http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/

Near the top of the page there is a change country option

The problem with me is that guarantee rooms are not available to me as a solo traveller. When I look at the price for an inside with Century or Summit etc it is £800+ for an inside that plus Flights to add. X price Flights £610.
I have enough airmiles for a flight to anywhere in the US.

I just came back from the X Solstice to day and I am keen to book the QM2

Couple of deals Jetline brochure offering Upper Class flights with Virgin 2 nights Hotel in NY and cruise back on the QM2 Different dates but May/June £1665. pretty good to have this class as Virgin only have 2 levels economy and Upper class.

Have been on to the Vacations to go. 13 nights round trip on the QM on the 13th May $1815=$34taxes. $200 On board credit.
This is a D5 grade for single occupancy. Past passenger I would get a further 5% discount.
Want to book 2 rooms as I am taking a friend and paying for her also. Price works out £1208 OBC £130 +
Making the price £1078
I have not booked with any US Travel Agency but at this cost it is a no brainer! It means to me £2156 for 2 rooms for solo. This does not include the added 5% which would take my price down by another £60 Sounds good to me

Graham Windjammer would you go for it. I am going to call them now.

Also tried a new agency Travelsupermarket and they will call me tomorrow. Cunard web site would cost me in excess £5200!

Sue

Looks good for a 13n solo rate(May 15th not 13th)

V2G are showing $1700 for an inside 2pax.

we are looking at the QM2 in July to tag on the end of our June NCL EPIC TA.

OOPS

VTG have got it badly wrong. The girl who sent the email was not there but spoke to another agent and big mistake $3900 D5 for single occupancy X 2 plus tax with $300 OBC. Thought it had to be a mistake although she had said it was for single occupancy and all details are there in the email.
He said OH prices can go up and then said you are fortunate that we are just holding a few rooms!

So definately won't be going on it at that price> I would pay the price for me but not X 2.

What a let down Oh well off to bed and something will turn up for me.

Thanks Windjammer. No doubt Graham will in touch. If the prices don't come down then it will definately will do the Solstice class agai Sorry this is off topic!
In. Great perks for the Elite CC members will post them later so people can see what they have now rolled out. A new Hotel Director to me and also new Captain but we are treated royally by X . We always have dinner at the Captain's table and many invitations to cocktail parties etc etc. Beautiful floral orchid arrangement from the Asst Chief Housekeeper. every day something else arriving including the red roses. treatment. Chocolates now the clothes won't fit!! Sorry off topic but I will post the new benefits for anyone who is interested later. Might even get that review done this time. OH and of course the photo taken at the C's table. I should get them all in an album I have so many.

Once again thanks Windjammer.

Some of the cruiselines have "pulled" the right of non-US citizens to book with a US agent. Cunard are right up there, along with HAL and Princess......no US agent is allowed to accept a booking from the UK. Royal Carribean, Celebrity and NCL can, and they do. Interesting to know Sue if the VTG agent was aware of your citizenship?

Glad you enjoyed cruise.

Absolutely and I also called and spoke to them. No flight involved and they told me that their law does not allow them to book flights for passengers in the UK

Some time ago I was told by VTG that they were not allowed to book passengers from the UK but despite this they have taken booking for some I am sure have said on HT.

Never mind had the best cruise ever on Solstice and if the Cunard prices remain at the level right now it will be X Solstice class.

Last year Cunard did put on great offers with just a 25% supplement and who knows. I can speak to Pete Moss here at Cunard and he has been promoted to a much higher position and he emails me from time to time and send me a Card at Christmas etc I have never said on HT that I shortened my mame to Sue as I had become known as CRUISING SUSAN!

Pete's card at Christmas always say Cruising Susan So now I have let the cat out of the bag/

Again off topic. I am called Sue by some of my friends!

Sue

Hi Sue we have booked twice with VTG with no problem, they were both with Carnival
annx

Thanks have now found the RCL UK site but my deal, is still better

I had 2 quotes by email from VTG but they were for RCL & Celebrity but still more than I paid for my inside on a guarantee.

But booking so late for the US cruise meant the internal flights were very pricey I know its thanksgiving, but it has proved very expensive getting home to Belfast

All this talk about the QM2 is making me wish I was sailing on her,definitely by far
my favourite ship

prindy wrote:

All this talk about the QM2 is making me wish I was sailing on her,definitely by far
my favourite ship

Yes, she is a fantastic ship, and was docked 30 miles from my home town yesterday. According to The Herald newspaper headlines today, she caused quite a stir and there were some (mad) folks lining the quayside at 3.00am to get a first glimpse!!

Celebrity and RCI will not allow any agent in the US to discount. What US agents do if to offer a sweetner OBC Wine or such like. We here can get the discount from our TA and I am fortunate to get a good discount from Ali my SCC agent.

smartcruises.co.uk UK are really based in the US and when you call that is where they are.. I had email from them and it is smartcruises.com BUT they have some link up with and I cant recall it but if you look on their web site you will see this something like viva not sure. I called them and I asked the question if there is a price drop will you honour. The answer was phone me direct and I will see what I can do.
I know people have booked with them and they offer 15% off X RCI etc. When I priced it all out they charge a handling fee and when all was added up Ali matched their price but if there is a price drop then no problem. June my friend got £149 drop on her price and also £52 from the X CC club even though the final price had been paid. This X CC voucher has to be sent off at the time of booking but their CC Magazine arrived in September which was late but they still took the voucher and paid the £52 back to her card .
Me the price I got for my inside grade 9 was never on their web site at £1465 including tax. but in excess of £1850+tax Did our flights with Jet2 for £112 Leeds to Rome X wanted almost £500 and because I wanted to fly direct they could do MANCHESTER at £460 and the flight at 6.45 am. I would have had to spend £180 for a taxi return with the same Airline as well as the £460.

I am in despair (joking) VTG made a big mistake and not from Ali but a price of £2565 D4 inside and this times 2 is well just do the sums!
There will be other options with QM and prices may come down but NY and the Caribbean etc as I the person I am taking with me really wants to go to NY. Ways and means and I don't have to anything right now. I was told by VTB some time ago that they are not allowed to book guests out of the UK but this girl when she got the price so wrong I think got the Cunard booking rules wrong also!

Sue

Europe: Mediterranean Special Offers
latest offers from just received this email from smartcruises.co.uk sent email to me from VIVA This is the agency I was not able to remember who the bookings went through

Just in case any are of interest to anyone.

Sue

SHIP, ITINERARY & DATE(s) OFFER DETAILS
19 Oct 2009
Royal Caribbean International
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17 Oct 2009
Royal Caribbean International
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To be removed click here

prindy wrote:

But booking so late for the US cruise meant the internal flights were very pricey I know its thanksgiving, but it has proved very expensive getting home to Belfast

you can now book fliights anywhere.

I now check prices for air on bt-store.com and 1800flyeurope.com.
sometimes I add in the australian expedia site prices can be different.
Also check out returns to/from places you can get to cheap

I guess Belfast will never be cheap with good flights.

One thing I have noticed on UK/US prices is that RCI/Celebrity are normaly quite close for the ones I have looked at.

NCL are often close on the inside cabins but once you go into suites US is often a lot cheaper. so if you like balconies often you can go to the suites for not much more.

what ever the prices you have to check both sides these days.

I had a look yesterday at the first-leg repositioning of Splendour of Seas from Venice to Lisbon, 10 days from 21st November to 1st December. A couple of the teletext agents are offering this inside for £499 using Easyjet Gatwick, and cruise1st.co.uk take you out on the 20th with an overnight in Venice and give a "superior inside" cabin for £599.

Examining this on a DIY you can get the cruise only for £316 on RCI website or the equivalent of £280 in dollars (using the real conversion rate which will be about 1.575) on smartcruiser. The flights Gatwick to Venice on 21st, and Lisbon to Gatwick on 1st December are £125 return meaning you can do this for around £400 !! Probably not worth the hassle using smartcruiser for such a small difference, and a UK agent may be able to discount down from the prices I am reporting!

Excellent deal, if guarantee of good weather is not an absolute necessity for you.

On the US site RCCL has Splendour of the Seas, November 21st- 10 nights from Venice to Lisbon starting $399 Inside
$599 Oceanview
$999 Balcony.

emdia43 wrote:

On the US site RCCL has Splendour of the Seas, November 21st- 10 nights from Venice to Lisbon starting $399 Inside
$599 Oceanview
$999 Balcony.
:tup

Plus $83 tax there are some senior discounts on this

Looking at an OV direct with RCI
US $682 ( £412 @ 1.66 )
UK £362 (with the 5% discount)

the inside is slightly cheaper US if you can get the $399+tx rate

Virgin cruises have posted an incredible deal on the Norwegian Gem 13 night Transatlantic, leaving 29th November. Insides from £569, including Virgin flights from London to Barcelona returning to London from New York!! The cruise begins with what is basically a similar (or identical) 7 night cruise to what the Gem has been doing in the Med all summer and autumn, then from Malaga, heads out on a 6 night crossing to New York. Can't imagine this would be a "warm" cruise, especially in the Atlantic, although the Captain may try to maintain as South a course as possible for 3 or 4 days before heading on a more Northerly course to NYC.....does anyone know, or have any thoughts weatherwise. Huge waves are what is in my mind!!

Any cruise using the North Atlantic route at this time of year will in all probability have some high waves as it can do on any the North Atlantic crossing, BUY weather can always be not what is definately predicted and we all know not even a crystal ball can tell it like it MAY be.
ie I did a T/A on Golden Princess Venice to New York this was 27th August a about 6 years ago 16 nights. The early part of the cruise weather was wonderful as you would expect in the Med at this time of year. On the T/A We were able to sit out on deck when we found a a sheltered spot. In the 2-3 final days we hit some really stormy seas. The Captain made the decision to take the ship a bit further south so that it would be more comfortable for the passengers. We arrived late in NY and Princess were fantastic. We were not able to disembark until 4.30pm They kept everything open on the ship and I sat out sunning myself as it was a beautiful and we sailed into NY they Played Galway Bay.
If you had booked your flight etc through Princess they did everything to make their passengers life as easy as possible.Our flights were early evening around 8pm they changed to 10.30pm. We were upgraded to Business Class and we flew out about and well looked after by BA. Disembarking they gave us all new tickets and it was only at the Airport we realised we were on Business/Class
People who had made their own arrangements were given free telephone access to contact their T/A and some had major problems getting their flights sorted out.

I have done 13 night QM2 in July I think 2007. Not good weather for the first day and because it was the North Atlantic again stormy weather but she handles rough weather very well.
There were only 2-3 days that I was able to sit in the sun. It was windy and the doors were locked down and nobody could go on deck. QM2 is a liner and she is built absolutely for the S/H to NY.crossing. She does move a bit but I love it the more the better for me. If you are subject to motion problems then take some anti sickness the night before you get out in to the Atlantic or even the evening before you set sail This cruise NY was covered in fog and it was difficult to see the Statue of Liberty in and out of New York It was raining in NY but we did not have the wonderful arrival in NY that we had on Princess

Last year I flew to NY and then did 10 nights to the Caribbean late Feb./March 2008 and sailing out in to NY it was a very clear day and the visibility was wonderful. Saw everything.I had a 2 day pre cruise staya visibility from the Empire State Building visibility wonderful clear and with a cloudless blue sky great. BUT IT WAS FREEZING

I have made a few T/A crossing on the Galaxy from Houston to Rome in April ending at the very beg of May. 16 nights on the X Galaxy

Fantastic weather and this is because it takes the South Atlantic route.

Did Millennium in March from Fort Lauderdale to S/Hampton. Weather mixed with less sunshine but still able to sit out some days. This was earlier and of course it is luck with the weather at any time of yea

I have no experience of what the weather would be like in a November crossing and the Med would be a matter of luck,

Hope this helps. ME I have just booked a T/A cruise on X new Equinox Flying to Miami hotel in Fort Lauderal one night hotel 19th April and ending on the 3rd of May in Rome.
14 night crossing with ports starting in the Azores with Ports in the Canaries Portugal Spain France end
ending in Rome.

This should see some good weather but for me the Ship can be the destination and the New Solstice with the CC Elite members perks as well as being treated and looked very well always by the Celebrity product has restored my faith in their product on this new class of Ships. The standards of everything was just wonderful and I now realise that when they discount heavily obviously cut backs are made/ If This was borne out on the few cruises on Summit last Summer on Millennium Nov/DEC when they were selling 14 night Auckland to Sydney for as little as £400 and there were upgrade ETC. If you can find a T/A on say or any Med cruise on eg Century then it is snip at some of the prices out there right now are unbelievable>
I thought that X had lost it but this cruise told me that they are back to what I first knew with them.
I am more fortunate that a lot of people are in that I know what I want and the price is not really too important. I have booked 2 Balcony rooms for solo occupancy taking a friend Ellen and paying for both but I need my own space.
There are so many good deals out there so just go for it and use this site and the Internet for finding you the best deal possible!! Good Luck!"!!

Got a reply from RCI over the missing 55+ on the UK site.

Legal reasons but no details.

can still phone and check( I guess if the US has 55+ offer on a cruise the UK will as well.)

Looks like it has gone from Celebrity as well.

We did the Gem inaugural TA BCN to Boston in Dec 07 with a stop in Funchal

They can stay way south, much further than the QM2 crossings.

Weather was great till 1day/2n out, missed a snow storm one day later in Boston.

£569 is a good price for this, cruise only is around £380 through NCL US

Just checked the price of that 9n
Minisuite for $500($2-£1 then so £250)
BCN flight easyjet £36
BA flight back £161

We have also done the NCL Pearl TA in Dec 06 Southampton to Mimai
Biggest storm of the year 3 days of high seas and winds topping out at 170knts just off the UK coast not even in the atlantic.