Anyone got any travel planned?

[juliadream]

Just got back from a 2 week trip to Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and Copenhagen. We went on our own and took the Tallink ferries between Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm. I had been to Stockholm and Tallinn on a short trip in the 90's but not to the other cities.

hi! lucky you! i'm in love with Tallin so much. and i just wonder whether it has grown too different from what it was like back in the 90'? i was there 4 years ago and was literally blown away

 

[pullmyfinger]

hi! lucky you! i'm in love with Tallin so much. and i just wonder whether it has grown too different from what it was like back in the 90'? i was there 4 years ago and was literally blown away

I have to admit that when I went there the first time it was on the Silja ferry so I only had a short amount of time there (10AM to 4PM). I don't know that the old town has changed as much as it has benefitted from 20 years of repairs to the old buildings and of course there are more restaurants and tourist shops. They still have a long way to go, if you turn off to side roads you see buildings that are in really rough shape. I think the old town is beautiful and makes for very pleasant walks.

We did some walking outside the old town and some of it seemed really nice with tree lined streets, other parts seemed kind of gritty which isn't surprising after all those years of occupation. I wanted to go see one of the suburbs based on gigantic Soviet apartment complexes but didn't make it there.

When you do go back to Tallinn I highly recommend taking the 2 hour ferry to Helsinki!

 

[Danmar]

Looking at a Barge trip in France next year. Considering taking the Queen Mary II to get there. Anyone taken this ship across?

 

[Souschef]

Looking at a Barge trip in France next year. Considering taking the Queen Mary II to get there. Anyone taken this ship across?

Barge trips are fantastic. Check out French Waterways. The only comment I have about the QM2 is 5 formal nights.

 

[Alan]

Looking at a Barge trip in France next year. Considering taking the Queen Mary II to get there. Anyone taken this ship across?

Yes, great experience.

We are also coming back from Southampton to NY on Nov 5th on the QM2. This will be our 3rd Cunard crossing (QE was the other liner we were on)

The only comment I have about the QM2 is 5 formal nights.

Even the informal nights are jacket required, although if you don't dine in the formal restaurants you'll see a big variety of dress code. We once went to an "Indian Cuisine" evening instead of our assigned table on a formal night and we did see a young man in jeans, t-shirt and a wool hat with the name of a hockey team on it. (Plenty of others not in jacket and tie there as well even though formal nights are supposed to be for all restaurants).

I don't own a tuxedo so on formal nights use my lounge suit as do many others. Not a problem.

 

[Danmar]

Barge trips are fantastic. Check out French Waterways. The only comment I have about the QM2 is 5 formal nights.

Formal nights not a problem for us. Bought a tux for daughter's wedding last year, so wouldn't mind wearing it again. Normally wouldn't bother with formal nights but if you have it, why not wear it? Would be taking daughter and SIL along with us and the first thing he mentioned was, " can I wear my tux".

We are looking at a Barge owned by Belmond (Orient Express). We would take the whole Barge. Looks outstanding.

 

[Danmar]

Yes, great experience.

We are also coming back from Southampton to NY on Nov 5th on the QM2. This will be our 3rd Cunard crossing (QE was the other liner we were on)
.

Any tips on type of cabin, etc to book?

 

[kcowan]

We once went to an "Indian Cuisine" evening instead of our assigned table on a formal night and we did see a young man in jeans, t-shirt and a wool hat with the name of a hockey team on it. (Plenty of others not in jacket and tie there as well even though formal nights are supposed to be for all restaurants).

I don't own a tuxedo so on formal nights use my lounge suit as do many others. Not a problem.

Our biggest problem is having enough variety because we see the same people every day. Formal dress makes it easier (just change the tie) but mix and match outfits are really essential.

 

[Nemo2]

Our biggest problem is having enough variety because we see the same people every day. Formal dress makes it easier (just change the tie) but mix and match outfits are really essential.

Oh, I know what you mean, I've been through it...."Which T-shirt to wear with which jeans today?"

 

[kcowan]

Oh, I know what you mean, I've been through it...."Which T-shirt to wear with which jeans today?"

One of the reasons I don't pack distinctive tops. Unmemorable works!

 

[grasshopper]

My last big ship cruise(never again), I thought I looked rather dapper in a navy blue sport coat, white slacks, docksiders and a blue silver regimental striped necktie. Until Ms G pointed out that I looked like the waiters.

 

[Nemo2]

I looked like the waiters.

Wow...you had waiters? The only crew member we got to see was the guy who banged the drum while we rowed.

 

[Bestwifeever]

....

I don't own a tuxedo so on formal nights use my lounge suit as do many others. Not a problem.

Things I learn on this forum--I had not heard the term "lounge suit" before, but Wikipedia tells me (and I plan to use the terms with my sartorial SIL who taught me "bespoke"):

Lounge suits (also known as business suits when sober in colour and style), which originated in Britain as country wear,[1] are the most common style of Western suit. Other types of suit still worn today are the dinner suit, part of black tie, which arose as a lounging alternative to dress coats in much the same way as the day lounge suit came to replace frock coats and morning coats; and, rarely worn today, the morning suit.

I was thinking of the necktie this week and how it is being worn less frequently with a business suit and one day will be be considered as quaint as a frock coat (no doubt men posting here own few neckties!).

 

[explanade]

Are the cabins in the ship air conditioned?

If you cross in the summer, maybe it gets uncomfortable?

5 days out in the sea, cut off from the world is probably not something I'd be interested in though.

 

[Nemo2]

(no doubt men posting here own few neckties!).

My suits and ties were all left hanging in a closet in Riyadh, and I have zero desire to wear either again........however, suits without ties are an abomination.

 

[travelover]

I'm planning a week to 10 days in SW Florida. Plan to go to Corkscrew Swamp, Ding Darling Reserve on Sanibel, Shark Valley at the Everglades National Park and the Edison / Ford Botanical Gardens. Any thing else I should see along these lines?

 

[Sunset]

Are the cabins in the ship air conditioned?

If you cross in the summer, maybe it gets uncomfortable?

5 days out in the sea, cut off from the world is probably not something I'd be interested in though.

It's a modern ship, the old one sunk.

After you have been cut off a few times, you realize the world carries on, and will carry on just fine after you are gone.

 

[Nemo2]

After you have been cut off a few times, you realize the world carries on, and will carry on just fine after you are gone.

I've always thought of it as the world being cut off, while I'm temporarily unavailable for comment.

 

[Sunset]

I had been on an island primitive camping situation, when a few States (Ohio, etc) and Ontario had a gigantic blackout for a few days.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_blackout_of_2003

When I returned to the close city, I found there was no power anywhere, so it was just like continuing to camp.
It was amusing that everyone was going through this trauma, no tv, no internet, and I had no clue about it, until I returned.

 

[Alan]

Any tips on type of cabin, etc to book?

When we do "The Crossing" we just go for an inside cabin since there is no scenery to see apart from the start and end and then we go out on deck. There are great bargains to be had on these inside cabins since The Crossing is either the leg at the end of a long cruise after loads of passengers have been dropped off in NYC, or at the start of a long cruise before loads of passengers are picked up in NYC. This November our cabins have cost $800 each to NYC, in 2013 they cost $500 each from NYC.

Things I learn on this forum--I had not heard the term "lounge suit" before, but Wikipedia tells me (and I plan to use the terms with my sartorial SIL who taught me "bespoke"):

I was thinking of the necktie this week and how it is being worn less frequently with a business suit and one day will be be considered as quaint as a frock coat (no doubt men posting here own few neckties!).

Despite almost 30 years living in the USA I forget that words like "bespoke" and "lounge suit" are not common.

I spent my last 2 years of work in Megacorp on a manufacturing site where ties were never seen even by the CEO or Chairman when they paid a visit. One time when the chairman was visiting he was actually wearing a tie but after a while he said that he was only doing so because Fortune Magazine had voted him the worst dressed Executive in the country. Eventually he took it off and asked if someone wanted a tie.

Are the cabins in the ship air conditioned?

If you cross in the summer, maybe it gets uncomfortable?

5 days out in the sea, cut off from the world is probably not something I'd be interested in though.

The cabins are most certainly air conditioned with each room having its own thermostat.

We find the onboard entertainment and activities to be really good for trips with several days at sea, including excellent lecturers. On the last QM2 trip we did the performers included the Royal Shakespeare Company and the London Philharmonic orchestra conducted by that year's Last Night at the Proms musician.

 

[Bestwifeever]

...

Despite almost 30 years living in the USA I forget that words like "bespoke" and "lounge suit" are not common.

I spent my last 2 years of work in Megacorp on a manufacturing site where ties were never seen even by the CEO or Chairman when they paid a visit. One time when the chairman was visiting he was actually wearing a tie but after a while he said that he was only doing so because Fortune Magazine had voted him the worst dressed Executive in the country. Eventually he took it off and asked if someone wanted a tie.
...

They are wonderful terms! I imagine your fellow QM2 passengers have them in their vocabularies.

 

[braumeister]

All this talk has me wondering if my double-knit polyester leisure suit is still considered formal enough. Surely it must be, right?

 

[ohyes]

All this talk has me wondering if my double-knit polyester leisure suit is still considered formal enough. Surely it must be, right?

Memories of my worst boyfriend ever. College days..... wore a white leisure suit to a dance/sorority ball. Why did i not see the red flags that night? (I thought I was in love with the jerk! and did not see the clues.)

I've creeped him since and that same jerk is super successful. #1. Leisure suit did not cause it #2. I still lucked out.

I digress:
Booked a "cheap cruise" out of Galveston for mid October. The "cheap cruises" I have found always cost way more than I planned. I need more practice.

This will be our first cruise on RCCL, as well as our first out of Galveston.

 

[Sanstar]

I'm off for a week in Ottawa. Staying at nice hotel a block from Parliamentary Hill. Nothing special, just walking around, probably a couple sight seeing activities and enjoying the cooler weather.


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[Souschef]

New Years Cruise

We got a deal on the Ruby Princess 8 day cruise over New Year's. It leaves and arrives at LA- No Airports!