oscarshep

On 10/7/2023 at 3:17 PM, FuzzyDuckUK said:

It's also a tricky airport for landings/takeoffs due to the adjacent mountains causing the wind direction to change very quickly. In 2018 our plane had to change runway direction twice before finally getting airborne.

If that was the only problem I'd go back tomorrow😎

Brilliant cruise on Explorer but we will never use Corfu airport ever again. It's queue after queue after queue.

The airport just cannot cope with the volume of people. We've decided any itinerary with Corfu as home port is off the list in future.

If they treble the facilities in the future we may return. Not Marella's fault but something needs to change.

Hi all,

Does any remember seeing a cocktail called 'Illusion' at any of the bars on Explorer?

We've been on board this year and didn't notice it anywhere. After watching a video on YouTube just now taken on Discovery 2  it appears in a clip showing a bar menu and it looks really nice.

Not the end of the world if it's not available but would be great if anyone can confirm it's somewhere on Explorer.

Thanks in advance 🍹

Some really informative videos on YouTube by 2 guys Jonny and Will just now from their recent sail on Voyager.

Learnt so much from them and it all looks great. Definitely worth a watch to wet your appetite if you're on Voyager in the future.

Sorry,

I meant to ask if Lisa was one of the hosts in the Squid and Anchor?

Thanks Fife1,

We were on Explorer earlier in May and concur with all your comments.

Going on Explorer again later in the year, can't wait.

Writing this as we sit in the lounge waiting to disembark.

Everything was great. So many friendly staff, no waiting for anything, food all first class.

Entertainment was really good, great team on board especially our favourites Lisa and Phil.

Seems like Marella have stepped up from last year. No problems with dyed blonds or any 'other' issues mentioned in other threads

Highly recommend this ship to anyone.

Dubrovnik old town is a must. We did an organised tour before and you learn much more about the place with a guide.Going back to Dubrovnik on the cruise you are doing on Friday but own our own this time for a wander around.

Venice is nearly as much time on the coach there and back as it is in the city but might be worth it if you haven't been before.

And get up early to go up on deck to see the sail into Kotor Bay. Stunning.

Just my own recommendations obviously, one cruise isn't enough to see it all.

You can always upgrade once on board if you decide to, I think the price of the upgrade reduces as your cruise continues and may at some point be better value per day than pre booked price.

Whatever you decide you won't go thirsty!

Brummijam I think your reaction is exactly why the term 'working class' should not have been used to describe the fellow passengers referred to in the post you quoted. It's obviously got your gander up. I wasn't offended but some could be as you've shown here. I assume the person posting considered themselves above 'working class' and that's why they used the term in the context in which they did in their post. I'm back at work on Monday by the way, 40 years in the same job👍

8 hours ago, Brummijam said:

The post that I put up as an example (post no5) does mention Scottish and northern English passengers, but not in a derogatory way as far as I can tell.

I have enjoyed many cruises meeting other pax from all over the United Kingdom and never had any problems whatsoever. (Apart from some understanding some very broad accents)😂  We are so lucky to live in the UK in that wherever we go we can always find friendly aproachable people.

The original post was regarding Marella /TUI standards rather than its guests.😉

The post #5 you quoted also included the term `working class` which some might, rightly, take as a derogatory term. (Why else would anybody say it ?) I bet they wouldn`t say it face to face to a fellow passenger.

Anyway, happy cruising everyone and let`s all get along nicely 🙂 wherever you`re from and whatever `class` you belong to......life`s too short.  

So not Northern English then😂

16 hours ago, Sally V Lamb said:

Brummijam is correct in most respects. Standards have slipped but no one objects. Just back from a week around the Canaries and I would add the following.  Breakfast very poor selection with bacon of a low fatty nature. No tomatoes some days and the waiter said they rationed these to every other day. Quite ridiculous considering they stock up weekly in Tenerife where they are abundant. Mushrooms sliced so thinly you could not tell what they were.  Hash browns on alternate days.

 

I found the main broadway shows very good and have no complaints here. However there was a tendency for some passengers - mostly scottish - as they sat by us and told us they were - would pick up the free drinks on the way in and then nip out the other entrance and come back with more drinks. As the drinks were free regardless on board I cannot see that the advantage is. These were also the people going to the toilet throughout the show. The doors should be shut as well to prevent a procession of late comers.

 

That said the ship is in good condition,was well run day to day and we enjoyed ourselves.

Hello Sally, 

Assuming that you are not Scottish yourself, why did you feel it necessary to include the nationality of the people you criticised......just wondering. I'm from Scotland so British myself and have seen questionable behaviours on some cruises in recent years from passengers from all of the four nations that make up our United Kingdom.

None of us are that different really.

Has anyone done this excursion and how would you rate it. Seems a bit pricey at £75 pp. Thanks.

13 hours ago, Brummijam said:

I purchased rolling tobacco at the duty free shops at corfu airport, They had a good selection of tobacco products at decent prices. Ok as a last resort if you don’t get them onboard or on your travels.

I am assuming that you are flying to and from Corfu.

Yeah Brummijam, Corfu Airport in and out. Thanks for the info.

Thanks, I just assumed the ship would be a bit pricey but much easier than wasting my precious time shopping around so will probably buy onboard.

Hi,

I`m getting some ciggies for someone at work when I go on Explorer in May. Ports of call are in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Corfu. Does anyone know from experience which place might be the cheapest to buy them. It`s a filthy habit I know but happy to save someone a few quid.

Thanks.

Good announcement and at long last.

Never made much sense to most of us.

Thanks for sharing the latest update RR

Does anyone have any comments on The Dining Club. We`re on Explorer May 2023 and would just like to know if it`s worth a visit. I know it`s all a matter of opinion but even a comparison to Kora La and Surf and Turf as we`ve been to those would be of help....is it on a par or better ?

Thanks.

Friends of ours recently travelled on the TUI Dreamliner with similar needs to the one you describe. They were seated in row 11 which had the extra leg room usually found at the front on smaller aircraft. Maybe you could mention this to your agent.

Hope this helps.

3 hours ago, Rebel Rouser said:

The weather was brilliant, wasn't it. Sat many tea time in the Atrium having a few before the evening meal.  Never much ventured into the Squidly Anchor. Mainly the Evil Moor. 

So what did you think of the 2 Guitarists and the Piano players..the 2 groups were Good. 

I don`t think the guitarists would get a gig at our local bowling club for sure and the female pianist was good at the piano but shouldn`t have bothered adding the vocals. Probably the poorest singers ever to grace any ship we`ve been on by some distance. The two groups were outstanding and not just in comparison to the rest. They were superb.

Hahahaha....no luck but the Cointreau went down a treat instead. I did ask the bar staff but the answer was no.

Hope your week was as good as ours. We probably passed each other many times carrying said Strongbow🍺 which I found really good, even in the plastic tumblers.

Haha, I'll hold you to that 👍

My wife's favourite drink is pink gin and lemonade. We were on Explorer 2 earlier this year and there was no pink gin to be seen. We're on Discovery on Tuesday so was wondering if anyone is just back and saw any pink gin at any of the bars. It's such a popular drink here at home and it's the same price as any of the other popular spirits onboard so not sure why Marella wouldn't stock it. Ahhh first world problems.

Here's hoping 🤞

5 hours ago, Jim The Scot said:

 

 

If you visit TUI website and click the link at top of the page "entry requirements for cruises"info is there

 

All I will say is,if I  was going on a cruise from Palma on 11th October I would not be testing

We`re sailing from Palma on 4th October and 100% not testing.

Chronomics refunded our money without a quibble as well so I`d advise anyone who has bought a test and no longer needs it to ask for your money back.