Hello from wet southampton.

Re-charging batteries

Most important - don't forget to take your European converter plug. My digital camera uses AA batteries which makes life easier. I only turn my 'phone on when I need it so the charge lasts. I do not need to keep it turned on for the alarm. Someone borrowed my plug to keep a hair straightener charged and it worked OK but you have to search for the socket. Other electrical equipment I use have continental plugs on them - makes life easier.

Maureen H

No posts for over 24 hours Luci??
I don't believe it!
We can't even blame nice weather! :

Well at least we know who the wobble gobs are now! Plenty of posts in the rest of the site to keep me busy though.

luci

Succinctly put Luci!
Hope they're having a good time
Pat

even Phil has been quiet for tha last couple of days (the coven must have him locked in a cupboard)

Hi all

Short update - Thomas went to Vesuvius on his own (I must admit to a greeen eyed monster on that one - he'll just have to go back and take me now) - all of them did Malta together and today 5 of them (including Thomas) are off to medina in Tunis with Pat as tour guide.

Thomas said he had had a massage - he didn't say whether it was to his jaw or not - I have told him that site very quiet so we know who - in luci's words - are the wobble gobs!!!!

Not that peaceful here any more as daughter came back from her hols last night!!! - love her really.

Awaiting next update from the mob. Have a nice day everyone- even if the weather is 'orrible here!
Rosemarie

Hi Rosemarie,
Glad Thomas made it to Vesuvius, I know he really fancied that - I assume the others swanned off to Capri! Glad to know they are all still speaking! You can't keep a good wobble gob down!
Thanks for the news!

Can anyone tell me if at breakfast and lunch on the Melody they fill up tables as you come in or can you sit anywhere or do you sit at the same table as you do for dinner? On the Costa cruise I did in Mar they let you sit anywhere but the service was soooo slow. I much prefer it when they fill up tables and you all order at approx the same time.

I know this is totally off topic Luci but the circumstances are exceptional. My thoughts and almost certainly everyone else's are with the families of the people who were embroiled in the atrocities in London this morning, may their God help them all.

Each minute brings further sad news and of course the question is how can anyone do this kind of thing.

Magsy

I totally agree with you on this subject. My son and his school friends were on an overnight trip in London so you can imagine how we felt waking up to that news. Thankfully they are all ok and have managed to get out of London but seemingly its a nightmare but we will be glad to get them all home safely. Our thoughts are also with all involved and including the emergency services.

Maureen

If you go to breakfast in the restaurant you sit where you want and enter when you want . You can join friends or sit on your own, there is plenty of room at the big tables and service is very efficient. if you go to the serve yourself buffet you again enter when you want , within the stated parameters, and sit where you want either inside or outside and sit with whom you want or on your own. the advantage of the buffet is you can literaly eat as much or as little of the vast array of dishes that you want, be it fruit, cereal, or the Full English breakfast. although I never found traditional English bangers, the continental substitutes were acceptable. Sauce by the way was in sachets not bottles. You can even get about 10 different kinds of tea including traditional English Tetleys, and cakes at brekky.
Lunchtime is pretty much the same as breakfast however I did not sample the restaurant service my self, one of the Expressionists told me the service was as good as the evening meal and that was good. The buffet is free and easy and generally not at all crowded. in fact on the day we were in Ibitha and San Tropez the ship was quite empty at times. Do not be concerned about dress sense as you can be as casual as you like within the rules laid down re swimwear etc and T shirts or something similar are O.K for the men or women. Hope this is helpful and have a great time. It will probably never happen again.

I too was wondering wot had happened on Wednesday as the site wos soooo quiet. Can I (going ) echo others by saying that whilst I am euphoric at having just come back from one great holiday and now have my Sept cruise to look forward to, the barbaric events in London today make me realise how very lucky and blessed I am. I put my daughter on a train to Swindon at 8.15 this evening and really held my breath until she rang to she had arrived safely. Tomorrow she flys from Luton to Corfu and (luv her) she is really worried about further terrorist attacks. What can you say? other than life MUST go on and if we become too afraid to leave our own homes/shores then those responsible will have achieved their goal. Nite nite.

sorry luci

What can you say? other than life MUST go on and if we become too afraid to leave our own homes/shores then those responsible will have achieved their goal.

I must agree with Juro on this one - we cannot let those sick individuals who orgnized this win.

We must show them that we cannot be beaten by their tactics and bring those responsible to justice.

All we can do is keep a thought in our minds for those that have been affected by this.

Mike

Just posting an article in last nights Manchester Evening News.Two brother directors of troubled travel firm MKN have dipped into their own pockets to lend the firm 350,000pounds,in addition it hopes to raise £1million through a placing and open shares offer.In April bosses warned the company an ill-fated £10 caribbean cruise offer run by subsidiary Rise Travel is at the heart of its woes MKM were accused of underestimating demand and failing to respond to applications,letters and phone calls.Have a familiar ring to it Val S

Shall we all buy shares?

Hi Maureen We would get them quicker than our cruises

Hi val,
I think you are right on that. I e-mailed the DE last week and haven't even had an acknowledgement. I've given up on Rise. I am waiting now for this letter from the Express that several members have received. I know that to be successful you seem to have to keep on phoning etc, but I do have other things in my life and after the events of yesterday it seems daft to let this offer take over. Even though I feel very let down by their attitude, I am trying to just be happy for those who have their cruises and enjoying their experiences at second hand. Her's hoping we will hear something soon.

Good morning Maureen,
Hang on in there, both you and everyone else in the same position, i.e. cruiseless! Your grit and determination should win the day! Keep up the pressure at all costs. Remember too that there still a lot of us hanging on in here to give you any support we can. Yes we got our cruises, and brilliant they were, but we are ever mindful of those who still have that pleasure to come.

A point to remember too is the absolute administration chaos we experienced so perhaps it will take a little time to sort it all out before we see more cruises coming through. Lets hope it will be sooner rather than later!

Three Counties Radio read out a statement from DE this morning. This statement confirmed that DE are now taking direct control of the promotion (and implying that Rise/MKM will have no more involvement in the process). It also stated that there over 2,000 people still waiting to have their cruises allocated. There was no mention of time-scales or of alternative offers to the cruise . Three Counties did invite a spokesperson from DE to appear on the programme but this offer was declined.