Hi everyone,

Many thanks for the messages of support. I too am glad that the Express are taking direct control of the situation now. Everyone was blaming everyone else.

The thing that has most annoyed me with this whole situation is the fact that my hopes have been built up on a number of occasions only to be dashed - usually at the last minute, having allowed myself to start dreaming of the cruise!

As with everyone I had the original letter, date, itinery, cruise line, all looking extremely good. Fortunately I found the Holiday truths website and it became clear that all was not well. With 4 weeks to go to my cruise date I was frantically trying to contact Rise only to be told with less than 2 weeks to go that the cruise was off!

There followed lots of calls and on a few occasions I was asked can you make ... date, only for them to call me back and say it had gone - again hopes built up and dashed. Finally they said I could not go as they could find no-one to share with me! I found someone myself - OK leave it with us they said we will find a date and come back to you - again hopes build up. Next call we are in negotitaions with the Express no further bookings until it is sorted!

All in all I feel as if I have been on a roller coaster ride, when what I asked for was a trip on a "love boat" and quite honestly I now feel sick of the whole thing!

I will not surrender, I have already turned down the voucher book, £250, a flight to the states and a week in Spain or Portugal as alternatives and having heard all the reviews from those who have been lucky enough to go on the cruise it makes me more determined to have the same experience.

If in the beginning they had said the £10 cruise would take place sometime in the next three years - which is probably going to be the end result, then everyones expectations would have been far better managed.

I don't believe the storm story either. I think they were actually overwhelmed by how many people were happy to travel on their own and that they probably expected more people to want to take a companion and would be using twin or double cabins.

I would like to thank everyone on the holiday truths website for keeping my spirits up in all this, especially Magsy. I wish those of you still with holidays booked have a very good time. If I have anymore updates I will let you know and I will drop in from time to time to see how things are going.

Good luck everyone

Morning Janet
I did state on this forum back in September 2004 that it could be at least 10yrs before we all got our cruise & i was prepared to "dig in" for the long wait, I just struck lucky. Unfortunatley the phrase "subject to availability" is their get out everytime. Luckily the advertising stated " A cruise for every reader"
A friend of mine despite offers of a Med Cruise, vouchers,etc is holding on for his original allocation of a carribean cruise.
Please hang on in there, it may take another year or two but i am confident that both you & him will eventually receive your entitlement.

Realised now, thanks to Aslemma, I meant the 11th July for my cruise
Thanks also for making sure it will be nice and clean for us

My excuse is that I'm going down to London Heathrow on the 10th and staying overnight.

Thanks Ali for giving me the URL for some great pictures of the rooms. Mine looks identical to the Oceanic and Premier Deck

The description says I have no phone though and I thought someone said there was no safe Also Alli says there is only ice buckets and no mini-fridge, hopefully the rest of the facts are correct
Any one out there who's stayed in Bahamas deck to let me know for sure Just wondering that's all.

Can someone remind me what is the maximum luggage allowance for the Alitalia flight - Melody Cruise.

Nannysue,

It`s 20KG ........and I`m struggling to to stay within it!!

I think it is heavy air between the clothes!

What on earth are you all taking?

Mine weighed about 17kg and I took enough clothes to last about 10 weeks! (plus of course the troublesome, very heavy iron!).

Ditch those bottles of alcohol forthwith!

The luggage allowance is 20kg, l was 28kg checking in, decided l had two options either put a £20 note in my pasport hand it over and give a smile OR throw my best chat up/ one liners and really lay on the charm offensive to the checkin lady , well it seemed to work, didnt have to pay any extra, Not sure how l would have got on had l been checked in by the young man :roll:..... it just might have been my suitcase, guess l will never know

peter a

What did you mean about PLATES?

Re-luggage

As my suitcase had been damaged, I had to buy a new one for the cruise. I bought a micro light hard sided one. It weighs less than fabric and was worth the money. I have a fabric expanding one and that weighs very heavy because of the wheels! Once I had to pay 25 dollars on an American internal flight. The same case was within the limit coming back so someone's scales were wrong!

I travelled BA from Heathrow and they did not weigh the hand luggage. Some passengers had very big bags as hand luggage and these must have weighed far more than the allowance but I don't take the risk since it was weighed at Bournemouth and Luton. I think I am too old to try Cunard Queen's tactic. The helpless pensioner does not work. One needs to be accompanied by children for special consideration on airlines!

For those who have been told to wait...
I wonder if "Watchdog" know about this? Perhaps one of you should try contacting them via the website.

Maureen H.

Hi,

Help needed please - I believe the voltage on the Melody is 110v - can anyone please confirm this - I'm just wondering how to charge up the batteries for the camera etc.

Thanks

Jean

Hi all

Just to let you know I have had call from Thomas (part of the infamous 4/7 rabble) who says they are all on board and have met up with 8th DE person - ship looks brilliant and they have had buffet lunch and are nearly ready to set sail. Weather wonderful - very hot and sunny and the pools look extremely inviting.

I can't wait to hear all the stories that will come out of this trip judging by their postings.

Good wishes to all the next lot of cruises and for those still waiting.

Rosemarie

Hi Rosemarie,
By jingo you have him well trained! Well done. It's lovely to know they have all arrived safely and that they are finding things to their liking! I would imagine they are now on their way out to sea so the poor crew, they are captives now! What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall, or better still there with them! A few stomach aches predicted - from laughter of course!

Thanks for keeping us informed and hope you aren't missing Thomas too much!

Thanks for posting Thomas's progress Rosemarie. Look forward to the next instalment!

luci

Hi JeanM,
Check on the charging plug for your mobile. If it says 100-220V you will be able to charge it on Melody. If it says 220, sorry, you won't be able to!
(We have one of each!) Hope this helps

JeanM
you may still be able to charge even if the voltage on the Melody is 110 volts, it will just take twice as long.

Jean

I charged my mobile ok - I've just looked - it says 230v.

I seem to remember a switch which you could move from 110v to 220v. The only socket I could find was for the tv which I unplugged.

It's all of 4 weeks ago now and I am suffering from short-term memory loss so can't be 100% sure of details!

Was it all just a dream? Did I really go on a £10 cruise?
Alli

Thanks for the update Rosemarie, gawd help the crew and the passengers on this weeks Melody cruise
Also Rosemarie I thought you were off to a nice relaxing place whilst your Thomas was away?

Dizzy

Hi Dizzy

I am off for relaxing break in September. Quite peaceful this week as daughter away until end of week and I'm at work.

Text this morning said 7 course dinner fantastic - free tea, coffee, orange and pineapple juice - free 24 hr room service - pools really nice and ship much much better than Ocean Village (we went on that last year but also had been on same ship when it was P&O Arcadia). He had pool to himself for early morning dip.

Will keep you all posted with any more updates. (I'm beginning to regret not collecting tokens for myself!!!!)

Have a nice day!

Hi.

Thanks for all the info for my battery charger - forgot to ask yesterday about Steve 's shaver working - it says 12-240v on it. Any ideas if this will work please- or does he pack the razors?

Just one other question - the return coach from Genoa to Malpensa -- what time does it leave the port and arrive at the airport? Does it go via Linate or direct to Malpensa.

( The Alitalia cabin crew strike is still on for the day we go so trying to gather as much info about transport both to and from Genoa as possible)

Thanks again for all your help

Jean and Steve.