Brilliance Transatlantic April 16, 2007

[wingsrcl]

Steve try one more time, call and speak to someone else, clearly explain the cruise leaves on monday. Ask for a supervisor. Don't take the first no for an answer. We feel for you, we ended up buying another ticket and felt it was worth the $159 each we had to pay other than risk missing the cruise.

[Ephraim]

I contacted my travel agent, and he contacted RCCL. They said I need to work with UsAirways. I called them and got an agent who wasn't even aware of their own travel advisory. The best she could do was an additional $170.00 pp.

 

I think we'll take our chances with a hotel room in Albany on Sunday night and stick to the 6:00 AM flight on Monday. My bigger concern is our luggage. Although it's carry-on size, would we have to meet all the crazy TSA regs to bring them on?

 

Stay tuned...

 

Try Priceline for a hotel around the Airport. We usually get the Airport Hilton for $55 or $65. Check out BetterBidding for help on that.

 

My experience on the Brilliance is someone needs to write a note to the Cruise Director requesting a "Friends of Dorothy" meeting. It takes her a couple of days to list the meeting on the daily program. There is no board posting meetings. Either way, Hollywood Odyssey lounge on deck 13 always attracts a familiar crowd. The Crown and Anchor lounge also becomes a nice place at night.

 

Maybe we should wait for the first meeting, as everyone tends to be busy on the first night. Another thing we did on our past transatlantics was a lunch in the dining room. That was fun.

 

Either way, we will probably be around the sky bar, upper deck of pool, outdoors for sail away.

 

I agree with you Ephraim, Canada indeed sets the standard for so many civilized decisions. We have a long list of issues we need to take care of over here before we can get to sexist pageants. Don't get me started! I'm always asking our friend Francois who lives in Toronto, if Quebec wouldn't be interested in aquiring Massachusetts.

 

I read some fabulous advice on Conde Nast Traveler, from an article called "Cruising the Wine Dark Sea" by Francine du Plesix Gray. Here it goes:

 

"A good cruise is an artificial paradise in which all controversial opinions must be suppressed to achieve the mutual quest for amicable jollity. Civil cruisers will do better to eschew all difficult themes, especially politics and sex, and to muzzle their dislike of George W. or, conservely, their enthusiasm for Hillary."

 

Dislike George ? What is she talking about!? HA!.

 

RCL has an official no posting groups in the newsletter now. The only group ever published is for AA. Everything else is on the bulletin board, which is what they publish. Someone just needs to put a note on the bulletin board.

 

We'll try to walk by the sky bar. Yves and I are both big guys. There's a picture of Yves on my Yahoo Photos. He's in green. People often think we are twins. I have a beard, he has a goatee. And he has the accent.

 

We have been taking applications from Vermont to become part of Canada. They are the most like Canada in temperment and beliefs.

 

BTW, did you catch the whole story on the other thread. He made a comment about us going to US to get around paying airport taxes and then writes about scamming Lexus to fix up everything before his warranty expires. They had to remove all the posts (thankfully). Yves was very insulted by some of his comments.

[Ephraim]

Steve try one more time, call and speak to someone else, clearly explain the cruise leaves on monday. Ask for a supervisor. Don't take the first no for an answer.

 

USAirways has it on the top of the web page and Albany is clearly listed.

 

 

It says

 

US Airways has relaxed ticketing policies for these markets, which are affected by bad weather. US Airways will waive the standard change fee, advance reservation and ticketing requirements for customers with travel to, from or through these markets on the dates above. See our revised ticketing policy below for rules and restrictions. Call 800-428-4322 for more information.

If US Airways service continues to operate to the affected destinations, you can make certain changes without incurring the standard change fee, advance reservation or ticketing requirements:

 

• You can move your entire itinerary up to seven days before or after the scheduled origination date, although you cannot alter the length of your trip.
  
• You can apply the full value of your wholly unused tickets toward the purchase of a ticket to an alternate destination, although travel must originate within seven days of the scheduled origination date.

[wingsrcl]

I contacted my travel agent, and he contacted RCCL. They said I need to work with UsAirways. I called them and got an agent who wasn't even aware of their own travel advisory. The best she could do was an additional $170.00 pp.

 

I think we'll take our chances with a hotel room in Albany on Sunday night and stick to the 6:00 AM flight on Monday. My bigger concern is our luggage. Although it's carry-on size, would we have to meet all the crazy TSA regs to bring them on?

 

Stay tuned...[/quote

As for the luggage, you know how many ounces of liquids/toiletries you can take right ? If you end up having to gate check your bag, let's say overhead bins are too small on some of the regional jets, make sure to gate check to PHL only, pick it up at the jetway in PHL and gate check it again to albany on the next flight if you need to.

[Ephraim]

Regulation is 3 oz of liquid per container, all in a 1 quart plastic bag.

 

European regulations are 100ml of liquid per container in a 1 litre plastic bag.

 

Anything more than this needs to be packed.

 

If it's large, you can gate check it at the plane. They put it on the back and pull it out when you get to PHL and then you can carry it on.

[wingsrcl]

It's a shame they don't post it on the cruise compass anymore.They've done it for so many years. I find it pretty absurd, especially considering the amount of onboard revenue members of Friends of Dorothy generate with beverages, cocktails, and spa treatments. The sister company Celebrity still does, as when we were on board two months ago.

 

Talk about lack of consistency. Oh well, we will create our own setting for the meetings. Look for it on the so called board, which I have no idea where they place it.

 

Good luck to everyone getting to Miami in time for sailing. We don't want a rerun of Hyacinth missing the QE2.

 

Ruy and Dennis

[kwokpot]

We were able to change our Jet Blue flight plans from Sunday, now leaving Sat @ 115pm, NO additional charges whatsoever.

 

Got a princeline room in Miami for $69/nt, alamo rental.

 

Bringing laptop, so will log in in miami.

 

Good luck to all, se you on the ship! or maybe miami!

[Ephraim]

Go to Costco's website and go through the Travel service link and find the car rentals. There is a code and a coupon for Alamo. Gives great prices and a car upgrade if possible.

 

Good luck.

[wingsrcl]

We were able to change our Jet Blue flight plans from Sunday, now leaving Sat @ 115pm, NO additional charges whatsoever.

 

Got a princeline room in Miami for $69/nt, alamo rental.

 

Bringing laptop, so will log in in miami.

 

Good luck to all, se you on the ship! or maybe miami!

 

We are glad you were able to change your flights!

[GenSteve]

For the moment, we're planning to keep our Monday flights, via Pittsburgh, to Miami. The worst of the weather will be Sunday afternoon and evening. We'll head to Albany and spend the night at a hotel and not worry about driving at 3:00 AM. Our flight to Pittsburgh leaves at 6:00 AM.

 

I had a nice chat with a woman in the "day of sailing" department about worst case scenarios. Although she understandably didn't want to commit to anything, she said it's the captain's decision to delay departure. If we still miss the ship, USAirways needs to get us to Ponta Delgada or Lisbon. Or, I suspect, we can negotiate with RCCL for another cruise or refund. As long as we have options, I'm not terribly concerned. Even if we hopped on the next Caribbean cruise, I'd be fine.

 

Normally, I would have done my own air but getting a one-way ticket FROM Europe at a reasonable fare is hard to swing. As it turns out, having RCCL's air is a blessing a case like this.

 

What are everyone's plans for meeting onboard?

[txbear]

Hi All, Ihope everyone makes it !!! After talking to all of you, it be a shame to miss you. We leave at 730am sun morning, staying with friends. All packed ready to go !!! See ya onboard

 

 

Mark & Donald

[Hyacinth B]

Good luck to everyone getting to Miami in time for sailing. We don't want a rerun of Hyacinth missing the QE2.

 

 

I should say not, boyz. Please arrange quality and safe transport to Miami whilst you have time. And DO tell Tarquin hello from Mummy once aboard ship. And please keep an eye on him for me, will you please?

[Ephraim]

Well, we made it to South Florida. Going out for dinner. We will be there tomorrow!