cublet

Hello, I think that reading all the pizzagate posts may have confused me but hasn't there also been a post saying that OBC (from RCI) cannot be used to pay gratuities? Regards, Cublet

Here is a question that only one person can answer for sure. Cast your minds back to 2010 and the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull and the closure of European air space. Fain sent the brand spanking new Celebrity Eclipse to pick-up air passengers stranded in Europe. Not only that but he gave them $50 OBC to spend. Ever since the Brit's have loved it. After that intro here is the question: What would Liberty have done had he been CEO? Regards, Cublet

Hello, I don't mind being called a cynic, but, please, not an 'old' cynic. What I think is this. During the pandemic, Royal, X and others laid-off many of their expensive employees. They were 'expensive' because of their length of service and knowledge gained. As the market recovered, whether Royal & X tried to re-employ those let go I don't know but what we have is lots of newbies with little or no knowledge or experience both on the wet and on the dry. Royal & X, not unlike many others, seem not to believe in 'training' as it's money down the drain as, once trained, the employee leaves for greener pastures. Moreover the management of RCI & X could equally say they have no need for 'trainers' as they has 'x' millions of them for free - their regular clients and especially higher members of the C&A & CC Societies. If only they listened to us! We moan, justifiably, about their poor IT systems, we could equally moan about their poor record-keeping/process documentation. [Please, let's not get hung-up over the difference between a 'process' and a 'procedure'.] How many times have we asked a question or query and the person at the other end says they have asked/will 'ask'......- what I am saying is that should not be necessary - it should be documented and they should be able to 'look-it-up'. This thread is a case in point. The CC benefits have 'grown like Topsy' (no, I'm too young to know what that means), some logically, some because of a current need and some 'where on earth did that come from?'. There is not the pool of knowledge at 'the centre' (Miami) to pull the extremities into line. I fear this will go on for months. This could go two ways: By sheer weight of numbers, what the ships say, goes and becomes the norm; or somehow a pool of knowledge and history is amassed at the centre and enforced at the extremes. But I am not optimistic. It would probably be better for our equilibrium to cruise with a line, any line, for the first time on which we had no expectations for any 'earned entitlements' and thus had nothing that could be 'removed'. Yours, more in sorrow than in anger, Cublet

Hello, You are probably speaking for the US whilst I was speaking for the UK. If, in the UK, you try to apply the DP340 code to a sailing that is NOW outside the blacklisted dates but WAS previously within the blacklisted dates, you get this: Regards, Cublet

Hello, easyCruise used to charge for food immediately. But I question whether it merits (or merited, as it has gone) the classification of being a 'cruise line'). Nor do I think the cafeteria type venue would pass as a MDR or the portion of pizza as a starter never mind a main course. And you had to pay to have your beds made. I am both pleased and proud NOT to be speaking from experience, but from watching a TV prog about the vessel. Regards, Cublet

Hello, One of the problems we, and Royal, have is the incompatibility of northern European weather and ship design. One of those Royal has no control over, the other it has - if only it chooses to do so. I remember watching one of those 'banging the drum' promo films for the design/build of Voyager. Someone from the design team was giving a presentation and said something along the lines of 'we kept the decks open' (and this I remember exactly) "to maintain our relationship with the sea". Well whoopee for the Caribbean - but what about here and what about us? If the ship(s) don't suit the weather, Royal is not going to get the load factor and therefore return they require to station (more?) ships here. Perhaps it's time for Mr Bayley to use what influence he as, if any, to have a ship designed specifically for this market. Regards, Cublet

Hello, So following Carnival in more ways than one. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I can't remember how long ago but we had the Independence and a Voyager class ship out of Southampton for a season or two. Regards, Cublet

Hello, They could still surprise us all by basing it in Harwich. Regards, Cublet PS: But I'm not holding my breath.

Hello, Simple soul that I am, I thought there was some enormous formula in the background that worked-out prices based on some 'base' figure. Not so - or at least not for the UK - they have to be input manually and individually. For this reason, not all DP340 discounted figures have been input for 2024 UK sailings (!) AND the (old) black-out dates in July & August haven't been moved forwards by a couple of weeks. Words fail me. Regards, Cublet

Hello, On the excursion I was on, we were allowed so far into the mosque with our shoes on (eg to view the bathing areas) but they had to be removed to enter the Prayer Hall. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Looking at 2025 prices, I think that MSC thinks (hopes) Northern Europe is performing something greater than 'great'. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Many thanks. On ONE of my 'alternate breathing' nights, we got through 700 bottles of Champagne just in that bar. Regards, Cublet

Hello, How have the crowds been at the Champagne Bar? My last two experiences have been polar opposites: Needing to take in turns to breath with queues into the corridor vs an undertaker's waiting room. Regards, Cublet.

Hello, I wouldn't call the prices I've just seen on 2025 out of Southampton a 'slight increase' on 2024 - more like 70% on 2024's 12 night itineraries. And as for 2023, that had a long single supplement offer of only 20%, the 2025 price is nearly triple. Regards, Cublet

Hello, JR, on Anthem, acts as a pool of stand-by waiting staff for Coastal Kitchen that seems to be permanently short-staffed. They do rather spoil the 'feel' of CK by waiting in their white JR aprons - surely some black ones could be made available. Re JR being made free again, I was told that charges were introduced to keep out the kids that would take-over the venue leaving little or no space for adults. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Until such time as Royal posts guards at the exit of the WJ to stop food being taken out. Regards, Cublet

Hello, There was a highly respected UK business man called Sir Hohn Harvey-Jones MBE. He, prior to retirement, was the CEO of Imperial Chemical Industries - ICI. Post 'retirement' he was known as 'The Trouble-shooter' in which he travelled the country giving advice to struggling companies for a TV series of that name. During this time, he gave a talk to 'The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists' (a professional institution, not a trading company). He said that he would never allow, whilst at ICI, the CFO/Company Accountant, to be responsible for anything 'operational' as he called them "The abominable 'No' Men". Regards, Cublet

Hello, I don't eat pizza so I have no skin in the game to argue. However, this will only make sense to other Brits reading this, I would like to see, and happily pay to use, a branch of 'Greggs' on board. Whenever possible I will select a med cruise that calls into Gibraltar outbound. That way I can call into Morrisons supermarket and stock-up on savoury bakery products for 'emergency' use on board when both WJ and MDR let me down. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Thank you very much. One ship, cannot remember which, last month decided to give up as the Sea Walk was U/S and set sail for the next port of call. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Many thanks for all your information. Can you report back whether the extendable pier/walkway is back in operation? Some previous cruises have reported that it is not and people have to use tenders to get ashore. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I'm not saying that you have done this, but the 'mark as read' does not work if you 'right-click' it. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I find this quite bizarre. I 'spend' most of my on-board spend on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and MSC usually from the comfort of my desk at home. As to the answer is in the description, the goods and or services were purchased by me for 'on-board' use or consumption. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I thought it was a good social event as we were all standing and could chat and mingle freely unlike at an event where all were seated. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Many thanks for the response. Can I do it multiple times, with different vouchers of course? It's not that I am a 'wine buff', as I'm not, it's because (a) I know what I like and am dubious about substitutions (both 'offered' and 'slyly imposed') so it's good to have a private 'reserve stock'; and (b) the miserable measures can mean a long wait for a refill when buying by the glass. My three free C&A 525 points' bottles will be enough for my 7 nighter but not my 12. On MSC Virtuosa I was served a double measure of Champagne each time without having to ask (after the first day). On Celebrity Silhouette I had my private reserve stock of (genuine) Prosecco in the Passport Bar fridge. Regards, Cublet