Think of all the joy you’ll find …….. Update - January 06

[Grumpy's Wife]

Karin I can't keep up with you! I'm still reading your last report. So happy to be following along again.

 

[jedijill]

Ah, I miss flying into Frankfurt! Looks like you are off to a great start. Your breakfast looks tasty and color me shocked you ordered Eggs Benedict!

Jill in CO

 

[Flossbolna]

My next flight is connecting through Munich, so I do not get to try Hausmanns. But Munich has really nice places, too. Btw, I noticed recently that it seems that there are now direct flights from Munich to Miami. I know that you prefer to fly from Linz (same with me, I want to take the U-Bahn to the airport in Nuremberg, just so convenient), it is just interesting to keep track of what is going on. I think American Airlines is starting a new service from Tampa to Frankfurt as well, so even more flights between Florida and Germany!

I don't understand how people don't do online check-in? I mean, if you are booking online, then there are so many reminders for online check-in. And if you book through a real travel agent, shouldn't the travel agent tell them? I am wondering whether the new Lufthansa system that you need to purchase the seat reservation makes these problems bigger than they used to be? If so, I feel really sorry for the cabin personnel.

 

[Teri1]

I know I'm late! Can't wait to hear all about it and see the awesome pics!

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Already found joy as soon as I saw Olaf-head Thomas............

 

[pas130]

Those plan overbookings are something, I am way too obsessive to NOT do Online check-in and pick seats especially with the kids. Best airport breakfast, Karin that Eggs Benedict looked good. And the bus to the plane on the first flight

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Just want to check in and thank you for the invite! Already lots to catch up on...going to read right now..how exciting!! So happy you let me know, Karin.

 

[MEK]

Thanks for the shout out. I know this is going to be a wonderful trip.

OMG - Tom's breakfast sandwich looks SO amazing. I totally want that. Why can't I get a sandwich like that in the states??? Why oh why????

Boo to the 5 hour layover.

I'm a little worried about the door now and how its going to impact your take-off.

I love the pictures your posted that represent each day of your trip.

 

[Leshaface]

Of course i'm here!!

It was funny to see a bus pull up when the plane was just 20 steps from the main building,

What the heck? Last year when we took a flight to Las Vegas out of one of our local airports, we actually had to walk out to the plane itself. It was probably as far out, if not a little bit further out, than the plane here! Guess they didn't care about our safety

DH saw this and loved it cause this is the only beer he drinks now, but he loves that mug!

“Räucherlachsstulle”, smoked salmon, cream cheese, horse radish, honey mustard sauce, pickled cucumbers and fennel on a slice of freshly baked bread. It looked and tasted wonderful. I thought I’d better start our vacation on a high and ordered the

Toast Eggs Benedict Style, slow poached eggs with grilled green asparagus, Hollandaise Sauce and crispy bacon.

Both of your dishes look amazing, but of course, you picked the winner! It's like your go-to vacation dish

 

[MAGICFOR2]

With your travel day so long, it's nice you started with a delicious breakfast. Don't tell me you're going to have to change planes

 

[podsnel]

YAY!!! Happy Birthday to Tom!! And I can't believe I missed you by a week!! That is just not right!! Oh well- someday....... so happy you went to Key west- we will be going there 2 weeks from Monday on the last Bahamas cruise before the Magic sails for Europe- looking forward to reading all about it! Thanks for the Bat Signal- xo

 

[podsnel]

Your breakfast (both) looked AMAZING- I want to fly into Frankfurt just to eat there!

 

[dizneeat]

Karin I can't keep up with you! I'm still reading your last report. So happy to be following along again.

No worries about keeping up. I still have not finished the TRs from the last two summers, but I am working on it. This was just a pixie dust sprinkle trip, so I thought to better share right away.

Ah, I miss flying into Frankfurt! Looks like you are off to a great start. Your breakfast looks tasty and color me shocked you ordered Eggs Benedict!

Jill in CO

It definitely started off great. So you miss flying into Frankfurt? I am not a huge fan of the airport itself as it is HUGE, but lately there are less "works in progress".
And I thought long and hard on how to surprise you with my breakfast order - thought you all would never guess that I would order some Eggs Benedict.

My next flight is connecting through Munich, so I do not get to try Hausmanns. But Munich has really nice places, too. Btw, I noticed recently that it seems that there are now direct flights from Munich to Miami. I know that you prefer to fly from Linz (same with me, I want to take the U-Bahn to the airport in Nuremberg, just so convenient), it is just interesting to keep track of what is going on.

We have flown out of Munich a few times, but it is so convenient to just drive the 20 minutes to our small airport. Do you know if they fly the 380 from Munich to Miami? I am really worried about arriving with so many other passengers and then have to go through immigration in Miami! We had the worst immigration experiences in Miami and DC.
But it is an interesting thought to have some thing else to fall back on with the option of Munich.
We checked Vienna, as we now have a train that takes us right to Vienna airport from here, but there are no direct flights from Vienna to Florida. And I would hate to sit on the train for 2 hours and then go from Vienna via Frankfurt again.

I think American Airlines is starting a new service from Tampa to Frankfurt as well, so even more flights between Florida and Germany!

I am not a huge fan of flying AA or any other US airline. Somehow every time we had to fly them we had a horrible experience. Guess we will stick with Austrian (which is part of StarAlliance anyway) or Lufthansa.

I don't understand how people don't do online check-in? I mean, if you are booking online, then there are so many reminders for online check-in. And if you book through a real travel agent, shouldn't the travel agent tell them?

I could not agree with you more. I mean, LH sends you reminders that you can check in online, so why not do it? Especially with almost every hotel having WiFi now. And a TA should at least tell you to do it, if he can't do it for his client.

I am wondering whether the new Lufthansa system that you need to purchase the seat reservation makes these problems bigger than they used to be? If so, I feel really sorry for the cabin personnel.

Do they still charge for seats? I know they charge for the ones where you have more legroom, but I was under the impression that you can choose "regular" seats for free. Maybe I am wrong as I usually look for seats with more legroom.

I know I'm late! Can't wait to hear all about it and see the awesome pics!

You are not late at all, Teresa!
It was such a fun trip and I wish we could just cruise with you again this summer.

 

[Poolrat]

Here and caught up.

Not too sure how I feel about that plane being close.

Food looks yummy even if I can't have some of it.

5 hour layover I get antsy over an hour layover. If I am not running to catch the next plane I don't know what to do with myself but International I would want more time but not 5 hours.

 

[Flossbolna]

Do you know if they fly the 380 from Munich to Miami? I am really worried about arriving with so many other passengers and then have to go through immigration in Miami! We had the worst immigration experiences in Miami and DC.

No, not the A380! They are flying A340s or A330s, I am not sure. I rather prefer those over the 747s they have currently flying into Orlando as they have the 2-4-2 configuration, which is especially nice if you are only two people! But i love window seats and it just feels less closed in if you only have to climb over one stranger and not two strangers!

I am not a huge fan of flying AA or any other US airline. Somehow every time we had to fly them we had a horrible experience. Guess we will stick with Austrian (which is part of StarAlliance anyway) or Lufthansa.

I much prefer European airlines myself. I have to say that I really liked Air France and thanks to the renovations, connecting at CDG has become much easier than it used to be. So that could be an option for flying out of Vienna I would think?

Do they still charge for seats? I know they charge for the ones where you have more legroom, but I was under the impression that you can choose "regular" seats for free. Maybe I am wrong as I usually look for seats with more legroom.

I think they only started recently. It was in the news here and I know that my November trip was "grandfathered" in as I had booked that before the change. It is free if you book Premium Economy which is what you had for this summer, wasn't it?

Regular seat for long distance flight is 25€ each segment. For the German flight segment it would be 10€, but I am not paying for that as it would be crazy to pay for a seat assignment on a plan that is in the air for 15 minutes and is so tiny that it only has window and aisle seats.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Yea!!! Another trip. I am here also. Thanks for the invite.

Kate

 

[RGirl]

Hi Karin! Joining in, of course!

Your travel days are always just so insane.

 

[franandaj]

OK, I'm here, thanks for the notification!

 

[DnA2010]

Oh yay! I just love your reports! Def one of the deciding factors in booking our first DCL cruise (13 days to go!) was yours and many other awesome TRs!

Can't wait to read more!

-Ally

 

[jenseib]

That's a long layever. It's crazy that they over booked it so much. I never get why people don't do online check in unless I guess they were on vacation and had no computer access.
Those breakfast bars didn't look all that appealing. LOL