Our Plans [pt. 1]

Well, it’s 5 months before we leave so we are posting our plans… little by little.
We will depart Healdsburg on 1 August, 2009; we will drive to SFO and spend the night at an airport hotel. Most hotels near the airport have “Park & Fly” programs that allow you to leave your car while you are away when you book a room the night of departure. The parking allowance ranges from a week to 15 days. As we would be booking two rooms I asked if they would make an exception and allow us 28 days of free parking. They agreed and we saved a substantial amount. Most charge $10. per extra day.
On 2 August we will catch the airport shuttle from the hotel to our terminal. We have a pretty busy series of flight to get to Rome. As is my M.O., I will interject information I find interesting along the way. We will fly first to Chicago O’Hare [4hrs and 4mins]. O'Hare International Airport [ORD], also known simply as O'Hare Airport or O'Hare, is located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. It is the largest hub of United Airlines (whose headquarters are in downtown Chicago). Prior to 2005, O'Hare was the world's busiest airport, in terms of takeoffs and landings. That year, mainly due to limits imposed by the federal government to reduce flight delays at O'Hare, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport became the busiest by that metric. O'Hare currently accounts for over a sixth of the nation's total flight cancellations. [Oh, Dear!] O'Hare International Airport is the second busiest airport in both the United States and the world, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with 76,248,911 passengers passing through the airport in 2006. O'Hare also has a strong international presence, with flights to more than 60 foreign destinations. O'Hare was ranked fourth in 2005 of the United States' international gateways, with only John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Los Angeles International Airport and Miami International Airport, serving more foreign destinations. O’Hare International Airport was voted the "Best Airport in North America for 10 years, by readers of the U.S. Edition of Business Traveler Magazine and Global Traveler Magazine. Although O'Hare is Chicago's primary airport, Chicago Midway International Airport, the city's second airport, is about 6 miles (10 km) closer to the Loop, the main business and financial district. Chicago O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 1 serves Lufthansa (departures only), Ted, United Airlines, and United Express. Also located in this terminal is the renowned underground tunnel of lights and music, which connects Concourses B and C.
We have about a 2 hour layover and then fly to Frankfurt [8hrs. 33mins] where we will have a whopping 7.5 hours layover. Frankfurt does have very comfortable lounges with showers and even beds. We may opt to taxi into Frankfurt if there is anything worth seeing. We then fly to Zurich [1 hr.]; we have approximately 1.5 hours before departure.
Zurich Airport has free Wi-Fi in the lounge. We should have an opportunity for another blog post. Zürich Airport [ZRH] also called Kloten Airport, is located in Kloten, canton of Zürich, Switzerland. It is Switzerland's largest international flight gateway and hub to Swiss International Air Lines. Zürich International lost traffic when Swissair shut down its operations. When Lufthansa took over its successor Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), traffic grew again. Zürich airport railway station (Zürich Flughafen) is located underneath the terminal. There are trains to many parts of Switzerland; frequent S-Bahn services, plus direct InterRegio and InterCity services to Winterthur, Berne, Basel and Lucerne (German: Luzern). By changing trains most other places in Switzerland can be reached in a few hours. Zürich Airport handled 22.1 million passengers in 2008. There are banks, which also provide bureau de change services, a post office and nine FASTpoint terminals providing telephone, fax and photocopying facilities. Wireless Internet hotspots are available at several locations throughout the terminal. Restaurants, coffee shops, snack bars and take-away facilities are available. There is an Airport Shopping Centre, one level above check-in area 3. The airport has a medical and dental centre, pharmacies, prayer rooms and nurseries. Unfortunately we will not have time to avail ourselves of much of this.
We then fly to Rome [1hr. 30mins.]. We will arrive at Fiumicino Airport in Roma at 10PM. We may have a shuttle arranged for our ride to Il Gattopardo Relais… or we will hire a taxi.

Anticipation vs. Reality

As the plans for the individual ports get posted I will try to explain what we are anticipating upon our arrival. They may get edited along the way but eventually we will post what we actually encountered. It might be a good exercise in just how effective my obsessive planning turns out.

Preparation for August 2009

With 4 of us traveling lots of planning seems in order. At the risk of appearing a control freak I have been preparing "informational" sheets that we will all review, and revise. Some of this is a recapping of preparations I made prior to my last cruise. the first piece is about the first 24 hours on the ship [it will follow this introduction]. The subsequent posts will be about the individual ports on the cruise. As many of you know me and have been to many of these places, input would be greatly appreciated. As we 4 discuss our plans I will post any questions, suggestions and revision of plans along the way. So here goes:

The Ship: A Brief Orientation
Prior to leaving home you will obtain an on-line check in form. This is done to save time processing your boarding. We will all be required to register a credit card with HAL and all of our subsequent dealings will be slapped onto those cards. It is wise to make sure they are clear before departing. It is also wise to call all our credit card providers and inform them that you will be using them all over the Mediterranean. I remember actually reading off my itinerary to the agent. He told me this was wise because if you are supposed to be in Monte Carlo on Sunday and someone is charging something in Rome at that time… it probably ain’t you.

When we arrive at the passenger terminal the baggage loaders will be waiting. There are baggage tags for the ship in our Cruise Packages that HAL sent out. Fill them in with all the info you have including your stateroom. The bags are whisked away to be loaded without us [they deliver them to our staterooms] and then we go through the passenger terminal. It’s kind of a “cattle call” but it took less than an hour on the last cruise. When we board we will have our pictures taken and will each be issued a photo-ID which is also the stateroom key. You carry this everywhere; some people wear them on a lanyard [I have some]. This card is important for leaving the ship, getting back on the ship, buying anything on the ship etc.

Before boarding and whenever entering a dining area you are requested to use a hand sanitizer; there are motion activated dispensers in all the appropriate places. Cruise ships are very careful about the spread of germs and even recommend that you do not shake hands while on the cruise as this is the most effective way to transmit germs. They suggest “bumping elbows.”

We may be directed to the Lido Deck to have lunch, as the staterooms may not be ready. The Lido Deck is sort of a “town square” for the ship. The casual dining restaurant is toward the bow of the ship and the pool is at the center. The spa, gym and night club are aft [to the back of the ship]. There is a bar by the pool and the entire deck is glassed in so you can see all around you. After about an hour or so we will be allowed below to our staterooms. We are, I believe, on the Upper Promenade Deck to the bow of the ship. Craig’s stateroom is ZZZZ and faces out the front [Bow] of the ship. Michael’s is XXXX which is across the hall from Jim's & Dotty’s which is YYYY. Because Michael is a member of the Mariner Society, he may be given an upgrade which we won’t know about until a month or so before departure.

You may meet your steward at this time. They will provide you with all that you need. They are enthusiastic, resourceful and gracious. On my last cruise I asked if there were larger bathrobes; he produced one that was more than ample if you can imagine. There must be plenty of oversized people cruising. These robes are free to use but also are available to buy. Plan on leaving your steward an extra generous tip at the end of the cruise. The ship automatically charges your card $11.00 per day for tips which are distributed to the staff [dining room wait staff, laundry service, bar etc.]. There is also an automatic 15% tip charged for all wine purchases and bar purchases. Of course at the end of the cruise if you feel you have not been afforded the service these charges address you may adjust the amount.

There is a life boat drill right after we get settled in. Specific sections of the ship are directed to specific sections of the Promenade Deck where we receive instruction on how to put on the life jacket if you haven’t already figured it out. The life jackets are in the staterooms. We then are instructed about lifeboat protocol. We are told to leave the life jackets on until we returned to our staterooms; the reason being the tie cords are very long and pose a tripping hazard. Please don’t try to remove it until you are back at your stateroom. On my cruise in April 2008 a twit walking in front of me decided he had to have it off and had his wife untie him. I looked at his feet and sure enough his cord was dragging between his shoes. He stepped on it and went right into the wall.

When you first book the cruise you choose “Early” or “Late” seating or “Open Dining” in the “formal” Vista Dining Room. I have designated our party as “Open Dining” a modified “drop in” option which is just that. You can show up at the restaurant at any time during seating hours and you can be seated at a “private” table or you can ask to be seated with others. If you are the friendly sort [the Walters? Friendly?], being seated with others is a good way to get acquainted with other guests. The “formal” dining room does have a dress code and it is sometimes formal. Tux and gowns are often seen but a shirt, tie and jacket is acceptable now. The fare in this dining room is top-notch and eclectic offering five course menus of continental cuisine, vegetarian and low-carb options. Remember, all alcohol is extra [mixed drinks, wine and beer] as are carbonated beverages and fancy coffees [anything other than “from the pot”]. You can bring your own wine and there is a corkage fee. The wine list is varied and not overpriced. You can buy a carbonated beverage card which is good for 20 beverages at a substantial discount. It can be used throughout the ship. You can also make specific dining requests [i.e. invite other guests to join you] and/or dine in the Pinnacle Grill which is the pay-as-you-go fancy-shmancy restaurant.

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week. There are photographers set up outside the restaurant on formal nights so you can have souvenir photos taken. HAL photographers also hover on the docks for more. You can visit the photo salon periodically to view the shots incase you wish to purchase them.

You may also choose to eat on the Lido Deck where the restaurant is buffet style with 4 or 5 entrees to choose from, a salad bar, side dish bar, breads, coffee and tea dispensers, an extravagant dessert bar and many other offerings.

There is often a theatrical production in the Vista Show Lounge [the ship’s theatre] the first night out, usually a musical review by the ship’s song and dance company. You can see it at c.7PM or c.10PM depending on when you want to dine. There are waiters and a full bar often with specialty drinks at a bargain price in the Lounge.

Most of the public rooms are located on the Promenade Deck the Lower Promenade Deck and the Main Deck. To avail oneself on the wonderful ocean air direct yourself to the Promenade Deck, the observation Deck or the small top-most Sports Deck. The canopy over the pool is drawn back at sunny and/or rain free times.

Every evening invisible elves will deliver the next day’s program to your stateroom. You will also receive a map of the port-of-the-day. The program outlines everything offered for that day [the movie, the show, dining requirements and times, special events, lectures, sales etc].

The first morning you will probably wake early. It is recommended that you go for a stroll around the ship [no jogging]. You then have breakfast and watch the ship pull into port. It is fascinating as each port is very different and you will not tire of the experience. On days when you have booked excursions you will meet in the Vista Show Lounge to connect with your guides and fellow sight-seers. You must be there approximately 30 minutes prior to the published departure time of your chosen excursion.

There is a coin-operated laundry on each deck. Bring enough quarters to do an occasional load. It takes 8 for the washer alone. Don’t bring any laundry detergent as the ship requires use of their special formula which is dispensed directly into the washer. There are steam irons available in these facilities. They can become crowded so it is best to try to use them at odd hours. The laundry service is good [a bit too pricey to have them do your underwear and such]; you should use it for anything that needs to be professionally pressed after washing or dry cleaning.

There are two banks of elevators located about a third of the way from the front and back of the ship. The ship is 10-12 decks and there is a guide by each elevator to tell you where you are and where you are going. There are stairways adjacent to the elevators and that’s a good way to get in a quick cardio-vascular workout… a real concern when you realize how much you are consuming on board.

Guide Books

There are thousands of guides to every continent, country, region, city and neighborhood. There is something of value in each. The amount of time one gets to spend in a particular spot should determine the type of guide to purchase. Cruises generally afford you a day or so in each port; I have found the DK Ëyewitness Top Ten Travel Guides to be the most helpful. They run about 12 bucks each and are packed with pictures, maps and information in a relatively small easy to handle format. I particularly like the 3-dimensional drawings of neighborhoods and the "exploded" views of churches, galleries and such. Each has a pull-out map, eating, sleeping and shopping recommendations as well as a "phrasebook." DK also publishes an Eyewitness "Cruise Guide to Europe and the Mediterranean." It includes ports of call for Northern Europe as well as the Mediterranean. There is a practical "Survival Guide" and a directory of cruise lines. They even include a "Glossary of Nautical Terms." Time to read.

Finding the right hotel in Rome

Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity all provide a good starting point to finding the right hotel. After selecting a half dozen possibilities [based on location, price and amenities] I looked for travelers' reviews. There are dozens of sites which provide reviews by past customers of each facility. In my search one property stood out. Il Gattopardo [Leopard] Relais received top marks on almost every review. I read some 40 capsule reviews and found two that were negative and they were either petty or not that negative. This "boutique" hotel is located on the "noble" or "first" floor [not the ground floor] of an old Art Nouveau building about three blocks from the Vatican in the Prati[?] district. It has only six rooms and we have three of them upon our arrival on and our return after the cruise. They have a shuttle service to and from the airport but none for the port [Civitavecchia]. There are many photographs of the interior and a couple of the exterior. It looks absolutely perfect. We now have our air, cruise and hotel booked. The next effort is to determine what we will do at each port.

Change of Plans

Well, the Panama Canal cruise is postponed. August 2009 will be devoted to a grand Mediterranean cruise. We [JW,DW,CW and I] will be flying to Rome on the 2nd and staying for 4 days before boarding the Noordam at Civitavecchia and cruising to Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Palma [Mallorca], Tunis/Carthage, Palermo [Sicily], Naples, back to Rome, Dubrovnik [Croatia], Corfu, Katakolon {Olympia, Greece], Santorini, Kusadasi [Ephesus, Turkey], Piraeus [Athens, Greece], Messina [Sicily] and back to Rome where we will spend another 4 days. We fly home on the 31st. More to come... I just got through booking everything.

Here We Go Again

At the suggestion of a friend I will start this process once again… from its inception.
Shortly after returning from my “most excellent” cruise I started receiving mailings from Holland America about future cruise opportunities. One stood out from all the others. It was a brochure describing about a dozen variations on a Panama Canal cruise. Most started in San Diego or Fort Lauderdale ending in the opposite port. A few variations ended in Vancouver or Los Angeles. There were also several round-trip versions out of Ft. Lauderdale going down to Peru. The Canal has always fascinated me; plans were made. The offerings chosen all leave in late 2009 which give plenty of time to recover from 2008. A cruise length of 14 to 17 days sounds about right. Choosing embarkation from Ft. Lauderdale affords a less trying return home. The initial leg of the cruise appears to be the only lengthy “at sea” sailing all the way to Aruba without a stop. There are about a dozen stops including 2 days in the canal and days in Costa Rica and Guatamala. 3 or 4 stops on the Mexican Riviera are followed by Cabo then up the coast to California. Preparations begin with reading David McCullough’s Path between the Seas which was written some 30 years ago but is considered the best account of the building of The Canal available.