winifred

Agree with poster above , if you have time could you post and say how you found Princess for gluten free? Be helpful for others Thank you 

Hi 

I have cruised most of the major lines including Marellla/Tui and recently back from Celebrity, just to say they seem to have all reduced costs in various areas post covid, whether that be having to pay for shuttle buses or smaller range of choices in the dining room you can see the cruise lines having to claw some money back from their huge lockdown losses. 
The bullying, discussing staff and poor training is a different issue and not pleasant and I hope you reported it to  senior staff. One of of my friends  only cruises with Tui and she wasn’t keen on Explorer either, she thought the entertainment was poor and like you thought there  was serious room for improvement.  However we have enjoyed Discovery and would choose this ship again, we may have to accept that it may not be quite as it was pre pandemic. 

Just Back from Apex and didn't wait at all, just walked up and got taken straight away in all the MDR’s however our cruise wasn’t full but can’t imagine you would wait a long time . 

We have done most of the major lines Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian cruise lines and  P and O on different ships, and we thoroughly enjoyed them all We also have been on Discovery  and Discovery 2 and enjoyed these ships too!
 

What we liked about Discovery was the fact you can go to Cuba none of the other American based lines will visit and for us Cuba was amazing! As we left the port we could see   people in a park nearby waving at the ship and two Cuban dancers on the ship told us that Tui/ Marella lines coming into port is so welcomed by locals as they feel the world has not forgotten them .  We also liked that when we did the Caribbean islands we had lots of port stops which meant that we saw many islands on our 2 weeks on board. Excursions were reasonably priced which isn’t the case for some other cruise lines,  so we were able to go through the Panama Canal and  on one of the other  islands swim with sting rays! Also there is a drinks package included, which saves bar bills at the end! We haven't yet tried explorer or their other ships but we would definitely  go back on Discovery . 

So glad to see you are back to good health and as always good humour! Thank you for your detailed Apex report, we will be on her very soon around the Baltic. We enjoyed Amsterdam too, it was a land holiday for us ( just as covid was being talked about on the news as an emerging new virus and we all know how that unravelled…) agree it’s the bikes you have to watch out for the locals are so fast and the tourists after some Dutch “ cakes” are wild! 
Istanbul is on our radar for a future cruise too. 
Going now to read your past trip reports and look forward to seeing your future ones, thanks again. 
 

Forgot to say a thank you to Carol too for letting us all know, hope recovery is quick!

So  sorry to hear your unwell, I have enjoyed every bit of your trip reports,  your Norn Irish humour shines through!

We are on the Apex in August and thank you for all the details and work you put into all the info which is great to read! Hope your recovering,  taking it easy and get well soon! 

Favourite so far for an overnight was Cuba, it was amazing! The people were so lovely and we hailed a taxi a  pink Cadillac to take us to the famous Hotel National de Cuba where we had a mojito sitting after dinner in the beautiful gardens with no rush to go back to the ship! 

I have been on both  Discovery  and Dicovery 2  and I am gluten free too, I let them know in the dining room and  I pre ordered from a menu the night in the dining room, I was brought gf bread to have with my dinnner and the gf meals were all lovely., this was pre covid.

For breakfast there was lots of fruits,cheeses,  and an omlette station and I usually asked a member of staff to have the gf bread toasted and they took it away and brought it back. One day we had breakfast in the main dining room and I asked if they had gf pancakes  they said it would take a bit longer but we waited (it was  a sea day we were'nt going anywhere! ) and they made some and they were really nice! They had a station in the buffet marked gluten free and they even had a gf afternoon tea, with tiny gf scones and desserts, your wife will be well looked after hope you go ahead and book! 

I agree we are spoiled and/or fortunate whatever you take from those words, I remember doing a short course of teaching English to students who came from many varied  parts of the world and our teaching instructor said avoid a lot ( not all) of holiday vocabulary as the majority of people from these huge continents will never go on a holiday.This stuck with me and I realise I am spoiled, fortunate but also very very lucky that myself and my family have had wonderful cruises and land holidays,

Has the quality changed? yes the world has changed, especially post pandemic. My husband fondly remembers the free sushi bar on Celebrity Equinox which is yes, you guessed it, now a pay for sushi bar, but that’s life.
I am grateful every time I step on a cruise ship, but it doesn’t stop me shopping for value for money or complaining if something goes majorly  wrong, but I know I am so much luckier (spoiled)  than the majority of people on this planet. 

Thank you for all this interesting information, we  are on a Baltic cruise very soon and I need a gluten free diet. There are times on past cruises that  I just don’t eat when I am off the ship as eating out can be “tricky” but this has helped a lot!
With the high rates of coeliac in Sweden this confirms a suspicion that my family may have Viking ancestry! There are  high coeliac rates  in Italy too which means its great for eating out if you are gluten free,  but with my height and fair Celtic skin I doubt I’m in any way Italian! 
 

Anyway thanks again! 

Thanks for replies I’ll just have to keep checking I just thought the ship looked amazing and thought there might be a chance we could go on it without the hassle of a flight to Miami! 

Hi I wondered if anyone might have information on this new ship? I see it is going to homeport out of Miami but sometimes they do a cruise out of Europe first to sort out any issues, but  I can’t seem to be able to find out when that is, I can only find bookings for the cruises out of Miami.
Any information or thoughts on this ship would  be appreciated. . 

My mum is 87 and she has lived through so much, WW2, rationing,being evacuated as a child  and she remembers  huge vaccination  programmes for small pox and TB growing up. She has always had a  positive  outlook in life,  never  complains,  and all she wants is a wee trip  round the shops followed by a cappucino  and cake! It really cannot come quick enough for me  to make her safe. 

I often show her your posts which she enjoys reading as she and my late father enjoyed many cruises and I was lucky to go with them once with my husband and daughters, since then we  have taken my  mum  and mother in law along with us on several others.  

You are right when you say it will all take time and cruising is for the longer term  future but its amazing to think that we have some hope at last.  We just have to stay safe till then and not forget that this virus is still out there and does not care about our Christmas plans! 

As you say Ellie a momentous Day!! To see Nurses and some elderly patients on TV last night receiving the first vaccines in the UK was a moment in history!! Some hope for Christmas for us all.  

Hi Ellie Thanks for the lovely pictures and the reports.    We are in tier 4 at the moment and for forseeable future! This means only meeting up outside and in Scotland at this time of year that's not really a choice!  

I have been busy with a family emergency with my husband,  and then work but it will soon be  Christmas, and the best present a vaccine on the horizon! ( crosses fingers and toes)  I love coming on here and honestly reading your report is a much needed  wee tonic! I love being "on " this cruise.  Hope all well at your end of the country. 

Ellie I must have missed it in earlier posts, what time of year were you on this cruise? 

Missed my weekly sometimes twice weekly swimming since lockdown and the tiers ... so looking forward to getting a swim onboard! I'll keep to "my side"  of the pool so I don't disturb you Ellie!

Not sure my husband would enjoy the rough seas he's not got good sea legs, he's quite hapy on the Med or Caribean but cant see him enjoying the more choppy seas you have encountered! I love sea days but he prefers port days! At least in  cruising you get both. 

On 11/11/2020 at 8:02 PM, ellie1145 said:

🎶   One more dawn

        One more day

        One day more! 🎶

 

Back at the hotel we go straight up to our room and I do most of the packing ready for tomorrow. We walk down to Denny’s for a snack and it’s a lovely evening.

 

It is exciting to think that this time tomorrow we will be on Ruby Princess.

 

With everything laid out for the morning, and after a quick shower, we both fall exhaustedly into bed.

 

It’s been a great few days and we have really enjoyed seeing so many interesting places, not to mention being able to do some shopping.

 

Now it’s nearly time to board Ruby Princess.

 

Hope you are all ready and waiting with passports and boarding documents in hand.

 

The song is from the the  wonderful  Les Miserables Just seen it pre covid in London with Michael Ball, it was my fathers favourite,  so many tears were shed!! We also love a Panera , one holiday in Florida  we were there so often I got a Panera points card I felt very American!!But its sadly not  accepted as a green card! Anyhoo  looking forward to seeing Ruby Princess! 

Shimmy up the ropes you say and get on board?.... now there's a thought?🤣 

Great post about back in the day (as the youngsters say) 😃Love the pictures! 

Phew! almost missed this !!!!!but luckily caught a flight! Just freezing in Scotland today so can't wait to join you all.

Loved reading your last trip report and as CV continues to stop us all from getting on our much loved cruises this will be our substitute for now! Thank you for starting this thread. 

Spotted Azamara ships all docked at a port near my home, so sad to see. I  was wondering if I could  shout up to the captain on deck  and  ask very  nicely they might allow me on ? Just to test them out??😉 

Yes I agree with others saying  keep going  with another of your trip reports!!

This one has been fascinating and has kept me checking on CC and not feeling so very miserable at all the cancelled cruises like mine!

Have thoroughly enjoyed all the beautiful pictures and reports , now have added the whole itinerary, Singapore included,  to the bucket list!! Now for the journey home with you all on our "cruise" 

Great pictures as always, we have done Disney Florida at Halloween, now I have to do a Halloween cruise!!

Relaxing on my virtual balcony too! What a cruise this has been! My husband said if only they all cost this  much i.e. nada🤣

Still here ellie!  Had a busy weekend too but still loving this cruise!! Think we have all met  Mrs (or sometimes a Mr) Walker!😉