sgmn

On 2/17/2024 at 7:48 PM, aussielozzie18 said:

Had another superb dinner on VV last night.  In the opposite to Tree Skier’s frustrating experience - I was treated like a VIP last night.

 

I was seated at my reserved table and my waitress had just left after we had discussed the best dishes for me and  taking my order, when the Restaurant Manager and Assistant Manager came over  and asked if I would give up my table as a gentlemen had come in who needed it.  They were both profusely apologetic and very appreciative that I said yes.  I just smiled and said it’s fine.

Anyways, from then on from my perfectly acceptable new table,I was treated like a VIP. My drinks were comped, I had the Mgr & AM come over and sincerely apologise again and then the the Restaurant Manager personally served me each course and then checked I was enjoying each dish which I was.  Never had this level of attention in my life and never will again.  And all dishes were superb.  

Glad you're enjoying VV, Aussie, it's on my radar 

On 2/17/2024 at 5:15 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

 

I'm staying home today and doing some cleaning and going to make a pot of meatballs and sausage with the last of my sauce from last summer's tomatoes.  

Yummy 😋,  wish we could all come round to sample 

On 2/17/2024 at 4:54 PM, Sea Dog said:

Just when I thought I was recovering good with the hernia. My prostrate decided to be stubborn again. I was in pain all day as I couldn’t urinate. Ended up having to go to the ER late last night and had a catheter put in (that was not fun at all) and they drained 1200ml off of me. Now I’m back home catheter and all. I’m very uncomfortable but at least not in the pain as I was in. Now I have to get back to urologist and see how long this thing will have to stay in. Life is not fun right now.

Oh Greg, I'm so sorry you're going through all this 😢 

On 2/17/2024 at 1:34 PM, Arzeena said:

I will say slightly boring, "cliquish" and going in all other directions but of the "cruise". I also got the feeling that some people were getting too full of themselves.

So I had a choice to fast forward most posts.
This is where John's ability to hold a captive audience in his excellent reviews is most missed.

🎶don't it always seem to go

that you dont know what you got

'til its gone🎶

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I still remember that ordeal.

Me too, I remember following John's blog.  I was still working at Heathrow T3 then.  Everyday was getting more and more nightmare-ish with cancellations, new rules and regulations for every country coming out on almost an hourly rate, terrible tales from passengers desperate to get home.  Horrible time

50 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

You need to realize the “norm” for RCI in situations like this - the RCI CSRs are reading from a script and no amount of venting usually changes that. RCI is still selling the original Dubai leg on their web site. The rerouting and options for customers is still being worked out. Again, give them a chance to work things out - or not. 

But they were quick enough to send out the cancellation letters to the mini cruisers.  They've obviously been working on this for some time, maybe they could of put a little bit more thought into the original  cruisers and their plight.  Why upset them needlessly if they are going to offer them the DXB-CPT in a couple of weeks?  

My thoughts is it will be at a much higher fare and they are trying to monetize the situation at the expense of their existing customers.  Not a good look 😕 

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I'm sure she is at the current prices if cabins are available.,,no price protection or a gty of getting the same cabin they had booked.

The European sectors are now almost fully booked and very expensive 

7 hours ago, CSHS1979 said:

Someone on FB made a chart comparison of the change between original itinerary and option 1 and 2

Laura, has John made up his mind which he prefers?

Do the full world cruisers have the final say which route they go for ? 

Personally I like route one though a few of those stops would have me concerned. 

How safe is the Straits of Hormuz?  Years ago we sailed it on a cruise from Dubai and got buzzed at top deck level by an Iran military jet.

I would of thought they would of rerouted from Singapore. 

Thanks for keeping us entertained and informed these last few weeks on your Aussie/NZ/Far East adventure.

Have you disembarked now? Safe travels home 

6 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Won't they be making some new mini cruises so you could still board in Dubai?

But according to Nancy's post will have to pay the difference which if option 1 could be high as so unusual.  All depends what the new fares are and how many mini segments they create 

3 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Thanks for posting this.  Micheline loves visiting estates, and this looks like a great place to visit.  Margaret Greville must have been a very interesting person.  Adding this to the list for our next visit to London.

We've been National Trust members for years but realised we were hardly ever using it and there are loads of properties and beauty spots near us that they own. So we're making a big effort to visit somewhere at least once a week. This time of year we feel happy leaving molly in the car after a good long walk whilst we look at the property, we wouldn't do that if it was warm. She'll have to be left with my son or we just won't visit the properties, just walk in the grounds

Some of the properties don't open until the spring. The NT app is a good resource.   They also have holiday cottages available on a lot of the estates and you get to enjoy the grounds after the visitors have gone home

6 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I am now getting the advertisements that folks were talking about yesterday.

I'm getting random adverts. If I click on the x it says ads by google

13 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I just saw a British film from 2019 called Yesterday.I highly recommend it especially if you are a fan of the Beatles .

 

It is on Prime .

Is that the one where he has an accident and wakes up in an alternative universe where nobody has ever heard of the Beatles.  Love that film, great actor

46 minutes ago, roupa said:

With the SeaPass cards now available at your cabin, it is very possible to pick one up, not check for your name, walk in and unpack!

So be SURE you’re in the correct stateroom by finding your name on the SeaPass card before settling in! 😲😴

We saw this on a RC cruise last year. A guy down the corridor was shouting at an attendant that someone had taken their cards from the 'mail slot',  entered their room, dumped their hand baggage and taken a shower, used the bathroom.  

He was demanding that the room get recleaned/made up

Thank you all for your birthday good wishes and Happy Birthday to Lisa for yesterday too!

I had a lovely day. Weather was a bit grey and misty but we had a great day out at a National Trust property walking Molly in the 1600 acres of the property, and then while she rested in the car we had a quick look around the gardens and house.  Family came over in the afternoon for coffee and cake and then Gary cooked a steak dinner.   We'll go out to dinner at the weekend to celebrate properly and then look forward to our Singapore trip

You can just spot thec house in the background 

View from the house. As far as you can see belongs to the property 

The Gold Room

In her will in the '40s she left the house and grounds to the National Trust and her Jewels to her good friend, our old Queen Mother (she had no children). In this cabinet are replica of two tiara that are still being worn by the Royal Family today 

She was the only child of a brewery owner (McEwan). She inherited a million pounds in the beginning of the 20th century and married into nobility.  I love learning about the owners of these big country houses 

Polesden Lacey, https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/polesden-lacey

3 hours ago, Luckynana said:

@aussielozzie18  Your poor daughter!  Poor mama, too, this has to be so scary for the both of you.  Prayers that all go well with your daughter's surgery.  I'm sure it will.🙏

+1 prayers that it mends quickly 🙏 

On 2/14/2024 at 12:22 PM, aussielozzie18 said:

@sgmn have a lovely time in Singapore and enjoy Spectrum.  From the current cc live that we are both following it looks like a lovely ship.

Thanks Aussie, yes it's great there's been a trip report as often there's not much about Spectrum,  sounds totally different.  We leave next week for a few days first in Singapore before the four night cruise. 

I missed a few posts but from quotes I'm sorry to hear your child has broken a bone. I hope it's a clean easily mended break and they are not in pain 

Our cabin has finally been confirmed on our Spectrum cruise. It was the one which showed with the bar code hack. So thanks for the assistance with that. But what's annoyed me is that b4 it was 'revealed' the royalup to OV with large balcony started at £35pp. I put in a bid for £45pp. That bid has now been cancelled by RC due to 'a change in your reservation' and now starts at £70pp if I want to bid again. 

I'm happy enough with the room but a bit concerned it's connecting so there may be noise 

It's only a four night cruise. I've never done such a short one before.  Does anyone know if we can still bring our two bottles of wine and will we get diamond wifi for these short cruises?

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

@Sea Dog

 

Greg, I'll be thinking about your tomorrow.

 

Sending positive thoughts across the pond for a successful and painless surgery 🤞

+1, good luck Greg 👍 

14 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

My whole left side is sore from trying to brace myself but I am okay otherwise.

Glad you're OK 👍 

3 hours ago, little britain said:

I found it! It’s in the usual place on d4. But it has a big Golden Lounge sign and perhaps they only convert it into a Crown Lounge when there are enough numbers? 
 

 

coffee machine and canapés ✔️ 

Thanks sooo much, love a canapé 😃

Love the lift art too. Gettihg excited now for our turn 

22 minutes ago, little britain said:

Someone told me Hotpot was only pay if you have the up charge lobster/steak. I’ll check. Or perhaps you’re a lobster/steak kinda gal!! 

It's showing as £29 in the app but looking at the menu there's only a value against the 'premium ' foods, lobster, steak, scallops, frogs legs😋 😄  So a bit confusing. Does that mean the broths, vegetable and lesser protein are included 🤔 

1 hour ago, little britain said:

Sorry, diamonds aren’t able to dine in Silver.  D+ can only dine there on a sail by sail basis depending upon numbers. The cut off is around 20 D+ will be allowed in.

 

Thanks for asking, so no DL/CL for Diamonds. Ah well, will miss the coffee and will miss no Solarium restaurant but the WJ sounds good

Mmmm, interesting.  Sounds like there's less included food options. Teppanyaki is expensive 😬

Can you find out if the silver lounge is available to diamonds? So no open to all food options in solarium?

Enjoy the cruise 

13 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Flightradar24 is a good app to see what is over your house now.  You can click on the plane or helicopter and see what it is and its flight path.  We have a lot of med flights that go over our house on the way to a major trauma center near us.

Yeap that's the one Gary has. He loves sitting out in the garden on a sunny day giving a running commentary on who's flying overhead 😁