kruzseeka

Important correction: I've just been looking at getting a Nationwide credit card and whilst Winifred 22 is quite correct in saying there is no charge for transactions abroad it seems that now cash withdrawals do attract a charge. Apologies for the previous misinformation. Extract from N/W site: Cash withdrawals in a foreign currency outside the UK Non-sterling transaction fee n/a Cash fee 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) Also just checked the Halifax site to be sure I'm not giving more duff info! When it comes to money - best get it right!!!!! Halifax Clarity Credit Card No fees when you travel and one simple rate for the things you buy 0% fee to withdraw cash Interest charges apply and some ATM providers may charge a fee 0% fee for using your card abroad Interest charges will still apply.

Yes and that's another plus - also we were told it's as near perfect exchange rate (to Bank exchange rates) as you could hope for so much better than High Street travel money rates. Just have to bear in mind that cash withdrawals incur interest charges from the day of the transaction so we always settle up as soon as we're home and don't wait for the CC bill which can be several weeks later generating more interest charges.

Gosh both of you under the cosh. Hope your hubby soon has his surgery and a speedy recovery.......... keep tracking the cruises and jump in again ASAP. Good luck!

Thank you so much happy v. Fjords again, but just so beautiful it lifts the soul (well mine at least!). We never tire of it. I do hope you are now recovered from your surgery and hopefully also looking forward to future travels. Take care. 🤗

Nationwide FlexPlus charge only £40 p.a. for missed ports/cabin confinement - that's for a couple of you if have a joint account. We got £150 p.p./day for cabin confinement last year. Not sure what the missed port rate is - perhaps £100 iirc and presumably each if it's a joint account - realise there are other factors involved in choice of insurers but the extra you quote for your insurer sounds excessive to me (without knowing the details of course). It may not be like for like but may be worth investigating.

Thank you all for your responses. I would have expected 3 and wouldn't have been surprised if that had been reduced to 2 but was surprised to see only 1 (this is on my account as I track through day by day). It obviously doesn't chime with your experiences or the table CarlaMarie has posted (thank you). I just wanted to check as I don't think we'd bother taking formal wear for 1 night. The one night they are showing is the day after sailing (sea day) - perhaps it's just a matter of not yet fixing any additional evenings but it is misleading if indeed they do intend to have more than one. I'll keep an eye on it. But thanks again for your input.

Just had a look at our up-coming 12 night cruise on Aurora and there's 1 Gala Night and all the rest are smart casual. Is this the norm now?

Is it just your password you can't remember Dave? If so perhaps a password reset request would allow you to get in. If your ISA has come the end of the term so that you can access it, it's perhaps possible to give instructions to reinvest into Premium Bonds on-line. I know I've switched their products quote easily on-line in the past. That would avoiding having to get through to speak to someone. In light of the reports recently of the chaos on the system that could take a while. But then again if their IT is struggling you may find that my suggestion isn't a solution either! Good luck sorting it out.

They issue a updated confirmation of booking with the amended obc. They don't itemise it as Share Holder benefit but you should be able to see the increase in obc appropriate to the length of you cruise. Tht update will probably go to your TA so if you don't get it I would prompt them for the updated amount. I always take this away with me in case! Print out your email from P&O and that - dated later than your original invoice should prove the point but best have an up to date statement.

FlexPlus is £65 p.a. for age 70+. If you have a joint account this premium covers you both. Medical screening of course can generate additional premiums which will be specific to the insured's medical conditions. Cruising is included but for missed ports and cabin confinement there is an optional additional charge of £40(?).

Agree completely. We've been several times and as Fjord villages go I think it's much bigger than many. There's a Visitor Centre which is very interesting, a HoHo which takes you up to a viewing point, then you can get off at Westeras and walk about 1Km to the Westeras cafe which has phenomenal views from the terrace and also waffles and coffee! Retrace your steps then pick up the HoHo again to the Visitor Centre then walk down the steps by the side of the tumbling river back into the village. Spectacular. There you have a choice of quite a lot of cafes and more shops than at most Fjord destinations. Like Britboys some of our fondest memories are of this destination. Hellesylt is a pretty (very) little place but definitely worth getting to Geiranger if you can.

Yes Alesund is indeed on the itinerary for this cruise (M325) and the photo in the itinerary description is of Alesund. However the picture in dispute is of the Lofoten Islands and as has already been pointed out, not only is this not on the itinerary but not anywhere near any ports being visited.

Nicely presented but bland isn't what you'd hope for. Just hoping feedback may bring about improvements before we go. 😏

Sorry to hear that the food isn't as good as you would have hoped for or expected. We've decided to book (first time on anything bigger than Aurora or Arcadia) hoping to enjoy more options for food but if the basic standard isn't great that's disappointing. Do your comments refer to MDR and buffet and did you try any of the speciality restaurants? We've got quite a bit of obc so could be using room service quite a lot! 😁

I've just been looking at a Fjords cruise on QM2. The cruise lead picture was beautiful - but I didn't recognise it as any of the destinations. I was interested to identify it. Having looked at each destination picture on the itinerary guide the picture advertising the cruise is not there. Having done a capture and identification of the view it turned out to be the Lofoten Islands. Not on the itinerary at all. Misleading - not that you would choose to go on a cruise without due diligence, checking out the destinations and not make a selection based on one promotional picture but surely you wouldn't expect a cruise line to post a picture of a destination not included on the itinerary.

Likewise. The new Sequence Quordle is quite interesting too and the Deluxe Waffle is a challenge. I usually manage to do it but despite my best efforts (thinking I've not wasted any moves) hardly ever have more than a couple of stars left. But I like a challenge! Byrdle can be a bit odd sometimes - answers can be a bit obscure, at least for me, and sometimes only guessed by eliminating letters by trial and error until an answer doesn't go red!

I got it but my friend who has the same phone and lives only a mile away did not. He rang to see if I'd had it - when he realised I had, he checked his settings and found the emergency alert option was off.

Hope you're doing OK happy v - apart from feeling exhausted that is! 😁. Take care and best wishes for a rapid recovery.

Sorry, there was no intention to be critical or personal and I can see that your comment I quoted had a different context to my response. I just picked up your comment (probably the wrong one to quote in hindsight) in defence of those who choose not to spend much on shore (following earlier discussions about whether or not folk eat lunch on or off the ship) which is often quoted in the context of the value (or not) of cruise passengers to the local economy. I think that criticism is unfair in that it is personal choice and in any event, having bought a cruise all passengers are contributing through port fees and tourist taxes. For reasons I expressed, even if some passengers spend little, overall there is significant financial benefit to the local infrastructure.

I understand the claim re visitors not spending much/anything in port but that is surely compensated for by those who do.....even a coffee and cake/beer/icecream sundae/souvenir - whatever - helps keep some businesses afloat. And then there are those who do spend quite a lot - meals/local taxis/local tours/beach furniture/admission fees for sites of interest etc. It all adds up and that doesn't take into account what the cruise line contribute through excursions - and berthing fees which are significant. It all adds to the income and employment potential for ports. Add we should't ignore the visitor taxes which are becoming more common. It's all a matter of choice but blanket statements about cruise passengers not spending a lot on shore is surely compensated for by those who do and the other income streams. My guess is that a lot of places would suffer dramatically should cruise ships cease visiting and there would be soon be a reversal of attitudes. However, keeping visits to reasonable numbers does seem sensible both for the locals and for visitors too.

You certainly make it sound very appealing. Will check it out on our next trip as in general we don't do main meals in the Buffet. My only hope is that fellow passengers are as mindful of hygiene as we try to be (for our sake as well as others').

Useful too if you have the right cards which do not charge for transactions abroad e.g. using an ATM. (Halifax and Nationwide were examples at one time - but worth checking.) Some cards have a flat fee e.g £2.50 for a cash withdrawal which is quite expensive if you only want say, £20 for coffees and cake. Or there may be a % charge when used. We always had a Halifax CC just for holiday purposes often avoiding having to get small amounts of currency for different countries or to access cash at an ATM if needed. Although it's on a CC interest accrues for cash withdrawals from the date of withdrawal so worth bearing in mind - but we'd just pay it off asap. With a near perfect exchange rate we found it was also the cheapest way of 'buying' foreign currency. Having read this thread though we'll make sure our 'holiday' CC for use abroad is now the one we register with P&O too for onboard expenditure! Thanks for the thread and heads up.

This is our choice, of what to do there. Nice cafes over looking the beach too. We still have time to sit and have a drink on the waterfront at Katakolon too.

I agree - it's not a matter of class or age in my eyes I would just hope for people who are respectful (of others, the crew, their environment) and behave in such a way that they enjoy themselves but not at the expense of others being able to enjoy their holiday too.

Depends on your appreciation of the scenery. Andalsnes, Eidford, Geiranger, Tromso, the Lofoten Islands are magnificent and the approach sailing for hours in such awe inspiring surroundings just fills me with emotion and wonder. Ships other than Iona visit Norway!