Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Four

[MBP&O2/O]

Out of interest .... Fort Lauderdale at 06:00 local .... queueing up to get in!

 

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon All,

 

Bill thanks for the first chapter ...... very interesting! Did you speak Chinese when you arrived in China?

 

Mike,

 

Sympathies with your flight frustrations. I wasn't going to continue the debate on the other thread as it seemed pointless. For what it's worth you can ignore any claim that you would have had greater pretection in the UK compared to the US (although I'm unclear what the US has to do with your issue) as there is no explicit protection for travelers in the UK if airlines make changes to departure times unless the flight number is changed and airlines are careful not to do that as that becomes a cancellation with cancellation rights ie refunds and compensation being triggered.

 

In any event our wider new consumer laws have particular exemptions for flights and hotels and travel related services with respect to consumers' rights to cancel. It even explicitly says under the new 14 day cancellation right that flights and hotels are excluded - so even basic rights are given immunity for travel. If however, such protection had been available it would have obviously been available to you, as presumably you made your bookings from your home or home PC and the contract is therefore subject to UK and EU legislation as anyone trading in the UK is subject to our legislation.

 

It is a gaping hole in the current CAA rules that although they say that airlines should respond when making significant changes to flight departures it doesn't say what it means by significant and makes no imposition. It is in the CAA's view for the airlines to decide what is a "significant change" and not the customer. You could try the small claims route but imho that isn't worth the hassle and you'd be wasting time and cash. It will I believe change in time as more customers get shafted and complain to the CAA. Until then ...

 

This won't make you feel any better, other than to reassure you that no one really get's any better protection anywhere as far as I know. :)

 

Just buy a bottle of rum and slumber. Enjoy your trip.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! More snow today. Big Surprise! NOT! At least it is balmy 29 F.

 

MBP&O....looks like a crowd in Fort Lauderdale this morning. :)

 

 

Have a great day all!

[mysty]

Today's funny....

 

[MBP&O2/O]

Re the flights ... it is just so frustrating that airlines van do this and know they can do so without penalty ... ah well ... so be it. My rearranged flights are on a Pilatus PC-12 eight seater! Scary !!

 

 

The webcam at Fort Lauderdale was excellent this morning .... it tracked the Silver Wind as she came in and zoomed right in so you could see people in La Terrazza.

 

 

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Lovely Funny M ......

 

Bill, small planes can be fun ...... although I prefer hairdryers than fans ...

 

Today's lunch is being prepped!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[mysty]

OOOOOOH! That will be an awesome meal J! Enjoy!

[jpalbny]

Jeff, love those Languedoc reds. So flavorful, sometimes rustic, powerful. And a good value for the money. Enjoy!

 

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[spinnaker2]

Out of interest .... Fort Lauderdale at 06:00 local .... queueing up to get in!

 

 

 

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And it's a gorgeous day here!

Yesterday it was chilly and grey, today the sun shines upon us, the temperature is 73, nice breeze. Perfect for a cruise or a sail!

 

 

 

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[spinnaker2]

Today I am doing Super Bowl food. BBQ ribs in instant pot, loaded nachos y montones de cerveza.

 

Have to make an airport run to Lauderdale as DH was in Houston. Anyone need a ride anywhere?

 

Carpe diem and Go Eagles, swoop in and pluck up those patriots.

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

..... thanks M and JP. The wine was virtually a free gift from our food company for long service .... a £10 voucher towards an £18 wine ...happy days. :)

 

 

 

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Mike,

 

i've had one further thought with respect to your travel issue. It is a long shot but might be worth a punt as it costs you nothing to try. Assuming you are still within time then raise it as a disputed charge with your credit card company. They are as you already probably know in the UK equally and jointly responsible for providing the service with the airline.

 

If you do, I suggest you stick to the simple facts and give them a good reason why the time change is a significant change TO YOU. If for example their changed time means you will miss an important family event ;) As evidence show that you have made an alternative booking. If you can, then, without appearing to be a "clever dick" try and get your CC company to agree with you that the time change is a signifcant change that should fairly entitle you to a better alternative or failing that a full refund.

 

They will suspend the charge whilst the dispute is live and this will mean that the airline has to put effort into a response to the CC company. The airline may not contest your dispute, or even decide to let it go .... but it is worth a few minutes, With Amex you can dispute charges on line. Don't go on about irrelevancies like being a peniless pensioner .... :)

 

Hope the idea is helpful.

[spinnaker2]

Jeff

Your food looks so savory!

Yum

 

 

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[mysty]

J...that dish is perfection! And the sprouts!!!! Yummy!

 

Spins...your Super Bowl food sounds delish! Enjoy the game!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks both.

 

:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

The CAA has announced an enquiry and is seeking feedback and comments into the way that airlines allocate seats to groups if anyone in the UK or who uses UK airlines is interested.

 

Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA, said: "Airline seating practices are clearly causing some confusion for consumers. Airlines are within their rights to charge for allocated seats, but if they do so it must be done in a fair, transparent way.

 

"Our research shows that some consumers are paying to sit together when, in fact, they might not need to."

 

The CAA asked more than 4,000 passengers who had chosen not to pay to sit together for their experiences. Of the total, 18 per cent reported that they were sat apart from the rest of their group. But there were strong differences between individual airlines, with Ryanair rated at 35 per cent - almost twice the average.

Airline seating allocations - Civil Aviation Authority - Citizen Space

consultations.caa.co.uk

Read the full story

[Mudhen]

Oh so very YUM!

I guess I'm missing something here.....that glass with the wonderful red......I could send you a couple lovely balloons if you need them! Of course I don't really care. It's what's in the glass that's important! Have had good champers in a paper cup when we've been out in the field with the dogs, but that was such a sumptuous looking meal.......ah, me!

Snowing like mad here at the moment. Loved Mysty's funny....my sentiments, exactly! GO EAGLES!

[Camillus112]

I don't follow football (futbol a bit,,,gooool!!) but I'll be supporting our Coolers' choice...GO EAGLES!!!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Linda,

 

I have done a lot of personal research over many years and to me they are apart from my mugs the larger tumbler is the perfect glass for all wine. :)

 

Firstly I genuinely believe that a larger glass of any wine always tastes better than a smaller glass. And that isn't just because cold white stays colder in larger glasses than in small. Or that red stays at the temperature. I think they actually wine tastes better.

 

I also think that larger glasses changes the conviviality of a meal. Prissy little cut glasses might well be elegant and impress some, but you feel a real pig if you down a few centilitres in a glug and wait for it to be refilled. I find that stressful and detrimental to the meal. A larger glass is a statement by the host of their generosity and the greater amount of wine in the glass helps the meal flow.

 

I also think a larger glass of wine is more attractive than a small glass.

 

And I've never really bothered with either wine or food presentation. It is what is on the plat or in the glass that is important.

 

 

 

 

....... and even though we love our boxes there are one or two bottles left to be drunk so the large glasses help ......

 

 

 

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[Mudhen]

I don't like "prissy little glassses" either, but a nice sized balloon works for me! However as you mentioned.....it's not the glass (or the plate) it's what's in it (or on it!)

If you are ever in need of assistance with that treasure trove of bottles, my cooler seat is just to the right of yours and down a few stools! (giggle)

[MLeh]

I’ll help

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Oh dear, it may be insecurity but when I find a wine I like at a good price I tend to buy a lot of it. Mostly reds as I like young unoaked whites and roses. And then there's what's in the wine fridge and utility fridge ... and the garage. We won't go thirsty for a while.

 

I also feel the type of tableware and glassss often contributes so much to the tone of a meal and I am very much against stiffness and formality and love informality. I think simplicity and unfussiness tells people to relax and enjoy. It says we may be here for some time, so undo that tie and loosen those stays. Lunch to me and those unfortunate enough to be with me has always taken a chunk of the day.

 

I think it started because many of the most remembered meals in France have been with family or friends and in the country people often either have vines and unlabelled bottles or go to the local garage or vinyard and fill up a big container with wine once a week and the bread is rustic and the wine served in the glasses they use for wine, squash, beer and sometimes even tea, and sometimes I think to wash their mouths out after brushing their teeth.

 

Balloon glasses and even worst the typical flutes allow cold wine for example to warm up very quickly and we like our white nearly frozen. I know I'm a heathen but I do not care. :)

[jillyf]

We usually order our wine regularly and have plenty on hand but because we move in a week we put it on hold - AND I RAN OUT of Chardonnay!

Had to buy a bottle at the local store to take to the new Indian restaurant in town!

I did a Reidel glass tasting a few years ago and was very surprised how much nicer the wine tasted in the different shaped glasses ( all big buckets though).

I thought it was advertising hype but it wasn’t.

 

I’m feeling a bit guilty that I’ve organised lunch out with friends while the super bowl is on here. Starts at 10.30am so he will get to see a little.

I’ve assured him that he can record it and watch this afternoon. If he can resist looking up the result he can pretend it’s live!

Unfortunately we get boring Australian ads, not the ones made especially for the bowl.

[Lois R]

Hi folks, before I start researching hotels for my summer cruise..........can any of you give me hotel recommendations for VENICE? It will be my first time visiting there:D.......2 nights pre-cruise.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi folks, before I start researching hotels for my summer cruise..........can any of you give me hotel recommendations for VENICE? It will be my first time visiting there:D.......2 nights pre-cruise.

 

Lois, I could recommend a few and many others will. But most of us have only ever been to one or two or a few. I've been many times but not in the last year. So feedback will be a lottery and survey of a single person making a single visit more often than not a long time ago.

 

Your best bet is to look at another site that I will not mention and look at hotels withon your range and read all the comments ignoring all extreme ones with a low post count. Then perhaps ask questions once you've done that?