Wallecan
Re buying a digital camera in Miami be sure to check if you do that it is compatable with our version of operating software for your computer, the US versions are different. I looked at cameras in St Thomas last year and you can get European versions but as a friend who lives in the States pointed out if anything goes wrong you cannot return it. Like lots of things digital cameras seem to be altering constantly, if this is your first purchase have you tried looking for a discontinued model which maybe being sold off. Whatever remember the more pixels the better! We have a Sony find it very easy to use and are delighted with the results. With regard to Malaria tablets etc, agree with all the previous advice re looking on the masta web site, personally speaking I get bitten badly and have tried all sorts of remedies, I would suggest you get a good insect repellent with 50% deet content, Jungle Formula do one for tropical locations. As you only need it for one day would think this is your best solution, you normally have to start taking a course of tablets before you go, while you are away and up to a month after you come home. Sorry this seems to be going on, have a great trip maybe some more of us will have news when you get back.

Hi all, its been a long time but im still here, good to see some people are still getting cruises, and all the best to our few Cabbys who are going soon (i hope you have a ball).

Tonyw- forget the $3 a day, carnival corp. (carnival, cunard, p&o, princess, costa and a few more) only get paid $53 a month, which is shocking as on some cruises (particulary longer cruises) they recieve minimun tips. Dont get me wrong they can earn a huge amount but it depends on the passeners and how long the cruise is. Celebrity and RCCI pay only $50 a month but the conditions are better and the tips tend to be better.

Does any one know if MSC hold a singles mingle as i have yet to find out, as far as i know there are only 4 of us express folks on this cruise, me, tj and stu and elaine. Any more?

Hi legospice,

I just said that they work cheap, someone else said the $3, but either way it is slave labour.

That it how they can offer cheap cruises and still pocket plenty of profit for the shareholders.

With this in mind, I hope nobody is going to be stingy with the tips or moan about being expected to pay them on their £10/cheap cruise!

.....Not that the British would do such a thing!

hi phil
going to be away for a month I am very about that will miss your news from the balcony suite, tony will be working overtime to keep us entertained. a bit damp this end of wiltshire this morning. I think it is a good idea to have a solo cruisers get together as perhaps you could make up a taxi load for some of the trips instead of paying the ships excursion prices. vivien

Good morning all!
It is my understanding that MSC do have a single travellers get together.

And yes they had a singles meeting first night with free bucks fizz. But there was only 2 of us there so we had to share about 4 bottles of champagne.

This is quote from Rumrat who has sailed on the Melody before. He has quite a few bits of interesting information which are worth knowing. For example he says the bottles in the ship's shop are very cheap! Go to the 10/10 Roll Call for Melody to get all the news!

Tony W - yes, ship's crew work cheap, but that goes for all of them, i.e. not just those from a particular country. On my first cruise, my cabin lady was Russian and her pay went to her family back home - though I think she earned more than $3 a day, and I think that applies to most ships. Bear in mind they have no expenses, all food and accommodation are provided. Many (if not all) crew even have their cabins cleaned and their laundry done, all for free. I'm not saying $3 a day is a good wage under ANY circumstances, though, as it certainly isn't.

Ali - nothing on board is compulsory (including the singles gatherings), except for the emergency drill that usually happens within hours of boarding, or fairly early the next morning if boarding is too late (say, after 4 pm). That's according to international law, and everybody MUST attend even if you've been to dozens of them already. They'll know if you're not there, as they do a roll call and tick your name off. I don't think there's any point in getting someone else to shout ''yes'' when your name is called, they're wise to things like that. Anyhow, you have to know your muster station, which of course changes with each ship and each group of cabins, so however many you've been on it stands to reason you have to go again.

The singles gathering (again!) - I stopped going to them, as I found that if you're actually single it's assumed you're there to find a rich partner who can keep you in cruises for the rest of your life, and I'm not looking for a partner of ANY bank balance. But then I began to think I'm missing out on meeting interesting people, and it's easy to make it clear you're not searching. So now I go again. Oh, and the free drinks are an added bonus.

Phil M - you ARE a naughty boy - or maybe it's the Bells yet again What I meant about there not being sun for 6 months was that you don't get SUNTANNED for 6 months, and your skin stops being used to HOT sun. Tut tut tut

I don't think we should get too depressed about the lack of success recently (i.e. about the numbers of cruises being allocated), as R*** must still have their hands full with the fallout from Watchdog - they certainly DON'T want to appear on it again, and the only way to ensure that is to give ALL complainants their cruises. True, they don't want to upset us HT members either, but they won't get nearly as much negative publicity from us as they would from WD.

Fay

I shall certainly be going to the singles get-together. I'm definitely not looking for another partner Meeeeyyyy, but I wouldn't mind being taken down off the shelf and dusted occasionally, preferably by someone rich.

I wouldn't go to a singles get together no matter how much free booze they give away. The meetings always seem to clash with something else I want to do, especially if it's in the evening.

I wouldn't mind a singles lunch (everybody has to eat now and then) but not if it goes on for ages like William's did.

The best place to meet other passengers is to join in the activities (yes even line dancing!) or in the restaurant at meal times.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes and all the advice and tips for my upcoming Cabby Cruise, much appreciated.

The background info on tipping is useful and no I won't be stingy.

Decided to buy new digital camera in UK to avoid hastle over repairs, & non UK spec, etc and there are actually some good deals around. Also not going to bother with anti-malaria tabs, but will take extra concentrated DEET with me.

Looking forward now to meeting some rich and interesting Americans. Actually, did meet one some years ago in the early days of the Internet, whilst researching Family History. This has turned into a friendship with exhange visits (Scottsdale AZ) and now a business opportunity. So Travel & the Net do broaden the mind and your horizons.

Only two weeks to go now

I still have my 'second' DE Cruise (2006) to sort out - but will leave that till I get back in May, so will still be an active HT member. Hope by then everyone waiting will be sorted.

Good luck all.

Chris :

Hi JennieL: Re singles lunches - one ship does have them, I can't remember if it's Tompson's Emerald or Spirit (or maybe both), and I found I enjoyed it. It didn't go on too long either.

One possible problem with our MSC cruises is that Italian ships seem to cater mainly for Italian passengers, and very few of them speak English. I think someone said that youngsters are taught English these days, but older ones (i.e. anybody over 30) don't speak a word. I even learnt the Italian for ''do you speak English'' (something like ''parla Inglesi?''), but then they answered me in Italian and of course I didn't understand a word. The problem is that everyone assumes you're Italian, and as they're a friendly lot they just come up and talk to you. So I just asked in English whether they understand, and the wave of the hand and ''noh'' told me - and them - there was no point in continuing the conversation. So whether we're at singles lunches, joining in activities etc, we may not be able to speak to many people. All the crew speak very good English, so if you're stuck you know where to go.

Paradoxically, the French (of all ages) speak reasonably good English, as do the Germans, Scandinavians, etc. So we may not be as alone as we first think. Also, the only Italian ship I've been on is the Costa Tropicale, MSC may be different in that they may cater for a wider market. Can anybody tell us MSC lot if that's so

Fay

I am sure we will all know more when the first MSC cruisers post on their return. Those of us going a little later will have plenty of advance information and know exactly what to expect. It is useful to hear from others who have already cruised with MSC but we all know that things can change from year to year so I really look forward to up-to-date reports.

Aslemma - normally I'd agree with you that it's worth waiting for the first MSC reports, but as I'm on the Melody's 2nd HT sailing I won't have them before I leave home.

Fay

p.s. Just seen HT members on MSC Opera and Armonia before us Melodians get started - if any of you are still following this forum, could you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let us know what you thought of your cruises?? EVER so many



Fay

Fay, go to the Roll Call for Melody 10/10 and you will find information there. Rumrat has actually sailed on Melody before!

Meeeeyyyy, what I meant was that it was people like you the rest of us are relying on to clue us in. Any info from those who have cruised before, no matter which ship or line, is extremely useful and much appreciated, but you early birds will be able to give us later ones more up-to-date and specific advice. By the time the last lot sail out they will have no excuse not to be fully prepared.

Magsy - I read that thread, as you'd suggested it earlier, but I can't find anything on the question I raised re the passenger mix. Some posts have talked about meeting people on board (via singles lunches, activities etc) and I just thought it doesn't matter who you do or don't meet, the chances are you won't be able to talk to them.

Having posted negative stuff about Italian cruises, I should say their food is absolutely delish - at least, it was on the Costa Tropicale, I must confess I don't like it in Italy itself, but maybe that's because I've got the wrong taste buds. (make of that what you will)

Fay

Hi Fay, and anyone who is interested!
On a review I read the following about Passenger Mix:
40% Italian, 20% British, 20% German, 10% French and the remaining 10% a mix of Spanish, Austria, American & Canadian, Australian and NZ and other Europeans.

This review is on the Lirica, which is a very similar ship to Armonia, Opera and Sinfonia but I am sure they will all have the same mix, including Melody.
The review, which is very long and detailed can be found at:
http://www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/ships/md_lirica.asp

I was allocated the Louise cruise for March the 12 which of course never happened so booked myself on MSC Sinfonia sailing March 13 from Genoa, You may be interested to know I met 4 other people on board who had also been allocated the March 12 cruise. None of them had been offered anything else in its place and none had heard of this site. How many other people are there out there in the same situation! For those who may be interested I have written a review under MSC Sinfonia. Dennis

Hi
MSC may get a few more Brits on their cruises this season as they are now being offered on teletext and in Cruise Control mag View To A Bridge.