Maureen - please don't read too much into the word 'qualify' as I wasn't quoting exactly from the report (I was driving the car at the time while I was listening)......I was hoping to offer people on this thread some reassurance that the companies involved were still declaring their commitment to fulfilling their promises.

I think this is the link to the programme. Its entitled 'Full Steam Ahead' ...it starts off talking about a promotion run with a newspaper for cheap ferry crossings (hence the title) but then progresses to talk about the Daily Express Cruise promotion. I can't get the audio link towork on my PC ,but hopefully you might be able to !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/items/04/2006_32_fri.shtml

Hope you all get your cruises soon

Hi Bobbie
Congratulations on your success in finally getting a cruise, did you presurise them or did they contact you with the offer?

Raych - As well as regularly sending letters I did threaten them with legal action about a month ago and although they did'nt respond, my letter from the Cruise Store showed up not long after !

Luci - please could you give me the link to the who's going where thread - thanks.

Hi Bobbie

It's near the top of the main Cruise forum page, direct link HERE

There is also a DIY excursion topic there which you may find useful, direct link HERE

luci

Good to hear people are still getting the cruises. Looking at the who's going where thread seems there's still plenty waiting.

To listen to the BBC link (posted above) you will need to have Real Player installed.
click here[url]

Link is to the download page for the windows version of real player.

Peter

Yippeee...at last I have my cruise.

I am going on Thompson's Destiny...Mediterranean Rennaisance on 31 August.

I've paid £250 to take my husband and £42 each for a cabin with a sea-view.

I've also paid Mandatory Fuel Charge Supplements of £40 each and In-Flight Meals charges of £10 each.

I could not have stuck it out without this site...Thanks!

Congratulations Pam and thanks for letting us know. I have added you to the Who's Going Where topic.

luci

I am delighted that after a little trip to Devon, a few more people are getting their cruises - all except Maureen that is!!! I think it's time you took the small claims court route Maureen. Have you had any news yet Raych? Nice to see you Peter A! Enjoy your cycling trip Donefor!

Hi Magsy,
I keep thinking I will try the small claims court but other things keep getting in the way. I've got a holiday booked for the beginning of September and a graduation in Oct/Nov. If I knew the exact date of that I would be able to plan things a little easier. As the DE are saying we will all be sorted eventually I may wait and try nearer to Christmas for something early next year.

hi
I'm still waiting, I have been in the same situation as Maureen, with other things happening, but I must admit Thompson Destiny with £250 for hubby would have suited lovely. I still dont agree with some having to pay fuel charges and now meals on flights,when if you issued a claim these have been covered. I know its still a good deal, but not the terms and conditions that were printed.

my mom left for her cruise aboard the 'Superstar Libra' on Tueasday (15-8-06), she paid a bit extra for an upgraded cabin. The cruise takes her around Dubrovnich, Malta, Messina and Corfu. She has spoken to my dad and she says the cabin is great and there are a lot of other DE people on board. This boat is actually asian owned and is aimed at the asian market so the restaurants reflect this (though she loves asian food!). I will phone her later this week but it sounds like she is having a great time.

My girlfriend works in a book shop and she got me a copy of Biarritz cruise ship reviews for this year, its a good book and has a write up of all cruise ships even the small speciallity arctic ones! The book gives a point scoring system to the boats. If anyone is travelling on a boat but they can't find a review, please ask me and I will look it up (I want to get my money's worth out of the book, LOL!)

Hi remember me? I was lucky enough to have cruised with the Daily Express last September (on MSC Opera) and absolutely loved it. I am so glad that we are again hearing about people getting cruises booked and love to hear about the actual cruise itself. It is a shame that the Express has taken so long, and it seems there is still much longer to go, but at least there is progress!

I am now contemplating my next cruise. That £10 cruise (although I paid a little more) will work out dear in the long run as it has given me an expensive taste in holidays!
Craig.

Hi all, remember me?

Havn't been on here for ages. I'm surprised to see that not every one has had their crusie yet, well actually i shouldn't be surprised should I???

So there has been some changes then and it looks as though things are moving along albeit slowly.

Have I got this right? R*** are no longer involved and and the Cruise Store are allocating cruises to people after recieveing a list from the DE

Did you recieve letters from the DE informing you of this? The reason why i ask, is after my first cruise and the paying for myself to go on my wifes cruise, it was left that I would hear from R*** about my second DE cruise. No surprises in not hearing anything from them. I was going to leave it a year or so to let other people have a chance at getting their cruises sorted out.

Is there a contact at the DE that is dealing with this, I tried the number in the useful contacts and that didn't work.

Thanks

Hi Maureen I could have written your last post myself. I keep thinking about going through the small claims route but something always gets in the way I have a short break in September, trip to Peru and a graduation between now and the end of the year and most people seem to get offers for the next couple of months which I would have to turn down. I think I have decided to just wait. If no offer by November I will think about taking the plunge ( small claims) and hope for an offer in the spring 2007. That is if nobody decides there is another grandchild imminent!! lets just hang in there and get a cruise eventually at least for most people theirs will be a distant if pleasant memory. Cheers Carol

Hi Explorer, nice to hear from you again! I think you may have to write to the Newspaper to remind them that you are still owed a cruise. You may be on a list somewhere but better safe than sorry! Good luck.

Yes, a few people are getting cruises but not as many as there should be in my opinion and very sporadically. I know I know! You have heard all that before!!!

Hi Colin (Explorer) - was it really April 2005 we were on the Norwegian Sun - how time flighs!

You are correct - DE have taken over and seem to be very slowly feeding names to an agent.

I am in a similar position to you, but did have a letter last July from Stan M saying it would be sorted.

Options are to wait or go throught the small claims court which has brought success for several on here.

Cheers

Chris.

Hi Magsy & Chris,

Yes I agree Magsy, not as many as should be. When i logged back in here the other day, after all this time I though it might have dried up in here haha how stupid was i to think that !!

Yes Chris, time certainly does fly !

When you say last July, do you mean the one just gone ie 2006?

Is Stan M DE staff?

I have had no letters at all, since going on the Cruise. When I got my first cruise, R*** confirmed to me I still have a Med and Cabby outstanding. I hope they have transfered all the details over to the DE

Cheers Colin

Hi, i've not posted for a while, wondering if anyone has been on any cruises apart from Med. I was originally offered a Caribean Cruise, but at the moment feel that anything would be better than nothing.

Hi idavies, as far as I know, only the Med or Red Sea cruises have been issued since the newspaper took over administering the promotion but I may be wrong!!! I certainly do not recall any Caribbean cruises!