DavyWavey70

How could this ever be described as a luxury line again? There is nickel and diming but this is another level. Causing your “esteemed guests” to screenshot everything through the process because you can’t be trusted to keep your word? That’s another level and frankly the bottom of the barrel. I’ve recommended SS to so many people in the past but tonight found myself telling somebody that was “cruise curious” to go try Celebrity!

I Wish I'd know that in January! Thanks V8.The tips you pick up here are life changing! I Think I need to go back to Oz just to try this.

Thy are indeed similar to Penguins Lola but not emperors, gentoos or chinstraps. The chocolate is a much better coating than we get though and really lovely. P P P Pick up a pick up a pick up a Penguin. Do you love Hob Nobs too?

Rude response deleted before posting as better judgement kicked in. You all have an imagination.

I’ve never understood Oreo’s. I Was recently introduced to the sultry seduction of Tim Tams and now I understand all of the fuss. This is Maybe only to be understood by the Britts or Aussies but on a recent 2790 mile train journey I took from Perth to Sydney, 2 guys whilst wistfully looking out of the train window said they’d been on the lookout for Tim Tams for ages. One of my train mates asked what Tim Tams were. They were told they are like Penguins. They spent the next 4 or so so hours looking out of’ the train window and wondering why the hell on earth they would see a Penguin on the Nullarbor plains. All was made clear eventually but it was comedy gold. Don’t you just love travelling?

The only thing guaranteed is that there are no guarantees. Hurtigruten coastal route is on my list to do but I’m certainly not expecting a luxury cruise experience. It’s something entirely different. YouTube can be invaluable researching such options. The Aurora really is the luck of the draw. I Wish you the very best of luck however you get there.

I’d love to JP but I stand a critic in a FB Silversea Groups Chance of getting any time off in August.

I’m looking forward to hearing about your trip Lois. Despite being on a bigger ship in January just gone with obviously more passengers, I never felt for a moment that the service was in any way on X less than I’d received on SS. I’m currently looking at a trip to Africa that involves an Azamara cruise too for next January. Silversea is offering me nothing at the moment as a solo for less than 100% surcharge. That’s bad enough with the previously incredible level of food that I’ve enjoyed in the past but if you want to charge me for 2 (overpriced) business class flights through badly planned routes, a nickel and dime taxi service that may or may not turn up and then may refuse me because I’ve got 2 cases, included excursions booked well in advance that will likely disappear and the only alternatives offered are a bus tour, and food that would likely spark a riot in a prison I’m giving them a wide berth (swerve) right now. I Hope you enjoy your X cruise as much as I enjoyed mine xxx

I’m intrigued too about “casualties” as opposed to a patient. Are you up early or to bed late Lola?

Just fly Emirates and max out on the plane.

I Must say, Brisbane in January was a little fatiguing. Lady Elliot Island more so. 42c and 99%. I know it’s an eco resort but even the ceiling fan looked like it was run on a rubber band. I Couldn’t dry myself out of the shower and most of my sun cream landed on the mat. Thank goodness for a good Welsh Mizzle.

I’d beg to differ, I’m currently in the process of booking a land tour including an Azamara cruise for next January. The solo supplement is around 25% which I am joyous over(that would never be available directly through Az) so much so that’s It’s encouraging me to go first class on my flights. Many cruise lines are waking up to the solo market. My “mass market” Edge cruise in January in a solo verandah was incredible and surpassed Ss in most ways, especially considering what I’ve seen lately of the quality onboard.

Personally, I’ve no expectation of booking anything without a solo supplement. If I’m booking a straight forward room then I expect to pay the going rate for that room. if I’m booking a room that includes bc flights for 2, food, drinks, excursions etc then that riles me. I Don’t mind paying 25, 50 or 75% in certain situations but to be paying 100% when there is so much that I’m not receiving doesn’t fill my heart with fluffy holiday happiness, it just makes me feel my OH could be here for free if our circumstances allowed, which they don’t.

Try a winter in Wales! 😁

https://quote.silversea.com/v3/EV250106015?guests=A1-K0&airfare=DoorToDoorV2-flights--Business&gateway=DoorToDoorV2-flights--ABZ&fare=DoorToDoorV2-flights

Just for clarification, I was also interested in one of the Antarctica cruises but the cheapest cabin on that one was £64,798 or £4,320 per person per night.

Many belated happy returns JP, sorry I missed it.

One thing that you will immediately notice is the pricing. I’d love to return to SS but I’m struggling to see any value in the current rates. There is only 1 cruise that interests me for my next holiday Jan 25) and a basic verandah comes out at £1,645.50 per night for a solo. That might be worth paying for a superb experience but taking into account both the reports onboard and the photos of School dinners onboard, my dollar is goin elsewhere.

Be sure to take them all to lost property at Reception DrRon. People can be very forgetful leaving their precious items lying around and I’m sure they’d be very grateful that they’d been handed in.

Feel free PP. Its the Jan 16th sailing! Looks like a great cruise and the Quest looks like a lovely ship. https://www.azamara.com/gb/cruises/qs250116-012-12-night-south-africa-intensive-voyage I Always find that lots of planning pays off. I'm not a let's wing it type of person and my FOMO screams if I could have been doing something better that day.

I Must say Dr Ron, especially having shared a wonderful meal with you both myself, is that your food photos onboard fill my heart with sadness. I’ve never been a fan of MDR cuisine on any line but I now find myself hoping that Bea Smith, Lizzy Birdsworth and Doreen Burns never had to endure such horrors is at the forefront of my mind.

We’ll never forget the waffles!

Tenner-reefy isn’t any consolation for Funchal Spinns. It really saddens me that you can’t even get a shrimp cocktail. Personally I’ve not been able to find a SS cruise that fits in with my schedule but doesn’t punish me for leaving my beloved at home. Maybe 26/27 might have more options but from what I’m seeing I don’t think I’ll bother anyway. SS seams to have really lost their way. Doubling the price whilst halving the quality isn’t sustainable. I Hope that you and Mr Dr Spinns are able to find some enjoyment in this current storm.

Apologies for once again pecking at the hive mind of our wonderful coolers. I’m currently looking at putting the RTW trip on hold until Jan 26 and bringing forward South Africa to Jan 25. I’m onto a really amazing SA (door to door) tour including an Azamara cruise and can deviate flights to enable an extra week around the Vic falls area. Current plans for those 7 nights would be 2 nights Mbano manor, 2 nights Zambezi Queen, 2 nights Ichingo Chobe River Lodge and 1 night in a star bed at Zambezi falls river lodge before joining the tour. The tour is then 2 nights Victoria falls Safari lodge, 3 nights Safari Plains onto Cape Town and then 12 nights on Azamara Quest. Could I plan it better?

Wishing you both a very happy golden wedding anniversary Jeff. The prawns look beautiful.