nancyneptune
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Posts posted by nancyneptune
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2 hours ago, Brummijam said:
On the defensive today Nancy.🙄😂😂
Just stating the facts Brummijam. No need to be so touchy. It was my friends from Walsall who showed me the results of the poll.
Quote " And it seems the Scots also top the list when it comes to trust too with 14% of people surveyed saying they find that accent most trustworthy. The Yorkshire accent is a close second at 13%"
I love a Geordie accent. Could listen to that all day long.
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On 4/28/2023 at 11:24 AM, Brummijam said:
The post that I put up as an example (post no5) does mention Scottish and northern English passengers, but not in a derogatory way as far as I can tell.
I have enjoyed many cruises meeting other pax from all over the United Kingdom and never had any problems whatsoever. (Apart from some understanding some very broad accents)😂 We are so lucky to live in the UK in that wherever we go we can always find friendly aproachable people.
The original post was regarding Marella /TUI standards rather than its guests.😉
In a poll on British accents, Scottish accents were at the top and Birmingham accents were at the very bottom, lol!
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On 4/27/2023 at 5:06 PM, Sally V Lamb said:
Brummijam is correct in most respects. Standards have slipped but no one objects. Just back from a week around the Canaries and I would add the following. Breakfast very poor selection with bacon of a low fatty nature. No tomatoes some days and the waiter said they rationed these to every other day. Quite ridiculous considering they stock up weekly in Tenerife where they are abundant. Mushrooms sliced so thinly you could not tell what they were. Hash browns on alternate days.
I found the main broadway shows very good and have no complaints here. However there was a tendency for some passengers - mostly scottish - as they sat by us and told us they were - would pick up the free drinks on the way in and then nip out the other entrance and come back with more drinks. As the drinks were free regardless on board I cannot see that the advantage is. These were also the people going to the toilet throughout the show. The doors should be shut as well to prevent a procession of late comers.
That said the ship is in good condition,was well run day to day and we enjoyed ourselves.
We are Scottish and drink very little. Terrible observation on your part but typical of some people from the south who think all Scots are drunks and are mean. You need to get out more. By the way you said they picked up free drinks. The drinks on Marella are not free. They are included in the price of the cruise and paid for up front.
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On 4/22/2023 at 5:45 PM, Brummijam said:
One of the reviews off this board from January this year on Explorer.🤷🏻♂️
Oh dear. A disappointing experience. The ship is kept very clean. The balcony was large and the hammock was a nice touch. Muster drills are now on video and are faster than before. But:
Tui/Marella has now sunk so far downmarket that I am surprised they don’t market this as a submarine. The ship is now so mediocre and lacking in character, charm or features that it now resembles a floating Travelodge at best.
The food on board is purely functional. With the exception of the steak restaurant, don’t bother paying for premium restaurants as the food and accompanying service is clueless and scripted. The “Dining Club” was almost hilarious in its incompetence and we felt it was like attending a cooking evening by well meaning but untrained primary school kids role playing a fine dining setup. Terrible!
The staff often lack initiative, confidence or experience and I witnessed some worrying bullying behaviour between them. We sat next to crew meetings held in the coffee bar where this was being discussed a few inches away. Unprofessional in the extreme. Weird really. Most staff mean well but many seem to be to be frightened of showing any independent thought. Amazing deterioration post-Covid.
Since we last travelled on the Explorer, all signs of luxury have disappeared. The former Champneys Spa is now an anonymous sales-led treatment business and there are no cabanas on deck to rent any more. The wine selections are pitiful and the named choices absent while the choice and quality of the food onboard now resembles that found in a typical motorway service station. The accountants have taken over and there is a meanness everywhere in our opinion. It is like a low-rent wedding party really. A week spent in an airport terminal.
There is a lack of joy on this ship. Guests seemed muted. Long waits at under-staffed bars too.
The bean counting is sad. Food portions outside the buffet are tiny (2 prawns in a paid for premium prawn cocktail for example!!!) They even charge £5 for shuttle buses now to get you out of ports where it would be a 25 minute walk to just get out of the industrial docking areas. Mean.
You get what you pay for I guess, but this is now almost a third-world experience compared to the past. The library (The Attic) had literally zero books left and the deserted gamer’s zone features some broken Playstations and derelict seating. Several areas of the boat seemed unused compared to last time and the entertainment consists of a couple of lounge singers and the theatre shows are threadbare imitations of the past efforts.
Most of the guests seemed to be first time cruisers and seemed happy (relieved even) with the free booze and pile it high burgers, sausages and chips. The cruise attracted a 60+ crowd of almost entirely British people who seemed friendly and quiet and who hailed predominantly from a Northern English/Scottish working-class background.
Embarkation was efficient, the cleaners are very swift and good and while the cabins are old, they are clean and offer some great balcony space for the money. It feels like Ryanair have gone into the cruising business and I guess that’s fine. It’s a cheap cruise but we were sad to see the decline in standards. We did not enjoy the experience, hated the food and it was a joy to get off the boat.
Cabin Review
Ok. Knackered. But nice terrace with hammock. Fridge.
Have read very similar reviews on several cruise forums on FB. Very sad as we loved our Thomson / Marella cruises but the decline started with the change of name to Marella and the AI.
Surprised that there was a high proportion of guests from Scotland and the north of England as Marella have reduced the number of cruises available form regional airports. The few that are available are generally a lot more expensive than say Gatwick or Birmingham. We are really struggling to find something at the moment. P&O have great deals but can't be bothered with the journey down to Southampton any more.
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On 5/21/2023 at 8:06 AM, davecttr said:
Basically Marella have dropped Ex UK cruises because there is more profit to be made in fly cruises and maybe they don't have the problem of increasingly severe environmental restrictions.
Saga too expensive and formal. Fred too old and formal, Ambassador too formal.
I enjoyed my many Marella cruises but I don't want to fly nowadays and you can't book a balcony on Marella, plus they are expensive and i don't drink much nowadays. i want more choice of cabin location than the 'ghetto' on the lower decks.
Marella 14 night cruise to Adriatic and Greek Islands over £3,000 for an outside cabin. P&O 21 night cruise to Norway and Iceland £1799 for a balcony plus £150 OBC. My next 5 cruises are with P&O
I enjoyed my over 25 Marella cruises though
Marella cruises are more expensive than many other lines now. Not the good value it once was I don't blame you for looking at other lines. We are doing the same. Well done on getting a great deal with P&O.
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It has been said that Marella don't meet the criteria for UK and Scandinavian cruises with their ships being older, but Fred and Ambassador also have older ships and don't have a problem.
Tui Mein Schiff was in Greenock yesterday. Her third call there this month and she returns again in June for cruises round the UK and Ireland. Would love Marella to be doing the UK again.
Marella seem to have a shortage of planes and are using other airlines for their cruises. Some good others not so. Have heard about a few horror stories with some of the flights. We had a very disappointing flight with Alba Star for one of our Marella cruises a few years ago and the Marella are using them again for some cruises flying from Edinburgh. Will give that a miss.
Like you Dave we aren't big drinkers and don't like that Marella no longer give the choice to have the AI drinks package or not. Too many people only there to drink from morning till night giving Marella a booze cruise reputation.
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On 5/13/2023 at 11:35 AM, tring said:
I agree about that being a good itinerary, but I know if at least two cruise lines cancelling Israel port calls recently because of the "unrest" there. Sadly things do not look likely to improve either so those ports could well be cancelled for the foreseeable future.
Hi, We have been on the Israel and Egypt cruises four times. Always been lucky enough to have our two days in Israel. Have had Egypt cancelled once and other ports substituted. Friends had Israel cancelled due to unrest and were taken to Turkish and Greek ports instead. Very disappointing when this happens but it is the risk you take when you book knowing that trouble can flare up at anytime in the region. Marella will always put safety first.
Hope all goes well for you.
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Hi Jim, I think the cost of an upgrade would be the same price as the day you booked your cruise. At least that has been my experience in the past.
We did upgrade from an outside to a deluxe once on the ship. Reception gave us a price and took us to have a look at the cabin. We didn't think it was worth the extra money. The receptionist said leave it with me and a short time later offered us a better price. Which we accepted.
If there is still a number of unoccupied balcony cabins on board when you sail you may be able to negotiate a better deal
Having had a balcony cabin on Discovery I have to say there is very little storage compared to inside and outside cabins. I would say if you get the chance to upgrade on board ask to have a look at the cabin first to check out the storage space and the location.
Our balcony cabin was just along from the Coffee Port. Good location and very quiet. We loved having the balcony but struggled with storage space.
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15 hours ago, Jim The Scot said:
Hi Nancy
Hope your well
Nice to see you back even if it is for just a short while…Yep,I,m still here,like a rash you cant get rid off😅
Not recent but we were on Discovery last July.Great first 3 days and was shaping up to being another great cruise until Covid struck myself and Mrs JTS.Self isolation cabin for the rest of cruise.To make up for it we went away on Explorer in October and had a great time.It was a late,late booking so got it at a really great price.We booked it something like the Tuesday and flew out on the Friday
Still cruising with Marella as they,re still doing it for us so away on America cruise on Discovery in July then the Med on Voyager in October
Hi Jim, all well thanks. So sorry that you were unwell on your cruise on Discovery. Glad to hear all went well on Explorer and you got a great deal. It is a US cruise we were looking at. Decisions , decisions. Need to decide soon as not a big choice of flights from Scotland. Don't know why we are hesitating. Not like us as we usually make up our minds on itineraries very quickly. We shouldn't let the negative posts put us off. Enjoy both your cruises. Great to something to look forward to.
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Not been on the forum for a while but been reading reviews on other cruise forums. We would love to be back on Marella but been reading lots of negative reviews about staff shortages, slow service, poor food, boozy passengers and disappointing entertainment. Has anyone who has been on any of the Marella ships recently experienced any of this?
The prices have really shot up since we last cruised with Marella. They seem to be more expensive now that some other similar cruise lines even if they do have an AI drinks package. We are not big drinkers and much preferred the old way where you had the choice to add the drinks package or not.
Always loved our Thomson / Marella cruises but something holding us back from booking. Mainly the price I think. Lots of great deals with some lines. Confused. com !
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8 hours ago, Sheila127 said:
Has anyone visited Taranto? Have read really mixed reviews so trying to decide whether to explore on my own or to do an excursion!
There is a shuttle bus from the ship to the town. Used to be free but may be payable now. You get dropped off next to the castle which has free tours We did this tour then just had a wander around the town. Just cross the bridge and there are some nice shops and cafes along the pedestrian precinct. Lovely to sit at a pavement cafe and enjoy a very reasonably priced coffee Some nice architecture. Cathedral & museum worth a look.
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On 11/10/2022 at 3:47 PM, hlperez said:
I am soon about to go on my first Marella cruise package to the Canaries and have a couple of questions:
Do they give you anything to eat or drink on the plane or do you have to purchase them?
Where can I book Wifi for the ship? I can't find it on the Cruise Planner.
Thanks for your help.
We always purchase a meal deal airside to eat on the plane as they often run out of food and snacks on the plane or their is a limited choice.
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On 11/8/2022 at 5:24 PM, Mike.S said:
Really wish they bring back a ship to the UK, not holding my breath but think they're missing out on a significant amount of business, not everyone wants to fly.
UK would be great. Being able to embark and disembark at different ports around the UK and Ireland would be a bonus. Other cruise lines do it but it's as if Marella can't be bothered to make the effort. The itineraries for 2004 are similar to every other year.
Lets hope they haven't reduced regional flights for cruises any more than they have done for many cruises in recent years. Several cruises we have done from our local airport in the past are now only available from Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick.
Having looked at another cruise line similar in size to Marella, with Peel entertainment, which is cruising from the UK. Their ship is in Alexandria, Egypt today. Their itineraries are much more imaginative than Marella's. We have done Egypt and the Holy Land in the past when it was Thomson but Marella seem to have abandoned that Itinerary.
Having cruised with Thomson / Marella for about 20 years We have done all the itineraries several times apart from the US ones. Considering booking the US but will wait till nearer the time as Marella have been known to change ports and they do not always keep people up to date with the changes. Communication isn't their strong point.
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8 hours ago, Brummijam said:
We had a fortnight around the canaries which we booked late January 2020, The trip was the second week in February onwards. It was one of those that we weren’t intending to do but the price was too good to miss we had a junior suite for the price of a balcony. At the moment we are looking at a couple of weeks in the canaries late November,December or early January I won’t be booking until last minute regardless.
The transatlantic trip in December is at a cracking price but unfortunately the insurance will cost as much as I would be paying for the cruise.🤷♂️
That's the problem with insurance for the Caribbean. You have to have Worldwide including the USA. Can be very expensive if you have medical conditions to declare or are over a certain age.
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Hi Jim,
A few years ago we booked just one week before departure. We already had annual travel insurance in place. Booked at the TA so had confirmation, did API and got boarding passes on the same day.
Unfortunately things are a bit more complicated these days.
There is also the chance that your choice of airport could sell out and you may not get the cabin grade that you would like.
Good luck whatever you decide.
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On 8/21/2022 at 4:26 PM, dronnygirl said:
Wow Nancy you are so well informed! Thanks for letting me know, I would have thought they were together forever by their performances. They seemed such a lovely couple.
Yes dronnygirl, Brandi and Max seemed like the ideal couple. Brandi was devastated when they split up. I keep in touch with her on FB. So pleased that she has found happiness again. Looking forward to seeing the wedding photos.
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On 8/20/2022 at 7:44 AM, dronnygirl said:
Ah that's lovely PC. We've got some great memories of cruises , personally my favourite was 2018 on Discovery to Iceland. I can still see the sail out of Flam, Norway on a very warm sunny day and Braximusic singing by the pool. Would love to know what happened to them.
Braximusic split up some time ago. Max went off to do his own thing. Brandi went through a very difficult time but thankfully she is well again. She moved back to the US and she is getting married soon to a lovely man named Troy whom she had been friends with years ago.
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7 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:
7 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:
Yes Maris & Tom are enjoying their time on Regent Seven Seas and getting the chance to visit lots of new ports. Marella's loss.
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16 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said:
Must agree with that but we still rate 2Intense as our favourites.
Yes Maris & Tomas are very good. Still keep in touch with them. I have been on cruises when 2Intense and the TopMen have been on the ship together and wishing I could be in two venues at the same time. Usually listened to Topmen first then up to Horizons to see Maris & Tomas later. Then we would all sit in Horizons when they had finished their sets and chat till late. Miss those days.
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11 hours ago, davecttr said:
I have been taking beta blockers for a long time to regulate high blood pressure. My at rest pulse rate used to be a steady 60 per minute, now it varies in both rate and rhythm. Four weeks seems a long time to wait for analysis of an ECG. I am beginning to suspect that the analysis has not been done yet.
Lets hope you get results soon Dave. Hopefully all that will be needed is an adjustment in your medication. I think you would be seen more urgently if there was any real concern.
I have also been on medication for HBP for years and have also been prescribed betablockers to regulate my heart rate.
I only found out I had HBP when I went for holiday vaccinations and the nurse checked my BP. My BP was 190 and my resting pulse 100. The nurse said you are going no where. However after seeing my very laid back GP she allowed me to go on holiday and said she would check again when I got back as lots of people have HBP and don't even know it. So off I went for a three week holiday with sky high BP and no medication. I was fine and started medication when I got home.
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Muzzik Unlimited are very good and very friendly. Just wish the TopMen would reform and come back to Marella. Best band on the high seas.
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4 hours ago, davecttr said:
More cruise woe here. i have a fully paid for Discovery cruise in September and a 14 night Explorer one booked for late November with a final payment date of 30th August. Fourteen days ago I had my annual diabetes review delayed by over 2 years because of Covid. They found I have an irregular heartbeat so I had a ECG the same day.
Today the practice said they will talk to me about the results on the 31st August - aargh. If follow up tests are required I won't be able to go on either cruise, claiming for cancellation on the September cruise and not paying the final balance on the November one. The practice is not very flexible on timings. What chance that my TUI TA could delay the final payment date whilst I report the results to the insurance company 😟
So sorry to hear about the very difficult situation you find yourself in Dave. Sorry I can't help with the answer regarding your final payment. I hope you find a positive solution to the problem.
A prescription for Beta Blockers is sometimes required to regulate an irregular heartbeat. Hopefully that is all that will be needed in your case.
You will be so disappointed to miss your cruise but health comes first. Take care
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On 8/12/2022 at 3:30 PM, Jim The Scot said:
Similar system up here but we cant access records via app
To see your records you will have to apply to the organisation that is responsible for them, for example:
- your GP practice manager
- your dental surgery manager
- the records manager at your hospital
You don't need to give a reason for wanting to see your health records.
When writing, you should say if you:
- want to just see your records or also have a copy
- want all or just part of your records
- would like to get your records in a format that meets your needs
You may also need to fill in an application form and give proof of your identity.
You will usually receive your records within 30 days of making an application and paying the admin fee if applicable.
That all sounds simple enough Jim. Not everyone has a smartphone. I particularly like how you may have to give proof of your identity,
Can't be too careful with your personal data these days.
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23 hours ago, Brummijam said:
Agree entirely.
Current figure’s for England are approximately 1 in 18 people are carrying the virus so we are probably mixing with them every time we go out.🤷♂️ So it is almost inevitable that infected people will mingle.
Yes numbers are high Brummijam. We still have to be cautious. Wash and sanitise your hands when you can and try to avoid crowded places. Wear a mask if it makes you feel safer.
I've seen so many people just walk past the hand sanitisers in the shops and people are ignoring them on the ships too We can't avoid it completely but we can take steps to minimise the risk.
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Have been to Katakolon a couple of times and went to Olympia on my first visit which I enjoyed. If not going to Olympia Katakolon is nice for a relaxing stroll and to enjoy a browse in the little shops and a coffee and cake in one of the cafes.
Cabin Upgrade
in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)
Posted
All good here Jim. Hope same with you and yours.
That's good that the balcony cabins have been upgraded. The only problem we had with our cabin was the lack of storage otherwise it was fine. Had a balcony cabin on the good old Celebration. Those cabins were quite bit bigger than the ones on Discovery. They had a sunbed, table and two chairs. Discovery only had table and two chairs. Still we enjoyed sitting out with a coffee in the morning and a drink before bed.
Hope you are lucky and get a good deal on board. Enjoy!