little britain

5 hours ago, Tatka said:

Eh.. there is 5-7 happy hour with unlimited alcohol from limited menu and Elite breakfast with Bellinis, Mimisas, Bloody Marys. 

I usually have my first drink of the day after 6:30p so this limited time frame doesn’t interest me drinking cheap gin

 ( although I remember when it was 4-6p and the outcry that it was the end of the world when X changed it to 5-7!!) 

I rarely make the breakfast on either X or RCI as it ends far too early for me. And I certainly don’t want a drink at that hour of the morning!! 
 

Thank goodness for the Zenacle Premium drinks package 👏 

Joff and Michele have both skipped ship for a few days to join UWC on her last few days as she returns home. 

4 hours ago, TripsYouMustDo said:

I would try sailorservices@virginvoyages.com

Thank You!!! 

4 hours ago, neverendingcruising said:

Did "John Smith" work for Virgin or were they a travel agent? I only know of having a direct contact at Virgin if you have a casino connection. 

Hi, he was my VIRGIN VOYAGES DIRECT VACATION PLANNER 

What is annoying is that every flyer email I get still has his details at the bottom ..Contact your First Mate (aka Travel Agent)

1 hour ago, BlueHorizonUK said:

He booked directly with VV and the person that helped him originally is no longer there and he wants to get the details of who has taken over. I had said that isn’t how VV work and they don’t get assigned specific clients. 

 

Well, I had several backwards and forward email conversations with John Smith (not his real name) and even a telephone chat about my previous booking so he certainly was the only one assigned to look after me and my booking then! 

It’s amazing what you can find on Google… 

22 minutes ago, Wildcatllamas said:

We can't recommend travel agents on this site. That's a big no-no. You don't want to get the warning note 😊

I’m not asking anyone to recommend a TA!!

I’m asking for an email address for customer services at VV USA so

i can find out who my new contact there is!!

I booked a MNVV when on board and it has been automatically allocated to the agent at VV USA who booked me on my cruise. 
The problem is he has now left I think, all mails get bounced back so I have no way of communication with him. I would have thought another agent would have been allocated his client base but no one has contacted me. 
Is there a customer service email I can use to ask who my new contact is ; and ask how up transfer the MNVV to my USA TA? 
thanks 🙏 

I’ve tried the generic form

on the website but no response to that!

2 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

Thank you for your review! I enjoyed seeing the ship through your perspective!

 

As someone that vacations to temporarily avoid technology, I do not carry my phone anywhere on the cruise ship. Would you mind elaborating the statement above? I'm not saying having to carry my phone is a deal breaker, but it is very unappealing to me! Thanks!

The phone /app is needed for the checkin process, booking restaurants etc. 

On board there is a cruise compass equivalent but it isn’t delivered to the cabin, you pick it up from certain locations around the ship: however if event locations change ( weather etc) as our pyjama party did, of course the app updates… there were many people at the old location wondering where the action was!! 
The OBC account updating as you spend is pretty instantaneous. 
The app is great for being able to message Guest services 

But no you don’t need to carry it around with you.
 

My comment was more geared to say that it’s app reliant in the whole booking process… technophobes with a Nokia 6610 won’t cope!! 

On 9/3/2024 at 5:38 PM, bobmacliberty said:

 

My guess...you decided that you were glad that you took this cruise but won't be doing another one????

Sorry. Wrong answer! 

1 hour ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

You won't be... you may like it better 👍

Opinions will vary on that one!! 
But at least the itinerary is good. 
lol

LBx

Singapore is very efficient port but you will need to clear customs entry which can take time. Make sure you have completed your MyICA app. 
Allow for 30mins cabride to the airport. There are plenty of 🚕 taxis waiting. 

Today they are scheduled for IJmuiden again today but looks like that was a cunning trick as she’s now heading up into Amsterdam! Having Branson on board pulls strings? !

@Traveling Fools we have overnight in Thessaloniki and have hired a car to drive to Meteora and also staying at Theatro hotel. Will follow with interest, and see which restaurant you pick! 
Our cruise is in February so hoping for snow on the hills! 

Final dinner was in Extra Virgin which is the Italian. 
Between us we had a small cheese charcuterie board, meatballs, carbonara and sea bass- DH says the sea bass was superb and second best dinner of the cruise behind the steak last night. 
We had one final drink listening to some live music ( at last) and then time to put our suitcases outside by 11pm.

Final thoughts: if the most important part of your cruise is food then you will never go anything other than VV because the variety and quality far exceeds any other mainstream line we’ve tried ( including Azamara). 

Of course there is more than just the food… what we loved;

No kids or to be more precise adults only and that means they treat you as adults.. no reminder to wash your hands, announcements calling you to bingo or telling you that you can now get off the ship. You’re old enough to work these things out for yourself. 
Looking out to sea: every bar and restaurant had sea views and some had outside seating. There was a connection with the sea. Lifeboats did not block your view.
It never felt crowded.

A younger demographic ( always dangerous to judge on a short cruise) but with a younger vibe it feels more fun and relaxed but not tacky. 
With every dish being prepared to order you feel there is not as much food waste. 
No nickel and dime-ing anywhere - no one has tried to sell us a thing.  No flyers in the cabin promoting spa deals etc
No tips!!! The staff genuinely seemed happy and very efficient without trying to be your best friend in the hope of a 10. 
No one has mentioned about points or tiers…it just is not a thing. 
 

The negatives: entertainment and lack of live bands. The Persephone show was very weak compared to any RCI show… but the comedy magicians were amusing and fun. 
You won’t survive without an iPhone 

Lack of information - disembarking / bag tags/ suitcase outside door times 

The Ahoy Sailor is faux and can be grating

A bit too Scandinavian and stark in design. Some art in the hallway or stairwells wouldn’t go amiss. The balcony furniture is not comfy but the hammock is amaze-balls. 

We never saw an officer, no cruise director, no channel on the tv telling you what is going on. 
A tiny pool. No indoor solarium 

And finally - the last acronym is MNVV - my next Virgin voyage which is a next cruise option…. I’ll leave you to decide whether we bought one or not. 
 

Thanks for reading. 
Little Britain 🇬🇧 

19 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

My first time on Oceania I marvelled everyday that there was NO ONE at guest services... EVER! Nothing to complain about. Same with Virgin I assume 👍

 

Loving all the food pics and various venues. Thx again LB.

They can’t queue up to take off the tips for starters so I guess that kills off half the crowd!!!

Listening to singer 👩‍🎤 in one of the bars, amazing voice but the lack of a live band so just canned music detracts.  This is one of the few places they fall down imho

To give an idea of drinks prices. 

@CruisingWalter how do you buy MNVV on board for others? 
 

Thanks for the contribution on the other boards! 

OK - when did you last see cakes like this on RCI??! 
These are just 2 of the daily cake selections in The Galley (WJ)! It even has flipping gold leaf on!

I cannot stress enough how the good quality and presentation is on a different scale… and all included. 
 

One teeny criticism would be that the menus are the same in the restaurants every day ( apart from TK which changes every few days) but there are so many options within each restaurant menu that you need never repeat. 
The Galley also does daily specials - tonight it is Greek leg of lamb. Or there is a different burger flavour of the day. 

5 hours ago, Ergates The Ant said:

Looks like a lot of shared tables? Are tables for two available? 

Yes, we had the best table at The Wake last night right by the aft window.
We did sit at a long shared table for TK but there was a place setting separating each couple, so you didn’t have to speak to your neighbours if you didn’t want to. 

The catamaran net has been closed all cruise so never got to try that. 
Agree about the spaces for seating - loads of lounging areas near the catamaran, the little striped huts for two, and the outside seating so you can take your freshly made pizza 🍕 to order and eat in comfort. 
As I said before there is so

much sp a c e  on this ship. 

I would say that the signage is pretty poor. There are no maps of the ship and the bar names are often on very small plaques and easily missed. We have given the bars nicknames as we don’t know what their real name is!!  Loose Cannon 🤷‍♀️ no idea ! 
 

I have now discovered that you are meant to leave your boarding tag 🏷️ on your suitcase as it is also your disembarkation tag 🤦‍♀️ … of course I didn’t read that on the tag and pulled it off immediately as I always do! Quick trip to Sailor Services to pick up a new one.  There never is any queue there at all. 
 

Apparently they are as strict on disembarkation times as they were on boarding times to stagger the crowds. 

After our first VV cruise we are thinking of locking in MNVV but due to other commitments we only have a small window in which to use it before the 2 year expiry. 
When will 2026 spring/summer itineraries be announced please? 
🙏 

It’s not made clear at all, but in the app under Shore Things ( shore excursions) you have to book your departure time. Latest is 10:30 🕥.  Thankfully someone asked about this in our roll call group
I’m not sure yet what happens to luggage 🧳 

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

It’s the Hostess, not the Diva, who is - very, very loosely - the CD equivalent. She hosted the Scarlet Night pool party.

Saw him in the corner whilst the staircase show was going on, then never again !
Strangely the only announcement 📣 I’ve heard all cruise is him telling everyone to go up to the pool deck last night! 

Ok, look away now if you don’t want to see a Virgin Red Night pool party…

The pool is very small and the solarium area is not covered. Both areas play loud funky Ibiza mix music. 

No announcements, calls to bingo etc ✅ no photographers, no upsells of anything, 
no piles of endless paper left in your cabin, How are they making money🤷‍♀️?

No visibility of officers but as I think they don’t wear the traditional uniform, who would know! 

The Diva is meant to be the CD equivalent… but I have not seen him/her apart from once at the sailaway party. 

Last night’s show was The Mind Mangler. In the Red room with plenty of banked seating! 
 

Tonight’s dinner at The Wake; one of the best steaks 🥩 we have ever had. Ever. 
 

And then it was into Red Night. Most people wearing red around the ship, very ott and s little chaotic. Certainly a party vibe. Still no Diva. 
 

I forgot to mention demographic- I’d say the average age is 40. A lot of couples, girls weekends, and it isn’t neatly as gay as I was expecting 

Those who want the same table/same waiter experience will hate it!