Aslemma

You have a much more laid back approach than me The day before may be a bit late to arrange another flight to link in with ship's departure time and travel to port etc, bearing in mind how long it's taken me!

I have had to reschedule flight (and just a delay of 10 mins whilst I thought about it resulted in one offer being removed and the other price doubled!), book hotel with regards to the fact that maybe I will have to travel back to original destination for transfer already arranged and find out costs and how to transfer independently if I am able. I have yet to alter my car parking booking, contact insurance re change of date, contact MSC to see if they will alter my transfer and contact Alitalia again for flight number.

I think, from what Alitalia told me, that the strikes are advertised at least 72 hours in advance and there don't seem to be any last minute 'wildcat' ones at the moment so perhaps three days in advance may be a better bet rather than one!
Alli

MSC's London Office staff will perhaps be the best people to talk to. There must have been times past when flights have been delayed for one reason or another. Those who have paid full price as well as those who are D.E's but don't have access to a computer and are travelling by air will "miss the boat" too if there are strikes taking place.

I'm sure l read on cruise Critics a review which stated that the Opera can be boarded at Bari, if people miss it in Venice. There may be similar contingency plans for the others too. Not ldeal by any means, but hey, half a loaf and all that.

Joan Xx

Auntie Joan,

Fair comment............I suppose if the worst came to the worst we could catch-up with the Melody in Naples.

I can see us all hopping into my car, doing the Dover/Calais hovercraft and bombing across Europe. I`ve driven in Naples before.....white knuckle-ride or what?!

Bring your credit cards as the meter will be running!

Bring your credit cards as the meter will be running!

Tony wouldn't you send the bill to R***:rofl

Cash only please............up front!

Do not ask for credit as "No" often offends!

Allisu,

6 hours is childsplay when you compare it with the time we`ve spent getting the damned cruise in the first place!

I admit, it could take the shine off the holiday if that were to happen at the last moment (or 72 hours before) but I am used to being the one who `sorts it all out` and am resolved (as always) that I will take it all in my stide.

Rise/MKM/Alitalia/DE/Holidaytruths/the Prime Minister/God will hear about it afterwards in no uncertain terms, but at the time I would be Captain Positive!!

That`s just the way I am made.

What has happened to all these people, did you get an alternative date? or have you been put on the 2006 waiting list?
Andy Benson
Orchardweb's Friend (Telford Williams)
Blondie
Lisa-Elaine
Maureen's Friend Caroline
Helena111
Jaz
Jaz's Friend Kaz
Davyo (David)
The Explorer's (Colin) Friends X 3
Juicysushi
Juicysushi's Colleague
Marietta
Marietta's Friend Mary
Troyka
Davy Jones
Nrg48
Rabi's Husband
Rache23
Ayewo
Diylenny
Johnpug
Janet Mackleston
Peter Mariner
Er
Rosie13
Hambo's Mother (Leanne)
Robin Barrett
Marj
Karan
CB Carter
Johntpage
Brett Halliday
RuthMC
Orchardweb's Friend (Alan Johnson)
Dan Smith
Laine
Lynda555
Ivanm
Adit (Adrian)
Pennyp
Pam B
Joan100 (Marie)
Muncher
Judita
Barneybargins
Rabi
Stevie Patton
Raych's Other (Has 2 For The Same Date)

Please update us as to what has happened regarding your cruise.

Dizzy

I asked the same question weeks ago and got no response. These are the people who were allocated the March cruise to Libya. Can't speak for all of them but my friend Caroline was told 2006 or the vouchers and she accepted them!!!! Don't think she has used any yet though. With all the other things going on in my life I forgot to ask. I only see her about twice a month. Rabi is still waiting to hear, I think. Laine posts on another thread. Doesn't her daughter work on Thomson spirit or something? All the others have been kidnapped by aliens.

Hi
Quite a few have opted for 2006 (see thread http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=26308)
Janet Mackleston almost got a sharing cruise, but the 'discussions ' between DE and Mkm started and she just missed out!
More people can be found in the 'I've been allocated thread.........' (http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=24341)
and others disappeared along with our deleted thread.

Dizzy what happened to your sister, last time I looked 'Dizzy's Sister Cecelia' was still in this allocation.

Maureen, Laine posted on the 21st that she is still waiting having just returned from the Thomson Spirit!
Rabi and his family (total 4) are still waiting, along with 30,000 others

Someone posted that they manged to get a cruise, and have BEEN on it, after contacting their MP.
Give it a try.
If enough do, something might get done to sort these 'offers' out.

Peter

And I'll join you Tony. Allisu has had a lot to reorganise and certainly has my sympathy though. I admit I wouldn't have quite so many problems to sort out, for one thing as I don't drive I won't have to re-book car parking, I have annual insurance so that won't have to be sorted out and I'm not too far from the airport. If we finish up with you driving to Italy Tony, I'm sure it wont be as scary as being driven in Casablanca by a half-blind 80 year old and I survived that experience.

It's great to be positive about everything but I fully understand Allisu's reaction - I am sure I would have done exactly as she has done while gnashing my teeth at the extra costs involved. You guys are really lucky because there are a bunch of you who have already become friends whereas Allisu was on her own, apart perhaps from the Line Dancers!

I must admit, my immediate reaction was that in the event of a catastrophe it would have been a question of picking up the cruise at Naples which isn't a perfect solution certainly!

Anyway, we just have to try and be positive and not get carried away with worrying about it - it may never happen!

Have a nice day everyone!

It's ok - I know Tony's sense of humour (I think )

It's just that every possible solution seemed to bring up more problems.......pick up ship at Naples? I'd be beyond help by then as it could be Tuesday before I could get a flight and I would have had no sleep since Saturday!

There is no direct flight from Heathrow to Naples with Alitalia and the journey can take between 4.5 and over 7 hours usually changing at Rome.

There is only one train which ties in time of ship in port and that leaves Milan at 9am so again problems with matching up flights to times! The single train fare is about £40 and I'd miss Pompeii.

The other option - flight 'penalties' and the massive upgrades on 2 flights which seem to be added on regardless - again missing my only planned excursion.

After all the effort we have put in I didn't want any of the holiday messed up. (I know, anything could happen yet :roll:)

Anyway, I'm sorted now and am very pleased to be getting a night's sleep instead of hanging round Heathrow all night with
(positive thinking) Alli

Hi Dizzy
I'm still waiting for my 2nd cruise to be allocated, and my friend Laura who was allocated 4/6 Libya accepted the vouchers!! I did try to warn her.

Hi Allisu,

When I said:

It`s the "Wildcat" actions that worry me more.......like Allisu, we could work around the advertised ones, but if a random strike stops us at the last minute then we`ve missed the boat, literally.

.......I was actually agreeing with what you did!!

Like I said, if we had the prior notice that there was going to be (at least a chance of) a pre-planned strike, we could try to do what you did.

If it seemed ok but they did one of the `wildcat` strikes mentioned on that website then I think we would be pretty much on our own, given the lack of response/contactability with Rise Travel/MKM at the moment.

Then it would be credit card out time and do whatever it took to get there. Hopefully none of the above will apply, but it`s worth making some contingency plans!

It`s a shame you have had to incur the extra expense, but like you said, it`s worth it for the peace of mind.

The bit about the Taxi and the dinghy were only joking...........maybe!

Tony,

I know you were!

Alli

I make a point of reading this thread - you are all so pro-active and I have been cheering you on from the sidelines. Just a little something ... Ryanair are remarkably quick and accurate at getting Italian ATC strikes noted on their website ... might be another place to look?

You might try Marseilles or Nice airports as alternatives and get the train to Genoa ..... or for Venice - at a push, Ljubljana ... but it will mean some lateral thinking and planning ...

All the very best to all DE cruisers-to-be, and hang on in there to those who are still DE cruisers-in-limbo.

Thanks Alsacienne - good to know we have supporters!

I saw that too on Ryanair yesterday when I was checking alternative flights. I have their home page on my favourites so will check it every so often!

Alli

I second that Alsacienne, better have a boy scout attitude in this situation!

Quick post,

I've added a review of my Opera cruise on the Roll call for Opera 21/5/05 and copied it to the cruise review section for anyone els who might be interested.

Hilary