ann141

6 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

@ann141 we have just been in a terrace cabin on Borealis. Lovely cruise with great food, service etc.

 

Couple of things you might like to know:

 

Our cabin was not visible from outside but many were very see through, no rhyme nor reason to which were and were not (we checked in daylight and dark).

 

There are lights on the promenade all night and the curtains don’t pull and stay together. Take clothes pegs or clips to keep them closed if you want it dark.

 

There  is much less storage space in the terrace cabins than the standard inside /outsides for some reasons (King sized bed perhaps). We always take hook magnets with us and on this occasion we really needed them as there was no room in the wardrobes for jackets and fleeces. There were 4 fixed wall hooks which we used for heavy jackets and we used the magnets for lighter items.

 

There are two 2 drawer cabinets next to the bed, a wardrobe for gents clothes (too short for dresses), a single wardrobe for hanging dresses (if you put up the shelf which you can) and a shelved wardrobe. There is also a bit of shelf space above the tea tray and safe.

 

Expect to be an early riser for tender ports as dropping the tender is noisy. Great early morning alarm call to get tender tickets.

 

The pads on the steamers get very wet so if they are dry, take them indoors overnight as the staff don’t. The coach at the window is great for watching the scenery if the weather is poor.

 

Please just ask if you have any other questions.

 

Thank you very much. Glad you had an enjoyable cruise 🙂

40 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I would really advise you to check with the cruise line. Fusina is very strict in their access and from what I have read, no one has accomplished being able to walk on or off freely in the port. It is a working, industrial port and no one is allowed to randomly walk. There is no view from anywhere for the most part from the ship. I understand the “been there done that”  with Venice to a certain degree, but Fusina holds nothing attractive in the port itself. Maybe your cruise line offers different tours that Venice that you could take transport to and then DIY. We are not excursions people at all, and have used the transportation to get someplace, then find out what time and where to be back to the bus, and still tip the guide. Then all are happy. 

Thinking about it there will probably be a shuttle bus taking people out of the port area. There appears to be a beach and a lighthouse in Fusina but we will wait until we are onboard. If we have to go into Venice that's what we will do but hopefully the shuttle will drop people near to where the vaperetto goes and we can explore from ther

9 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

We took a RT out of Fusina this Spring. You have to transverse the causeway onto Venice island in each direction, which each time took approximately 30 minutes. You are required arrive at the old cruise terminal for embarking and disembarking. If you are just visiting the busses should take you to the Piazalle Roma which may be a shorter transfer time. In either of our directions of embarking or disembarking, we were not allowed to DIY from the ship. There did not appear to be much to do in that area as we drove through it, but I am thinking you likely will not have a choice to just plan your day from the ship without using ship transportation out of the port. It is a gated port with guards inspecting each vehicle. 
 

Thank you. No one is embarking or disembarking from the cruise we are on so hope we will be allowed out of the terminal independently. On one tour it states you have to walk a short distance to get on a boat for a tour of the lagoon so am presuming people will be able to walk out to explore 

13 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

One other thought occurred to me:  you might consider posting a query on the forum for whichever line you're sailing with out of Fusina. Others on earlier cruises departing from there may have sussed out some interesting things to do.

Thank you 

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

The port is Fusina (not Fusini), which may help if you are googling for things to do.  

 

It's an industrial and ferry port with a large parking lot and campground nearby. Boats take visitors the short distance into Venice (15-20 minutes), which doesn't sound like much of a hassle, but if you want to stay in Fusina, this link gives a few things (including a 16th c. lighthouse) that might be worth a walk-about:

 

https://gangwaze.com/cruise-ports/fusina-venice-italy

Thank you 

We are visiting Fusini( for Venice) on a cruise in October and wondered if there is anywhere you can walk to from the port.We have visited Venice previously and have seen the main sights and done a tour to Murano and Burano so would like a relaxing day if possible without having to take the ferry into Venice

4 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

 

Delighted that you have been able to buy what you want at what you feel is a reasonable price. As far as we're concerned the Terrace" cabins on the old HAL ships that FOCs are now using aren't balcony cabins for one simple and very obvious reason... the don't have balconies.

 

Our concern and the reason why we won't take up this offer isn't the fact that many folks will have paid less... we're delighted that they will have a holiday at a price they're happy to pay.

 

The plain fact is that FOCLs' balconies are vastly overpriced. In the case of this offer... well over 500% more... far more than many other cruise lines that we've used... including SAGA, P&O and Viking.

From the very beginning of the two old HAL ships FOCLs has had the idea that it can charge a huge "premium" for cabins with balconies for the same itinerary, food, entertainment... their cabins with actual balconies are overpriced and immensely uncompetitive in today's market.

 

If FOCLs can allow people to cruise, eat, be entertained and enjoy the amenities on board for £50 a day... the company shouldn't be so terribly surprised that so many prospective customers look elsewhere when faced with the extraordinary cost of those cabins which actually have balconies. It's a question of value for money.

 

We hope that you have a wonderful cruise.

Thank you. I agree with you that I think the Balcony cabins on Fred are overpriced compared with companies like Saga. We have chosen a Terrace cabin(We have had one before) because I like to open the door to have some fresh air.I wouldn't want a Balcony with Fred because smoking is allowed on the Balconies which is a real put off.I prefer the 2 Saga ships I have been on to Bolette and Borealis but it is the itinerary that has swayed us in this case helped by the fact that we have been able to get a very good deal

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Have a wonderful cruise. Glad you managed to get a terrace and a bargain for once to make up for overpaying on previous cruises.

 

Thank You

2 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

 

 

We had the same email and looked to see what the minimum cost would be for a cabin with a balcony... (essential for us in our opinion to enjoy a long cruise when vast areas of the promenade deck on the ship is allocated and when the view of the sea from the upper decks if obscured by blackened glass.)  When we take an ocean cruise... we want to experience, feel and see the magnificence of the ocean and it's wildlife!

 

Forget about £1,899 per cabin... the cost quoted this morning for a cabin with a balcony was £11,598 + drinks + speciality dining + insurance + travel to & from the port + stay-over in Liverpool + Wi-Fi + gratuities + excursions and no doubt all manner of other things...  The basic price will over £600 per day per cabin... but with add-ons... we reckon that it's closer to £800 per day per balcony cabin. That's a lota-lota money.

 

Now the fact is that we've already booked a very similar cruise with SAGA (in a superior deluxe mid-ships cabin) at 25% less per day than the basis price FOCLs wants to charge us this morning... almost half after FOCLs' add-ons are taken into account.

 

We've no doubt that many of those folk who want a last minute deal with as much as you can eat for breakfast, lunch after-noon tea and dinner, the chance to have a dance, a show, a bit of entertainment and get off at the ports of call will be more than happy with a deal that works out less than £50 quid a day per person... it's hardly possible to buy a coach holiday in the UK or take a ferry from Dover to Calais at that price. Our feeling is good luck to those folk and we really do hope that they really enjoy their holiday.

 

Our personal concern is what will we get for our money is we buy the least expensive cabin with a balcony. Will FOCLs cater on the basis of a cruise costing less than £50 pppd or one costing more than £300 pppd for the same cruise, the same entertainment, the same excursions... and so on?

Bonheur's accounts show that FOCL's have had an average daily capacity of about 4,000 over the first six months of 2023 but have only been able to occupy about 2,760 of those berths: with an average of about 1,240 passenger places vacant ever day over the first six months (271 cruising days) of 2023.

 

It cost about  £118,000,000 to run the fleet for the first six months of 2023... and a back of an old envelope sum or two would suggest that the cost pppd of carrying a passenger was about £158 pppd.

 

Maybe we've got it totally utterly wrong but with the "offer" this morning it would seem to us that if we take the least expensive cabin with a balcony on board that we will be paying and extortionate amount of money... compared to folks snatching a real bargain at less than £50 a day and we would be paying far, far more than we would on a different (and in our opinion a vastly superior) cruise-line which offers an all-inclusive rate.

 

We're really delighted that FOCL's is offering (seemingly loss-making budget cruises) and that singles have a bit of a deal but, on the other hand, it's really sad that FOCL's are so bent on increasing loading rates and attempting to charge a "premium rate" for cabins on ships that in our opinion just don't offer a "premium" cruise experience... leaving once loyal folks like ourselves who once cruised with "Fred" up to four times a year to look elsewhere for a better offer.

 

 

Sadly... FOCL's are missing an opportunity.

 

I phoned Fred again this morning and although Terrace cabins aren't included in the offer, I was able to book a terrace cabin at a very much reduced price which I was happy to take. It doesn't concern me that others who may have booked an inside cabin will have paid thousands less than me. I have paid a price that I think is reasonable for an itinerary that I really want to do 

4 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Freedom and saver make little difference on Fred anyway if someone is booking this late. The early dining seems to go fairly quickly anyway (but can be found again if the £2pppd is paid), there are few shuttle ports and this near to sailing would mean 100% payment regardless of which type was booked

 

There is also very little difference in the cabins that are left this late so choosing one is moot.

 

It will however succeed in really annoying anyone who has paid the full price as the difference on this length of cruise could be thousands of pounds. The emails go out indiscriminately so someone who is booked will have received it, we received something similar last year for a cruise we had booked early.
 

While we all like a bargain Fred is now teaching passengers that it’s much better to wait until near the sail date to book unless you have very particular requirements for your cabin location.
 

We have booked this morning. It's because we have ended up paying a lot more than others on previous cruises that we wanted to wait until the cabins were what we consider a more reasonable price. Hopefully Fred will notice that people are holding back on booking so give more of an incentive to book early.I also hope that upgrades will be offered first to those who have paid more.

5 hours ago, LandC said:

We received an Oceans email from Fred today offering second guest travels free discounts on cruises departing 18th September (Adriatic 26 nights), 26th September (America and Canada 34 nights) and 3rd October (Canada19 nights).  Also twin cabins available for solos with no single supplement.   It just goes to show that it doesn’t pay to book too far in advance.

We got the email too. Good offer but it only applies to Saver fare and certain cabin grades. It doesn't include Terrace or Balcony cabins

57 minutes ago, tring said:

 

We have booked your February itinerary for Jan 2025 and may consider changing it for next Feb, nearer to the time, if the right cabin is available - (we only want a midship deck C on those ships), so may see you there.  It is one of the few P&O Itineraries still worth doing.  Did you hear about how bad the US clearance was a New Orleans last March?  A lot of people missed most of the first day, but seems the thing to do is book a morning excursion,

 

Enjoy,

 

Barbara

 

Yes, I think we will plan on booking a morning excursion in New Orleans. We haven't really started looking at excursions yet but are disappointed that some have already sold out so it is on our to do list! Let us know if you change to Feb 2024 and may see you onboard

Ann

3 hours ago, tring said:

 

Saga is of no interest to us at all as the perks like transfers and excursions are not what we would want, nor are the itineraries tbh, so would be a very expensive option for us. We have used Azamara who have great itineraries, though a lot of Med stuff with other locations we are not wanting at present.  We would do our own flights and hotels to go with shorter cruises on them though and not happy to arrange that now, even with a bespoke package booked via an agent for financial protection, as so much chance of travel disruption.  We won an upgrade bid to a balcony on Azamara in the past and not badly placed either, but always a risk of getting a bad location with the upgrade bids that are commonly done with the larger companies now and we would not take that risk for more than a week.  I know you do not fly though, so Azamara a non starter for you.  We have done some P&O as cheap and cheerful cruises and works well as long as we book a balcony and do not stress to use the MDR much.  Good for warmth as the world was first waking up and their Baltic itineraries are good.  We are doing Canada/US soon with them, which we had originally booked for 2020 and did not want to re schedule before now in case of continued problems.  Canada were particularly slow to re start cruising and I am always a little wary of the US, but Halifax and to south of there will all be new ports for us.  

 

itineraries are the big thing for us, or we have gone on hotel package hols and have enjoyed that this year too, car hire gives lots of independence.  We were not impressed with Princess, so have not used them since the cruise when we  met you and Mark.  More my choice there, DH liked the cheap drink package which he felt made up for the disadvantages like the crowding, chaotic mealtimes and lack of a quiet bar - perhaps more a big ship thing as much as the specific cruise line perhaps, but we do not do big ships either, thoguh that one was worth it as a cheap option to travel somewhere warm while the world was initially waking up.

 

Enjoy whatever you decide,

 

Barbara

 

Thank you.We has been thinking of booking an inside cabin on the Fred Balkans cruise but, like you, we tend to book for the itinerary so went on a 10 night cruise with NCL round Ireland in May. The itinerary was great but after having an inside cabin on that cruise we decided we wouldn't want an inside cabin on a very long cruise. Fred and NCL are very different and Fred has far more places to find a quiet spot but with covid still about and the recent norovirus on Balmoral it has really made us decide not to book an inside. Saying that we had an inside cabin for 26 nights on Aurora doing a similar itinerary to the cruise you have booked and it was fine.I hope you enjoy the cruise. We have a 35 night cruise on Ventura booked for next February to explore the Caribbean and USA but as I would rather not fly our choices are limited.

Ann

40 minutes ago, tring said:

I had seen someone say recently that Fred told them they were offered an upgrade because they had booked early.  I am not sure if that was a free or reduced price upgrade, I have seen mention of both recently.  As we all know though prices are usually higher if you book early as well.

 

Almost ten years ago, they used to do a lot of free upgrading for top level (then gold) Oceans members.  I had at that time asked an onboard rep how they decided who to upgrade and was told, how long ago you booked, what you had paid and if you were gold (then top level).  Having said that, new customers have at times reported upgrades recently, so that may not apply at all now.

 

We did a lot of Fred cruises last year and the year before, but upgrades of any kind did not seem to figure then from what I had seen, though someone I know who is Diamond Elite, said that upgrades were being done at that time, so possibly Diamond Elite was a criteria then, who knows.

 

One other thing is that Fred have been giving an extra 5% discount  on Freedom fares if you belong to certain groups.  Things like Blue light card, U3A, WI and I think NT and military for instance, possibly along with other groups like Orca, but you have to ask if it applies by ringing or look at any membership details you have regards any group you belong to.  You will need to use that when you book, not applicable after that retrospectively.  I have a Blue Light card and that website does mention Fred's reduction with other offers given.  I am assuming that still applies, but it did when we booked a cruise for summer 2024 soon after launch.

 

 

Thank you. We are both members of U3A and another organisation so we do get the 5%discount which helps.Im not sure why the terrace cabins for the particular cruise we want are priced so highly as I think there are 7 left.As much as we like the itinerary we can't bring ourselves to pay such a high price when there is a Saga cruise which we are also considering with not quite as good itinerary but which is cheaper than Fred and comes with a balcony, free drinks,tips, excursions etc on a newer ship! Will continue to watch and wait and decide whether itinerary takes preference over ship and we are prepared to have an outside cabin. Normally itinerary would win and we would be happy with an inside or outside cabin on a shorter cruise but not so sure about 26 nights

I presume you are more likely to get phoned with the offer of a paid for upgrade if you have booked freedom rather than a saver fare but do they phone people on saver fares as well? Considering booking an outside cabin on a cruise and the price difference between freedom and saver fare is £300 but really want the chance to pay for an upgrade to a terrace cabin 

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks. I hope he’s OK. 

I think he is ok as I have seen him post elsewhere, just not on C C

49 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Hi,

 

Thanks, I do not have any symptoms, so even if something does come up, it should be OK to treat.  Age advances and just have to get on with life, but we have been doing very well for hols lately, so cannot complain.  Allan had a health issue over the winter, but all looking fine now and he is as fit as ever.  Hope you are OK and may I ask after your mum?

 

Barbara

 

I've had a few health problems over the past year, but nothing that has stopped me cruising!. My mum passed away last October but she was 92 and managed to stay living independently until the end which was a blessing.We are looking forward to our next cruise with Princess to Iceland and Greenland in August. We also are watching the price of the 26 night cruise with Fred to the Adriatic in September so may book that. Take care

2 hours ago, tring said:

 

Hope you have a great cruise, I will be in hospital that day for investigative surgery, so will be a big day for me as well, though must admit would prefer to be ha be having cruise ship food and drinks 🙂

 

Hope all goes well on 19 th

In st Martaan you can walk to the local beach though a lot of people take a local boat across 

My husband and I have no problems with mobility but appreciate the fact that some excursions are included.There are always other excursions to choose from or usually the option of exploring independently. Perhaps we have been lucky in that most of the included tours that we have chosen have included stops. However we always prefer to explore independently in cities as I hate being stuck in queues of traffic.One bad experience of an excursion doesn't mean they are all going to be similar - otherwise I would have given up after the included tour in Barcelona!

4 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

The included excursions are all described as panoramic.  Ie two to three hours in a  coach with the odd very short photo stop. After our first cancelled them all

Some included excursions are better than others.The excursion from Sete in France was good and we had half an hour free time at Marseillan as well as a short stop in Sete. Others like Barcelona did just mean sitting on a coach 

On the Northern lights included excursion the tour to the North Cape was particularly good and we had quite a lot of free time so they do vary 

I agree with many of the others who have posted that P and O and Princess are fairly similar. We prefer the food on Princess and particularly like Alfredo's an Italian restaurant which is free and the fact that Mr Whippy ice cream is free! As we are Elite on Princess( mainly due to our cruises on P and O we really appreciate the extras like a free mini bar, free laundry etc. We usually book the standard package as hubby doesn't drink and only like the occasional one. The excursions on Princess tend to be dearer than P and O as is the shuttle bus. Overall we prefer Princess but still like P and O and would always choose which itinerary we preferred 

8 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

We have actually. This cruise is 16 nights though.  Not sure what the Princess one is

We are going on a 16 night cruise this August on Island Princess to Iceland and Greenland 

I wonder if free drinks and or obc will be offered. There is a cruise I am watching but will only book if they do an offer like previously where a terrace cabin was offered at the price of a superior outside. Fingers crossed 

Have you considered Princess cruises. We are sailing on Island Princess (a similar size to Arcadia) this August to Iceland and Greenland at about half the price for a balcony cabin that you have quoted