1160451

I would, with respect, suggest that as this is a Fred Olsen forum, Trings original post would be of interest to many of us.

The rights or wrongs of Fred contesting the judgement are another matter I suppose.

Personally I think Fred would have been better served accepting the judgement. Would have been forgotten within a month.

As London says every cruise line gets hit with Noro.

A few years back Boudica seemed to be on red alert all the time, we were on a cruise with it and swore never again on Boudica, but guess what Boudica again last year.

Top advice from Mark. We had an upgrade on a P and O cruise went from inside cabin mid ships both ways to a balcony at the back, terrible vibration, so not always what it seems.

Sorry you feel that way but that's life I think. If you were happy with the price when you booked then just accept you got what you wanted. It's like Marks and Spencers Sales, one week top price next week half price in Sale. You don't expect them to refund the difference.

We always book early so that we get the cabins we want and often there is some incentive.

We fancy a cruise next year up round Scotland, but am not paying nearly £150 per day. So will wait until a few weeks before to see, it then might end up cheaper but with only cabins at the back and low down, so no cruise.

Like somebody else said no loyalty about booking early, in my opinion that is 😄

On their Facebook page, some peole think it's a good response, one tho is having a right moan about their offer and help.

Glad you had a good time. Nice to hear a positive review of the Balmoral.

Seems just recently on here that the Balmoral has taken over from Boudica as the "bad boy of the fleet".

We are on the Balmoral in Septembervand looking forward to it.

Stugeron for us. But as Tring says best to check with somebody qualified that they are OK to use if you are on other melds.

If you look on Amazon or other sites you can buy Ginger sweets for sea sickness that are supposed to good. There again Ginger can be a problem for people on blood thinning tablets so again check with the experts.😄

Hi, yes they do work. Or they do for us. You have to ensure they sit correctly tho. If they didn't work nobody would buy them.

I once forgot them and on a tender that was going up and down I rubbed the pressure points on the wrist that they work on and it certainly helped.

There again could be all in the mind.

We use them at first sight of a swell and keep them on all the time.

Have used tablets when it was really rough with no side effects.

Everybody is different so what works for you may not work for others.

Ginger is good as well, sweets or biscuits.

Would agree with you.

Hi, yes the gist of the Facebook info, is that they have missed ports of call and are setting off back to Belfast when winds allow.

Moaning about lost ports of call, and wanting compo. My thoughts are they would be the first to complain about rough seas and possible injury.

People should accept that when your dealing with the force of nature anything can happen.

People should research and accept the risks.

Although I was miffed we lost a port of call on our recent Amazon cruise.😄

We were on the Greenland cruise you were on, we got into all the ports didn't we, but I recall thinking that would be a risk.

High winds off shore. Read about it on a Fred Olsen Cruise Group on Facebook. There is somebody moaning a bucketful.....it's a closed group so you have to join.

I would imagine every Cruise Ship in the world has been hit with Norovirus.

We use the Boots stuff mentioned elsewhere, use your own cabins facilities, use your own pen to sign for drinks, serviette In the Buffett when using tongs. Wash hands and try not touch your face much.

Apart from the above, it's easy😄 Don't get paranoid about Norovirus, it's everywhere. Doctors Surgeries, Hospitals, Schools, Coach Holiday Hotels are well known for getting it.

Ok Balmoral has an outbreak now, but i remember a few years ago people on this Site getting wild about Noro on the Boudica.

Just relax and if you want to worry about anything worry about the weight you will put on.

Have a great cruise.

We use three brands.

Boots Anti Viral, Clinell hand spray and also wipes or Q Shield.

Used Q Shield mostly and is the most expensive.

The Sanitiser that are used on the Ships don't kill everything as far as i am aware. So we use our own plus of course the ships and hand washing.

Q Shield is very good because it does not need reapplying after washing. We use it three times a day.

Still doesn't protect us from any airborne germs. So if anybody is physically ill we try to move away pretty quickly.

Sounds as tho we spend our Cruises in a hygiene bubble, but it becomes second nature, like looking both ways when you cross a road.😄

We have cruised 2 or 3 times a year for the last 7 years and only been on a ship with Noro aboard twice.

Interestingly we were on a HAL Ship and every ship, at that time, in their line practiced Noro Alert for the first 2 or 3 days of the cruise. Buffett was served by staff, no salt and pepper on tables, jacuzzi closed etc. This was to protect if any people come on ill, or that was the theory.

Bad news and a cruise with Noro is terrible if you get it and inconvenient if you don't.

I think us cruisers tend to think we are the only people it effects. But I know many people who use Coach Holidays and they are forever telling me about Hotels closing for a week and tours been distributed by Noro.

My Mother has been in Hospital for three weeks and every day we visited a different ward was hit by Norovirus.

Read any of the other Cruise forums even Cunard and their ships get hit.

I know I am Fred Cheerleader but i do not think a ship has Noro.

Basically it's down to people to practice good hygiene. Like Tring says that includes everybody.

Our own practice is to use our own Hand gel, use our own pen to sign chits, use our own cabin facilities, don't use lifts, try not to use hand rails and use serviette when using tongs in Buffett. Now it seems extreme but we just get used to it.

I really don't think Fred is any worse than other lines.

Examples ?

Used them three times, and the simple answer is yes.

Dare not reply in depth, as my grammar may not be up to scratch......😄

Thought the jokes on the door were funny.

Those photos look really good. Recognise Manaus.

I usually write to Fred after most of our cruises telling them how much we enjoyed our cruise. In fact somebody called me a Fred Cheerleader on here. This is the first time we have ever had a disappointment.

I think I may in fact be a serial "complimenter" but it doesn't seem to have done us much good in the way of upgrades or dining with the Capitano.....

If you are listening Fred, we are on the Balmoral in September......

Happy cruising .....

Would think the flights booked will not be with the flight that Fred uses.

On our last cruise somebody was telling me much the same story. They had booked their own flights much cheaper.

Then they went on to tell me that they had, due to the flight times, had to come a day early and book a hotel for the night. So after the hotel, transfers to hotel then transfers to cruise terminal, return transfers to airport plus lugging your luggage about. All in all I think they saved £100. Not for me but everybody is different.

Hi.......if you go onto the Thomson forum, go to page 5, look for a post by Wolf7 on 9th January, this covers exactly what you are asking about. There are lots of replies. I replied that's how I can recall it.

Freds reply has arrived. As one would expect. Very thorough reply with all my disappointments answered.

I don't agree with their conclusions, but at least they replied and had obviously researched my comments.

Will leave it at that as I do not like revealing private correspondence in an open forum. and whilst booked in September with them, are probably jumping ship for the Carribean next January.

Happy cruising everybody.

Yep, does seem a bit of a waste if your land side for the week after. Not much need of suits etc in resort hotel. 😄

Hi uk,.......on most of our previous cruise, there have been three or four formal, so you get good use out the tux. I take a tux and a white dinner jacket.

Even on non formal nights, or what ever they are called on different lines I wear a suit. Usually take three so with the formal nights wear them 3 times. My wife usuall takes a dress for every night.

Lots of people say it's impossible to adhere to formal nights with 20 kg, but we never have any problems.

We love dressing in the evening it is part of our cruse. But each to their own.

That doesn't mean we are dress police, people can wear what ever they want, but we do like to see a good Formal Night.

On Fred Olsen they used to have three theme nights as well. So that meant three extra outfits.

They have dumped those recently.

Thanks everybody....

To be honest if you haven't visited any of the Ports they are impossible to split.

not much help sorry 😄

Hi jules......

if I recall that was similar to what we remember.

We are keen dancers, but this Jan 17 we have decided to return to Thomson, basically for the fun element we remembered. Presume the resident band still plays uptempo music so we can always fit a jive or chic cha in.

This year we have deserted P and O and Fred olsen for the Caribbean, with the AI and tips included the cost is very competitive. This surprised us as the Thomson 7 day cruises we have looked at in the past were very expensive.