Offers from Cruise Club UK
Email this evening with some good offers for Norwegian Jewel 16 nts for £635 Transatlantic
12 nights Norwegian Jade for £899 inside also good offers for MSC Cruises.
I think the phone is 0800 163 164 or 0800 164 163

Might suit someone more than one date for the Med cruise.

Sue

Another Upgrade.

I am on the QM2 29th Feb. and have just been informed today that I have got another upgrade. I am very pleased as this is the first time ever. 2 Upgrades before I even set foot on the ship.

Sue

Well done Sue. Hope your upgrade is to the Britannia Club . Maybe even Princess or the Queen's Grill

Have had 3 cruises on QM2 really brill I know here is just for deals only but just had to reply.

Hi thanks for the post. This will be my 2nd time on the Ship and had booked a D4 as I am travelling solo and therefore the dreaded single supplement. Just to keep the cost down. Upgraded first to a D1 and now to a C2 which is low down on the ship Deck 4 which is not really where I want to be but it is a bigger room and with a window. Which room I am in is not really a problem for me as I like to be out and about on the Ship.

I really love every inch of that Ship. I have booked on the NZ Australia with Celebrity for November so am looking forward to this too. Millennium and I have sailed on her a few times.

Today I have had a few emails from TA one from Global and it has got really good prices for Summit and also Galaxy both Celebrity Prices for inside from £849 and this is for June July August as well as later. I think this may be the case as Celebrity have got Journey and Quest in the Med. Well they are Azamara Cruises but owned by Celebrity so the same people will be travelling and may decide to make a swop. For the rest of us it is good news.

Sue

hola greetings from sunny Spain
I am looking into a Carnival cruise on the splendor 2nd July,leaving from Genoa(Milan airport) arriving in dover 8 days later.
Not my favourite cruise line,having sailed on the Freedom ,but teenage son loved it,vacation to go have it for $800 cruise only,l think its a bargain,
sue

Just spotted a good deal on vacationstogo website on Norwegian Jade. It is a 13 night cruise, leaving Southampton 23 August, going as far as Italy and ending at Barcelona 5 September. Inside cabin price is $999 + gov't taxes etc. which will take the total cruise only price to just over $1100, so for £600 plus a cheap return flight from Barcelona you get a 13 night Med cruise at a beautiful time of year.

We have just returned from a 13 night Caribbean on QM2, have a 14 nighter on the Norwegian Jade on 30 May, and a 14 nighter on the new Ventura on 10 October so the deal outlined above is one too many for us this year!!

Incidentally, for those of you maybe already sailed Norwegian the same site is offering 10 or 11 night Caribbean cruises (from New York) Jan-Mar 2009, for previous passengers, at the same price as the Med. one above! Having just returned from the Caribbean from New York, can confirm that only the first day down and the last day back are in cold waters. By the second day you are close to the same latitude as Northern part of Florida, and getting even warmer as the day progresses.....highly recommend, and currently trying to convince DW to let me book the Norwegian Jade in Feb/Mar 2009.

Singles hint and price checking tip for all.

When checking RCI and Celebrity on line check the over 55 box to see what offers there.

It may pay to have an over 55 do a no show rather than pay the single suppliment.

Would you get away with this? Would I put eg my Sister on a booking and then just turn up on my own? A bit worried about the legality of this and whether it could have serious implications for me. As you know I do a lot of solo cruising and the single supplement is crippling.
The only benifit is that I only pay for one flight. When I do cruise with my Sister I pay for her also so the flight for only one does represent a saving for me.

I am off next Wednesday 27th on the QM2 and I have been given 2 upgrades from inside to first D1 which is the highest inside grade. Now in a C2 room which is the 2nd highest ocean view room. Helps to soften the blow.
Dare I mention the situation of booking for to my TA?? Ali is very good to me but I would not like to cause a problem for her.

Opinions please!

Sue

No idea, to be honest it does not seem ethical. Given the close relations you have with Ali, your preferred T/A, do you not think she would have suggested this previously as a way of keeping costs lower?

Hi Graham

Don't really know. My Sister was wondering if she would be able to go and Ali said it was better to book her now and take her off later rather than book single and add.
I suppose I could ask the question. I did email her recently about Australian Visa and she could do it for me but I needed to send photocopy of passport details etc. £15 cost. I then asked her about the online agencies and whether they were realiable and safe to use. I have just booked flights with Emirates for my Niece and friend. She told me yes they were fine and said for complicated visa's they use a particular agency.
I have spoken to an agency this am and am satisfied that all is well with them. I have sorted out the Visa's for the £10 each. Prices varied from £30 to £6.50 but it looked dodgy.
Emirates would do it for £35. I need to send all the relevant documents to Glasgow. I am like a Travel Agent here always sorting out something for family and friends. Doing the online Express Pass for my 2 friends going on Mercury. Booked for them and got 2 price drops for them just by keeping an eye on things. Saved them over £360 I think! Booked with Ali and no problem getting the price drop.

The web and teletext is awash with good offers for the coming spring and summer. Saw a 6 night 2night hotel and 4 night short Scandavian cruise for £395 yesterday X if I recall correctly Century.
Email today from Gill travel with single offers for Constellation April UK and Ireland £899 for single £539 for twin occupancy 9 nights.
Also offer for Brilliance of the Seas £999 10 nights. I don't think I have ever seen so many good offers as early in the year as this. Summit from Southampton 12 nights I think for around £699-899. Yvonne a friend is booked on this. Yes it is early for the Med but hey for those prices I would not stay home.
Also offer for Rhapsody of the Seas to Australia in October 16 nights single price £1899. Fantastic offer but I have Millennium booked but paying £3140 after discount 16 night 1 hotel 14 nt cruise and flight home. I am extending my holiday and have had to pay X £140 to deviate the flight. I am going to speak to Ali again about this.
Sorry this is so long winded but it is exciting to see so many deals out there. I also note that if you look at VTG and click on single offers they have all the Cruise Company with the % of discount. Holland America have some low rates as little as 10% but a lot for 30%-45% Also you can look at all their over 55 offers.

Maybe one day I will be couragous enough to to book with them!!

Sue

I have had another thought and think I can remember the issue of someone not turning up. If I recall correctly the person was asked to pay the difference between the twin rate and the single rate. I think also they had to pay the brochure price and not the discounted rate.

Maybe I am wrong but I feel sure that I read this on Cruise Critic.

Sue

A bit worried about the legality of this

Just check the T&C's they will take your money soon enough,

I see celebrity do have a section that allows them to change the pricing if needed.

Checking one of the trips the single rate for over 55 is reduced anyway
Nice price for the Constellation(OV g6) April 24 round UK 9 nights solo £900(twin £640pp).

email from Celebrity today and they have numerous offers for Summit Constellation Century.

Red special on many and on Summit 12 nights in the Med Barcelona to Venice from as little as £719 and if booked with a TA you would get say 10% off this and a low cost flight to Venice and return to Barcelona really good deal. Summit is the Sister ship of Millennium and as such has better facilities than say Century or Galaxy. Unfortunately when I go to single it quotes £1700 for me. All these offers have over 55 discount and also there is an early booking discount of £100 book by 29th Feb.

Offers for other destinations other than Europe including my cruise to OZ. In fact my date the price has gone up.

I have never seen so many offers and obviously all the Cruise lines are trying to get their ships booked. Probably others to come but sometimes at this time with these prices it may be as good as it gets.

Sue

Had a word with my trusted TA re the twin booking and then just one turning up. They as a company had discussed this as the question had been asked. Whilst morally and ethically it is not correct if someone just cancelled at the last minute it could go ahead. Sounded as though it could be done not just by not turning up but late in the proceedings. This took me back to a friend who was travelling with 3 others in 2 rooms. One cancelled as her mother was ill and she had the room to herself. Slightly different in that they had grounds but the cruise company had all the money and the insurance reimbursed her.
Isn't it interesting what we learn on these boards right or wrong. I will put it in the back of my mind and who knows!! Maybe!!

Sue

$200 off all European RCCL Friday 22nd January only
Here are a few examples

Splendour of the Seas
7-Night Greek Isles & Dalmatian Coast
September 13, 27; October 11, 25; November 8, 2008
Venice, Italy "¢ Dubrovnik, Croatia "¢ Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
Santorini, Greece "¢ Corfu, Greece "¢ Venice, Italy
Prices Starting From:
$719*

Splendour of the Seas
7-Night Greek Isles
September 6, 20; October 4, 18; November 1, 15, 2008
Venice, Italy "¢ Piraeus (Athens), Greece "¢ Mykonos, Greece
Katakolon, Greece "¢ Corfu, Greece "¢ Split, Croatia "¢ Venice, Italy
Prices Starting From:
$719*

Voyager of the Seas
7-Night Classic Mediterranean
September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25;
November 1, 8, 15, 22, 2008
Barcelona, Spain "¢ Villefranche (Nice), France "¢ Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy "¢ Naples, Capri, Italy
Palermo (Sicily), Italy "¢ Barcelona, Spain
Prices Starting From:
$709*

Navigator of the Seas
10-Night Greece & Turkey
September 19; October 10, 31, 2008
Barcelona, Spain "¢ Messina (Sicily), Italy "¢ Thessaloniki, Greece
Istanbul, Turkey "¢ Valletta, Malta "¢ Barcelona, Spain
Prices Starting From:
$999*

11/12-Night Eastern Mediterranean
September 7, 29; October 20, 2008
Barcelona, Spain "¢ Palma De Mallorca, Spain "¢ Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
Piraeus (Athens), Greece "¢ Istanbul, Turkey "¢ Valletta, Malta "¢ Barcelona, Spain
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy "¢ Palermo (Sicily), Italy "¢ Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey "¢ Istanbul, Turkey "¢ Thessaloniki, Greece
Valletta, Malta "¢ Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy "¢ Barcelona, Spain
Prices Starting From:
$1,099

*Certain restrictions may apply.
Government departure taxes and fees are additional.

Should all be bookable tomorrow(22nd) through all US agents

4 NIGHTS - 14 APRIL 2008
MSC OPERA
LISBON - LA CORUNA
DOVER
DATE PORT DEPART ARRIVE
14 Apr Lisbon 09:00 -
15 Apr Lisbon - 09:00
16 Apr La Coruna 09:00 18:00
17 Apr At Sea - -
18 Apr Dover 09:00
£149

flight £70 with BA on the 14th or £55 on 13th from LHR ...14th with TAP £59.10 VIA Opodo
Or Luton 14th (early) £25.99... 13th £27.99 both with EasyJet
Gatwick
I have been told that MSC might be putting a coach on from Dover back to LHR. How true this is you would have to check
http://www.1st4specialeditions.com/emails/mon_040208/msc_minibreaks.html

Nice find there are a few of these short trips coming up at good prices, but most are mid week not over the weekends.

this one is over the bank holiday weekend

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/plan-cruise/cruise-details/BW853

Fred olsen Black watch 4n 2nd May reduced on Friday to just over £608(2persons)) or £526(solo).

NOTE: fred losen now price per cabin which makes the cruises look expensive so look out ofr late deals as this may be putting people off booking.

The other trip over this weekend is the Independance currently at £463pp

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/booking/getDepartureInfo/checkAvailability.do?packageCode=ID04Q008&sailDate=1080502

Transatlantic are often good deals but the DIY option is usualy hampered trying to get cheap one way flights, so look at doing two TAs, one each way.

Voyager of the seas from Galvaston Tx to BCN 13n in April is currently good value at under £300 cruise only but flight would be an issue, but if you look for a TA later in the year there are a couple that go to NY, NCL gem and Jade so you can combine the two with an open jaw flight London to Houston and NY back to london for around £420 with BA direct. You take a gamble on the late cruise getting cheaper currently around £500.

There will be other options via Miami or it might be possible to find a 1 way flight to match up and not have to do a TA both times. and there is always the QM2 as an option forthe other TA to not hav to wait till Nove Dec.

Fred Olsen have screwed up their web site it look nice but you can't find the deals.

Some cruises have been reduced and some have 3-4pax at £99.

This is the one I have been watching has been reduced to just over £300pp there may be others.

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/plan-cruise/cruise-details/BW853?prices

Follow the booking link at the bottom to see the £99 prices for 3-4pax. your next problem will be finding a 4berth cabin, web site is not helpfull with that.

(if anyone from FO is reading, I do Quality for a living and am prepared to put some effort in helping you sort out the site to make it user friendly and help you sell cruises, I am sure we can come to some arrangment, If you are paying for Design/QA now, ask for you money back)