blackpool belle

What does Barcelona have to do with Tahiti?

 

 

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Your original post re my comments suggested I could travel to anywhere in Europe to sail to any area. The point I was trying to make was that it isn't all that easy as a non-flyer quoting my journey to Barcelona as an example.

I would think you have a choice of almost any port I. Europe as long as you take the train to get there. That opens up a significant portion of the world.

 

 

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Tried that in 2012 and it took me 31 hours to get from my home to Barcelona...NEVER AGAIN!!!!

As a non-flyer I don't have a lot of choice. I have to have whatever is going from Southampton.

I have found in the past the longer the cruise the older the passengers. Definitely book outside of school holidays to avoid lots of children. Perhaps a "freestyle" rather than more formal cruise will attract more people your age like NCL which has already been suggested.

I also live in the here and now.. I know too many people that saved and didn't do a lot of things to wait for retirement well when that time came they either had lost a spouse or had cancer and were too sick to go anywhere. Lost 2 very dear friends shortly after they retired, so I say do it while you can for tomorrow may never come..

I totally agree... my Sister and her husband had all sorts of things planned for their retirement but sadly my dear BIL died at aged 64 before he ever reached retirement and my Sister was left a widow at only 58 years old. Naturally, she feels she has been cheated but luckily they had many lovely holidays together before he passed and has some beautiful memories to keep forever.

I see you are residing in the UK, which has quite a different retirement program than what we have in the US. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but don't real property owners (i.e. homeowners) hold only 99- or 100- year "leases" on their property? If so, then if I, too, were a UK resident I would have little incentive to invest money into my home property, because it's really not mine at all. Here in the US, as you know, our home is ours and can be disposed with however we wish, meaning, it can be passed down from generation to generation. Likewise, I would have very little motivation to save for old age, as things in the UK vary a great deal compared to the US.

 

I have more than a few Brit friends (and my mum is British) and they talk about the UK "never-never" lifestyle, where a person one can never get ahead financially, by investing now and coming out affluent in the future. With that kind of economic and social framework, I can understand why the Carpe Diem mentality in the UK is prevalent. As you are aware, here in the States we don't have the social welfare safety net (yet) as in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. That is both good and bad: good, because if we choose to live frugally now we can reap the rewards later; bad, because if we spend it all now won't have anything later.

 

Also, most of us here in the US have only 1 or 2 vacation weeks a year. If we are higher up in the career ladder, we are either afraid to take more time off, are owners of our own business and therefore unable to take much-needed time off, or so overwhelmed with chores that need be done around the house/children/elderly parent caretaking that we have limited free time. Thus, the only opportunity we have to take extended and/or costly cruises is in our retirement years.

 

They don't call it "Yankee work ethic" and "Yankee thrift" for nothing!

Most homeowners ( including myself) own freehold properties not leasehold. I would say that only new build property is leasehold these days. Yes, it's true, we may have a National Health system but it is paid for indirectly through tax and National Insurance payments. On a personal level I never buy what I can't afford which thankfully makes me debt-free.

Personally I would not scrimp and save for 30 odd years just to have a cruise once a year once retired. Life isn't a dress rehearsal it's for living ... NOW! I am a great believer in the saying Carpe Diem.

I'd like to bet also that a lot of people on expensive cruises have or have had their own business and made mega bucks. One never gets rich working for somebody else.

Our story is just the opposite. My husband accidently packed the jeans, he was going to wear off the ship, the night before and put the luggage out in the hallway. When he woke up in the morning, he did not have any pants to wear off the ship....:eek: Long story short, a friend of ours went up and down her hall until she found someone with an extra pair of sweatpants. They were a little short and tight, but at least he got off the ship without too much embarrassment.:p We washed and returned them to the owner after we got home. We laugh about it now, but at the time I was a nervous wreck. Now, that is the one thing we make sure to keep out before we set the luggage out in the hall the night before.

 

Gwen :)

I did the same thing only with my husbands shoes. He had to walk off the ship barefoot.

My name is taken from my home town which is a seaside resort and has a song called The Blackpool Belle made in it's honour and can be heard on You Tube.

We should be leaving home tomorrow to set sail on Monday. However, I don't have a cabin # yet and today somebody has posted on our roll call they have been asked to "move over" to another cruise because they are over-booked.

I am getting extremely worried!!!!!

1 month today and getting more excited by the minute.

84 days. I only booked this cruise a week ago and 84 days seems an eternity. Don't know how I would have coped booking 12 months in advance like some do on here.

I would be interested in the TA cruise but as a non-flyer I need to know if the Cunard itinerary would fit in to get be back but they don't appear to have published their October/November 2014 sailings. When are they ususally released?

Apparently on Carnival cruises the deck to book is 7. This is because most of the suites are on this deck & Carnival put their best stewards here. So even if you only book an inside you will share the same steward who are the creme de la creme.

At the Captains cocktail party seeing the Headmaster of the school where I worked dancing with the Head of the Infant department.( both married to other people) I had no idea he was going on this cruise and obviously he didn't know I was either. I don't know who was the most embarrassed

Book a cruise when nobody else wants to go. A good example is say the week before Christmas or maybe the week after New Year when everybody is partied out :D

Just realised we are now down to double figures.

Next thing we know it will be Christmas and before I know it...CRUISE TIME YEH!!!!!!!!

From past experience the best time to book is 10 to 12 weeks prior to departure when the final balance has to be paid and there is more chance of cancellations.

I was on the May 17 four night cruise to Cork. The Independence is a beautiful ship and I very much enjoyed the cruise. I only have two complaints...I found the dishes and silverware in the Windjammer to be consistently dirty. You would think with a new ship the dishwashers would work properly but I was always having to look for a clean plate. If you like the life of a sardine than this is the ship for you. I realize I will not be sailing on the Genesis class ships having sailed on IOS. There are just too many people. I prefer smaller, less crowded ships, but that's me.

Got back from the Indy last Saturday. I am now thinking of booking the 4 nighter to Cork in August. Was everywhere shut in Cork with it being a Sunday?

Easy choice : GRAHAM SEYMOUR

does anyone know if he is stil with RCI and if yes, which ship?

 

The only thing I regret about cruising with him is not having bought his DVD. We really enjoyed the entertainment and even my husband made the effort to be awake for the "very scary morning show".

Just got off the Independence last Sat 31st May. Ken Rush left the same day and was succeeded by Graham Seymour but dont know how long for.

I was on the 21st May cruise and I got the food I was expecting for the price I paid.

RCI cruises dont cost the earth. They are cheap compared to other lines.

I think Chia Chonga you are expecting Ritz standard and quality for the price of pub grub.

Thanks Carlos, that's great. Can't wait for it coming back to Southampton on Wednesday because then it's my turn. YES!!!

Anybody got a front view shot of the Indy that they can post the link to?

I'm on a bit of a learning curve here...........so if you book through a TA (as I have, here in the UK) and I have had quite a bit off the RCI brochure price, where would I find a reduced price (if there was one) Unlikely on our 26th July cruise, but I am just curious?!!

You can actually track the prices on the RCI website but on this occasion I was alerted to the price drop by receiving an e-mail from a different TA who are always sending me e-mails. (Don't know how these people get your e-mail addresses)