have a great time elaine



Pauline

Enjoy yourselves all you cruisers. Have a drink or two for those of us left at home.

Somebody on the MoneySaving Expert web-site has just mentioned a new free flight offer from L'Oreal and Boots . The usual thing, spend £9 and get the flight (plus taxes) and a whopping surcharge if you want to take a second person . And the company running this promotion?. You've' guessed it, RISE TRAVEL. I think the phrase "barge-poll" comes to mind when considering this offer.

I do not believe it wouldn't you think R........ would be keeping a low profile after their last involvement in travel offers. Am I tempted by the free flight offer I am not but I do wish the DE would let us non-cruisers know what is happening surely it can't be that difficult. I am even missing R......' courtesy calls even though they never led to anything Sorry Cruiser it wasn't dingdong but lack there of that made me think you did have a genuine cruise. I decided to go on the wagon for a couple of weeks but I can feel myself falling off it this evening. I wonder how many people are waiting now and how many convinced themselves that there is no such thing as a free lunch and gave up All those of you going soon have a fabulous time Carol R

Glad that6 i am not the only one waiting for my cruise No word from the DE or R*** nothing and no reply to letters, emails faxes etc, apart from one return call from some gal at DE who did not seem to know a thing which made me
Hey all you wouldbe non cruisers. how about getting together for a day out to the DE offices in protest, it can't do any harm and maybe we can get the TV camera crew there Would make the DE look silly and maybe reduce their daily sales wouldn't that be fun

A few days on a deserted island sounds great to me

but never mind the creepy crawlies
is there a toilet ???

and cruiser

what do you mean you have dropped the idea of tokens ?

i have been faithfully buying your magazine and have all the tokens collected and stuck on to a nice A4 with my name and address
and the dates i am available
and stamped addressed envelope !!!


this is the exercise class on the island

Good idea Mikey we could have a sit in before the weather gets too cold if nothing else it would get us non-cruisers some publicity and put he DE in a less than good light. We could take plenty of ding dong and it would almost be like cruising without the ocean :twisted: Carol R

i would like to enjoy a cruise ship if it stayed in dock

i just dont want to be out in the ocean !!!

Another twist in the tale . This from the MoneySavingExpert web site. :-

I am booked to go Manchester to Heathrow and on to JFK again in October in lieu of the Daily Express Cruise Offer. Again, all the taxes and supplements are covered by Rise Travel and although the inital offer was to include 1 nights accomadation paid for, they agreed to pay for 2 nights. My hotel is on Broadway and costs £110.00 per night which is about right as they are usually twin/double rooms. All this for £10.00, I consider it to be a bargain, as I am staying for 7 nights, I have had to pay for the other 5 nights. An alternative offer was available with Dubai as the destination
However, I had to write to the Editor of Express newspapers to get them moving.

So , is this one of the alternative holidays they have been talking about ?

I've just caught up on the last dozen or so pages - it's nice to see some newbies joining in. They will probably have realised by now that we are all somewhat eccentric but don't blame Luci - she does try to keep us in order.
Phil - glad to see that your sense of humour is still intact. Would you like a consultation with my doctor? He solemnly informed me that I should be drinking at least one or two glasses of alchohol a day for the sake of my health. Apparently although red wine is preferable, any alcohol in moderation is good for you. Sorry about the 'in moderation' bit, but at least it sounds better than the prescription you are given by the coven. Incidentally, he definitely made no mention of herbal teas

Great Ideaa Mickey, count me in! we could do something excentric such as going in fancy dress to get ourselves realy noticed!!

Hey all you wouldbe non cruisers. how about getting together for a day out to the DE offices in protest

I am sure you will have lots of support too from us lucky ones who have already been We've always said we'll do what we can to help the non-cruisers.

We will not abandon you in your hour of need

The more the merrier ............ I'd willingly take a day off work to help boost the numbers and it would be fun to put faces to names too

Count me in

Alli

Hi the quote from the money expert website is very interesting if they are offering those sorts of alternatives surely they should be letting all of us know about them a longhaul flight would be great if you had somewhere to stay but the extra £550 that person had to pay for the 5 nights in New York does not really equate with a seven day full board travel and entertainment cruise. I for one will hang out for my £10 cruise, dressing up is a great idea I rather fancy myself in a Hyacinth Bucket sailor suit carrying a suitcase with leather embellishments. That would really keep up the appearance of the forum. Are there not laws about sit ins and picketing But if some of us were arrested and dragged off to gaol it would definitely make an impression hang in there everybody it is brilliant that those who have already cruised are willing to fight our corner all of you. Carol R.

Like I said before, count me in on a protest march..........I`d like to say to the DE, "Thanks for my fantastic cruise........now where are all the others going and when?"

Perhaps Watchdog would be interested in getting the cameras there.......I could play the part of Roger Cook!! (Well a slimmer and shorter version anyway!)

Hi All

Help needed can anyone remember how to find out when the Alitalia strikes are going to be held. Ive checked the 2 sites we had early in the year but couldnt understand them . Some weeks ago a strike was cancelled and rearranged for the 10th October and I would like to find out if that is still on. Hope not as thats the cruise myself and 3 others are on.

chris

That looks like a lot of other offers for "free" holidays in America which turn out to be free flights and you must book your accommodation through them, so they make all their money back, and more, from their commission on the accomodation. Not a good deal when you consider what you have to pay for your hotel compared to what you could have got it or a package for.
I'll stick with the all paid for cruise for less than £100, including my flights to London and an overnight in Milan.
Thanks DE

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386046

This link gives details of strikes

Alli

Thanks Alli

I have checked the link 10th October is still on the list. Have rang Alitalia could only find the reservations number but the girl said that the strike hadnt been confirmed. Will have to keep my fingers crossed so far I dont think anyone has been affected by the strikes.

regards Chris

Hi Chris

My flight was due to be affected by strike (June) but it didn't materialize.

I was told by Alitalia that confirmation as to whether strikes would take place is only available 24 hours before flight! Rather too late to make alternative arrangements

I decided to pay £35 to change my flight to previous day (also charged upgrade) and spent the night in a hotel in Milan and took the train to Genoa.

For peace of mind it was well worth it .......... and I arrived before everyone else so no delay boarding at Genoa .......... and it was a lovely train ride on an uncrowded train!

I had thought about buying a cheap one way ticket with Ryanair to Genoa - but found at just in time that unless you use the 'out' ticket with Alitalia, they won't let you use the return.

Alli