Mr Luxury

No shops?

That's what the driver suggested to do in future. I like a driver to be standing there with a name board waiting for me. At some busy airports it might be just as easy to take a taxi.

I have generally surrendered my passport on every cruise but when I checked in at Barcelona last week for my Seabourn Pursuit trip,they gave me it back after check in. I questioned the lady about it but she said no,we are not keeping them on this voyage so i kept it in my suite safe. The ports were. Barcelona,Palma,Alicante,Sete,St Tropez,Portofino,Monte Carlo.

I'm sure I've seen that at a recent cruise port. The guy had fake Louis Vuitton bags also.

How much for the lot

Life's too short. Plenty of car service operators 😁

This issue can depend on which cruise director you get as they all have different levels. Port days are challenging as most guest will be ashore at least until lunchtime when they all come crawling back for the included food and booze. It's pot luck on how things are scheduled but generally there will not be things happening if guests are not expected to attend them. A bit like the restaurant opening for lunch on a port day.

I was on Encore last month,the speed was good and I had no issues. I have just come off Pursuit and the speed is very fast. Let's hope all ships get Starlink soon.

I used welcome pick ups in Barcelona recently. The driver messaged me when we landed to say where he would be and what he was wearing. The problem came when the luggage took some time to arrive. He kept messaging me to say hurry up,i said that we could when the luggage arrived. We waited and he then sent a message saying that he was going to leave because he had another job. I told him that we had paid for a service and that he should wait for us. Finally our luggage arrived and in two minutes we were out. I spotted him near the exit of the terminal and he took us to his vehicle. He said that welcome pick ups give an hours waiting time after the plane lands and then they leave to take another job. Apparently you lose the money and are left trying to get a taxi. He drove like a lunatic and unusually it was pouring with rain in Barcelona. I'm not going to use the service again surprisingly enough.

Cancel and get your money back. There are excellent options with Silversea Nova and Ray coming. Regent Splendour and Seabourn Pursuit. We can all watch from the wings to see how EJ fairs.

Never make a fifteen minute cab ride home to be a reason to book a cruise.

Double measures.

Not Silversea or Seabourn

Do you use an experienced Seabourn TA

Funny you should mention that. I am having a curry tonight cooked by the executive chef who is indeed Indian. I'm looking forward to it. By contrast I am having lunch in Portofino tomorrow at the Hotel Splendido. Two very different experiences. Both good though.

I'll be there tomorrow. Lunch at the Splendido Hotel.

Morning Markham, I have given up booking TKG online and always get a table once on board. I too have seen the famous disappearing act. The website is challenging but so are some other lines especially when trying to source info of a particular cruise. No TKG on Pursuit and only three places to dine and one of those is our suite. Restaurant has been doing well and the ship is buying fresh produce ashore each day so fish has been exceptional. Good deals if you book onboard for these expedition vessels.

It's all lies surely

Not so good if you're trying to lose weight.😁

Bristol was the sherry capital of the UK Harvey's Bristol Cream Yes I remember Yates Good old days 😁

Do you remember Emva cream

British sherry isn't really the thing is it 😁

You're imagining it.

I didn't eat but the selection looked fine.

Just FYI Breakfast in the Restaurant this morning were six guests Lunch today in the restaurant there were eighteen guests. It's not surprising that they close the restaurant especially when in port. Today is a sea day on Pursuit.