babs135

UPDATE: We booked the cruise this afternoon!

120 and a totally unexpected bonus cruise in just 47 days! Literally just booked it and can't wait.

At an extortionate price I suspect!! 🤣

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I've been following a thread on another well-known social media website which could possibly impact upon all of us. Lady was on a cruise and stay holiday with P&O and as per all cruise lines her mum put her suitcase out on the last night ready for the staff to collect. Sadly at some point between then and disembarking the case disappeared. The insurance company, Staysure, is refusing to pay out as they are saying that she had left the case unattended. P&O are also being unhelpful. Where does this leave all of us?

Have a look at www.cruisetimetables.com Go to the ports of departure button and then look for the UK. Lists all ports used, not just Southampton

Having read your comments I had decided to tell DH that we should go ahead and book the cruise BUT our computer has just literally rolled over and died. Our daughter is a software developer and is trying to get it back to a point where we can nurse it until Black Friday but it's not looking good. Asking DH to fork out for a cruise at this present time may not be a good idea. 🤬🤬

If it was left to me I'd have booked days ago but DH is much more cautious than I am. We've already had one land based holiday and one cruise this year and have the Christmas and New Year cruise on the Queen Victoria drawing ever closer so we're not short of holidays. However, with the cost of living rising he's become much more aware of what we are spending on a day to day basis and that is what is holding him back. If it was just any cruise then I can find something definitely within a price range that would accommodate him, but he really fancies a northern lights cruise. Not sure which way this will end; more than likely with nothing, but at least we have the one booked cruise to look forward to.

DH is (very surprisingly) eyeing a Northern Lights cruise in October but, putting it bluntly, even at the very good price being quoted, he feels we can't justify it - we have a cruise booked for Christmas and New year. Crystal balls out please and do you think that the price might drop further?

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Just how strenuous is the land portion? Sadly, although I use a stick, my mobility is not as good as it could be and it concerns me that I may struggle. I also worry that I could 'slow' everyone down which is something I would hate to do.

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I am sure that this has been asked before but I can't find it so apologies for repeating a question. What, if any, are the benefits of booking a cruise whilst you're already on board? I am looking at Alaska for next year but for a variety of reasons cannot book just now. However, by December when we will be on the Victoria things should be clearer and we could well be in a position to book. I'm in the UK if that makes any difference.

We have 15 cruises under our belts, three quarters (maybe more) of which we have booked with a guarantee cabin and have always been very happy with wherever we've ended up but this time I think our luck may have deserted us. We are on Queen Victoria's Christmas cruise to the Canary Islands and have just got our cabin. Deck 4 cabin 4008. I've just checked the deck plans and not only is it very forward it is also above the theatre. My questions are noise from the theatre and movement in the cabin if the sea is rough? Anything else I should be aware of ?

We're on the Victoria's Christmas cruise to the Canary Islands and have got $120pp obc. Very happy. Sadly our adult daughter is not so happy. Although she's on our booking and sharing our cabin she has not got any obc. Still I suspect that she will still benefit from her parents' benevolence !!!

A sensible programme coming up! 5pm on Saturday on Sky Showcase a 6 part series 'Secrets of the Lost Liners'. A quick look shows episodes dedicated to the Normandie, Queen Elizabeth and SS America among others.

Would disagree with this. Pre-pandemic DH took ill and was declared unfit to travel. 4 weeks after my initial phone call to the Insurance company the money was back in the bank less a small excess.

They were open on P&O in June

Flown out to Australia on British Airways 4 times now (2 cruises and 2 land based). Chose to stop either in Hong Kong or Singapore. Did 3 nights. Both are about midway so two flights of 13 hours. Still very long. The 25 hours flight stopped to refuel in Bangkok but we literally got off the plane, was escorted down a long corridor and then got back on the plane. Disappointed as we thought we'd have a little longer to stretch our legs. I was virtually crawling on the ceiling by the time we got home. I can't sleep on a plane.

Manchester to Sydney but with a stop. Once did the other way around with only a refuelling stop - close to 25 hours! Never ever again.

Can you tell me how strenuous the land portion is? We are senior citizens, both with mobility issues - need a stick and for me going up stairs is difficult and slow. I have a further problem in that I have IBS and when I have a flare up I often need the toilet quite urgently. Are there plenty of facilities ?

Pre-pandemic we did a couple of segments on the Queen Elizabeth World cruise and met a couple who were cruising for the very first time and doing the whole trip. I remember asking them what would they do if they hated it? They shrugged their shoulders and said they'd cope!! I often wonder how they got on.

Me again. Rocky Mountaineer Train or Denali? Not done any costings but I'm pretty certain we couldn't afford to do both so would value your opinion on which you would prefer. And as with my previous question - before or after the cruise? And, I've found an actual brochure (!) which went up to November 2021. Have the itineraries changed much since this was published way back in January 2020? At least I'll be able to look at the deck plans for the ships that sail to Alaska. So much easer than online. And finally, Expect to hear more from me as I continue my research!!! BTW I've still not told DH what I'm doing as I need to present as much information for him before he agrees or disagrees 🤣🤣

Thanks everyone. I am looking at next year so let's hope that Covid is even more manageable by then so that we can do the tour first.

Best before or after the cruise? I've just done a search and I got the impression that with Covid still prevalent we'd be better doing it after the cruise to avoid testing positive and being denied boarding. What would be the choice in a pre-Covid world? If it makes any difference we would be flying in from the UK.