First time cruise

[Meg67]

Hi,
I have just booked our first cruise...... Egypt and the Holy land followed by a week in Oludeniz... I would be very greatful if someone could help me out on a few queries.

1... A/I package..... I have not as yet booked this as I can't decide if it would be worth the money.... There will be 2 adults who both enjoy a drink or 2 and 1 child who will want to try all the virgin cocktails.... Please could someone tell me are the spirit measures standard uk ones or "holiday measures":D also is the mixer included in the price or do you pay for that separately.

2... Excursions... To me, the whole point of a cruise is to "Get off the boat" and explore... I have made my mind up that any excursions I book will be with Thomsons for Port Said, Alexandria & Ashdod (I will feel safer knowing the ship won't leave without me) However when we dock at Larnaca will there be enough to do without booking a trip.... I know I'll be ok in Alanya as I have already been there (BTW if anyone is interesed the trips to Aspendos/Perge & Manavagat are good value as we done them when we stayed in Alanya last summer, however the castle and cave is easily done on your own)...... We will start and finish the cruise in Marmaris so will we have any time to explore this town?

3.... Transfer day... As this will be a cruise and stay are you picked up at the same time as those leaving for home or do you leave earlier? Also if we do get the A/I package can you use this up until you leave the ship?


4.... Captains Gala.... Does this tend to be held at the end of the cruise or can it be any night..... I would hate it to be the night before or on the same day as we do the trip to Cairo as we will be shattered.

Many thanks in advance

Meg x x x

[1160451]

Hi,
I have just booked our first cruise...... Egypt and the Holy land followed by a week in Oludeniz... I would be very greatful if someone could help me out on a few queries.

1... A/I package..... I have not as yet booked this as I can't decide if it would be worth the money.... There will be 2 adults who both enjoy a drink or 2 and 1 child who will want to try all the virgin cocktails.... Please could someone tell me are the spirit measures standard uk ones or "holiday measures":D also is the mixer included in the price or do you pay for that separately.

2... Excursions... To me, the whole point of a cruise is to "Get off the boat" and explore... I have made my mind up that any excursions I book will be with Thomsons for Port Said, Alexandria & Ashdod (I will feel safer knowing the ship won't leave without me) However when we dock at Larnaca will there be enough to do without booking a trip.... I know I'll be ok in Alanya as I have already been there (BTW if anyone is interesed the trips to Aspendos/Perge & Manavagat are good value as we done them when we stayed in Alanya last summer, however the castle and cave is easily done on your own)...... We will start and finish the cruise in Marmaris so will we have any time to explore this town?

3.... Transfer day... As this will be a cruise and stay are you picked up at the same time as those leaving for home or do you leave earlier? Also if we do get the A/I package can you use this up until you leave the ship?


4.... Captains Gala.... Does this tend to be held at the end of the cruise or can it be any night..... I would hate it to be the night before or on the same day as we do the trip to Cairo as we will be shattered.

Many thanks in advance

Meg x x x
Hi

Oh here goes.

We always get AI, but never paid full price. Even if we had to we would take the AI. We would have spent around £420 between 2 of us on last cruise. Hic:)

Measures depend on who serves you it seemed to us. I had the largest whisky I have ever had one round, and that was just a single.

Mixers not sure I take me whisky neat.

Trips. depending on the port we choose if to go with the organised tours. I would go with the organsied Thomson ones you refer to.

Never done a stay so not sure.

Yes we had the AI until we left the ship I think.

Catains Night has usually been on 2nd day I think.

Have a good time.

[davecttr]

Hi,
I have just booked our first cruise...... Egypt and the Holy land followed by a week in Oludeniz... I would be very greatful if someone could help me out on a few queries.

1... A/I package..... I have not as yet booked this as I can't decide if it would be worth the money.... There will be 2 adults who both enjoy a drink or 2 and 1 child who will want to try all the virgin cocktails.... Please could someone tell me are the spirit measures standard uk ones or "holiday measures":D also is the mixer included in the price or do you pay for that separately.
If you have to pay full price for it you have to drink a lot to make it worthwhile
Measures larger than UK ones and they can be even more liberal!
mixers included

2... Excursions... To me, the whole point of a cruise is to "Get off the boat" and explore... I have made my mind up that any excursions I book will be with Thomsons for Port Said, Alexandria & Ashdod (I will feel safer knowing the ship won't leave without me) However when we dock at Larnaca will there be enough to do without booking a trip.... I know I'll be ok in Alanya as I have already been there (BTW if anyone is interesed the trips to Aspendos/Perge & Manavagat are good value as we done them when we stayed in Alanya last summer, however the castle and cave is easily done on your own)...... We will start and finish the cruise in Marmaris so will we have any time to explore this town?
all depends on the times of your return flights

3.... Transfer day... As this will be a cruise and stay are you picked up at the same time as those leaving for home or do you leave earlier? Also if we do get the A/I package can you use this up until you leave the ship?
You won't know until the day before when they hand out the leaving arrangements


4.... Captains Gala.... Does this tend to be held at the end of the cruise or can it be any night..... I would hate it to be the night before or on the same day as we do the trip to Cairo as we will be shattered.
Usually the evening of the first sea day but can vary

Many thanks in advance

Meg x x x

Hope this helps

[Meg67]

1... A/I package..... I have not as yet booked this as I can't decide if it would be worth the money.... There will be 2 adults who both enjoy a drink or 2 and 1 child who will want to try all the virgin cocktails.... Please could someone tell me are the spirit measures standard uk ones or "holiday measures":D also is the mixer included in the price or do you pay for that separately.
If you have to pay full price for it you have to drink a lot to make it worthwhile
Measures larger than UK ones and they can be even more liberal!
mixers included

Thanks for the info.... I think we may be better to take our chance and pay for what we drink.... However if we do decide to add the drinks package at a later date would we pay the price it was when we booked the holiday OR the price at the time we added it?..... If this is the case I will keep checking the website to see if the price comes down (It was full price when I booked).

Kind regards

Meg

[kruzseeka]

1... A/I package..... I have not as yet booked this as I can't decide if it would be worth the money.... There will be 2 adults who both enjoy a drink or 2 and 1 child who will want to try all the virgin cocktails.... Please could someone tell me are the spirit measures standard uk ones or "holiday measures":D also is the mixer included in the price or do you pay for that separately.
If you have to pay full price for it you have to drink a lot to make it worthwhile
Measures larger than UK ones and they can be even more liberal!
mixers included

Thanks for the info.... I think we may be better to take our chance and pay for what we drink.... However if we do decide to add the drinks package at a later date would we pay the price it was when we booked the holiday OR the price at the time we added it?..... If this is the case I will keep checking the website to see if the price comes down (It was full price when I booked).

Kind regards

Meg

Hello Meg, and welcome to the forum :)

You always pay the price at the time of booking so whatever the price is on the day you ring to arrange it is what it will cost you. Incidentally you can't arrange it once on board either.

An important thing to remember too is that if there is a free AI offered (only usually for early bookings, on some ships and some sailings) you MUST ask for it at the time of booking your holiday. It won't be given to you retrospectively even if it was available at the time. This is especially relevant if you do an on-line booking with Thomson - you must tick the box in the 'extras' panel as you go through the process even though it shows as £0. If you don't you've missed it! Now that would be a shame!:(

(If you book via cruisedeals - also a 'Thomson/TUI' company, you have to go through the agent who should alert you to a free AI if it's available - of course you would say 'Tes' - with a big smile - if that were the case.)

As others have said, the AI is worth it if free (obviously!) or at a reduced price - in the past it's been offered at £69 p.p./p.w. which is an excellent deal but it really does depend on your drinking habits.

We would never drink enough at approaching £200 p.p./p.w. which is what it is sometimes. If you work on approx £3/4 per drink (a reasonable bottle of wine can be bought for around £12) you can have a guestimate of what your typical day's bar bill would be and see whether you would be better off buying 'as you go'. Remember though that soft drinks, virgin cocktails and cappuccinos etc. are included.

Hope you enjoy your first cruise - there's lots of help and ideas on here about the ports of call and ship-board issues, so just post if you have any more questions. (The planning and anticipation is all part of the fun!) :)