Island Escape

[mangeo]

Hi All,

Spent 3 hours reading through the forums before deciding to join! Always leave things till the last minute. We are all booked and ready (I think) to head off on 30th April. First ever cruise, first ever flight, first ever overseas holiday. After reading the reviews on here I am so pleased we have booked this particular cruise and now cant wait to leave. We are pretty laid back so not too worried about anything - except keeping in touch with the kids - well 21 and 26 - so wondered about charging the phones and of course the camera. Any advice on where to go at ports would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

:D

[Rebel Rouser]

Mangeo, very very busy at work at the moment, when I get home tonight (19:15) if nobody has replied I will endevour to help you out.

 

You will enjoy the good ship, also if on FB have a look at the latest Island Ramblings ;)

[ClaireAnna81]

On board at present. At least in our cabin, deck 5 midship we have a US and EU plug on the vanity table been using to charge phones/camera etc so no worries there.

 

On port stops we did Corsica on our own, beautiful island, and petit train that departs from by the marina was a fun way to explore and only 10 euros each.

 

At Rome we did one of the Ship tours, relaxing Rome, mostly coach sightseeing, great for us as my father is blind and has trouble getting around with the old cobbled streets and his cane. The tour finishes with apprx 2hrs free time at the end at Vatican city.

 

Will let you know on the other ports, at Livorno today, going to explore the local town under our own steam soon. Hope I could help :D

 

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[mangeo]

Thanks Claireanna81, great to know about chargers. Rome was the only one we were not sure about what to do. Don't really fancy sitting on a coach for hours but children insisting we can't go without seeing the colosseum. Enjoy your cruise. We are getting rather excited now

[mangeo]

Rebel Rouser - great name by the way - bet your at pussy cat really! Any advice from a seasoned traveller like yourself would be great, will check out Facebook. Thanks for taking the time to reply

[expat exonian]

Hi, as you have both Mr. Revell and Claire Anna ¨on board¨ at the moment, I know they will be able to help.

Claire Anne, hope your Dad is enjoying his cruise. My husband has poor sight also as well as a walking difficulty (with stairs mainly) Please can you tell me what access is like to the upper decks, how far are they accessible by lift, looks like there are a lot of steep steps to the Sailaway bar or there tables at the foot of these (with a view) that I can bring drinks down to? We have been on the great old Destiny before and the access to all levels was by lift , even the Sky bar had a lift to it ( equivalent to Lookout) which was brill. for him.

We are sailing on May 14th, look forward to your review, if you have time.

R.R (sorry) MR. RR,

I read somewhere that you are not permitted to bring alchohol on board (and they don´t sell it in the Shops/duty free) does this apply to soft drinks also ?? We like a liquer as a night-cap that is not on the Drinks Menu (thanks for posting that) I see you are working 12 hr days but perhaps you might have insomnia and time to help.

Again apologies Mangeo, hope you have a wonderful time, our first cruise on the Destiny surpassed our expectations, just wonderful. Oh, I think I am right in saying, wait until you are ashore to phone the Kids, I believe the ships beacon is more expensive (Is that still the case all you experts ??)

Thanks to all, mari , Lanzarote

[Rebel Rouser]

I think you have answered all your own Questions :D.

 

Island Escape lookout bar has a lift :)

 

Had to think hard about the lift to the sailaway bar, don't think there is, mainly because we never use the lifts always a stair walker.

 

 

Island Escape had a relaxed attitude towards drinks, but as it's a true AI this year, honestly don't know.

 

Mangeo, thanks for the nice comment about the name. how far from the truth you could be :D

 

What you do get on the Island Escape is a great atmospher and brilliant attitude from all the crew to make your holiday something special that none of the other Thomson ships can match, yes they are good but if Carlsberg built a ship that has the ambience and atmospher this old girl has..this is it :p

[mangeo]

Thanks Rebel

Well all set to go now, leave home tomorrow afternoon and stay in airport hotel for early morning flight out to Palma (6.40am). Then on to the ship. So excited and after reading all the feedback it looks like we are going to have a ball. Thanks for the messages and will check in with our feedback on return

[expat exonian]

Hoping you would have time to reply,

So do I gather that passengers are not frisked on arriving/returning to ship ? Hope they return said booze if they do!

Good news about the lift to Look-out. Not much of a Star-Walker, Also Congrats on your 35 th (and lovely lady wife) beat you to it, but then I was a child bride !!!!

mari

[expat exonian]

Hope your early morning flight goes smoothly, the weather looks good down to Palma, and into the Italian Med. Don´t be afraid to ask questions of the Crew, they are very kind to novice cruisers, I know !

Hope all your expectations are met, think they will be. Eennjoyyy!! mari

[Rebel Rouser]

Mari, like a zombi now lol. 3 weeks of 12 hr shifts with no break until next Saturday.

 

Made me chuckle re the star walker :D bit like me but am a star dancer :p

[ClaireAnna81]

Sorry for the late reply was propping up the pub bar last night, actually think it was the bar keeping me upright. We have had a great week away, dads enjoyed himself, especially the shows, if Steve Simone is on this week again you have to catch his soul and motown show, supurb. :D and the comedian Paul Eastwood. There are lifts that take you to every floor yes. Enjoy your trip, hopefully you'll have less rain, but hey ho didn't spoil things for us :cool:

 

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[expat exonian]

Good Morning, ClaireAnne,

Hope the fresh air has chased the Wee soor head away ?;)

Hope its a good day there in Mahon, I love the location and was absolutely in awe of the Ships docked right in the main street the first time I saw it. The birthplace of gin, Xorigueur is just across the road from the ship, not that you would want to go tasting when you are AI !!

Speaking of drinks, do they confiscate alchohol ?, we were hoping to sneak our favorite nightcap, ¨Liqor 43¨ on board.

Hope you have time to write a review for first timers, we will support the Pub bar in 2 weeks time,

Thanks for your time, mari

[ClaireAnna81]

Haven't seen anyone getting alcohol confiscated when coming back onboard :D not too much of a sore head thankfully, bit rainy in Barcelona but still lovely place to see, architecture is beautiful :cool:

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[expat exonian]

Hi, ClaireAnne,

Forgot you are in Barça today, was thinking we have 2 wks to go and you were on the same itinerary.

Thanks for the advice on smuggling a bottle on board, we will give it a try, how were the sea conditions?.

Hope you have a safe & pleasant journey home.

 

regards, mari

[ClaireAnna81]

Thanks expat. At the airport now :-( wish I was going round for another week. A couple of choppy nights but didnt bother us, never too bad at all :-) :D

 

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[expat exonian]

Hi, So you had a fairly early start as well , we need to be at the airport by 9 am at the latest. How long do you think it would take to leave the ship , find a taxi etc. Don´t want to cut it too fine as we are ¨on our own¨ travel wise. No hurry to reply, when you have the kettle on & your feet up ! Thanks for all you help, mari

[ClaireAnna81]

Home safe and sound :D.

 

We had a departure time of 7.30 and with dad we got ourselves sorted and at deck 5 disimbarkment area by guest relations by just gone 7, people were already waiting didnt take more than 50 mins to get off the ship, sort luggage that beens taken off and get the bus to the airport.

 

 

I would suggest maybe before leaving Palma ask guest relations desk to recommend a local taxi firm and pre book one? Isn't far from ship to airport.

 

Departure off ship for independent is entirely up to yourself but cabins need to be vacated by 8am. Luggage needed to be outside cabin by 3am.

 

At least this week no scheduled times for deparure with Thomson flights went beyond 9.15am apart from one at 4pm, you could also ask guest relations for a copy of the departure info for disimbarkment and hopefully your flight will be at a time without a scheduled departure time, the process would be quicker than ours im sure.

 

Damn I fancy a cocktail :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

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[expat exonian]

Hi, Claire Anna,

I didn´t expect a reply so soon, or do you fling your bags into a spare room, like me, until you can face un-packing? Worlds worst job !!

Thanks so much for the disembarkation advice, just what I was hoping to find out.

Just one more question (before you get the cocktail shaker out) is there a reception office near the ship (as in Tenerife) or is there a Main Cruise Terminal that we have to check in at. Sorry, again

regards, mari

[MallorcaChap]

Hi, Claire Anna,

I didn´t expect a reply so soon, or do you fling your bags into a spare room, like me, until you can face un-packing? Worlds worst job !!

Thanks so much for the disembarkation advice, just what I was hoping to find out.

Just one more question (before you get the cocktail shaker out) is there a reception office near the ship (as in Tenerife) or is there a Main Cruise Terminal that we have to check in at. Sorry, again

regards, mari

 

Hi expat exonian

We always travel independently (as we live on the island). Go in through the terminal nearest the ship, up the escalator in front of you then go left and follow the signs round to the Police security point - show them your email from Thomson to get past then do the long walk to the embarkation terminal.

As you enter the terminal, go to the lift to the right and go down to the ground floor - you will see all the check-in desks in the large room in front of you.

Go to the desks and hope someone is there to deal with you - it can take a while to find anybody.

Don't forget check in for independents is from 12 noon to 9 pm.

[ClaireAnna81]

Cruise terminal at Palma, not a huge one, were very quick and efficient at getting bus loads of us from the airport embarked. :D

 

Sortted through packing yesterday afternoon, as im back into double shifts in work today and next few mums kindly offered to do my washing too with theirs :cool:

 

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[expat exonian]

Thankyou for the details, MallorcaChap.

You mention ¨the long walk¨ my Hub. has limited walking and has to make a stop every 8 to 10 mins, so question are there likely to be waiting area´s with seating or do you know if a Sin Barreas service is available as at all Spanish airports ? (wheelchair assistance)

Maybe I should post on the Forum as there must be a few other disabled passengers, past and present. There were plenty on the Destiny last year but the taxi was able to take us virtually to the ship/check in office on the Quayside at Tenerife.

regards, mari

[ClaireAnna81]

Theirs a special assistance desk at Palma airport at least, at the check in desks on the ground floor through the main doors towards the back, with a seating area, by #36 I think it was if my memory serves me correctly.

 

The special assistance staff were wearing yellow polo shirts to distinguish, they were very good, insisted dad use a wheelchair, he didn't want too, but understandable, if he were to fall etc. They escorted him and mum through to the gate area seating and came back to take them onto the plane before the rest and I boarded.

 

No idea about other airports I'm afraid, would think so at all the major ones at least.

 

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[MallorcaChap]

Thankyou for the details, MallorcaChap.

You mention ¨the long walk¨ my Hub. has limited walking and has to make a stop every 8 to 10 mins, so question are there likely to be waiting area´s with seating or do you know if a Sin Barreas service is available as at all Spanish airports ? (wheelchair assistance)

Maybe I should post on the Forum as there must be a few other disabled passengers, past and present. There were plenty on the Destiny last year but the taxi was able to take us virtually to the ship/check in office on the Quayside at Tenerife.

regards, mari

 

The 'long walk' I mentioned is probably a hundred yards along a raised walkway - it always seems a long way to me when hauling cases :(

There is nowhere to sit along it - just don't rush and I'm sure you'll be OK.

As for Palma Airport, you should request assistance from your airline who will sort out the Wheelchair Assistance at both ends - it is well worth it at Palma as it is a fair walk to the baggage claim.

[expat exonian]

Thanks Claire Anna,

What a sharp shock & back to reality and work already, no wonder a cocktail or five appeals to you !:D

John (Hub.) has been flying back & forth to Gran Canaria for 3 ops. for his diabetic retinopathy and as soon as one of the lovely guys from the Assistance desk saw him with eye patch & walking stick, that was it, so we are hooked on assistance when a long walk is involved. They do a brilliant job, don´t they. The Spanish airport authority pay for it.

As I have been shamelessly using Mangeo´s thread whilst she is on her cruise, I am going to post a new one to find out if we can ¨borrow ¨a wheelchair at the port just to get to the ship. Luckily I am pretty fit (daily medicinal alchol intake, me-thinks:p) but I will be towing a suitcase and flight bag through the terminal, so John could do with a bit of help.

You have some wonderful friends by the sound of it.

Maybe see you on the Forum with a thread of my own.

Cheers, mari