Discount lovers

We enjoyed our August cruise to Norway on BALMORAL with great service, food and a good itinerary. The ship suffers from and will continue to suffer from insufficient lifts. It is popular and often sails full or nearly full. The lifts that they have are thus too slow and too small for the typical clientele of Fred Olsen cruises, many of whom don't walk very well. It only takes 2/3 restricted mobility passengers with a helper to clog up the lifts at the restaurant end at peak times and many older passengers need the lifts.

On our last two cruises, one Newcastle and one Southampton, disembarkation has been by groups first and then by deck. This means even if you are on the top deck it can be a while before you disembark depending on how many groups there are. Usually Eavesway are first followed by all the others, Saga, etc.

This was our experience last Monday just as described when we left Balmoral. We were called just after eight o'clock and it caught us still in the cabin doing our last check around, last use of the loo etc.

We were on our way quickly with the only problem being the shortage of and slowness of :(the lifts, as the stairs were not an option.

We are booked on Balmoral in August so for us this is most interesting; many thanks. The changes are very small.

We do hope that there has been no change in the provision of breakfast in the cabin without charge. We enjoy this benefit greatly as we can have a slow start to the day. :D;) Filling the order form is a nice ritual and then hanging it on the door knob outside is always the last thing that we do in the day. Usually, the only restaurant breakfast that we have is on the day of departure.

Can I take it that this is still available? Did you use the service?

We are due on Balmoral in August and the AI package was included in our cabin price as we booked early; we only noticed a change that the tips are no longer included in our early booking benefit.

Only one of us drinks booze ( me! ) and the speciality coffees and chocolate being reduced is a big plus. I seem to remember that they were paid for at half-price previously or so we thought. But I could be wrong.

We have had regular e-mails telling us that our Club points are steadily shrinking as we haven't been able to take a Costa cruise for a couple of years owing to health reasons. We like Costa and their approach to a Med. cruise. But our Pearl status has vanished along with the privileges as far as I can make out and has become like we were almost beginners again.

We may have to eschew Costa cruises in the future.

A further advantage of Fred's boats is that the staff get to know the cruisers who frequent their area or bar, etc. A friendly greeting just makes a difference to an already pleasant experience. This is in marked contrast to a giant and more impersonal boat which is a different experience again.

I would recommend downloading VESSELFINDER onto your iphone and then you can track the ship as it approaches from its other port. We had the experience last year of a late arrival from Rosyth to our departure port for our embarkation and what the staff were telling us was not exactly what was really happening.

It's all in a day's work to them, I suppose. But it's not so funny when medication is needed and stress should be avoided. :(

I remember that it is possible to pop in and use the irons without charge to smooth things out on an ad hoc basis hoping that an iron will be free at the time. ;)

On their Facebook page, some peole think it's a good response, one tho is having a right moan about their offer and help.

Inevitably, there is always one!! ;)

It sounds as if they are doing what is needed in a rather awkward and unwanted situation. :)

A company's desire to preserve its reputation is always a stimulus to get it right.

We enjoyed the cruise to Norway; we got off May 31st with a quick disembark and were back in N. Yorks to get the dog by 11.00am.

The food was good, the drinks were free ( inclusive package!) and our cabin was comfy. We have been to Bergen a few times and as usual it rained! We must like it, but, as we keep going back. Highly recommended. :)

On our upcoming 5 night cruise to the Fjords, being confined to the cabin for 2 days would make a nonsense of the whole trip! :mad: Being in the cabin and with the all-inclusive package I could be very tempted to just stay in the room and make the best of a bad job!! :D But, seriously, it is a bit of a worry.

We have been on an infected cruise before and we remained virus free but we were very careful. Having the public toilets closed is a real bind but it makes sense.

The ship relies a lot on the buffet system for meals evening meal in MDR excepted . It lets passengers near food that they themselves are not going to eat as they inspect it and have a general look around what is on offer. :confused:

At breakfast it is very slow to get full waiter service even if you need it. We always have breakfast in our cabin ( until dis-embarkation day ). So far we have escaped the bug even when it was just down the corridor.

fingers crossed for end of May:cool:

I really hope that this one is sorted out soon. We had the experience 2 years ago on BW of all the public toilets closed and the buffets being manned by catering staff to keep us away from the food. We were OK but it slowed down everything. It was never referred to as Norovirus!! :confused:

Here's to a bug free end of May cruise! :)

We got the e-mail regarding the new club rules last Friday.

We cannot be a*rsed working our way thro' all the rules as what we want is a good cruise ( we like Costa ) and some perks for coming back again and again.

We shall book again for January ( D.V. ) on our winter escape and see what happens to our entitlement. The e-mail was not user-friendly IMO but much can be lost in translation!! :D

Writers of company communications should never assume that customers ( AKA wage payers ) will take the same trouble to comprehend said communications as they have taken in writing them! KISS!

We're just back from a Balmoral cruise last week and we are no strangers to the ship.

We noticed that the food was rather variable in quality and the salads were not as they were some time back. It's hard to say quite why but as a consistent salad- starter eater I was left a little disappointed. The standard of service around the ship was liable to be a bit suspect, too. Have they reduced staff a little which is affecting service on sea days? I approached the bar for a drink in the pub and was asked by the waitress to take a seat as she would come to me. We just gave up; and another day it took nearly 15 minutes to be approached as the 1 waiter did lots of bustle around the bar, left the room and finally returned. Slow service twice starts to be a trend. :(

We are regular F. Olsen cruisers and because of the price of ship's tours we have resolved not to buy them unless it is to realise a life's dream or somesuch. The cheaper ones are for walking around the location and the more expensive ones often involve sitting in a coach, being herded around :(and also having some walking to do. We take each port as it comes and as they are tourist destinations there are often locals on hand, eager to offer us something!

That is our approach to the problem but it won't suit everyone!

We enjoyed this cruise, too but we were horrified at the treatment of the passengers before embarkation, meaning us! We arrived at the time given to us to avoid congestion and the place was heaving with not a seat anywhere. We went back and sat in our car! They must have known that the ship would be late as it was obvious to anyone who located it on its trip down from Rosyth or who looked on F. Olsen's website ship locator. The only gesture given to customer relations was a clock telling us that embarkation would start at 7.30.

For our next cruise, we shall take just a little foreign cash as we are going to Norway and we don't buy much when we are there and we certainly don't eat lunch off the boat or have a quiet lunchtime drink in a local bar! And for the amount we are likely to spend in October on the next cruise, we have some euros left from last year for the odd onshore treat.

For small amounts, we have decided just to go to the Post Office or Ramsdens as we haven't got the energy or inclination to hunt around! ( Very poor shoppers!! ) :o

Our real concern about next week is the norovirus situation on Boudicca. Does anyone know if she is clear of the dreaded bug? We would appreciate knowing.

A little bit harsh I think :)

 

The Kiel canal transit doesn't rank as one of the most scenic, unless you are into industrial chic...

 

This is true but . . . . we transited the canal one winter a while back on a Christmas Markets cruise and a covering of white was just what was needed to make it attractive!

The average age of your fellow cruisers will make your holiday rather sedate, I fear. But if you are with your family and friends it will be very enjoyable as the ship is comfortable with good food. :)

I can't advise about the nature of single cabins.

I hope that this is sorted out before our cruise. We don't go to all of the shows ( meaningless dancing with high volume music ! :( ) but always have first sitting. We tend to go to bed around 11.00. The nice quiet lounges are a delight while second sitting is watching the show!

On Pacifica last Jan we had a premium oceanview on deck 9 : as for the continental breakfast, it means that you can order the breakfast in your cabin as per the menu sheet provided ( to be hung on the door outside at bedtime ) without any extra charge. The other items in the questions I can't answer as we didn't use them but there is always a room service menu at a charge.

We had the in-cabin breakfast every day except disembarkation day and found it just what we wanted and very reliable.

What has happened to the Gala Night and the Italian Night? Have these simply disappeared on this ship? No singing and no waiters dancing ? I ask as we just love these dining experiences and wouldn't like to lose them.

Thanks to all who responded to put my mind at rest. Couldn't imagine having to suffer frizzy hair for the whole cruise.

 

Blondie808 how you find the Serena? It seem to get very mixed reviews with most complaints being about the food and the other guests!!

We had a week on Serena last January. It was still the school hols. so there were many children and young families around but the big ship simply allowed them and us the space we needed. But it is not a a quiet, refined experience! We think of COSTA boats as an Italian holiday village floating around the Med with international guests mixed in. The idea is: "The party continues!" There's lots of activity but it can be avoided.

The food is good with a wide range of courses on the menu; the buffet is varied during the day but it seems to turn into a pizza buffet in the evening ( we didn't use it ) . The is the usual pay extra restaurant with a quieter ambience. The food goes along with entertainment as Italian night and Gala night involve singing and dancing in the restaurant and it is great fun and Very!! Italian. We love it but some are put off by the casual style.

Some larger Italian families can be noisy and pushy but they are on hol. too and the boat is, after all, a slice of Italy. And yes! English is not always the first language spoken in the announcements and we have to await our turn!!