A Man called Hoss

First time been on for a while, didn't know it was off-line.    It's not that good to be missing it?

WE chose our extra leg room seats way back in march when we booked the cruise for Caribbean Feb 19.

We booked our cruise so early cos we wanted Newcastle flights which are like hens teeth and we presumed would fill up quick. Checked on cruise personaliser a few weeks later and it looked like all seats were taken. Could it be that they were just not available yet? and from that could we have hung on for a better price?

Rialto bridge was covered, but it was approx 3 years ago!

sorry, thought it was average 10 hour flight each way.

£18.20 per hour is a lot to pay? I'm not a scrooge but I like value and paying that for what is a not too long flight is too much.

We flew Jumbo business class to South Africa in it's maiden year way back in 71 I think, and WOW was our opinion at the time. Next time was coming back in 84, still good.

That's still a lot, we cruise twice a year and if we are lucky we get 2 "Beach" hols as well.

Our extra legroom seats are next to a window. Can't think why anyone would want to climb over us?.

Is that £800 each, if so that's £40 per hour. At £1600 total, that's a long way towards another cruise!

As I stated before, I have seen inside cabins at £50 pppn, not regularly I must admit. £60pppn is often seen for a wide range of cruises. What I have not seen in any posts is an actual cost quoted pppn. I only ever see "Launch prices are nearly always the cheapest"

Our flights are TOM 834 from NCL and 835 returning from Barbados BGI.

Just been on the Marella website at 05.23, tried Manchester and it's available at £1866 pp then I tried Newcastle; it looks to be available at £1966 pp. Didn't do a dummy booking, just the search.

Another question, How does checking in on-line save time or any other advantage? We still have to drop our luggage off and show our passports etc at the check in desk?

Why does my last post have a time of 10.28 when it was actually 4.30am?

Yes it's a dreamliner, will be first time for us. Its 4.30 am here, can't get at my holiday info at the moment, but will get flight No etc when I can.

We booked up in early march at our local TUI shop, only half realised we were paying £30 webmatch fee. Picked extra legroom seats at that time. was on my cruise personaliser today and some legroom seats looked to be still available. Also, we got a phone call a week later, would we like premium flight upgrade....think it was £700 each ( or total?) Approx £35 or £13 per hour each for both flights seems a heck of a lot. We do fly in to Barbados, have now been on gov/uk website and no visas needed for any of the islands on the itiniary. Thanks for all the info so far.

Hi all, We fly from Newcastle on 3rd Feb joining Marella Explore on a B2B, in a cabin we have selected, and our flight seats are extra legroom.

Have been cruising with Pando from S/hamton for years now and not flown for some years.

Would like some info on the following:-

What can I expect of Marella compared to P&O?

Are there entry requirement for any of the Islands, is there any info on this on the TUI website?

What is worth doing on the Islands on your own and which excursions would you recommend?

Is the flight time approx 8.5 hours, is the food OK and do you get drinks with meals?

Is the hold luggage not seen again until it appears outside our cabin?

We like formal dressing up, but happy to be relaxed...do many dress up for the formal nights?

Is it worth upgrading to premium drinks?

What entertainment can we expect? In the past we have walked out on the "Headliners" on P&O as we thought they were dire.

Thanks in advance, sure I will think of other things.

My last cruise was Oriana 17 nights with 2 days in Venice. I even downloaded Venice map to a paint app, airbrushed out the rubbish and added the Vaparetto routes; then printed 4 of the routes in credit card size and laminated them. We visited Burano, Murano, the Lido, had a night out in Venice as well as a trip down the Grand canal. I like to make the most of holiday's and enjoy every minute. BUT, 3 months after, I fractured my lower vertibrae. Agony, pins & needles etc. Was on tramadol for months. To this day I still have discomfort. We had planned the 35 dayer but that was out. No holiday for 2 years then we chanced a Hol to Lanzerote for 4 weeks. Back held up, but we decided a flight would be better on my back than a long drive down to S/Hampton, not that 300 miles is so far( I have driven 850 in one go before, but was a lot younger) Also, we have a beach hol planned to Cyprus in Oct/Nov this year ahead of the 2 cruises in Feb and March. So cost had to come into it. 3 Hols are to get us out of the north east winter! Wish I'd thought of 2 back to backs! We are used to Pando, both good and not so good. EG, we have walked out on the Headliners more than once, food in the MDR is to us only fair to good, and the gratuities are too high. Also, a few drinks each day will rack up the cost.

We may well get back to P&O...I would love to do the 35 dayer.

Our first cruise was Thomsons Island Escape then 6 with P&O. Pando is not so hot anymore.

Hi all, Had planned 35 day round trip S/hampton to Carribean but accident stopped us booking.

2 years later and we are ready again....BUT....have booked 2 x fly cruises to Carribean from our local Newcastle airport in consecutive months, with Marella. Have decided that getting into the heat/sunshine on same day, coupled with the convenience of AI and no gratuities which together make for cheaper holidays more than make up for the "extra" 7 days we would have gotten with P&O, especially when there would be at least 3 days each way of cold sunless days. The only things I think I'm going to miss is the drive and overnight stay at Dibden guest house which we used to enjoy and the Panama canal 1/2 transit.

Yes we realise we have 2 bookings to manage, 2 lots of packing/unpacking/packing/unpacking. can't think of any other drawbacks.

Any comments ? :cool::cool:

We book late saver these days, now retired and can go whenever we want and not too fussed on itinary, dining times or cabin location. Last cruise was Oriana, 17 nights including 2 days in Venice. Booked late saver and got a low deck midship cabin for £999 each, £58pppn. Also was about to book 35nights Carribean late saver for £1999 each, £57 pppn but accident stopped us. I have seen Pando cruises at saver price of £50pppn before.

Do any select fares approach that sort of pppn even allowing for OBC etc.?

How do you add a cruise signature, have only done 7 cruises with 2 planned next year, but it's about time I added them.

Building up to £270 at the rate of 1p per £8 will cost £216000!!!!!!! if you do all your spend outside, or £108000 if you do all your spend at Tesco!!!!! or The saving works out at 1/8 of 1% or 1/4 of 1%. Wish I'd known about the discounts available in years past.

Just looked at Tesco Boost....looks like you get 1 point for every £8 spend ....Am I reading that correctly?

Skiathos Town is lovely to walk round, or get a bus to stop No 16, very nice beach. Or stay on to the end (about 1/2 hour bus stop 32) and you will be at Koukinaris...a long sand beach gently shelving water. Argastoli nice tio walk round or perhaps take in a tour that perhaps includes the big nunnery where they make the wine, forget it's name and perhaps the village where Captain Correlli's mandolin was made. Corfu Town again is lovely to just walk round.

Thanks, I have got a normal Tesco loyalty club card, didn't know you needn't have a bank account with them.

Yes, I struggle these day's to get math written down correct. Looking at spend over a period, it make's me think it could be worth opening a Tesco Bank Account then getting a Credit card. Only ever had one once but cut it up. I come from an time when you only bought what you could afford. Had a mortgage of course and occasional bank loan for car purchase but that's about it. I have 1 cruise a year and a couple of beach hols, next 2 cruises are with Marella, but I could well be back with Pando in a couple of years. Are there any other Tesco partner's which give more for your points than the face value?