marylizcat

Happened to us once on a Holland America ship, but in the daytime. We went out on an excursion and when we came back the problem had been sorted and for the next few days we had an industrial dryer machine blowing away. I did think somebody might have apologised or sent a bottle of wine or something, but no. I suspect it is such a frequent happening that they just take it for granted.

If you go to the Ports of Call board on here, you should be able to find recommendations.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/43-asia/

Space Port and Kennedy Space Center are one and the same thing.

Over the years we have cruised with 13 different cruise lines. They all have their pros and cons, but we have enjoyed them all and would return to them all. You should definitely try other lines. I would say Marella are certainly equal to P&O. We choose by itinerary and convenient date. 

My son went on it most days on Odyssey in October, but they never had the virtual reality headsets. It was just plain bungee trampolining. Such a shame if it is being abolished altogether.

On 11/12/2022 at 10:00 PM, wineoclock said:

We had our passports checked on the ship daily. 

Yes, they still checked the passports to see you had your gate pass every subsequent day. But that didn’t delay things like the first day. You could get off anytime you wanted to, not in numbered groups. Somebody came onto the ship and checked as you were leaving. The first day you were processed in the terminal building.

I should have said that the reason given for this slow disembarkation was Israeli immigration procedures. You had to pass passport control on the first day. Actually a very fast process, just like at any European airport.

I wanted to post on here just to warn others of what to expect on first arriving in Israel. I was unaware of the problems and would have planned differently if I had known. We were on Odyssey of the Seas, a very large ship. Quite possibly on a smaller ship, these problems would have been much less. 
 

After the ship was cleared, RCI excursions were the first allowed to disembark. Everybody else, on independent excursions had to leave in ‘group’ order.  This number was determined by your ticket, similar to a tender ticket, which was distributed on an earlier sea day. This meant that in a group minibus, it was necessary to wait for everybody to slowly arrive before the tour could depart. It took until 10.30 am for this, after disembarkation started at 8. This meant that the tour returned very late to the ship. Fortunately we were in port overnight. If it had been a one day call, the tour would have had to be abbreviated.

On subsequent days, there was not the same problem. Everybody was allowed off at the same time.

If I had my time again, I would either do a totally private excursion or a ship’s excursion on the first day.

(This all rather reminded me of visits to St Petersburg in the old days!)

Marella are already advertising that they are returning to Asia for cruises in winter 2023/4. So that is a definite! No details yet though.

On 12/9/2021 at 9:34 PM, Coravel said:

 

During the 16 nights we had to take four covid tests and temperatures taken each time we returned to the ship.  

Ii wondered if you could give me any more information about these tests. Were they for the benefit of the ship or the ports of call, if you see what I mean? Were they nasal swab lateral flow tests? Were they free of charge?

My advice would be that everybody should ensure that they have a credit card or two, with fairly high limits, with them to cover all eventualities, even if they can claim the expenses back from their insurance on their return. I know that some people declare that they don’t have a credit card at all. But you really do need to have one when travelling abroad, just in case!

56 minutes ago, LLOM said:

Thankyou for your reply marylizcat, both the staycation cruises were on explorer 2, we did do a P&O  to the canaries as well but then the majority of men wore a tux and having cruised with P&O numerous times I know what their formal ( now called celebration night by some) nights consist of, but having only done 3 Marella cruises and seeing quite a difference in their dress code I wondered  if anyone could tell what their norm was like. Thank you again 

My last cruise pre-pandemic was in Feb 2020 on Marella, Canaries, can’t remember the ship’s name. Think I saw exactly one DJ! Not even ties. 

Were your two staycation cruises both on Marella or was one on P&O? I only ask because on the latter men do still wear dinner jackets on formal nights, whereas we have found that on Marella they don’t, probably because they no longer call them ‘formal nights’, but just ‘dress to impress’ or something similar.

When you arrive at a UK airport, nobody checks it either. That is because it is the responsibility of the airline to check you have completed it. It is linked online to your passport too, so I suppose the system checks it.

I feel the same. Cannot see any itineraries which appeal. Just the same old ones. Will wait for other lines to say what they will be doing.

I fancied doing the Baltic again, but want to call at Gdynia and none do. Also wanted a British Isles calling at Portree, Isle of Skye, but no. I thought they said they would do more British Isles sailings, but not so.

I find they are very responsive if you send them a message on their ‘book of the face’ page, giving booking ref etc. 

I expect Fred Olsen will either let you cancel with a refund or if not, cancel and keep the monies paid so far as a credit for future cruises. 

12 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

But what if you test positive, say 20 days before sailing and still feel unwell to sail?

 

I had covid last year and it took me a good couple of months before I felt like doing anything so it is entirely possible.

That should be covered by your travel insurance. Just checked and mine says it covers:

‘

• Cancelling or cutting short your trip if you, a member of your family or travelling party, are medically diagnosed with Coronavirus or personally instructed to isolate by an NHS service or medical professional.

1 hour ago, marylizcat said:

P& O said they will cover you if that happens. You get a FCC I think.

Here is what website says:

”

Future Cruise Credit

If you are unable to cruise due to a positive COVID-19 test within 14 days of sailing, you will be denied boarding but we’re pleased to say you’ll receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to the value of the cruise and we will automatically refund any pre-cruise purchases made through My P&O Cruises*.

5 hours ago, Stu UK said:

Looks like Holiday Extras have finally amended policy wording on Gold Cruise Policy (p31) to define abroad as having embarked a cruise ship.  Still no cover for cancellation if you are told to self isolate by NHS track & trace.

 

https://www.holidayextras.com/images/groups/insurancemagenta/policy_wording/GoldCruise0421.pdf

P& O said they will cover you if that happens. You get a FCC I think.

I certainly wouldn’t say 50 per cent were in tux on my last Marella cruise in February last year. I saw exactly one man in a dinner jacket! And I had a good look round the dining room to check!

I was interested to see Arvia’s maiden voyage on 9 Dec down to the Canaries, followed by the same again over Christmas.

I haven’t heard any such announcements. However it is far too early to know what the arrangements will be next winter. A lot will depend on each country’s own requirements for visiting cruise ships. Obviously you should be prepared for that to be the rule, but it may not be.

Nobody has mentioned the highlight of a sea day on Fred - the dolphin racing!!

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

But Azamara prices include all-inclusive beers, wine & spirits plus speciality coffees.

Well, obviously one is allowing for that! Oceania usually give you an option of including drinks at meal times ‘free’. We have sailed with them several times and they are pretty similar to Fred apart from freely available lobster, which I don’t like anyway! Entertainment much worse than Fred.  Onboard prices etc are much higher of course, being American.