anyone know where phil is

he has not posted in a while

Raych

Re-'phone nos

I have a special tariff for calls abroad from Vodaphone. You need a Tri band 'phone for America.

Maureen H

With all of these wonderful reviews of the Melody I'm getting all excited

only 90 days until my wonderful flight from Heathrow (suppose I should really look into getting to and from Heathrow from the north east)

when are the recent returnees going to post the pictures - I want to see more of the delights of the ship and the places visited
now where did I put that suntan cream and the camera

mike

Stupid question - but how do I send a PM? I've received them and replied but I can't seem to find a button to actually send one.

Any advice gratefully received.

Elaine

(Not long 'til 10.9.05 - Lirica here I come!!)

Hi Elaine

Find a post by the person you want to send a pm to. At the bottom of their post is a pm button, click on this and you can send one.

HTH

luci

Elaine,

if you want to send a pm to someone you can do it 2 ways,

1) find a post the person you want to send the pm to has posted and click on pm (usually just below the post)

2) from your account click on new post and then either put the persons username into the box or search for the username of the person you want to send the pm to.

hope this helps

mike

Elaine,
Have PM`d you with a somewhat more involved version of what Luci has just posted!!
Never was economical with words!

Hi allisu

Glad you had a fantastic cruise. I was abroad when you went and have only just caught up with your strike problems.

We are going on 18th July and Alitalia ground staff and cabin crew are going on strike all that day. I think the Alitalia pilots are also on strike 3 days earlier.

I contacted Rise and they cant do anything until it is confirmed by Alitalia- probably not until Saturday 16th! If we end up delayed or at another airport how would MSC know.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. (Sorry for all these questions when you have only just returned)

Thanks

Jean and Steve

Hi Mike C

I decided to fly from Durham Tees Valley, not the cheapest way but an option, another easier but longer option is National Express into London Victoria and then the Heathrow express direct into Terminal 1, this costs £4 single and they run very frequently. You can get some very good deals on national express, depending on age you can get down to London & back for under £20.00 so total there & back for under £50 or less and no hassle. where in the N E are you travelling from. train will only take you to Kings X and beleive me the hastle of getting from there to Victoria with luggage not worth it, I do it every year when I visit my brother on south coast. and with all that sun cream you will need all your energy for the other end. lots of walking before you actually get on board. Top tip for your hand luggage get one with wheels, the smaller ones are perfectly acceptable on the airlines. I didn't and would have been really stuck without Isobel

Will be posting some photos when I get my land legs back, thought the desk might have stopped moving about by this morning but now the settee has joined in

Katie 15

thought the desk might have stopped moving about by this morning but now the settee has joined in

And she didn't even have a drink! (don't worry everyone - the sea is VERY calm!)

To anyone worried about strikes: it depends on how worried you become.......should you become paranoid, like me, about T & C's which have something in about paying the full price (brochure) if you don't turn up then for peace of mind it's probably best to make alternative arrangements to get to Genoa - but it will cost you heavily!

I was quoted a price by Alitalia to upgrade but when I got to the airport it mysteriously increased by another £40. I am afraid I made a scene (and will be taking this further) - I always wondered at those irate customers in tv. prog. 'Airport' - but I was just as angry! I ended up paying them a total of £104 to change flights, about £39 for a hotel, about £12.50 for the train + various taxis.

However, I knew that whatever, I would be on the ship when it departed and for peace of mind it was well worth it. Also, there was no way I was going to miss this holiday of a lifetime - and having been, I can confirm it was just that

The train journey was easy and relaxing - lovely scenery. Also you get to Genoa before any of the coaches so you can do all the checking in without having to queue. I was one of the first on the ship and had plenty of time to unpack, look round etc. before lifeboat drill, meals etc. whereas some found it all a rush.

Let's say, if this happened again, I would still take another option for peace of mind. But everyone has a different 'panic' level!

A cheaper alternative would be to forget about the booked flight out completely - Ryanair's fare from Stansted to Genoa is usually from £9.99 to £19.99 plus taxes. I think it is at about 7.30 am. I couldn't do this because my car would have been at Heathrow and I couldn't face travelling from Stansted to Heathrow, especially as I drive past Stansted on my way home! More going round in circles!!

I hope this helps.

Just off to collect photos -

Alli

Thanks Luci & Mike

How dumb am I!!

Elaine853

Thanks Alli for the info-very helpful,

It's hard to know what to do - still 5 weeks away - and a lot could happen in that time. Where did you end up flying to - Linate or Malpensa? Did you change dates using Rise or go direct to Alitalia?

Was it easy to book a hotel? Pleased you enjoyed the train journey.

Thanks for the info on Ryanair. When you get your Alitalia tickets at Heathrow are they return - or do you get the return part at Malpensa? (Never used e-tickets before)

Thanks again for you help

Jean

Hi Jean

I rang Alitalia -it's £35 to change flight plus whatever upgrade they issue at time. I seemed to be upgraded from economy to economy! I think it's because the flights are cheaper the earlier they are booked so you have to pay the difference.

I knew the times of the flights - you can print off a timetable off their web site so you have an idea of times and destinations (Linate or Malpensa). I went out to Linate (changing from Malpensa) but my return flight stayed as it was originally, i.e. from Malpensa.

After I had everything confirmed, I sent MSC an email advising I wouldn't need the transfer. I didn't ask Rise to do anything. I had also telephoned MSC once the flights had been changed because by then I had my documents and had to get them to issue new ones. You don't get any plane tickets, just documents from MSC re tickets and transfers.

I booked hotel on-line. I booked through Active hotels but there are lots such as Octopus travel. You can read hotel reviews on various sites such as http://www.tripadvisor.com.

Alli

Thanks Alli,

Knowing our luck, if we changed the tickets, then they'd change the strike dates!

Will have to monitor the situation closely and make a decision nearer the time. It's going to be a long 5 weeks.

Thanks

Jean

I have some photos which I was going to post on gallery. I don't have a digital camera or scanner but I have copied them with a webcam in bmp format. I don't know how to do anything else!

However the gallery doesn't support bmp so I don't think I can put them on.

Sorry folks! You'll have to wait for Katie's (which are probably a lot better!). Although the ones with Captain Stiffa ( yes, that's his real name) were ok

Hey, I nearly forgot - I am on a cruise now. I think that must be Libya ahead. Great ship this no rolling. Pity I can't remember much about the last ports we called at. Would have been nice to get a letter telling me not to fly out to Marseille, still only 15 1/2 weeks to go

Good to read all the reviews, sounds like it's well worth waiting for , do I need to get dressed up for dinners, i.e. do I need to take a jacket for the Melody?

Good luck to those still waiting.

Yes, Dogleap, lots of us should have been to Libya by now !

Still, not too long until your Melody trip - time will rush by! Others are better placed to advise you (isn't Myles the sartorial guru?), but it sounds like all nearly all men take a jacket and a tie, then some go for it with the full DJ, etc, while some just wear them on the two formal nights.

I'd like advice from previous MSC cruisers about the minibar :oops:!

I'm off on the Armonia Sunday and I wonder if you can put your own things, esp water, to chill in the minibar. I've stayed in hotels where this isn't allowed - did anyone do it, and do large bottles of water fit in? Having said that, their prices seem v reasonable - hic !

Has anyone heard from Magsy? She was fine in Venice - quiet without her!

Hi dogleap,

The view that i am sharing with you is Benghasi. One Libyan port down two to go. I thought the Roman ruins were magnificent, apparently they are the best outside Italy. Did you take the tour too?

Shame the Louis ship is such a rustbucket, unlike those gleeming MSC ships we cruised past, I'd bet the food would be much better too - just imagine if we'd been allocated one of them!

Id of been on the Louis cruise too this week! think the Armonia sounds a better bet. Hope you can use the mini bar for your own items as im having to take veggie/vegan foods and soya milk with me. Was planning on removing a few drinks to fit my foods in!

Alison