First time on Island Escape

[suvicki]

This will be our first cruise on Island Escape having previously been on RCI.

I am not expecting the luxury of IOS but what can I expect?

This is a last minute holiday for me and my daughter, her treat to me!:D

We are in an outside cabin on deck 3 or 4 but no idea where.

From what i have seen there are no kettles in the room, is this right?

Can you get free tea and coffee?

We were offered the drinks package but at £160 each seemed very dear but if we did go for it what would it include?

What are the drink prices like?

Once we are on the ship at Palma can we get back off? We dont sail till 11pm?

Our ports are;

Olbia,Sardinia

Naples

Rome

Propriano, Corsica

Mahon, Menorca

 

Any info on the ports and which are the best shore trips to go on. We hope to save money by doing our own thing but are there any of the trips that are a must. We are going to do the Rome on your Own trip but ideas for the other ports would be great.

 

This cruise is for us both to have a fun and relaxing week so really hoping that is what we get.

 

PS. I have read complaints about the cabins being in disrepair are these true? I just want some thing clean and comforable not expecting 5*

 

Thanks for any help

x

[Rebel Rouser]

Suvicki..sorry for the delay..man flu :o

 

 

Anyways...

 

From what i have seen there are no kettles in the room, is this right?

 

Correct fire hazzard

Can you get free tea and coffee?

Yes In abundance from the Beachcomber Restaurant.

 

We were offered the drinks package but at £160 each seemed very dear but if we did go for it what would it include?

What are the drink prices like?

 

Pint is £3.50ish wind by the glass £3.00 ish.. £160 is cheap ;)

 

10 drinks per day = £245 each per week...only if you like a drink Mind :D

 

 

Once we are on the ship at Palma can we get back off? We dont sail till 11pm?

 

 

No problem at all...10 mins walk is a big superstore that is hidden in the back streets easy walking.

 

 

 

Will look at my past excursions..and find out for you..re trips.

 

The Island Escape is tired but clean :) but just had a bit of a make over with new carpets and "shower Curtains" woooooo :D

 

Great Entertainment crew and 1st class waiters and staff.

[suvicki]

thanks for the info x:D

[ekco]

You can certainly get off in Palma. I did notice a short cut alongside the quay and past security but whether you can get through I don't know. Otherwise you will have to go along the covered walkway which is a bit of a trek. Outside and straight ahead is the 41 bus stop which goes into town and over to the airport. If you need any provisions turn left at the main road and walk alongside the sea, then uphill and along and you will come to a shopping mall with plenty of shops and a well known supermarket, the name of which escapes me.:):)

 

Decks 3 and 4 are right at the bottom and have portholes instead of windows. Try and get a cabin midships if you don't want to upgrade to a higher deck as the ship does roll a bit more than most and it is noisy at the front end. Bear in mind though that the gangway goes from deck 4 mainly and it can be noisy and also the crew quarters tend to be on the other side of the ship here and there is a lot of coming and going. If funds allow I personally would go for a higher deck as it is always difficult to get the lift and that means a lot of climbing of stairs to get up to the bars and pool areas.

 

As for the cabins think old caravan. The first time we had a cabin on deck 9 with restricted view but it had wardrobe doors and a fridge. Last year we were on deck 8 and the cabin was a fair bit smaller with curtains across the wardrobe and quite a step over into the bathroom.

 

The food in the Beachcomber was definitely better than the Lido on the Dream we have just been on with much more choice and plenty of fruit. The MDR was better on the Dream by far. The main thing we found was that the ship was crammed out of Palma in July and on the sea day and at night you really have to get where you want to be early to get a sunbed or a seat at night. Drinks are very reasonably priced though and we had more than enough and spent nowhere like the cost of the AI.

 

Off the ship was what we liked best and had a great time visiting Corsica, Rome, Florence, Villefranche, Palamos and back to Palma, with a mixture of 3 DIY and 2 Thomson trips.:):)

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

Supermarket Porto Pi ;)

[jenny wren]

Think it's Carrefore supermarket Jan! like your description of 'old caravan' that's good! we had a cabin on deck 7 last year with curtains across hanging space...plenty of storage we felt and cabin was clean and comfortable but nothing posh...certainly wouldn't put us off going again :)

[ekco]

Think it's Carrefore supermarket Jan! like your description of 'old caravan' that's good! we had a cabin on deck 7 last year with curtains across hanging space...plenty of storage we felt and cabin was clean and comfortable but nothing posh...certainly wouldn't put us off going again :)

 

That's the one Jenny, Carrefore.:):) Thanks, I've been racking my brains. Say nothing RR.;)

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

Carrefore is only part of the shopping complex of shops :p

 

[ekco]

We know that but thanks for the extra large photo that takes up all the space on the cc server, lol. It looks like a WW2 bunker doesn't it? It's actually quite nice inside with the air con.:D:D

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

You are so sarky :)

[jenny wren]

We know that but thanks for the extra large photo that takes up all the space on the cc server, lol. It looks like a WW2 bunker doesn't it? It's actually quite nice inside with the air con.:D:D

 

Jan

 

First time we went we didn't find the downstairs for a while... we thought the upstairs bit was all there was! :) small cafe across the road I remember had nice cakes !

[Rebel Rouser]

Hi Jenny..that was my point of the Picture, was just trying to show that not just a supermarket..picture tells a lot ;) some really nice shops on top of the Mall and below...:D

[ekco]

You are so sarky :)

 

Moi? Never.:eek::p

 

Jan

[lfcboro]

hi, can you take food or drink on board? many thanks!

[ekco]

hi, can you take food or drink on board? many thanks!

 

We've never had a problem, although there's so much food on board you probably won't have to unless you like crisps or peanuts. We've taken wine and spirits on plenty of times from the ports and they don't bother at security, just remember to take a corkscrew/bottle opener with you. Stock up on bottles of water as well.:):)

 

Jan

[Pinkx]

has anyone done the Easy Pisa Excursion? It says limited spaces but I cannot book online?

 

Do you know when I'll be able to book or whether I can do it over the phone?

 

Also our letter we got with our tickets said they couldn't email me "have you changed your email address" ? which I haven't is this what everyone's had or should I phone them up and check whats going on? Hopefully they want to email me to tell me they are upgrading me? Already upgraded to outside deck 6 in the middle - pre booked cabin.

[Rebel Rouser]

has anyone done the Easy Pisa Excursion? It says limited spaces but I cannot book online?

 

Do you know when I'll be able to book or whether I can do it over the phone?

 

Also our letter we got with our tickets said they couldn't email me "have you changed your email address" ? which I haven't is this what everyone's had or should I phone them up and check whats going on? Hopefully they want to email me to tell me they are upgrading me? Already upgraded to outside deck 6 in the middle - pre booked cabin.

 

 

I think Ekco has done the easy pisa excursion, probably the best person to advise you on this...for some reason I never fancied doing the pisa tour and just port/town tours round the bars :D

 

Send them an email then they will have your mail addy ;)

 

 

 

RR

[Pinkx]

I think Ekco has done the easy pisa excursion, probably the best person to advise you on this...for some reason I never fancied doing the pisa tour and just port/town tours round the bars :D

 

Send them an email then they will have your mail addy ;)

 

 

 

RR

 

Thanks for the advice will do when im back at the pc rather than on my phone :-)

[ekco]

I think Ekco has done the easy pisa excursion, probably the best person to advise you on this...for some reason I never fancied doing the pisa tour and just port/town tours round the bars :D

 

Send them an email then they will have your mail addy ;)

 

 

 

RR

 

Sorry, not me. I did Florence On Your Own.:)

[suvicki]

I did do a tour of Pisa on a RCI cruise and loved it.

Pisa would be easy to do with just a transfer as it is quite a small place anyway.

You can buy tickets for the tower, museum and bastist (sp) just opposite the tower.

There are plenty of market stalls there too.

Very pretty place.