07/06/2011

[tudsabz]

New to cruise critic so hello everyone. Just booked the Island escape 07/06/2011. Must admit i'm a little relieved after reading some of your reviews. Have read some awful reviews on other site's.

Anyone visited any of the following ports?

Olbia - Sardinia

Palermo - Sicily

Naples - Italy

Toulon - France

Barcelona - Spain

Any info will be much appreciated.

[ekco]

Hello and welcome.:):)

 

Don't worry, all the cruise ships have one or two bad reviews and they all have mechanical or other failures sometimes, it's in the nature of the beast. (Ooh! I've got my philosophical head on today) I've been on 2 Thomson's ships and they've both been a bit frayed around the edges but the IE always gets all the stick. It has a great atmosphere and there's plenty to do onboard, I even did a singing lesson one afternoon, :eek:, that emptied the room, lol, 8 of us doing a song in the round. Cafe Brasil is a great place to chill-out with a cappuccino and watch the waves go by.

 

Have a look on YouTube for videos, some of them are hilarious. There are a few from years ago when there were a lot of Italian students onboard but you'll get the general idea. Don't forget to check under the bed for the pull-out storage box.:):)

 

I've only been to Barcelona and Sicily but that would be no use to you as you need to hear from someone who has travelled there from a ship. (time-wise, best trips etc.) The little AA pocket guides are worth getting (Amazon, look for free pp).

 

Jan

[tudsabz]

Thanks Ekco

Just wondering about the pull out storage under the bed. Is there enough space to store suit cases under the bed? If not where can you keep them? Off for a nosey on youtube.

Tudsabz

[ekco]

Thanks Ekco

Just wondering about the pull out storage under the bed. Is there enough space to store suit cases under the bed? If not where can you keep them? Off for a nosey on youtube.

Tudsabz

 

We couldn't fit our cases under the bed so we put one into the other and moved the chair from the dressing table and put them underneath. They were out of the way there. We couldn't really fit them in the wardrobe with our clothes and shoes etc. We did find though that there was more than enough storage room in the bathroom for toiletries which was good, definitely more than any hotel we've ever stayed in.:):) It's a bit like being in a caravan in a way with plenty of little storage spaces around the cabin.:):)

 

I think Rebel Rouser has been to some of the ports you are interested in, he's the IE expert so he should be able to help. You could also pop over to the Thomson forum and have a look over there. It's a bit quiet on here at the moment, everyone must be on holiday, lucky them.:D

 

Jan

[tudsabz]

Thanks again Ekco

Had a look on the Thomsons site. Managed to get some info but of course they are keen to sell you their excursions. Seem a little expensive, so was keen to try it "alone". Still, got plenty of time to do some research - 274 day's to be exact.:D

Tudsabz

[ekco]

Hi Tubsabz

 

You're going to have to get a new name, lol!!;) That one is so hard to remember.

 

We went on two trips in Turkey this summer, one to Gallipoli at 6.5 hours and the other to Ephesus, full day. We don't usually do trips preferring to DIY and only picked these because we thought they would be difficult to do ourselves. Honestly, the Gallipoli trips was ruined by the tour guide, Turkish, who didn't shut up for the whole trip. Rushed at the war cemeteries to the point of being disrespectful, only given 10 minutes at each, and no break for lunch. Ephesus, pretty much the same as the tour guide was too controlling and gave us no time to ourselves at the site. These trips cost us a lot and we probably got our money's worth but in the wrong way for us. So do plenty of research and try again over the months as people will come on board who have done the cruise and will be more helpful.:):)

 

Jan

[tudsabz]

Hello again Jan

We have just come back from our very first cruise, on the Ocean Countess. We did quite a few trips and although they were very good, they were quite expensive and a lot of other people on board did their own thing and seemed to enjoy it just as much. The only thing that worries me is the language barrier. Suppose i will need to brush up on my Italian!

 

Carol

[ekco]

Hello again Jan

We have just come back from our very first cruise, on the Ocean Countess. We did quite a few trips and although they were very good, they were quite expensive and a lot of other people on board did their own thing and seemed to enjoy it just as much. The only thing that worries me is the language barrier. Suppose i will need to brush up on my Italian!

 

Carol

 

Hi Carol

 

That's true, lol, we spent a week in Sicily and how I wished I'd learnt a few more phrases of Italian as no one spoke English there. Trying to do sign language in a shop when we were trying to buy mosquito bite relief was very difficult but she did guess what I meant.:eek:

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

Hi Carol

 

That's true, lol, we spent a week in Sicily and how I wished I'd learnt a few more phrases of Italian as no one spoke English there. Trying to do sign language in a shop when we were trying to buy mosquito bite relief was very difficult but she did guess what I meant.:eek:

 

Jan

 

 

You did'nt get stung by the price then :D

[ekco]

You did'nt get stung by the price then :D

 

 

Ha, ha, whose got his witty head on today.:D:D

 

Come on RR, what about some advice about the ports, I know you've been to some of them.:p

 

Looking at Berwyn's photos yesterday was really weird.:confused:

 

Jan

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi Jan

 

Still, no news of Berwyn, then:( Hope he is OK and enjoying his holiday in Mexico. Do you think there could be a problem with his son? But surely he would have come on here and told us.

Another thing that crossed my mind, after reading about malicious trolls, was if someone had threatened him:confused::confused: or am I going off into the relams of fantasy?

Honestly, I should be writing crime thrillers for a living:D

[ekco]

lol Linda!! Calm down, have you stopped taking your medication again :D:D.

From what Berwyn said about his son was that his Crohns was under control. (I think it was Crohns). It's a complete mystery, not even logging on to the site or opening receipted emails. He's a nurse so he wouldn't be intimidated by idiots online.:confused::confused:

 

Jan