andante

If you lose nights on a river cruise due to low water levels and are coached to hotels do you have any entitlement to premiums you have paid for upgraded cabin on a per night basis, as well as all inclusive basis also calculated on a per night basis.

Thats a shame Bea...but please do what you like with the info. It may still be worth you contacting Paul because with him everything is negotiable. If I remember rightly he does base the price on how many people he gets applying, so anyone interested could maybe via the roll call could join together...or each apply separately...as long as he get more than three the price is $90. I also think lunch is optional and costs $20 or $25 so that would bring the price down to $65.

I dont recall that the trip we did in Langkawi did lunch.

Hi, sorry I dont know how to post a link to this. Hope this will help. Go to cruisedotcodotuk. There is a blue band across the top of the page detailing different sections of the site...to the right side of the bar click on Forums. You should then see three lists Newest topics; hot topics; new cruise deals. In the hot topics there are three titles from Wilba all detailing her msc cruise. Then scroll right down the page through all the difference forums to Cruise Lines. You will see MSC in there. That will take you to the right forum. The first item on it is a review of splendida from toshtosh. Good luck

Paul (2paulrowe@gmail.com)has sent the itinerary and prices. Looks like they have gone up quite a bit. Including collection from the port he states it is $230 for 1-2 people and $90 for three or more. This is for the tour and seven course vietnamese farm lunch with beer. I am not sure if that means if he gets more than 2 subscribing or if it applies to individual bookings. Anyway sure you can find out. Takes max of 20 people. Also dont know how this compares with msc tour price....or even if it matters.

Bea, Not as easy to find him as I thought he has a tour company name of vung tau mai mai day tours on google. The trip has changed its name to take in a change of lunch menu but otherwise seems to be the same. Lunch is at the farmhouse, which I think is their own home....and looks like grandma does the cooking. He says it is $65 with the lunch...that is a full day tour (Q&A on TA). Anne

So glad I mentioned it...this couple are so genuine and create such a wonderful day you won't believe it. We were a group of ten made up of individual bookings from the millennium. I rarely enthuse about any tour, let alone remember it 2 years after...I see you have been before...for me it was the third visit and first time we had seen the real vietnam and got close to the people.

This is from the review on TA...there are loads more and much more recently on there under Best Tours of Vung Tau. He also has a web site which you should find if you google paul and sen rowe:

We joined this small group from a cruise ship docking (not so) near to Ho Chi Minh. Whilst the cruise ship tours set off for a 90 min plus journey to other sites(i.e. chu chi tunnels), we only had a 30 min journey. Paul and his partner Sen are a delightful couple whose care and attention throughout the day exceeded even the highest expectations. Paul's knowledge, which he readily shared, is faultless. He has combined professional education with personal experience which means he brings the whole tour to life in a very unique way.

We have never in all our travels around the world experienced such personal and attentive service. Water was in constant supply, as were icy towels. We drank refreshments with locals in an off the beaten (and tourist) track cafe, we saw all the promised features of the tour (see Pauls web site); we had a soothing foot massage followed by a magnificent lunch with enough food for three times as many people....lucky then that the local monkeys helped us eat it...what an amazing experience that was! Forgot to mention the freely flowing beer that was provided over lunch, and the vietnamese hat we were all given as a gift. We were on a four week cruise of the far east visiting some amazing locations: without hesitation this trip was the highlight of our trip.

I also know of another worthy excursion in Langkawi...cannot remember the name but could find it if you or anyone is interested.

= involves a small boat cruise visiting caves and all kinds of wildlife. Again run by very professional and competent people, one of whom trained in uk with David Bellamy. Anne

Our experience is that when you return from your trip there is a butler waiting with a "paddle" near the far gang plank and

they will escort you to the far entrance. I think this is the staff entrance! Nonetheless good experience...no queues and straight to YC lift.

On one of the stops (Grenada) we were docked next to another ship...there were masses of people coming and going. Outside of Fantasia they had a large white tent with butlers serving a variety of cooled waters...lemon cucumber etc and providing cold flannels. There were a few tables and chairs. It was marked YC only. Guess it was probably a bit of

marketing exercise but very nice.

Margaret you have to scroll down from where you saw hot topics and then you see all the sections...find the one for cruise lines and click on msc....then it looks like cruise critic msc board with different threads. I think the review was from Harry, if I recall dated 13th Jan.

I think it is that review that gives details of trips in Khasab...well worth reading. Anne

Hi,

Please can you tell me what time check in opened for YC....it is not on any of my documentation, nor on the website.

Have only just considered that ship does not depart until 23:00 hrs! Many thanks, Anne

Whoops I lied...it is on the cruise ticket and it is 1.00 p.m. Big relief as I had read somewhere else that the check in was 18:00 hrs.

For those interested, (Bea) I have just found two extensive new reviews on the uk cruise. site for Splendida from those just back. One has fabulous photos. Click on to Forum, then Hot topics for the first and then scroll down to cruises and the next is under MSC. Very interesting. Anne

nb also Bea when I went to check in today the msc for me app came up to advertise its existence and then in the small print it said only on the Seaview and one other....coming to splendida soon.

Hi,

Please can you tell me what time check in opened for YC....it is not on any of my documentation, nor on the website.

Have only just considered that ship does not depart until 23:00 hrs! Many thanks, Anne

Hi Couple UK, Will be joining you in YC on Sat 27th. Thanks for all your info. Anne

That sounds good. It is a long way to go for a week, so hope you have a great time in India. |Anne

Hi, Hope you are having a fabulous time. Is the priority boarding area for YC easy to find at the port? There is another splendida YC thread running at the moment with lots of questions....sure you could help. Many thanks

I am not sure about how many formal nights....I was thinking 2, but it is a busy itinerary with only (I hope) one sea day. Bet Bea may have the answer.

I have some idea about the butlers, but would like to see what they do on splendida...it will be interesting for me to make a comparison with the ones on Fantasia. There is a thread on here re the entertainment in the YC lounge...it was dreadful, but in the theatre we found it very very good and professional....all singing and dancing but very good.

I guess a lot rests on where the cruise is going...how many sea days etc. We had five days at sea and I felt that by the end of the cruise many of the staff had "run out of steam"...I guess five days with everyone on board all day and nights was a lot of work. I expect the Dubai cruise to be quite different so don't want to draw to much from the Fantasia experience.

There were an unusual amount of single people in the YC, not least because many of the cabins went on promotion especially for them. The ones I had spoken to paid half the price that we had paid for one for a cabin, ie for us two it cost four times what they had paid....this must impact on the ships income (not that I begrudge anyone a good deal, especially as singles are usually heavily penalised) and I wonder if this then had consequences for the overall product...if that makes sense....like, for instance, no afternoon tea as such.

I would say that there were some fantastic dresses on show, and generally most were well dressed throughout.

The cabins are, I believe, the same. Very comfortable...no tv to speak of and 7 euros to watch a film. If you have any particular questions don't hesitate to ask either now or after I get back on 3rd Feb....dont want to rattle on unabated! Anne

Hi Bea,

On Fantasia they did not seem to do a "served" afternoon tea; there are some sandwiches etc on the buffet which is one of the changes they make, but you just order your tea as usual....found that a bit disappointing. Anne

Hi Margaret, we are sailing on 27th (this Sat). Also have been on the sister ship fantasia. If you have any questions please let me know.

Also re YC meals: there are a couple of other options for breakfast:

The lounge lays out a continental style breakfast, and on the top deck (one club) they have a small "hot" buffet with bacon and sausages etc and you can order eggs your way. Very pleasant to sit outside if the weather is good. They also do a buffet lunch, hot and cold food up there. Anne

On a recent transatlantic there were four formal nights. In the yacht club everyone was pretty elegant, ranging from "country club casual" to suits, jackets and just the odd one or two in full tux. Cannot speak for the rest of the ship though.

Are you on the 27th Sailing...if so I am relieved to know I am not the only one!! Are you from the UK?

I have just found this snippet on another cruise site from a recent traveller from uk:

Just back from the Splendida which was just back from a minor refit for the Asian/China market. Their idea of modification was changing the wine bar to a Dim Sum and Tea room (In name only), adding an Asian Fusion restaurant and adding some chinese language signs .

No mention of apps or the like.

I wasn't planning a report, but I will certainly try and answer the questions you have raised. Although never having been on splendida the only comparison I will have is Fantasia from last november.

Oh so do I, we are on splendid in two weeks. Only for a week, but trust me that would be seven days too long to listen to her. I don't believe she can play anything, just as the previous person said just thump thump on the same set of keys. Very poor for anywhere let alone the YC.

On the fantasia transatlantic in November for 14 nts they had the same female pianist every night who sang and just pounded the same notes on the piano, Did not recognise any of the music it all sounded the same and eventually became enough to drive you out of the lounge.

I am glad you have raised the issue of the ships tours and the way they include a trip round the yacht club. We recently sailed on the Fantasia transatlantic for 14 nights...five of which were at sea. The one club was well used by YC guests, as obviously there were no excursions....save that is, for the Ships tour. Every morning between 10 and eleven, usually when we were having late breakfast there, the tour arrived. I would estimate that between 10 to 15 people arrived with their 3/4 tour escorts to tour the area and facilities. It is not such a big area so a group this size was very invasive in my opinion...people staring at what you had on your plates....we felt like something in a zoo. Take HEED MSC. On one occasion I could not get to the buffet area because the group was surrounding it looking at what was available. No issue with people wanting to see the yacht club nor for msc wanting to promote the area, BUT they really need to be a bit more selective about the time they do the tour, and a bit more considerate for the people that are using the areas. I personally was very unhappy with this aspect of the YC and it undermined the exclusivity everyone talks about.

Thank you so much for your reply.. very reassuring.

Is it easy to get a metered taxi at port rashid. We are flying at 14.40. Will there be long queues? Is it likely to be chaotic with so many disembarking? Thank you

Hi, Yes you can get your drinks in any of the bars on board...just show your card....also from the coffee bar gelato bar.

do you have any particular questions re yacht club...we are going on splendid on 27th Jan...what about you?

We have only been on the fantasia, but I believe they are sister ships.