US and I dont think that we need anything special to fly from SEA to my desired airport.
While I would prefer to sit in the International First Class Departure Lounge in Canada than ride the bus to SEA, I dont want to pay C$435 X2 for the appropriate tests to fly from YVR.
Do you see anything that I am missing about the transfer from the Vancouver port to the Seattle Airport and flying home from there?
Any suggestions?
With omicron breaking through vaccination-protected barriers, I don't see why you'd want to travel right now.
My suggestion would be to stay home.
M.
QuoteWith omicron breaking through vaccination-protected barriers, I don't see why you'd want to travel right now.
My suggestion would be to stay home.
The trip is not until the end of April... over 3 months away! I am hoping that the virus will have run its course enough by then to not be a problem or certainly not be the current problem.
You can not always simply hold things constant by using the contemporaneous condition to plan for future conditions.
The current cancelation policy is that I can cancel up to 30 days prior to the sail date for any reason. If I do cancel I do not get a cash refund, but a credit to future cruises. Eventually we will be able to deal with Covid and return to cruising.
Hell, IF we used the current conditions to plan, the cruise would not even exist! The current restrictions in Canada are still that no cruise ship can enter! So IF Omicron is still a problem, then Canada wont open its ports and I will get a full and complete refund, or another option. IF things improve I can enjoy a deeply discounted trip that I will surely be ready to take given that I have pretty much stayed home since lockdowns went into effect in 2020.
Some cruise lines are offering tests to passengers--might yours be one?
AR.
QuoteQuoteSome cruise lines are offering tests to passengers--might yours be one?
AR.
From what I can see, they will test before you board the ship, but to fly you need a test the day before you fly. I dont see that the cruise line is testing during the voyage on trips of this lenght.
Quote from: clean on January 24, 2022, 08:59:20 AM
From what I can see, they will test before you board the ship, but to fly you need a test the day before you fly. I dont see that the cruise line is testing during the voyage on trips of this lenght.
Too bad. Maybe that will change!
Quote from: clean on January 23, 2022, 05:01:48 PM
I have a travel question that someone can help me make my decisions.
The humble brag is that I scored a deep discount on a short cruise from LA to Vancouver in late April that will not interfere with my classes. I have put down a deposit but here are the questions:
Initially I thought that I would use all of my sky miles to book a first class ticket from Vancouver to my nearby airport. However, my friend from Canada reminded me that under the current conditions that I may need a COVID test taken the day before the departure in order to fly from Vancouver (YVR is the airport code).
I could possibly take the test in Victoria Canada the day before as that city is on the ship's route. However, my first searches for places show that they are really expensive!
Alternatively, I have booked a transfer from the cruise line that will take us from the port in Vancouver to the airport in Seattle (SEA). As we are fully vaccinated, I dont think that we currently need anything special to return to the US and I dont think that we need anything special to fly from SEA to my desired airport.
While I would prefer to sit in the International First Class Departure Lounge in Canada than ride the bus to SEA, I dont want to pay C$435 X2 for the appropriate tests to fly from YVR.
Do you see anything that I am missing about the transfer from the Vancouver port to the Seattle Airport and flying home from there?
Any suggestions?
If you have a little extra time and want a more scenic experience than taking the bus, there is also the train, or taking the ferry (BC ferry to Victoria* then Victoria Clipper to Seattle). Seattle to SEA is fast and easy now with the monorail.
Will your cruse stop in Victoria? If not you might want to consider adding on a day there if possible.
QuoteIf you have a little extra time and want a more scenic experience than taking the bus, there is also the train, or taking the ferry (BC ferry to Victoria* then Victoria Clipper to Seattle). Seattle to SEA is fast and easy now with the monorail.
Thank you very much! certainly some things to consider (and if not this trip for another one!)
Quote from: clean on January 24, 2022, 05:51:01 PM
QuoteIf you have a little extra time and want a more scenic experience than taking the bus, there is also the train, or taking the ferry (BC ferry to Victoria* then Victoria Clipper to Seattle). Seattle to SEA is fast and easy now with the monorail.
Thank you very much! certainly some things to consider (and if not this trip for another one!)
If you want any other WA travel suggestions I'm happy to provide. There is much to see and do if you have a few days to add on, or on another trip.
(And I see now that you did say the ship is stopping in Victoria. If you like natural history museums, the Royal BC Museum is the place to spend your time there.)
Besides the health and human rights issues (interthreaduality) another reason to avoid cruise ships at present is this:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/24/business/crystal-cruise-arrest-warrant-miami-bahamas/index.html
Check out the company's financial health before you book. Many are failing.
M.
Quote from: mamselle on January 25, 2022, 04:44:32 AM
Besides the health and human rights issues (interthreaduality) another reason to avoid cruise ships at present is this:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/24/business/crystal-cruise-arrest-warrant-miami-bahamas/index.html
Check out the company's financial health before you book. Many are failing.
M.
I didn't know that a ship could be "arrested," so to speak.
It unfortunately wouldn't be the first time a travel operator suddenly went broke and left its paying clients stranded.
Yes, as I explained on a different thread, chaplains who serve crew members in seamen's bethels onshore have had many, many situations where the crew are left on a ship which is being impounded and anchored far off-shore for non-payment of debts.
These situations can go on and on, and the shipping company takes little care of the crew, including feeding them--claiming they can't afford to do so.
The people I know were working in Savannah, Florida, and Alaska; there are other documented cases in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York; India and Sri Lanka; and the African coast as well. Many ships are registered in yet other countries because of tax interests.
It's less often heard of on cruise ships, because paying clients will make a fuss and publicize the issues--and when it affects first-world inhabitants, it gets more press.
The crews' passports are usually held by the captains, preventing them from going ashore; the ships are kept out of harbor, as this one was, to prevent seizure by a bank or foreclosing agency, on the one hand, or evasive resale for scrap for their own benefit, by the indebted shipping company on the other.
There's a newsletter for crews and their supporters somewhere, which I saw a bit ago, I haven't re-located it, but there were something like twenty or more current cases at any one time like this, with upwards of 30 crew members affected in each case.
M.
Quote
I didn't know that a ship could be "arrested," so to speak.
It unfortunately wouldn't be the first time a travel operator suddenly went broke and left its paying clients stranded.
QuoteCheck out the company's financial health before you book. Many are failing.
From what I have seen on the news, the passengers were not stranded. The ship docked in Bimini, about 50 miles East of Miami, and the cruise line chartered a ferry to transfer the passengers.
Chrystal Cruise Line is a very small operator with only 2 ships. Given that most people pay with a credit card as well as use a travel agent, if the cruise line has financial issues and is unable to leave, the credit card and travel agent insurance should mean that you are able to get the charges refunded.
Personally, I book through Costco. Costco refunds part of their fee to you you in the form of a gift card a few weeks after the cruise. Also Costco's other guarantees are pretty good. (I am a member and do not even have a Costco closer than 125 miles from me for their travel services). If there are other concerns, there is the opportunity to purchase travel insurance from another company (not owned by the cruise company OR travel agent company). However, for the cruise that I have asked about in this thread, the cost is less than $1000 so if I dont go and dont get a refund, it is not a huge financial burden. (If I could not afford it, I would not have booked it!)
I also travel primarily on Princess Cruises - owned by CCL (that is the stock symbol) which owns several cruise lines. While they have lost their profitability since Covid, they have raised significant cash and have additional lines of credit and borrowing ability, so I am sure that they will be able to weather this COVID storm, unless there are more, significant, long lasting industry shut downs.
Crystal will go out of business:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crystal-cruises-arrest-warrant-bahamas-2022-b1999595.html
M.
Three ships have been arrested, crew are going unpaid, provisions are gone, and one ship is out of fuel.
https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2022/02/articles/uncategorized/crystal-symphony-and-crystal-serenity-arrested-in-freeport-bahamas/
The crew are being told that if they haven't completed their 3-month contract, they should resign and pay for their own transport home, since the company will not cover it..
One suspects the company execs have been getting paid all along, however...
M.