Another Oceania Cruise…
more memories to make and pictures to take!

We booked this cruise about a year ago, long before my health took a downward spiral. But my health is not stopping me from traveling and doing the best I can, while I can. So, I’m sliding this into the world tour agenda as Chapter Twelve.

Itinerary

Day 1
Southampton, England

We begin this newest chapter of Our Red Dress World Tour with an overnight flight into London Gatwick airport. We sailed quickly through customs and immigration and connected with our luggage and an Oceania rep. We were soon on our way to Southampton and our home away from home on Oceania’s MS Marina. As a courtesy, Oceania treated us to breakfast at a nearby hotel. We claimed the last 2 seats on an early bus transfer to the ship. 

We had upgraded our cabin to concierge level and were promised an 11 am stateroom ready. That soon became 1:30 pm as we checked in. But we were on the ship! Headed to Horizons bar and ordered a couple of drinks. We were met by an excellent bartender Artem, who continued to take good care of us throughout our voyage.

In our stateroom was a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for us. Off came the sneakers and socks and on went the cruise footwear of choice – flip flops. We were supposed to receive an Oceania tote bag but our cabin steward knew nothing of it.

Every evening, information about the next days port of call and activities is delivered to the stateroom. There is also a meet the captain and senior staff reception.

Lunch and dinner (after a much needed nap) was taken in the Terrace Cafe. Early to bed. 

Day 2
Sea day otherwise known as catch up on lost sleep day. The entertainment show, Dancing Fool, was excellent. The Dancing Fool lead also checked us in for our muster drill. Muster drill has definitely changed since our early cruise days. No longer do you need to head to a designated area wearing your life jacket. Just check in with staff so you know where your muster station is in case of emergency, watch the safety video in your cabin or at home before leaving and that’s it!

We ate dinner at Toscana dressed in red and then went to the show, then lights out!

FYI – This is probably the best dance/song troupe we’ve enjoyed on many cruises. One of the female singer’s parents were on board for their first cruise. Karen talked to proud papa several times. We also watched him filming his daughter during her performances. This cruise was the culmination of her contract. Kudos to Oceania for making it all happen.

A chance meeting with the captain who is an e-cig smoker BTW and was getting his picture taken with other guests so we said Ok..why not?!

Day3
Gothenburg, Sweden

Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden and dates back to the 1600’s. We took the Oceania shuttle to the city center. Walked around (more like bounced around on the cobblestones).  Enjoyed fish and chips at the Irish Embassy. It was a windy day but sunny. 

A note about the weather – I was tracking it for weeks prior to our trip and thought I packed accordingly. Nope! It was much chillier and windier than I was prepared for!

Day 4
Kiel, Germany/Lubeck, Germany

Kiel is one of Germany’s major maritime centers. We took our only organized on-your-own tour to UNESCO Lubeck. We visited a large marzipan shop – the original home of marzipan – and toured their museum. Bought some marzipan to eat and share. Due to the distance, we had limited time in Lubeck, a barrier-free city (Europe’s version of ADA), but definitely not bump free. 

We tried for months to get a response from Oceania to our question about this excursion. We had promises of call backs and email responses but never received an answer. Once on the ship we went to the Shore Excursion desk and asked the same question. Within 24 hours we had our answer – Yes! You can take your foldable wheelchair on this bus excursion.

Day 5
Karlskrona, Sweden

Founded in 1680, Karlskrona is a naval port. This tender port did not seem well organized. There was a significant delay in being able to take the tender into town on an overcast, windy day with a few huge raindrops. Cobblestones are killer bumps. Karlskrona is hilly. Take the next block for an easier grade. We walked around town seeing several UNESCO sites. Beautiful huge kettles full of vibrant flowers decorated this port – it was a site to see! Karen added a local beer to the Beers of the World file. Jacques for dinner at a shared table. Good conversation with our table mates.

Day 6
Stockholm, Sweden

We took the HOHO from the ship’s pier to the ABBA museum and stood in line in the pouring rain to get our tickets and wait for our timed entry. We did duck into a small cafe with first floor WC for some warming tea for me and a beer for Karen. Calling for rain most of the day. We hoped for some Swedish meatballs but nope! No meatballs! Quick pass thru the museum which was fun especially the Silent Disco area. It was so packed that it made navigating with the wheelchair somewhat difficult. Of course the sun was shining after we left the museum and it was time to go back on HOHO and the ship.

Interesting note is that many of the city’s parks today had other uses years ago. For instance hops for the kings beer. Or fruit and vegetable gardens for the palace. After one palace burned down it took over 50 years to rebuild a replacement!

Sail in/out is reminiscent of 1000 Islands with lots of cottages, boats, inlets, islands and patriotic flags.

Word to the wise about ABBA: if you can predetermine your arrival time, buy your tickets in advance. The lines are long and there’s timed entry. The red line HOHO that is available at the ship side terminal drops off and picks up a short walk away from the museum. Had we bought our tickets in advance, we would have missed our timed entry.

Note: Special ticket pricing at ABBA Museum for handicap attendant. Pay for the handicapped person and the attendant gets in free! But watch them because they did not do that even though I was right in front of them until we had them redo it!

Day 7
Helsinki, Finland

Harborside capital city on the Baltic Sea, Helsinki presented a beautiful sunny day with blue skies and wind! Long day in port. Relaxing way to see Helsinki. Enjoyed a harbor cruise, the market square, a concert on the esplanade and HOHO tour. A few rousing games of UNO to complete the day. Saw our first church lighthouse!

Day 8
Tallinn, Estonia

We visited this delightful old town through historical gates. Note that it is simply difficult for mobility travel. There are few ramps off the sidewalks which may be narrow and angled. Lots and lots of cobblestones! Mostly sunny but there was a late morning downpour that didn’t last long. Did some shopping. There is a small clothing market near the shuttle stop with some great items and some lovely stores to shop inside the gates.

For those missing a touch of home there is a McDs and BK just inside the gates. WCs are a bit of a challenge so we paid for a bottle of water at McDs to get the code in order to use the restroom. Another stop was while it was raining and we had refreshments at a cafe with a first floor WC.

Of note most shops have a couple steps up to enter and restaurant bathrooms are either up or down a flight of stairs. Ramp back on the ship was at a steeper angle than previous ports due to time and tide.

Had dinner at Polo Grill. Too much time elapsed between courses. Filet mignon was cooked right but had sinew and was very chewy. The quintet dessert was a nice sampling of cheesecake, key lime pie, apple strudel, chocolate nut brownie with vanilla ice cream and crème brûlée shared with Karen. Too late for a picture! Todays injuries included an ouchie to Karen’s wrist and hip as she manuvered the sidewalks and cobblestones streets while navigating the wheelchair. My lower leg (awaiting surgery) and my knee continued to get abused by the rough and mean cobblestones and bus steps. 

Day 9
Riga, Latvia

After docking before a low bridge we walked into old town. Lots of narrow sidewalks, abandoned scooters, construction, sidewalk cafe tables and more obstructions. Took a break from the debilitating cobblestones and found a pub with same level rest room. Met and had a nice chat with Craig from the Manchester UK area who asked for Karen’s number, but was unsuccessful in obtaining it. LOL Found an ornament for our travel tree. Came back to ship for lunch on the aft deck’s open air dining area. Then nap time. The chef’s Baltic dinner meal didn’t really appeal to us, so room service it was! Soon we set sail to Visby, Sweden. Is there a chance of Swedish meatballs here? Time will tell! Day was sunny with a chance of clouds and a raindrop or two.

Internet is spotty at best in the Baltic Sea area. Looks like and says you are connected but you cannot receive or send anything. 

Day 10
Visby, Sweden

A walled UNESCO city of Visby,  there are gates on 3 sides. The fourth side is on the water. There is about 2 miles of wall with over 30 different towers. Amazing that it still stands since the 1200s. A beautiful old church, now a UNESCO ruin, and a beautiful newer church with wonderful stained glass windows beckoned us inside. WCs are elusive inside the walls but a beer for Karen’s Beers of the World folder can gain access to first floor WCs which may be extremely small and definitely not handicapped accessible or friendly.  Lots of cobblestones and hills inside the wall. A market square is buried deep within the walls down a cobblestone road that is shared with cars. We opted to not go back up the hills to our original entry point but went in search of a different hoho bus stop instead. We ended up taking a nice walk along the outside of the wall and finally found our original drop off point.

Day 11
Klaipeda, Lithuania

A quaint harbor town. By definition of its name, Klaipeda is difficult to walk. All that said the decision to walk or take a HOHO to explore our last stop in Sweden needs to be decided. We have yet to find sweatshirts here or enjoy Swedish meatballs. And of course there is always the search for WCs and postcards. Being on diuretics and traveling is tough!  First world problem I know!

This cruise is winding down. We are waiting to be wowed. The understanding of the crew has been heightened in the difference between Coke Light and Diet Coke. They have both on the ship but insist on bringing me Coke Light which is decidedly a different taste from Diet Coke. I finally had to glitch and speak to a restaurant manager. Hopefully that helped settle it. Plus there are a couple of servers who are now enlightened and are taking care of me. I always ask for a can and a glass of ice. I know when I get a glass of brown liquid delivered instead of what I asked for that it is most likely Coke Light. With over 800 Americans on board, I would have thought they would have had a better understanding. By the end of the cruise, mini bars were being raided for Diet Coke to please the masses!

Not sure how someone goes on a world cruise for weeks or months at a time. How to pack for different climates, bring enough medicine and eat the same rotation of food and on board entertainment just amazes me. There are visas to be considered as well. That’s why we decided to take different smaller trips on a variety of cruise ships. Two weeks is my max. 

After waiting longer than promised for the HOHO bus, we opted for the ship’s shuttle back to the ship. Just in time for a late lunch and nap before our second visit to Polo Grill. We had hoped for better service and food and table mates. Well 1 out of 3 wasn’t the best odds but we met Willy and Kathy from Switzerland and enjoyed our dinner time with them. Sadly the quintet dessert was short 1 sample and the presentation was definitely not the same as the first time, so again no picture. Our server had an attitude I did not appreciate.

No luck with the saffron pancakes, Swedish meatballs and minimal souvenir shops – The things we look for based on research! If you are looking for postcards buy them as you enter the main gates near the shuttle stop. It may be your only opportunity. 

Note: there are multiple time zone changes on an itinerary such as this one.

Hint: if you have an iPhone take the date/time off automatic. Enter the next port of call and your phone will automatically set the time.

Day 12
Ronne, Denmark

The day started with an unexpected rain storm but it turned into a beautiful sunny blue sky, white cloud day which we enjoyed ashore on our own. We took the complimentary shuttle to the Visitors Center and received a map and directions. We also did some retail therapy in town. Sure hope it fits!  If not it will be a nice donation to Green Drop. We finally made it to Afternoon Tea, which was disappointing. Viking may annoy us at times but it does know how to do certain things. Their presentation is much better than Oceania’s. And the food is better as well.

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Karen never found a red mailbox so another postcard not mailed in town but left at the ship’s reception to mail tomorrow from Copenhagen. Early start to our disembarkation day and a long layover in Frankfurt along the way before the final leg to Dulles. 

In town there were smoother coverings over the cobblestone sidewalks which made our rolling travels so much better and easier. Karen added another Beers of the World -Carlsberg. 

Tip: How to head in the right direction of your cabin on your deck when exiting the elevator. If there is a phone or art work on the wall take note. Use it as a directional signal. 

Tip: Internet is generally slow and spotty on board. 

Tip: Hop On, Hop Off (HoHo) buses are a great way to get around in a port. Many times they are available on the dock near the ship. The cost is fair. Some of them may also offer a boat trip.

Day 13
Copenhagen, Denmark

Sadly the amount of time spent in Copenhagen was waiting for the ship to clear and waiting for our flight in the airport. You are whisked off the ship around 7:30AM, claim your luggage, board a bus to the airport and say goodbye to Copenhagen! All in all it was a pretty good trip. I think what sucks the most for us is our hospitality backgrounds and expectations.

We were really wowed by 2 crew members. Artem in Horizons who took very good care of Karen’s beer and wine and my Diet Coke. He always greeted us and I felt like we received special attention. The other crew member was Jonald who helped with the wheelchair at the gang plank on several occasions. A huge thank you to Oceania for providing in-port complimentary shuttle service to city centers. I truly wish Viking did something similar instead of making us go on an included tour to get into the city centers.

A special shout out to passengers who took the time to say hi and have a chat with us:

• Pentagon City, Virginia
• Fargo North Dakota
• Perth, Australia
• Tampa, Florida
• San Diego, California
• Potomac, Maryland
• Northern Michigan
• Evans, Georgia
• Monterrey, Mexico
• Bel Air, Maryland
• Switzerland
• and Elaine, who wore the red dress pin every day!
• Apologies to anyone I forgot – senior-itis!

Shipboard Etiquette – It can be contagious

• Kindness – we are all on vacation, be kind.
• Elevators – Same as on land – wait for people to exit before entering, and hold the door so people can enter without getting hit with the fastly closing doors. If it’s full wait for the next one. And pay attention to who was waiting before you! If possible allow handicapped people to go before you. Don’t rush the doors to get in first! 
• Talking Volume – Not everyone needs to hear your conversation or music or game. Be courteous to those around you.
• Talking during shows and announcements – one of my biggest pet peeves! Sit down, shut up and listen. If you want to talk do it elsewhere. We want to listen!
• Respect for others – Golden rule applies here. Remember, Karma is a bitch!
• If sharing a dining table be on time or cancel if you are not coming. Meals for those on time are delayed, waiting for you. 
• Offer the front seat to handicapped passengers on buses. The steps into the bus are killers enough without having to navigate to the back of the bus. To the few who did this, thank you! Your mama raised you right!
• Mind the noise level in your cabin. Slamming drawers and doors reverberates to other staterooms. 
• Cutting in line whether for information or food is never acceptable. Wait your turn!
• Treating handicapped individuals like they are invisible and it’s not ok to be rude verbally or physically. Help hold passageway doors. Not all doors on the ship are automatic.
• If you know where the smoking sections are and do not want to smell the smoke you do not need to loudly verbalize it. There are many other paths both port and starboard that you can take to your cabin, elevators, restaurants and other areas of the ship to avoid it. Please do so or shut up and hold your breath as you walk by. It’s your choice as well as theirs.
• There was a very loud table next to us talking rudely about handicapped people slowing them down on a Viking excursion. I did not appreciate that at all. But amazingly I kept my mouth shut and didn’t say anything. Ugh! People! Never forget it may be you or a loved one someday. Again, Karma is a bitch.

Where will Chapter 14 take us? Check back later to find out!!

“The most beautiful things in life are not materialistic things.
They’re people and places, memories and pictures.
They’re feelings and moments, tight hugs, smiles and laughter.”

~Unknown

We never know what’s coming week to week here. Why? Because Karen does not have a set schedule and it varies from week to week. Some weeks it’s a full 40 hours/5 days, other weeks there’s only 3 or 4 days to work scheduled. It makes it difficult to plan too far in advance. But! lucky for us we can be spontaneous and we always seem to have a couple alternate trips in our back pocket.

CAUTION! THIS BLOG CONTAINS PHOTO OVERLOAD!

Such is the case for this chapter of Our Red Dress World Tour – closer to home! We started out early hitting the road towards Baltimore, which will be our base for two nights at the Four Seasons. Pool time and visiting the Pennsylvania Dutch country area nearby are on the list. We are looking forward to the farm stands for home grown goodness and bakery yumminess! Not to mention the Amish cheese and ring bologna!

We were treated to a wonderful suite at the Baltimore Four Seasons, with a lighthouse view. The amenity was a BMORE cutting board with chocolate shavings, an anchor sugar cookie, a cute crab macaroon, two other macaroons and a chocolate truffle with the Four Seasons logo in gold dust as well as a bottle of Saratoga water and a bottle of red wine. So nice to be spoiled! I always look forward to the amenities as they are usually unique to the the area (hence the anchor and crab).

I’m not quite sure when it was discovered that I somehow didn’t pack my many medicines – UGH! We enjoyed the sunshine for a while and our lunch pool-side. An unplanned side trip back to D.C. to find where I had left my personal pharmacy filled our first afternoon instead of relaxing by the pool. Which by the way got progressively noisier as the time went on so it was less relaxing than planned. On our way back to B’More we stopped and picked up some salads for our dinner. Too late to do much else, we played some UNO before bed.

Thursday was all about our plans to revisit the Pennsylvania Dutch country areas. We headed to Litiz for our time entry into Sturgis Pretzel Factory – a place we visited many years ago when Karen was young. We learned, once again, about the origin of the pretzel, how to make the shape of the pretzel and how much we would have been paid to make the pretzel. It was a fun and interesting time. Afterwards, we headed into Amish country in search of farm stands, quilts, horse and buggies, and lunch. The back country roads were lined with very tall corn on both sides. We also passed a tobacco drying barn. We ate lunch while in the Bird-in-Hand area then headed up the road to Intercourse for some unique rolled ice cream. The day was fastly disappearing on us so we headed out in search of a few covered bridges. The bridges we visited were Bitzers Mill Bridge in Ephrata, Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridge near Lancaster, Hunsiders Mill and Web’s ill Covered Bridge in LItiz. The craftsmanship boggles the mind!

We ended our day with a stop at a Mennonite Farm Market, where we finally found Amish Cheese and a few other goodies. All too soon the shops were closing so it was time to head back to Baltimore. A huge shout-out to my city kid, Karen, for navigating the hills, road twists and turns and Amish buggies while driving the back roads on our return to Baltimore. We didn’t find as many farm stands as I remembered from years ago, but we did happen upon one and brought home-grown tomatoes, cucumbers, corn on the cob, a honeydew melon and an oatmeal whoopee pie. Quite the haul! The corn on the cob was grilled to perfection along with Zweigle’s red hots by Karen and complimented with Bush’s Original Baked Beans. A delicious tomato was enjoyed on a BLT for lunch. And the cucumber and tomato will be enjoyed in a chef’s salad tomorrow. The melon is chilling and will be a good TV snack later. And the whoopie pie? Well that was a load of sweetness! The sticky bun was delicious and breakfast shared with Karen the next morning.

Our late lunch did not leave us room for dinner, so we snacked on our room amenity and some cheese and crackers while we played UNO. Yes, we take our UNO cards with us every time! We enjoy the game and wish we had started keeping score when we started playing during the Pandemic.

Our plan for our last day was to sit by the pool and enjoy another pool-side lunch. But the weather was not cooperating so we headed home early instead. Our time in the PA Dutch country had come to an end.

A little blast from the past! I found our pictures from 1984 road trip to the Pennsylvania Dutch area. It just adds to the memories…