Traveling Mike

Walking Prague This is day 2 in Prague and I spent the day walking the Old Town. I just head down streets, turn left, turn right, and see what there is to see. I ended up making my way to the river and was able to walk the river path for miles. Before I knew it I hadn't made a large circle around town and crisscrossed the Old Town center. By then I was ready to go back to my room and take my jet lag nap. After the sun went down I went back out on the streets down to the big Avenue that had all the new stores and restaurants at it. The avenue has two lanes going each way and a large section in the middle with benches. This area was packed with kids hanging out. I found out that school has not started yet so they are all out on the town. Now I'm back in my room and trying to get some sleep before I could get up in the morning and have my train ride from Prague to Copenhagen. Talk to you tomorrow

My first day in Prague OK if you've been to Prague and you love it so my colon please don't read any further:). I had breakfast at the hotel and it was pretty good mixture between American breakfast European breakfast and a British breakfast. If you don't understand that statement American see bacon and eggs for breakfast. A European breakfast is more cheeses and fruits in little slices of meat. British breakfast it's usually running your eggs and pork and beans. My hotel is right near the center of the older town so it's great for walking. I took off walking looking at things heading towards the Old Town square. As I got near it and in it I just kept thinking big tourist town. The person at the hotel said I could have taken another route but that was newer town with the lots of shopping. I got down into the Old Town square and sat down to get a drink and watch people right in front of the Prague Astronomical Clock. I knew at this location I was going to pay a high price for a drink, but for a very inexpensive town I ended up paying $10 for a single drink. The person taking my order didn't speak hardly any English but I was able to figure out their drink selection wasn't great and I ended up ordering a drink. I ended up enjoying my drink and watching all these people stand around waiting for this clock to go off on the top of the hour. The closer it got to the hour the more crowded the place got. And then finally the top of the hour the clocks struck... hundreds of people watching... And two windows opened and different figurines of priests spun in a circle. I had my camera ready waiting for that really great picture of what's going to happen... And I never took a picture. That was pretty much it. Prague great tourist attraction was a big dud. I got up and started heading towards The Charles bridge. The area was actually really neat, the streets and the buildings is kind of what you see in Harry Potter. The buildings were all different looking colors shapes they're all tall very narrow streets and a lot of people. I got over to the Charles bridge and it was a neat bridge, very old, with different statues spaced out over it. I made the mistake and looked at the water... very dirty. The bridge was simi crowded with people selling items and people taking pictures. After I got 2/3 of the way past the bridge I got to this one plaque that was a picture of a person with the dog and on the other side a crowd of people hanging a man upside down over the edge of a bridge. Part of the plague is a bright gold color from people touching it for good luck. While I was standing there looking at it, a young man told me that you're supposed to touch the crotch of the man hanging upside down for the best luck. Well I had to, so I touched the crotch and instantly felt good luck coming my way. Let's see if it happens. After getting off the bridge I wandered over to a spot that was hidden, you had to know where you were going. I followed my map and got to this little bitty Street, back of nowhere and there was a bunch of people standing by this wall. I started looking at this wall and it was the first time in a long time as actually felt touched by something; I was impressed and actually felt something. I looked at this wall and it made me feel like I was a part of something really big. This was the Lennon Wall. It's based off of John Lennon's death and all these people have come to express their feelings in poetry and art. In my opinion if you come to Prague the Lennon Wall is the number one thing to see. From the linen wall I ordered my bolt car. It cost me $4 to travel about a 15 minute ride. I ended up going to the train restaurant. Before I explain anything I know this it's just a big tourist trap but they do it right. I got there and got seated and you pay a tourist price for a meal. It was actually a very very good hamburger that I got based off the recommendation of the waitress. If you go there don't get the Raspberry lemonade, it was pretty bad. Next to your table our train tracks and your drinks are brought up next to you by a train and you pull them off the train and the train goes on its way. Little bit later here comes the train again and it had my hamburger and fries. It was worth the $18 for the mail just for the enjoyment, it being a different restaurant, and just watching the kids get so excited to see the train come to their table. After a pretty good meal I had 15 minute walk back to my hotel. That was the end of my day in Prague. I've ended it by fighting with that jet lag guy. After sleeping a couple of hours I did walk back to the train restaurant to get my sweater that I had forgot. The very nice waitress seen me walk in, remembered me and brought me my sweater folded U nice and neat. Here are a few pictures from my day.

Overview of my flights I flew from Los Angeles to London on American Airlines. It was actually a very nice direct flight with no issues and the staff on the plane were great. I was terrified to get to Heathrow in London because everything I've heard all summer. I ended up spending almost 8 hours in the Heathrow airport. It was not crowded at all comment it was easy to get around and the lines were short. My flight from London to Prague was very very short because I slept the whole way. I sat next to a nice gentleman from the Czech Republic and he woke me up when we were getting ready to land. The customs at the Prague airport were very confusing. We went through passport check before we got our luggage. There wasn't much of a line and we probably could have just walk through the non passport lined. The man at the window just took my passport looked at me looked at my passport stamped it waved me through. Didn't say a word to me. I went through got my bag left the airport. When I got outside the airport I got on an app I found called bolt. It's a lot like Uber and Lyft; but the cars are mostly just all in Europe. It ended up costing me in the middle of the night about $25 for the 20 mile trip into my hotel in the middle of Prague. Is a nice car nice gentleman he just didn't speak any English but he knew where I was going. Today in Prague I used the bold app again and it costs me about$3.75 to go across Prague for about a four mile trip. I'm planning on using the bolt a little more tomorrow to get to some outskirt places and Prague I want to see. I'll tell you about Prague next.

Jet lag, no; Jet lag maybe; jet lag Oh my On my flight over I was able to sleep for about seven of the 10 hours. Then in my 8 hour layover in the London airport was able to sleep another couple of hours. Then on the flight from London to Prague I was able to sleep another hour and a half, which was most of the flight. I felt great when I got here. Wasn't tired, wasn't sleepy, I thought I had this jetlag whipped. Yeah... jet lag showed me who the tough person was; it knocked me on my can. I have so much to let you guys know and I hurt so bad and my mind won't concentrate and I can't even type. I did get smart and I hooked up my headset to my computer and I'm actually just dictating this. I could get it out of my head to you, I just can't function physically to type it for you. In my opinion for this old man jet lag is a nightmare. I can't wait till I retire so I could come and sleep for a week before I even do anything.

Economy vs Economy Plus Currently I am in the middle of my flight from Los Angeles to London and woke up and decided to stretch my legs. I also wanted to see if I could get me a diet coke. I headed back to the back half of the plane and noticed a big difference…. The low life section… the peasants… the cramped people. Don’t get me wrong, I am normally that person, but I did not know I was. This flight, I was able to get a good price for economy plus and I might have just runed my budget for flying in the future. Once I got south of the Economy Plus section there was a huge difference, the people were shoulder to shoulder and people’s arms and legs in the aisle. The aisle was also very narrow. I had to turn sideways just to walk down it. When I got back to my seat I realized, on this plane, there is a big difference between Economy and Economy Plus. The leg room is way more, a few inches make a big difference. Each of the seats is separated by a divider of 4 inches or so, economy it just the 2 inch arm. There was a footrest. My seat reclined back far enough to feel like I am laying back, not down, back. Right now I am reclined back with my feet up on a foot rest and comfortable with the laptop on my lap; It's not bad. Ok, I am sure you are the business class flyer and you are thinking I am stupid. Give me a break, people like me do not think about flying business or first class unless we have a lottery ticket in our hands. We do not think of cruising in a suite unless the cruise line decides to do an upgrade for some strange reason. I can look in the front section and see them on the plane laying flat and sleeping. But for people like me, we ignore that and pretend we are high class flying Economy Plus. Note: Getting off the plane we walked though business class. They are pigs. All of them left big messes for someone else to clean up.

My Pre-Trip Fun ☹ My adventure really started two days ago. I had a mini vacation as a warmup. I drive a passenger van full of High School Water Polo players to the California coast to play in a tournament. When I should have been home packing and planning, I was on the coast taking care of teenage boys. On Saturday afternoon we finished and I came back home as quick as possible to start figuring what I needed to pack. I got back, turned in my van for my car and then had my son take me to the airport to get a one way rental car. I finally got back home at 8:30 pm and figured out I needed to do laundry to have cloths for my trip. I got on my computer and started to double check paperwork and ……. THE POWER WENT OUT OK, wet clothes in the dryer, nothing packed and no packing list or documents printed. I gave up and went to sleep. About 4 hours later my 25-year-old son woke me up to let me know electricity was back on. Ok on to laundry and packing. I got to my dress pants and …. They were still at the Dry Cleaners. So I looked for my work pants and …… they were also at the Dry Cleaners. Well …. After trying on everything in both my closet and my sons closet I found a pair of dockers that will have to do. I finally got everything packed and got a few hours sleep. I left the house at 8:30 am to give myself time in case something happened during the 250 mile drive to the LA Airport. Now guess what happened….. everything went smoothly and now I am sitting in the airport for 6 hours waiting for my flight.

I have started one of my bucket list type of vacations. This morning I left Fresno California in a one way rental car. I drove 4 hours to the Los Angeles Airport. Now I am doing my 6 hour wait for my flight. I will be flying to Prague in the Czech Republic. From there I will be taking a train to Copenhagen Denmark. After a couple of days there I will be getting on the Voyager of the Seas for a Trans-Atlantic Artic Cruise. If this sounds interesting stay tuned for the details and pictures. Mike

I watched a video from a staff member that said everyone in the kitchen are part of the tip package.

I am purchasing an annual policy in November of this year. I had already purchased trip insurance for everything through my September cruise. I have not decided on what company I am going with because all of them are so different in what they cover and how much. I guess I am getting close enough that I have to make a decision soon. I am sure I will be going with Travel Guard or Allianz.

My son got an ear infection while on the cruise. Seen the ship doctor and he let us know what was going on and gave us medicine. My health insurance paid part of it and my travel insurance paid the deductible. Norwegian Cruise Lines shorted my TA cruise from 14-day cruise to a 10-day cruise the week before we left. My travel insurance paid me for trip interception and gave me $250 a day (for the 4 days) for hotel room in London. I had the choice to do that, or they would have flown me home and paid for the ticket. Covid canceled my cruise, and I had a hotel room and outside excursion that was nonrefundable. My travel insurance refunded me the amounts.

When you board the ship for the first time, it is local time. After that always go by ship time. The captain has the choice of changing time and when to change it. On my last trans-Atlantic cruise, we changed an hour each day, but the captain did it at noon. That really messed us up. You would get out of bed and know your time then at noon we would lose an hour and be late for everything.

What you need to remember is they cannot let you board until everyone from the previous cruise is off the ship and they get clearance from the customs authority. If they have people with covid or hurt during the cruise it can take longer to clear customs. That is why some of the time you have 11 am and you are on the ship at 11:10 am. And other times you have 11 am and you do not get on the ship until 12:30 pm.

You gave Gilligan an adventure of a lifetime.

Being in the hurricane, almost none. The ships watch the weather and take the ships around bad weather. Your ports of call could change based on the weather. The season is June 1 through November 30 and normally peaks in August and September. Just understand in September you might have different ports than what were there when you booked the cruise.

Before COVID, all of the cruises had a DJ or Band around the pool with a lot of ship staff. They would try to get everyone up and dancing and sell you a sail-away drink. It was a big party to make leaving port exciting and sell drinks. Now Post COVID they just have music everywhere and try not to have big crowds. Social Media Groups: Like @Pattycruise said the social media groups get together to meet each other and enjoy the ships departure. On my September 4th cruise I have over 500 new friends from the Facebook Cruise Group for our cruise to meet.

No, they are just guaranteeing you a cabin on the ship. I have heard of people moving cabins after they are assigned as long as it is the same category that is assigned to you.

Yes, we were posting at the same time. Mine took longer because I had to get the screen print.

Those kinds of things never seem to happen to people that would like it. On my flights to the ship, they are always offering big money to delay. On the flights home when I don't care they never offer it. I would love to delay my cruise for a free cruise, I would be on that in a heartbeat. I must be living life wrong, the only thing I get lately is my flights changed to give me a 8-hour layover in Heathrow.

I have had the water package 4 times in the last year and have had 4 different brands of water and they have all be in plastic bottles. The Symphony gave me twice as much because they were smaller bottles.

This seems to help figure out what room you are in before they release it. Someone on my September cruise pointed it out to us and it worked for everyone on the thread. In the RCL App take your boarding pass and save it in the iPhone wallet. Then look down in the barcode and you will see a long number with a dash then a 4- or 5-digit number. That number is your room cabin.

The front of the ship you will see more dolphins because they like to ride the ship wake. The middle of the ship is good because it has less movement and is easy to get to everything. The back of the ship rides smoother in the water and is closer to the buffet. The Aft (very back ) of the ship is relaxing watching the path of the ship.

I got mine in 2 to 3 weeks.

I do not know this for sure but if I am not mistaken you can transfer your booking to one of these travel agents and they can get you the lower price.

Let me start by saying I have not been on the tour. I have lived in central California all my life and have been to most of the places listed. I would say if you have not been to any of these places it is worth the time to do it and it helps it is not too expensive. So, you do not have false expectations I do not think you will go away wowed. I think you are going to go away from this excursion with that was it? The perfect example is the Mann's Chinese Theatre with the Stars in the cement. Unless it has changed in the last few years you are going to see lots of people dressed up in really bad costumes and many of them very dirty. The handprints and stars are net to see but I expected to see a lot more. The drive through Hollywood and the Sunset Strip you are going to realize it is not the place that made it famous but the people that have been there. Now with all of this said it is something you want to do once so you can say "I have been there".

On all cruises the shore excursion will bounce around but timing is everything. On our Alaska cruise everything was sold out at expensive prices and people were waiting. I did not try to get any of them but I was told as soon as anything opened it was taken by someone else.