Transatlantic Time - Getting Close!

40 days until we depart for Rome to begin our journey back to New York.

Getting to this point has been an adventure.  First cruise on the Escape was canceled, but when we re-booked on the Epic price went down, upgraded to a double balcony, and itinerary added Maderia.  🙂

Our flight was business class on Alitalia for $470. 🙂  Alitalia went bankrupt 😒.  Rescheduled on Delta for double the price for economy plus.   oh well

EU decides Americans should stay home... ok they can come fill out a ton of paperwork.  - Done!

After all of that... It appears real.  Official countdown has begun!

Tom--Sounds like there was a reason why Alitalia went bankrupt!!

Anyway, I sure hope you have a lovely trip and sure looking forward to hearing all about it!

I will not be able to blog real-time on the boat because the wifi only supports simple email, but I am going to write and do the blog everyday so when I get home I do not have to work behind the power curve this time.

OK, sounds like a good plan.

Will this saga ever end????

So late yesterday we received an email from Norwegian (NCL) that our itinerary had changed. We would no longer be visiting the Azores (the reason we booked this cruise) but instead sail from Madeira directly to New York and arrive a day early. So our last day of "freestyle cruising" (NCL's Mantra) will d be tied to Pier 88 in Midtown. Yippee - Not.

So after two days emails and phones calls we have been given no reason for the change of itinerary, no perks have been offered, and we are now close enough to our sail date that the only refund is 100% of funds paid (which is all of them) can be transferred to your next cruise - Saint Happin'. For me the transatlantic was a one time deal, and my guess this will be our last journey on big ships. In NCL's defense the fine prints does say that itinerary can be changed and so it has.

My guess and I do not know this for a fact is that when we arrive in NY we will have to clear customs and passport control, which means all luggage, people, and procured items aboard must leave the ship to a control space. Then one must clear entry requirements... Then load all your stuff back on the ship, and then you be able to go have a day in downtown NY - Whoopee! I think I will stay on the ship. Then we will get up the next morning and gather up our luggage to once again disembark. This time quickly so the next group can board the ship.

NYC pier side for a day...
Really - how about we add Lisbon, or maybe Bermuda it is on the way cross the ocean, or maybe even two days in Madeira?

The only thing left with this cruise trip on NCL that has not happened yet is striking an iceberg... Maybe they are saving that for the finale...

Stay tuned - we only have 35 days left before we are underway lots of time for something else to happen.

Wow, sorry to hear that Tom. Regardless I know you guys will have fun.