blackpool belle

Thank you everyone and thank you Bella. I have been a bit concerned as to whether there would be enough to keep me occupied for this long trip.

 

Bella, which ships as a solo traveller have you found mos preferable? I was attracted to this particular cruise not because it was a Fred Olsen ship but because I would like to return to Havana and this is the safest way for me to do it

 

regards Barbara

 

I haven't travelled solo before. When I was on the Balmoral it was port intensive so for your length of cruise with lots of sea days I'm sure they would find enough activities to occupy the passengers, depends on what you like really. If you want to visit a particular place like you have stated then it's probably the cruise for you. Must say the food on FO was nicer than some lines I have been on and the only line that has served the food HOT, usually in the MDR it's always just lukewarm.

For the gift exchange someone brought a Dishtowel with "I'd Rather Be Cruising!" printed on it. :D

LuLu

 

 

I have a Santa hat with that slogan on it and I wear it every Christmas Day when I am slaving over a hot oven.:D:D

I have been on the Balmoral but only for a week and that was enough. I certainly wouldn't want to spend 34 days on the ship. I found there to be very little atmosphere on board and most of the passengers was in bed by 10.30. Sorry to sound so negative. Perhaps it's because I prefer the bigger ships with lots of entertainment.

When I did Westbound TA it was the 2nd week of April and some days were better than others but no two years weather is the same. I would pack a jacket.

Bruges is very compact and easy to get around. IMHO you can see everything worth seeing in 2 days. You might want to spend the other day in Brussels just an hour's train ride from Bruges.

It works for my daughter who always has sea-sickness for the first 24 hours.

You Always take a boarding picture.

When you check in and they take your photo for your ID when boarding/disembarking the ship, that is the photo being referred to

here. :) It is not optional. You don't take the photo; you don't board.

 

 

My mistake..I thought the post was referring to the "say cheese" brigade . It goes without saying that you have to have an ID picture taken.

The closest I've ever got was on one of my cruises being allocated the table next to the Captains but I would never dream of trying to eavesdrop LOL!

Well that's interesting. I have been on 34 cruises and have never been invited to dine with the captain. I always smile in the pictures and wear nice clothes too!!! I think I look like a fun person.

So how do they really pick people to invite??

 

 

I have no chance then because I never have a boarding picture taken.

Whose been invited in the past to dine with the Captain and did he have any interesting/funny tales to tell?

You bet I would...a cruise is a cruise is a cruise no matter where you go.

I have never gift exchanged at a meet n greet but for each year I lived in hope of winning the much coveted Royal Caribbean mouse in the raffle. I never did but one year the winning lady graciously gave it to me . :):):)

My first cruise was on the Grandeur of the Seas in 2003. At the time we booked everyone was a little edgy because of the Iraq War. We got a junior suite for £1035.00 I wasn't perturbed because we were nowhere near Iraq it was a Baltic cruise and I've been hooked ever since.

You might also want to change your cabin because I think you are immediately below the swimming pool and it could be quite noisy.

Agree about the gold by the inch..It is so cheap looking. In fact it looks like something out of a lucky bag.

LOL You are wrong! Some here on CC do get upset about the term. Guess they have nothing better to post :). They are the same folks who call "Brunch" a "late breakfast" or "early lunch!"

 

 

Hank

 

Perhaps we could invent a new word for it...Silgers i.e silly bu**ers

Chunnel is just an amalgam of two words just like breakfast and lunch i.e brunch but nobody gets their knickers in a twist about that word. :rolleyes:

if it's on the internet, it must be true.

 

 

lol :d:d

Mmm.

 

Are you sure about that?

 

 

Quite sure.. according to hubby there are not many men who wash their hands before leaving the loo after doing a #1

Not everybody uses the sanitizers at the entrance to the buffet. Why not? that's what it's there for and as for eating peanuts placed on the bar UGH!!! I have seen people go to the loo, not wash their hands afterwards and start eating the peanuts and my hubby has witnessed the same in the gents. Men are the worse offenders for not washing their hands after going to the loo.

Of all the ports I've experienced personally it's surely got to be Venice, hasn't it? It blows all the others out of the water ( no pun intended)

Please tell me if the AFT is a Better room and Why. Does the AFT cut off the Breeze so it gets to hot to use balcony? Please help RCL Jewel of the Sea

 

 

Depends on whether you like long walks :D That's in answer to your heading..sorry can't help re the breeze.

Hi,

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think there are any laundry facilities on the IOTS. It all has to be done through your steward.

 

I am sure though that somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.

in the casino... Hoping against all hope that i can win back maybe even a small amount of the money i've lost... Lol

 

 

ditto ditto ditto :d

[quote name='ducklite']My husband gets about 30 days a year of PTO. He earns comp time in top of that, and usually loses some of his PTO hours every year.

I technically get two weeks plus personal days, but as long as I don't abuse it, my boss doesn't care if I take extra time. I'm in outside long cycle sales and as long as I'm in the US, I make myself available by phone and email to my customers even while on vacation, and he knows that which is why he is very loose about my days off.[/quote]

From my experience of Americans they are extremely hard working and it's just my humble opinion they more than deserve only 2 weeks holiday a year.