Harters

Vallesan - the TA you gave me a "nod and a wink" about, was priced at about 12% discount from Oceania's price for the cruise I've just mentioned. However, we want to experience Vista before committing to another cruise on the ship - the several reports on the forum about poor soundproofing of cabins could be an issue for us. Another small TA (owned by a larger cruise TA) offered 7.5% discount but also added an upgrade to the prestige drinks package and an additional $200 excursion credit. That seems to be going above and beyond what I might have expected and is probably our front runner to talk to if we progress things.

Thanks tine-tine. Always interesting to get another UK take on things. We have been pricing up a cruise for next year, which has seen quite a wide variation in prices from well known TAs ( taken from CC's own list of recommended TAs). If we decide to go ahead, will probably book whilst we're on board our forthcoming cruise. I know that we can then transfer it to a TA and will look to further negotiate with them along the lines of "what incentive can you offer for me to trasnfer it to you". My instinct would usually be to book flights ourselves but the TA's price for a transatlantic was too good to refuse.

Where I am in the world, tablecloths (or lack of) don't indicate the quality of a restaurant. Neither of the two top end places in our nearby city have tablecloths - one place is Michelin starred and the other is Michelin listed. My sense is that our local restaurants have tablecloths if they want to convey a traditional image, and no cloths if they want a modern image. I'm definitely looking forward to eating in Ember. In fact, it was the first speciality we booked. And we booked it for early in the cruise so we could go again if we really liked it. For a foreigner, an "American" restaurant should be much more interesting an experience than, say, a revisit to Toscana.

If all things were equal, I would book directly with the cruise line, cutting out the intermediate step. However, things are rarely equal. And I note the OP is in North America and I'm not. The British travel agent industry is a different beast from that, seemingly, in North America. I believe all of the major TA partners O has, through its Connoisseurs Club, are in North America so TAs elsewhere in the world do not get that extra support. And , in the UK, the industry is regulated by law so there is consumer protection in the event of a TA or operator going bust, or some other event which causes the cancellation of a trip (such as Covid) . And, of course, the required bonds that a company needs to pay are passed on to customers. It all contributes to meaning there is less scope for TA discounts on O's advertised prices. Perks such as included gratuities , often mentioned by Americans, is not an issue here - gratuities for British (and, I think, other European) customers are now incorporated into the basic fare available to us, as they have been for some time for the Australia and New Zealand market. For our last cruise and our forthcoming one, we have booked through a TA. For both , there was a very, very marginal discount - more a "rounding down" than what anyone might think of as "discount". But the benefit has been in the simplicity of them arranging flights. Such a contrast with the difficulty of trying to deal directly with O for flights which insisted on travel via London on the outbound trip and another European hub airport for return, even though there were direct flights to from/to our home airport (with different airlines, of course)

Whereas my partner has sorted through the wardrobe and decided she doesn't need any new clothes for our forthcoming cruise. I've bought two polo shirts. She hasnt owned a long dress since we stopped cruising with P & O in the early 1990s. And I haven't worn a jacket since I retired 20 years ago. But I always enjoy watching folk who have dressed up more formally for an occasion.

Odd. When I did it, there were three TA websites coming up on the first Google page. I would love to give you the links but, of course, that would be against CC rules. I think I only put the quotes round "Connoisseurs Club", rather than all three words.

Eating out isn't just about getting dinner for us - it's a hobby. There's the planning where to go, what to eat, writing a review of the meal to post online. A whole process. We do it once a week. Best thing about a cruise (or, indeed, most holidays) is that we get to indulge in our hobby every night of the duration. And that's without mentioning lunches and breakfasts.

Not a list but Googling for Oceania Connoisseurs Club will find you at least a few TAs mentioning their membership on their websites.

As I understand it, Oceania has a preferred group of TAs (can't recall the formal name for the group) who are likely to get "support" from O which could be passed on to customers. Getting prices from one of those companies might be an interesting exercise. I further understand that all of those TAs are in North America. - so absolutely no use to customers like me in other parts of the world.

I wonder where my Skoda sits in this analogy.

My understanding about Customs is that, as at other entry points to the UK, officers are on duty but might only carry out random checks or act on "information received". It's a few years since I last disembarked at Southampton and cannot recall the arrangements for immigration. But, again, I assume that as with all other entry points to the UK, folk have to pass through a Border Force checkpoint to enter the country (at least if this is a cruise which originated from outside the UK).

There's also a couple of luxury trains in South Africa which we looked at including on our last trip. I'm sure it would be a lovely experience but we simply werent in a position to afford it.

As things stand, I really can't see any good reason to drop Turkey. Istanbul is well away from the current conflict zone - about 2000km. Nor is the country at all likely to take unilateral military action. making it a target for the Israeli government . It is another question whether the current stance of the US government towards the conflict, might make Americans feel less secure in a country where government policy is generally supportive of the Palestinian nationhood. I wouldnt have any qualms about visiting much of Turkey (as some 3 million Britons do each year) and, in particular, Istanbul (which my nephew is due to visit for several days in a few weeks time). Our government only advises against travel to the part of Turkey which borders Syria.

Nope. Not even going to try making an assumption. 😀

I'm going to assume that I know what "jiggly" means (tis not a word in common usage in English English). So, assuming I've assumed correctly, then it's not a major issue as it doesnt tend to last long. 😀

If I was to compare my recollection of our 2018 cruise (Marina) with my recollection of our 2023 cruise (Nautica), then I'd suggest there had been a decline in the dining experience, most notably in the GDR. Less menu choice, simpler (cheaper to produce) dishes, smaller portions, service not as sharp. But, although noticeable, these were not major issues that would spoil a holiday. But, let's face it, the whole of the hospitality industry has had to consider cutbacks post-Covid. I could easily spot the same declines in regularly visited land-based restaurants. But, no, it's not the same. The dining experience is an important part of the cruise experience - and you're paying a lot of money for that experience. I'm sure there will come a time when we want to reflect on whether cruising still offers such a "value for money" experience. We're not there yet but I see that discussion on the horizon. Our forthcoming Vista cruise is likely to be the key.

Actually, I have a joint favourite. The other is a classic tortilla, which is dinner from time to time.

Interesting, if depressing, post there, edgee. I think that's the first mention of staff acknowledging that the problem is well known to them and that it's an issue throughout the ship.

It isn't and it's making me apprehensive about our forthcoming Vista cruise. Had I read all these comments before we had fully paid, I believe we would have cancelled. If our sleep is disturbed for a two week period and the cruise ruined in consequence, it will be a very expensive mistake. Even if we are fortunate not to be disturbed on this cruise, the risk appears to be quite high and I cannot see us sailing with Vista in the future.

Mushroom. A regular breakfast for me.

I'd not heard of Eargasm plugs until now. But I find these pretty good, at least against the snorer in an adjacent apartment on our last trip to Mallorca. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00REAQT8Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&th=1

Well, I suppose the main difference is that the former may be a relatively minor inconvenience to me, whilst the latter ruins my night's sleep, as I'll have planned at least another couple of hours shut-eye. I may tut about the former culprit. I want to do serious injury to the latter in retaliation.

Nautica was on a Barcelona round trip to the Canaries, so all ports were in Spain. They ran the "Taste of Spain" (or whatever it was called) on two consecutive nights. It was actually very decent - lots of tapa-like food which worked well for a buffet.

Worth a try, particularly on a nice evening when you can sit outside. Or, when they have a "special" night that appeals - as our cruise last year when the buffet was mainly Spanish (or Spain orientated) dishes. Other than that, I prefer the GDR for dinner.

Correct. Not even with the "usual incentive" expressing our gratitude if he was able to do so. He added us to a list of folk wanting to change but said it would be dependent on others freeing up seats by wanting a swap to early sitting (which he didnt expect to happen).