chemmo

Writing as someone from your neighbourhood the older you get the harder it gets to fly long haul, even when upgrading flights so don’t leave it too long! Having enjoyed two trips in the Pacific and South Pacific I can only say if I close my eyes I can see the sights, hear the noises and even smell the fresh earth smell of the islands…Worth every penny and suffering the flights!

My late husband and I always said we never regretted a penny we spent on cruising because of the fabulous memories…Like yourself, there are moments we will remember forever.

I think you are looking at this the wrong way around…So much is about what you personally want. For example a big room is important to me but for others it may be their lowest priority… If you enjoy shows then RC bigger ships win, if dining quality is important then a smaller luxury line may suit but if lots of dining choices are important then a Celebrity ship with included speciality restaurants may suit you more… Can I suggest you make a list of what is important to you (room size, balcony size, dining preferences, included drinks…). Not only then will you be clearer of what is important to you others may be able to focus their suggestions to your priorities.

Looking back on years of cruising and holidays it is often the ‘little extras’ like special meals or special excursions which we have paid extra for that have been memorable. We have done a few of these dining experiences and agree that the company you are with does make a real difference. After saying that, even our one bad experience was memorable! So nice that you have booked early, gives you longer to look forward to it!

Jim, when we visited we had read a review that had described the town as you have…We opted for a tour that day and were pleased that we had when we finished the day with a stroll around. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the tour but I remember lots of butterflies! A sign of age and how stressful and expensive flying has become…

Sincere thanks for a wonderful vicarious vacation!

As an older person myself and with mobility issues I have two responsibilities when choosing a tour. Firstly not to choose something where I could hurt myself and secondly not to choose something where my issues could slow down/reduce the enjoyment of fellow travellers. It is a sad fact that many people don’t read the description properly or expect tours to be modified to meet their needs. I remember clearly on a tour in Sicily when an older couple suggested we ‘skip’ a walk to a church and extend the lunch stop that followed as there were lots of steps…Fortunately others in the minibus were vocal in their choice to keep to the itinerary. Dress for excursions never fails to amaze me…flip flops in Pompeii and to climb Mount Teide are two examples that spring to mind. Continuing to enjoy your adventures Norwaylady! Please keep the commentary coming!

Sincere best wishes for a speedy recovery! For one reason and another I have done a lot of vicarious cruising myself this year!

Jim, just a brief message to say thank you for sharing your adventures. Loving every menu, picture and word…

I hate to say this but years ago we had a big ‘new’ crew on Equinox and to describe service as chaotic for the full cruise was an understatement…In all my Celebrity cruises it is the only one where we asked to speak to the hotel manager as so many things were wrong…His cheerful reassurance that “By next week service will be getting nearly back to normal” was not what we wanted/needed to hear! A butler who did nothing but tell us how sore his feet were (and in detail). A room attendant first day who, when I politely asked him to re vacuum the room as there were finger nails by the sofa in the lounge said I should have cut them over a bin. I had to point out to him they were violent red and clearly belonging to the last occupant! None existent service at the Elite cocktail hour…Really none existent. Even the Michael’s Club host was new and tried to tell me we would need to pay for our son’s specialty dining (we were in a RS) and didn’t believe me until she had spoken to the M’D of Murano. Luminae breakfast service was soooooo slooooow and evening service was a bit of a joke with so many errors. When the wrong entrees were brought out to us the waiter turned around moving from table to table asking generally “Has anyone ordered the lamb and salmon?”. When he finally found an owner he then needed reminding about ten minutes later that we were still waiting! We can laugh now looking back but at the time it really was a disaster and disappointment of a cruise. Never experienced anything that bad or remotely near that bad before or since. Quite simply they had swapped over so many staff the new ones weren’t getting the training they needed.

We have cruised Eclipse RS on several occasions and most other S class RS too. We find the rooms lovely. A good sized balcony, lots of space in the living room to relax, entertain and dine in if you wish. Bathroom is really nice too. The RS perks are lovely too. We particularly enjoy the unlimited speciality dining and tend to dine in Tuscan or Murano most evenings. Go for it! Enjoy!

Make sure you add ‘special occasions’ to your planner. As others have said head straight to a speciality restaurant as you board. If you are flexible about the time you dine you are far more likely to get the dates you want. Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

Definitely a ‘hit and miss time’ for the weather in this part of the Mediterranean at this time of year…We have experienced everything from glorious sunshine to torrential downpours! Op, hope you have a wonderful cruise. I would be interested in feedback on Luminae and Michael’s Club once you have experienced both a few times.

Our son did lots of cruises with us in his late teens and early twenties. Sometimes there were others similar age sometimes not. However, we always gave options for active and interesting port days and then he was content to spend the sea days with us crashing poolside, enjoying dining…

We have found the response mixed. On some cruises we have been given a cake, on others a decorated cake slice…Only on one occasion (our son’s birthday) was our room decorated. If you want it celebrating definitely let the M’D know beforehand and on the actual evening.