A Diamond in the rough.

[Pushka]

Kind of a sunset over Penang.

 

[Pushka]

See you again in April Penang.


Thailand tomorrow.

 

[bobe]

Celebrity anytime against the rest

 

[Pushka]

Celebrity anytime against the rest

Celebrity has a lot going for it for sure.

Japanese spa at nighttime.



Penang sail away is quite impressive Dame.

 

[Pushka]

Oh boo. The Phi Phi excursion I booked months ago was cancelled last night due to high winds. Notification an hour after the shorex desk closed for the next 24 hours. They substituted another shorex - which sounds pleasant but as the Phi Phi excursion was very expensive and no mention of discount I wasn't impressed.

Have done no research as this was the excursion I booked months ago. We were given until 11pm to cancel but as our clocks went back last night there was no rush to get to sleep and I wonder how many missed that deadline.

 

[Pushka]

Patong Beach. Another tender port. And without the excursion we have to wait with the great unwashed. I'm sure Ms Pugh has had a hand in this.

 

[love_the_life]

Oh boo. The Phi Phi excursion I booked months ago was cancelled last night due to high winds. Notification an hour after the shorex desk closed for the next 24 hours. They substituted another shorex - which sounds pleasant but as the Phi Phi excursion was very expensive and no mention of discount I wasn't impressed.

Have done no research as this was the excursion I booked months ago. We were given until 11pm to cancel but as our clocks went back last night there was no rush to get to sleep and I wonder how many missed that deadline.

How disappointing and what a pain. Suppose Princess can't be held responsible for the winds but would hope there is a discount/refund if this excursion was not as expensive.
Nothing like being with the 'great unwashed' to bring you down to earth with a thud

 

[drron]

Hmmm.Wind decreasing as the day goes on and no waves to speak of.
https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/coughet

 

[Pushka]

Hmmm.Wind decreasing as the day goes on and no waves to speak of.
https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/coughet

I smell a rat myself. Last night I saw a sign that said Phi Phi was sold out.

I understand when things get cancelled due to weather etc but Princess shorex have behaved badly in trying to fix it. Other than the excursion they offered - where according to google tourists have been banned due to Eco concerns - their office remains firmly shut and we could not work out another option. Without the research I don't know what else is around and apparently the taxis are like mafia and rip off the tourists when a ship is around. So they refuse to do anything for under $50usd. Just have around $40equiv in baht and don't want to get anymore. Patong beach a dive.

 

[love_the_life]

If that is the case it is very poor from Princess.

 

[Pushka]

And an announcement now from The Captain. The local authorities have just banned the ship from using their tenders contrary to their agreement. Currently 700 people waiting to disembark and many of us haven't even joined the queue yet. Captain sounds - annoyed. Trying to hire more local boats.

 

[drron]

And Thailand is trying to lure more high end tourism and cruise liners.

 

[Pushka]

And Thailand is trying to lure more high end tourism and cruise liners.

Miraculously four large cruiser boats just suddenly happen to be available. I wonder the cost to the cruise line. Must be horrendous.

 

[love_the_life]

Right, that sounds like it could be shaping up to be a nightmare. Not sure I would be too keen to get off if the local authorities are playing funny b*ggers. But you're on the ground there so will have a better idea of what the situation is like.

 

[Pushka]

So 1000 passengers have left but queue is still 700 and we haven't joined it yet. And crew going onshore have to wait too.

 

[love_the_life]

So are you just going onshore and not on any new excursion now?
Sounds a bit like QM2 when it was at Yorkey's Knob. You were lucky as your excursion left straight from the ship but for those of us on tenders it was a long line just to get a tender ticket and then a long wait to get on one. They seemed not to have any idea how to organise things. But at least that was QM2's fault not like you with the authorities changing the rules.

 

[Pushka]

The only excursion we were offered last night was one they potched on the fly and not worth $350 to do so we refused. The shorex office stayed closed from 7pm and until 5pm tonight so we couldn't organise another one.
I think they are about to do open tender at 11.30am and last one back at 5pm. Might go onshore alone as MrP doesn't seem interested. He will go to gym and sit in sun neither of which appeals in the slightest and with five sea days already I wanna get off!

 

[love_the_life]

Think you may be on the money to smell a rat there. Getting a little stir crazy onboard?

 

[Pushka]

Think you may be on the money to smell a rat there. Getting a little stir crazy onboard?

Yeah. I'm a bit more restless these days. I have the attention span of a gnat. I'm either hyper or totally flat out lazybones.

 

[Pushka]

Did I mention yesterday that one young (adult) guy thought it not only reasonable to use the adults swimming pool in his alpha brand jocks then blithely walk back through the dinner buffet area in nothing more than them? At 8.30pm.