2015 Gallipoli Ballot - 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings

[clazman]

Be careful Vodafone $5 P/D is only valid in Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and United Kingdom

 

[BNEFlyer]

Be careful Vodafone $5 P/D is only valid in Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and United Kingdom

The $5 per day roaming on Red plans is valid in 47 countries, including Turkey

 

[clazman]

The $5 per day roaming on Red plans is valid in 47 countries, including Turkey

Hmm I took that directly from v website must be out of date

 

[Flying mermaid]

Oh dear oh dear - if it wasn't enough that I have a dying mother, now I have a tour company that has lost the plot! I really think I should have taken the hint that we weren't meant to go when the lottery thing was announced. . apparently they had a flood had no backup of data and the left hand doesn't seem to know what the right hand is doing sigh!

 

[Groundhog]

who did you go with, that sounds really poor

 

[Flying mermaid]

who did you go with, that sounds really poor

Military History Tours - really liked them initially, but had become a bit twitchy as I hadn't heard from them for awhile. Now it appears that they have "lost" us - in spite of agreeing they still have all our details they somehow haven't sent us any of the information for months. They have been promising all week to send us back emails but that hasn't happened yet. Apparently they are trying to merge two email lists in case other people have been lost. Seems like a good idea, but in the interim why not just forward the back ones to us.

Then to add to it all they possibly have sold our suite to someone else - they won't be able to find out until the weekend if that is true or not and in the meantime stress levels have gone a bit high. We paid for the most expensive suite on level 12 and now they are talking about fobbing us off with something on level 10 with a refund........I need Amaroo here to fight my battle - Mr FM and I are too wussy.....

 

[Pushka]

Please don't be wussy. Just be unemotional but insistent. Make a list of the "must win" points and those that aren't so important to. All the best and hope it's all sorted quickly for you.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Please don't be wussy. Just be unemotional but insistent. Make a list of the "must win" points and those that aren't so important to. All the best and hope it's all sorted quickly for you.

Thanks - will try!

 

[amaroo]

Military History Tours - really liked them initially, but had become a bit twitchy as I hadn't heard from them for awhile. Now it appears that they have "lost" us - in spite of agreeing they still have all our details they somehow haven't sent us any of the information for months. They have been promising all week to send us back emails but that hasn't happened yet. Apparently they are trying to merge two email lists in case other people have been lost. Seems like a good idea, but in the interim why not just forward the back ones to us.

Then to add to it all they possibly have sold our suite to someone else - they won't be able to find out until the weekend if that is true or not and in the meantime stress levels have gone a bit high. We paid for the most expensive suite on level 12 and now they are talking about fobbing us off with something on level 10 with a refund........I need Amaroo here to fight my battle - Mr FM and I are too wussy.....

Sounds like a right royal stuff-up! Do you think the story about selling your suite is really "bugger off, we've sold your suite for a higher price" ?

Best of luck sorting this out .... I'll buy the first round in IST.

 

[amaroo]

I decided to ask the Gallipoli Comms team - this is their response;

Update.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has requested advice from the Australian Embassy in Turkey regarding any understanding it might have of tour companies in Turkey asking travellers for their passport details. We are still waiting their advice and will continue to follow this up. It is anticipated that any response will be general in nature and that it is the responsibility of each traveller to determine from the tour company why the information is sought and to respond to any request in a manner that they consider appropriate.

Given it's been ~3 weeks, and I needed to push to get the above response ... not happy Jan! Wonder if my local member (Clive) would be interested in raising the issue on our behalf? It's been awhile since he stirred the pot...

Ok then, seems like its not just me. Not sure what RSL will do if people dont give them?
BTW have you had confirmation of your bus # from RSL. I am on bus 6

No info on bus #. We're doing option 2 tour...pick up / drop off from the hotel, thank goodness.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Sounds like a right royal stuff-up! Do you think the story about selling your suite is really "bugger off, we've sold your suite for a higher price" ?

Best of luck sorting this out .... I'll buy the first round in IST.

No I don't believe so - I don't think they would do that. I just think they are totally out of their depth organising something this big. Dropping us off their email list by mistake and having a flood that destroyed records and not having off site storage - all just really amateur.

I keep telling myself it is only 11 nights out of a 42 night trip.

 

[Pushka]

Have you paid for the cruise? It's usually 90 days out. If you have your reference number you can access your booking using that number on the cruise line website.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Have you paid for the cruise? It's usually 90 days out. If you have your reference number you can access your booking using that number on the cruise line website.

Yes paid in full years ago. . The Military history guys normally take small groups to the battle fields, but they decided about 5 years ago to run a special cruise for the 100 years. So they have chartered the boat from MSC cruises and they have a huge number going and it looks to me like they are having trouble handling it. So I don't believe there will be anything on the cruise website, as it has been paid as one amount.

I still can't get a straight answer from them as to why we have lost our suite (if we have lost it - even that seems a bit vague!). They did have a problem with ships being swapped on them and that changed the suites available on level 10, but level 12 remained the same. However I am kind of wondering whether someone on level 10 was kicking up a fuss and they just swapped us around (even though level 12 is around $1,200 more than level 10). Or, given the mess they seem to be in, just hadn't upgraded their records when we paid extra to move from level 10 to level 12 and then sold it again. So no idea and can't get an answer - have been promised more info at the weekend when they hope to have worked out what the are doing.

I have been seriously hitting the chocolate today.

 

[Pushka]

Is that the ship that leaves from Fremantle? We have friends on it. Their first ever cruise. And paid a lot of money for it.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Is that the ship that leaves from Fremantle? We have friends on it. Their first ever cruise. And paid a lot of money for it.

No it goes Venice to Venice with most people getting on leaving in Istanbul, so your friends should be fine. This is our first ever cruise as well and first tour and I suspect our last.....

 

[Pushka]

No it goes Venice to Venice with most people getting on leaving in Istanbul, so your friends should be fine. This is our first ever cruise as well and first tour and I suspect our last.....

Sailing out of Venice is wonderful. Rated as the best sail out in the world.

You pass right by all the Venice landmarks (not Rialto bridge obviously)

A sail out from Venice was on my bucket list and completed last year, storm - lightening and thunder included.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Looks beautiful - we have 5 nights in Venice On our own before the cruise starts I will have to go and read your trip report.

 

[amaroo]

I have just been asked by RSL Tours to provide my and wifes passport number. Apparently the Turkish govt. are asking tour providors to have updated details. RSL have asked me to spread word to all people on their tours that this will be a requirement. I dont see the need to give them my number (fraud prevention etc) and i have already updated the Aust Govt. as part of the ballot request. Has anyone else received a similar request from RSL?

Appears to be Kosher...

The following response has been received from the Australian Embassy in Turkey:

It is common practice in Turkey for accommodation operators to request the passport details of foreigners. It is not an unusual request for tour operators to ask for passport details. Australians visiting Turkey should carry a copy of their passport with them at all times. We strongly encourage Australians planning a visit to Turkey to view the travel advice and to register their travel details at www.smartraveller.gov.au

Yours sincerely
The Gallipoli 2015 Commemorations Team

 

[Flying mermaid]

So have received an e-mail today - huge muddle, cabin double booked. Full refund offered which we have accepted. Gallipoli will have to wait. I have to say I think they have acted very ethically (well I think they have - wait to see if refund arrives). I actually felt very sorry for them and almost accepted the partial refund and small cabin they were offering. However Mr FM had become very disenchanted - being drooped from communications for 7 months was a bit of a worry....

We are planning to stay longer in Italy and go to Milan, Pisa and Florence after Venice and then fly to Istanbul from Rome to continue with other things we have booked. One positive is I can now stay at the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet again and go to the beautiful Sunday brunch. So no AFF meet up for us this time......

 

[Pushka]

Sometimes you just know when it's time to call it quits!

Hoping that refund arrives very quickly. Did you pay by credit card?