cublet

Hello, Does anyone have a current discount code to book MSC parking at Southampton for 2024 & 2025? I did a search but the results don't state the year and having put a time frame of 'within the last six months' and got some results from 2018 (!), I decided a simpler approach was in order. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I was told on Silhouette that the CC HH is every day apart from the first - ie includes the night of the senior officers bash. I made use of that fact twice in the Passport Bar. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I am only theorising as I have no first hand knowledge, but my theory is this. You have Elite status on X and therefore Diamond status on Royal but whilst you have the STATUS you don't have the POINTS. The on-line booking system is looking at the C&A points to apply the discounts, but as you don't have the points it is not applying the discounts. But as I said, this is only my theory and others may know more. But whether right or not, best you contact Royal or use a good TA. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Based on experience, I very much doubt they would put (genuine) Prosecco in a mimosa - or anything else for that matter. Again, based on experience, the only way you can be guaranteed being served Prosecco and not the cheap swill they serve as such, is to buy it by the bottle and have in kept in your preferred bar. The motto of both X and Royal is 'serve cheap, charge dear'. This is a problem I never have on MSC. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Yes. You will have to pay the going rate for Royal's NCC/Deposit and not any concessionary X rate that it may be offering for its own NCC/Deposit. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Anyone coming along to the longest Royal Caribbean cruise from Southampton in 2025? It's only 12 nights, but with the right company could be well worth it!😁 Regards, Cublet

Hello, Flair for what, I ask myself. Perhaps someone will come along to explain it to me? Please?😧 Hope to see you on board, Regards, Cublet

Hello Folks, Anybody coming too? One of my other Roll Calls has got 661 views but zero posts😭 - lets do better on this one. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Can I ask a tangential question? As I prepay gratuities at the time of booking and then 'actually pay' 70 days out, when do the bar/waiting staff, cabin steward et al get the money? Regards, Cublet

Hello, Yes, I am saying exactly that - for the UK at least. Though there is an alternative - the agents don't know about, or how to use, the DP340 code. [Refer to an earlier post somewhere on a lack of documented processes.] As a lapsed accountant, I was expecting there to ge a giant formula that worked-out the prices based on the standard, but I was told that each and every possible permutation/combination of sub prices are worked-out individually and input manually. One of the many things this tells me is that Royal is only really interested in the 'hardware' ie ships and anything that supports or underpins the ships, 'software', comes a distant second in terms of both money and effort Regards, Cublet.

Hello, My latest booking required someone at Royal to work out a single special price - it was quite simple - they just halved the couple's price. Regards, Cublet

Hello, This side of the pond, the DP340 code produced 'Not applicable' until a week or so ago for all weeks inside or outside the 'blackout dates'. Now the code is recognised and produces a message that the discounts will be applied at checkout but when you get there the discount is a nice round Zero. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I went into a pretentious cocktail bar in Bristol and ordered a vodka martini - shaken not stirred. The barman refused saying he could not do it as shaking would 'bruise the alcohol'. My friend, a university scientist and 'President of the Academic Board', near collapsed in a fit of laughter. Being less demonstrative, I just shook my head in disbelief. Regards, Cublet

Hello, There used to be a cargo line that had both a sea-going captain and a port captain. The port captain was a retired sea-going captain and lived ashore. When the ship arrived in port, the sea-going captain left for whatever jollies sea-going captains enjoy and the port captain boarded, along with wife and a short-haired terrier dog that I remember was called 'Mandy.' I cannot remember any formal procedure, if any, that had to be gone through to accommodate the dog. On the day the ship was to sail, the above reversed. Regards Cublet

Hello, When Eclipse first arrived in Southampton, Cafe al Bacio served 'finger' sandwiches and filled savoury croissants in the mornings and cakes/sweet items not until the afternoons. Biscuits were always available. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I agree with you - but sadly Royal does not. I posted somewhere this week that training, if any, of new recruits post-covid has been pitiful and this is a prime example. The knowledge of the difference and the reason for the difference seems to have been lost and no amount of arguing will shift them.What it needs, if anyone has it, is a print of the C&A Benefits that shows the difference for UK sailings. Regards, Cublet

Hello, The only time I've ever seen Senior's Discount is when we had covid restricted home waters cruising a couple of years ago. Regards, Cublet

Hello, I'm afraid this confirms what I have said for months: The training, if any, post covid has been pitiful. If full T&Cs are not documented fully then 'word-of-mouth'/opinions will fill the vacuum and things will get lost. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Me too. What annoys me additionally is there is only one ex Southampton cruise in 2025 longer than 10 nights so the opportunity to max-out my OBC from my 2 x NCC is sadly diminished. I might only buy one next year and not two. Regards, Cublet

Hello, The maths of it doesn't make economic sense to be either - I've just used it! The principle is this: You use one of your Diamond/D+/P vouchers worth $14 towards a bottle of wine to get 40% off the price. So any bottle of wine over $35 will make you a 'winner'. I've used it, as regular readers of this forum will know, to buy genuine Prosecco unlike the swill that is served as such in the bars. I could NOT pay an up-charge as this product was not available to buy 'by the glass'. Regards, Cublet

Hello, The rules are that it is a 'once only' benefit. Lose the matched status and start from zero with no further opportunity to 'match'. Regards, Cublet

Hello, The good news is that my single special bookings' prices for 2025 were eventually correct by day three - even though I sent them the workings on day one. The bad news is that the bookings are not showing the NextCruise Certificate's OBC. Why am I not surprised? Regards, Cublet

Hello, Yes, I read that article too. What Royal needs to do is decide whether they are cruise line operators or amusement park operators. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Does not appear to be available to UK pax. Regards, Cublet

Hello, Presuming you survive the trek from the ship to Haugesund town (unless you brought a team of huskies or an electric mobility scooter), apart from shops there is not much to see. Regards, Cublet