Sancho_proudfoot

Due on the Anthem next month. Had the Royal Up bid invite, and we made bids on several upgrades (as currently we're in a restricted view balcony cabin). Apparently you can succeed with your bid even after sailing. By then, we'd be in the cabin and unpacked. if ( and its a big IF) that happens, do they help you move? I doubt we'll get any upgrades, it looks like the ship is getting pretty full, but I'm just curious.

I fell and broke my arm in Lanzarote (not ashore from a cruise!) last September. Hospital in Aricfe asked for my EHIC,which, fortunately, l had with me. Treatment was free. Went to the pharmacy next day fir the prescribed painkillers etc. Again asked for the EHIC. Got packet after packet of Tramadol on the Hospital doctors prescription for a ridiculous €8.

Thanks folks! As I said, we won't be ashore at every port stop, and will enjoy the ships offerings in a quieter period. Glad to know we won't get stuck with extra charges while there.

I think l read somewhere that while a ship is in Spanish territorial waters, they have to levy Spanish VAT (tax) on purchases made onboard. We're on the Anthem in September, and will be at several Spanish ports. We don't intend to go ashore at the all, and will enjoy a quieter ship. Will we get an additional charge on drinks during those days? (we have the UBP)

Okay, so I'll just keep trying and see what happens!

I am, personally, ( my opinion only) saddened to see formal nights being diluted to "smart casual " and further to "wear what you want ". On our first cruise, 14 years ago , there were, at a guesstimate, 95% of MDR diners formally dressed. I found that cruises out of the US tended to be far less formal (and it was out of Port Canaveral that I first heard " it's my vacation, nobody's gonna tell me what to wear"). I'll still take and wear my tuxes in September.

Thanks, that was the page that threw up the "30 day" bit which kinda makes sense, as by that point they'll have a good idea on availability

Thanks for the honest review, very helpful as we're onboard in September. Sad news about the formal night's, we both enjoy the "dressing up " part. Fingers crossed over covid-19. Triple-jabbed, ( and I've had it recently) regularly PCR tested (until last month also blood tested for antigens monthly ).

May be a silly question, especially from a seasoned RCL traveller, but...... Do you have to be invited to put in a Royal Up bid? secondly, (assuming you don't have to be invited) when can you bid? I've tried on the website and that threw up a warning about "within 30 days" of sailing, while somewhere else I read 45 days. Looking at bookings for our upcoming Anthrm sailing, most classes of stateroom seem to be available at present, so possibly may have a chance on multiple upgrade bids.

Flying in on the day of the cruise is a definite NO for us. We only did it once; at 10.30 the night before our flight at 09.30 the next day, the airline sent me a text message which simply said " your flight has been cancelled ". Spent hours on transatlantic phone calls. Turned out there was expected to be gales at the arrival airport; the original flight was on a small-ish aircraft which would have been buffeted about on approach. Eventually got rebooked onto a flight which meant we had to leave immediately to get to the airport for a very early flight, which would arrive before the high winds struck. Had to loiter around Amsterdam Schipol for 8 hours as we then arrived early. Even now, being able to drive to the port, we're heading off the day before and overnighting in a hotel near the terminal.

Our first ever cruise (brand new Independence of the Seas) we booked an inside guarantee cabin. Our thinking was " if we end up absolutely hating cruising, then we've spent the lowest possible fare trying it out, and we're not regretting a huge layout". As it was we loved cruising. An inside is fine if you just sleep, bathe and change your attire. If you like to sit quietly, read etc, then maybe not an inside. Inside cabins are very dark at night. It easy get up in the night and stub your toe en route to the bathroom. Conversely, the best sleep I've ever had onboard a cruise ship is in an inside.

I'm not sure about cruising, but the .pdf worked just fine for our two recent longhaul trips by air (although I still caught covid on the flight back!)

We very much enjoy the 'around the table ' conversations with folk we've never met before. Usually, we have very pleasant people, who are happy to sit and chat ( sometimes lingering to the point that the wait staff are hinting we should move!) Only once had an unpleasant table mate ( and, coincidentally, she lived about 10 miles from us!) DW is a retired ambulance paramedic. After 15 years of 12 hour shifts she has become conditioned to eating quickly, after many abandoned meals at the ambulance depot, when an emergency call came in. This unpleasant lady took to whispering to her husband about how DW always finished her meal first, often with some disparaging remark. Unfortunately (for her) DW is blessed with extremely sharp hearing, and, despite the comments being whispered ,(in itself an unpleasant trait) she heard every word. We had noticed a couple regularly sat at an 8-top, all by themselves. We asked if they would mind us joining them, and they were delighted to have some dining companions. A quick word with the maitre d' and we moved.

Watched the latest episode yesterday. They're getting a bit repetitive, doesn't seem to be much different from one episode to the next. Feels to me that right from concept stage, someone said "how can we do that differently?" and Virgin tried to make their "difference " evident on everything. Comes over as very much a party line, especially with 5 day cruises. Some of the featured staff are really annoying, and I'm glad I won't encounter them. They also didn't even mention in passing, how much the medical attention some guests needed was going to cost them!

Now seen the latest episode. More convinced that ever that I will not, ever, cruise Virgin.

Ephesus, Turkey. Fascinating ruins, but spoiled by uncaring and totally unsympathetic "restoration " (I.e. huge slabs of concrete)

Hard to pick favorites, but: Our first ever cruise on Independence of the Seas when she was brand spanking new from the shipyard. Panama Canal, Fort Lauderdale to San Diego; made friends with a delightful couple from California and we're still in touch 10 years later Baltic cruise, where I fell in love with Tallinn. What a wonderful city!

Med cruises tend to be port intensive, so many times, you'll be within range of shore cells, so your roaming package may work for you.

Watched Episode 2 yesterday. Still not overly impressed with the ship. I like comfort in the public areas of ships, and there seemed to be a lot of benches and hard wooden tables on this vessel. The "red night" (or whatever they called it), supposedly the highlight of the entertainment seemed very amateurish. I know Virgin are trying to be a bit different but the captain in a polo shirt and trainers didn't look right to me.

This was offered at the time we booked the Anthem ( sail September, booked February). At the time we were told it would be added to the onboard account. However, last week our TA told us RCL had now invoiced them, so can we please pay with the final payment. Oddly, it worked out at £39.33 pppd

€7 for 3 years unlimited entries is hardly going to break the bank.........

That's the deal we've got, although to be 100% accurate, we've been charged £39.33 per day, something to do with the vagaries of exchange rates, I believe. My sea day consumption looks a bit like: "Proper" orange juice with breakfast. Mid morning coffee 2 or 3 beers at lunch. Couple of beers during the afternoon round the pool Cocktail before going in to shower and change. 2 -3 glasses of wine with dinner Cocktail in the theatre Glass of whisky as a nightcap. Easily braking even for us.

Firstly, I believe the price paid for UK purchases includes the 18% gratuity, so no extra needed. Secondly when we booked our upcoming cruise (anthem) back in February the offer (via our TA) included the drinks package at £40pppd ( about US$50), which seemed a good deal. However, on actually booking the cruise, we were told it couldn't be prepaid, but would be added to our onboard account. Since then, I've been rather sceptical, and twitchy that when we get on board, we get charged that days going rate - $65, or $73, or whatever. Just as I decided to fire off an email to the TA when l get in from work later today, the TA rings me. RCL have just invoiced them for the drinks package cost - £472pp for the 12 days of the cruise, so fractionally below the £40 mark. Happy with that- once you include soft drinks decent coffees and so forth it's a good deal for us.

Same for us, we stay at the Premier Inn at Eastleigh before a cruise, and the breakfasts have never disappointed.

Once you're on board RCL don't care who is in what room. We booked two rooms for ourselves DD DDs partner and grandson On paper ( as far as the booking goes,) it was a boys room and a girls room. Once on board a quick trip to GS and room cards rearranged.