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Portugal & Transatlantic Cruise

Timeshare Von

Timeshare Von

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
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Location
Milwaukee, WI
Resorts Owned
After 40+ years of T/S ownership, I am no longer "an owner"
I head for Lisbon on Tuesday, where my sister & I will spend 4 days enjoying some local culture and cuisine. We will then board Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas a week from today (Sun 10/19), for a 13 night transatlantic sailing to Florida. I've set up my usual photo album on Facebook where I will be able to post and share most days. The only time I expect to be "off line" will be the 7 days going across the Atlantic Ocean (Sat 10/25 - Fri 10/31).

I also plan to blog once I'm home . . . as I'm not taking a laptop on this trip. Here's the link to that page for anyone interested.
 
Passepartout said:
Most likely you will be able to be online as you cross.
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UNable . . . I assume you meant. I will not be able to because I refuse to pay for their ship's internet access.
 
Timeshare Von said:
UNable . . . I assume you meant. I will not be able to because I refuse to pay for their ship's internet access.
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OK, I understand now. On Celebrity internet access is included, but maybe not on every package- especially if the cruise is comped.
 
Passepartout said:
OK, I understand now. On Celebrity internet access is included, but maybe not on every package- especially if the cruise is comped.
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On Royal, the highest tiers of loyalty in the casino receive complimentary Wi-Fi. Also as you go up in the main loyalty program (80 and up nights/points) they start giving limited free WiFi (1 day free at 80 points, 2 at 140 etc).
 
Sounds like a wonderful adventure!
 
So what are you looking forward to in Lisbon? Tram 28 is a hoot to ride. Try to catch a Fada show. Jeronimos Monastery is kind of a catch-all of Portugal's greatest hits. The grave of Vasco da Gama etc. if you're into that sort of thing. (pro tip) Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Getting tickets ahead for major attractions saves waiting in line for admissions.
Jim
 
Timeshare Von said:
I head for Lisbon on Tuesday, where my sister & I will spend 4 days enjoying some local culture and cuisine. We will then board Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas a week from today (Sun 10/19), for a 13 night transatlantic sailing to Florida. I've set up my usual photo album on Facebook where I will be able to post and share most days. The only time I expect to be "off line" will be the 7 days going across the Atlantic Ocean (Sat 10/25 - Fri 10/31).

I also plan to blog once I'm home . . . as I'm not taking a laptop on this trip. Here's the link to that page for anyone interested.
Click to expand...
Have a great trip.

We are taking that same ship on a transatlantic from Cape Canaveral to Barcelona next April. Then spending time in Europe. Our land portion will end in Lisbon. That will be our first transatlantic cruise, so I look forward to hearing how your trip goes.
 
mjm1 said:
Have a great trip.

We are taking that same ship on a transatlantic from Cape Canaveral to Barcelona next April. Then spending time in Europe. Our land portion will end in Lisbon. That will be our first transatlantic cruise, so I look forward to hearing how your trip goes.
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My takeaway from our first T/A like yours, Florida to Barca was the string of like 5- 23 hour days. A time change every night. So the next one we took westbound so it was 5 - 25 hour days in a row. By the time we got to USA, we were up a 4 AM!
 
mjm1 said:
Have a great trip.

We are taking that same ship on a transatlantic from Cape Canaveral to Barcelona next April. Then spending time in Europe. Our land portion will end in Lisbon. That will be our first transatlantic cruise, so I look forward to hearing how your trip goes.
Click to expand...
That's awesome. If you're going to be spending any additional time in Lisbon, I cannot recommend Portugal Journeys with Peppe too highly! He's been amazing on the front end of planning, even took care of a vendor issue over the weekend before we arrive on Wednesday.
 
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Passepartout said:
My takeaway from our first T/A like yours, Florida to Barca was the string of like 5- 23 hour days. A time change every night. So the next one we took westbound so it was 5 - 25 hour days in a row. By the time we got to USA, we were up a 4 AM!
Click to expand...
Looking at the ship's itinerary, yes, it looks like we get an hour back each night coming across the ocean.
 
Passepartout said:
So what are you looking forward to in Lisbon? Tram 28 is a hoot to ride. Try to catch a Fada show. Jeronimos Monastery is kind of a catch-all of Portugal's greatest hits. The grave of Vasco da Gama etc. if you're into that sort of thing. (pro tip) Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Getting tickets ahead for major attractions saves waiting in line for admissions.
Jim
Click to expand...
We are using a professional (personal) guide for our 3 days (after the arrival day) in Lisbon. We have a lot planned . . . and yes, with his recommendations, we have a Fado+Dinner planned for Friday night, a wonderful coastal lunch Saturday followed by a sunset wine & cheese cruise that evening. Here are the day tours we have booked with Portugal Journeys with Peppe:

Sintra-Cascais

Fatima-Nazare-Obidos

1/2 Day Lisbon
 
I wanted to let folks know I am now home . . . it's already been a week! Our trip to Portugal and subsequent cruise was fabulous! I've started to blog about it, and will continue through the coming week.

Portugal was beyond my imagination! The city was so clean and people friendly. The 13 night transatlantic cruise was very good too. My sister & I met a lot of wonderful people on the ship, making friends we hope to keep in touch with. The casino wasn't great, but I did earn enough points to book a 15 night transpacific cruise next October! That trip will be from Los Angeles to Toyko.

Cruising may have become my new travel addiction. :)
 
We like Lisbon a LOT. Not least because even HUGE cruise ships can dock right alongside the city center. Walk off and enjoy it easily. Now we just usually walk through the ship's casino. So, what makes a ship's casino 'Great'? I guess it's just one of the ship's activities.

Paula says to add some time in Yokohama- it's the port for Tokyo and an easy and quick train ride in. Japan is VERY do-able for English speakers and the people there LIKE us.

Jim
 
Passepartout said:
We like Lisbon a LOT. Not least because even HUGE cruise ships can dock right alongside the city center. Walk off and enjoy it easily. Now we just usually walk through the ship's casino. So, what makes a ship's casino 'Great'? I guess it's just one of the ship's activities.

Paula says to add some time in Yokohama- it's the port for Tokyo and an easy and quick train ride in. Japan is VERY do-able for English speakers and the people there LIKE us.

Jim
Click to expand...
Good to know about Yokohama. I was toying with adding a few days there, but then felt like since I'm traveling completely on my own (my sister isn't going on that one) . . . I might not want to do much in Japan as a solo/single female. Does she have any suggestions of things to see/places to go (specifically)?

As for what makes a ship's casino great? When I leave with all of MY money . . . and some of theirs too!
 
Sankeien Garden in Yokohama has a wonderful collection of traditional homes and is very well maintained. We took a public bus from the port, but other used taxis. Yokohama doesn’t have as many cultural sites as Tokyo, but it is easy to navigate and has a feel of international city. We were on Spring cruise in Japan and visited 16 ports. We explored Tokyo on our own prior to the cruise and gained one extra day in Yokohama due to unfavorable weather in one small port we were scheduled to visit on Hokkaido.
 
For anyone waiting for the blog to be finished before reading it . . . I've just posted the last entry so I believe it is now complete.
 
Yokohama has good transport connections to Tokyo, Disney, both airports, (and likely many day trip places). We stay at the Yokohama Sheraton and were very happy.
Thanks for the blog casino “free cruise” primer. I’ve been envious of those who cruise for free. Knowing it’s not really free took that envy green away. 👍😀
 
elaine said:
Yokohama has good transport connections to Tokyo, Disney, both airports, (and likely many day trip places). We stay at the Yokohama Sheraton and were very happy.
Thanks for the blog casino “free cruise” primer. I’ve been envious of those who cruise for free. Knowing it’s not really free took that envy green away. 👍😀
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Thanks for the info on Yokohama . . . I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to add on to my trip with some time in the Tokyo area.

As for the "free cruises" . . . definitely not FREE but they are at a nice discount (unless you lose a lot in the casino) to earn those instant certificates. The marketing offers plus the annual tier cruise (each April) are more "free" than the others . . . and can be a really nice value for your long-term loyalty and play in the casinos.
 
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