the penguins

I get that. However, unless I have totally misunderstood Private Journeys, you do the basic work by telling Private Journeys what you want/don't want etc. PJ then contacts a local supplier and comes back to you with a suggested programme which you accept/amend etc. At each stage PJ is acting as a "middle man" and you are never dealing with the Guide who will be providing the service. With a company like TBL from day one you deal direct with your chosen guide making it very simple to get exactly what you want. Everything is confirmed and you have the full confirmation/paperwork before you leave home. Full refund if the ship doesn't dock/you are refused disembarkation (or cancel for any reason insurance at an extra cost), guarantee to get you to the next port should you miss the ship. Choice is good

never done it and, apart from the cost, dealing through third parties has no appeal. On other similar threads passenger have reported that you can get a very similar experience by booking through companies like Toursbylocals (you deal direct with the guide) at a fraction of the cost. One advantage Private Journeys does have is that you can pay using OBC

We rented a car and drove the "Golden Circle". The nice lady at the checkin desk put all the main stopping points into the car SatNav because as she said "all the names sound and look almost identical even though they maybe on opposite sides of the country.

depends on the length of the 11 cruises - could be 5% or even less. Also depends on the time of arrival at the restaurant as with any restaurant if lots of people arrive at the same time there will be delays.

your original post said "no gratuities charge on our classic drinks package" but in reality you did paid the 20% grats.

the grats are in the price - nothing is free

Sorry Ruth my mistake with the inches - should have had the Boss ( Anita) check my typing.

Celebrity rules are crystal clear: Mobility devices/wheelchairs must be stored and recharged in your cabin. Wheelchairs must not be kept in corridors, hallways or outside elevators. Wheelchairs must fit through 21 inch wide standard cabin doors. Wheelchairs over 36 inches wide need special approval. Staff are not permitted to lift wheelchairs.

Confusingly it comes under Speciality Dining. You can book any day and time - you just have to do it one day at a time. There is no charge. You have left it a bit late for May so popular times will probably be full, but there will be tables held back for walk ins - you might have to wait or take a buzzer and retreat to a bar. When you "check in " each night you will generally be seated quicker if you make it clear you are happy to share a table - our choice is a table for 6.

You didn't say it was for the Premium Package. Current price for Classic is $66 Inc the tips. Might be cheaper to book that and pay the extra for the odd drink that went over the limit.

That seems very high - are you sure that's not the Classic Drinks with the Basic WiFi including the tips?

Also as you both get 240 minutes use one package first (log in and out each time) and see how many days it lasts. You can share the minutes but not be logged in at the same time. When you have used the first 240 minutes and you want to activate the second package you will know if it will last the rest of the cruise or if you should use it as a discount on a full package for the remainder of the cruise - we have never needed this second option.

Your response highlights the issue that disabled passengers could be faced with. Say for 90% of the time X turns a "blind eye" to scooters being charged in the Hallways what happens when they don't? Then the disabled passenger is totally stuck as the rules clearly state that the scooters must be stored and charged inside the cabin and that you must check this before booking. The rules are similar when you have manually powered chairs/walkers where again you are responsible for enduring items will fit in the cabin. The Special Needs Form requires you to detail the size and weight of the chair/ Rollator. As an aside whereas our Rollator fits through all the standard cabin doors on S line ships it had to be folded on Sky Princess which was a real pain. Also on S class the corridors are wide enough that we can pass the Cabin Stewards Trolleys whereas on Sky Princess the Rollator had to be folded every time - one reason we are reluctant to do another Princess Cruise.

great theory - but how do you see it working. Taking your suggestion X has 2 adult only ships. How do you choose them? In the UK X only has one ship - will that be family of adult only? Same app;ies out of other European Ports. So many reasons it won't work. P and O only operates a limited number of routes and I believe it's Adult Only ships are "converted" to family cruises during peak periods/Christmas etc.

Your tipping principle is incorrect - there is no upper limit drink more and the staff get more.

Yes from the menu posted above- Post 28

I meant to add a note to give you an indication of the space issues in the UK. Arsenal is one of the UK's leading Premiership Football Clubs with a modern stadium in London. Spectator Capacity: over 60,000. Public car parking spaces: Zero. Disabled Car Parking for visiting (away fans): 6 Our Grandson lives in Dallas and his local hockey rink has more car parking spaces.

wow - ok where to start: 1) Southampton is the UK number cruise port. 2 Cruising is still relatively small in the UK and the cruise season is short with no likely hood of it being extended. There will never be the demand for all year round cruising - Royal tried and failed with Independence of the Seas and MSC are I believe going to try. As a private company with no shareholders to keep happy and a different attitude to profit (they kept a least one ship cruising throughout Covid when all the others lines stopped) MSC might succeed only time will tell. 3) A brand new Cruise Terminal would be very expensive - a cost that would be passed directly to passengers. 4 Passport Control is handled by the UK's Border Force (just like at Airports) and has nothing to do with the Port Authorities or the Cruise Lines. 5) One thing the UK lacks is land space and what there is is expensive. Southampton Port would find it impossible to expand it's footprint to add for example the much needed car parking. 6) Southampton is very welcoming, the staff friendly and efficient - all they ask is that passengers stagger their arrival times i.e. arrive at the times they have booked, and the process works well.

over 50% of passengers arrive at Southampton by car and are often held in along line at the main gate, then funnelled into a holding area before even being allowed to onload their bags before quickly moving their cars to the long stay car park. Passengers arriving by taxi/bus/on foot drop off bags at a single point and then walk to Terminal Entrance. The entrance area inside the terminal doors holds approx 60 people after which you are funnelled down one corridor to passport control - the corridor is split into 2 lines (suites/disabled and everyone else. At the end of the corridor the line merges for Passport Control (usually just 2 Officers) and then splits again as previously for security before finally entering the check in area. If everyone arrived at once the line outside the terminal (no seats or cover) would be, to use my word, "chaos". If people arrive at their allotted time from dropping off you bags to being in your cabin will be under 20 minutes. Lighting and wifi in the Terminal are also notoriously bad and it greatly assists the staff if you have everything printed out rather than on just on your mobile device. Your check in times will be checked, probably more than once, as you move towards the Terminal entrance and if you are early you will probably be directed to a holding line - no seats and no cover.

And Southampton. If you chose to arrive outside your allotted time just accept that you might have to wait. If everyone turned up at the earliest time it would be chaos.

I am sorry for your loss. Your cabin mate will (should) be able to accompany you to the breakfast - check with the Captains Club Host on the ship. I have never understood the supposed "boiling" of the laundry - every uniform is washed on the ship without any issues. We use the laundry on every cruise and on the odd occasion when an item has been damaged or lost we have always been refunded the full cost as an OBC. That said we don't put any particularly important items i. As it's "wash and fold" we always put a note on the form in big letters saying " please return the items on hangers, thank you" (don't forget the please and thank you) and the laundry has always come back as good as pressed. Have a great cruise.

sorry can't get the pics I intended to send to attach and it's done the jeep twice.

we are not snorkellers (or indeed swimmers) but it seems a shame to go all that way and not to explore inland on at least one of the islands and our choice would be Moorea. The scenery, especially the flowers, is amazing. We went with a private guide who advertised "air conditioned" tours - turned out to be an open backed truck - amazing experience.

Elite breakfast also includes mimosas, sparkling wine (champage) and bloody Mary's. During 5 to 7 pm you can pick up enough free water and sodas to get you through the next 24 hours. Internet minutes you can use any time any day - much more flexible than Royal's system especially on longer cruises. One bag Laundry per person.

On Reflection TA in October last year we had no towel animals. However our Cabin Steward chose to make animals on a number of different days for the two little girls in the cabin next to us - there were just 4 kids on the whole ship. As I said CS's are free to make animals it's just no longer a requirement.