On the Encore in the Med - through Oct 20

[highplanesdrifters]

@shark b8

Just catching up. Sounds like you're off to a rough start.🤣

[caviargal]

On 9/30/2024 at 6:27 AM, shark b8 said:

I noticed on the Pursuit last time, that Keller chocolates were still being offered as a nighttime treat, left by room attendants - well after the Keller restaurants had changed over.  Now, there are new, non-Keller chocolates.  They’re………small.

 

I love this brand and stock up when I am in France.

[caviargal]

We board on the 6th.  Thanks for the advance preview!

[shark b8]

2 hours ago, English Tim said:

book an economy seat in the exit row, which gives plenty of legroom but then there are three people in the row………..so best to stick in business and hope you can get the front seat

 

Well, ok, but……if the entire plane is identical crowded 3-3 configuration, less legroom than most airlines’ economy sections, and BA chooses to not seat people in the middle seat in the front rows and then proudly and astonishingly announce that as their “Business Class”, well….I’m afraid I’ll move on and try some other carrier.  Have a great cruise though, English Tim!

[English Tim]

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

 

Well, ok, but……if the entire plane is identical crowded 3-3 configuration, less legroom than most airlines’ economy sections, and BA chooses to not seat people in the middle seat in the front rows and then proudly and astonishingly announce that as their “Business Class”, well….I’m afraid I’ll move on and try some other carrier.  Have a great cruise though, English Tim!

We have used Aegean, which was ok, but usually aircraft from Lhr don’t offer much space.

[DTtravelers]

7 hours ago, shark b8 said:

 

Well, ok, but……if the entire plane is identical crowded 3-3 configuration, less legroom than most airlines’ economy sections, and BA chooses to not seat people in the middle seat in the front rows and then proudly and astonishingly announce that as their “Business Class”, well….I’m afraid I’ll move on and try some other carrier.  Have a great cruise though, English Tim!

Hi sharkb8!  First, thanks for once again entertaining us with your wit, wisdom and way with words.

 

FWIW: We did this trip last year on Encore and flew from Seattle to Athens via Istanbul.  Business class on Turkish Airlines.  787 Dreamliner to Istanbul, lounge that you could get lost in, and the best surprise: from Istanbul to Athens we had comfortable 2 x 2 seating with 10 extra inches of legroom, and a hot meal served with a choice of regional wine, all on a 50 minute flight!!   No phony "business class" like the rest of the European airlines.  Excellent service all around.  Guess who we will choose to fly with next time?

 

Add KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to the list with phony business class.  This is amazing to me as the average height of a Dutch man is about 6'4" to 6'5"...   How do they put up with it?  30" seat pitch for tall people is nothing short of torture.  It causes me nightmares.

 

[shark b8]

34 minutes ago, DTtravelers said:

30" seat pitch for tall people is nothing short of torture.

 

Amen.  Preach, brother.  I have been known to have the occasional back problem, and if I have to sit like this, below, for hours at a time….well, my vertebrae then need to be reassembled. Preferably in the correct order.  And a hydrocodone (or two) couldn’t hurt.

 

 

[shark b8]

…and yes, we flew Turkish Airlines home from Istanbul years ago, and it was extraordinary.  Very comfy.  And a tocque-wearing chef brought cart after cart of food courses - we filled up on the first two, assuming that was it, but he came around at least 4-5 more times.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, shark b8 said:

 

Well, ok, but……if the entire plane is identical crowded 3-3 configuration, less legroom than most airlines’ economy sections, and BA chooses to not seat people in the middle seat in the front rows and then proudly and astonishingly announce that as their “Business Class”, well….I’m afraid I’ll move on and try some other carrier.  Have a great cruise though, English Tim!

 

Haven't found much in the way of "real" biz class in Europe.  Always the 3x3 with middle seat empty.  Some even fill the middle seat and your only advantage is being in the front and boarding early.  

Maybe someone in Europe can help!!!

 

@DTtravelers just saw your post...thanks!

Edited October 3 by highplanesdrifters

[Isklaar]

5 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

 

Maybe someone in Europe can help!!!

 

 

 

I'm not aware of any. 

Until recently Finnair was the outlier amongst the carriers. They still had decent European business class, although probably not useful unless wanting to fly to Helsinki!  But they went the same as all of the other legacy European airlines with economy legroom, middle seat removed setup. (For anyone reading who may happen to need to travel from LHR-HEL or back on that route in business, look out for flights on the A350 as it's full longhaul business class seating, flat beds etc.)  

 

Turkish Airlines the exception, I'm not aware of other European carriers with full Euro business class. They all dropped it during the last decade. It's been a couple of years since I did any flying though, perhaps others can advise more positively about current situation. 

 

 

Edited October 3 by Isklaar

[Isklaar]

Too late to edit, apparently Iberia also has a similar setup in business class with their A350 fleet on the Madrid-LHR route. I don't know about Barcelona which would be more relevant for us at CC. I do not have personal experience about this route, I just asked a client of mine who is still flying regularly for business.

Edited October 3 by Isklaar

[Isklaar]

Too late to edit once again, @shark b8 I apologise for so many posts on your thread!
 

I was unable to find any Iberia flights on the MAD-LHR route using the A350, perhaps its seasonal. Back to square one! 

[shark b8]

Thanks for all the experience-reporting re flights/seating, this forum continues to be a great source of info!  We’ll face the same flight(s) in the other direction, of course, going home.  But getting the first (uncomfortable) flight over with before the long (sleepless) flight will probably be easier.  And at least it won’t be an unpleasant, unexpected surprise this time.

 

A few more pix from Perge, outside of port of Antalya yesterday.   (Yep, “Greco-Roman ruins”).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

The doorbell to our suite didn't work.  Guest Services sent a guy.  Fixed it.  Now it doesn't work again.  

 

 

[shark b8]

The Museum at Antalya was not exactly huge, but absolutely filled with artifacts, statuary and sarcophagi.  Really quite excellent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

OK,  Antalya was yesterday.  Today was Marmaris.  And a bus ride to Dalyan, the famous cliff tombs, and the ancient city of Kaunos.  Know what they have in Kaunos?  Greco-Roman ruins.  🤷‍♂️

 

Anyway, in Dalyan, lots of flat-bottom boats parading by the cliff tombs.  Quite remarkable.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3 by shark b8

[shark b8]

What it looks like from onboard:

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Kaunos, including the ever-present (Greco-Roman ruin) theater.  

 

 

 

[markandjie]

On 9/30/2024 at 2:45 PM, shark b8 said:

He’s a lot of fun of course, but I’m sure previous cruisers will agree that he really needs to come out of his shell, try not to be so introverted.

 

My one comment on Ross is that he needs to vary his DJ list! On a two week cruise by the 3rd "disco night" you know what songs are coming in what order.

[shark b8]

Couldn’t help but notice, on both Turkey stops - all the residential structures, including even the most modest ones, have solar panels on the roofs, with cylindrical drums for hot water storage.

 

 

 

[markandjie]

21 minutes ago, shark b8 said:

The Museum at Antalya was not exactly huge, but absolutely filled with artifacts, statuary and sarcophagi.

 

Always fascinating to me to visit museums and see very similar looking and styled pottery from similar time periods yet spread throughout the world. Santorini has a great museum with similar artifacts, then you travel to Santiago Chile (to board the Quest!) and find very similar stuff in the museums there. Ancient history and human development is fascinating!

[shark b8]

Our fridge in the suite.  I’m actually not sure quite how this happened, but I’m sure as hell not gonna start asking questions.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Relaxing in the suite after Thai night in the Colonnade.  Love red curry.  According to Apple Watch, we walked a little over 3 ½ miles today.  Pretty sure it was uphill, in both directions.   

 

[English Tim]

On 10/3/2024 at 4:48 AM, DTtravelers said:

Hi sharkb8!  First, thanks for once again entertaining us with your wit, wisdom and way with words.

 

FWIW: We did this trip last year on Encore and flew from Seattle to Athens via Istanbul.  Business class on Turkish Airlines.  787 Dreamliner to Istanbul, lounge that you could get lost in, and the best surprise: from Istanbul to Athens we had comfortable 2 x 2 seating with 10 extra inches of legroom, and a hot meal served with a choice of regional wine, all on a 50 minute flight!!   No phony "business class" like the rest of the European airlines.  Excellent service all around.  Guess who we will choose to fly with next time?

 

Add KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to the list with phony business class.  This is amazing to me as the average height of a Dutch man is about 6'4" to 6'5"...   How do they put up with it?  30" seat pitch for tall people is nothing short of torture.  It causes me nightmares.

 

Clearly a great choice from across the pond, but from the UK, it doesn’t make sense unless travelling from a regional airport. Turkish airlines have a very good reputation.
Last time we flew to Athens we were British Airways gold and were able to book the front two seats, which gave us excellent legroom, but unfortunately we have now sunk two levels and these seats are no longer available.

[English Tim]

On 10/3/2024 at 7:39 PM, shark b8 said:

Relaxing in the suite after Thai night in the Colonnade.  Love red curry.  According to Apple Watch, we walked a little over 3 ½ miles today.  Pretty sure it was uphill, in both directions.   

 

Was that on the deck? 😉