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anyone arriving on the 19th?

Sea-Turtle48 — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:23:36 GMT

Is anyone arriving on 19 April?

I'm arriving at 9:30 am on United flight UA908 and being a solo I'd like to find anyone/couple who might want to split the cab fair?

Or if taking the train to the hotel let me hang out until we reach the hotel?

Usually doesn't bother me being solo but for some reason I'm apprehensive about finding my way to the pre trip hotel on my own...

Who's excited??

Sea-Turtle48 — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:09:46 GMT

Anybody excited that Amsterdam/Switzerland is right around the corner??? Thought after receiving Olivia's trip information email last night there might of been some activity on this site?? Where's everybody at??

40 day's or 42 left depending on whether you're booked for the pre stretcher.

Can't wait to see old friends and look forward to making new friends..

Less then 90 days!!!

Sea-Turtle48 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:23:40 GMT

Less then 90 days (81 days till I leave for pre-vacation stretcher). Where has the time gone?

Trip for Sale - Amsterdam to Switzerland 2013

AandE — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:08:57 GMT

Double-Occupancy Stateroom (Category E)

We are currently booked in a Category E stateroom, but need to cancel our trip. The total we have paid thus far is $6,459, but we are willing to sell it at a discounted rate of $5500 OBO. The is also a balance of $787 due to Olivia, which you will take over once you have purchased the reservation from us. Located on the Indigo Deck, our centrally-located stateroom is 172 square feet and features a picture window, flatscreen TV, radio, minibar, hairdryer, safe, and Egyptian cotton bedding. Please e-mail me if you are interested in purchasing this stateroom: efiney@yahoo.com

Travel docs have arrived

Michele — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:32:56 GMT

Less than one month and we are in Amsterdam. How cool is that to be able to say???

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AandE — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:02:22 GMT

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Trip for Sale

ssola14 — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 21:20:29 GMT

Life happens, we can't travel this year. Anyone interested in purchasing our tickets, we have Category P stateroom located on the Royal Deck. This is the highest deck on the ship, 172 square foot room includes a French balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows, flat-screen TV, radio, minibar, hairdryer, safe, and Egyptian cotton bedding. We paid $9196.00, we/'re will to sell for $8500.00. If interesteed, please contact us, seniorsonthebeach@gmail.com.

Money Matter's

Sea-Turtle48 — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:37:44 GMT

Haven't sold room yet so I'm making my travel plans,

As Amsterdam uses Euros and Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc, what advice or ideas does anyone have about bringing foreign currency or just sticking with credit cards? I usually stick to using foreign currency but in this case am not sure. When using credit cards don't you get hit with a fee each time used?

Also for those of you who have been on this trip before how are the prices of food and other expenses acquired while traveling compare to the US. I want to make sure I budget in enough for pre and post trip strechers..

These might be stupid questions but would just like to get other opinions, thought's and ideas..

Weather

Sea-Turtle48 — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:49:52 GMT

I figure for this trip I wont need to bring my snorkel equipment!!!

As far as the places we'll be visiting on this trip at this time of year what would be some recommendation's as far as what one should pack.. I have a general idea but don't want to forget anything sense I'm allowed one free checked suitcase..

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Sea-Turtle48 — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:07 GMT

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Olivia traveler potlucks in Seattle

Fremontster — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:56:58 GMT

We've been having these since 2011, and meet about twice yearly to deepen the friendships made on trips and get to know women who we'll be traveling with in the future. If you'd like to be included on the email list for future events please send your contact info to me at laurab0725@gmail.com. We're likely to have one in April before this trip takes off.

general itineray questions

Barb_and_Karen — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:11:12 GMT

We are planning to meet our friends while on the cruise. We met them on a Olivia Cruise and theynow live in Germany. What is he approximate time in ports for Wednesday and Thursday. just doing some pre planning. Also what time to arrive in Basel?

Money in Switzerland

Denise-N-Annie — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:57:43 GMT

Hey Olivia Ladies!

While doing some research for this trip, we found out that Switzerland uses a Swiss Franc as currency. Does anyone know if the Swiss accept Euros? Since we are doing the post trip, we will probably need some spending/fun money. Come on April!!!

Denise & Annie

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Tajenn — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 02:34:21 GMT

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Olivia's Amsterdam to Switzerland 2013 Facebook Group

sleddog — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 19:35:23 GMT

If you haven't already joined the group...come join us!!!

Olivia's Amsterdam to Switzerland 2013 Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169123433232507/

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sleddog — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 19:31:27 GMT

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Looking for something to do prior to Embarkation?

pocotitters — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:22:35 GMT

We are performing at L-Beach April 19th and 20th outside of Hamburg on the North Sea. There were 4,000 women at the event last year and should be pretty wild. We plan to fly up to Amsterdam on Sunday morning to catch the boat for our Rhine Cruise.

Travel and Safety Tips for International Travel

JillCruse — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:27:34 GMT

Travel and Safety Tips as you Travel

Travel Tips for long flights:

Here are a few ways to make travel on long flights a bit more comfortable and to help you arrive at your destination ready to go. Here's what I add to my carry-on bag:

· Saline nose spray - dry nostrils are prime breeding grounds for colds and flu. People claim that using a nose spray during their flight, they don't get a headache upon landing or get sick on trips.

· Tooth picks

· Bandana - - many uses while on planes (hankie, place mat, polish your fruit, wear as a “sleep” blindfold, cover nose/mouth over those foul smells that arise on planes :-), napkin, clean your glasses . . . . many uses!

· Bring a re-useable empty water container as you go through inspections, and fill it up at one of many water fountains inside the terminal before boarding.

· Bring a hotel-size bottle of lotion. Hands and face often get very dry in flight.

· Have a few snacks on hand – nuts, apple, favorite candies.

· Small travel-sized pack of tissues (or put some tissues in a baggie)

· Pen to work on puzzles in magazines and to fill our customs/immigration forms

· A blow-up neck pillow - This is easily stored in your carry-on and makes taking a nap so much more comfortable.

· A large wrap that can be used as a scarf or even a blanket when it get too cool

· When on-board, be sure to take several walks about the cabin. This will increase your circulation and help prevent deep vein thrombosis.

· Your own head-set for viewing movies or listening to music

· Traveling at night and arriving at your destination in the morning? Ask your doctor for recommendations to help you to sleep on flights.

· Have an iPad? Load your favorite movie(s) from iTunes

· Have all your customs/Immigration forms filled out BEFORE landing.

· And finally, before landing, go to the restroom and freshen up. You will then be ready to face the long lines through customs and the beginning of your next adventure.

Feel free to add your tips in this section as well!

Safety Tips

The next time you are walking in a city center or taking public transportation, do this short mental exercise. It will serve you well when you're traveling in a foreign destination. Look around you:

· Which women stand out?

· Whose purse has an outside pocket half unzipped?

· Who keeps checking the posted subway maps?

· Who is wearing a day pack on their back that could easily be accessed?

· Who seems to be spending a lot of time on their cell-phone and not aware of their surroundings?

· Who looks relaxed?

· Is anybody consulting a guidebook or checking something in their wallet?

· Who looks timid? This is exactly what an experienced thug does as he chooses his prey.

· Which person would you choose to pickpocket? Why?

Remember, always stand tall, look confident and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Hopefully, these insights you gain will help you to protect yourself from wrongdoers as you travel.

Single-Looking for Roommate for Amsterdam trip

mfauche369 — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:46:17 GMT

I would love to enjoy this trip, but due to limited space I need a roommate. Thanks

Alternative Post-trip - Interlaken

jennie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:12:08 GMT

For those who want to "roll their own" after cruise trip, I'd highly recommend Interlaken. It's beautiful and there is tons of stuff to do around there. The train connections from Basel and to Zurich will be easy. In the Interlaken area, the glacier carved valley Lauterbrunnen sits in is one of the the most beautiful places on earth. It's pretty easy to put together a train trip from Interlaken that goes to Lauterbrunnen, then take the Wengernalpbahn to Grendelwald and from their back to Interlaken. The Wengernalpbahn is a train that goes up and over the pass near the Eiger and Jungfrau mountain peaks. It's steep a railway that it uses cogs part of the way! Reservations are a good idea on this train as it is very popular. When you're done with the mountains, take one of the ferries on the lake.

If you think this is for you, check out Eurail. All of what I described above can be done on a Eurail pass. (Including the lake ferries!) Unfortunately, you can't get a single country pass for Switzerland but you can get a France/Switzerland or a Germany/Switzerland pass. Which would give you even more cool options for stretching your vacation!

Hope you all have fun - this is going to be a really great cruise for you!

Stretchers in Amsterdam and Zurich

JillCruse — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:11:10 GMT

Hi everyone! I will be flying to Amsterdam mid-April to do the pre-trip site inspection. We will be looking at a few different hotels for Amsterdam and in Zurich to create a 2 day extension in Amsterdam before the trip and a 2-3 day extension in Zurich after the trip.

We will include a tour to the Anne Frank house with the pre trip package. Jana is right as we secure VIP tickets in advance so we can go iin an entrance separate from the people standing in the long lines. We also plan a city tour through the red light district and gay area where the homo monument is, and Kuekenhof Gardens where you will find Avery type of tulip there is. It's a very popular add-on and we should have this package ready to go by the end on May. We try to include things not available to do on the regular trip.

In Zurich we are checking out possible tours and hotels for a 2 or 3 day extension.

Jill

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sleddog — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:13:19 GMT

ok...time for a new post!

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Sea-Turtle48 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:54:23 GMT

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