Daveywavey70

I Enquired this week as I’ve been planning the following cruise on 19/1 HK to Singapore and they are “expecting” it to go ahead but we all know what to expect from expectations. I’m Holding onto my dollar for now.

I Can’t answer the first question but the fees for dining up charges are added to your account when you actually attend on the night.

I’m so so sorry to hear this QSS. My thoughts and prayers are with you xxx

Good on ya QSS, the second is always the best.

I Remember it well. I’ve yet to find a decent Sommelier in a petrol station here despite the wealth of incredible Welsh wines. I Would write to the Welsh First Minister for help but he is, unfortunately, banned from my hotel for life. He is allowed to appeal this ban in 2024 so we’ll see how things go from there.

Don’t believe a word of it JP. They did have some Spanish plonk on offer in my local petrol station this week but as my new car is my first diesel so I didn’t want to risk it.

I Hope you had a good consultant 😉

I Must admit that I carried off my carry on with a little elegance. I Omitted to pack any string vests or joggers to help me blend in at the buffet but who wants to be part of the crowd?

It is short for Capital Expenditure. Basically if they’re given the budget.

I Was challenged and I rose to it M. Luckily I was only sailing on the “luxury” line Celestial and Tuxes weren’t required. I Don’t think I’ll be doing it again though. Virgin we’re much more generous on my last holiday, 2x32+10. I Scraped through.

I Travelled once with just carry on. I Was so chuffed with myself. Yes it was only Greece and it was only for 5 nights but I still managed 6 pairs of shoes.

The answer that we were repeatedly given on our last SS cruise was that there wasn’t a list of included wines. This turned out not to be absolutely true as there is a spreadsheet that the Sommeliers have but good luck getting sight of it, We managed it once. We aren’t wine snobs by any means and some of our favourites are often looked down upon but we really don’t care. I Have been lucky enough in my life to have enjoyed some of the finest wines ever produced but still wouldn’t trade them for a nice Gewürztraminer, Vouvray, Chablis or Pouilly Fuisse. I Much preferred a bog standard Taittinger to the Magnum of Krug Rose 66 that was gifted to me. It’s all about knowing what you like and knowing how to navigate around the evasive and unfathomable Roulette of SS’s included wines. We much prefer Pommery over Monopole so we have simply learnt to ask for it. With regard to the Sommeliers qualifications, I Doubt that many Knights of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin are operating at sea at the moment. Expectations need to be realistic in current times but I’d at least expect a “wine consultant” that was capable of being consulted. I Don’t recall ever seeing a “wine consultant” at sea sporting a silver tastevin, yet have encountered many knowledgable and very helpful people that do their very best that they are able to in the absence of a simple list. I Hope that at some point SS realise that very damaging discussions such as this could have been completely avoided had a list been provided. Or maybe not.

Or double lines. Have a fabulous time.

I’m reminded of a recent cruise that I was on where somehow one evening I ended up on a large table with 2 people that I’d met previously and 7 people that I Hadn’t. The first person rejected the offered wine in a quite dismissive way and requested something better. 6 others followed. I Kept mine. When the sommelier offered me a top up which I was very grateful for I thanked her and told her that it was delicious. I Felt a little awkward to be honest being on a such a table but was determined that I wasn’t going to make the Sommeliers night any worse. It was only later into the evening when I was asked about work that It came up that I used to Manage the wine cellar at the Savoy. Things felt a little more awkward then. I Shortly after withdrew to the Avenue. No moral to my musings, purely a reminiscence.

I Personally wouldn't really think about booking with Air included as I very much like to do my own thing, add a couple of bits on and go a bit Tailor made. The Horror stories both here and in the "other place" only reassure me that I'm doing the right thing.

We've had 11 degrees here and a persistant and significant amount of rehydration of the beautiful Welsh hills (and a couple of hailstones).

Hasn't the weather been lovely?

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not sure I'm keen on this "new normal" either. It wont stop me from getting out there and enjoying the world as best I can though. I Hope you have better luck in the future!

It was June 19 on the Muse. I Seem to remember it being in Kaiseki. I Cant remember the producer unfortunately, I thought I'd taken a photo of the bottle but I hadn't.

I’ve had it several times and it is superb.

Hi Capri, I hope you are both well. Daz sends his love. I’ve been working on an epic plan for January, Thailand, Elephant Hills, Bangkok, Angkor Wat, Danang, Hoi An, Hue then onto Honk Kong and join the Spirit down the Vietnamese coast and onto Singapore. That was until I found out that having an ecig in Thailand and Cambodia carries a 5 year prison sentence! I’m currently weighing up wether to do more Vietnam before the cruise instead or to scrap it completely and go elsewhere. Angkor Wat was one of the biggest draws and leaves a big gap on the itinerary. Have you plans coming up yourself?

How could anyone not like the Tiki?

It’s a shame you didn’t try dinner in Kaiseki. It may be the same room but lunch and dinner have absolutely nothing in common. I’m not an avid consumer of sushi so lunch wasn’t a highlight. Dinner absolutely was though. It was truly superb. As for the wine it’s a shame you didn’t find one that suited. I Hope they still have my Vouvray!

Is it a swear word Host JB?