the penguins

Once the error has been made its always simpler just to pop down to GR to get the credit/refund applied. Do it early in the morning or late in the evening when there are no lines- just takes a couple of minutes.

Your first. You aren't 'part of their loyalty programme" you are getting a "status match" so you have in effect already done the cruise.

and accurate - mind you the Boss (Anita) likes the chocolate and the tea in the triangular packets.

Easy drive and a great day out. At the car rental office the lady put all the major stopping points into the Sat Nav in order followed by the useful advice of " the clue is in the name you will be driving in a circle".

East bound or West Bound the answer is the same - layers with the outermost being light water and wind proof. Enjoy the cruise.

pleaseed to have helped make your DW happy.

If the rail strikes are over (no sign of it after well over a year) then the train. Bus/coach from Victoria Coach Station gives you a guaranteed seat and bags at a reasonable cost. Book early for the best prices.

any coffee, tea and chocolate - hot and iced - served in Al Bacio. Does not include any version with alcohol. Also the same drinks from Al Bacio 2 ( found just inside the buffet on some ships.) Also lattes etc with dinner (MDR etc). Also Lattes etc at any bar that has an espresso machine. No limits on the number of drinks. Our number one Elite+ perk.

Big draw back for us is that Aqua comes with dining in Blu. Some like it but for us one of the joys in cruising is sharing tables at dinner which means Select Dining sharing tables of 6. For our retirement we did 5x B2B trans-pacific on Solstice - 60 days on the ship 90 days total - fantastic.

Depends on your interests for any one interested in British history and especially WW11 Dover Castle is a must see. Further afield Canterbury with it's Cathedral is the number 1 attraction while the fishing town of Whitstable ( the Boss and I were born and raised there) makes a great stop for lunch - lots of choices especially fish restaurants near the harbour but our favourite is the Royal Naval Reserve Pub in the High Street - booking recommended. Fans of the British series "Call the Midwife" can visit the set in Chatham which also has an Historic Navel Dockyard.

total rubbish - illegal crossings have no affect on the port whatsoever.

The electronics in the card makes it very difficult - best solution is a lanyard with a transparent pocket.

no need for a drink package for us: mixed berry smoothie at the Elite breakfast and a latte in the Al Bacio. We don't drink alcohol. 🤣😇 Enjoy the cruise.

X doesn’t work like that. As an example assume your Account is Zero for purchases and has an OBC of $100. Tips go on at $20 the OBC will automatically reduce to $80 using non refundable first. Just make sure your accounts are linked otherwise OBC will only be deducted from one of you. The linking shows on the account.

The OP was referring to Celebrity

That's what I meant - you gave them several chances to put it right I would only give them one. We have also had 1 item lost and a couple damaged with the value being credited to our account within 24 hours.

Just don't pre pay the grats then they will be added to your account every day. Once added OBC will be used to pay the grats again on a daily basis. Non refundable OBC will be used first then refundable. Make sure your accounts are linked otherwise it will only deduct the tips from one half - if not easily linked at Guest Relations. All done automatically.

No you haven't you have simply changed cruise lines. HAL, Princess (i.e Carnival ships) have self service laundrettes, Royal including Celebrity don't.

you are more patient than me. One chance to put it right then straight down to Guest Relations.

agree it looks smart but please don't put credit cards or driving licence in what you describe as a "pretty secure back door". Phone lost or stolen and you will be annoyed phone lost or stolen with credit cards/driving licence with it and you are in deep trouble. Credit cards should always be kept separate from everything else.

with you 100%. The Boss (Anita) uses a walker the lanyard is essential. Having the card easily accessible is essential for unlocking the cabin door, ordering coffees at Al Bacio, in the shops etc. Have lost count of the number of times passengers struggle to find their cards when the server asks to see it or realise it's still in the cabin and have to go to Guest Relations for a replacement. Once off the ship the cards and lanyards is kept in a security pocket in my shirt. Once we get back to the port lanyards back round necks as it makes it easier for the checks that are involved.

If you do decide on an Expedition type cruise, and especially if you choose Hurtigruten, we will be happy to send you "Hints and Tips" on how to make the most of your trip including the answer to "Why you need to take 4 metres of elastic cord/string" with you. Pre Covid Hurtigruten did presentation evenings especially for the Antarctic - we went to 2 before finally deciding to book - which also may help you. We can be contacted at: geoffanita at hotmail dot com - sorry for the odd way of writing it stops the bots. Enjoy the planning and of course the trip itself. Geoff and the boss (Anita).

Sums up exactly how we felt and why we went back on an expedition ship. My only advice is don’t leave it too long as you never know what lies ahead. Mobility issues would now make the trip on an expedition ship impossible but as we always said “ if we end up sitting at home in a wheelchair we will do so with memories not regrets”

we could but you have already said you are going to take the cruise - which to me is a sort of double standard. Everyone is free to make up their own choice.

must be a flaw somewhere. it also works the other way round i.e. USA to UK and back - useful if your first cruise is from UK to USA. Hope this helps. Geoff and the boss (Anita).