Red Leicester

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Terms ike smart casual are meaningless and impossible to enforce .

 

Must say simply "  collared shirt with perhaps addition of no polo shirts if they want to , and long trousers " for men.

 

 

This is also open to interpretation - when are trousers not long?  What are trousers?  When do shorts become trousers?  What is the definition of long?  Chinos?  Some look almost jean-like from afar.

Can I wear a jumper if it's chilly? But then could I wear a polo under the jumper?  No-one would know.  What about a sweatshirt?  What about a hoodie?  What about a knitted jumper with a hood?

Also can I leave my shirt untucked from my trousers?  

It's a pedants dream!  Make venues either black tie or casual that way those who want to black tie can, those who want to casual can.

I still don't see what offence I'm causing wearing dark jeans and a polo sat in the buffet or Brodies on formal nights.  I have said many times in the thread I accept formal nights happen, they are not for me but I accept my movements are restricted as such.  You don't have to interact with me on such occasions though if you did you may find I'm actually a thoroughly decent and articulate chap.

I caught the shuttle in Funchal is Mrs RL doesn't like walking.  I went back out later and walked back, not too far a walk and stopped for a leisurely local beverage on the way back.

£20 feels pretty steep for what amounts to a 4 min ride in each direction for two people.  That was Tallinn.  Arrecife was even worse.  £16 for being driven the length of a ship, well not much more.  Admittedly that was due to roadworks so buses could get no further.

Shuttle buses and transfers are two different things.  Shuttle buses take you from port to the local centre when on a port day.

Transfers get you to for your first day and away from the ship on the last day should you pick them.  Or take extra OBC.  Or parking.

My understanding is a Select fare does not get charged on Shuttle Buses. 

Sorry, me again.

I have now added journey times for the shuttle buses and, where I remember, whether they are accessible to wheelchairs and the fare.  Fares are for Saver passengers, Select passengers were not charged.  Info on most fares and accessibility is vague apart from my last cruise.  Info correct to the dates I put in so could change etc etc.  I don't want to be held responsible if things change!

I've added the walking route at Visby so hopefully that shows.  Talking of Visby... I buy a bottle of local cola (not Coca-Cola or Pepsi but the local own brand) in each port to sample.  I bought three in Visby, two from a sweet shop and one from the Co-Op.  On the way back to the ship the bag split and the two from the sweet shop smashed never to be sampled.  I didn't have time to get back to the shop.  Should anyone visit and be willing to bring me two bottles back please let me know! I'll reimburse of course.  From memory the two bottles plus a huge bag of pick n mix tuffies came to £8.

All gen gratefully received.  Stuff changes.

I have updated the maps with the cruises and shuttle bus locations I have observed.

3 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

May be I could add to that from my recent cruise?

Go for it chuck!

See if this works... If it does I'll add to it.  It's a Google Map for Copenhagen

I should have added where we berthed.  In Copenhagen it was at Nordhavnen, opposite the Unicef Supply Division Warehouse.  I don't mind a walk but that was too far.  There is Metro station 15 mins walk away from the berth that'll whisk you into the Centre with frequent departures.  Automatic too so no need to worry about strikes.

There was a thread here Shuttle Buses

I collated when I was on B222 around the Baltics.  I suggested maybe a thread detailing such things with approx journey time, price, drop offs etc.  Next cruise I will collate some more.

10 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

This is not good news!  According to my booking I can book dining on 2 December for my Christmas cruise.  We are hoping to do the special Epicurean Epicurean Christmas dinner on Christmas day as we have on all our previous holiday cruises.  Hopefully as that is not a "normal" booking they will sort it out so all can try to book.  There are a lot of flights arriving at different times on 16 and 17 December and it would be extremely unfair if early arrivals get to snap up all reservations on the cruise.

Surely the only fair way is to open booking at noon on a day when no one else can book on that cruise or to open up once everyone is on board to give everyone a fair go at bagging one of these restaurants.

Happy sailings all, catch you on the flip side, unless wifi plays ball for those aboard.

Still super jealous!

The 15 drink limit a day is one not to exceed not necessarily go out and achieve.  It's about what you get from the package and whether it's worth it for you.

Mrs RL and me have done Pepsi cards (RIP 😭), pay as you go and a non-alcholic drinks package on our last cruise in September.  We didn't keep track other than at a high level to see if it was worth doing again.  On average we think we hit the £20 per day at 4 x Pepsi, Hot Choc, couple of mocktails.  £20 hit and only half of our 15 drink limit.  

If I took Mother RL on a cruise she wouldn't have a drinks package and would pay as she went as she's a straight tea drinker.  The odd J2O would be purchased with credit.

Would we do it again?  Yes.  It was less hassle for us and we enjoyed spending the on board credit on other things instead and on the alcoholic drinks we had.  We broke even.  We concluded non-alcohol package suits our needs and pay as you go on alcohol. 

We can also save up and pay the drinks package up front over the preceding months and it's one less thing to worry about, that's another key thing for us.

I'm super jealous over this one having been on Britannia recently.  Beats work in Milton Keynes today...

Is it full passenger wise?  Sorry if already mentioned.

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Isn't the issue that the "rules " are set so as to set a certain standard ?

I would  be  quite happy  if formal nights became "dress to impress " nights.  DJ or kilt, if you wish, but a decent jacket and shirt and chinos if you wish (talking as a chap, obvs) would be perfectly OK. 

However,  once you go down that route, the flood gates open, in as much as a clean tee shirt and decent jeans can be seen, by some, as obeying the dress code. Good luck to the Maitre'D deciding what is acceptable and what is not. 

I have no answer !

Personally,  on a cruise from Southampton,  I will pack a DJ (two in fact!), but on a fly cruise,  a jacket and chinos, with tie, will suffice.

I agree, what I was hinting at rather badly in a previous post.  "Business casual" dress code in my office is taken as being shirt and tie, shirt, chinos, trainers, t-shirt...

I'm all for a mix, those that want to do formal can with A, B and C venues being formal.  X, Y and Z are informal and L, M and N are mixed formal and non-formal.  My suggestion of having front of ship formal and back of the ship informal have fallen down until I become a ship designer.

I respect the dress code for the area of the ship I am in, except where I have to pass through quickly.  I wouldn't dream of entering the Crows Nest on formal night in non-formal.  As I choose to do non-formal I accept my movements are restricted.

Being pedantic, and I'm no lawyer and health & safety expert...  Smoking on the other hand is a) probably illegal inside and would be stamped on very quickly; b) a safety risk; and c) can affect someone's health.  Me wearing jeans on formal night in the Crows Nest is neither.  But I still wouldn't do the latter and yes I should be told to leave.  I have regularly seen people turned away from onboard venues for being in the wrong attire.

We had a discussion about whether drinking a non-alcoholic bottle of beer was allowed at my desk at work where alcohol is banned.  Another pushing the boundaries but we concluded that was a perception thing too.

23 minutes ago, dgs1956 said:

I've been reading the same stuff on this Forum by a small number of people for years as how things are changing blah! blah! and Formal will be done away with. It's still not happened. I couldn't care less what people wear and I don't understand why people have to make derogatory comments about those that want to dress up. Just accept that Formal isn't going to be done away with and enjoy your cruise.

It's also formal making comments about those wanting non-formal, and the looks given on formal night.  It has to work both ways.  We are moving towards 50/50, albeit very very very slowly.  It'll take a generation or two to shift. 

In my office you get those who wear suit and tie, those in business casual (from what I can gather this means no jacket nor ties) and those that tread the fine line.  Officially we're business casual and that's what I adopt.  There are those that get wound up about lack of ties and put in the odd dig and moan.  As I've said before does a tie make me work any harder?  Does it improve the quality of my work or output?  No.  As I was once told, don't sweat the small stuff.

Likewise I couldn't care less what people are wearing, we're all on holiday, we all enjoy it differently and get our kicks and relaxation in different ways.  I get some of my kicks from riding the various shuttle buses whereas some people see them as a means to a destination.  I don't look down on people for dressing up and don't expect to be looked down on for dressing down.  The person next to you in the lift in their dinner jacket could be your next best friend just as much as the person next to you in (dark) jeans and polo could be.

If you see someone photting the shuttle bus it's probably me.

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

I do hope that the young man in question has not just travelled the world in a cruise ship "bubble ".

Cruising has many benefits, but when you are young and fit, to limit your travels only to those places accessible by cruise ship seems a shame.

If you don't like flying then a cruise ships is a good choice.  I've done four cruises to Europe and not yet visited the same port twice... yet.  Won't be long.

I do fly but Mrs RL is less keen for example.  Flying also creates more stress for some in terms of airports, waiting etc.

Certainly a shop sold iPads and that when I was aboard last year.  I don't think you will struggle.  Britannia had nowhere that sold electricals of that sort which was bitter sweet for me, nowhere to browse but saved £££.  

Watch out for clothing that was more expensive in larger sizes, I found that and don't agree.  Naturally I'm XL and found that same were more expensive than their S, M and L.

19 hours ago, degenerateftw said:

You've booked now so it's do or die 😉 It's not very nice in my opinion. I get panicky and nervous in crowds, and I thought it was awful service wise. There were quite a few families onboad when we went (start of september). I would recommend lots of carry-able water bottles for the family as there's no table service. I was thirsty the entire cruise so yeah - pack those refillables. There's stations all around the ship. The most cramped part of the ship is the buffet - grab a table, then off to the queue you go... one by one....

 

Sorry - wish I could offer you better comments.

The grabbing a table and then heading to the buffet one by one may well explain why the buffet is busy, this was spoken about in another thread about the Fjords.  Granted finding a table for four plus may be tricky if everyone bags a table before grabbing food but I reckon you'd be at the table longer going up one by one which adds to the problem.

Enjoy your cruise JG&Lcruisingnewbies, I wouldn't worry about the crowds too much.  If you go on thinking it will be bad then it probably will be.  If you go on in a positive "we got this" mindset then you'll love it.

How is booking for several nights in advance fair for all?  I'd be livid if people are booking five or six nights in advance and then only putting in an appearance for one.

2 hours ago, chrissie p said:

Thanks everyone for your replies, it is looking like we won't have a problem 😀

 

Please do let us know the outcome.

My view on anything is if you don't ask you don't get.