Harters

True. It is a complex legal situation (which I make no claim to fully understanding) but Scottish notes, for example, are not "legal tender" elsewhere in the UK, so a resistance is perhaps understandable. Suggestion for the OP is to try and pay by card when on the island. And ask for English notes as change if you have to pay cash.

I cannot see anything on BA's website that suggests a test is required. Which doesnt surprise me, as the UK does not require a test for entry and hasnt required it for a long time. Does the reference you've found indicate if a test is being required for entry or simply a company decision that a test is needed before flying?

You crazy Americans with your cultural dress rules.

Restaurant service charges are increasingly common in the UK. I regard it as a midway point between old fashioned cash tipping and the culture in, say, France where service is included in the menu price and nothing further is expected.

Not me. I never liked the envelopes back in the 90s when we first cruised. I don't like cash tipping in restaurants either. I'm much more content with O adding the gratuity and when restaurants add a service charge

With the many closures of local bank branches, small businesses can struggle to find somewhere convenient to pay in cash takings. That might affect their willingness to take non-English notes, as they probably wouldnt be able to give them as change. By the end of this year, we will not have a single bank in the area of our parliamentary constituency. That's in an urban area so goodness knows how folk are coping in more rural areas.

I always take a smallish amount of cash when I'm overseas. A couple of hundred euros or dollars. Just in case. But, at home, it's rare that I spend cash. That said, we went to our local market on Sunday and one of the stalls couldnt get a mobile signal to activate his payment machine

There is a "sticky" thread on this subject on the Spain ports of call sub-forum.

Definitely different. The decision about cruising will be about how much it represents value for money for us. I will be very happy if we conclude to carry on cruising but will be fine if we decide to spend our money elsewhere. We've done a couple of escorted tours, both in South Africa. Enjoyed both, so that might be future idea. We're also both in our 70s, with health issues starting to build up, so I think we're in a period of adjustment like you. Over the decades, we've often enjoyed road trips in the States but my night driving vision isnt what it was so I think they are most probably now behind us.

Very 1970s. You used to see them on menus in certain types of land based restaurant (often as an alternative to Black Forest Gateau). Haven't seen it for, literally, decades.

Firstly, enjoy the feeling of stepping back in time. It really does have a sense of twenty or thirty years ago. And be thankful you've arrived on a cruise ship, rather than the "Vomit Comet" fast ferry from England. But, as for tourism for a day, think railways as already mentioned. And, in particular, the one that climbs Snaefell. Good fun and great scenery If there's time, a visit to the Manx Museum in Douglas may be of interest if for no other reason than to learn something of the history of the island. Bear in mind that this is not part of the UK and is a semi-independent Crown Dependency, with its own laws and government (the UK government is responsible for defence and international matters)

That is the big issue, IMO. We cruised with P & O in the 90s but became disenchanted with the formality, so didnt really cruise for many years (apart from a week on the shortlived Island Escape and a short cruise out of Miami, as part of a longer holiday to Florida). Then we discovered O and realised that it was possible to have an relatively upmarket experience with decent food without the formality of needing to wear jackets. I don't go to land based restaurants which have jackets required dress codes and am certainly not doing it on holiday. So, we've enjoyed two cruises on O and am really looking forward to all the sea days. But it is a lot of money and, whilst we've every intention of spending our savings, rather than leaving it for the next generation, I do wonder how much there is actually value for money in an O cruise. The big question is whether we might decide that different types of holiday may be a better bet for us.

We have a transatlantic booked for next year. Something we've fancied doing for a while. But I think that, after that, we'll have a think about whether cruises are still for us. Maybe yes, maybe no.

Your review was linked to on another thread. I had a very enjoyable read of it this morning. We are booked on Vista next year, so it was really good to get a feel for things.

On neither of my two cruises with O have I considered tipping more than the standard rate charged to my account.

I havent seen any such threats reported in British media. I have seen that Erdogan has condemned current Israeli action. That's obviously not the same at all. There seems to me to be not the slightest chance that Turkey, a NATO member, would actively engage in armed conflict with Israel. Not least with the US, the UK and a number of other western countries green-lighting the current Israeli action.

My partner went to school in Yemen for a number of years and would have liked to go back to see the country but it seems most unlikely now.

Indeed so, Mary229. I was responding to the comment that "Turkey is dangerous". Nothing more or less. I'd be happy to holiday on land or cruise near the western parts of Turkey, as I would to be just a few kilometres away in the Greek islands. But I certainly accept that there are many people in the Eastern Mediterranean area who don't like people like me. Everywhere can be a risk. Even small towns like Lewiston, Maine.

The British government advice is only not to travel to very limited parts of Turkey, which border Iran, Syria and Iraq. Many thousands of Britons will be continuing to enjoy their beach holidays in the western parts of the country. Similarly, Cyprus (included the part occupied by Turkey) is also very much open to tourism, in spite of being a major operational base for the Royal Air Force.

My wife's cousin and family lived happily on the island for several years but became tired of the commute to the mainland, five days a week. They're now back in Sussex.

Our recent cruises have been with Oceania, so my experience is limited. I have a "rule of thumb" about holiday restaurants, whether ship or land based holidays. And that's would I be a regular at this place if it was near home. And I'd have to say that, of Oceania's specialities, only Toscana (it's Italian restaurant) meets that criteria. It's generally as good as the Italian we go to regularly. If it was nearby, I'd probably alternate between Toscana and our normal place.

Where I am in the world, "liquor" would imply an alcoholic drink. As such, your phrase would be an oxymoron here. Would that not be the case in America?

Absolutely.

Not accurate. Charges were made for alcohol free beer on Nautica during the summer. I think there were also charges for mocktails using alcohol free "sprits" and alcohol free wine

Not a big fan of American cookies. It's the chewiness that doesnt appeal.