I havent posted for a while but I am still waiting for a reply to my emails/ post and calls.

I too have never been offered vouchers etc.

To those still waiting:

Having received a "useless" book of vouchers, I could not see the point of them. A book of vouchers , in what appeared to be my original s.a.e. arrived after I had been on the cruise with nothing to say who they were from. My guess is that someone suddenly discovered the envelope and thought they had better do something with it.

As I have said before, arrangements for my cruise were done over the telephone thanks to the DE. I did also contact Harry Cichy - Peter gave details of this somewhere way back. Whether that was the reason they contacted me or because of my telephone calls, I really can't say. It's worth exploring all avenues. Good luck!

Maureen H.

My computer is slow this morning so the message went twice. As I could not delete it, I changed it to this instead. Never mind, I'll get the next star sooner.

Have a good trip, Phil.

Maureen H

I wrote to the Daily Express last week and recieved a reply this morning. I just wanted to be sure I was still on file with them. The letter said DE had taken over from MKM/Rise and blamed the severe storms for the delay. They've said they will contact me in the near future to attempt to resolve the situation and may offer me an alternative (which I'm not interested in) and "unfortunately we are unable to offer cruise availability to you at this time" They also requested I continue to be patient. It doesn't really tell me alot but at least I know I'm still on thier books.
I shall sit back and wait and let you all know what happens, I can't wait to go on a cruise as I've been reading how much fun everyone has had on thiers

I don't know why they are still using the excuse of "severe storms". As quite a few people on the forum have pointed out there was minimum disruption because of the hurricanes in the Caribbean ( I think only one cruise was actually cancelled) and how on earth did it end up affecting cruises in the Mediterranean?

The link given by Peter A is excellent for those of you still waiting. It gives the email address of the 'man at the top'!

Personally I think asking people to be patient has worn out! You have already been waiting over a year!

More thoughts about the storms. If and when this subject appears again on Watchdog and the spokesperson from the DE starts going on about the "severe weather", it would be good if the BBC could arm themselves with some facts. If they could speak to the various shipping lines, Lloyds of London and the Met. Office they would be able to get the true facts of what actually happened during the hurricanes and what disruption to the many hundreds of cruises it actually caused.

If someone is going to contact Watchdog and give them their story , it might be a good idea to mention this to the BBC so they can get some facts and figures assembled before the same old excuses are trotted out by the DE.

Great thinking - forewarned is forearmed as my old mom used to say - and I think it applies to this case very well indeed - time to make our marching banners I think for our DE offices protest in London

time to make our marching banners I think for our DE offices protest in London

.........Put me down for one of them!

At least we would have a chance of getting some embarassing publicity for the DE............it must be in the frame soon.

Another day passes, and still no reply , putting pen to paper tonight, and starting to plan my banner for protest, so keep everyone informed on your progress. Have written to watchdog, so fingers crossed the situation can be sorted. All i want, like those who have been is my cruise!

I agree with Trisantona. It still puzzles me how "the storms" affected the Mediterranean! I bet there are still places on cruises to the Caribbean later this year. The problem is more likely to be the lack of 7 day cruises.

Did anyone ever cruise South America?

Maureen H.

Wow have only been "off-site" for 48 hours and I return to see a bit of the old fightin spirit returning. I absolutely agree that the hurricane excuse has worn a bit thin and that if the DE is going to try and use this as an excuse then . - definately a bad move. Everyone out there who has not had a reasonable offer of a cruise or has just been ignored should now start causing a bit of elephant mayhem!!No idea what that would be like but imagine fairly unpleasant. DE execs must be sitting in their ivory tower, mopping their dripping brows and thinking that they've managed to "just scrape out of that one" (wot was the idea about a dating agency all about???). It was great to see more people responding in the last few days than for a long time so lets get on with it - write,phone,e-mail and if all else fails, lets have a day out with banners, bull-horns (fairly peaceful me thinks) and a lot of negative PR for the De who after all have had "your" (non-cruisers) money.

Could be a good idea to try and get all our local papers to run stories - that should help start the protest rolling and help us all to group up for our protest journey to the capital - I think I will start with letter to the editor as well as points of view - all ideas welcome

Veronica G

At one time a local radio station took up the cause so, perhaps, you could try your local station. Radio Solent (my local station) are very good at this. At the moment, they are working on silent 'phone calls.

I think it is important that those of us who have cruised, support those still waiting which is why I continue to read the postings.

Had to have several goes at this to-day. The false nails get in the way!

Good luck!

Maureen H.

Do you leave tomorrow Maureen? (false nails may have been a clue!)

Hi all
Well have sent letter by recorded delivery to Stan at DE today so at least i know it will be delivered, but despite numerous phone calls and emails, all of which remain unanswered all i want just like those who are left(not sure how many, but quite a few i imagine) is my cruise. Will be contacting my local radio station"Sunsine Radio" and write to my local paper, start to cause some local publicity
Be great if more people can get involved

Re: any protest. I think that all should dress as if for a gala night on a cruise - plastic tiara's an' all if needs be (and that's just for the menfolk!). Talking of tiaras will someone please stop me with the shoe buying thing! At this rate I'll need the Melody to be towed behind the Opera just to accommodate my Imelda Marcos syndrome. Me too with the false nails but not having mine done until day before I leave as am bound to poke my eye out if bestowed with such lethal weapons for too long. Am now pondering the benefit of perhaps staying in B&B on the Friday night rather than doing the Midnight Express coach- (12pm-4.30am) Don't really fancy arriving on my first ever cruise absolutely knick-knacked and looking like somebody coated me in glue and threw me through a wardrobe! Have had what seems a reasonable quote of £29 inc. transfer to Gatwick so what the heck the old piggy bank will just have to expand a little more.

I leave to-morrow but the false nails are from the previous cruise.

Maureen

This is totally but I had false nails for eldest sons wedding [gel ones] Had them infilled a few times and then had then re done in acrylic when down in S'hampton.Looked very nice but big mistake as no one round here uses acrylic so I had to soak them off with neat acetone and now have ten very short, very weak nails. [ There is a discussion thread about false nails on 'general chat' if anyone is interested.]
Back to cruises, I hope everyone going in the next week or so has a fabulous time. Juro, have you arranged a diversion of the wine tanker to take in west wales while you are away as that will be much appreciated. I think you should speculate the £29 so you can arrive bright eyed and bushy tailed as the saying goes. What does that mean exactly?