Hi Cardiff girl,

toiletries are provided in the form of bars of soap, shampoo and body wash. There was no conditioner or moisturiser which was a pity as I'd forgotten to pack mine. What is provided is perfectly fine but not luxury items like you sometimes get in hotels here.

Wull,

My advice, having been there, PAY the upgrade and go on the Opera. The value for the cruise and flight was absolutely terrific and I'd be happy to buy someones £10 allocation just so I could pay the upgrade and do it all again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will NOT feel short changed, believe me!!

Hilary

PS I didn't see any mosquitos the entire time I was away, but didn't spend any time in Venice other than getting to and from the ship.

Thanks Hilary, very useful - I shall bring my collection of sample size conditioner, aloe vera, hand cream, etc.

You never know when they'll come in handy!

Cardiff Girl - superdrug have an excellent range of toilitries all mini size - really useful for hols!

Ive got tons of sachets and a friend who works for clarins so lots of their samples il be taking with me!

I always take too much - daft really as you can always buy things there,

Alison

Hi Hillary,
I'd love to go on the Opera given the opportunity but the offer to me was on Island Cruises Island Escape. I was asked to pay £858 for a two for one which was the price on offer to the general public on Island Cruises website at the time. Nothing like a £10 cruise. If I wanted to go on my own it was to be £299, only £200 less than the single price on the website. I didn't think any of these was a good deal especially since we hadn't even begun to talk upgrades. These were the prices, take it or leave it I was told. As far as I was concerned this situation did not comply with the T & Cs so I left it.

Wull

The one place that I know of (from personal experience) where you WILL encounter Mosquitos, is Corfu. They are worse at night, however and so it depends what time you arrive and depart, my cruise (Armonia on 12th June dept. from Venice) arrives in Corfu at 8am and departs at 4pm so hopefully the mossies will be resting then. Don't want to advertise but have found that Avon Skin-so-Soft moisturising dry oil body spray (I used Woodland Fresh) has quite a deterrent effect on mossies.

Mozzies,
Citronella, pack of six little bottles, £1 shops.
Joan XX

I don't know who my local Avon rep is! Anyone got any idea how I would find out or am I too late?

Mozzies........CK1 aftershave!!!!

Last time in Spain it was out of season so I didn`t bother with the anti-mozzie spray. Only got a few bites, but none at all where the aftershave was sprayed.

Must be the lemon content........mind you, it`s a bit more expensive than the citronella.

Hi Wull, What you were offered is nothing like the original offer and you were quite right to reject it. That is what is so infuriating - the discrepancy in the offers we are getting - anything from an extra £50/£60 to hundreds of £. Then some still being offered cruises this year whilst others are on a list for 2006.

Most of those who have already been seem to have had a wonderful time and those of us with confirmed cruises are really looking forward to a marvellous experience, but far too many are still having to fight. You know you have to keep up the pressure but I'm sure it is time-consuming and dispiriting.

I think I read about Avon skin so soft way back on the original thread, maybe luci will remember. Apparently it is only one particular fragrance that works. Magsy, I think it was posted then that you could buy direct from Avon. Try google for the address.

There have been whole topics dedicated to the Avon stuff elsewhere on the site. If you put Avon or Woodland fragrance into the Search facility you'll see what I mean.

luci

Thank you Luci and Maureen, I will try although perhaps I am too late! I have actually bought Jungle Formula mozzie repellant but these little pests go for me big style! I have never ever had a bite while on a cruise but spending some time in Venice I would rather be safe than a sorry sight!

It's http://www.avon.uk.com

Thank you Maureen!

It's on offer. Three for £6. What is this Johnsons lotion? Is it sun tan cream or fake tan? Sorry for but we need to know.

Hi Maureen,
I learned about the Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion thanks to Allisu. It is a body lotion which has a small amount of tanning ingredient in it and I can tell you it works! I got it at Tesco for £4.57. A little advice when using it! Wear rubber gloves when applying. If you don't have any, wipe off hands very thoroughtly when you have finished! Scrub under fingernails!
I washed my hands using a body scrub and that works very well. If you have fair skin, DO NOT get the one for Normal to Darker Skin! (Guess who didn't look!!!) It really does work and doesn't streak! Having said that, I did wipe elbows and knees after applying. DO NOT straight to bed after applying, let it dry thoroughly otherwise it stains the sheets! It does wash out though and also washes off with showering, gradually. It gives one a light golden tan which works for my milk bottle skin!
Hope that helps!

I am 'wearing' my Johnson's! - Rub it in well! Nobody has guessed it's fake - it's quite subtle if you don't use too much!

Mozzies don't like garlic, especially fresh.

Also marmite, apparently!

There you are: cover yourself in Avon Skin So Soft, have marmite on toast for breakfast and garlic mushrooms for lunch every day.

You will have a bitten-free cruise but will have spent it alone!

Alli

Unfortunately I don't like Marmite so I'll just have to use the other two and settle for only being bitten a little. On an Italian cruise ship I don't think there will be too much trouble in finding garlic, but perhaps I had better stock up on breath freshner