Newbury newbie

Thought I’d have had some factual opinions by now!!

A question from the UK. I’m getting more and more uncertain about my Solstice SE Asia cruise being a goer in Feb 2022 and looking for a plan B. Silhouette to the ABC Islands 14th Feb 2022 has got my interest but don’t quite know the Covid status out there. 
 

Is cruising to that area currently operating? Or is it a matter of being pretty confident it will all be open and back to near normal by Feb 2022? 
 

I’m looking for some assurance!

Anybody got info on the plans for Solstice right now? I see it’s at anchor off Singapore. Are there signs of the SE Asia routes opening up any time soon?

Should be on Solstice next Feb 2022, which is still 260 days off!! Seems a long time off, but at times I see it as fast approaching!!

1 hour ago, Bruin Steve said:

 

Of course, we've been to Santorini many times before...and these half day shorexes are designed to leave you in town at the end with a return cable car ticket to get back to the tenders on your own...So, doesn't it make sense for you to be allowed off the ship on your own?  Besides, isn't Greece opening to tourism so the shop keepers and restauranteurs on Santorini can make some money?

 

Does anyone really think this "shorex only" idea makes any sense???

 

It would appear there’s some ambiguity in the policy that doesn’t make sense. However, I think it’s main objective is to limit the potential of bringing infection back on the ship, after all the checks done on Day 1, and not so much protecting locals! So what you say about restauranteurs and shop keepers doesn’t really figure!

43 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We had 5 cruises booked to Asia in both 2020 and 2021.  Hope you get to go in 2022,  my ability to predict has a very low accuracy rate.

We have actually booked the same itinerary as we were due to do on Millie in 2020. That got cancelled 2 days before we were due to fly out from the UK!!

My feelings swing between all out blind optimism and apathetic pessimism!!

Right now, I’m about middle! Looking up flight options but short of confidence to book them ☹️

Just over 9 months now to our scheduled sailing on Solstice out of Hong Kong. Hopefully we’ll be embarking on 13th Feb 2022.  🤞🤞🤞  

What’s the thoughts of others regards this. Will these itineraries be back and sailing by then? Or are we likely to get cancelled?

Right now Hong Kong is shut off for most visitors, but I’m presuming that will have changed by then. But you never know!

I’ve had my first jab in the UK and now waiting for the second, which should be in the next 2 weeks

Looking for advice. First time in Hong Kong (hopefully) next February when we travel out to join a cruise ship there. We’re planning to have 3 nights in Kowloon before boarding the ship, and being a bucket list destination happy to splash out a bit on this part. So, I was looking for a nice hotel with harbour view rooms and also access to club lounge facilities. While I’m accepting that this will all work out a fair bit more than we would generally pay for a hotel, I want to get this right. Right now I’m undecided between the Shangri-La or the Sheraton Hotel & Towers. Both are similar in price with the Sheraton slightly more. I’d say the Sheraton possibly had the better harbour/skyline view and position while the Shangri-La looks nicer inside and a higher TA rating. 

Can people comment on which to go for, please? Or share their experience. Also, we’re still open to other hotels with views and club rooms costing around £300 a night, say. 

What happens if the total FCC one may amass is more than the outstanding balance on a future cruise already booked? Can it be taken and shown as OBC? Or do you lose anything over and above the balance amount?

I can see where this is going!! 😂😂😂

1 minute ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

And I’ll serve as back-up!

Put me down as third reserve!!

You can get all the Mighty Ships programs on You Tube, too. 

6 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

No, that's for getting shore excursions, bev package, etc. expenses rolled to OBC on the cruise you're using your FCC on.

 

The FCC is automatic unless you fill out the refund form.

Yes, you’re right, I’m wrong. But either way,  people are going to find it difficult to claim by 8th April!! Although technically they haven’t said which year!!

Who noticed the new message on the website for updating the cancellation in sailings to 31st July was dated Tuesday 20th May? I had to double check due to the lockdown, but was relieved to see that 20th May was a Wednesday (in the UK At least)!!
 

Also, noted that those who wanted to take the 125% FCC option had until 8th April to stake a claim!! 
 

it’s not good, is it!!  🙄

Thanks to the instruction on here I managed to look up the SE Asia cruise on Solstice in Feb 2022 and out of Hong Kong. The other day I was seeing Aqua as £4,518 With 2 perks (for 2 people). With the promotion it was down to £4,086, a saving of £432 which is worth having!! 
Just need to check I can use the 50% FCC I’ve got from this years cancelled Millie SE Asia Cruise. I’m aware they won’t allow combining with 125% FCC but 50% may be different.

I had an email today promoting the new Members Only Captains Club promotion giving “loyalty discounts” on “nearly all cruises”. Is this just a UK promotion or worldwide? And what sort of discount are they offering? 
 

When I’m browsing on the website and pricing up cruises it’s not acknowledging my Captains Club status and showing any discount?

23 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

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23 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Everyone looks for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  I found it cruising into Antigua on the Connie in February 2016. Too bad it ended in front of a container area but no pot of gold

.

That looks like it’s going into one of those containers. Probably full of drugs!!

Reflection in the Caribbean 2016. Jamaica, St Martin & St Maarten

Hawaii Big Island, Solstice 4th May 2018. My wife and sister-in-law, all smiles at the Kīlauea caldera. Little did we know that some 2 hours later, while down the bottom of Chain of Craters Road we’d be  hit with a 6.9 magnitude earthquake and told to evacuate the national park!! A couple of days later the caldera also started to collapse. The other photo shows the developing activity over the hill at Fissure 8 in the Leilani Estates. Later that day we set sail for Vancouver, leaving behind an eruption that finally claimed some  700 homes!!

Sunset Bar & Grill, Maho Beach, St Maarten - Reflection 2016

Reflection trying to look inconspicuous in San Juan, Puerto Rico!!

Coming into Nassau, Bahamas 

Another one of the Queen’s Staircase in Nassau

56 minutes ago, JBare said:

No, we have only had one Caribbean cruise and Nassau was not on the intenerary, but I've looked it up and my wife says its a must if we go there.

Queen’s Staircase, Nassau

Santorini, Celebrity Reflection 2015 

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas USVI. Celebrity Reflection 2016.