UKWLDCruise

Came across this on a life raft container on Empress a few years ago

On 11/1/2021 at 2:37 PM, Glock said:

Correct! Many years ago. That is why I  can't believe Royal STILL hasn't changed their casino policy.

Smoking in England is officially down to about 13% and in London that figure would be much lower again  as basically the further north you go in England the more people smoke.  The tube banned smoking in July 1984 but at least you could avoid it by not going in the separate smoking car, it was smoking in planes that got me.  I had one flight back from Taiwan and they had let my reserved non smoking seat go when I checked in but said I would have another one on the plane.  I found myself in the smoking section with a non smoking sign on the top of my seat cover.

For UK passengers  with their flights they sometimes lay on taxi's rather than coaches, happened to me in 2019. 

11 or 11.30 are the earliest I have seen recently 

21 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

I think the scientific advice was to keep your mask in a sealed plastic bag when not in use to avoid contact with other surfaces. Not saying I follow that all the time but it makes sense that something used to cover your mouth would be kept clean and away from others. 

In August I saw waiters handing out bags to people in the MDR that were sitting down, taking their masks off and dropping them on the table 

Even if you do add your own photo they will more than likely take another when you check in

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

I think the Aussie market is the only one in which they ban it.

UK cruises by law have no inside smoking venues.  There are fines if companies don't comply.  

Oh and I thought the entertainment was very much standard cruise fare and lacked the imagination of other lines who had secured people like John Bishop for these local cruises.

Has any other former UK staycation passenger who didn't use Eurofin had the experience I have just had.  Miami based Celebrity staff phoned me up and asked for my credit card details so they could repay my PCR test cost.  Not wanting to give them out to a cold caller he then suggested I ring Celebrity myself which I did.  I waited twenty odd minutes to get through to the UK number and then was transferred to wait again at the US end before getting someone who had to have everything explained to them.   No idea why they couldn't put it on the credit card I used on the ship or why they couldn't do this through my travel agent.  The first caller said that no one he called has given up their details first time, what a surprise!

2 hours ago, steveso said:

How easy was it to organise the pre sailing covid test. Is it done in person or by post? (we are in London)

They put you in touch with a company ,Eurofins, to make an appointment which you attend in person and take the results directly from that or if you are not near one of their places you can organise your own test and get refunded up to £100.  They won't take a home test but I had mine done at the local Boots.

US dollar as usual

57 minutes ago, laslomas said:

 

That is also my question. Interested to know how much the 'bubble' remains in a bubble. Otherwise, what's the point?

Despite the tour guide guide giving out a celebrity warning that people that break the tour bubble may not be allowed back on we were allowed to shop and go into the cafe in the visitors centre with visitors from other celebrity tour coaches and people just visiting.  We were though allowed to avoid what was quite a long Q to get in.

49 minutes ago, maherp said:

Hi, we went on the trip and was able to buy food and drink at the Causeway onsite Cafe.

10 hours ago, MAT1 said:

I am booked on the Giant’s Causeway tour which i notice is 6 hours long. Can anyone who has been on the tour advise whether any food or refreshments are offered on the trip?

When I went last week there was standing room only in the cafe and a long wait of about 20 minutes for hot drinks and snacks.

6 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Are all excursions booked up in advance or is there still availability? I'm looking st booking a cruise specifically to travel to Belfsst for Giants Causeway and can find no information on excursions. Celebrity guests not on excursions were not allowed off in Belfast three days ago so want to be sure before I book cruise. Cannot find any pre cruise info on this so basically being told to book blind which is a bit unhelpful.

I was on that Celeb cruise and the other thing to note is that they have stopped the shuttle bus from the visitors centre to the site which cuts the time available down at the causeway and it is a quite steep walk coming back.

I have had inside, ocean view, promenade, balcony and junior suite cabins and the only one I really wouldn't do again would be inside.  Then again it was on Empress so no bigger than a shoe box. 

In the UK they provided this handy chart

1 hour ago, Jumping Cruiser said:

UK Cruises Shore Excursions

I was wondering which shore excursions would be available in Belfast, on these British Isles cruises. Would anyone who has been onboard be able to share examples of tours and prices please? Thanks

I am actually going Celebrity but I expect they offer the same sort of trips at the same sort of price.  List attached

Belfast.doc

4 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Thank you for posting, I was not aware that X was reimbursing this expense, especially in several places on the website it indicates this cost is borne by the passenger, unless aboard and vaccinated.

 

bon voyage

In the UK you can organise a test with their preferred company and then it is included with the cruise or you can get it done where you like and claim back up to £100

5 hours ago, sgmn said:

Thanks for the positive report. We're still on the fence about either Anthem or celebrity. 

Glad you had such a good experience 

I looked at both options and ended up on Celeb as it was nearly half the cost and a day longer.  That might have been because there was  no single supplement and the included tips.

Checking in on Celebrity and then checking on my 2022 booking on Royal I found that I couldn't log in with the correct password until I used the Celebrity one.  I used the forgotten password option but now it has happened again.  Has anyone else noticed that if they change the password on one account in a few days the other one changes without you doing anything.

I am always being told about having different passwords for everything as well.

I have about a 90 mile drive to Southampton from London to do in a few weeks.  As I won't think of my restored classic min being in a car park for a week or so I have booked a cab and their estimate is between two hours thirty minutes and one hour forty five for the journey.  I am leaving at 10am so I could arrive 45 minutes early or bang on for my 12.30 slot.  I think on balance I am being reasonable but I might turn up a little early.

As long as you are not sailing from the UK that is.  UK departures mean no indoor smoking

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

It applies to existing bookings

TY

Just checking but is this for new bookings or will existing ones for 2022 now benefit from double points?

I have booked on Rhapsody for 2022.  Lots to see and do on all the islands on the run especially Grenada, which the Americans invaded not us, the Clint Eastwood film Heartbreak Ridge sort of shows you what happened.  The old airport still has shot up planes on it, the locals use it as a road now.  Grenada has a fantastic local chocolate company, the product should be made illegal it is so good and there are little rum distilleries to visit.