shiphappy

Norris - sorry to interrupt - but if you could share where your review of Princess vs Celebrity is located - I would greatly appreciate it.  In this frigid weather I’m doing a lot of reading and catching up on your reviews is at the top of my list!  Thank you!

Thank you for a wonderful review that I came across this evening.  You are doing a fantastic job!  While I wait for further postings of yours, I would love to read about your sailing on the Crown Princess as we are contemplating a cruise on her this year.  We have sailed strictly on Celebrity, which we love, for the past twenty years but want to try a different itinerary.   Could you share how I would find it?  Pat posted some wonderful pictures of her South American cruise which were great (and I will read about later)  I don’t know Pat but by any chance is this the same Pat who took her grandson on a cruise to Russia?  If so, I sure loved her very detailed and picturesque review of that trip and want to thank her!  

25 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Luggage Valet is not available in Europe or on TA's arriving in the US from international ports. 

Thank you!

46 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

What he said. 

 

But you don't have to be a zod

 

 

I believe porterage at LHR costs from £9.

Unsurprisingly that's not first-hand information - JB is an unashamed tightwad

 

JB 

😊😊😊

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

The buses that drop down so passengers do not need to step up as high.

TKU!

7 hours ago, John Bull said:

There are porters available at the cruise terminals. I think the only reason you'd need them would be for luggage, but there are also luggage trolleys similar to those at airports.

 

Taxis, pre-booked private transfers, ship's transfer buses, and the International Friends' tour / transfer buses mentioned by Mic (only suitable for flights after about 8pm) all pick up by the cruise terminal entrance. Some buses are disabled-accessible, most aren't - but they're all kneeling buses and about 3 steps to climb

They all drop you at the appropriate terminal at LHR.

 

For this journey forget travel by train.

 

If you go by https://www.nationalexpress.com/en (by far the cheapest) the coaches are accessible. You'll need a taxi (£5 to £10) from cruise terminal to Southampton coach station. Those buses drop you at the terminal entrances for Terms 4 and 5, but for Terms 1 and 2 they drop you at LHR bus station and it's a 10-minute walk.

 

There are porters at LHR but very expensive

 

JB 

What is a kneeling bus?  Also, regarding porters at Heathrow, expensive?  Like how much?

Thank you - you have all been very helpful!

My husband uses a rollator (walker) and I need to know when we disembark the ship - how far would the distance be to access a transfer service.  I am not familiar with the Southampton port and wonder how we would manage once we were off the ship.  Is there any assistance available?

Does anyone know if there is luggage valet offered on disembarking at a city in Europe?

Would someone with a walker have any trouble using it at most places on the edge?

I hope you will share with us the continuation of your trip to London. Loving every word and picture of your review. Thank you so very much.

Yes - you can do that but just so you know - the same excursion will be priced higher - from $10 - $30 more. I found this out when I did this. Of course if you are using on board credit it may not matter to you but I was surprised. I was told that the pre-booked excursions before boarding are discounted

Thank you very much John. I will look into this further with the websites you provided.

If one were to take a taxi to Dover Castle, is there a steep incline to navigate to start touring. My husband would have a bit of trouble walking uphill.

I used the credit this summer on a cruise to Alaska. It's 75% of the cruise price. It is good for a year from the date of the cancelled cruise and can be used wherever you care to book. You receive it in the form of a letter which when I booked using it, I faxed a copy to the travel agency. Worked well for me.

We have sailed almost exclusively on Celebrity and are elite members. Princess's ship, Royal Princess, has a British Isles cruise with the itinerary that we really love next summer. For anyone that has sailed on this ship, what would we like or not like on this ship? I know for one thing, I don't like the size of the ship being so large. I would love to sail Celebrity but the Princess itinerary is so much better. Thanks in advance

Glad you found the solution on your own. It does work. You saved a LOT of money booking through the U.S. Agency. Hope you get to go and enjoy the cruise!

I was told (by the large internet cruise agency)to go to the Celebrity website's "already booked" tab and click on "on line check in". I did this and it brought up a page where your enter your cruise reservation number, ship, and sail date. This brought up another page where you would begin entering check in information. Don't enter anything but in the top upper left area in light blue is "my reservation" which I clicked on and indeed it did bring up my reservation. From there I was able to access shore excursions and in fact booked and paid for one. The cruise is for next July. Give it a try if you would like and let me know if it works for anyone else. I think my cruise must also be a group booking - through a large online agency. As far as losing onboard credit - that makes no sense. I called their customer service department and did verify the credit I had. I had been receiving a strange error message in red when I tried to add this cruise under the My Reservation section of the captains club.

I, too, went to your website where I have spent the last two hours reading some of your warm humorous stories. Your mother is right - you have a way with words! I had to also order your book. My prayers go out to you and your family.

Thanks all! I appreciate your suggestions.

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately Ed Manning was booked. He did give us another company to call that he redommended but they never answered our email to them.

I am having trouble finding an early morning transfer (7 a.m.) from Harwich to Heathrow airport. I have checked the roll call board. Anyone used Harwich Taxi before or Blackberry?

Thanks Terry from Ohio! That helped a great deal. Looking forward to this evening and viewing you Norway trip.

Never mind my question on the camera - just read through your whole review so answered my question. As we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary, am wondering if we have the stamina for this trip! Would so love to do it but my husband is diabetic and uses insulin 4 times a day which could be challenging. Also, he is not able to do a lot of walking due to a heart condition. We should have retired in our 40's and gone back to work in our 60's. But - if I never get to the Mediterranean, I feel like I have visited it through you wonderful pictorial and travel log. Again, thank you so very much. One personal question - you may or may not care to answer - what would be an estimate of the amount of money you need to do all the tours, transportation, and all other misc. not including the cruise or flights to Barcelona. Feel free not to answer. Hj

What stunning pictures! I have to ask you what kind of camera you were using??? Whatever kind - I want one! Planning on this very same trip next year - hopefully. So nice to have such a great preview. Thank you so very much. Hj