worldtraveller99

We are aiming to use our OBC for our drinks - and not bother with a drinks package, so we can buy more expensive wines and cocktails, and not feel we need to drink quantity not quality, which drinks packages encourage I think?

PS After asking Cunard customer services, I received the reply that we leave Al Coruna at 9.00 pm - so presumably we all need to be back on board at 8.00 pm, and the eclipse in 2026 is at 8.30 pm. He said, very reasonably, that the ship will still be stationary at 8.30 pm, so hopefully we will be able to photograph it from the terrace.

Me too ocean sounds! But I read that we don't leave port until the evening, which should allow us to photograph the eclipse on land before we leave? Oops if that isn't so!

We are booked on the 9th August sailing out of Southampton with the eclipse on 12th August at A Coruna. Will there be any Cruise Critic meetup, and how does that work please? - am relatively new to ocean cruising. I understand that the ship stays late in port that evening, and assume there will be an excursion out of the town for us to photograph the eclipse?

Thank you! We shall see!

We have just booked our future cruise (first with Cunard, and third ocean cruise overall) and chosen a table for 4. I once won a Fred Olsen cruise where we had a table for 2, but the next table was very near, so we did chat to them every day. They were elderly (and we were much younger than now!), and they had not gone out at the ports, so it was a bit strained. I am assuming they will choose people to share with us who are similar to us in age? Do you think that is right?

Personally I think if staff do not receive a living wage, then every penny of profit goes to the business owners. I know a lot of Americans are business owners, but much fewer people in the UK are, so we see those people as skimming our money. I work in the gig economy - I have had about 4 tips in over 20 years, but my fee is fair, so I really was never expecting it. Just to say, it was mostly the poorest people I served who tipped me! Anyway, we will pay the service charge, and only tip if someone does something extra for us.

I think if we are paying a service charge then fewer people will want to tip as well?

All sounds good thank you very much - Cinzano and lemonade all round!

I was aiming to ask for a bottle of simple single malt whisky, to make our own cocktails - that costs more than many Champagnes?

How lovely!

It was 1980. Yes everything would all be much better value for money!

Thank you all, looking forward to it!

Ah!!! When I was a girl I worked in New York for a year after graduation and the rate was 2.4 dollars to each pound. We could go into any shop and buy anything. Those were the days, sob!

Thank you very much!