the wandering two

Been getting Oceania mailings for years, so pre buyout. Don't think they know whether we are in UK or Ireland, can get two in the same week, one in sterling other in Euros.

Never sailed with them either.

Mark & Heather

Hi Randy,

Our favourite itinerary, six crossings so far, four on Epic, will have to wait for the next redeploy to hopefully get back on her.

Sea days are so relaxing & weather has been great for 90% of the time, enjoy.

Regards

Mark & Heather

Hi all, we have done 6 transatlantics and next October booked. Transatlantics aren't for everyone if you don't like sea days then forget it but if you love the freedom of not having a port intensive holiday then go for it. Also if you travel to the USA for extended periods of time it provides the most wonderful way of getting there. Weather has been great 95% of the time. We have departed from Barcelona (19°C last Oct) most often, which cuts out the iffy UK weather.

Enjoy

Mark & Heather

Yes the prices have certainly risen. Our most recent experience has been on NCL Epic last October. That crossing must have been near capacity, sun beds hard to find free & many more nationalities onboard than previous years, obviously being marketed in many more countries.

It does pay to keep a good eye on any itineraries you are interested in. We are back on Royal next year after a 5 year gap. Got a great price on an inside on Brilliance TA next Oct inc gratuities & select drinks for £530 (booked in March), price now £706.

As many others have said it's like playing the stock market. They can offer any percentage they like off the "brochure" fare as nobody knows what that is any way!

Happy cruise hunting

Mark & Heather

Hi,

Don't know what part of the world you are from as many promotions are region specific.

take a look at the UK Royal site, various "offers" for drink & obc for ex UK 2015 sailings & most 2016.

As with most of these promotions you need to crunch the numbers to see if it works for you.

We booked in March for a Brilliance sailing in Oct 16, the fare had gone up by £177 since.

Happy cruise hunting

Mark & Heather

Best was Epic transatlantic this April, 11 nights guarantee inside for £185 so that's approx $296 plus service charge, so that's $428÷11=$38.9 per day, and even better got upgraded to a balcony.

Mark & Heather

p.s. currently in Barcelona, getting on Epic Sunday, love that ship.

As long as you don't need the package on the first night. I assume you will have to wait until the ship is in international waters before purchasing. Small print on NCL web site states packages can be bought on the first and second night only. Can't coment on that as have never bought one.

Regards

Mark & Heather

Hi Jim,

Great writing as always. Thoroughly enjoyed your blog of "our" sinfonia repo, keep up the good work.

Regards

Mark & Heather

Hi Annie,

Not exactly the answer you where looking for, but you can view the bar and wine lists on MSC's .co.za site. They are under already booked, during the cruise, meals & beverages.

Priced accordingly for the SA market, v favourable compared to what we would be used to.

Mark

Hi all,

We have used Hertz on our previous transatlantic cruises. The Port of Miami location is 229 Southeast 2nd St. They have a shuttle service from the port. The Hertz web site may tell you that the shuttle has to be pre booked, but we never have. You can be sure that there will be many other passengers doing likewise.

Mark

Hi Trish,

Port security scan on entering the building, but they dont care what you take on as long as it doesn't tick or go boom. But as I said, ncl where scanning when we boarded midship, but not aft.

Mark

I have just replied to a similar post re bringing beverages onboard, if you want the low down. Wilson you were lucky.

Hi all, not long back from a wonderful transatlantic on Epic.

We brought two wine boxes and bought 6 bottles on our way down Ramblas, so we have two backpacks, a box & 3 bottles in each. For the first time In our experience they where scanning at embarkation. So the crew member operating the scannner says "bottles" to a colleague, no mention of the boxes, we show him 4 of the bottles & pay the corkage. Use some of the bottles as the fall guy. Many people where buying wine in the shop in Barcelona port, beware it is not cheap, as if you do get scanned & pay $15 per bottle it will work out more expensive than buying onboard. We saw one wine for sale in the port for over €17, we had just bought the very same on Ramblas for €4. Once onboard you can take your corkage paid bottle to any bar or restaurant, the waiter will open it for you and take the sticker off( I believe they get $5 of the $15). You are now left with an opened bottle of non NCL supplied wine, with no evidence of corkage paid. If you where to bring your own onboard, you could take an open bottle to any venue with no questions asked, as staff assume you have gone to another bar to get it opened. The hand baggage scanning is very random, we embarked midship, others we spoke to embarked aft, no scanning, so they went back off and bought wine in the port shop and walked straight on with it.

Good luck.

Lucky you, bring on whatever you need for the second cruise when you embark for the first!

Hi Wendy, just off the same wonderful TA, our 3rd time on Epic and 2nd TA, already had next year booked before we went.

There was a coffee maker in our cabin with regular & decaf pouches provided.

Enjoy.

Mark & Heather

Hi Tim, really enjoyed your TA blog. We are recent converts to MSC, after coming home from a 7nt Med Magnifica in May we had booked for next year within a month, the Jubillee promotion helped on that one. On the subject of single air fare, if you know you are going to do two TA from/to the same port would you book a return fare to use as two singles? We have sailed from Europe to Florida in the past, so out of interest I priced Belfast to Orlando in April, returning in November,£424, result! Any one tried it?