I got a deal through my spam section, and deleted so cannot recall who the company were...it was cruiseclub or something like that. The deal was with Island (operated now by Thomson) on 22nd September...1 week stay in Majorca and one week cruise for £599 inside cabin. This will be on the Island Escape, which is an old and tired bird, but at that time of year maybe a good deal for someone out there.

hamrag wrote:

I got a deal through my spam section, and deleted so cannot recall who the company were...it was cruiseclub or something like that. The deal was with Island (operated now by Thomson) on 22nd September...1 week stay in Majorca and one week cruise for £599 inside cabin. This will be on the Island Escape, which is an old and tired bird, but at that time of year maybe a good deal for someone out there.

Cruise1st.co.uk have this, although that is not where I originally saw it.

thanks i will take a look, would it be bad on a tired old bird?

joy2be wrote:

thanks i will take a look, would it be bad on a tired old bird?

That is for individuals to decide themselves. Our very first cruise (of 12 so far) was on the IE and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience, which hooked us on cruising. For us at that time the ports were the real attraction and the "tiredness" of the ship did not really bother us unduly...certainly the atmosphere on board, and the entertainment were good. Thomson have an excellent reputation for the holiday atmosphere and entertainment so these aspects should still be at least as good, and possibly better.

At the price it seems to me a good deal, and remember the first week will be at a hotel so you need to explore that too with the agent. Possibly will be the usual scenario with a 2 star hotel at the base price and better hotels available at a premium!

thanks for that, i had not thought about the hotel option, and possible 2 star and upgrade i will make enquires.thanks again hamrag

joy2be wrote:

hi looking for a low cost cruise for 1 or 2 wks, just moved house so needs to be low cost, any ideas?
thanks

Whats the budget?

Hi only upto about £650 each maximum. thanks

What is your time window?

Hi would like to go end aug begining of sept.

Struggle to find 2 weeks for that, once you add in the petrol, carpark drinks and excurtions etc.

Why not look off season?

one week would be ok, off season do you mean autum? i was worried about weather if we left it till oct time.

There is an excellent price with Check-in cruise club (INVALID URL on Norwegian Gem for an 8 night deal with an overnight in Barcelona, followed by a 7 night cruise commencing 12th September. Price for an inside cabin is £599, and this is a lovely time for the Med. Pricing for a few weeks before and after that date is significantly higher, so an excellent deal on a superb ship only a couple of years old.

If you want, the TA will take you out a day or two earlier if you want an extra couple of days in Barcelona before the cruise, cost should be no more than £50pppn for extra days.

Hamrag ...Bestprice are doing that one for $1,267.97 with $150 OBC
Flights from Luton are £118 for 2 leaving the 12th September or 13th September
Approx £890 for 2 inc OBC only thing to add is a night in Barcelona if you took the 12th flight and taxi to and from teh airport
All the dates in September are roughly the same price with them

hi again thanks for information hamrag and travel mandy. the flights are they only from luton? i would need manchester or liverpool. i have been on the jade so i know what ncl are like, i suspect gem to be similar. also what is the cost of a taxi likely to be? if you know that is. thanks

Liverpool flights with easyjet are £133 for 2 out on the 12th and £155 out on the 13th for 2 + bags
Taxi would be about 30 euros each way

The Aerobus from the airport to catalunya square in Barcelona is 4 euros each. All you have to do is roll the cases down LAs Ramblas and pick up the port bus at the Columbus monument next to the marina. 1 or 2 euros each way from there to ship. For an extra 20 euros, you may consider it easier by taxi, but personally would self do, as it is so simple.

Even cheaper(77c with T10) by train to Estacia de franca and a shorter walk(1.2km agains 1.6), allthough a longer walk at the airport to the train, the bus is right outside the terminal.

If planning to spend time in BCN then the T10 ticket can work for two people
4 trips for the airport runs, leaving 6(3trips for 2) on the subway/buses all for €7.70

the other option from the Airport is the 46 to plas Espania and change to a bus that goes down Avenue parallel less walking but a change.

for BCN transport start here
http://www.tmb.net

T10
http://www.tmb.net/en_US/barcelona/moute/targetes/t_10.jsp

(Windjammer posting from San Fransico, not on a cruise)

£1 cruise offer

Louis Cruises is offering a 10-day cruise for £1 to third and fourth passengers sharing a cabin with two paying adults.

The Greek cruise line has launched the offer for its two Orient Queen's ‘Mediterranean Jewels' itineraries, departing Marseille on 29 August and 28 October.

The offer is available on a range of four-berth cabins, with full-paying fares for the October cruise starting at £439 for a Standard Inside Stateroom.

This means a family of four, or four good friends, can take the August cruise for a total of £920, or the October cruise for a total of £880.

This includes full board on the Orient Queen, on-board entertainment and all port taxes - but not flights.

The Orient Queen visits Genoa and Naples before heading for Greece and Turkey to call at Piraeus (for Athens), Kusadasi, Patmos, Mykonos, Santorini and Katakolon (for Olympia) before heading back to Messina on the toe of Italy, and Marseille.

With permission from TravelMole

For anyone looking to cruise down the west side of USA, and Mexican Riviera, spotted an excellent 13 night cruise only price for Norwegian Star leaving on 20th September. The first 6 days is a repositioning from Vancouver, Canada to LA via Victoria and San Fran. The 2nd 7 days is LA to 3 or 4 Mexican Riviera ports, and back to LA. Price with Smartcruiser, adding together what are 2 separate cruises is $784 for inside guarantee, just under £500.

Return flight into Vancouver, but returning from LA costs roughly the same again i.e. $800ish, or £500ish.

To combine above with a couple of days in say Las Vegas would be an excellent trip!