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All things Boudicca


SausPud
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I am sailing on Boudicca in a weeks time (8th Aug) for 16 nights to Greenland and Iceland.

As I will have plenty of sea days and spare time to explore the ship (every inch), I am willing to answer any ship questions and solve any queries.

So post your questions and queries here this week, as once on board I won't have internet access to see any new questions until I return.

 

I am very tech savvy and have struggled to find pictures of the new and updated venues and even some of the cabins are a struggle to see what they are like.

I am staying in a Terrace Balcony Suite and these have been on board for over 2 years and yet nothing online about them.

Just seeing the roll call is empty for this cruise, goes to show that most Fred Olsen cruisers are not of the age to take pictures and videos and post them online.

 

So I am here to fill in the gaps. I will also be writing a review for a cruise magazine about the ship and the cruise, so I will be doing the legwork anyway but it will be helpful to know what you (the cruise critic crowd) want to know about.

 

You can ask anything, even about drinks packages.

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I don't need the help, II' trying to help others. Thank you anyway.

I’m sorry! Didn’t mean to offend you, but it sounded like you hadn’t seen any pictures of that category of cabin, and I thought you might not have seen the revamped Fred website pictures.

 

I don’t have any questions, having been on Boudicca twice this year, before and after the refit. She is looking fairly good, though some of the redecoration such as the oriental tearoom is odd.

 

I hope you have a good cruise.

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Friend of mine is just back from the Boudicca. She did not enjoy the food, had to send it back a couple of times.

 

 

Wonder why you would think that people of a certain age cannot take videos and pics to post online?

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Friend of mine is just back from the Boudicca. She did not enjoy the food, had to send it back a couple of times.

 

 

Wonder why you would think that people of a certain age cannot take videos and pics to post online?

 

Not an age thing, but have a google for any picture or video of after the refit of Boudicca and there is nothing. I rest my case.

Search any other ship and there is loads. But Fred Olsen is lacking in online content from them and their passengers. The roll calls are empty and a ghost town. Its like being onboard their ship on a sea day and everyone asleep in the lounges.

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I’m sorry! Didn’t mean to offend you, but it sounded like you hadn’t seen any pictures of that category of cabin, and I thought you might not have seen the revamped Fred website pictures.

 

I don’t have any questions, having been on Boudicca twice this year, before and after the refit. She is looking fairly good, though some of the redecoration such as the oriental tearoom is odd.

 

I hope you have a good cruise.

 

No offense. We are both trying to be helpful. Just wanting to know if someone wants me to see a venue or a cabin that they cantcget pucturesor videos off or why Gin is cheaper in the speciality bar than the main bar. Stuff like that.

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I would be very interested to know if the ship is free of Norovirus since its recent refit. When we went on it a few years ago around half the passengers were affected. It was so bad that it made the newspapers back in the UK! The cruises preceding ours and those afterwards also experienced high levels of Norovirus and we have avoided travelling on it ever since. It's significant that we received a brochure today from FOCL advertising a cruise in Iceland and Greenland but declined to specify which ship is being used. Any information SausPud would be very helpful.

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I would be very interested to know if the ship is free of Norovirus since its recent refit. When we went on it a few years ago around half the passengers were affected. It was so bad that it made the newspapers back in the UK! The cruises preceding ours and those afterwards also experienced high levels of Norovirus and we have avoided travelling on it ever since. It's significant that we received a brochure today from FOCL advertising a cruise in Iceland and Greenland but declined to specify which ship is being used. Any information SausPud would be very helpful.

There was no norovirus on Boudicca in January, pre-refit or March, post-refit.

 

If that was the only cruise you have been on with norovirus on board, you have been very lucky! I suspect that every cruise ship on the planet has had at least one outbreak. It is extremely common, especially in winter.

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I find doing the hand wash with the special antibacterial wash holds it at bay, but some people think they don't need or want to do this, and they are the ones ill and also don't stay in the rooms when quarantined.

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There was no norovirus on Boudicca in January, pre-refit or March, post-refit.

 

If that was the only cruise you have been on with norovirus on board, you have been very lucky! I suspect that every cruise ship on the planet has had at least one outbreak. It is extremely common, especially in winter.

 

Quite possible, but when half the passengers go down with it and it makes the newspapers back home it's pretty serious don't you agree?

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I find doing the hand wash with the special antibacterial wash holds it at bay, but some people think they don't need or want to do this, and they are the ones ill and also don't stay in the rooms when quarantined.

 

People don't bother to wash their hands after using the public toilets. We always take our own antiviral spray which is more effective than the antibacterial spray used on board. We also wipe all our cabin worksurfaces down with Dettol wipes.

 

All I want to know is whether the Boudicca is still plagued with Norovirus. :):):):)

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People don't bother to wash their hands after using the public toilets. We always take our own antiviral spray which is more effective than the antibacterial spray used on board. We also wipe all our cabin worksurfaces down with Dettol wipes.

 

All I want to know is whether the Boudicca is still plagued with Norovirus. :):):):)

 

Will let you know.

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People don't bother to wash their hands after using the public toilets. We always take our own antiviral spray which is more effective than the antibacterial spray used on board. We also wipe all our cabin worksurfaces down with Dettol wipes.

 

All I want to know is whether the Boudicca is still plagued with Norovirus. :):):):)

 

 

 

So you don’t believe me when I say it isn’t still plagued with norovirus, then? That’s not to say there will never be another outbreak though, on this or any ship.

 

The spray used on board is an anti-viral one, not an anti-bacterial. Yes, we too take our own Boots anti-viral hand foam to supplement the ship’s. And we avoid using the public toilets.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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So of all the information missing, the only thing someone wants to know is about health issues and was answered and still not believed the answer.

Is this really the level of questions that are required?

 

Let's get this topic back on track.

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People don't bother to wash their hands after using the public toilets. We always take our own antiviral spray which is more effective than the antibacterial spray used on board. We also wipe all our cabin worksurfaces down with Dettol wipes.

 

All I want to know is whether the Boudicca is still plagued with Norovirus. :):):):)

 

I don't think the problem is limited to Boudicca, it happens on all the ships. We have been on six cruises with Fred and only two of them had no incidence of norovirus at all. None of the other four were on Boudicca.

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Well thank you for your offer and I would like to take you up on it :). I would like to know what toiletries are provided.....shower gel, shampoo etc so I know what I don't have to pack and I'm sure you'll like this one.....what hairdryer is provided ? I hope it's not one of those on the wall in the bathroom. And if you are on a fly cruise what happens on disembarkation day when your flight isn't until later in the day?

Only minor things I know but I am sure evrything else will be fine. Any other tips /information you come up with after your trip will be appreciated.

Enjoy your cruise. :)

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Well thank you for your offer and I would like to take you up on it :). I would like to know what toiletries are provided.....shower gel, shampoo etc so I know what I don't have to pack and I'm sure you'll like this one.....what hairdryer is provided ? I hope it's not one of those on the wall in the bathroom. And if you are on a fly cruise what happens on disembarkation day when your flight isn't until later in the day?

Only minor things I know but I am sure evrything else will be fine. Any other tips /information you come up with after your trip will be appreciated.

Enjoy your cruise. :)

 

SausPud's cruise will not involve a flight, so jumping in here as we have done a number of Fred Fly cruises over the last few years. If you have bought Fred's flight, you will be kept on the ship until you are transferred to the airport and if they know ahead that the flight is delayed, your transfer will also be delayed. If you have booked a flight independently then you will need to disembark earlier, about 9 - 10am. We left Boudicca in Mauritius last winter and could not check into our hotel until early afternoon, so booked a combined transfer/day trip and the taxi driver took us to a couple of places we requested en route to the hotel and it worked well. Cabins will be vacated about 8am as normal.

 

Fred ships not good on toiletries now - just large dispensers of shower gel and shampoo. My husband uses that, but I do not. You can request shower caps and (tiny) pieces of soap from your cabin stewardess - not great quality. Toiletries may be different in suites. Cannot remember where the hairdryer was - probably in a drawer by the dressing table, but could vary with cabin. Been on a lot of Fred cruises and never found a hairdryer problem.

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Hi and Thanks for this info. I too am flying back from Mauritius on 1st November so good to know we can stay on the ship. Will take some shampoo and the dryer will be fine..... Not in a suite unfortunately.....only Ocean view. Just waiting for the tours brochure to come out now to get some organized. :)

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As being in a suite, you get the suite dreams package (which is better than most other cruise lines similar to Fred Olsen) which does include Luxury Towels but no mention of upgraded toiletries in the bathroom.

So I will report back on that.

Also, the Terrace Balcony Suite is the only suite (and cabin) that mentions a USB charging port in the cabin. This needs more research.

 

Keep the questions coming and maybe I'll have some to investigate on my many sea days.

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Also, the Terrace Balcony Suite is the only suite (and cabin) that mentions a USB charging port in the cabin. This needs more research.

 

The Terrace balcony rooms/suites were all refurbed a couple of years ago when the prom deck balconies were added to them, whereas the other cabins would have only been done with the general ship refurb. So could be that they have been added to all rooms now, but where not present previously. Fred is not that good at maintaining his website details, as we all know, but as you say, you could ask around.

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So you don’t believe me when I say it isn’t still plagued with norovirus, then? That’s not to say there will never be another outbreak though, on this or any ship.

 

The spray used on board is an anti-viral one, not an anti-bacterial. Yes, we too take our own Boots anti-viral hand foam to supplement the ship’s. And we avoid using the public toilets.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

Where did I say I don't believe you? I've merely asked SaucePud to let us know if there is norovirus about when he is on the ship. A snapshot if you get my meaning. But it seems that

he doesn't consider my question to be of a sufficiently high standard to warrant an answer. Please accept my apologies if I've caused offence.

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Where did I say I don't believe you? I've merely asked SaucePud to let us know if there is norovirus about when he is on the ship. A snapshot if you get my meaning. But it seems that

he doesn't consider my question to be of a sufficiently high standard to warrant an answer. Please accept my apologies if I've caused offence.

 

I beg your pardon.

I replied to you and said I will check it out. Post #13.

I can't answer your question in any more detail until I have cruised. My crystal ball is broken.

 

So not only did other people answer your question and I did as well and you still didn't think this was sufficient enough. Thanks.

Trying to be helpful and this is the thanks I get.

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I can see that we are talking at cross purposes so I shall withdraw from this thread.

 

I can't see what the cross-purpose is?

You asked a question, I replied I will check it out.

You then decided to say I didn't post any such thing and said I was ignoring you.

I called you out on this and now you take it as a personal attack when you started it and I'm trying to be helpful.

 

It's not my fault that you didn't see or read my post but if that is my fault that it wasn't clear enough for you, then so be it. I can't do anymore but defend myself from being accused of not doing something when it is clear that I did.

 

I won't bother reporting about the norovirus on board as I feel this has been already addressed.

 

Thank you Coravel for being apart of Cruise Critic.

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