M First

Thank you for the information looking to meeting everyone 
P.S. My name is Michael First , I use my son's Name Garrett First on the Monday live blogs. 
 
Michael 

I spoke to Brock at MEI and he stated that the Face book page will be up in about a week , nothing there yet. 
For me just an hour drive to the San Pedro terminal - Parking is $20.00 per day and just across the street from the Terminal 
I have been on Navigator four times in the last 12 months. 

We are flying out of LAX on June 30, to Venice and taking a private cab to the Cruise port in Ravenna $378.00 2.5 hours - any other options, leave from a block away from our hotel in Venice on July 3, 2022

Update, 
just booked shuttle from Venice city center to cruise terminal through Royal one way $58.00 per person - Finnaly

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello All, 
I just booked November 29, 2021 from Los Angeles, 
Any one else going to be there? 4 nights. Catalina and Ensenada. been too long. 
 

Hello All, 
I just booked November 29, 2021 from Los Angeles, 
Any one else going to be there? 4 nights. Catalina and Ensenada. been too long. 
 

Hello All, 
I just booked November 29, 2021 from Los Angeles, 
Any one else going to be there? 4 nights. Catalina and Ensenada. been too long. 
 

Hello All, 
I just booked November 29, 2021 from Los Angeles, 
Any one else going to be there? 4 nights. Catalina and Ensenada. been too long. 
 

Hello All, 
just found out that my Greece cruse was cancelled my travel argent called me while i was getting my second shot to be fully vaccinated. Now doing lift and shift for July 3, 2022 - So Sad!!! - good news is now i have another day as the ship leaves on a Sunday instead of a Saturday. The family and I were planning to start a pre cruse in Rome, then Florence and end in Venice. We now have an extra day any suggestions on which City we should spend the extra day. We were planning on leaving California on a Friday and arriving in Rome on Saturday Afternoon June 25, 2022. - Good news is more time to save and more time for everything to get back to normal in Italy. All advise is welcome in these sad days. I have planned the trip and booked back in October, 2019 ?

Can't say much about the tours exactly but from my understanding a lot of areas are not super wheelchair friendly due to stairs and such. And it will also depend on what you are planning to do. So I would say more detail on planned excursions is needed to give a better answer. I do know that on the ship things will mostly be pretty accommodating. The bad thing is that some doors are smaller than average so a chair may need to be collapsed and she will need to walk/shuffle in unless the room is larger or designed to be accessible. 
 
I can say that if tenders are used there will likely need to be extra manpower available and even then I don't know if that will be a good option. My wife was using a power chair for a couple years before she passed away and we had looked at a cruise as a way for her to be able to go to Jamaica and visit family but it never really worked out. But the route was going to have a stop at Grand Cayman so she would have been unable to go to shore there without great difficulty. 
But absolutely call and make arrangements as early as possible. Most of the time they want at least 60 days avarice notice for accessibility items. It may also be worth seeing if you can be shifted to an accessible room. 

Hi All,
The family and I will be going on a 7 day Greece cruise in June 2021 need some advise on the shore excursions Parents are in mid 50's kids are 19 triplets [Two Girls and one boy]
Ports:
Kotor
Corfu
Athens
Mykonos
Argostoli
 
What are some good activates we must attend.
 
Thank you
Michael
 

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello just a new update.
Our family just received our renewal passports yesterday it took 122 days to get them - We went to the post office on Feb 24 2020 and just got them in the mail on 6/25/2020
Something now not to worry about

Hello  All Just got this email from my travel agent.
There have been increased concerns regarding the future of cruising in Venice, Italy due to port congestion and the ability to control port traffic. And, while it's not yet clear how cruise operations will be affected there, it's important to us that we continue to do everything we can to provide you with a great experience and plan ahead, whenever possible. We know how much time and effort go into planning your vacation, so we've proactively made the decision to change the homeport for Rhapsody of the Seas for the upcoming Summer 2021 season to ensure there's minimal last-minute impact to your cruise.
As a result, instead of Venice, we've changed our departure and arrival ports to Ravenna, Italy - a city located just a couple hours south of our original cruise port. We're terribly sorry for any inconvenience caused by this change. However, to ensure you have the smoothest experience possible and that you still get to experience Venice as planned - we're providing complimentary shuttle services before and after your sailing. Below, please find our revised itinerary, as well as shuttle service information for your sailing.
Has any one else had this happen to them and any advise on this change . they say the shuttle now from Venice to the new port is 2.5 hrs.
Thank you for all comments

I hace been trying to chat on the you tube on Mondays but i get error message and my comments dont get read can i get any advive on how i can fix this issue 

We always take a private water taxi.  It maybe more expensive, but to us the cost is worth it because it is basically hassle free.  Plus, it is a neat thing to do.  
I don't know where you are staying.  We always stay at the Splendid Suisse.  It is an ideal location, equal walking distance to San Marco and the Rialto.  It has a beautiful rooftop terrace.  The majority of the rooms overlook the canals, you will hear them sing constantly from the gondoliers.
One thing we learned the last time we were there was that all properties have a street and canal entrance.  
We took the train from Milan to Venice.  There are water taxis are right there outside.  
Venice is our favorite city in the world.  That being said we try to avoid it during the summer months...lots of tourists and sometimes there is a stench that comes up from the water.  Remember that their garbage trucks are barges that use the water ways to take it to their landfills.
One of our favorite places in Venice is Harry's Bar.  Venice is where the Bellini was created and it was created at Harry's Bar.  You will find Bellini's everywhere in Venice, it is their signature drink.  For keep sakes this is where you want to buy Murano glass.  
Anywhere in Italy you will find amazing leather.  Understand it is not cheap.  Many people think it is, but what you get is much higher quality (butter leather) compared to the same price you pay for low end in the U.S.  
While in Venice anything you purchase you can get your taxes back.  We would just go to the local American Express and file the paperwork there.  If memory serves me, it is in San Marco Square, or right off it.  There is a beautiful Best Western located near it.
In Rome if you have not looked into it, try to get a private tour for the Vatican if you can afford it.  It is done by a licensed operator.  You enter through a different entrance, and do not have to wait in line.  They will  take just your family, and go as fast or slow as you want.  If you go to the gift shop, you can have whatever you purchased blessed by the Pope.  They will than deliver it to your hotel.   If I recall correctly, he blesses everything @4 p.m. and they will have it at your hotel by that night or early morning the next day.
We actually also paid for a private car for the 2 days there.  It may sound expensive, but it was worth it because we had him from 8 to 6.  We had 3 kids in tow and knew that from all the "must see" things there would be a lot of walking and traversing the city.  He dropped us off in front of the buildings, something that they allow for "private car drivers"  When it was free to enter, such as, the Pantheon, he would come in with us and than be our tour guide, pointing out the little things.  He took us to every where you could think of and than some places the typical tourist never goes to.  At the Trevi,  there is a small church which we would have never visited without him.  The interesting thing about this church is it has bronze plaques marking all of the great floods that occurred in Rome over the last 500+ yrs. showing exactly how high the water rose.  He explained little things like the reason there are bronze bees on some of the buildings.  
We felt the Spanish steps was a pure let down because it is so crowded.  It felt like okay, it is a bunch of steps!  NEXT!  
The Art Museum has an outdoor restaurant which we truly enjoyed for the food and the ambiance.  We laughed because we felt like we could see the Oceans 12 scene where they steal the Faberge playing in our mind as we took it all in.
Beware if this is your 1st time to Italy, the food varies greatly, region to region, just like in the US.  It is like ordering pizza in NYC compared to Chicago.  In Venice it is obviously more fish oriented in my opinion compared to Rome.  Tuscany had the best pasta with attention to vegetables.  
Last tidbit about Rome.  Rome has a ton of "pan handlers"  By the Trevi they will try to force roses into your hands, keep them in your pockets and keep walking.  Place your wallet in your front pocket (pick pockets) Keep your purse criss crossed across the front of your  body.  If you are training it out of Rome to Florence, at the train station HOLD ON TO YOUR LUGGAGE at all times.  They will act like they are there just a friendly person helping you to get on the train, as if they are taking the train too.  They are not!  They will take your bag and than as they place it on, they hold out one hand while the other hand is on the bag waiting for a tip holding your luggage basically as hostage.  
The trains are amazing, Amtrak should take a page from their books, heck, airlines should too!
Hope this helps.  I am jealous because our 1st cruise ever was out of Venice (Yugoslavia, Greece, Sicily, Elba Naples, Portofino, Nice).  Without a doubt would do it again!  

Hello All,
Just received my on board credit for shareholder. They gave me this credit to my account today even though our sail date is not until 6/2021
 

Hello All,
Just received my on board credit for shareholder. They gave me this credit to my account today even though our sail date is not until 6/2021
 

Hello All,
Just received my on board credit for shareholder. They gave me this credit to my account today even though our sail date is not until 6/2021
 

Just checked in on my booking for Greece 2021 and found that the pricing went down over $200.00 this is great.