gumshoe958

Civitavecchia is a 45 minute drive from Rome FCO airport. The town isn’t blessed with many good hotels but you could stay at an airport hotel and easily transfer to the port the next morning. Barcelona port is a 20 minute drive from BCN airport, close to the city centre and there are lots of good hotels to choose from. So on balance I’d go for Barcelona if the flights work for you.

Ah ok, so North Ealing. Not quite as convenient for Heathrow but not too bad. I’d either get the Elizabeth line to West Ealing or Ealing Broadway and a cab/Uber from there (bearing in mind it’s a 10 minute walk between the coach and rail stations at Heathrow Central), or a cab/Uber all the way. Re arriving at Southampton - it’s hard to say after a TA as it’s not unknown for the UK Border Force to do full immigration checks - equally you could just walk straight through in a few seconds. A cab to the coach station should take about 10 minutes, maybe a bit more maybe a bit less depending on which terminal you arrive at. You should easily make the 9.45 coach assuming you’re off the ship by about 8.30, but bearing in mind you may not be able to access your Airbnb until 4pm the 11.45 might be a better option, unless you have other plans for the day. The coach station has indoor seating and (basic) facilities if you need to wait a while.

Because people can cancel at any time. RoyalUp means Royal can make sure all the suites are occupied even if someone cancels last minute and still make $$$.

If you get the coach to Heathrow Central, you can then catch the Elizabeth line train which runs direct to West Ealing and Ealing Broadway (normally six times an hour, journey time about 15 minutes) OR the Piccadilly line tube which runs direct to Boston Manor, Northfields and South Ealing (every 5 minutes, journey time about 20 minutes). Hopefully at least one of those stations is convenient to your Airbnb. Or just jump in a cab/Uber. The coach to London Victoria is more frequent but tends to take longer due to traffic in London, and you’d then need a cab to Ealing (or the tube; the District line runs direct to Ealing Common & Ealing Broadway although it’s a bit of a schlep from Victoria coach station to the tube station). Personally I’d go for Heathrow but YMMV. Ealing itself is very suburban but is blessed with very good transport links with the Central, District, Elizabeth and Piccadilly lines all running frequently to and from central London.

No, not on the train. Your ticket will be checked by the automatic barriers at the station - or if you opt to pay by contactless card (which is cheaper), you touch your card on the barrier to get on and off the platform.

I think it’s a typo. Should be June 15, not 18.

You enrol them once on board. You can’t book places in advance.

I thought Voyager was heading east in Nov 25?

Check the app when you board, otherwise there’s normally a pop-up box office open somewhere on deck 5, close to where you board.

International Friends are frequently recommended here. https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/Cotswold-Villages-Downton-Abbey-Locations-Country-Pub-Lunch-to-London-Heathrow.html https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/post-cruise-london-cotswolds.html

Best ship, or just the pushiest waiters? 😂

They want you gone asap to make way for the next lot. Encouraging folks to hang around the port all morning would cause even more congestion and create major parking issues.

Yes, they do. But they probably feel they can’t when Carnival has (the far superior and included in your fare) Guy’s Burger Joint.

Absolutely fine. The drive takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

Reservations should open up at the beginning of May. Maybe the 1st, maybe not but certainly within a few days. You can book the two main theatre shows, the aqua show, the ice show and the comedy. There are multiple performances of each, all at different times on different days.

Uber does not operate in Inverness or Invergordon. You’ll need a local taxi or, much cheaper, regular local buses from Invergordon into Inverness (roughly every half hour, takes about an hour). There’s also an infrequent train service. Urquhart castle is also accessible by bus from Inverness. Cawdor castle (which I suspect is what you meant) is not so you’d need a taxi.

You should be able to, yes. Any day now.

You should be able to make reservations via cruise planner from around the beginning of Feb. Maybe the 1st, maybe not, but around then. You should be able to book for Mamma Mia and Blue Planet in the main theatre, plus the Aqua and Ice shows and the comedy.

For any Tap Factory fans in the UK, they’re touring the country next month.

You can prebook Ubers but in this situation it’s easiest to just summon one on demand on the app when you’re ready.

Symphony is a fantastic ship, you’ll love it. I’d get My Time Dining if you’re planning to see all the shows (Hairspray, Flight, the Aqua show and the Ice show) as they’re all on at different times on different days and don’t always fit around traditional dining very well. You should be able to book shows on the cruise planner at the start of the month prior to your cruise (so November for a Christmas cruise).

Starbucks opens far earlier than 11. I’m not sure exactly when but I think it’s around 6.30. Maybe you just looked at the opening times for embarkation day? As you point out though, you can’t use vouchers there.

You are correct. Reservations for next month should open up any day now, if they’re not already.

Yes, and even then it’s subject to availability (ie not guaranteed).

It’s an older crowd on Jewel with entertainment targeted accordingly - just a nightly theatre show, a small cinema and the standard live musicians. No dedicated comedy club. Far fewer casual eateries than on Carnival - there’s no equivalent to Guy’s burgers, Blue Iguana, the BBQ place or the pasta bar, although I think Royal’s buffets are better. If you like smaller, older, more traditional ships you’ll be fine but if you prefer bigger ships with lots going on you may find Jewel a bit dull and old-fashioned.