zap99

21 hours ago, CaraLark said:

Great question - I was only searching for this information yesterday!!

Does anyone know if it is possible to walk from the cruise terminal at Barcelona? I understand it’s a longish walk into the centre, but interested nonetheless ! 😉

A long, long walk. Get the shuttle and save the hastle. If it's hot you may not survive the walk back.

15 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

??? It was actually zap who recommended TTP !

Not actually recommended, I wouldn't do that for anything, just passing on information so the fellow cc members can decide. If commission is due I won't say no.🤣

24 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Let's test our theory, Selbourne!  My August Baltic Aurora cruise just passed final payment date, 28th May.  I paid on 23 May before boarding here.  Just checked the prices after reading this thread and every cabin grade has dropped a fairly even £200-£250 as at today.  

 

If our best price scenario being 7-10 days after due date is correct, next week should see another drop for a few days, particularly as Late Saver kicks in.  I'm monitoring these prices as I'm considering a bid to upgrade if it's reasonable.  

 

It will be a bit of fun!!

We did that with RC and saved about £300pp. Not mega, but pays the drinks bill. It was actually cheaper than I anticipated as they gave us another £350 " seniors " discount and wrinklies money off excursions ,30%. Last year we played chicken with TUI and saved about £500 on a week to Menorca. Late booking May result in missing out on your plan A, but....

1 minute ago, david63 said:

For you they are but for me they were more expensive for a single trip than I have for annual cover.

 

It just goes to show that there is no "one size fits all" travel insurance and what works for one does not work for another as we all have a different set of circumstances.

 

===========================

As a salutary warning on travel insurance - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jjn75xpgwo

Last year I used a comparison website for medical condition. The quotes range from £400 through £1200 to your having laugh.

2 hours ago, david63 said:

When I did a dummy quote they were for me/us ridiculously expensive - could almost have had another cruise for what they were asking.

Ours was £130 . Both wrinklies with medical conditions.

2 hours ago, Fionboard said:

You don't need specific cruise cover (missed ports, etc.) as long as your insurance covers you for cruising. As previously advised, try Total Travel Protection. They are single trip only.

We used then for our cruise last month. They cover emergency evacuation and medical expenses from and on the ship to £15m. Their website says all their policies cover cruises ( I printed that bit off ). They don't pay out for missed ports are if you are late back and miss the ship.They were around a third of the price of the ' full' cruise cover policies. We are using them again in September.The bits they don't cover don't particularly bother us anyway.

2 hours ago, purplesea said:

They're herring gulls. No matter what they are called, they are still a nuisance!😠

A bit like teenagers, but they don't borrow the car.

On 5/27/2024 at 10:57 AM, Selbourne said:

Always a risk for popular cruises but still possible for many. 3 weeks is a bit late though. The cheapest late savers tend to kick in a week or so after the balance due date, when those who are having second thoughts bail out before paying the balance, so best to look then if you are after a cheap deal rather than leave it any longer. However, the upgrade programme can kick in much later, which can result in very late availability in the lower grades.

We are on Anthem of the seas to the Canaries later in the year.  3 cruises. All full.

44 minutes ago, purplesea said:

We have a wildlife sactuary near us and they will let the eagles and hawks fly free at times, which the seagulls don't like. It's just a pity they don't fly this way often enough!

We went to a bear sanctuary in Alaska .Lots of Eagles in the trees. They swoop down and eat the bears food. On balance I would prefer a seagull pinching my pasty

🤣

6 minutes ago, kalos said:

Seagulls maybe on some folks naughty/ pest list but they are also

on an amber and red list for survival and that's no laughing matter for

them either ,through no fault of their own.

 

We have several country parks where family's take their kids to feed

the swans and ducks and some gulls have made it their home ,simply 

to get a share of the food offered to the ducks etc.

Think they should call them "land- gulls" as doubt  some have even 

been out to sea , the nearest coast is around 60 miles away .

We get wood pigeons. A fact of life, but we don't live in a wood. Of course visitors shouldn't feed seagulls. I would guess that all the takeaways and many holiday lets in costal villages are owned by locals. Many folk earn their living due to visitors.   This little fellow was simply having a quiet coffee. I think Angel57 must now him. He lives in Weymouth.

6 minutes ago, brian1 said:

Watch it Zap,I can see the Grockle word coming your way.

At least I won't get a mention on KUMB, but plenty of Seagulls in Barking.🤣

Just now, purplesea said:

My car is blue and nine times out of ten has white spots!!

Perhaps it's the blue. We get magpies and I tend to get purple spots.

1 hour ago, Devon born and bred said:

Some things are no joking matter. I have seen first hand injuries being caused, small children being petrified by seagulls stealing their food and damage caused all because visitors don't understand they are vermin and dangerous, spreading diseases like e-coli and salmonella.

Surely not all visitors are vermin.!

49 minutes ago, Devon born and bred said:

Some things are no joking matter. I have seen first hand injuries being caused, small children being petrified by seagulls stealing their food and damage caused all because visitors don't understand they are vermin and dangerous, spreading diseases like e-coli and salmonella.

As long as they don't poo on my car. In Mevagissey one pooed on my brand new wetsuit. Blue it was...the wetsuit, not the seagull.

1 hour ago, sandancer said:

I seem to remember that once the guest performance is finished in the Limelight Club it becomes a free venue with a band and singer. Possibly a place to dance. 

About 10.30pm with their own house band.

18 hours ago, silversurf said:

Applied for insurance on Caribbean cruise and been refused by 10 insurance companies. What can I do now, canI cancel my cruise?

If you are prepared to take some of the risk yourself, like missed port payout, try Total travel protection.

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Are these price increases on cruises/holidays any different to the price rises on virtually everything else these days?

Your quite right. Most chain restaurants are up 30-50%. Costa, McDonald, even greggs. Some of the smaller restaurants seem to be getting a bit greedy, but then wonder why less people are eating there. Fortunately we have a choice.

12 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

The Tui holidays I looked at in March for travelling this month went up in price in April so I didn't bother to book. I might just have been unlucky though.

We are looking to go to the Canaries in November....If the price is right. If Not Bournemouth.🤣

6 minutes ago, Devon born and bred said:

I hope you are joking zap99, but some people might not see it that way. As someone who has lived in Devon all my life I have experienced the nasty side of seagulls. They should never be fed as it encourages them pinch food straight out of your hand, cause injury and spread disease. They have also been known to steal small pets.

It's their lack of education. They just won't do as they are told. A few chips we will be OK, won't it.🤣

6 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

So I wonder if the price hikes are to do with genuine rising costs, high demand or greed? ATM I think people who haven't had a holiday for a few years will accept high prices but in future they might not.

I think companies are trying to claw back the money that they lost during covid. We booked a TUI holiday in October last year. The price started dropping about 2 months out.

3 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

A young family we know go on a haven holiday every year

 

They can't afford to do it this year as its become so expensive now

We are going to Haven in July, just before the kids break up. 2 weeks later and a week is £2,000. They don't have any inside caravans.😂

31 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Good morning to you all.

It's a dull, damp and not sure if is still is, but it's been drizzling, although the forecast is for dry weather.

I've just booked flights for end of September to Palermo to visit the in-laws. My youngest son is coming with us too, and it will be his birthday while we are away. Hopefully I can arrange a celebration for him with his cousins and the rest of the family. 

Hope everyone has a good day.

We are down to St Ives in a couple of weeks. Next week we will buy a few extra bits for the seagulls.  The locals like you to feed them.🤣

4 minutes ago, daiB said:

It is still a paying restaurant however few dishes you pay for. 

In MDR on Arvia there are pay extra items on the menu.

1 hour ago, kalos said:

Thought for the day ...

 

"What goes around ,comes around "  🙃

How very true .I watched the Indy 500 over the weekend.

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

A beautiful day here, the location of which I am sure some will be able to identify. 
 

A Coruña.  Do I win a prize?.