paul_a142

Anyone know who the CD will be on Explorer on her TA departing Southampton on 4th November ????

Thanks in anticipation

Paul

Just received an email today saying my Embassy Suites reservation for January 6th is cancelled.

 

 

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We were booked in the Embassy Suites for Jan 26th. When I rang the Hilton reservation number I was told that the hotel was open for business as usual. However on the hotel website it was showing full up until the end of march which I found strange, so I rang the hotel direct and was advised that they weren't taking bookings until April as the hotel was being used for staff who were doing repairs on the island. She advised that they were advising guests by email in blocks of dates that they would be cancelled but at no charge, so if you reserved and prepaid to get a lower rate you will get a full refund.

Regards.

Paul

PS now staying at the AC hotel by Marriott

Hi everybody

Just got back off Navigator I bought the drinks package via the RCCL site and paid £303 When we boarded her last week I spoke to the diamond concierge and he confirmed the 30% discount for D+ so we bought the second package. The total was $318.50 inclusive of the tip As usual RCCL did their usual trick and ignored my request for them not to convert the bill The exchange rate used was $1 = £0.8061 which made the package conversion come to £257.06 which made a saving of £46. Hope that helps.

Regards.

Paul

Wasn't bad at all and today the Seas are calm. A bit chilly but not cold. Enjoying the fresh air. Tomorrow is Oslo.

 

No Guinness on tap in the pub. They said they didn't get delivery of it. Husband is disappointed a bit [emoji3]

 

 

 

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Funnily enough they only had cans on last weeks sailing down to Lisbon !!!!

Regards.

Paul

or do I need to bring one?

There is one fitted and also the switch in the cabin has a thin blue light that is lit so you don't have to switch the main cabin light on to find the bathroom switch. :)

Regards.

Paul

Hi everybody Just had my email back from Miami confirming the $10 rate. Its printing off to go with us in January for our Jewel B2B :D :D :D

Regards

Paul

Mbayley@rccl.com

Thanks email sent.

Regards.

Paul

As I am in the same position i.e. free select package I would be grateful if someone can give me the email address that you mailed and got back the $10 + gratuity confirmation. I can then mail and hopefully get the same reply. Not that I don't trust Royal but have been in the position of being onboard and had arguments at guest services where they didn't believe what I was telling them Good job I had an email as proof.

Regards.

Paul

If the recently discovered Beverage Package Relaunch FAQ can be trusted, then your Ultimate Beverage Package will be "upgraded" to a Deluxe Beverage Package (at no extra charge) which can be used at the Starbucks locations on Oasis class ships.

Marc you beat me by a minute LOL

Regards.

Paul

We purchased the Ultimate package and will be sailing on 9/10. Will the Starbucks be included at that time, even if we purchased the package prior to the new effective date?

Yes it will. As you have purchased the Ultimate package it will automatically be upgraded to the Deluxe package when you are on board which will then allow you Starbucks providing there is a Starbucks onboard. Below is a paste of a FAQ from Royal.

Q For the Deluxe and Refreshment packages that offer premium coffee, does this include Starbucks?

A. In effort to make enjoying and relaxing easier for our guests, the premium coffee packages now

include offerings at the onboard Starbucks licensed stores (excluding non-coffee merchandise).

Regards.

Paul

PS You may want to consider cancelling your Ultimate package and taking out the Premium Package which should save you a few $$$$$ as the Premium package is going to be upgraded to deluxe as well However you MUST do it today

Hi For anyone still interested or in need I just purchased $500 for £350 making the exchange rate still at 1.428 :D

Regards.

Paul

Sorry, I read your post and checked again and I have made a typo ie it was 1.428 not 1.48. Still,... an excellent rate.

 

We too are also going to look into this for our 2017 sailing.

 

Sorry for the error.

Good job you reposted or you would have had half the RCCL UK cruisers ringing up to order their $$$$$ :D

Regards.

Paul

Any advice ?

Looking at 27th Britannia from Southampton. Current inside is around the £670 range, is this likely to go down nearer departure? Not been with p and o for a few years so not familiar with prices.

 

Thank you for any advice.

We paid £599 for last weeks cruise so bearing in mind the schools are out it's not a bad price Our price went up by about £50 nearer the date. Bear in mind that's a saver price so they will allocate your cabin you don't get to pick it (see my post to you re cabin size etc)

Regards.

Paul

Any advice, are they really small, any pictures.

 

Thanks

We had E208 last week on Britannia sort of 3 areas to it when you walk in there is the bathroom which is a standard size but with the benefit of having a glass door instead of a curtain and space to stand back out of the shower spray if needed. Then there is the wardrobe area with the safe, shelving and rail for hanging your clothes. Finally the actual bedroom with single chair and dressing table which has the built in fridge and electrical socket both UK and US, small vanity mirror etc.

Our only complaint which may be specific to the cabin or cabins in that area was that when there was a production show in the theatre you could hear the music as if you were in the theatre. Looking at the deck plan there are no cabins between deck 10 where we were and the theatre. In fairness they did offer to move us but when you have unpacked its the last thing you want to do is move. We just made sure that we were out the cabin at these times. We have suggested that the cabin is sold as with a restricted view balcony and people are made aware of the problem before purchasing.:eek:

Regards.

Paul

Hi everybody

As you can see from my profile we are seasoned RCCL cruises and last week we did our first proper pando cruise (the previous on Ventura being what seem to be deemed as a taster cruise or more to the point booze cruise) I had been reading on the boards about the issue with the system that pando have introduced regarding arriving at you allocated check in time etc. and as we have no loyalty status accepted it.

When our e ticket arrived it gave us a boarding time of 14:30 Due to our train times we arrived at the pier at about 13:40 dropped off the luggage and queued to get into the terminal, not sure if this is the norm but apparently to avoid people being unable to get off the escalator at the top on the 1st floor hence the queue outside. Anyway after a few minutes we went to the podium where you collect your check in letter and were given a "Fast pass" card :eek: I have no idea why, but the number of people sat waiting to have their letter called was a lot. Curious to know what the criteria is for these "Fast pass" cards are ?

We checked in and were onboard in 10 minutes well done pando :)

Regards.

paul

Hi everybody

Just got back off Britannia today and hadn't seen this about OBC I rang the UK number and of course the office is closed so rang the 0844 number in the USA and got $500 for £350 = to $1.4285 The post office was wanting to charge £386 :eek: Money in the bank :D

Regards.

Paul

We will be travelling to Southampton from Dudley in five weeks time and will be avoiding the M40 like the plague.

 

We take the M5 to just past Gloucester (junction 11A) and take the A417 up over Birdlip and then stay on the A417/A419 to the junction of with the M4 just south of Swindon. Then it's a quick dash on the M4 towards London to the junction with the A34 at Chieveley Services then south on the M4 to the M3 and M27.

 

We find it a slightly quicker, but much prettier, route than the M40

Just bear in mind the roadworks between Jn 4A and Jn 6 We went down to Cornwall last week and the traffic was horrendous through there :mad:

Regards.

Paul

We are going down by train tomorrow and have booked and paid for our seats in advance. We have done this twice before and find it a more relaxing start to our journey than driving :)

Same for us this coming Saturday, we also live in Lichfield and to be honest there is a train every 30 minutes from New Street direct to Southampton straight out the station to the taxi rank works for us. We just came back from Cornwall on Friday and the journey home in the car was horrendous took almost six hours with traffic and road works on the M5 :eek:

Regards.

Paul

How much is the Bergen Funicular please. Thanks - all very helpful.

It's 90 NOK per person (£7.35)

Regards.

Paul

Hi everybody Just thought I would post regarding Norweigan Air We have just booked with these for our Jan/Feb B2B on Jewel of the Seas out of San Juan. We would normally have to fly to the eastern seaboard and then get a flight the next day to San Juan but Norweigan have a twice weekly service to SJU. They also fly from Fort Lauderdale and New York so if your on a TA they do one way fares back home at incredibly cheap prices using the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Well worth a look.

Regards.

Paul

I just checked my invoice.

On the 6th April I purchased 300 Dollars for £210.

I preferred it when it was £60 for 100 Dollars only a couple of months ago:)

Hi Heather excuse my ignorance but how do you go about purchasing OBC I didn't realise that you could do it.

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards.

Paul

Hi everybody Just to add another figure into the equation, we have just returned from Jewel last week where the drinks packages we discounted for C&A members with a reduction of 40% for Diamond 45% for Diamond Plus and 50% for Pinnacle members.

This makes the packages as below

PACKAGE REGULAR DIAMOND DIAMOND PLUS PINNACLE

DISCOUNT 0% 40% 45% 50%

ULTIMATE $59 $35:40 $32:45 $29:50

PREMIUM $49 $29:40 $26:95 $24:50

SELECT $39 $23:40 $21:45 $19:50

ROYAL REP $19 $11:40 $10:45 $9:50

We were unaware of this but another CC member advised us of it and when asking the bar staff at the pool bar it was confirmed. However when I went down to guest relations later in the day to have it added to my wife's sea pass they new nothing about the discounts quoting the 3 drinks from 5 to 8.30. When we went into the Viking lounge for the evening drinks they had a copy of the discounts printed on the rear of the available drinks sheet for the Viking evening drinks.

However it does say that it is a "limited time offer" and may not be ship wide obviously worth an enquiry. :D

Keep in touch.

Regards.

Paul

Hi everybody First time on board Fred Olsen and wanted to enquire from any of you more seasoned Olsen cruisers a question regarding the AI drinks package.

I understand that we get "local spirits" included in the package but my wife prefers Gordons Gin. I also understand I will be able to purchase this with a 50% discount as I have the AI package. But my question is is it possible to pay and upgrade to the premium package so avoiding having to pay the 50% rate.

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards.

Paul

hi everybody we just booked on IE for the 28th April cruise. had an email and was such a good deal especially with the all inclusive package. Be our first cruise on any other than RCCL where we have done 24 with them. But after taking early retirement at Christmas decided to try other lines. Having said that I saw on Wikipedia that she was once a RCCl vessel (Viking Serenade)

Ironically after sailing on IE which must be one of the oldest cruise ships the following week we will be on Quantum of the Seas which must be classed as one of the newest :)

Regards.

Paul

I prefer Adventure, because of the open Solarium. I like to be able to sun in there...and you can't on a Radiance class ship..they keep the roof closed!

Just got back off Jewel last week and they have now started to open the roof in the Solarium. Apparently the motor which moves the sliding portion had a defect but it has now been repaired. :D However if there is a possibility of rain it's kept closed as it is on a sea day.

Downside is that when the roof is open and the sun is out it does get quite warm as there is no breeze to cool you down :rolleyes:

Keep in touch.

Regards.

Paul