Travel/Vacations

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Spudd
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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tedster wrote: 23 Jul 2017 08:46 I want to see the Aurora Borealis next year. Google turns up a lot of options, but perhaps among this community are some who have had that experience? What about a cruise in Scandinavia? or just a visit to Iceland? or is the Yukon the place?
We just saw it on a cruise off the coast of Greenland. The trick is it needs to be dark out so you can't do it in the height of summer as darkness is hard to come by up north. I think a Norwegian fjords cruise would be nice as long as they offer it late enough in the season to allow for darkness. Personally I have Churchill Manitoba on my bucket list as you can see both the Aurora and polar bears there.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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We will be taking a long cruise from San Diego to Australia on September 27 . The cruise is with Holland America. Never cruised with them before. Lot's off reading, exercise and eating plus meeting new and interesting people. The wife found and booked the trip for 5k. She is good at finding good deals. We booked our own flight back and our time in Sydney. Anyone have any experience with Holland America?
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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I am currently in Krakow an interesting and cultural city in Southern Poland. On display here is Poland's most famous art work. Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine which was stolen by the Nazis in WWII. Yesterday. I visited Auschwitz about 2 hours from here. It was a sad, somber and sobering experience. It has been converted into a museum and despite the rainy weather was full of tourists. Was in 2 minds about going but it is an important part of recent history.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Thegipper wrote: 17 Sep 2017 22:43 We will be taking a long cruise from San Diego to Australia on September 27 . The cruise is with Holland America. Never cruised with them before. Lot's off reading, exercise and eating plus meeting new and interesting people. The wife found and booked the trip for 5k. She is good at finding good deals. We booked our own flight back and our time in Sydney. Anyone have any experience with Holland America?
We were just on the Oosterdam for 18 days (Panama canal) in April what ship are you on and do you have any specific questions? We were Also on the sister ship Zuiderdam. We are considering a 24 day cruise in the Mediterranean on the Oosterdam but would prefer a different ship.
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kcowan
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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We have been on Princess, Holland America and Celebrity. We like Holland the best. Meals just slightly better.
Enjoy!
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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kcowan wrote: 18 Sep 2017 08:39 We have been on Princess, Holland America and Celebrity. We like Holland the best. Meals just slightly better.
Enjoy!
18 days on Holland only one Lobster dinner, no midnight buffet anymore, old ships, old people on them not that there's anything wrong with that.
Best food and ship we were on was Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas but it's getting old too. If you're into having rock wall, ice rink & ice show, roller rink, putting green & massive theater etc..
The wife found and booked the trip for 5k. She is good at finding good deals.
We will never know unless you provide date and ship itinerary etc..
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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We prefer smaller vessels with a more intimate setting. River cruises with 130-170 people are about perfect. Our Costa Rica/Panama cruise was max 212 people in an all suite yacht.

We are likely to try a few of the Oceania vessels in the not too distant future. They have small (circa 700) and mid-size (circa 1250) ships. Would be interested in hearing from anyone with experience on Oceania vessels plying the Med, Baltic, North Sea, etc.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Now in the Royal Decameron Los Cabos. It's hurricane season, of course, but the chances of a hurricane are much less on the Pacific side and the storms are generally weaker. Nonetheless, there was a hurricane here two weeks ago and a tropical storm approached on Saturday.

Now that the storm has moved off, the humidity has dropped and it is very pleasant. The resort is mostly empty, service is good, and the flight was cheap. :thumbsup:

If you are going to take a vacation during hurricane season, take it on the Pacific side, not the Atlantic.
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kcowan
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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BRIAN5000 wrote: 18 Sep 2017 19:1718 days on Holland only one Lobster dinner, no midnight buffet anymore, old ships, old people on them not that there's anything wrong with that.
Best food and ship we were on was Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas but it's getting old too. If you're into having rock wall, ice rink & ice show, roller rink, putting green & massive theater etc..
We spent 8 days on the Adriatic. 38 passengers. Boat just fitted up in May and shortcomings were noted for repair in the fall! We identified most of them the first day. But I understand about getting run down with all the traffic the big ships endure. I also find that eating buffet off prime and finding the rear deck bar makes it seem more intimate. We also get breakfast delivered to our stateroom every day.

But going ashore makes you realize the crush of crowds for sure.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Heading to Berlin later today on BA business, then on to Paris and finally Nice after touring the east side of France. Return BA business from Nice mid-October.
For the fun of it...Keith
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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The wife found and booked the trip for 5k. She is good at finding good deals.
We will never know unless you provide date and ship itinerary etc..
At first glance this looks cheap?

15-DAY AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTURE DATE:
06 NOV 2017
SHIP: ms Noordam
DEPARTS: Auckland, New Zealand
ARRIVES: Sydney, Australia

From
CA$1,299
per person Interior
*Plus Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses CA$388
https://www.hollandamerica.com/find-cru ... Type=Top10
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kcowan
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Since Berlin, we have done Paris, Beaune, Troyes, Annecy and heading to Sisteron then onto Nice for week.

Beaune was mainly attractive as the heart of wine country. Several wineries right in town. And the oldest cathedral in France. First coronation in 1226. Joan of Arc was married there. Stayed at a Best Western in the heart of town.

Annecy is properly referred to as the gem of the Alps. Very outdoors oriented. Water sports, ski jumping, sailing, biking and the fabulous lake surrounded by mountains. We blew the wad staying at The Imperial Palace on the lake. Like Monte Carlo, it has Ferraris parked out front, 4 restaurants with lake views. We have been here for 3 nights. Great jazz bar, The Hip Club. Met a British couple who own a place in the mountains north of here.

Very warm and sunny, which is causing problems for the ski jumping because the artificial snow is melting fast. Will return for a week or two in an airbnb in the future.

Our Chase Chip cards has worked well. Only problem is they don't do cash advances anymore. So an ATM withdrawal with my TD Debit card cost 5%. But the chip card worked for tolls and parking meters. So will just bring enough Euros next time.
For the fun of it...Keith
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Anyone have any suggestions about luggage, hard side soft side?

Going to buy a new BIG one 29 or 30 inch spinner we always are a bit tight the snorkel gear takes a bit of room. We do two smallish carry-ons with essentials, electronics cameras etc, then two bigger ones.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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I bought Eagle Creek. Lightest soft side luggage available. When you are only allowed 12kg, and the bag weighs 6 kg, you don't have much stuff. My bag weighs something like 2 kgs.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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kcowan wrote: 06 Oct 2017 12:40Our Chase Chip cards has worked well. Only problem is they don't do cash advances anymore. So an ATM withdrawal with my TD Debit card cost 5%. But the chip card worked for tolls and parking meters. So will just bring enough Euros next time.
Amazon VISA?
Cash advances worked in August in Croatia & Bosnia. Failed in California last month --- was told I should have advised Amazon of my trip (which I did for the EU trip cos I anticipated we might use two cards on the same account simultaneously in different countries ...)
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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My Chase Amazon Visa worked for a cash withdrawal from Lloyd's Bank in the Isles of Scilly earlier this week, and in Cornwall last week. No problem. About CAD450 each time. Just paid CAD5 for each withdrawal.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Davis wrote: 06 Oct 2017 17:33 My Chase Amazon Visa worked for a cash withdrawal from Lloyd's Bank in the Isles of Scilly earlier this week, and in Cornwall last week. No problem. About CAD450 each time. Just paid CAD5 for each withdrawal.
Switzerland in August no problem.

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Re: Travel/Vacations

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I did advise Chase of my travel plans after they rejected a train reservation charge I made before leaving home.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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pmj wrote: 06 Oct 2017 17:22
kcowan wrote: 06 Oct 2017 12:40Our Chase Chip cards has worked well. Only problem is they don't do cash advances anymore. So an ATM withdrawal with my TD Debit card cost 5%. But the chip card worked for tolls and parking meters. So will just bring enough Euros next time.
Amazon VISA?
Cash advances worked in August in Croatia & Bosnia. Failed in California last month --- was told I should have advised Amazon of my trip (which I did for the EU trip cos I anticipated we might use two cards on the same account simultaneously in different countries ...)
Yes. I called them and they said my cash withdrawal limit was set to C$19! I asked them how I could get it reset to C$1900 and they said it could not be done. I also told them I am in France until the 16th and they took note but that was not the problem.

Maybe they are working their way down the alphabet. Check your limit BEFORE doing any travel. They do not notify you when the limit is changed!
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Yikes. I'm an "O", so I hope they won't get to me before December. I have back-up cards, but with 2.5% exchange fees. I guess it is time to look into the Roger's Bank card, which charges 2.5% but provides 4% cash back.

I also heard about a Home Trust card, but couldn't find info on their website.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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BRIAN5000 wrote: 06 Oct 2017 16:37 Anyone have any suggestions about luggage, hard side soft side?
Samsonite hard shell with a good strap. I lock the zipper closed with a cable tie wrap to see if anyone opened the luggage.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Davis wrote: 07 Oct 2017 04:01 Yikes. I'm an "O", so I hope they won't get to me before December. I have back-up cards, but with 2.5% exchange fees. I guess it is time to look into the Roger's Bank card, which charges 2.5% but provides 4% cash back.
Rogers' net 1.6% cash back Is better value than Amazon for purchases, but there's no cash back on cash advances, so cash advances at Rogers suffer the same 2.5% vig as all other CCs.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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planB wrote: 07 Oct 2017 09:23
BRIAN5000 wrote: 06 Oct 2017 16:37 Anyone have any suggestions about luggage, hard side soft side?
Samsonite hard shell with a good strap. I lock the zipper closed with a cable tie wrap to see if anyone opened the luggage.
Doesn't that mean you need a knife or scissors in the carryon? Or sharp teeth? :wink:
Sic transit gloria mundi. Tuesday is usually worse. - Robert A. Heinlein, Starman Jones
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Re: Travel/Vacations

Post by tedster »

I use my debit card and my credit card to access my current account to take out money. I never use a cash advance. CIBC Aerogold VISA lets me do this.
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Re: Travel/Vacations

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Davis wrote: 07 Oct 2017 04:01 Yikes. I'm an "O", so I hope they won't get to me before December. I have back-up cards, but with 2.5% exchange fees. I guess it is time to look into the Roger's Bank card, which charges 2.5% but provides 4% cash back.

I also heard about a Home Trust card, but couldn't find info on their website.
Here is a link to Home Trust's credit card. I think it has some good features. http://go.hometrust.ca/preferred-visa-ca
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