cublet

11 hours ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Or let it die and just set up a new account.....😝

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

16 hours ago, Blue Eyed Belfast Belle said:

Check out the RCI Blog - an article has just been published saying that there will only be 6 ships in Europe 2025 (a 33% reduction from 9 in 2023)  but by sending bigger ships and the total capacity will be reduced by 23%.

 

By comparison NCL is sending 8 ships including NCL Viva and Prima.

 

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

 

Apparently they want to focus on cruises that call at Perfect Day at Coco Cay!

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

30 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

We looked at the Fjords for 2025 and others may disagree but I think Haugesund and Skjolden (as lovely as it is) are not the best ports to visit. 

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

Hello,

Just a small 'nit-pick' - Indy does not have a CK, so it's only SL that rations its space. The SL was two rooms, a Card Room and something else, and when the dividing doors were opened produced a long strange shaped room. It was sometimes used as an overflow for the Diamond (now Crown) Lounge. Q for any recent cruisers - Does it still have the grand piano? I wept when I saw it being used to mount the chaffing dishes at night.

I'll be there once RCI sharpens its pencil to produce the solo prices that currently aren't loaded.

Regards,

Cublet

44 minutes ago, little britain said:

No drinks packages on short ex-UK cruises  under 3n already in place ( and has been for about 5 years)… extending it to 7n and under would be a killer.

Even more reason to cruise MSC on their nice new ships and with their cheap drinks packages out of Southampton ! 

Hello,

I think that folks on the 2 & 3 night itineraries looked upon the drinks package as less of an opportunity and more of a challenge!

And another good thing about the drinks on MSC (no, not what I usually say) it's easy to get freshly squeezed orange juice - almost every bar on pool decks make it and serve it.

What can we wish for in 2026 given the Indy and its 2025 itineraries make a week-end in Bognor look exciting?

Regards,

Cublet

1 hour ago, little britain said:

MSC are good. Have sailed with them several times. Don’t forget to do the loyalty tier match before sailing for extra discounts and benefits on board. Preziosa is a nice ship. Not too big. 
I’ve just priced up the June itinerary… it’s quite expensive so will wait to see what RCI come up with ( especially as the 2 new added Jewel 2024 Arctic and TA cruises were a great price but sadly my budget is blown for 2024 already!) 

 

Older ships will not be allowed into Flams in 2025 

Hello,

And (and not the first time for saying this) on board MSC if you ask for Prosecco, you get Prosecco and not the swill that is served in Royal's bars.

Regards,

Cublet

15 hours ago, little britain said:

The iceberg has the one with the overnight in Lisbon 24/5/25 at £629pp. 

Hello,

The iceberg rate for balcony is only 'guarantee'.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

And another thing: If we want to create a longer cruise, too many itineraries are repeated either consecutively or in short order thus cutting down on variety.

I foresee changes to the itineraries as time goes on.

Regards,

Cublet

13 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

At entrance to OVC .   Left side --- looks like a bar -  they also sell Fresh OJ.    If you look UP -it says al Segundo al Bacio.     I past it for years before I realized they had a Espresso Machine behind the bar.

 

Often a waiter will take your order and charge your card.   I believe you can also order from a waiter while sitting down, but have never done that.

Hello,

Yes, you can order from a waiter whilst seated (this year on Silhouette).

But Il Segundo serves its coffee in a mug not cup and saucer like Il Prima.

Regards,

Cublet

On 11/2/2023 at 8:07 AM, FamilyCruiserUK said:

A little disappointed with the locations but the spanish flair ones will be good. 

 

Looked at the iceberg website yest and had the two spanish flair ones as £856 pp for an inside room. At one point it said no Graturites required (like MSC & P&O) but now not showing that at the mo.  Will wait to see the released bookings around the 8th. 

Hello,

I'm struggling to summon-up even indifference to the posted itineraries. If you/I want a longer cruise then it will be a case of booking B2B cruises consequently making Southampton a major port of call on the holiday and I generally see quite enough of it on embarkation and disembarkation days. MSC puts on excursions on 'Southampton' days returning to the ship and not just acting as a feeder coach to the airports/coach station for departees.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

So I was on a P&O something. I was at the excursions desk making bookings and I said to the girl behind the desk "I'm surprised that you aren't offering excursions to Granada". Girls says "Why do you think we are going to Grenada, Grenada is in the Caribbean?" "I know, I never said Grenada", I said, "I said G.r.a.n.a.d.a - all letter 'A's. "Where's that?" the girl asks, "Just north west of here" I reply - we were in Malaga at the time.

Regards,

Cublet

11 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

When I moved to 🇺🇸 in 2002 one of the stipulations in my contract was to keep my 4 weeks PTO (at a bear minimum)

”Work to live” ✅

 

I would not have accepted the job if it was only 5 days PTO and 10days after 7 years service 🤯

”Live to work” ❌

 

European model of 4 weeks PTO and 34hr week makes for a happier workforce IMO

 

Happy days!

 

 

 

Hello,

I worked for two American petro-chemical companies years ago. The yanks looked enviously at our 4 weeks plus annual holidays (and plus public holidays).

However whilst we would book a half-day holiday from our entitlement on a Friday for a get-away, taking a half day on a Friday in the US was an accepted norm and did not come from their holiday entitlement.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

I was once, and only once, called by X to ask if I would be prepared to change my booking from Royal to X - with a number of added benefits for so doing.

This was pre almost everything including the movement of back-office staff from the UK (in my case) to Guatemala so I think there is even less joined-up admin now and opportunities than there was.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Personally I'm quite partial to Lanson Black Label - the favourite of our late dear Queen.

But I'm sure whatever Champagne Murano serves, it will be the 'real thing' and not the swill served as 'champagne' in the bars.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Can I go slightly off-topic and ask this question?

Presuming the speculation that Indy will replace Anthem out of Southampton in 2025 is correct, where do Suites & Pins dine where there is no CK?

Regards,

Cublet

13 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I agree with deck 13 on QN class but deck 6 on Oasis class is awesome

Hello,

Not quite. There are JS cabins on the starboard side that are underneath 'The Living Room' - a hang-out area for teens.

I can't remember what I did as a teenager, but the users of this area (a) do whatever they do very quietly and (b) stop using it at dinner time so there is no disturbance to me beneath it.

Regards,

Cublet

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

<snip>

And if you are diamond or above you can use one of your vouchers to get a 40% discount off a bottle of wine under $100

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalgifts/wine-liquor

Hello,

I had to do that last month when they ran out of 'by-the-glass' Prosecco on Anthem and had to buy a bottle (twice!) that I kept in my cabin chiller and carried with me when I went out. I got some very pitying looks.

Regards,

Cublet

6 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Coffee cream? I'd have thought 'biscuit', that is a UK biscuit not US.

Hello,

Yes, and it is, or was, a 'biscuit' too and not a cookie.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

The previous blackout period of July & August maintains in the UK and hasn't (until now!?) been changed to mid-June to mid-August.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

I think whoever posted on Google is wrong. Single cream is cream.

What we used to have, many years ago before coffee shops became what they are now, cups of filter coffee were served with a jigger pot of 'Half Cream'. Though the old style coffee shops have been replaced by espresso machines, the pots of half cream can sometimes be found in hotels on the bedrooms' coffee/tea table. Aside from that, the age of the person answering the query will have a lot to do with the response you received.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Well it all depends on what follows.

From watching the Bob Ross painting programmes, 'it's not a mistake - it's a happy accident'.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

It all depends on which side of your body, and front or rear, you overlap and tie the knot in the towel and how tight, or loose, the knot is.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Whether it's because I'm closer to the action or I have an Italian surname, I never have a problem booking a double cabin for solo use.

Regards,

Cublet

PS: I'd prefer that it wasn't for solo use, but that's another issue.😭