Catchum

My observation is that the technology makes the process much more difficult for the staff. Order a can of soda and watch how many times they have to poke the screen to put it in the system. When a bar is busy they scribble the room number and order down to input later so you are not kept waiting.

But you are actually flying to and from the same airport near home. If you cruise from Southampton you fly back to London which is up to two hours drive away. Sort of like flying out of Las Vegas and returning to LAX which is attractive if you want to visit both as a tourist not so much if you need to get home. I don't have a problem flying to cruise- have done several TAs and cruises that have entailed very long haul flights 12 hrs plus. But a round trip flight is usually cheaper than two single legs. Have met many cruisers who only cruise out of LA or Miami because they can drive to the port. Similarly I quite enjoy a round trip from Southampton occasionally, but lots of other lines offer them so I guess I won't be using NCL next year for my local cruises.

The best wine we ever tasted was in Madeira at a local harvest festival celebration, it was served out of a pigskin and drunk from a communal horn cup. Later we eat whole chicken served from the bbq on a shovel with local wine poured from a two liter Coca-Cola bottle. One of the best travel memories we have. I avoid French wine (except champagne) New Zealand or South African are more to my taste.

If the cruise is returning to, or visiting another US port it seems reasonable that you would need to prove your ESTA is still valid. Additionally there is the issue of staying in country for no more than 90 days in a single trip, a quick cruise around the ABC islands will probably not satisfy the authorities that you are not trying to overstay in the US.

Currently Princess plus is $60 a day which covers daily crew tips/service charge/gratuities, alcohol (with service charge) coffee, water, juice etc. and unlimited wifi.

I did the sums and for us the cost would be prohibitive, we enjoy our wine - if you don't judge our drinking we won't judge your clothes!

Obviously if you don't drink coffee and alcohol you won't get the package (eye roll). My reply was to someone who did drink both coffee and alcohol but didn't get the value from the package.

In some ways I would love to try Cunard, we only usually enjoy smaller ships. Sticking points are overpriced beverage package, (l'm not hauling my own wine on a cruise), traditional dining, (I want to eat with my beloved when he feels like it) dresscode. On a formal night on Princess I leave our inside cabin in a floor length gown hair up, and tiria, my husband wears, super sexy jeans, a dress shirt, vintage silk waistcoat and an antique silver bolo tie. We can go anywhere on the ship and no one judges us.

I don't think you are really making the effort. Two speciality coffees first thing, a couple of bottles of water and a beer to take off the ship (subject to local regulations). A cocktail when you get back, a glass of fizz whilst dressing for dinner, wine with dinner, a night cap and double wine to put in your rum runner for emergency use only.

Is the inconvenience of being on separate flights worth the cost saving? If yes, then bank the saving and enjoy it later. If no then pay for two of you to switch to be on the same flight as the other couple. This is why I will never book a flight other than direct with the airline, inside cabin but I'm booking my flights.

So what do you suggest we do having had lunch, tweaked our dining reservations and taken silly selfies kissing by the pool?

Shirley Valentine movie- tickets, money, passport, tickets, money passport. My go to list

Had the upgraded beverage on Celebrity once (didn't pay for it myself) and it was impossible to get the good wines so not an NCL issue. Honestly if it has the % on it I'll drink it. Someone comes and cleans my room every day? Yes please and thank you- the stewards have a set schedule and break times. They will work around you, sit on the balcony whilst they fix your room or grab your gear and hit the gym till they are done.

We enjoy the behind the scenes tours and the wine tasting. DH picks up a couple of beverages and I wait in line then we sip our drinks and people watch before booking our benefits at CN. We don't consider it a waste of time because before the luggage arrives or the staterooms are ready what else should we be doing?

You will always find food on a cruise ship, why lock yourself into booking a set time? When you are ready to eat check out the options and enjoy. You may want to finish watching a movie, have a shower after a long day ashore, see the sail away, stay chatting in vines with a new friend. Our experience is that after 7 tables for two are usually available, if on one night we want a early dinner in the MDR then we spin the shared table roulette- the odds are better than the casino.

Cruising out of the UK there is always an Indian option in the always available/ favourites section of the menu.

My parents lived with through WW11 bombings. I grew up with the fear of being killed by Irish Catholic bombers, my son grew up with the fear of Islamic extremist bombers, non of us ever allowed our fear to influence our actions. Statistically I believe most people die within 5 miles of their home so travel is the safest option. Great book by Lesli Richardson (can't remember the tile) has a cruise ship as a terrorist target but it all ends OK and it is fiction.

Double double at vines is our standard order. Actually we don't even order - double red double white just appears. Just be sure to get the drinks split between your packages, if they all get charged to one person your 15 drink limit is in danger and you have to go to guest services to sort out charges if one of you goes over.

Hope the heck so - I need a safety certificate every four years to take a narrow boat carrying six people the canal system. Lovely bloke called Steve from Peterborough does mine!

Heck no I can buy two bottles of wine for that.

Basically do you want to see Rome or Barcelona and Venice. For a first time to this area I would do the Rome round trip and spend time in Rome. Barcelona and Venice are both amazing places we keep going back to, but neither have the coliseum (book a tour).

I wouldn't worry about booking anything - have a late lunch, order room service, hit the buffet, grab a pizza, snack at IC, turn up at a dinning room when it suits you. (yes you may have to share a table or wait a few minutes). You don't want to miss the best bit of the canal because you have mentally locked yourself into the MDR at a certain time. Timing of anything a ship does is subject to change but I can absolutely guarantee that you will get food.

Don't get me started on Irish coffee. Got a milky coffee with squirty cream on top in a paper cup. TBF there was a decent amount of alcohol in it.

We did Iceland and UK on the island princess this year. We tried the MDR a couple of times and were unimpressed- not unhappy but not amazing. Generally the buffet was excellent in the evening, not crowded easy to get a window seat, excellent drinks service (proper glasses in an evening) and the offer of decadent boozy desserts brought around. Also on formal nights far more opportunities to be seen than the MDR - vanity is a lifestyle.

Ships somehow cause an emotional response far greater than other pieces of machinery. We always seek out maritime museums and I sobbed unashamedly at the Edwin Fox exhibit in Picton. However unless they are of national or global significance (HMS Victory launched 1757 and still in commission to to Royal Navy), the viking ships in Olso, or the polar ship Maud which we were privileged to see being towed on her final journey, they are simply too costly to restore and keep ship shape. Metal or wood sitting in water is not a viable long term option without constant expensive maintenance, building a dry dock to showcase a ship works if there is enough income or it is a national heritage case - SS Great Britain or Cutty Sark. In this case recycle seems the best option.