Hotel Package prices

[Mura]

I've mentioned this before, although not on this thread.

 

When we left Marina last June several of us had booked St. Ermine's Hotel in London (Westminster area) for 2-3 days. This is a Marriott, although it's more managed by Marriott than truly being a Marriott. Marriott doesn't appear in the name.

 

One morning we were returning from breakfast off premises and ran into a couple from the ship. They were very distressed when they learned that St. Ermine's was a Marriott because they were (as I recall) platinum members. But they had purchased Oceania's package which cost at least twice as much as we were paying, plus we were using points ... as THEY could have.

 

But there wasn't anything they could do. We wondered why the desk hadn't mentioned to him that he was a member, but we decided it was because the package was purchased through Oceania so there wasn't much they could have done either.

 

Lesson: if you have points with a chain and are considering a cruiseline hotel package, make sure you are not already a "frequent traveler". It isn't always obvious, although I will agree that usually it is.

 

Mura

[silkman]

I always find a good first task for finding private tours is too look at the past cruises. We did the Viking Odyessy which is almost the same as yours. Check out the Roll call for it Arlene and Laraine did a great job with the tours!!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1786091

 

 

 

Raddison Blu 1919 is the hotel we booked. Right in the action of the Reykjavik night life (a little noisy but should be fun)

 

Agree with your Icelandic Air comment too. We fly back home in their Saga Business Class. Was good price especially on a one way segment.

 

Thanks for your suggestion. Actually i always do that ...previous roll calls are always a good source for private guides. Your roll call seemed to have a lot of Oceania and CC "regulars", although I have not seen any posts from Larraine lately. Our cruise only has 3 ports that yours had...Faroe Islands,Akureyri and Reykjavik.Were all your guides in these 3 ports excellent?

We visited many of the ports that were on the "Viking Odyssey" on Oceania's British Isles cruise . and had great private guides.

 

Thanks again,

 

Richard

[Mura]

Our cruise only has 3 ports that yours had...Faroe Islands,Akureyri and Reykjavik.Were all your guides in these 3 ports excellent?

We visited many of the ports that were on the "Viking Odyssey" on Oceania's British Isles cruise . and had great private guides. Thanks again, Richard

 

I am interrupting here, and maybe this is of no help but then again maybe it will be. We were a group of 8 who did a Dover-Dover tour in June 2006 which included the Faroes and Reykjavik. In both ports we just rented cars and took ourselves around, and had a great time. I have a Danish friend who gave us some suggestions about what to see in the Faroes, but Reykjavik was by the "book".

 

If you have a small group that can work well. For the Faroes we rented a van that held 8 people comfortably. In Reykjavik we rented two smaller cars with four passengers in each.

 

This is a good option. (On our cruise we had a full day in the Faroes, a day and a half in Reykjavik.)

 

We didn't feel the lack of a guide.

 

Mura