I have ANOTHER PLAN - will work on it tomorrow. Well it is tomorrow now and below are my thoughts.

I would have no reservations at all doing a land program with Crystal, but looking at Crystal's website they are not offering many land programs, 2 night Zurich and 3 night Prague. The reason I picked Slovenia in the first place was because Crystal used to offer that. To do any other destination we would have to hire a company to handle buses, guides etc. KLT does not do land programs and the only firm I feel confident with would be Ker & Downey but they will not do something this short. The issue is I could pick a tour company get this done, pay our deposits then Covid-19 could put them out of business. I would feel responsible and I am not prepared to take that risk.

Slovenia would have been very good but getting there for the first day is a nightmare. This is the best air option, The same route is available on KLM/Alitalia but only a 50 minute layover in Rome (too short) and the same flight Rome to Trieste. The drive from the Trieste airport to Hotel Kempinski is 30 minutes. Not not sure many of you would want to that - 3hr 25m hours of flying with a 3hr 15m minute connection - total travel time of 6hr 40m. Arriving at the hotel about 7.30 pm.

Amsterdam (AMS) to Trieste (TRS) — Mon, Apr 19

Amsterdam (AMS) to Rome (FCO) — Mon, Apr 19
Alitalia 107 Dep: 11:55 am Arr: 2:10 pm 2h 15m Airbus A321 Business (D)

Layover in FCO 3h 15m

Rome (FCO) to Trieste (TRS) — Mon, Apr 19
Alitalia 1359 Dep: 5:25 pm Arr: 6:35 pm 1h 10m Airbus A319 Economy (Y)

There is a nonstop that leaves at 6.30 am arriving about 8.30 am. SO EARLY and it does not fly everyday and checking it right now NOT MONDAY that we need.

So for now it is best if everyone does their own thing. Those on the single trips can easily do a pre or post cruise individually. Prague post from the Danube Mahler cruise with Crystal I would recommend. Not showing yet but they usually do that land program just not out yet. The people on the back to back have to come up with a plan to fill in those 5 nights and they have plenty of time to handle that as it will not affect their international flights.

Sorry about this I had high hopes for Slovenia but it appears it is not meant to be. I know that I will at some point now go to Slovenia as it is a country I would now like to see.