Hawaiidan

I just got wort that the rapid test in BCN is costing 160E pp,,,,,,ok thats a deal breaker. like one more straw .....Will wait to cruise till later in the year. or next year... I found that at AMS that the rapid test was 29E pp.... for my Sept/October cruise.... so thats a keeper..... I fly out of Palm Springs so no airport testing and Also SNA which has rapid testing cheap for flight............. Now, I am also hoping that in 4 more months all that sillyness will be history ............THanks all

Ok.......WHERE????? I arrive in BCN at 3pm on a wednsday.... the ship boards thursday at noon. Where and HOW is the question......

Well there are those who would call then "racist" and sexist in the woke culture of do you own thing as long at it agrees with my thing............. I went to the CIA.. and you learn manners , decorum and with importance of tradition and Protocols long established for hundreds of years. .

Ok...... I am trying to figure how to do this... I have 2 cruises in August and sept Here is my question. It takes 24 hours here in SO Cal to get tested and then get results. The problem is the test would be 96 hoirs and best before my boarding as I have to fly in the day before the cruise arriving anywhere between 120 in AMS to 18 BCN hours prior to the cruise.... NOT considering the 24 hours I need to take a test prior to the flight ! Compounding this is that the testing would have to be done as much as 3 days prior to even that owing to the weekend. I can test the prior week thus.... not sooner unless they have some teating at AMS airport ot BCN airport ot pier. As a double safety, I would take a test before departing here in the USA to make sure I was good. What can I do? Will O have testing at check in? And Yes I realize these cruises are 3-4 months away and everything can change... I just need advice on how to proceed... I will mot have a cell phone or internet connection in europe so that is out........ What is or has your ecperience/advice been

No... it just means they are not fully booked.... nothing more. Some times travel agencies reserve blocks of rooms and later release them if un sold. It is normal to see the top and bottom class cabins to sell first due to the restricted numbers in each class VS the mass of inventory available throughout the ship

You have the first 4 cabins aft of the bridge.... Too, close to the bridge and you still get the shadow of the bridge structure to deal with 8002 a PH 3 is the best compromise in sun and wind.....in my experience As to which side is better...... My British friends and I will both tell you POSH.... Port out Starboard home. Crossing the Atlantic west to east you want to be on the Starbaord as it is a wind shelter from the prevailing winds. Whereas, East to west You want Port for the same That works pretty well world wide becaus of the Coriolis effect base on the earth's rotation.... But as I said before anything around the "lifts " as you call then, is golden......even the set of 4 insides.. And while others disagree On an R ship its either a PH or inside.. The verandas and Outside views are a poor experience. Understand too that I spend very little time in the cabin... prefer to be out and about 95% of my waking hours..

I think your quoting PP rates not gross.

Doing business with friends and relatives is not in the best interest of the client. It's a business relationship with no emotional ties... Sort of akin to not lending friends or relatives money or property . More ways for you to end up loosing both.

Quiet sales are discounts given to a specific agency or agencies as a perk for their business volume. How do you let your agent know your interests? Well you build a relationship with an agent. They know, over the years, who you are, you interests your buget and values. Based on that they can let you know when things come along that you might like. ( Another reason for maintaining a good long term relation)

I agree.... I use my agent only to book with O ... ... Thats all the service Ineed., except for his current knowledge of quite sales, special agency offerings I might be un aware. His work load is only to write the invoice, and make the call to his O rep to see what they are going to give him. I give him full authority to act on my behalf on any offers O might make.. ( which he has done in down sells and up sells with incredible results ) Nothing more.

NO... The status level is to the passenger not an agent as 90% of bookings with airlines are direct sales vis the companies web site or phone. A regular passenger , with say UA gets nothing untill they top + a dollar amouht of about $3500 + number of flights... Premier status is worth $$$ a Silver is about $1400 a year in perks, Whereas a Top tier 1K level rewuires you spend over $15,000 a year on fares but offers $13,000 in perks.

In short..."if you were me you would like this" The foil is you is you and not me.. Come with an open mind or leave with a broken heart..............

As to rebate from comission % It is my understanding that commissions go up according the cabin class booked in addition to agency volume. Thus a person who gets say 8-10% is probably booking a PH or better One can imagine what a Owners or Vista might comission at While a 5% is booking a basic veranda or Ocean view. Airlines now bast their point and status levels on dollars spent in fare. and number of flights.. not so much just miles Hotels too.

You catch on good........sorry to see you got "burned"... but at least you learned a valuable lesson, and maybe you telling your plight will help others avoid the same........ You get what you pay for is the hard and fast rule.......

easier than pizza dough...... go for it. You dont need a machine just a rolling pin and a knife 00 flour and an egg in a food processor..................if I can do it..... ANYONE can However, if you ever noticed most chefs use dried...Pepin, Childs, Puck.....

Your right.... but the schools I have attended ( CIA and Cordon Bleu ) 6am -3pm 5 days a week and figure minimal $1500 a week..... Oh , you everything from selection to prep to mis en place org to presentation and then a complete kitchen cleaning from floor to stoves on top of that ..... You do learn.......... as in Your poached eggs are too ragged.... do another 36. get it right. That the closest you get to social.

exactly.....its a social not much more. Much of the stuff is pre prepped . If you are serious about cooking and looking for direction this is not it....

Polo the best thing is the Veal Oscar if you like Jaques you will like that I think.. and the desert trio of iis it a quad now...

Correct..... I got a BIZ fare on the wed site for $4250....... in callling UA I got it for $3680..... Another fine point...If UA / Star alliance is your fave.. you should have a CC affinity card with UA ( no more baggage fees) . AND you should work to rack up enough points during the year to get some level of Premier status... ( free up grades to Econ+) Dont fly a lot? Well you can earn premier qual points if you charge 35K a year on your CC.. ( which if you use the card for cruises, groceries, restaurants, insurance, phone bills or the dentist. is pretty easy to do). There are many paths to good fortune that can be overlooked on the way to happiness.

One note to Flatbush's is that once you shop for a Travel Agent and get a good one.... support the relationship ans it is a 2 way street of loyalty benefit's you both. constant shoppers may look every time for the best , at that time deal. . However, they will miss out in the long term.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

My car one late night broke down for a moment in front of BK..... and some how , like Ishmale, I survived to tell thee my tale...........clearly divine intervention prevailed.

Dress tends to flow with the climate and destination... South pacific collard shirts and slacks Europe, More dressy. Of course some, myself included wear to many specialties like Polo and Jaques a blazer with collard shirt. Reg Ginger/ Toscana more casual. Main dining Room... I'd personally dress more up than down. Terrace, golf shirt and slacks. NO...it is not like Crystal and why they are chapter 11, maybe. No attitude, As for food.... thats what they serve on Other ships is food. On Oceania , they offer cuisine . Lobster in every restaurant , even to pool grill daily... ( on Celeb and others,....while they are dishing out Tacos' and burgers , on O, the pool grill offers Grilled Mahi Mahi with Ginger aoli, Truffel fries, Kobe Burgers with demi glace, and Lobster and filet sandwiches...) Get the picture! Wifi? never used it.... I came to get away from that crap.. Something's that are intangible are 1. the quality of ones fellow passengers low key and well mannered. and 2 the number of passengers 600-1000 on O.......Not hundreds less than other lines but THOUSANDS less And NO up charges, , except for liquor, pretty much all inclusive.. Do I enjoy it? Well after cruising 30 years, From NCL-Royal Viking, Holland, Celeb, and Regent I for the past decade Only spend my money on O......... Sometimes you realize from experience that you can not better your hand.... Ok Enjoy

Spoken as only a true epicurean could...... Say...it that famous Richmond emporium of fine sprits , BK liquor still serving the palettes of locals 24/7. ? ( you can pick up a bottle on your way to visit friends and relatives in St Quinten.... last stop.)

Thanks...... was this from a Australian cruise " you know DOWN UNDER" ? I sincerely appreciate you kind consideration.....THANK YOU SINCERELY"

By George...you have got it. Speaking for the Starboard forward cabins,, by the elevator no noise, no problems. Ihe forward location = instant access to all the activity centers.( bars entertainment spa).. + your in a wind shelter of the bridge structure ( not present mid ship where the burble re emerges) + closest access to tender. access and return. I book 8002 and have in the future or its brother on Starboard depending on wherer the ship is headed (POSH) You might find it interesting that on navy ships officers ward room and Sr enlisted quarters<" goat locker" are all well froward, while crew is mid ship or aft. ! aft has the most vibration due to cavitation of the screws, Same on O ships... ( is there a message?) " those in the know, know where to go" A student of physics would say that mathematically the mid ship is the least motion to experience. However, most are un able to discern its subtle advantage. This is really more a psychological magic feather to hold on to unless you brought your inclinometer along . If you think something is better or worse it will be. in your perception. The negative of mid ship is its a long walk to anywhere in a narrow passageway Has more wind and slower to get to and from. And if you think by being mid ship your going t escape motion you will only decease pitch but not yaw.. Plus to get to anywhere you will have to travel and spend a lot of times in your" perceived motion zones. Location location location..... and on a cruise you need to ask what is your intended activity... If you live in the cabin OR are you flittering around to meals, fun ,social contacts and shore trips.... Let that be your guide.