Brummijam

Hi Ginger. What a shock to get after your holiday. Unfortunately Marella have form for doing this as I recall there was a similar thread on here some time ago. I do believe that it gets sorted eventually but it must be stressful. When I embark the ships I always give credit card details instead of debit card and if there are any problems you can let the bank/ card provider sort it. hope you get a successful conclusion soon.

That's unfortunate Jim,I would never have stood for that.😂😂😂

My post was in jest Nancy, Hence the laughing emoji thingies.😉 Whereas this comes across as Touchy.🤷🏻‍♂️ We are Scottish and drink very little. Terrible observation on your part but typical of some people from the south who think all Scots are drunks and are mean. You need to get out more. By the way you said they picked up free drinks. The drinks on Marella are not free. They are included in the price of the cruise and paid for up front. Have a lovely evening.😘😘

On the defensive today Nancy.🙄😂😂

Saga are perhaps the most advanced regarding offerings for single cruisers on smaller ships but the downside is they are more expensive than the other lines mentioned here. Got to be worth a look if you fit the age criteria. (60 plus) as I am not sure what the single supplement is with TUI ,P&O or Fred. All cabins on Saga have balconies and both ships are all inclusive. My other half is on the spirit of adventure with ma in law at the moment and they are having a fantastic time.😉

Hi PC. Hoping that yourself and mrs PC are both keeping well. We did an excursion through the Corinth canal albeit on a much smaller tourist boat but it’s quite the experience. I have seen pics of a small Fred Olsen cruise ship going through and it looks like it’s a tight squeeze to say the least. Are you still not thinking about booking something? (Don’t get wasting that voucher)😉

We have always stayed loyal with Marella even after the covid reimbursements fiasco but we now feel that with the price that they expect these days for the product that they offer is becoming unrealistic. We are giving another cruise line a chance this year (Two trips booked) Which we would normally have booked with Marella. 🤷🏻‍♂️ As they say “ the proof is in the pudding “ so we will see. Marella’s saving grace as always is their fantastic crew. To all of you new cruisers please don’t let my posts put you off Marella, you need to try it and decide for yourselves but for me it’s time for a change.😉

Most of the bars on the ship do coffee that is acceptable (it’s not instant coffee) you can get Lavazza in the coffee port and pay per drink You are correct regarding fruit juice, we have only seen bottles of J2O. What is on offer on the standard all inclusive package is fairly comprehensive and what isn’t included can be purchased. In my opinion it’s not worth the upgrade.🤷🏻‍♂️

Trawling through some of the posts in here there seems to be a bit of an impression that Marella have deteriorated over time and aren't particularly good value any more so perhaps I should be looking around at offerings from other lines. One thing I recall from our sole previous experience is having found the tipping custom rather awkward, so Marella's all-inclusive approach appeals. REGARDING THE ABOVE The post about Marella’s standards slipping was primarily aimed towards the regular cruisers who read and post on here. Lots of things are being altered/changed compared to what we used to enjoy a few years back. As a new cruiser I don’t think you will go wrong choosing Marella the all inclusive setup plus included tips is a game changer for a lot of people. Regarding late bookings you can bag a bargain if you are able to go at very short notice. We had a Canaries cruise with a junior suite for the price of a balcony cabin albeit with only one weeks notice. The Adriatic trips are amazing, you won’t be disappointed.😉

You missed the all important “Repeat as required” 😂

Practice is the key.😂

Ignore all of this daftness. I am sure you will enjoy your first cruise, only problem is it gets quite addictive😉

The human race..😜 God bless Google, everyone’s friend. 😂 Keep well Jim. Up the Workers.🫣😂

This is a great website for port information.😉 https://whatsinport.com/

I am working class and 100% proud of it, how anyone could find it derogatory to be called such is beyond me. Do you or have you ever Worked in your life? If so like it or not you are working class.🤷‍♂️

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.😂

I assume you are from Birmingham, we are from Birmingham as well Yes Mark. English by birth,Brummie by the grace of god.😉👍

Hi Mark. the majority of sun loungers are reserved usually before breakfast finishes, The British thing of putting a towel and book on them and then disappearing until noon is very apparent.Tui say they will remove towels if they are unoccupied for more than fourty mins but this is very rarely carried out🤷🏻‍♂️ Ther are sun loungers on the higher decks which are sometimes less busy. All bars are waiter service and the staff are pretty good. When I embark I usually let one of the waiters know I am onboard for whatever duration and promise them a tip at the end of my trip. The service goes from good to amazing.😉 The indigo is open til late but not sure if it’s one or two o clock. Tables for two are plentiful but if there is a wait they will give you a pager that lets you know when your table is ready. Book yourself a meal in the surf and turf it’s chargeable but well worth it.(if you like steak) Anything else that you need to know just ask away, they are a pretty good bunch of people on this forum with decades of knowledge.😂😂

The post that I put up as an example (post no5) does mention Scottish and northern English passengers, but not in a derogatory way as far as I can tell. I have enjoyed many cruises meeting other pax from all over the United Kingdom and never had any problems whatsoever. (Apart from some understanding some very broad accents)😂 We are so lucky to live in the UK in that wherever we go we can always find friendly aproachable people. The original post was regarding Marella /TUI standards rather than its guests.😉

Comfortable seats would be a bonus.😂

Hi Jim. what aircraft will they be using? I am assuming this is a long haul trip.

I feel your pain regarding airports.🫣 Eastern Europe is my favourite part of the world, hoping you have a great trip.😉

When is your trip?