Mocamps

Apologies if this has already been asked. but there are 68 pages to trawl through!!

Does anyone have any idea what you need to bid to realistically stand a chance of getting upgrades? We're booked on the 19th and there seems to be plenty of availability. We've just been sent the Royal Up e-mail and are dithering!

That sounds hopeful. Fingers crossed for you!

Have finally been able to log into My Silversea and my Hong Kong/Singapore is still showing but I really don't think it will go. I'm hoping they cancel it soon as I have my eye on an Antarctic cruise as an alternative but would prefer to transfer the amount already paid rather than make a new booking and have even more money tied up - and there's definitely no guarantee that the Antarctic one can happen either - as Argentina is still red list for us. It's an interesting game trying to cruise at the moment!!

11 hours ago, Lois R said:

I am supposed to sail in 30 days.........let us hope "it is a go"!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where are you supposed to be going, Lois? I would have thought it should be cancelled by now if you're only 30 days out!

2 minutes ago, gerif said:

They haven’t had the wine packages in years. 

I was suspecting that! It IS years since we last cruised with RCI! - about 8 I think!!

Yes, I'm very law-abiding and not brave enough to try to circumvent the rules! Though we did once go on a wine tour in Sicily and they gave us a presentation bottle of wine at the end which we took back onboard without really thinking about it. And no-one batted an eyelid!!

Anyone know about wine packages? They used to have ones with 5 bottles per week I think. And there was a Classic package or a Premium one. We found those useful in the past.

We have just booked our first Royal Caribbean cruise (on Anthem of the Seas) for some years, after shifting to smaller ships.

It leaves in less than 2 weeks so I'm trying frantically to remind myself of stuff I need to be aware of beforehand. I would welcome some tips from some of you Royal Caribbean veterans!

Most of our more recent cruises have included drinks but we don't want to feel we need to drink enough to make a package worthwhile so on that subject,

Can we still bring 2 bottles of wine onboard?

Do they still sell Wine packages? We used to find these useful as we can usually get through one bottle of wine with dinner each evening.

How expensive are speciality coffees? We don't drink really fancy ones (just Americano or sometimes a Cappucino) vut don't usually like the standard filter coffee at breakfast.

I know we need Covid tests and I'm hoping they'll send me details of that in the next couple of days but I also read that it's possible to book tests privately and then claim the money back. Is that perhaps the safest option? And how does that work? Can I book ANY private test and then keep the receipt or are there a limited number of suppliers?

Anything else I need to know at this stage?

We have NEVER been sent labels by post and it hasn't ever been a problem. When you check in at the port, they label your bags there and then!

We have always had e-tickets from Silversea which I've downloaded from My Silversea but, given that it still isn't working, I would imagine they might use the same system at Windstar where you just turn up with your passport and they can match you to your booking at the port. They are both smaller ships so it's not like trying to check in thousands of passengers!

I notice that ALL of the Silver Muse Asian cruises seem to be now waitlisted. I think this probably means that they are about to be cancelled?

We are booked onto the Hong Kong/Singapore on November 17th but I've been thinking for some time that it seems unlikely it will go.

Any thoughts?

We were on a Windstar cruise in June with Kusadasi as a scheduled stop. We were advised it wouldn't be possible in the week before the cruise. Instead Windstar organised a stop at a little known Greek island (Syros), arranged a free excursion on Patmos and gave us all $100 OBC in compensation. 

My husband and I were delighted as we'd been to Kusadasi twice before and probably wouldn't have got off the ship!! But there were people who were very disappointed.

If the situation remains the same in October, I would very much doubt that Kusadasi will remain on the itinerary.

1 minute ago, Arlopop said:

No quarantine

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57999362

Now we just need the US government to return the favour and to let us in!! We had to cancel a Caribbean cruise because we couldn't get there. And we would have really liked to go to French Polynesia but we need to transit US so that's not possible either!!

We won’t be taking your place with those restrictions on shore excursions!! We wouldn’t want to be captive on the ship but equally don’t like being herded in a group or stuck on a tour bus! We usually like to hike and swim - both activities are probably less risky than a ship’s tour but hey ho!! We’re probably sticking to cruises where we DON’T get limited  to ship tours.

As a matter of interest, how did you find out how many people are going to be on it?

We were looking at your cruise as a possible alternative for our Caribbean one which we’ve had to cancel due to the difficulties in getting there without being able to transit US, but I believe there are still too many restrictions on shore excursions, aren’t there?

There were only 87 people on that first cruise!

Hi,

Just to reassure you…….we were on the inaugural Greek cruise and Amphora was open every evening  except the one where we had the deck BBQ. We had some lovely meals there.

We were upgraded from a B grade on the Star to AX. Same cabin but better location. We were actually very happy with the original cabin (though even happier with the upgrade!) and wouldn’t have paid extra for the upgrade but it makes you feel like you’re getting something for nothing- and it’s a good feeling!! And we booked another cruise with Windstar so I guess it works for them as well!!

Reckon so!! They seem to get in everywhere!!

We had 2 cruises cancelled last year though neither were Windstar. The Norwegian one took 3 months to refund, the Silversea one was about 6-8 weeks. 
 

I have had a few queries about our upcoming Windstar cruise ( which unfortunately looks like I may have to cancel as I can’t get to it now) and their Customer Services have always got back to me very promptly by e- mail. My impression is that they’re a much smaller outfit than the big cruise companies and you get a more personal service but I think patience is called for at this moment in time.

Hi,

We have only been on the Wind Star but I believe it’s virtually the same layout as Wind Spirit. There IS shade on deck but I’d say it’s fairly limited- the loungers do have umbrellas but one side tends to have shade while the other is in sun depending on time of day. There’s also some seating (but not loungers) in the bar area and that has shade all day. Be aware that the pool is tiny!! More like a plunge pool really, so fine for dipping in and cooling off but you can’t get any exercise in it!! In fact, on our last trip we stayed in a hotel where we had a bigger plunge pool on our balcony than the pool on Wind Star!!

Entertainment on our last cruise was restricted to a musical duo, but that was a very port intensive itinerary with no sea days at all. It might be different if there are sea days. It might then include trivia or similar?  I’m not sure I’d be all that keen on so many sea days but I do know some people just love that opportunity to totally relax. I’d be wanting to jump overboard!! Which is a point - if they stop and put out the water sports platform at all then you might be able to do just that!! 
 

We loved our last Windstar cruise and found the staff and food to be great. I think I’d prefer a bigger ship for a long cruise with a lot of sea days but it’s horses for courses!!

We have never had any suite above a veranda on any ship and not really likely to!! 

But I have been fortunate enough to sail with Silversea in the Galapagos, the Arctic and the Antarctic and loved all of them.

And I always remember feeling a bit smug when chatting one day to a guy in the observation lounge after we’d had a very choppy ride through the Drake passage. He told me that he’d got one of the most expensive suites on the ship and it had been a huge waste of money! Because it was at the top and front of the ship they had a much rougher ride than those of us ‘down below’ and he, his wife and his daughter had barely moved from their cabin for 2 days. Also, his lovely wraparound balcony was useless as there was a foot of snow on it!!

Meanwhile, I had been snug in my ocean view cabin on the middle of the lowest deck on the ship, and didn’t miss a meal!!

Thanks. We looked into it but we have to stay overnight as our flight arrives in the early evening and the St Maarten flight doesn't go until next morning. And there are no airside transit hotels in Miami.  Also, we have transited through Miami before (to Guayaquil and to Panama) and we had to go through Immigration THEN collect our bags and then check back in again! So I don't think it will work.

The latest I heard in the UK is that the UK and US are hoping to open up a travel corridor in September but that probably doesn't help much! They were hoping to open one up in July and it hasn't happened yet and our infection rates are soaring at present - though people don't seem to be getting so ill with it now that so many are vaccinated.

We have the same problem in reverse for our Star Breeze cruise in the Caribbean at the end of this month. Our route to St Maarten was via Miami but we're not allowed into the US so can't use that route. We can get direct flights to Antigua and I asked Windstar if we could board there as that's the first stop, But they have said it's not possible so we're pretty stuck. We can get connecting flights from Antigua to St Maarten but then have to comply with 2 different sets of Covid rules and it all just gets too complicated so looks like we'll have to cancel! 😢

Maybe we need to swap cruises?!

Have answered your other questions on the other thread. But with regard to the cancellation they told us (by e-mail) a few days before the cruise and it was something to do with not being able to go into Turkish waters at that time so it may have changed?  I'm not sure if it was Covid-related (I think it might have been because infection rates in Turkey were probably worse at that time) or whether it was political as Greece and Turkey don't always get on well!!  I think I'd probably call and ask if I were you?

Just remembered! - when we got to the cafe (Lloyerma) it was just opening and I think that was about 1pm so don't be disheartened if you get there earlier and it's closed. It really was a great way to end the hike as we could have a shower and freshen up which made me feel like a whole new person!

This hike is easy in places but the second half is tough and not for the faint-hearted! That said, we're both in our mid-60's so not as fit as we used to be!! I found it particularly tough because it was such a hot day. It's well worth starting early.

Here it is!! I knew it was by someone called Dave!!

https://santorinidave.com/fira-oia-hike

https://www.davestravelpages.com/hiking-from-fira-to-oia-in-santorini

This isn't the one we used but looks pretty good! I'll keep looking for the one I used because it DOEs have the name of the cafe/bar with the pool.