G.M.T.

Hello all. There's been talk on an Italian cruise forum site lately regarding the possibility that Costa will be adding two more Club categories, Platinum Pearl and Diamond Pearl for the very very very frequent cruisers. It now takes 13,001 points to Gold Pearl but if the talk is true, one would probably need in excess of 25,000 points or more for the new levels.

Have any of you heard anything about this? Or is it just a rumour? Ron's ears are larger than most so if anyone knows something, it's him.

Hi Chuck,

Thank you for the compliment (or not :D), I ahve been out of the cruising loop for some time now. I have not heard anything about new higher levels for the COSTA club, but it makes sense when say on a TA cruise, in Premium cabin (double Costa Club points) A cruiser could earn over 5000 points and become an instant Pearl member. Costa will have to do something soon, maybe in the 2014 Catalog due out towards the end of April.

If Costa does go introduce new levels, it wil be interesting to see what priviledges will be involved and if the older membership levels will have their priviledges reduced.

Ron

Ron you are still up for a stalk ;)..... You are the best Hope DW is still on the mend

 

Mel

Mel,

We are still on for a stalk - when do you arrive?

Thank you for asking - DW is doing great, every day I get an email "Order of the Day" with instruction as to what I have to do. DW isy like a drill sergent, the only difference is DW would topple over as she can only stand on one leg at the moment.

Ron

... and the lady orchestra was hilarious. I won't spoil the surprise by telling you more (just in case it is the same routine and crew when you get onboard in a few weeks)

Mairi,

How could you do that to the thousands upon thousands of fans wanting to know what the surprise is!:(:(

After all I don't think Mel has attended a show since the AI was introduced.:D

Ron

Cheers Ron.

 

... to go for a session to have my fluid levels tested.

Mairi,

That may not be a bad idea to make sure you are getting your AI money's worth.

But on the other hand why waste valuable drinking time.

Ron

'Ello all from sunny Dubai!

 

Just having lunch at the hotel before I try my luck at the port to see if Costa will let me board before the official 8pm time. I may be in luck as my disembark time is next Friday morning. It a late check out. If they won't let me on, hopefully they'll take my luggage.

 

Have a great day all, whatever your plans are

Mairi,

Have a great cruise

Ron

Glad things are going good with DW - good practice that All Inclusive - no doubt you have roped in (not roped up) dear MIL to help? :rolleyes:

Dear MIL keeps hanging around but the rope keeps breaking (German quality), also my knot tying is not what it used to be. Think I will have to do a Boy Scout refresher course and get my Hangman's Knot Badge.

Ron

Hi Blondie - well as you can see we have gone to "the other side" for our next cruise - for cooler cruise weather - plus we have Christmas Day in the Fjordland National Park, and New Years day at sea on the way from Auckland to Melbourne - now looking to see what 2014 - 2015 has in store on the World's Oceans. Western Australia now has the Astor coming down here in December for local cruises out of Fremantle - this ship has taken over from the Athena seeing as CIC went to the wall. So we get some "mini cruises" back. (That's where I was up to on the "other board").

Ron, last heard that your cruise in November was cancelled - what have you got on the boil now?

Hi Lizzie,

The only cruise connect we have at present is "The One Digit Dance" (from CC's Carnival board - where cruisers will be embarking in under 10 days), in our case it's DW who a hip replacement op last week and is slowing getting back on her feet (both of them). Luckily she has had experience getting back on her feet - thnalks to the All Inclusive Package.

Ron

Over the years friendships have grown amonst cruiers who have cruised on Costa who have maintained contact via various cruise forums, BUT all roads lead back to CC. Then what happens a thread is highjacked as happened recently with the "Laundry" thread.

So we thought why not have a dedicated thread where various topics can be covered i.e.:

chitchat

how the family is doing

aches, pains and operations

the odd jokes (of course politically correcct)

ideas about future cruise

rumours (cruise and not cruise)

games

stalks

and much much more.

There is no membership requirements, no moderation (except CC's own moderator), of course open to everyone, just join in. The sucess of this thread depends on it's input - hopefully becoming self perpetuating.

So come on and let's get the ball rolling - after all cruising is meant to be F U N.

Ron

Hi- this is my first post :)

We are booked on the Fascinosa on 25 June from Venice.

I've previously cruised on the Norwegian Epic and could prebook my shows, dining etc.

Does anyone know if this can be done with Costa. We are said to only receive our documents 21 days prior to departure.

Also is it worth purchasing the all inclusive drinks for my kids? Are the soft drinks on board expensive.

 

Thanks for the advice.

All passengers (including children) have to have to pruchase the all inclusive drinks package. So it is either none or all.

Wait a few days. The Deliziosa just returned from it's current world cruise today, so it will be a few days before reports / reviews start to seep though.

I would say the spa cabins are fine for say up 18 days (TA) but after that I would assume it could become claustrauphobic, same small pool of passengers in the spa and spa restuarant. I have always found something I like, ever day in the MDR.

Get a balcony and see the world rather than trying to cycle round it in the spa.

Ron

I think they were still docked; they waited to disembark the person before leaving.

It was a tonque in cheek question.:D

Ron

The people who were removed from the ship, were they tendered ashore?

Does anyone knows if HAL provides visa for Vietnam, Cambodja and Vietnam and how much they charge for it?

 

We will be on the Zaandam next year (March)

Have you checked HALs website?

Ron

BTW, Greatam. There's one hotel in particular that has a tremendous reputation for its dinner-cruises. We took a cheapie, it was OK but not special & at Bangkok's prices I wished I'd not been such a miser.

But yes, I completely overlooked the city's skytrain system. Two vacations in Bangkok & never used it, having too many laughs on boats & tuk-tuks

JB,

If I don't want to be a tight fisted ... (next year in May) what is the name of the hotel that has a great reputation for it's dinner cruises?

We are in Laem Chabang (we are planning to stay over night in Bangkok) from 14:00 til 18:00, from your vast experience there is River Kwai and Feeding the Tigers do able? If not what do you think is the best?

Have you done the Bangkok show "Siam Niramit".

Thanks

Ron

The Marina only has two more cruises in the Red Sea, 10th. & 17th. February then a repro cruise on the 24th.

After these cruises the Marina has been sold / charted to a Thai company:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1314298

Compensation is normally paid by cruise lines if the cruise is postponed or cut short due to mechanical or electrical problems, but not for acts of God.

In the T&C (Costa Germany ref 7.1 - 7.3) Costa may only cancel a contract / cruise up to 30 days before sailing is only for the case where the minimum number of passengers, to make the cruise profitable, has not been reached.

In such cases Travel Insurance can be a godsend, so long as the policy covers acts of God.

Ron

Hi Ally,

 

thanks for your kind words.

Unfortunately we are unable to change our vacation time to march or april, so that we have to take the full refund offered and see, if we can take another cruise this fall.

As the interesting med cruises are already booked, we are now looking into a land based vacation.

Ute,

Sorry to see that your Marina cruise has been cancelled.

How about a cruise down the Rhine or Danube, or keeping the cruising in the family with Aida?

Ron

It can only be removed by Ameriacan and I beleive Canadian passengers. Europenas can not have itr removed and Australians have to pay it up front with their cruise price.

Ron

I wanted to start collecting Cabin Stewardesses but the Boss (DW) gave a very unusual answer in that for once it was short, the words of one syllable and straight to the point "NO".:mad:

So now I collect model of the ships we have been on.:o

Quite boring.:(

Still haven't found any Cabin Stewardessess on eBay.:D

Ron

Donna,

Thanks for the info.

We'll be on the Costa Classica (Dubai - Singapore) in March 2009. So I have a bit of time to look and learn.

Ron

Hi Ron - if you have an overnight it's easy to see the Taj on your own. If the cruiseline offers an excursion though, you may feel more comfortable taking that even if it would be more expensive since you won't have to worry about any of the details. I would absolutely recommend seeing the Taj - it is magnificent! If you go on your own you'd need to fly. Getting from the pier to the airport would probably take at least 90 minutes, possibly more (traffic is awful). There are several good budget airlines (SpiceJet, GoAir, and Indigo) that go into Delhi - about 2 hour flight. From there you'd have to make arrangements for transportation to Agra, another couple of hours. A car and driver is the way to go - inexpensive - and he'll wait for you. It would be a very long day. You could overnight in Agra or Delhi (I'd recommend Delhi since you'd be closer to the airport).

 

By the way, cameras, cell phones (every Indian flying will have one!), laptops, etc. are allowed on the planes - no problems. Just the usual no lighters, no liquids, etc. Security is not that much different from other places.

 

As far as eating in India - bring the kinds of meds you'd bring to Mexico!! Not everybody gets sick from the food in India!! Happy Cruising!

Donna,

Thanks for the insight, we will be 2 days in Mumbai, I'm hoping the cruise line will have a Taj Mahal excursion. Would certainly make life much easier, as they would have responsibility on getting us back on time. Probably wouldN#t try and organise it myself.

Do you know of a good local tour company in Mumbai (with Internet presence)?

Whenever I go east of Vienna, the Immodium is always packed.:)

After all my curry take-aways that I had in England, I'm probably immune now.:eek:

Thanks again

Ron

I'm looking for Costa Model Ships.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Ron

Has anyone done a day or overnight trip to Taj Mahal/Agra from Bombay (Mubai)?

Looking for info?

Thanks

Ron