Mumsnet Talk

It just annoys me!

Just like when you go online to fill in forms and find out that you need to print them and post them!

I just logged in with my password and PIN. That's much more secure than my signature!

This could be a nice ranty thread in Chat on the general concept of " I am bloody online you idiots", but I fear it might get lost here in Cruises.

Sorry

I'm a bit too tidy, I like to use the topics (if possible); I did consider AIBU - but s I knew I wasn't I didn't

Did I spoil the fun?

Which cruise line, Katy?

Cruise first
Cruise.co.uk

All of the buggers!

The Tax Credit Office has lent me some money - so I'm planning how to spend it in the time between them giving it to me and taking it back again

Ideally NCL - we went last year & loved, loved loved it; DD danced & danced & danced, DH ate & played games & 'joined in' & I slept!

It's really common. Not just cruises, but everything. Kitchens, everything.

It's because they don't want you to look at the price and say nah, no thanks. If they can get hold of you and give you the patter, you're more likely to get swept up in it and buy.

OK. You're looking at consolidation sites / re-sellers. If NCL is your ideal choice, go direct to their website. They will display their prices and in many cases it's a fallacy that the consolidation sites give a better price than you can get direct from the cruise line.

Really?

I thought they were more expensive

<sigh> I don't think we can go.....but I like looking

I wish I could go from Luton or Stansted

I wish I was rich

We went on Jade, this is Spirit I wonder if they are very diffferent

I am very much in favour of tidy!

And you are not being in the slightest bit unreasonable

Gyms are like this too.

Posting in support of Katie for posting in the right topic.

What narks me most are things like toddler classes which have a website but don't put days/times on their website. If it's not on a Friday I can't do it. Tell me that quickly to save me some time!

Those sites are saying "Call us now for prices!" because they don't actually have cabins reserved just for them to sell. If they did, they could advertise their price. You call them, they look at the NCL website while you're on the phone to them and tell you what the NCL price is. That will be the case in the vast majority of cases.

Cruise lines have a brochure price. I've never paid the brochure price because they also have "Early booking saver fares", "Latesaver fares" and sorts of other discounted prices. Those are available to everyone - not just travel agents / consolidation sites.

I've been cruising for a good many years. I do look at consolidation sites occasionally just to see which lines may have offers going. I honestly can't think of a single time when I've not got the same price direct from the cruise line.

Zombie, would we like any of the other cruise lines - Thomson seems very cheap but I guess it wouldn't be as nice?

If you go from Malaga on 28th Dec you pay £200620.00 - apparently

DZH has been on a Thomson cruise (but he's up in the bath at the moment). From what he's said, it's a lot less formal than some other cruise lines. But, isn't it NCL who offer "Freestyle" cruising (which I gather is meant to be less formal anyway)?

Thomson use their own ships. They are much smaller than NCL ships will be. They may not cater as well for children (if that's a consideration for you).

I am old. I loathe the large ships - and, yes, I have tried a few. For about 4 years I went exclusively on the QE2 until bastard parent company Carnival decided to flog her off to rot in Dubai. I then tried the QM2. Once. Absolutely soul-less. DZH and I are now firm Fred Olsen / Cruise & Maritime fans.

But, everyone is different. For families, the larger ships are better because they do have the room and facilities to offer children's programmes.

It really depends on what you're looking for.

Well, break open the piggy bank, Katy. Whatcha waiting for?

That's a fly cruise then. I don't do fly cruises. I have done but now can't be doing with the weight restrictions on the flights and the fact that if it's long haul, the flight back totally destroys the warm fuzzy relaxed feeling I had when I got off the ship.

Dancing & food basically, music is nice too. Maybe a bit of sport (Tennis, boule, table tennis - old man sport!!)

DD will be 15......

Dancing as in ballroom or as in closing the disco? I do the latter. (Or I did up until my recent health problems.) Larger ships will have more scope for ballroom. All ships will have some sort of disco.

I've never been disappointed with the food on any ship I've been on.

At 15, DD will be challenging you at the closing the disco dance...

Oh, sorry. More sport facilities on the larger ships but not non existent on the smaller ones.

DD will be challenging me with the Ballroom - she is in the national at Blackpool in 6 weeks!!

I think large is better for us then really

Of course, whether it is the right topic or not depends on whether you wanted to talk about cruises or just moan in general about not putting prices/times/info on the interwebs.

If you want to talk about cruises here would you mind if I started the other kind of thread in Chat?

Not at all - if you link it I'll post too!!

Katy, how wonderful! I hope she does well. Blackpool. Wow. She must be very, very good.

Yes, if you want ballroom then large will offer much more scope.

I am in awe of people who can dance properly.

photos on profile

Here we go

I picked up some brochures yesterday for idle browsing of cruises, so I'd be annoyed to find pricing not available online. And I hate having to do this stuff by phone.

For cruise experts hanging around, what's the best cruise provider if you're taking under 5s? Or would I be best to wait till can do it as couple-only?

Wow, love the drawing of the dress, that's cool - do you/DD make them?

I adapt rather than make - I made the pink/black, the white was an ebay dress I ripped the top off & put a new top on - but I've replaced that top with a third top now.........to be jewelled

A very nice client designs for me

A lot of the online cruise sellers are actually run by the same company. I have a friend who works from home for one of them (can't say which but it's been mentioned fairly early on in this post). When her phone rings she gets a short message telling her which company the caller has dialled so that she knows how to answer.

It's not a brilliant job - she has to be parked in front of her computer for 10 solid hours a day, often more due to admin, and has to record every break she takes, even if she nips upstairs for a wee. She gets 30 minutes for lunch and 2 x 10 minutes "comfort" breaks - any more and she gets pay docked. Pay is usually late and commission takes 3 months to come through. So no wonder they really try to hook you in when you get through on the phone.

Skip hire firms, shity bastards.
We'll tell you the price if fill in a stupid long registration form or ring us up.

I don't want to do either. I want to know how much. I'll give you my post code because none of you are very near, but you don't need my whole fucking CV.

Katy, your DD is gorgeous!

I have to be honest Zombie, I agree with you

We are always grateful she got my brains & her dad's looks

She thinks she will be a star; and I think she could be right (unless she changes her mind)

QM2 is the dogs. Go to New York, no, come back from New York, get the boring flying out of the way first. Hopefully going again next year. Can't wait

Oh, and you and I have the same taste in books, films, music and TV. I am a fair bit older than you but we could have been sisters!

Not that I think you have bits dropping off, mind...

No my bits aren't dropping off, just seizing up (joints mainly) although I've had cystitis for 3 weeks & 2 loads of antibiotics now.

I just got a new Mercedes Lackey <squee> I can't wait

I don't think I have updated recently but DD & I are about to do a movie marathon.......Musicals!! - are you that way inclined too?

If you like NCL have you had a look at Royal Carribean? Fab ships with lots to do.

We have DS who is 2, so go P&O for the night nursery. But when he's older its surf machines all the way!

Musicals, yes. Preferably from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I grew up with My Fair Lady, Carousel, The Student Prince, Oklahoma, Flower Drum Song...

Grease came later.

I never knew there was a cruise topic! Thank you Katie!

And thanks to my darling Dad, we are all off on a Disney cruise for half term. Gonna start my own thread on that one.

Zombie sounds like you have some excellent advice

Yep there is a thread I am getting ideas from for us to watch.........

I want to show her Fred, Ginger, Cyd etc so she really understands dance

Royal Caribbean seem a bit expensive

I was all set to ring NCL

& they were closed

Have you given them a try today, Katy?

Yes & booked

Squee!!!

YAY!!!

Hope you all have a fabulous time.

We intend to try very hard