Brummijam

Good morning Fife. The plug on the desk where the kettle sits is a round two pin EU type. I don’t recall seeing USB ports apart from in the junior suites. We use a four way UK multi plug that also has four usb charging ports ( available on Amazon) We ordered our test’s from Chronomics when we booked the cruise, Chronomics send the tests out usually seven to ten days before embarkation date. Earlier this year we didn’t notice any staff shortages. Everything was running smoothly as normal. I must agree with you regarding the staff they are one of the reasons we book again and again. Hope you have a great trip.😉

Hi Del. Pre covid my wife used the standard Lloyds bank travel insurance for years, Since covid Marella have inserted into their terms that you must have Comprehensive cruise cover with covid cover specifically included. For the last couple of cruises that we have done recently I have bundled my wife’s travel insurance with mine which already included cruise cover, I don’t really know what comprehensive cover means.🤷‍♂️ Just before we joined the ships at the port check in they did look at insurance docs along with vaccination proof etc. Hope this helps.

Not quite sure how it’s worked out, We booked the trip online and then phoned TUI to enquire about upgrading and they came up with that price.🤷🏻‍♂️

Good morning Dave. sorry to hear that your plans have been scupperd but sorting out your health must take priority. My youngest daughter has an irregular heartbeat and she’s was discharged years ago and she’s not on any medication for it. As I recall one of the procedures was they monitored her heart rate etc using a wearable ecg machine for a few days. Regarding the test results “no news is good news” they are usually pretty quick if they find anything amiss. Hope that you can get your upcoming trips sorted, I think you may have a better chance as you use a travel agent as opposed to trying to phone them. look after yourself.😉

Glad that you have got it sorted. Do you sometimes think that they give patients the runaround on purpose?🤔

The Birmingham to Barbados trip was around £250 extra each bearing in mind that we had already paid for a seat in with the cruise price, also it was only one way as the ship bought us back to Southampton.. But hey ho, it was an experience. My other half thinks its the only way to go if it’s available.🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

She’s fine Jim. Complaining about how difficult it is to wash up pots and pans in the bathroom sink, doesn’t appreciate that I have to carry them upstairs from the kitchen.😜😂😂 We came home on the Dreamliner from Barbados and had extra legroom seats and it was pretty good, On another trip I was having mobility problems due to a trapped nerve in my back so we went premium economy to Barbados and from check in to arrival at Barbados it was a very good experience. I thought that the uplift in price was a bit steep but as needs must.🤷🏻‍♂️ As a special treat it can’t be knocked. keep well.

Good morning Dave. Unfortunately our friend Jim the Scot was took ill with Covid whilst on his cruise recently. If you scroll down to the topic…Just returned (Discovery 2) He has documented his experience from embarkation to getting home. I think it may answer your questions. Keep well.

Thanks👍 Much appreciated. There’s a couple of videos on YouTube featuring Melbourne airport apparently Marella is the biggest operator using it. I assume that you will be on the Dreamliner, if so it’s worth paying for extra legroom seats in my opinion.😉 Keep well.

Hope you are both fully recovered.👍 My other half has just returned from a weeks coach holiday to Weymouth and bought back Covid so it’s still very much out there.🤷‍♂️😷

You have to vacate the cabin at eight am usually.

Sounds just like our local bus driver, he’s a happy chap as well.😂

Hi Ged. On all of the Marella cruises that I have been on we were allowed to stay onboard and use all of the facilities until you disembark for the airport. Regards.

Hi Dronnygirl. Genuine enquiry here. I can understand your enquiry regarding the entertainment groups but why would the identity of the captain carry any weight regarding which cruise you choose? Are there some dodgy ones?😳

Hi Dave. I have to declare heart disease on my travel insurance but I have never had to provide proof ie doctors notes etc, I just fill in the online questionnaire. keep well.

Hi HM. I don’t know if it will work for you but when we installed the NHS App ( the one where you get your vaccination status for traveling) you can opt in to view your GP records in the same app. It comes under …..View your GP health record. Keep well.

1) From the cruise line's perspective it prevents anyone who is definitley positive from boarding the ship, which is a good thing for everyone involved, including the positive person. 2) Yes, you could get it in the airport, from a fellow plane passenger, from anyone you are in contact with on your journey to the airport. But if we want to have holidays, including cruises, these are unavoidable risks. 3) From Tui's perspective they are not going to apply this to land based passengers while their competitors don't, simply for commercial reasons. And they will not fly cruise only planes for the same reason. Hi RK. 1) I agree with your first point regarding testing prior to boarding, but as you have stated people who tested negative will be exposed to the virus during their journey to the ship. 2) This point pretty much makes the first point useless as recent stats show that 1 in 20 persons in the uk were positive without knowing . 3) As point 2. Not an argument, just my opinion.🤔 Keep well.

Hi RR. This proves again that trying to get proper information from TUI is an uphill struggle. They seem to be quite lax regarding the website info (which looks like it was designed by a twelve year old) Personally i wouldn’t normally bother with a company whose admin is so inept but the actual Marella cruise experience suits us so it’s worth putting up with. Keep well.

Exactly. I could never see the point of pre cruise tested passengers travelling on the same aircraft as non tested holiday makers. Also when Marella were testing pax aboard ship the night before disembarkation only to put those that tested negative onto an aircraft with untested land based holiday makers for the journey home.🤷‍♂️

A freebie sounds like a good plan.👍 Also next year gives you time to think it over.😉

Hi Jim. Same here, Basic travel insurance for Europe costs about £14 per week.🤷🏻‍♂️

Hi Dave. Exactly right about declaring everything in the medical assessment, A lot of people "forget " things thinking that it will push up the cost which is not usually the case. If you are taken ill with an undeclared pre existing condition you will be responsible for the costs involved for treatment. Its a no brainer really.🤷🏻‍♂️ Hope all goes well regarding your results.

Hi PC. Everything is good here thanks.👍 We always thought that we had everything covered but after reading about this couples misfortune it does give us chance to evaluate our own emergency planning. Do you think that you will cruise again ? (It would be a pity if you decide not to, we know how much you enjoyed your trips) Anyways keep well both. Regards BJ.😉