Izzywiz

Thank you again for your reply. Unfortunately, we, as a family, have to travel in school holidays so I understand about the heat and crowds so go as well prepared as possible. I was hoping to be off the ship early in Santorini to avoid the queues and heat but, thanks to your valuable information, we shall just have to be patient.

Great news!!

Thank you Rebel Rouser. That is very helpful and means that I can begin to think about how to organise our day there. We have been before but it is a new destination for the rest of our family and I would like it to be a great experience for them.

I hope you don’t mind me asking if your cruise was the Aegean Shores itinerary from Corfu. If it was, do you have any other hints and tips for us? We are really looking forward to our trip with our DS, DIL and 2 grandsons. It was originally booked for 2020 so it has been a long time coming!!

I would be grateful if someone could explain the system used on Marella ships to obtain tender tickets when not on a ship's tour. I have experienced different methods on other cruise lines - e.g. priority boarding without tickets depending on loyalty level or cabin type while all other passengers have to queue/everyone queues at a given time and place which is usually quite chaotic/ pre-order time and number of tickets which are then delivered to the cabin…..but we haven’t had to tender before on a Marella cruise so I'd like to be prepared for when we get to Santorini. 

As other posters have said, the fjords of Norway and New Zealand have many similarities in their scenic beauty. The main difference is that, during a cruise in Norway, you sail along many different fjords and there are settlement to see and opportunities to get off the ship and explore the small towns and surrounding areas….

On a NZ cruise, the ship sails into the 3 sounds during one day and there isn’t a chance to disembark unless you are booked on an overnight tour of the area where you rejoin the ship at one of the future ports. The sail through is sometimes missed because of bad weather. We were extremely lucky with our day as the Captain told us that the ship had been unable to make it into the sounds on the previous 2 voyages.

IMHO both areas are well worth visiting but for very different reasons.

Yippee…..we finally got it sorted today after yet another phone call so thanks to Jackie to really pushed to get something done. 
thank you all for your encouragement 

So glad that you have got your FCCs credited so quickly Megabear2. We have friends that were denied boarding last Monday when one tested positive at Southampton and they had a letter saying they would get their FCCs within 7 days.
Unfortunately we are still waiting……84 days and 6 phone calls later. I was very happy with the way that we were treated during our isolation but I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with this lack of customer service as I would like to book a specific cruise using the FFCs while there is still an offer in place….sorry about the rant!!

My DH tested positive but I was negative. We were both moved from our booked cabin and put in separate cabins in the isolation area. As I said in my original post, we got home in mid January but have still not had our FCC applied despite several telephone conversations. I'm assuming that we both get FCCs but won’t know until the credits appear in our account. I wanted to book a cruise using the credits but wouldn’t  commit until someone at P&O can tell me the value and how much longer I will have to wait. 

We are due to have a FCC applied to our account after being put in isolation on our cruise in January. It is 10 weeks since our return.  I contacted P&O after 7 weeks and again last week and was promised that we should see the amount in our account within a few days but no luck yet. Has anyone had a speedier resolution?

A picture paints a thousand words……the hostess tray that was in our cabin on Regal Princess last September sailing from Southampton. Absolutely love having this option and bring our favourite coffee and tea brands with us.

My husband tested positive on a cruise in January. I tested negative so we were both put in quarantine separately.
We were given 40 minutes to pack so I was very grateful that we had our own toothpaste and enough device chargers and plug converters to share. I like real books and had several with me while my DH had plenty downloaded on his device. We also had puzzle books  and our tablets which helped to pass the time.
I am sure, though, that the cruise line would provide necessary items should you require them. Our cruise line, P&O, was very supportive and provided us with medication if required, a thermometer, wifi access, meals from the main dining room  menu as well as from the room service menu and drinks.

It was disappointing to miss out on so much of the cruise experience (7 days for me and 8 days for DH) but it could have been so much worse!

Finally got through at 10.09 and hopefully got my problem resolved. 

I am wondering if anyone else is unable to get through to the customer services centre this morning. It is supposed to be open from 08.30 and I have been calling every 10 minutes since then but just get an automated response saying the centre is closed and to ring back during the opening hours which are from 08.30…..very puzzling!

Just back from a wonderful Northern Lights cruise on Borealis and a picture paints a thousand words.....The laundrette is working well as already reported and is very shiny and new!!

My lovely husband was released this morning after a final negative PCR test so we were reunited at 11.00. It has been a long but necessary separation which has been made bearable by the all the helpful crew members and the supportive and humorous posts by all you CC members.

We are now 'fit to fly' once I complete our Passenger Locater forms. Thank goodness P&O have provided us with an 'idiots' guide' for us technically challenged oldies!! 
Thank you all again 😃😃

I’m on Britannia now and we have been provided, thank goodness, with an ‘idiot's guide' to completing the PLF with step by step instructions. There is also tech help available at set times per deck in the Crow's nest so hopefully it won’t be too arduous to fill in on Saturday morning🤞🤞🤞

The laundrette is closed on Britannia but you can request an iron and ironing board to be delivered to your cabin without charge.

Hi everyone, Your continued good wishes mean a lot so a huge thank you again.

hi Eddie99, we have already received what could be deemed some non-monetary ‘compensation’ in the form of the two Wi-Fi packages, a bottle of wine and some soft drinks plus the free laundry so we are not looking for anything else from P&O. We are to be given a letter from the medical centre explaining our circumstances so will be contacting our insurance company to see what the situation is once we get home.

We are just so grateful that my DH had so few symptoms and that we have been looked after so well. 

Hi again everyone. Just a quick update on our situation……I'M FREE!!! The nurse came at 07.00 this morning and did a PCR test. I got the call to say it was negative and I can return to my original cabin. I had anticipated that this would happen so was already mostly packed. I rang reception at 09.00 and 2 delightful gentleman came at 09.30 to move everything.

My DH has done his 10 days tomorrow so he will be out in the morning….looking forward to a cuddle but hope he has had a shave 🤣 he’s looking very scruffy at the moment!!

Thank you all for your support and humour over the last 7 days and, once again, I’d like to complement P&O for the way we have been treated. I could pick the odd fault but generally everyone has been wonderful.

Please stay safe and, if you do choose to cruise in the present circumstances, have a wonderful time. It certainly hasn’t but us off…..next one is on Fred Olsen to the very north of Norway on Feb 11th!!

Sorry ‘Rupert’……you are a very naughty girl (that’s if I’m allowed to call you that in these ‘woke’ times) but to also quote Dick Emery…..I like you 👍

Howmuch, I’m humming ‘please release me’ at the moment as I practice my ‘I’m free’ walk!

on a more serious note, I hadn’t thought about the insurance side of things but I do know that both DH and I are to be given letters from the medical centre with all the details of what has gone on so I shall contact our insurance company when I get home.

Thank you all, once again, for brightening my day with your posts, both humorous and serious. X

Rupert, to quote The Life of Brian, you are a VERY NAUGHTY BOY!! How can a poor girl concentrate for the rest of the day with those images conjuring up memories of my favourite local delicacies. My lovely P&O meals can’t compare 🤫🤫

2 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Loved your photos on our threads. Did think you looked remarkably well for your age, quite envious. 

🤣 hahaha….maybe 50 years ago!

Rupert….that’s just rubbing salt into the wound!! That could be Monday tea for us, if we get home, with chips, mushy peas and gravy…..heaven!!!

Hi Majortom, Foley's oatcake shop is one of our nearest outlets and, occasionally, we pop down early on Sunday morning to get our breakfast 'fix'. 
I do enjoy visiting Stone. We have had some lovely walks along the canal in the last few months. Sorry you can’t get a meat and 'tater pie there.

Not sure if you can see DH's arm. The young lady in the insert is our gorgeous niece….not sure how she got in the pic as she is in Stafford! 

By the way, Presto2, us Stokies are tough nuts…..dreaming of a bacon and cheese oatcake fo breakfast and a Wrights pie for lunch😁😁😁😁!!