m_duck

We took our autistic 6 year old last year. As advised contact special needs about priority boarding and muster drill. We did all this last year, lots of planning etc ... I forgot about the alarm at muster drill. He didn't have his headphones on when it sounded and he was off like a greyhound down the promenade with me chasing after him .....

I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. We were thinking of doing 14 nights in Sep on the Independence but many of the reviews since the refurb talk about queues and lack of seating with the additional staterooms that have been added. Did you notice queues when re boarding the ship in ports, difficult finding seats in the evening or tables in the Windjamer ? Or was it go at a busy time and it will be busy ?

Thanks.

We are travelling next month with a 3 year old and a 6 year old on the spectrum. We contacted RCL using the ‘Guest Special Services Form' you can download and email back within the ‘Discover > Ship Accessibility' section of the website regarding boarding and the muster drill. It is a generic form so ignore the sections that do not apply and there is a comments section where you can enter other questions or information you are concerned about. We also attached a letter to the email we have from the doctors concerning our childs diagnosis.

Advice is to speak to Gust Relations when you board regarding alternative arrangements for your child on the spectrum and an adult for the muster drill. Reading cruise critic it can vary ship to ship as to whether you join a smaller group and where the muster drill might take place. So my advice would be to check out the accessibility section of the website and email before you travel and speak to guest relations once on board - and print all your emails out before boarding.

We have mainly cruised RCI over the past few years (a couple of short P&O in between) but are going on our first Cunard ship on Monday, Queen Victoria.

It is only 3 nights as we have a 12 month old and a 4 year old so can't manage the longer trips at the moment and this is the longest the grandparents can manage.

It has been 18 months since we have been away together. My wife is so excited about being able to dress up in the evenings where as I'm the more informal one.

But as others have said it is nice to have the choice of lines.

There are some nice photographs on this site of the rail facilities at the terminal. I like the picture of the platform inside the terminal.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/southampton_docks/index1.shtml

We did a mini cruise last year and the documentation said the formal night would be the first night but it was actually held on the second night.

Not sure if this helps, but we had a great time.

Cold early Monday morning syndrome finally got to me this morning and I booked a short 2 night cruise out of Southampton in May. It is 4 weeks before our wedding so I'm hoping a couple of nights away will be just the ticket.

I might also book the 2 night cruise immediately before for my stag do to make a nice 4 day break for me !!!!

We are planning our honeymoon to be a cruise later in the year so I could soon have gone from no cruises to three booked :-)

Hi,

We were on a 5 day cruise from Singapore in June this year on the Voyager. Below is a post I originally entered on the meet and mingle for the cruise. It is just some of the things we tend to do while in Singapore as we visit most years to see family. All a little random but it might help some folks.

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While I'm on the boards I thought I would add a couple of things we like to do while in Singapore for those that have a couple of days either before or after the cruise.

I went on a walk last time I was there with this company and it was good afternoon : http://www.journeys.com.sg/singaporewalks/index.asp I intend to do a couple of the walks while we are there this year.

A bit random but I love going to the food hall in Takashimaya and looking at all the different foods they have. We always used to go late afternoon to see if they were selling off any of the Sushi towards the end of the day (love a good bargain). http://www.ngeeanncity.com.sg/index.html

There is also a good bookshop at the top of the shop, I think it is called Kinokuniya, just go up all the escalators.

We also pay a visit to Lau Pa Sat which is a touristy hawker market but I love the Victorian architecture. http://www.laupasat.biz/

There are food stalls at the MRT in Little India and there is a guy that makes good biryani. I think he is called the Biryani Man - that is what we call him.

Again a little ex-pat / touristy but we spend some evenings at Chijmes. There are a couple of bars where you can sit out with a beer and they have guitarists playing.http://www.chijmes.com.sg/

I never realised we were such tourists. We also have a walk to Clarke Quay one of the evenings as it is a good place to people watch. Although it is a tourist / ex pat haunt.

http://www.clarkequay.com.sg/malls/website/index.aspx

On a more serious note I always pay a visit to the Kranji War Memorial. It is a short walk from Kranji Station on the MRT. It is very sad but wonderfully looked after.http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/...WAR%20CEMETERY

We also usually spend a day(s) at Sentosa. I remember the first time we went and it rained. We sat in a cafe having a cup of tea looking at the beach and sea. I said to my wife it reminded me of my childhood holidays sitting in the car with a flask of tea looking out to sea on the Isle of Wight as the rain poured down. To be fair, unlike the Isle of Wight the sun came out, and it was hot. We have also been to Universal Studios which again was a good day if your into theme parks.

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/