No hobgoblins on this occasion! However they are still hard at work hence the need for reviews to be approved before the are published.

I have noticed a lot of new message markers against several of the less popular ships, yet when I checked the last review was in 2006. On checking with Admin, these "robots" are back with a vengence trying to post rogue reviews which Admin are catching before they are published.

luci

Hi Luci,
It's great to know that our trusty computer wizards are protecting our sensibilities! Well done and many thanks to the whole HT team for everything! Please members,submit your reviews - they are enormously useful to us all!

Congratulations wcf80, delighted for you!

luci

Hi Everyone,

After going through Moneyclaim and 'The Greatest...' eventually saying I was 'entitled' to a cruise but still contesting monies owed; I have today received a choice of SIX cruises and have booked the Island Star on Nov 3, 2007!!!!!! At last, better late than never!! Is anyone else booked on that cruise?

Another success! Delighted to hear it.

luci

Hi Folks,

After posting here yesterday I booked my cruise this morning. It was a surprisingly pleasant affair, particularly compared to my experiences with RISE - the lady at Island Cruises was very courteous & made no attempt to persuade me to take any 'extras' after I'd said no.

I went for the Spirit Cruise in the Med on the Liner 'Star' - 08th to 15th Sept. I'll be on my own so if any of you good folks book the same cruise I'd love to hear from you - I'm not too weird

Thanks to everyone on this forum who made this happen. And finally, I loved the fact that The DE had to pay a Single Occupancy levy of over £400
K.

In all my excitment yesterday I forgot to say thank you- Ive now come back down to earth! Thanks to everyone for your advice and help. Without the forum I would have given up!

Hi All

Just got back yesterday from the Med being on The Island Star, it was just fantastic, the weather was sun all the way, met one other person on the cruise from the DE, she had never been on this web site so just waited, heard that there were also another two people on the same cruise.

It will be three years tomorrow when i put my application in, and boy was it worth the wait,the ship was great and all the staff too.

For all those still waiting and fighting ,it will all be worth it in the end,but keep on chasing.

Botoxman

Glad it was worth the wait.

If you haven't done so already, I'd be delighted if you would post a review of the ship. It may take a couple of weeks to show as the admin who approves cruise reviews has just gone on holiday.

luci

I thought this thread had been blocked years ago! I was an avid reader those 3 years ago....then a few weeks ago I was clearing out my office when I came across the Express/Rise paper work and decided to send one last letter to the DE..and a week later got the 4 page letter giving me 6 cruises to choose from...with a £45 fuel supplement and £20 to fly from Bristol Ive booked on the Island Star 29.09...anyone else going??? Im also going to take my son for an extra £300 plus the £65 extra which isnt such a great bargain but at least we get to spend some quality time together. I had spent some time reading the internet reviews....no sleep in aft cabins due to engine vibration and luke warm food...but feel heartened by the reviews Ive read tonight on holidaytruths...

but its so great to see that 259 pages later the DE cruisers havent given up! we have finally got our cruises!

So any others on the 29.09?

Well done everyone..and thanks to Luci!

Gladysxxx

Welcome back gladys!

I think we're on our third thread now.

Congratulations on getting your cruise, I'm sure you'll have a great time. Remember to come back and post a review on your return because, as you have found, they are really useful for future cruisers.

There is a sticky topic at the top of the forum with some information on DIY excursions that you may find useful or use the Search facility, also at the top, to find any posts on the ports you are visiting.

luci

Many thanks Luci,

Thanks for the tip on DIY excursions...very useful!

Does anyone know which is the best guide book for Med cruises?

Cheers

Gladys

I got back from my cruise on the Island Star just over a week ago (24th June). Sorry I haven't had time to report back before now. I didn't come across Botoxman or any other DE cruisers on board. As I had my wife with me I didn't go to the 'solo passengers' meeting where I presume I might have met up with them.
We had a great time and my wife, who was very nervous about cruising, can't wait to go again.
We did organised tours on the Sicily and Italy stops as we had never been to that part of the world before but we did our own thing in Toulon and Barcelona as we had visited both those places before. The tours were decent value (on a par with the usual prices at land-based hotels). I have been told that some cruise companies ask much higher prices but I don't know if that's true. Anyway I will post a review asap.

Many thanks for your report. Glad you both enjoyed it and look forward to reading your review which will be of great help to other members.

luci

Hello to all HT would-be cruisers. I have just accepted a cruise on Island Escape 23 October. Thanks to Magsy and Wallecan in particular for superb advice that certainly did the trick after I had been informed my claim was not valid. Just a couple of things worry me now... I get the impression the Island Escape is a former car ferry and is a bit 'tired'? We had to go on the Escape so that we could fly from Exeter. We've paid an extra £517 to upgrade and for my husband to come as well. My main concern is over the level of smoking on board. I know the cabins are supposed to be smokefree but that people do smoke in them. Also people say they can smoke everywhere on board - is this the case? I just hope there are some bars that are no smoking. Any insider info on the Escape would be great (I've also read the cruise reviews)
So hang in there everyone who is still waiting. The Cruise Store said that they get new lists every 4-6 weeks so your turn may be next!

Hi Sal and welcome to HT!

Congratulations on finally getting your cruise. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Have you seen our Island Escape topic? There is also a topic further down the forum entitled New to Cruising.

luci

hi, glad a lot of you have managed a cruise but despite numerous letters,there has been no response ,guess I will have to start a small claim action,would any one give me some tips on the name of the defendant, is it just DE?,I have the amount of the claim sorted,but what do I claim under,failure of contract?,Would any one who has been along this path give me some advice,regards.bucca.

Hi,

I received my 'validation' letter in October 2006 which asked me to be patient. Do you think I have been patient as it is 9 months later??

Is my only option to take them to the small claims court?

Regards

Jane

Hi All,
After writing to The Daily Express Legal Department for one last try I have finally recieved a reply stating that I am not elgible for a cruise after further investigation. I am now going to make a claim through the Small Claims Court. Could someone please PM me to let me know what I should/shouldn't say in this and give me some general guidance. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
I guess that any claimant that has settled out of court with The Daily Express will probablly have a gagging order placed on them but I am not interested in what they have settled for just how they went about it.
Has any case actually reached court yet ?.
Thanks for all your help
Neil

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