Phil is lucky to get written confirmation of his cruise. I am still waiting even though the money has been taken from my bank account. I may 'phone BA as they will only allocate a few seats for pre-booking. Twice recently, I have tried to book seats in advance with them and have not been able to - even from Los Angeles. At least I will find out of Iam booked on the flight.

Have just read about the Naples mugging. Cunard warned us to be careful and we were advised not to carry bags or wear jewellery. Crossing the road - even on a crossing was rather frightening so excursions really are the best bet. I shall probably stay on board.

Maureen H

I went to Naples last year had 8 hours there from my cruise. I had heard it was a bit rough so booked the coach trip to Pompeii as didnt fancy getting the train in the heat. The tour guide lived in Naples and was a wealth of info, we drove to 'downtown Naples' which is by ther train station, very dirty and run down - thought it looked like an area to avoid, lots of poverty/beggars (people live in tents by the side of the road!)
The guide said theft and muggings are on the increase. Pompeii was excellent well worth a visit.

When we got back i did venture to the town on my own - not to the rougher area, i stuck to main roads - crossing the roads and driving is unreal i found a street market, but not much else, lots of beggars about but i ignored them. I didnt feel that safe but no worse than walking round certain areas here! The archeologcal museum sounded great but i ran out of time.

Saw more theft in Barcalona later on the cruise. Best advice is leave big cash and cards in your cabin and dont wear jewellrey or cameras on show.

Alison

Hi dogleap,

Add £10 = £27.50. I'm not an economist but that must result in a hefty net loss for the DE after paying for the cruise.

That of course depends upon the ratio of cruises per 100 applicants who actually have to be paid for.

If they raised £27.50 per person and it cost say £275 per person, then giving 1 in each 100 a cruise they would break even. The rest could have vouchers etc. which cost nothing as 2-for1 is a self-funding `deal`!!

Working on those rough figures and what had already been said by MKM/Rise about a `different profile of applicant` who are not purchasing extras, one can easily see how they convinced themselves that, say 1 or 2 in 10 at least would cough up several hundred pounds to take a partner thus offsetting the cheapskates like us!

I think that was a naive approach, but it does appear to be the `logic` behind the approach to the offer and cause of subsequent problems.

Auntie Joan,

Phil, Your off topic "ramblings" can sometimes be quite elucidatory. For example; I never knew that John Major was a shoe fetishist

I very nearly missed that one........

tony, from one cheapskate to another

you are right about them not thinking it through. they should keep up with the times, probably a few years ago it would have been alright as very few would have ventured on their own. but now with so many people so independant they just go and make friends when they get there, or get to know them through HT. cheers vivien

Hi Vivien,

I remember this being discussed on the old DE thread (now removed) and someone said that they thought the company had underestimated the level of communication between potential travellers.

The huge increase in the number of people connected to the internet in recent years has made the world a smaller place and if this was not considered then it was a major marketing bloomer for them.

They should have done a straw-poll on HT......it would have saved them so much hassle!

Good Morning from a chilly balcony cruise
The stupid sun lamp has blown up, the old Pifco one that number 1 broke was good - this new one (a phillips - made in China) is rubbish (as number 1 was always going on about skin cancer etc.. I'm sure she broke it on purpose - no danger of her getting S.C with all that muck she puts on her boat race).
Sorry Luci - its that just we seem to be friends; and what do friends do - chat.
Over slept this morning - I knew we should had have custard with the lemon pudding in stead of ding dong. I blaim Juro the tanker seems to have stopped its run.

Will regale you about rise travel and the email when I get back

Byeeee for now
(mouth like the bottom of a parotts cage) ug.

Phil Morris

Yes Tony,

The demography of the 21st. century Homo sapien in relation to the cruise offer was discussed previously, l remembered the similarity between Vivien's posting and my own as l was reading it.

I am constantly amazed by the amount of trust ( and cash ) that in put into the hands of people who profess to be Consultants "up in their field". Sometimes stating the obvious would save vast amounts of money, Ask The Common Man; he/she has the common sense to to see what is b----y obvious

Far be it from me to suggest that D.E. were taken for a ride by anyone when this idea was at the "think tank" stage, perhaps they do not even employ outsiders to solicit more readers, l am using the examples l come across on an almost daily basis of bungling incompetence resulting in an almost obscene amount public money going down the drain.

Enough already! Sorry Luci, l apologize for getting into the Grumpy Old Woman mode, but l do have a favour to ask.

Can you (or anyone, I'm not proud, ) tell me why, at the top right hand side of my posts, l have a box with some scissors and the word "edit" in it? I hate being the odd one out.

Thanks in advance,

Joan A.

hi
My aunt was once mugged whilst on holiday abroad. Now when travelling she pins a small soft purse in her waistband for cash and cards, or wears a small long strapped bag across her shoulder under her top layer of clothes.

Aunty Joan,

I`ve sent a PM to you explaining the joys of the "Edit" button!

When it comes to people advising on these promotions, I had to have a huge chuckle the other day whilst reading the Daily Express (sorry, but I do still buy it occasionally!)

They had a cartoon (Dilbert) where the subject was telling fibs and stretching the truth to sign up dodgy customers who they knew would default on the account, by which time the bonus had already been paid out to the rep.

The punchline was something like "The art of fiddling a bonus is looking genuinly surprised when the account defaults"

Maybe DE should read their own paper!

Got my long waited for phone call yesterday, I was given the choice of a cruise this year as long as I shared with someone, a week SC in spain, a long haul flight, £175.00 or a cruise after Sept 2006. I said I would hang on for the cruise and asked would I definately be going on a cruise and was told yes. someone would get back to me later in the year. I hope I've made the right choice only 18 months to wait!

Just a reminder that on the Watchdog update a couple of weeks ago the DE promised that ALL applicants WILL get cruises, so there's no need to accept ANY alternative unless you REALLY want to.

Fay

Sorry - forgot to add - re muggings: walking around ANYWHERE can be risky, and as a Londoner I don't take chances. I think certain areas are more dangerous than others, but I suppose that goes without saying. A former neighbour was mugged, and she was so traumatised she had to move away from the area. I think it's wise to keep valuables at home, and money out of sight, wherever you go.

Fay

For anyone else who's concern/confused/intrigued by the Edit button, a brief explanation.

You can click on the Edit button within your posts if you need to change or add something to a post already submitted. You will only see it in your own posts as you are not allowed to edited anyone else's posts.

HTH

luci

Luci,

Would it be an idea to set a new topic for those of us who have verbally accepted the option of a cruise next year so that we can moniter the progress ?

Hi Alan

I have started a sticky topic here:

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=222687#222687

luci

hi, some of you " older " forum members may remember me from a few months back. I was very pleased with myself as i had two booked cruises one of them with louis cruise line to libya.. This was due to sail from marseille on 23rd april and i had done all of my preplanning including touring the city both before and after the cruise.

i received a call yesterday that unfortunatly louis were not accepting bookings from rise so that particular cruise was not on..

That was the bad news the good news was that rise, knowing how much i had wanted to go to leptis magna had booked me on an msc cruise 10 day cruise for the 25th of april which leaves from genoa and includes tripoli with the only additional cost being the money i had prepaid for my leptis magna excursion I was very pleased to accept this alteration.. unless i completly mess up both my computer and contact detals for this forum once again ( i am a complete luddite!) then i promise to keep you informed on what promises to be a fantastic cruise.
jackie

Hi Jackie

I have amended your details on the Who's Going Where topic. If you can let me know the ports of call and the name of the ship I shall add these.

luci

Wow, that is some exchange, an MSC Rhapsody 10night cruise in exchange for a Louis 7 night cruise. Perhaps they can now offer people who haven't got cruises places on this one!

luci will you kindly add these details to my april cruise
msc rhapsody
genoa.naples,at sea, santorin,kusadasi,piraeus,at sea, tripoli, catania, capri and genoa thanks
jackie