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Post by chech on Mar 5, 2015 1:52:10 GMT
Chech: Not too sure which I would want the least the temps in Mexico or the ones on the east coast. Neither appeal to me. Purvis I'll take -40 over +40 any day! LOL As I like to say, at -40, I can always put on more clothes. At +40, I can only take so much off....legally.
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Post by mary on Mar 5, 2015 2:31:48 GMT
Very true. Now, is it always true that a single has to pay the full price for the cabin? That seems to be what I've noticed. Any deals for single travellers on cruises? A single does not always have to pay full price. There are some deals out there for solos (off and on). Norwegian Cruise Lines, on some ships, has studio cabins for solo travelers which is in a separate keyed access area of the ship and includes access to a private lounge. Royal Caribbean (on some ships) has studio interiors and balcony studios on their Quantum Class ship. Cunard has jumped into the solo market with the addition of a few solo cabins. Carnival a couple of times a year will run "no solo supplement" on their cabins. Some cruise lines will charge the solo traveler 125%-150% on a cabin vs. 200%. Sometimes it's just on particular sailings, like Transatlantic crossings which are less expensive.
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Post by chech on Mar 5, 2015 18:55:23 GMT
Ahh...that's good to know. Nice to know they're starting to consider the solo market! I've been pouring over brochures looking for my next tour for June (if I can get a minor surgery done by then) and am looking at the Contrasts of Switzerland. It's the rail tour of Switzerland! And I looked at Viator and there are at least 3 day tours I can do from Zurich before hand, so I might look at going early. I looked at a G Adventures brochure but a little research into the company proves their vetting process isn't very good for their guides. So Switzerland it may be....
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Post by bet on Mar 6, 2015 5:10:41 GMT
I'll be looking forward to your tale if you do go Chech. Switzerland by train is very scenic and super easy, and the Bernina Express train is superb. I've always done Switzerland by train in the past but did Switzerland with Insight last year and it did give me a different perspective by coach and the chance to see many alpine passes not seen by train, although you will get the gist from the Glacier and Bermina Express trains.
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Post by chech on Mar 6, 2015 14:21:03 GMT
Yeah, I looked at the Insight Tour and thought it was the one, but in the end, I couldn't justify the cost. It's almost double the cost - around $3600 for the TT train tour and over $6000 for the Insight Tour. What I think I would do is go to Zurich three days early and take the day tours to the mountains in the area and the TT tour has a number of optionals to local peaks. So, weighing the two with my love of train travel, I figure the TT tour is the one. Any must-see spots I should look for?
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Post by bet on Mar 6, 2015 22:29:20 GMT
I definately recommend Mt Pilatus as an option from Zurich although Trafalgar's optional to Mt Stanserhorn is still good. Mt Titlis is good and there's always snow, but you will get that if you do the Klein Matterhorn option with Trafalgar. There's also the Jungfraujoch but that's expensive and a real long day but a great experience. In Zurich there's the Uetliberg mountain, not very high but offers nice views.
i thought the Bernina Express train was included but it's an optional & definately worth doing. The Glacier Express train from St Moritz to Zermatt takes a good 7 hours. I thought it was nice but not overly amazing as I was expecting. I did it in winter and with the snow the scenery all looked the same & it was very hard to take a good photo due to the reflection. I havent done the Golden Pass train but I've heard its good.... Zermatt and Lucerne are lovely places.
I regretted going with Insight, didn't feel I got my money's worth and had a crappy TD as well. I could have done it on my own again for less than half but Im always travelling on my own and thought doing a tour would be good. Im heading back to Switzerland this year for New Years (on my own), just to the alps, I can't ski but I love the mountain excursions and the winter walking.
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Post by chech on Mar 7, 2015 0:01:39 GMT
Sounds great! I'll do as much as I can. I see Viator also has a day trip to Lichtenstein. I might consider adding a day at the end in Lucerne as well.
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Post by Boop on Mar 7, 2015 1:07:57 GMT
Sounds great! I'll do as much as I can. I see Viator also has a day trip to Lichtenstein. I might consider adding a day at the end in Lucerne as well. There is very little to do and really not much to see in Lichtenstein, I wouldn't want to spend a day....but, it is nice to get that stamp in your passport
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Post by chech on Mar 7, 2015 1:57:24 GMT
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Post by bet on Mar 7, 2015 2:21:04 GMT
I agree, Liechtenstein isn't that worthwhile but the other sightseeing seems good and Rapperswil is a nice little place on the lake. Lucerne is nice place to spend extra time and is more of a tourist destination than Zurich is, and still close enough to Zurich and the airport about 1hr by train.
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Post by Boop on Mar 8, 2015 1:34:12 GMT
I agree, Liechtenstein isn't that worthwhile but the other sightseeing seems good and Rapperswil is a nice little place on the lake. Lucerne is nice place to spend extra time and is more of a tourist destination than Zurich is, and still close enough to Zurich and the airport about 1hr by train. I just loved the shopping in Lucerne!! As well, it was lovely spending two nights in Zermatt.
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Post by Boop on Mar 8, 2015 1:40:17 GMT
Oh, that seems a lot better then! I couldn't see spending the day, Vaduz is so tiny. The price doesn't seem bad at all..........but, if it was me..........I'd spend the day shopping in Zurich
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Post by chech on Mar 8, 2015 14:10:08 GMT
LOL...I have enough t-shirts!
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Post by Tonnet on Mar 8, 2015 22:59:37 GMT
39½ days to go!
It creeps up quickly! The suitcase has been dusted off and the packing commenced. There is not too much to consider for the Mediterranean weather in April/May but hopefully it will be warm.
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Post by Boop on Mar 10, 2015 0:48:50 GMT
LOL...I have enough t-shirts! uh....zurich....chocolate...swiss chocolate....swiss chocolate shops on every corner
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Post by chech on Mar 10, 2015 17:33:14 GMT
LOLOL....well, in that case.... Down to two weeks for Yucatan. Still trying to decide how to work in the activities in my spare time....dolphin swim, zipline, cave swim....
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Post by tiffany on Mar 11, 2015 11:44:49 GMT
Switzerland sounds like a great idea Chech! I agree that Liechtenstein isn't that worthwhile, but I would recommend going to Lucerne for the day. In fact, I preferred Lucerne over Zurich. I agree with Bet that the Bernina Express optional is a must do, as is the Matterhorn. I did them all when I was in Switzerland but the Eagles Nest optional, and that’s only because I had been there before. Let’s hope you don’t get the same tour director I did!
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Post by tiffany on Mar 11, 2015 11:45:39 GMT
LOLOL....well, in that case.... Down to two weeks for Yucatan. Still trying to decide how to work in the activities in my spare time....dolphin swim, zipline, cave swim.... I say do them all if you can! Have fun!
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Post by marielouise on Mar 11, 2015 13:50:00 GMT
We came back late yesterday afternoon from our Italy tour. It was great and the temperatures were good except for an unusual cold wind in Pompeii and Assisi, but we had no wind and it was not very crowded. They said the tourist season was starting March 7 weekend. It was very slightly crowded in Positano and we nearly had Capri and Anacapri to ourselves. I was surprised how much snow there was on the Appenine mountains even south of Rome, it had snowed during the night when we cossed them going from Venice to Florence. Also terrible wind with huge trees uprooted.
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Post by chech on Mar 11, 2015 14:07:48 GMT
I was in Italy in March 1994. Definitely jacket weather but the sun shined all five days. It was gorgeous! Are you going to write up a tale of some sort?
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Post by marielouise on Mar 11, 2015 14:50:21 GMT
I was in Italy in March 1994. Definitely jacket weather but the sun shined all five days. It was gorgeous! Are you going to write up a tale of some sort? Yes I will write a report shortly but it will be much shorter than yours. I saw lots of cats in Anacapri. I was amazed at the coats the Italians wore, I saw several mink coats or jackets, a sheepskin coat and most wore an insulated coat, many were down with real fur around the hood. Our TD's coat had chinchilla trim. Here we don't see much real fur, some like the Canada Goose coats have coyote fur, but in Italy it was maybe fox. Also we wear those kind of coats in -10C or colder weather, it was about +10C or warmer, maybe +7 in the evening.
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Post by tiffany on Mar 11, 2015 15:11:10 GMT
I was in Italy in March 1994. Definitely jacket weather but the sun shined all five days. It was gorgeous! Are you going to write up a tale of some sort? Yes I will write a report shortly but it will be much shorter than yours. I saw lots of cats in Anacapri. I was amazed at the coats the Italians wore, I saw several mink coats or jackets, a sheepskin coat and most wore an insulated coat, many were down with real fur around the hood. Our TD's coat had chinchilla trim. Here we don't see much real fur, some like the Canada Goose coats have coyote fur, but in Italy it was maybe fox. Also we wear those kind of coats in -10C or colder weather, it was about +10C or warmer, maybe +7 in the evening. Welcome back Marielouise. I’m glad you had a great trip, and look forward to reading your tour tale. I loved Italy both times I was there, and hope to go back again someday. I live in Toronto, the parka capital of the world, and people pull out their Canada Goose here as soon as the temperature dips down to +10 Celsius. I think it’s ridiculous, but I grew up in a city that had much colder temperatures, so maybe I’m more used to the cold. I have a couple of warm down coats, which I usually pull out when it gets below -4 or -5 Celsius. Anything warmer than that, and I’m fine with my wool coats.
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Post by chech on Mar 11, 2015 19:55:14 GMT
LOL..yeah, I found the same thing when I was there....wearing my light jacket and the Italians were covered up in fur. It was -6 here yesterday and I was walking around with my jacket open, no mitts or hat and thinking...try that in November! LOL
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Post by Boop on Mar 12, 2015 0:42:05 GMT
ummmmm, what is a Canada Goose coat? Sorry, I live on the West (tropical) side of Canada.......
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Post by marielouise on Mar 12, 2015 1:06:25 GMT
Big warm down jacket or coat with fur trim of the hood, they are quite expensive. I have a cheaper coat but my DIL from Victoria who lives here in Calgary has one, she says she could not survive the winter without one. But it has been a warm winter this year and last year was not bad either., not like the weather they have been having down East.
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Post by tiffany on Mar 12, 2015 11:52:00 GMT
Below is the link for the Canada Goose website. They are known for their warm parkas, but they all have different temperature ratings, and you can get a parka for weather from -10 Celsius to -30 Celsius. They also sell light down parkas for spring and fall. They are very popular in the Toronto area, despite the cost, and I’m thinking of getting one next year. I don’t like the cold, and my North Face parka is not warm enough for me when it gets below - 8 Celsius. Of course, I tend to feel the cold more than most. Everyone I know who has one says they are very warm and well made, and they don’t regret spending the money. They also have a lifetime guarantee, so if something happens to it (other than normal ware and tare) they will replace it for you. My friend’s husband has had his for 15 years, and he says it’s still in good condition. If you’re someone who doesn’t feel the cold that much, they would probably be a waste of money for you. www.canada-goose.com/womens/parkas/
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Post by Boop on Mar 12, 2015 22:37:09 GMT
Below is the link for the Canada Goose website. They are known for their warm parkas, but they all have different temperature ratings, and you can get a parka for weather from -10 Celsius to -30 Celsius. They also sell light down parkas for spring and fall. They are very popular in the Toronto area, despite the cost, and I’m thinking of getting one next year. I don’t like the cold, and my North Face parka is not warm enough for me when it gets below - 8 Celsius. Of course, I tend to feel the cold more than most. Everyone I know who has one says they are very warm and well made, and they don’t regret spending the money. They also have a lifetime guarantee, so if something happens to it (other than normal ware and tare) they will replace it for you. My friend’s husband has had his for 15 years, and he says it’s still in good condition. If you’re someone who doesn’t feel the cold that much, they would probably be a waste of money for you. www.canada-goose.com/womens/parkas/Geez, they're certainly not cheap. They definitely would be overkill on the West Coast!
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Post by tiffany on Mar 13, 2015 11:47:34 GMT
I have family in Vancouver who own Canada Goose parkas. What people consider to be cold weather is all relative, and while I wouldn’t think you’d need a parka in Vancouver, people who live there, and aren’t used to -30 to -40 weather, may think that 0 is cold and want a parka. It was -2 here yesterday morning, and people were showing up at work in Spring coats, while I was still wearing my North Face parka (which is not as warm as a Canada Goose). I was thinking if it were -2 in November, people would be pulling out the parkas, but when it’s -2 in March, people are pulling out the spring coats. -2 is still cold to me, too cold for a spring coat anyway. Like I said, it’s all relative. Canada Goose coats are expensive, but everyone I know who’s bought one says they are worth the money. I guess I’ll have to decide that for myself after buying one.
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Post by chech on Mar 13, 2015 13:09:17 GMT
Yeah...my teenaged nephew used to say he wanted to move to Florida cause it's always warm. I had to remind him that the locals thought 70 was cold...and we were sweltering.
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Post by chech on Mar 15, 2015 1:44:11 GMT
Ten days to go! I've decided to spend the first day on the beach and play it by ear rather than rush around for a pre-payed activity. And Oz's tale flipped on a light bulb! To shorten the amount of time it takes to type up a tale as I travel, I'm pre-researching all the stops listed in the itinerary and writing up the basic descriptions. So, I'll have more detail on the sites and so will have more time to take notes on stuff I can't research or miss in the research. (And less note taking overall, which is great). And I've found another great side benefit. I now have a really really good background on everything from the history of Mexico to Puuc architecture to Chac, the rain god. I can't believe I haven't done this to this level of detail before.
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