callyuk

I agree; it looks like we'll be disappointed too. We get off the QM2 on Nov 1.

That is exactly what we felt when we left the tips on. Everybody else on our table gave envelopes and we felt awkward, so since then we have removed the tips and used envelopes.

We got off a cruise this week.

We have always left our autotips on and some times given waiters extra for exceptional service. We felt our waiter didn't warrant any extra this time so thanked him and said our tips were charged to the cabin.

Others handed him envelopes, they had told us they had cancelled their autotips; the women rceived kisses and the men handshakes, we didn't even get a thank you, just a blank look. Who knows what was in the envelopes, it may well have been less than autotips.

Do they now expect autotips and the envelope?

We made a decision to cancel autotips in future on the drive home.

Probably a slow couple of miles - perhaps a couple of nice strolling hours with lots of stops and time to take in the scenery. It really is beautiful.

 

Difficult to say if it is too far for you I suppose - it is quite flat and not a strenuous walk at all. Loads of chances to sit down along the way if you need to. There are chances to go to see some of the landmarks on the way but if it is too much for you then you can just avoid and take an easier route. We are early / mid 50s and not the athletic type ( ;-) ) and we have been fine despite one dodgy knee !!!

 

There is a clip on Youtube here and you can see people jogging the route to give you an idea of how flat it is and how beautiful

 

Thank you for the information, that should be fine for us.

We tried to judge the distance when we sailed out last time and thought then that it may be too far. But we shall certainly try that route next time; weather permitting.

We love La Coruna and have been there twice. If you are ok walking then we would recommend just taking the coastal path that goes round to the cliffs and then to the town and lovely beach. It takes in the lighthouse / ancient tower as the views are simply stunning.

 

If you are ok walking then I wouldn't consider doing anything else. And it is a very cheap option !!

Can you remember how far and how long the walk was. We enjoyed La Coruña when we went before, but just stayed around town and went to the military museum, we were hoping to try the walk next time. Just not sure if it would be too far.

Thanks

We have not used the coach since it took us from Preston, via Liverpool and Telford. Then we got stuck in traffic and did not get to the ship until 4.30. Now we go down the day before and stay in Southampton so we can be on board as soon as possible. You should be OK from Northampton though as it's not as far.

We do that now too, hotel, in or near Southampton, and parking.

We find it a far more relaxing start to the holiday.

We travelled from Liverpool and, as well as having to change coach on the way down because of a problem they had with another coach, didn't get there until after 4.

On the way back it was even worse, we were taken off the coach at a service station and transferred to Liverpool on a minibus; arrived after 5.

On every Fred cruise we have been on, where they have had a British night, there has been a singalong of old songs (and I mean old! e.g. A long way to tiperaree) in the theatre. We only went once and found it embarrassing and anachronistic. I think, even with Fred's older demographic, it is out of place.

It appears that the British/red white and blue is the only one they now seem to regularly do, with the occasional tropical.

They did used to have a variety of other themes.

We always enjoyed the rock and roll night, appropriate music was played and the menu was themed with the food given the names of songs.

Exactly.

 

As nobody (apart from the one person here) would tip a cleaner in a hotel or tip the staff in a buffet, that means the tip relates solely to the evening meal. £7 pp for that seems a reach.

We have travelled extensively in India, Latin America and the near East and have always left a tip in the room for the cleaner when leaving, and will continue to do so. (We also used to do this in the early days of package travel to Spain.)

We don't leave £7 a day, but on a level considered acceptable for the country we're visiting.

Interesting to see that link, but it must vary according to offers at the time.

We were on Oriana this Christmas and booked whilst onboard for the next, a 16 night cruise. We received £180 pp onboard credit plus car parking, we could have opted for £250 pp instead. The booking was transferred to our TA, we had no choice in that.

Unless something has changed recently, it is Pepsi that is on the all inclusive list, not Coke, and coffee in the bars and coffee bar are not part of the drinks package (you can get serve yourself coffee at any time in the buffet area). So, at one drink a day, you may well find the all-inclusive is not worth your while.

I agree with everything Parsman has said. The Balmoral is our favourite Fred ship, we think it is just the right size; with a choice of things to do, small enough for staff to remember you plus a nice atmosphere and layout.

There is no longer a ticket for Fred (hasn't been for a while), just an "eticket"; as the original poster described, an A4 printed sheet.

We're sailing from Newcastle, in September, and have the same on our eticket; 13:30 to 15:30.

Just checked, and logged in without any problems. I didn't see the message you received. I use Firefox.

Hope that helps

When we did it, a while back, the coach left Manchester airport at around 8.15. It was a very good journey, as it didn't have to make any stops to pick up other passengers. We made two stops at services enroute and arrived at the ship at around 2, then boarded straight away.

Yes, you get 50% reduction on wines that aren't available on all inclusive (but not champagne), we do that when we feel like a change; although with the new all inclusive list you get more of a choice of wines than before. You also get 50% reduction on cocktails, premium spirits/beers, fortified wines and liqueurs.

Presumably the park provides coaches for you to transfer to in order to tour the area?

Yes, and you can also go on guided walks, available at the Timanfaya visitor centre; we also accessed other parts of the national park for our own walks. I'm sorry I have no record of what the costs were.

In Lanzarote, we thought the 'Fire Mountain' excursion which included an optional camel ride was very good. Not with Fred, but I expect they are all the same. I think it would be a difficult trip to do independently, as only coaches seemed to be allowed into the volcano park area.

We have stayed on Lanzarote (as well as on cruise ships) and have visited this area in a hire car with no problems, there is a parking area for cars.

Obviously this is our experience and may not always be the case, but, just had a quick look and previous Fred. flights to Barbados we have been on (both Manchester and Gatwick) have left between 10 and 11.30 am; return flights have been overnight.

Unfortunately, with Fred's charter flights we have never been able to prebook seats on the way out; they are also quite late giving out flight times (often six weeks before), although we have been verbally given a time over the phone sometimes. The last time we had a Caribbean flight with them was this February.

Onboard the ship you are given flight tickets to verify for the return flight and can make a request on the form you give back to reception, but there is never any guarantee you will get what you requested. We are just happy if we get a seat together, which hasn't always happened!

Yes far to much blabbing.

 

 

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Exactly, we need to keep very quiet about it! We get very upset if we can't get in at lunchtime because it's too full.

Both the Avon and Spey have tables for two, and they are treated as one restaurant when a booking is requested for them. There is no real difference between etiher of them, they are both very nice; smaller and quieter than the main restaurant.

We keep coming back to Fred. because they keep tempting us with interesting itineries (platinum too, now, so we'll get more off the onboard spend!). But that doesn't say we think the cruise experience with them is the best on offer.

We have actually preferred some of the other lines we've tried, where it's also easier and less costly to have a balcony, (they include Cunard, P&O, NCL, Viking, Royal Star, Celebrity) but it's all subjective of course, so there's no point in saying which is our favourite.

We have done a lot of land based holidays and tours too, and still do so, but also enjoy cruising.

Who would I pay to see ?

 

Bernie Clifton with his ostrich Oswald.

Basil Brush.

The Muppets.

 

Am I joking or not ? I'll let you decide.

Only one for me - Elvis (Presley) of course.

A similar thing happened to us and, although we had circumvented the GP, he happily filled in the form that the insurance company required.

Best wishes to you both

Just came off the Balmoral after a cruise to Spain

Tins of beer and soft drinks are available in the Palms but draught beers are chargable!!?

Sorry, misunderstood a bit, thought you were saying that draught beers weren't available on AI, but you were referring to in the restaurants. We've noticed that whatever drink people order with a meal in the main restaurants at night other than wine, we only drink wine with meals, it is brought by barstaff.