john watson

I think the way it would work is that provided you have a two-top at 7pm and the four people have a four-top at 7pm they will amalgamate you provided you all present yourselves at the front door together. They always have "sharing tables" (8 sometimes 10 top) but cannot always fill them and I suspect their pragmatic approach would be to put you on one of them, possibly the six alone but they might add two random extras. This deal gives them a very valuable two-top and a four-top which are more useful in the general way of things. You may need to avoid absolute peak times to increase success but I think you can achieve what you want. You don't generally get a two people at a table of six booking, it's more like two of you want to share on a larger table and they put you where they can fit you in. We found they are very flexible where your requests are feasible and if you are polite when disappointed day one, the next day they feel they need to do more for you. Regards John

It is possible to dine with the same dining companions who you have met on board and befriended. You can add them as shipmates on your App. A mutual addition is required. This means you know where you/they are at any time. You can meet up any time of day whilst on board but obviously muster prior to dinner outside the MDR. Therefore you can do this in a TD way but vary times and MDR as well if you all want to. You can also phone them up on the "landline" to the cabin using "Deck number plus cabin digits". You know they are in the cabin as this gets displayed on your App, shipmate locator section! Alternatively lrave a voicemail. Obviously you need to be careful who you add to your App as shipmates! You can even enlarge the group by adding more people until you reach maximum table size. The facility mainly helps big groups of travellers making their cruise run more smoothly. Regards John

In my opinion the best way to deal with dining is to look at the deck plan and work out the most conveniently located MDR then book the same very popular time every night. I'm sure I did this by default on the internet pre-sailing. This then becomes your fall back option. If you wish to change on the day then log in and book a different MDR and/or time for that evening. What can go wrong is the wifi/internet gores down and you cannot get a reservation via the App, but you have your fall back option. A lot of people get a bit stuck at this point! Similarly if you can log on in the day is when you choose your time/MDR combination you find this is not available so you end up dining very late. It is also possible to turn up on spec and be successful. This will vary according to how popular a time you have chosen. They do identify you when you turn up and find your reservation. Typically they also know if you want to share or dine as a private party. You can chop and change sharing daily. It is amazing how much they know about you on board with the electronic detectors all about the ship. The waiters already know your drink preferences on day two! Regards John

If you fill in the appropriate form requesting a disembarkation time which might be a computer smart phone system these days, but get issued with late colour labels just take them to reception for exchange. This is not widely advertised but you just tell them you want xxxx colour because your onward transport arrangements are scheduled early and what you have been allocated will not work. They then hand you the suitable colour labels to put on your cases. Obviously do this immediately you get your labels to do the exchange. Regards John

If you arrive at Terminal 5, Sofitel is walking distance. Terminal 4, Hilton Hotel terminal 4, or Terminals 2 and 3 Hilton Garden Inn are all walking distance 1 to 2 minutes. Renaissance hotel for terminal 3 offers a good close up view of aircraft taking off - landing if you get a club room. Need to catch the shuttle bus service. Shuttle services tend to be a bus that stops at a series of hotels and does a circular route of terminals not a dedicated vehicle for the one hotel. Tickets must be pre-purchased before boarding at machines generally in hotel lobbies. My advice with hotels pre-cruise is to stay near cruise terminal at Southampton. Holiday Inn Herbert Walker Avenue. Regards John

I did this years ago and booked a Princess Cruise with a US agent that alleged up to 80% discounts etc. The only problems I had was when booking by phone on a freephone number was I needed to phone after 11pm due to time difference but did have a dedicated cruise specialist clerk with a dedicated extension number. It worked out very inexpensive but the deal did not include the ABTA, ATOL protection etc. Years later I heard that cruise lines are not generally accepting such bookings so this is something that needs current detailed investigation. They were accepting according to subsequent information bookings which included UK citizens who had a US address, bookings including a US citizen and bookings through a US TA where the booking is a repeat booking where the TA and Cruise line are as previous. Incidentally I ended up with two different Cruise Line Loyalties which later needed combining. Some cruise lines run a US customer base and a separate UK customer base. No idea what the current rules are but they tend to be different with each line and careful study is needed with accurate information. Regards John

If it is a little easier the UK site prices cruises in pounds and a lot of consumer laws apply. Regards John

The cabin stewards do not always do the turndown service. Handy if you do not want to be turned down. Regards John

Isn't there a similar type of slogan appropriate for going to Las Vegas? Regards John

What? You stayed on board!

I think the two issues crew have in this area are whether the passenger no longer using the mobility equipment can safely transfer without it. Secondly how big and cumbersome the equipment is and whether a fellow passenger can handle it or will the crew be capable of doing this. Some mobility scooters are highway capable massive vehicles while others are like an office chair on a skateboard. So whether you are lucky or not depends on a lot of factors including the crew's attitude. Regards John

Yes, the crew assist passengers boarding tenders and are particularly careful with elderly or frail people. The walker itself they probably will load but presumably you have a companion who can do that. I think they would regard it in the same category as pushchairs, strollers etc. as parents of young children have which them seem to load/unload without question. Regards John

Dover Marina and Spa, Best Western Plus is a very nice hotel on the sea front. No air conditioning, traditional hotel with various shapes and sizes of rooms. Regards John

I agree with you, but if people are on a very tight budget I would look at making sure the mini-suite was fairly close to a public toilet facility as people hog the bathroom at key times. Regards John

I believe the steward standard procedure is stowing the beds in the morning and brings them out in the evening every day. Regards John

I remember when the British Government asked the public to come up with the most popular name for a new research ship. Due to the influence of social media the top name became "Boaty McBoatface" Reusing old names always leads to a comparison where people think "It's not the same" Regards John

Technically in very rare circumstances a very small number of people board without knowing their cabin number until check in but their bags have been taken in by porters. In this situation the unnumbered bags are put in a predetermined place for all bags not having a cabin number on the tags. You ned to retrieve your bags by visiting reception. Regards John

You can always open a hotmail address and try a token booking under a fictitious name and details. Then any deals you are offered are easier to access later with genuine data. You know what the offer was. Junk the hotmail address after a couple of months. Repeat the process in future years. Regards John

Yes, this is the normal situation. The cruise line would not want a tumult of people embarking with no idea where their cases will end up. Regards John

I would suggest that a handle coming completely off a suitcase is very rare. Changing to self-disembarkation to get around this is a solution for getting off the ship but the same issue could occur with the airline. I would not change to self-disembarkation unless this was a good option in itself. Regards John

Yes, you can keep them but do you do with them Regards John

When you use the free irons/boards in laundry room. Check to see if the previous user has melted a colour synthetic material onto the sole plate. It will smear on your clothes. Take a pillow case or similar to put on top of what you iron to protect your clothes. Regards John