Live from the Orchestra

[AmoMondo]

Sure looks like you've been having a great time and thanks for wetting our taste buds:p We board in 15 days. Have you walked by cabin 11127? Hope we picked a good location and whoever is in there better be taking good care of it;) Have you had any trouble communicating on the ship as well as the ports? We bought a translation booklet but DH brought up a good point.....even if we can figure out what to ask for how will we know what the reply is? LOL! Sooooooo looking forward to our cruise!

 

It's 2 cabins along from mine so I pass it every day

 

I speak French, Spanish and some Italian so Ive had no issues. The crew understand English. Dictionaries are ok for translating menus onshore but not for tAlking. Just learn a few greetings

[Skipper Tim]

Oh they will be onboard and up to their usual slapstick humour. Thought I was the only old fart who found it all too juvenile.

 

Animation teams are the blight of many otherwise fine cruise ships and hotels the World over. The more intrusive types are best dealt suggestively but firmly with a large fly-swat. One more thing to carry, I know.

[solorizor]

I'm trying to get onto cc from my iPhone or iPad through their app and the forum is blocking me I have to go on the Internet and find cc the long way to read these reviews and questions has that happened to anyone else?

[papcx]

I'm trying to get onto cc from my iPhone or iPad through their app and the forum is blocking me I have to go on the Internet and find cc the long way to read these reviews and questions has that happened to anyone else?

 

Yeah. Me too. iPhone and iPad. I've even deleted the iPad app and reinstalled but no change. I'm sure it'll all come out in the wash.

[solorizor]

Get the tapatalk ap and got through with cruise critic UK! Now I can read everything as normal

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[FSUJim]

Thanks so much for the great update(s).

 

I do have a rather specific question....Are you able to completely turn the AC off in your cabin (I know on some ships all you can do is adjust the thermostat, but something is always running or could run if tripped by the thermostat)? I am hoping that you can turn (or have it turned) off completely.

 

Jim

[AmoMondo]

Thanks so much for the great update(s).

 

I do have a rather specific question....Are you able to completely turn the AC off in your cabin (I know on some ships all you can do is adjust the thermostat, but something is always running or could run if tripped by the thermostat)? I am hoping that you can turn (or have it turned) off completely.

 

Jim

 

No Jim you can't. You can adjust the temperature a fair range either hotter or colder but not turn it off. Like you I wish you could turn it off.

[AmoMondo]

Final update on disembarkation day.

 

Well another change is they have stopped issuing an advance copy of your bill on the second last day, you justbget sight of it during the wee hours of your final night. With hindsight, I should have asked the accounts desk for a copy earlier to ensure they'd correctly fixed the earlier issue with the Allegrissimo. Needless to say, they hadn't . I had not had a refund for the drinks purchased on the first 2 days whilst they were awaiting confirmation that I had pre booked it but neither had they charged me for the package.

 

Another new thing I noticed is that the luggage tags they give you have a detachable serial number which they tell you to stick on the back of your cruise card and they said security would be checking this. (presumably to prevent passengers assigned to a later group, getting off with the first groups). I was assigned red which had a meeting time off 8.30.

 

You are asked to vacate your cabin my 7.00. I didn't leave until 7.45 and no one was bothered. It's not like they can be cleaning every single cabin at that time. The stewards were working on the section towards the back of the shop on my deck.

 

You can't have breakfast in your cabin on the last day but can go to the buffet or MDR. I opted for the MDR as the thought of the buffet with hand luggage didn't bear thinking about. Had a nice leisurely breakfast and then headed to the Accounting Desk to get my bill sorted out. Fortunately there were only 2 people waiting in front of me and not the enormous queue that I'd been expecting. Took 3 attempts to get the bill sorted out. (Think they couldn't get their heads around that I wanted them to increase my bill!). Anyway it's was finally resolved and it appears that drinks in the a la carte restaurant are also now included (but I think that may have been another error in voiding that charge because I'm fairly sure the better wine and dessert wines are not Allegrissimo options).

 

It was just after 8.30 by the time I went to my meeting point (the theatre). Note they do not make announcements throughout the ship just in the location you are meant to be in. My flight was not until 13.40 so I was not in a hurry to get off. I eventually left at just after 9.00 with the second last group. It took around 15 minutes to get off and make my way to my case and through customs. There were no queues for taxis, so I got one right away (typical when you are not in a hurry!). Needless to say when I arrived 15 minutes later at Genoa Airport, there were folk everywhere sitting around with luggage waiting for checking to open. It's a really small airport with only 8 departure gates. It doesn't take very long to get through security and then only a few minutes to your gate. Duty Free has quite a nice selection of local food and drink. Couldn't go for any of the booze or oils as I had a connecting flight but did get some amaretti biscuits and risotto rice with porcini.

 

Flight departed onetime as did my connection. No issues with my luggage but was really happy (not) to be greeted by typical Edinburgh weather - cold and chucking it down! I didn't have a coat and no spare hands for my umbrella, so I made the quick dash outside the arrivals area to the taxi rank only to discover it had been relocated as they are about to extend the terminal building. 10 minutes later me and a few soggy businessmen eventually managed to find the location of the new rank. Now have a stinking cold! Never mind only 20 more sleeps until my next cruise!

 

If I work out how to upload photos, Ill post the few I took of the ship and some I took ashore.

[CruiseDirections]

Thank you so much for the great information Mairi, we board on Saturday so it has been very timely! Hope you feel better soon.

[pamesacruisin]

No Jim you can't. You can adjust the temperature a fair range either hotter or colder but not turn it off. Like you I wish you could turn it off.

 

I think I might like this as long as it's a constant "fan like" sound and doesn't cycle on and off. I travel with a sound machine. I prefer a white noise when sleeping and it helps block noises outside the cabin.

[AmoMondo]

I think I might like this as long as it's a constant "fan like" sound and doesn't cycle on and off. I travel with a sound machine. I prefer a white noise when sleeping and it helps block noises outside the cabin.

 

It is constant but not very loud. I usually leave my balcony door open and the sound of the waves invariably drowns the AC noise out.