Late Deals

Hi, I was not going to publish for a while as I thought I had done enough cruising this year to keep me going, but then, SPECIAL DEALS came along. It started with a special on the Queen Elizabeth to the Norwegian Fjords and North Cape a 14 day round trip from Southampton.

Cunard are in the habit of reducing prices to put bums in cabins from about 3 months before sailing date. In this case the reduction in price was at its lowest 1 month before departure which I why I grabbed it. The following week it went back up £100. So there must be a lot of people who are doing the same thing.

The cruise is from the 22 June to 6 July and the price for a balcony cabin works out at £999 each, (third person £555) so I grabbed the bullet and booked it.

This is how I managed to get the very good deal on the 16 day cruise last Christmas on the Queen Elizabeth, booking 8 days before departure, we had a D2 (large cabin) inside for 50% off.

Then last weekend the Daily Mail has a special page on Saturdays of cruise deals, and I mean deals, anyway there was a deal on a sector of the SUN PRINCESS, round world cruise form Dover to Los Angeles. The advertisers in the Daily Mail seemed to be ok and apart from the credit card penalty they would only sell the package including the flight back from L.A. on Virgin.

There were two companies quoting the same cruise sector at slightly different prices, but both companies wanted 2.5% for paying with a credit card. The company I have been using for the last three years was Air Miles, now renamed, as Avios. The only drawback is you have to use the points accrued through booking with them on BA. Flights.

I then called Avios and they agreed to a cruise without the return flight so we have now booked through Avios and have so many points that our return flight from LA via San Francisco will be first class! Which we booked by ourselves separately. Nice if you can do it.

The bottom line, from AVIOS, for the cruise and package including delivery to LAX, worked out for the three of us at £38 a day each! That must be the best ever deal I have seen for a cruise. This is for TWO inside cabins, for three people.

So if you spend a bit of time, quite a lot actually, looking at deals they are there for the finding.

“Serenade of the seas” 21st April – 5th May 2012

“ The daylight flight back to Miami on the 19th April went without a hitch and I stayed in the Doral Florida Intercontinental hotel for the two nights before flying to San Juan to join the Serenade. Happily all connections went without a hitch and I was onboard by 1300 on the Saturday to our cabin for the voyage, the Owners Suite.

 I have to admit that this was the first time we had up graded our cabin to a suite and as they say “I could get used to this very easily” Suffice to say it is a brilliant way to cruise. Over 500 sq. feet and all the facilities one could wish for. A big 50″ TV with DVD player and a good sound system separating the sleeping area from the lounge. The bathroom had a full sized bath with Jacuzzi jets. When you have a suite there are a lot of extras, we had the use of a small private lounge for all suite passengers, where there was snacks in the morning and a coffee/tea maker available 24/7. Plus two Internet computers complete with a printer, so no queuing to get onto a machine in the other Internet areas. The only problem was that unless you are on the very top scale of frequent passengers there is no free access although we did get 15% discount on the service giving us a price of 22.5 cents a minute.

Another facility, well used by all suite passengers, was a private cocktail lounge with free drinks and snacks every night from 1700-2030.

The ship is a sister ship to the “Brilliance of the Seas” which I have cruised on previously and there is a description, with photographs,  on my web at word press. See, http://pjweaver69.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/brilliance-of-the-seas-et-al/

There was only one major problem and that is the ships cinema, which although having 5 shows every day showed many of the films five times in the two week cruise and the cabin TV was also a big disappointment with really no thought to programming or scheduling or giving us, the guest, information as to what is being shown other than an hour by hour channel with the program at the time.. I have written a personal letter to Mr. D Fain the CEO. Of Caribbean Cruises International. If you would like to see a copy then send me a note and I can forward it to you.

So although I have these reservations about entertainment, I have to also say that, the rest of the ship is brilliant, and I shall be hoping to cruise on her again in the future. I would recommend RCI ships to anyone for a cruise on a well organised and excellent ships with good food and service which is what its all about. The crew are really friendly and the Entertainment staff was wonderful. Plus the price is not that steep.

This will be my last entry for a while, as I have no immediate plans for anything interesting for the next few months. If I go cruising again I shall certainly add a few words here when it happens.

Final comment on the procedure I had in the middle of April for my Trochantric Bursitis. It seems after nearly four weeks, to have been quite effective. Today I walked a couple of kilometres and went swimming and did 600 meters and at time of writing I am no longer suffering any pain, thank goodness.

Trochantric Bursitis

Hi to all my readers,

As many of you will have read I have been in pain since the middle of January from what was suspected to be a hip replacement problem.

I have sorted out the problem with my hip, it was not a hip replacement job but a much minor problem called Trochantric Bursitis, for details on what it is please have a look at:

http://www.webmd.boots.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-bursitis

The last three days have been quite exciting just to show that in the UK if you have medical insurance things can get done very quickly.

I made an appointment on the Tuesday evening with the consultant for the following evening, after collecting my referral letter from my GP on Wednesday morning. After the consultant made his diagnosis an immediate appointment was made for Friday after noon and here we are back writing this summary of what occurred. No pretty pictures this time, as all that occurred was a small injection in my right hip.

Have just returned from the outpatient clinic in a place called New Malden in SW London.

I arrived at 1355, and was wheeled straight into the working area, stripped and placed on a bed, three minutes later the procedure was complete, and I was on my way home by 1415!

Best clinic I have ever attended, the place was empty no other patients, it was a new place only opened in 2010, and has all the latest kit, on the first visit when the diagnosis was made, after taking the digital X-ray, by the time I walked back into the consultants office he was looking at the X-ray on his desk top computer. Anyway his diagnosis was acted upon and the injection into the bursitis at the top of the femur was carried out as above.

I won’t know for a few days if it has been a total success but I am very optimistic and will take it easy for a few days which as you have so rightly indicated that’s really not in my life style, I am always being accused of rushing about to much, but that is my nature, but now I just have to slow down and be a bit more of a couch potato!

Anyway very pleased at the outcome considering it was all accomplished within two and half days.

So what else. The flight back to London on American Airlines 777 was quite painless, with good food and plenty of movies on demand, the only fault I could make was that the so called “Flat Bed” was indeed not a flat bed and during the flight one kept sliding down the bed into the foot rest, so not too much sleep, made up for it when I got home on Wednesday morning the 4th March. Usual problems when you get home after being away for three months, a mile high of mail, and a couple of very strange things, when I go on these trips I switch everything of electric, water and fridge, however when I got back I found the electric on and some one had closed the fridge door, and every thing was covered in Mildew it took me nearly three hours to clean it all up. There are only two key holders and both denied having switched the water an electric on or closing the fridge door, one of those inexplicable things, maybe a ghost!

I also had to get the car its annual service, and re tax it, due at the end of the month. The first afternoon I went to Tesco to get some food into the flat and when preparing it I sort of asked myself, why oh why am I back here when all this could be done for me on a ship. A week later I am settled in and enjoying my own prepared food. When I got home I was 93 kilos that’s only ten days ago and since then with watching what I am eating, this morning I was down to 88.6. Its just a case of cutting down intake. Difficult at the best of time, but with the hip problem pain, I need to loose a few kilos. I can feel the improvement already.

Last Tuesday went out in the evening for the only time during this stay to meet a few friends in the Phoenix bar of the same named theatre in Tottenham court road. Getting there with rail from home to Waterloo and thence Northern line to Tottenham court road, and a short walk to the bar was very hard, and I was exhausted by the time I got here, hopefully these problems will be a thing of the past after this week.

Next Thursday the 19/4 I will be flying to Miami to join the Serenade of the Seas in San Juan for the transatlantic trip to Barcelona. More of that trip in my next report, probably around the tenth of May after I get back home.

Cheers.

Bloggy Thingy 21/3 – 2/4/12

21 March 2012 – 2 April 2012

The seven day trip on the Sapphire Princes departing from Los Angeles and calling at Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego, Ensenada and back to Los Angeles went very well. The ship is in superb condition having come out of dry dock only a few months ago with new carpets throughout and a general face lift in all areas.

As I do more and more trips on Princess ships the very high standard of service and food is the same on all their ships. Here was no exception, and one thing that springs to mind on this vessel was the excellent lobster and large prawns, some the size of Tiger Prawns. Dessert’s, well the bakery was fantastic and there was always the best selection available, plus of course my favourite their “Cookies” all flavours one can think of!

From the above sentence you will begin to appreciate how much I enjoy good food and cruising which is my down fall to being over weight, which in turn I am sure has led to the hip problems I am now suffering from. Walking any distance is a disaster area, and I shall be seeing Doctors and Surgeons when I get home in May.

Our first port was Santa Barbara, where we had to be tendered in, but the distance was short and every one got ashore at the time they wanted. The transport into town was extremely well organised, as soon as one walked of the Pier there was an electric shuttle type bus running every ten minutes, holding about 30 people which ran up and down state street for 25 cents each way, what a deal.

The weather could have been kinder as it was overcast and cool, but little rain. I managed to do a little shopping. Our next Port San Francisco was also great, I had been many times before so nothing was new, except the handy berth on the water front making getting to anywhere in the city just a short ride/walk away. We actually did a late departure most unusual for cruise liners as they want you back on board to spend your money, but we sailed at 2130 hrs. just a shame it could not have been the same for San Diego.

Our next port San Diego was a wonderful day and having a friend living there made it great to go and do the remainder of my essential American shopping, as with VAT in the UK now at 20% everything is cheaper in the USA. The down terminal fro the cruise liners is also very well located and an easy walk into town. With the big Mega Millions Lottery due the next day US$650 million plus, making it I understand the largest lottery ever. Even before we got out of the terminal gate there was a small café with Internet Wifi and lottery, it was very busy and the lady behind the desk said she had taken over $1500 that day and expected a bigger one on the next day, Friday the day of the lottery.

Ensenada our final port before return to LA, was pleasant enough and weather fine and sunny, so everyone enjoyed a last day relaxing before return to reality and home!

On arrival in LA we took the “super shuttle” from the port to LAX for the short flight to Las Vegas where I shall be staying fro three nights before returning to London.

Our Hotel is the Riviera on Las Vegas Blvd So. Quite an old hotel but very reasonable with a nightly fee of £25 plus a resort fee of £8 a day. There no main head liner entertainers like some of the newer and larger Resorts. Very good buffet restaurant with breakfast at $10.99, lunch $12.99 and dinner at $16.99, all plus tax and tips. Rooms have mostly been refurbished and there is ample room, with a safe, TV and small fridge.

During our stay the weather has been sunny but rather cool with temperature around 10+ C, each day.

So our trip is nearly over with my departure to London on the 3rd April. Been a good one and we shall be looking forward to more in the future.

Bloggy Thingy 3/3 – 21/3/12

2 March – 21 March 2012

It’s now the 9/3 and we are secured alongside in Manta Ecuador, after a few problems on the way. The stay in Coquimbo went without any difficulties, the weather was pleasant enough and so far since leaving Valparaiso we have had no rainfall. The statute of the Cross on the ridge line above the town dominates the skyline. Its very much of a shanty town, and I did not bother to do any tours or visit the town.

Our arrival at Callao, was delayed by thick fog and the port was closed and our arrival was delayed until 1245, at which time as many, and as quick as possible, the tours were sent on there way. Which as a result meant we did not leave until 1945, instead of the scheduled departure of 1530, for the quick run to Manta, as a result the ship had to proceed at maximum sped of 22.5 knots and she finally docked only one hour late.

Our visit to Callao went well, as we had a friend who met us at the gate and took us to Miraflores the beach resort south of the port. We parked in the Marriott Hotel car park and toured the local area and had a late lunch in the Portofino Restaurant in the big Mall on the sea front area in front of the Marriott.

At Manta on the 9/5, there was a shuttle bus to a local supermarket, and onto to a local compound which showed local artefacts. I went to the supermarket to buy some items but none that I wanted were available however it was interesting to find that the local currency in Ecuador is the US Dollar, it felt strange using dollars for local purchases. Coca Cola was a lot cheaper than the on-board price.

Two days later it was Punta Arenas in Costa Rica where we had booked a tour to the thermal sperm at the base of the volcano. The resort called Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort, (www.tabacom.com) was brilliant, with a local volcanic river which went through the grounds of the Spa had been made into various pools in a totally natural setting with flowers and foliage as though you were in the jungle itself. A must do experience if your ever in Costa Rica, there are actually many of these Spa Resorts in the general area, but the one we went to is probably one of the best. Our tour included a visit to a butterfly farm, and a very good buffet Lunch at the Spa, where we had over an hour and half to soak our aches and pains away in the thermal pools. It was a very good tour but the only negative aspect was the over three hour coach ride each way to get there.

12/5 San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua, at anchor.
This should have been a pleasant day however when we arrived we found 50+ MPH winds blowing from the shore, which meant that the tender operation was VERY slow. As a result I decided to give it a miss, our Spanish friends went however very early on and hired a taxi for the ride to Grenada and back. Due to the slowness of the tenders our ailing was delayed for two hours

15/3
Today we had five and half hours in Manzanillo, supposedly the largest port on the west coast of Mexico. We arrived at 0700 and soon after everyone was streaming ashore. It is a pleasant little port and the object for Conrad and myself was to find wifi access. This was found in a local Café where the speed was excellent so for the price of a cup of coffee we spent three hours online getting everything up to date. The stay was the shortest of the cruise as it was all aboard at 1230, to get on our way to the last port of call, Cabo San Lucas, before arriving in San Francisco on the 19 March.

Our stay in Cabo went very well, tendered ashore around 0930, we went to look at the area were the fish caught during the morning were filleted and the skin and guts fed to the local Pelicans, a wonderful sight, and a lot of fun catching them fight over the scraps. There was also a sea lion there trying to get his share as well. We subsequently located a small café providing Wifi and for the price of a cup of coffee spent a couple of hours doing our thing.

I found Cabo San Lucas a most interesting little port, mainly looking after the local fishing craft as there is no terminal for the big ships to lay alongside, but, it is probably the most active place I have ever been to with water activity such a diving, fishing excursions, glass bottom boats, snorkelling, whale watching, sailing, diving, and of course lovely beaches for those into a day in the surf and sand. I hope one day to return and spend more time there to participate in so much aquatic activity.

I shall sending this out after our arrival in Las Vegas as tomorrow, Saturday, the Captain is forecasting 6 – 8 Meter swells form the North west and he is probably going to have to reduce speed, so we are going full speed ahead until the weather hits us later this evening, as it is essential that we arrive in San Francisco on time with a complete change of passengers.

Well, we finally arrived on time in San Francisco after 36 hours of quite heavy head swell which necessitated a reduction of speed to 14 knots whilst passing through the low pressure area, but by 1700 on the Sunday evening before the following mornings arrival the weather calmed down allowing us to proceed back at full speed to make the arrival on time.

Disembarkation was as chaotic as usual and the immigration formalities and extra gangway search by a dog sniffer delayed disembarkation for an hour and half, but we finally arrived at the airport for an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza before flying to Las Vegas on Tuesday morning. We stayed at the Sunset Station Hotel Casino quite a ways east of down town Las Vegas, in Henderson, and the taxi fare was around $40+ each way, they no longer have a shuttle bus from the airport. In retrospect we would have done better to rent a car for the stay as being out of town, even though there was plenty of local shopping with the usual mall with JC Penny and Macys, etc. very close bye, having a car would have made it a lot more flexible. That being said the food at the hotel and cost was very good value with Dinner Buffet at $9 and Lunch at $7 and breakfast at $5. The rooms were adequate but very minimalist, with no fridge, or drinks in the room. The price, however, was right. The Casino itself is VERY large and enclose both a large bowling facility and a 13 screen cinema, so there was no need to leave the Hotel for any entertainment.

On Saturday the 24/3 we join the Sapphire Princess, more of that in the next bulletin.

Bloggy Thingy 27 Feb. – 2nd March

Bloggy Thingy 27th Feb – 2nd March

After our disappointment at not being able to visit Ushuaia, we have been extraordinarily lucky with the weather, at Punta Arenas, a tender port, it was wall to wall Blue with temperature around 10 but a little warmer in the sun. The only problem is getting people ashore by tender. Operations start as soon as we anchor usually between 0800 – 0900 and it takes until noon before we get the call that it is free for all tendering ashore without the need to go to a lounge and get a ticket.

Penguin tours were cancelled as most of the penguins had left for their winter grounds, where ever that might be, and as a result Princess cancelled all penguin pre-booked tours.

I went ashore to do my emails and found a café just outside the dock gates with unlimited access for as long as you wanted for US $1, now that’s a deal,enough to handle the emails compared with the Falklands where it was US 18 cents a minute. However as a platinum card member the free 250 minutes, on board is enough for us for the trip from Rio to Valparaiso. This will also be enough at 250 minutes for the 16 days to San Francisco.

The route around the Horn and into the Beagle Canal to the Pacific was fascinating and similair to steaming through the Norwegian fjords. Again the weather was great and the visit to the Glacier was wonderful,The name of the glacier was Skua Glacier in the Amalia Fjord. the ship steamed right up to the glacier and did a 360, before steaming out back to the route north towards Valparaiso, through the Islands on the Pacific coast. Wonderful for all the camera buffs and very calm.

Today 29th February, at time of writing, Princess came out with a special deal for UK people with big discounts for only one day, for ships steaming in Europe and out of the UK, this summer, so we have booked a 17 day trip, departing from Southampton on the 4th Sept. for Seville, Malta, Venice,Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Gibraltar and back to Southampton on the 21 Sept. This is all as a result of our complete satisfaction with the Star Princess. The ship will be the Grand Princess, similair in all respects to the Star Princess.

The cruise staff have been wonderful and I have to say that Sami Baker, the Cruise Director is a real ball of fire, and runs a great department looking after all the passengers needs, and I would also like to say a big thank you to Matias Chimicz the Deputy Cruise Director, who helped me get the Whist Drive organised each day with cards, material, equipment and prizes.

I also wish to express my great appreciation, especially to Head Waiter Radu, from Romania, who made our dinner each evening the best I have ever experienced afloat. Thank you Radu.

It’s Friday evening and just using up the last minutes of free Internet before we arrive at Valparaiso. Hope you like the two pictures of the Chilean Glaciers.
Regards to all readers
Captain Philip

Bloggy Thingy 15 Feb – 28 Feb

Well we are into day two on the beautiful  Star Princess, and I have organised to try and get a whist drive going, more of that later.

When we disembarked from the Adonia we went by taxi, over the causeway bridge, to our hotel situated on the far side of the bay away from down town Rio , in a district called Niteroi taking only 40 minutes ans costing 49 Reals. When we came to embark on the Star Princess It took over and hour and 70 Reals for the taxi from the hotel to the Star Princess.   Because it was Mardi Gras, a lot of the roads around the terminal were obstructed by the carnival floats and chaotic traffic just like the traffic jams in Bangkok  I was very sorry not to have seen the actual parade the night before but the hip problem precluded me from standing around on my feet for any length of time.

The taxis are really good, they can seat four plus driver and have a large luggage space in the back. When we got to the ship around 1230, there was chaos, as there was 5 cruise sips all alongside in the process of exchanging passengers. A porter took our 5 bags away and dumped  them in the ware house   To board Star Princess a queue extended out into the street so we went into the local restaurant had a lunch. We had a plate of food which is then weighed and we pay for the weight of the food we have chosen, great system, and very reasonable price. There are many of these restaurants around Rio and they all seem to have different names, thee three went went to all had different names, “Cafe Viena”, Bond Chopp”, and “Companhia do Garfo”.

Talk about chalk and cheese, we are both so pleased to be here on the Star Princess, its almost impossible to explain how happy we are. At last a good piece of prime rib, and good starter in the Prawn Cocktail each evening if we want it. Neither of which we had on the Adonia. Since we sailed there has been no motion even though we have a force 5 blowing. Our cabin is big enough with a large open rail open walk in wardrobe, it is also the first time we have been in a cabin with two upper bunk beds. Conrad is sleeping in the bunk, whilst Peter and I have the beds.

The service in the “Buffet” is very good, no struggling and queuing to get a coffee or tea, the stewards bring it to our tables. We initially had problems with our evening dining seating with two different restaurants for our group but we have now managed to arrange a table for 6, in the Portofino which is an any time dining, as long as we arrive by 1800, which suits us all, as we have the same table reserved for us each night, This was set up by a section head waiter who fixed it all. He is from Croatia, named Radu, and after it was all fixed as we ate our first course I gave him $40 in appreciation, within five minutes hearing that 5 out of 6 of us liked cheese, there appeared on the table two plates of assorted cheese and some grapes, with a promise that the next night the cheese would be on the table for our arrival so it would at room temperature, how about that for service.

This indeed occurred and on our second night there two cheese plates, and some tomato brochette awaiting us when we sat done to dinner, I felt like a passenger in the Queens Grill of the QE! On subsequent evenings we have had spaghetti with shrimp and tomatoes, another evening we have had a small Ceasers salad.

There are many different movies in the various venues so every thing is to our liking plus we are settling into a routine of playing cards after lunch and some times in the evenings after the show. We have found that the big tables beside the pool in the conservatory deck area suit  our purposes very well. So far playing very little Rummykub and Spinner is still
Well the whist drive I organised the first day, at sea, had two tables and proper score sheets and table numbers with a dummy card. I have promised because I have no intention of going ashore to be the convenor from now until we arrive in San Francisco, sea and port days. If we don’t get enough whist players I will introduce Rummykub! Our meeting is at 1045 in the morning and we have access of one of the Grill restaurants which is only used at night.

The ships television is okay but not as much Brit TV as we had on the Adonia, but instead and far better we get about four, some times six movies a day in various venues around the ship.

So we come back to that awful thing about deciding which is the better ships, and much as I liked the life style on the Adonia, I am sold again on Princess Cruises and of course Cunard, GOOD BYE to P & O. Of course its very much each to their own choices and everyone has different likes and dislikes, but in the end its all about spending life on board a ship!
The visits to Montevideo and Buenos Aires went just fine, good weather and all enjoyed their visit. Our next port of call was Stanley in the Falklands which was a tender port, it took until midday until all who wanted to go ashore had been transferred. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the next boat available prior to that we had to wait in lounges with tickets, to be called, boring. I eventually went ashore to the jetty where there was a wifi capability but the charges were 18 cents US a minute but at least that’s cheaper than the ships satellite and faster.
After departing Stanley our next port of call was to be Ushuaia. The night before arrival we were told we would be delayed because a ship in our berth, the seamen had gone on strike but would be gone by 0800. However at 0600 on our supposed arrival day, the Argentine Government got into the act and declared that any British ship which had call at the Falklands would not be allowed entry into any Argentinian port. So both ourselves and the ADONIA were refused entry and we spent the day instead going slowly through the Begal Canal and having a wonderful photo opportunity of all the beautiful pristine glaciers.
Unbelievably petty and so like politicians to involve the poor passengers on the ship to make a political point. Sounds to me like a wonderful job of shooting oneself in the foot by denying the local population the income from passengers and the loss of port and harbour dues for the port of Ushuaia.