Harters

I recently had a similar issue with the SM excursion credit. As I recall, that had been given in USD but the pricing for excursions was in GBP, so it was difficult to try and work out what was going to be our best "value for money" excursions. In due course, however, the system caught up with itself and quoted the credit in GBP.

That's how I understand the new arrangements - the value of the gratuities will be simply incorporated into the published fare. We won't be paying any more or less for our cruise but the fare on O's website will be "what you see is what you pay". As I mentioned in my OP, Australia and and New Zealand customers have had this arrangement for some time.

Pressure your politicians to abolish the "less than minimum wage" arrangements. Tell the owners of your favourite restaurants that you object to the tipping. Stop tipping. Encourage restaurant workers to unionise and fight for better pay and conditions as valued employees of a business. All will contribute to change. And, if your right about the majority of paying customers wanting change, it will happen. A recent survey in the UK has shown that only 30% of customers now tip and the practice has all but died out amongst the under-30s. Change can and does happen.

I hadnt realised that was the case. But, if anti-tippers are now in a majority, I look forward to seeing the practice disappear in the States. It's significantly disappeared here in the UK and that's down to cultural changes, so I assume similar will happen where you are. Progress, IMO.

Is this going to be a day trip or are you planning to spend more time in the area? If the latter, then you may be able to organise a car rental from a more forgiving spot than central London. Certainly when I've visited the States, I'll spend time in the city but have then gone back to the airport, where roads will be quieter, to pick up the rental for the rest of the trip. If day trip, you're going to need to do some detailed research about getting there and, as important, getting back. It's a lovely part of the world. We spent a week in North Norfolk a year or so pre-Covid.

Maybe that will be in the small print, Vallesan. You raise a good point.

Good news. Following the lead in the Australian & New Zealand market, Oceania is to include gratuities in the main cruise price for British & Irish customers, and the wider European market. Good for O, in recognising the not insignificant differences in attitudes towards tips/gratuities between Europe and North America. https://www.ttgmedia.com/cruise/oceania-cruises-bakes-gratuities-into-cruise-fare-following-agent-feedback-44098

A quick Google indicates that there are hourly trains from Kings Cross station in London to Kings Lynn. Journey time - about 2 hours. Oxburgh is about 17 miles from the railway station and I havent looked at the details of public transport options, although the National Trust's website suggests Downham Market is the nearer train station and then a 10 mile taxi ride. The lack of rural public transport is a well known problem here.

As best I recall, the roast chicken, steak and salmon mentioned by ORV were shown separately, I think as "always available", on the Nautica menu on our recent cruise. The same dishes appear on the sample Vista menu on O's website but just incorporated into the list of main course dishes

The individual hotel webpage should have its phone number. Just add 44, as our country code, and delete the first 0 in the number. Premier Inn reception desks are staffed 24/7 so your time difference shoudnt be an issue. Surprised you're having a problem doing this online. I regularly use PI and generally find it's one of the better hotel websites to navigate round.

Thanks everyone. We'll go armed with knowledge of what the cost might be through a cruise specialist TA here and see what the onboard offer might be.

I suspect that, with the speed of technological development, your estimate of 50 years will probably see us on the third generation of robotic servers. The first generation of restaurant robots is already with us. Although it beats me why the first one in my area is at an all-you-can-eat buffet, when you'd usually serve yourself. Gimmick? https://themanc.com/eats/the-greater-manchester-restaurant-where-youre-served-by-robots/

Here you go https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/462-france-ports/

On our Nautica cruise earlier in the year, the Terrace Cafe (and possibly the GDR) had a "Taste of Spain" buffet on two consecutive nights. Seemed appropriate as all but one of our ports were in Spain. It was fine - the likes of tapas, such as Russian salad, squid, meatballs, ropa vieja (which I can't recall ever seeing on a menu in Spain), Spanish cheeses and desserts such as churros and crema catalana. All nice enough and certainly a bit different but not really "special". And, yes, I was very greedy that evening. On both of our cruises (Marina & Nautica) with O, I think we've most enjoyed the dinners in the GDR. It's the ambiance as well as the food. As for the specialities, I apply my usual test to any restaurant away from home. Would it become one of our regular places if it was near home. Toscana would but that's it. That's not to say we havent enjoyed meals in the other places but the food just isnt at the standard of similar places we go to at home.

We are looking to do a cruise in 2025 and are considering booking it whilst onboard our cruise this spring. I've read the following thread, which was helpful, but it predates Simply More. Is anyone able to summarise the current advantages, over booking later direct with O or using a TA, please? The previous benefit of using a TA was in sorting out air travel and peripheral arrangements but, as this will be a UK round trip those matters don't apply. TIA. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2943140-booking-a-future-cruise-while-onboard/

It'll be worth you posting on the France Ports sub-forum to attract a wider readership[

We've also sailed with Norwegian - 4 days out of Miami. Thought it was fine. And certainly the flexibility and "smart casual" dining arrangements, as detailed by ziggy, appealed. It was actually that cruise trip that brought us back to cruising after many years (we'd become disenchanted with the formality of the likes of P & O). Since then, we've done a couple of cruises with Oceania, Norwegian's more upmarket sister line, and have another upcoming this year.

We also prefer a two-top (one of the reasons for cruising with O). And similarly found that on Nautica, within a couple of days or so, they'd got that, without us needing to ask for one.

And, from the similar influence of American troops, Spam is popular in Korea and makes a good addition to kimchi fried rice.

We did our first cruise, with P & O, in 1988, and did a couple more, with the last being in 1997. We'd become disenchanted with the formality - I don't go to restaurants that require jackets and, by then, certainly didnt want to wear one on holiday. So, we didnt cruise after that till 2015. That year, we did a four (?) day cruise from Miami, with Norwegian, as part of a wider trip to Florida. I suppose that gave us the bug again but it took a couple more years before we discovered Oceania and realised you could have a more upmarket experience without the formality. We've now done two cruises with them (2018 and 2023) and a third is planned for later this year. Whether we continue with cruising after that is another question but we will look back on good memories

Canaries cruise on Nautica in June, from/to Barcelona. Nothing of significance about the cruise itself. But it was our first overseas holiday for a couple of years or so. Because of medical issues, we were unable to get travel insurance, so no travel. We'd had to cancel a couple of planned cruises, including a celebratory one for our 50th. OK, you can't recapture a lost "special occasion" but it was good to be back travelling again. Since then, a couple of weeks in Mallorca were great. And we're just back from Christmas in Tenerife. Christmas Day lunch in a restaurant on the beach with a steak in front of me. Not a bit of turkey or tinsel in sight. Just lovely. And an upcoming transatlantic cruise on Vista to look forward to.

Apologies. I'd read Oceana as Oceania, not realising that Oceana was a ship.

According to Oceania's website they now use Tranquillity mattresses. Quite firm, I find them very comfortable.

I've never quite understood the American difference between jam and jelly. Can anyone give me a quick explanation please? I know American jelly is not the same as British jelly, which is a dessert mainly for children. That said, there can be very adult jellies, such as the orange one I've made for dinner tonight. Simply freshly squeezed orange juice with gelatin leaves to set. Segments of orange go into a nice wine glass and topped with the liquid and into the fridge to set. I'll get them out as we sit down to dinner so the chill is taken off a bit.

But, with a terminal illness, you do not know exactly when you are going to die so cannot generally predict when you are eating your last meal. And with most illnesses, even if you knew you were at the very end, I doubt whether you would be well enough to eat a meal (based on recent deaths of family members).. Of course, you can know, for certain, when you are going to due in a couple of circumstances. That's either because you are going to commit suicide or you live in country where the state still executes some offenders. In either scenario, I doubt whether I would be much interested in food. Have to say that discussion about last meals is an odd subject for a travel forum. Unless, of course, someone was planning to commit suicide on a cruise.