Wiggster

Hi, I am from the UK and sailing with Celebrity from Southampton (UK) I am sure this has been asked before on this thread, but I just saw a sample copy of a supervised test result certificate and it looks exactly the same as one I done with Randox Health where I just took a photo of the negative result and uploaded via Randox Certifly. I cannot see anywhere on the sample certificate where it says supervised test. Although I admit the Randox test advises self-test nasal swap, but surely even if you were video supervised it would be the same anyway..

Any comments would be appreciated.

It would appear that I need to use the Randox Certifly App and not the standard Certifly App 😞

Wow, Many thanks for this @kernowit is so appreciated, that is brilliant, I wish they could all be that clear 🙂

Does anyone know if I book with Randox if I can use the standard Certifly app I already have or do I need to use the Randox branded Certifly app?

Many thanks once again and happy travels.

Ian

@kernowHi, do you have a copy of this letter that you could send me, I have been on the MSC FB page and I could not locate it?

People on Facebook advised they had used Randox service for £11.00 including certificate and that would be ideal but don't want to get to Terminal and be refused boarding .

Many thanks 

Ian

Hi just an update, I tried deleting the app from my iPhone and reloading, I had to enter my cruise ref number again and it all worked, I was able to upload a photo shot from the camera and order my embarkation letter/pack and all worked great.

I think the problem was it was still remember the details from my last MSC cruise last year (on the same ship).

Hi, people have mentioned doing it on the App, is this MSC for Me? As every time I try to enter it pre cruise it advises Sorry, you cannot contact the Server now. Please retry again. Obviously I have retried a thousand times on different days but get the same message. I am in the UK btw.

I am due to go on a Canary Island cruise from Southampton on the 1 May on the Virtuosa, and I called MSC and they advised I can do a Antigen test but it must be done in lab, i.e. not one where you do it at home and send a photo to the provider. They were very clear on this, as I challenged how would they know. Obviously within 48 hours of the cruise embarkation.

Therefore I plan to go for one in Boots for £30.00, not to happy but what can you do....

@dritanMany thanks for your comments about the tours, I may change the Gothic Palma one to an afternoon your if I am able once on board. 

@lynyrd skynyrdI got to Barcelona yesterday not the best of weather but at least it stopped raining once I got through the airport....

Hopefully I will see you about once on board, kind regards Wiggster 

@lynyrd skynyrdThank you for responding, I was wondering if your party might like to meet up on the embarkation day at the Bella Bar deck 5, at a time convenient to you?

I have booked the Costa PasseparTour - and booked the following trips - Marseilles, Capital of Culture, Genoa From top to bottom (PM), Rome the Great Beauty, Sorrento Land of the Sirens, Palma Gothic Seaside.

TBF i would normally choose to go off ship independently but as this is not an option on this cruise i decided to go for a different experience. The Rome and Sorrento tours I think would be 60 euros plus normally so although a full day I think not offers the best value for money but on the other hand I am a little concerned that I have not got enough relaxation time..

I also have night in Barcelona pre cruise and 2 nights post cruise.

Kind regards

W 

@lynyrd skynyrdHi I am also on this Costa Firenze cruise departing Barcelona on the 12 November, I am travelling solo, so assume that will make at least 3 Brits on board.

I have pre booked the 5 trip package for 150 euros - I think there are some pretty good trips to be had including an all day trip to Rome and another all day from Naples to Sorrento..

i'm having 2nd thoughts about some of these day trips as I will have to get up pretty early and might miss some good parties 😀

This will be my 5th Costa Cruise so any questions please let me know.

Hi, I have a two week Celestyal Crystal Three Continent Cruise visiting Greece and Turkey in October 2021.

I am concerned as this Cruise visits Turkey I will be treated as a UK Red List passenger and therefore have to go into a Covid Isolation hotel upon my return.

My plan would be to stay on ship in the Turkish ports to mitigate this but I do not know if it would matter regardless. I have written to my Cruise Agent but wandered if anyone else on this Forum has found out anything on this subject.

I realise that by October things may have changed for Turkey but as we go through the summer I am growing more uneasy by the minute.

Any thoughts or advice would be really appreciated.

Kind regards 

Ian

Hi, I have sailed on both Costa and MSC, and as a single cruiser Costa prices are far more accommodating to single cruisers.

Like someone else has advised MSC are more international/mainstream feeling to the cruise whereas Costa feels more European/Italian.

I think every cruise line has their advantages/disadvantages, however Costa's main highlight is that their entertainment team are the best in the business - i.e for the parties that they hold around the ship, and other pool fun which I do not participate in. All the entertainment team staff are truly un boundless balls of fun, they will make you feel included in whatever they are doing and treat you like you are their best friends.. The only other cruise line that comes close is Tui/Thompson. I have been to raves on the pool deck with lasers shows, and the age demographic was 8 to 95 years all dancing and having an amazing time... 

MSC - Highlight for me unlimited Pizza bar - Their charcoal baked black pizza was a revelation to me 🤓

Well, my Costa Fascinosa Cruise from Barcelona 11 November was cancelled last week as my tour agent advised that Costa were delaying cruising till next year..

But I was offered the potential to move the cruise to a similar sailing next year (2022) for the same price. And other options including refund and cruise credit plus 100 pound/euros cruise credit.

However yesterday I got an email direct from Costa offering me half price discounts for the same cruise that was cancelled, not very happy and I have contacted my cruise agent for an explanation..

To be fair in these Covid times even with Vaccinations when will all this end, my guess will be when the whole world is vaccinated... so 2022 could be the same as this year.. sorry a bit of topic..

I have received an email yesterday advising the Covid procedure when embarking and today I received the upgrade bid email again.

MSC are being really generous to the people lucky enough to be able to cruise on the 3rd July (NOT).

To upgrade to Yacht Club minimum bid is just over £1,030, and for balcony £260, and outside £50 (all based on 2 people in a cabin (i.e. doubled for me as I am a single cruiser)

These are the same prices that were offered to me a couple of months ago..

But to be fair I am just really happy that my cruise will be still happening and sincere apologies to those people that have had their cruise cancelled ☹️

On 6/16/2021 at 4:17 PM, boxman52 said:

Having an inside cabin, I cannot believe with limited numbers they are going to turn away people in suits and YC to let people who have paid less on. Fair play if they do, but if I was a shareholder I might not agree with that decision. 

To be fair people that booked and paid at the earliest opportunity, paid a lot more for their cruises then those that purchased later, I am a single person cruiser and I paid approx £1,250.00, but did get £250 of onboard spend (one week, inside cabin), whilst I realise you alway pay more for single person cruises, it was still a lot to pay for an inside cabin...

In the last month or so I have been offered cruises for £899.00 with balcony cabin and free parking, which I was pretty gutted about until now, which I hope means my 3rd July will be safe for me, but the fear is a single cruiser MSC will cancel me as obviously one person will not spend as much as a family..

Hi all, thanks for the reassurance as it now looks almost certain that the final stage of lockdown will continue for another 4 weeks.

I did not realise that MSC were playing safe and had limited sales to a 1,000 passengers. (Good call).

Now where is my free balcony upgrade 😁

I have an MSC Cruise booked on the 3rd July, which will be one of the higher passenger capacity cruises. It was my understanding that these cruises could only go ahead if the lockdown schedule proceeds as planned. 

I have contacted my Cruise Agent - Cruise Nation last month about this asking and they advised me not to worry about it.

I am wondering if capacity had to be limited to 1,000 passengers if it would be done on a first come first served basis, i.e. those booking up to the 1,000 passenger limit.

Hi there sorry I am late to the party but I did not realise that Experience had switched to the Crystal and departing port is now Lavrio(n).

I am due to go on a B2b 14 night cruise with Celestyal in mid October (21), Greek Islands and Istanbul.

I tend to do the lottery and fly on the same day as sailing, There is a local KTEL bus (10 or 11) from Athens airport to Lavrio(n), cost 4 euros each way, then I intend to walk the 3 miles to port, all good exercise :).

Hi thanks for the info concerning the change of ship from the Experience to Crystal and port from Piraeus to Lavrion/Lavrio (same place). I was due to go on the Experience in October (this year gulp) but I can see from the Celestyal page that this is now indeed the Crystal.

Apparently Lavrio is actually closer to Athens airport then Piraeus and you can get a local KTEL bus (10 or 11) for 4 euros each way... departing every hour.. my intention would be to walk to the port from the Bus Station which is apparently about 3 miles... (yes I need the walk so I can have a big dinner 🙂 )

Thanks @alicat58 for the reassuring Costa health guideline, to be fair after these last couple days on the Smeralda I think it would be fair to say it will be one of the cleanest ships at sea period...

The Smeralda cannot afford to have the bad publicity the bigger the ship the more it needs to be almost full to justify the heavy costs of running said ship.

I flew to Las Vegas a month after 9/11 the airport security was so tight it squeaked, 😀, I'm a diabetic and it was the first time I had to show my doctors letter when I travelled (for the injections, blood test equipment etc).

I was still going to go on Monday whatever happened but an email would be nice on this Sunday if there are any issues... 🤓

Well, I am due to embark on the Smeralda on Monday (3rd Feb), it is so nice of Costa to send an email advising everything is okay and to proceed as normal, I'm actually being heavily sarcastic not heard anything nor is there any news on their website.

Has anyone boarding tomorrow in Savona received any emails about what you can expect?

Where is my face mask, oh I don't have one 😲

Hi @CruisinGirl777 / @Lois R

Thank you both for your prompt responses, I have already spoken to the Maitr'd and been moved twice but this was where I was put with the French and Chinese.

I have been looking at the dailies and no singles events as yet... I'll ask at the reception/customer services to see if they plan to have any.

By chance I have met an ex-pat and hope to see him again in the 6 days at sea 🙂

I really appreciate the advice.

Kind regards

Ian

Hi, I have done many solo cruises in the past few years and enjoyed all of them due to being able to meet up with people for dinner in the MDR.

I am currently on the Costa Fascinosa from Savona to Santos Brazil, we are now in the 2nd week, it has been a pretty lonely experience so far as no one turned up at my table in the MDR, and when they did they spoke either French or Chinese. 😞

I have made efforts to connect with other english speaking passengers but it has not been a fun task as the ship is so big.

So my question is, is there any other english speaking travellers on this cruise in a similar situation and if so would you like to meet up for a chat.

We are currently in Las Palmas and will be in Tenerife tomorrow before embarking on 6 days at sea, so a prompt response would be handy.

Kind regards

Wiggy

I took the metro last year, there is a shuttle bus from the cruise port to a pace near the metro station, a couple of euros one way I believe.

Metro station Dressanes - Green line to Zona Unversitaria then Orange Line to Barcelona Airport, total cost 4.60 euros per person

This was very easy and I had no problems whatsoever.

Hi, sorry I am late to the Party however if you are in the UK I find the following sites are good for finding good single Cruise deals

Cruise Circle Singles Club

https://www.cruise-circle.co.uk/offers/cruise-circle-solo-traveller-section/&order_by=cruise_line_name?utm_source=CruiseCircle&utm_medium=NL&utm_campaign=POSolo08062018

Iglu Cruises allow you to search for singles cabins in their search engine

https://www.iglucruise.com

Travelzoo has a singles section that sometimes have cruises

I have also used Vacations to Go (US Site) and done a few DIY Pulmantur cruises which are a Spanish line where All Inc Drinks are included in the package for a very reasonable price.

Currently like @gerryuk I am doing a 20 night Costa Fascinosa Cruise from Savona to Santos Brazil in November 2019 for my 50th Birthday. As it was a special one I went for an outside cabin with Bridamo drinks package for £1,450 which I thought was pretty reasonable.. This was booked through the Costa UK website.. Plus flights etc..