gumshoe958

What’s not appealing about 7 nights to Spain & Portugal during May half term, or 9 nights ‘Spanish flair’ during the summer holidays?

Not at all. Cunard and P&O have been doing them for years and they’re immensely popular. Virgin are also back in Portsmouth next year. And away from cruising Easyjet, Ryanair and Centerparcs have essentially built their entire businesses on short breaks. True, the more ‘traditional’, older cruisers tend to prefer longer itineraries. But shorter cruises are very popular with working families, groups of friends and younger couples who are more pressed for time and might just want a long weekend. And that’s a huge market, much of which is new to cruising.

The short break market is large and lucrative. Bar sales alone are massive, and people are more willing to pay premium fares if the overall cost is lower. See also Utopia. For people who want 10+ nights there’s plenty of choice with NCL, P&O, Cunard and Princess.

Yes, the focus on short breaks puts Royal at polar opposites to NCL who have nothing under 10 days from Southampton in 2025. It’s a big market for MSC and P&O though. I guess they’re hoping the UK market will be more willing to pay higher fares and spend $$$ on drinks packages if it’s just a short break.

Just because a berth is available doesn’t mean any ship can use it.

As above, very few places in the UK don’t accept Visa & MasterCard and you can easily survive without ever using cash. But you may want to take a small amount for tips. Note that Normandy is in France, not the UK, and as such their currency is the Euro.

Yes, online from roughly around November 1st.

And I see Royal are still advertising Le Havre (Paris), which are considerably further apart than Ravenna & Venice.

Symphony last week had scheduled: Hairspray & Flight (Royal Theatre) 1977 & iSkate 2.0 (Studio B) Hiro & Aqua Nation (Aquatheatre) iSkate and Aqua Nation (which was cancelled due to weather) weren’t full production shows but shorter showcases. In the theatre there was also one headliner (a magician) and a family comedy show.

You’re comparing lunch vs dinner. Although it’s the same menu IIRC.

Looking at the prices they’re charging, people for whom money is no object.

The Bloc is actually inside the South Terminal, so for convenience it can’t be beaten. Most rooms are very small though, and not all have windows so choose carefully if that’s important to you.

Beware: there is currently a proposal (not yet approved) to end the current hourly direct trains from Southampton to Gatwick Airport sometime in 2024. If it goes ahead, you would have to change trains en route, adding extra journey time (and hassle).

There are no direct trains from LHR to Southampton so it’s a fairly tortuous journey by rail. National Express coaches run direct about every 2 hours so they are easily the best option.

No need to prebook for such a short journey, just jump in a normal cab outside the terminal.

There’s a branch of Marks & Spencer (famous UK department store chain with good food halls) in the West Quay mall next to the Moxy. It doesn’t open until 11am on Sundays though.

Yes, unless you’re in a suite.

1) Typically you can expect to be allowed off the ship around 30 minutes after arrival, although it’ll depend on how long it takes the local port authorities to clear the ship. And tendering adds an extra complication as priority for the first tenders will be given to people on RCL shore excursions and those in suites or who’ve bought the Key, for example. All aboard time is normally 30 minutes before departure but for tender ports the last tender may well be earlier than that.

Wow, you’re right. It was $14 when I got mine 18 months ago. A 50% increase. That’s inflation!

It’s the $14 tax non-Americans who don’t need a visa have to pay to enter the US.

They typically open around the start of the month before the month of departure. So, for example, for a cruise departing in January, expect reservations to open on or soon after December 1st.

I know what you mean. I’ve cancelled all my planned trips to the US because Alaska’s only 55 miles from Russia. It’s just not safe.

Yes. There are underground tunnels with moving walkways. Follow signs to the Underground, then to the terminal.

T2 & T3 are close by so one car can take you to both. Easiest option would be to use Uber, or call a cab at the hotel on the day.

If it wasn’t, it wasn’t champagne.