A RTW study tour, mostly on Star Alliance

[RooFlyer]

This one will mostly focus on the air experience, as places visited are mainly for research for my Uni history studies - think darkened Archive offices, peering into microfilm readers. But in between, there might be a few interesting places, such as Norway (family history research on the way to the UK) and Wales, Bermuda & Jamaica (all research).

I have a RTW ticket in J, issued by Lufthansa for abt $6,500 which I reckon was pretty good. Although I know there are cheaper ones out there, I didn't have the luxury of completely free dates and had mostly fixed stopover places. The nearest OneWorld comparable fare was over $1K more on a Finnair ticket.

I'm really looking forward to the LH 747-800 and flat beds in LH on long haul! Last time I flew their A380, when they were quite new, they had sloping beds in J . (Yeah, yeah, I'm spoiled .. sorry). I thought I'd be getting United's new Polaris cabin LAX-MEL, but it turns out that its Polaris 'service', but not the new cabin. I've never been in the Star Alliance LAX lounge either, so that'll be something else new.

MEL-SIN SQ B777
SIN-FRA LH A380
FRA-OSL LH A320
SVR-LHR SAS B737 (whY)
MAN-FRA LH A320
FRA-IAD (B747-800 )
DCA-JFK-BDA AA E175/B737 (whY revenue ticket)
BDA-MIA-KIN AA A320 (whY miles ticket)
KIN-MIA-LAX AA A320 (whY miles ticket)
LAX-MEL UA B787 ( :shock: )

Off on Monday

 

[TomVexille]

At least UA has flat beds...

 

[Major]

I think you mean SVG-LHR.

Looks like a lot of research coming up

 

[drron]

At least UA has flat beds...

Just as well as he could be laid out flat.:shock:

 

[I love to travel]

how may stoppvers are you allowed on this ticket?

 

[RooFlyer]

Not sure .. I'll ask my TA. I think there was a bit of alchemy in this one - I really put the heat on the TA to get a fare that was as cheap as possible (on OW or *A) and I allowed gaps that I knew could be filled with AAward flights.

After about 4 weeks of planning, we just about had it planned out and I got a phone call - "Lufthansa have a sale on this fare, so we need to ticket this week" .

 

[RooFlyer]

First flight was HBA-MEL, perfectly serviceable flight on Virgin in whY. Check-in at MEL uneventful, as was time in the lounge.

My first main flight was SQ228 MEL-SIN; 7hrs 50m scheduled in a B777-300, in business. Again, I'll apologise to those who don't get to travel in business, but I'm coming a big downer on this flight.

At first sight, the seat (12K) looked great. It was in a mini cabin of 3 rows of 1-2-1. The single I had at first resembled a F suite on Qantas!




Rest of the mini cabin:




Then the reality kicked in. On modest recline, my feet were touching the back of the seat in front. Reclining more, the leg rest split; only the RH half came up (I think the life vest was in the half that didn't rise). So you had to squeeze over to the right.




Then, if you wanted to totally recline (but not have the bed, LH pic) you were angled across the seat and tucking your feet down a cubby hole on the RH side. The raised leg rest didn't match the height of the feet cubby. OR, if you got the bed deployed - RH pic - (usual SQ 'seat back rolled over' technique) you again had to lie on an angle and curl your legs around the bend to get your feet in the cubby hole. OK, now you are there, try getting up!!

I had a bad night's sleep the night before, so wanted to try to kip a bit - impossible. I'd give this J seat 3/10. Oh, pros were that it was very private, and there was heaps of storage room. I noticed the couple in one of the middle twos had to strain forward to talk to each other.




What about the soft product? Well, as usual, the Singapore girls were a picture of decorum. But no-one managed to say may name, except after that awkward 'peer at the piece of paper to find your name' thing. The flight had periods of turbulence, some a bit rough. One time, the captain came on and said there would be about 30 minutes or more of turbulence, due to cross winds before we got into the smoother ride above it. So what happened next? They started the meal service, as scheduled! :shock: Wine bottles on the carts (yes, they still use carts) clinking all over the place and wine and water in glasses sloshing all over. Honestly, wouldn't you think they would delay the meal service by 30 mins or so till the time the Captain forecast a smooth period.

This was the appetiser; for main I had a 'Book the Cook' option of lamb loin, which although not photographed, was very nice.




We touched down in SIN T3 a little early, and I went to the SilverKris lounge in T2 and had a shower, and waited a couple of hours until the LH flight boarded.

 

[henleybeach]

Agree with you rooflyer, I found the seats private but uncomfortable to recline in and sleep in. Had to twist the lower back so the legs could go in the cubby .

 

[diningdecadence]

gotta grab those bulkheads on SQ J!

 

[andyhui01]

Agreed with the SQ J Cabin. Most SQ Flyers I've spoken to don't understand what I mean about the cubby hole issue. I thought it was due to the way I sleep, I need to toss and turn to get a good nights rest (I even struggle with VA's Herringbone and prefer CX's)

 

[RooFlyer]

LH779, an A380 SIN-FRA scheduled 12 hours 40 mins.

My last experience on a LH A380 was not long after they were introduced to the LH fleet, and the seats were angled flat. Now flat flat and I was hoping for a better experience. This was the case.

I was in the middle pair of seats, to ensure aisle access and in the middle of the cabin.




The seat itself was kinda narrow, and like my last LH experience, not much room to put stuff around you. Mainly a small cubby near the floor, by your feet. Was OK.

Once settled in, two things became apparent. The seat was VERY comfortable and the FAs were VERY good. The seat firmness was adjustable. Having a 'fuller figure', I like soft seating when in the bed mode and this one was possibly the most comfy I've had in business. Somewhat narrow in bed mod, and little privacy, but pretty good. Feet went into an open cubby hole, right next to your seat-mates (see RH pic above), but it was manageable.

I can't speak more highly of the FAs. Clearly assigned to sectors in the J cabin, the lady for my sector addressed me effortlessly by name from the first time she spoke to me and was helpful and engaging the entire flight. Really, really good.





Menu and wine list. One thing I didn't like was the full meal service after take-off (served at about 1am SIN time). The wine list was OK; there were additional 'special' wines available, not on the list, but as I was tired I didn't indulge.




I asked for the 'express meal service' later in the flight, but then changed my mind and asked for it there and then, as I wasn't going to sleep any time soon, with the general cabin noise and movement. Absolutely no problem - it was served quickly after that. Just the cold items off the menu - the prawn started, cheeses, bread and salad.




I slept a bit and towards the end of the flight I indulged in some wi-fi. 9 Euros for an hour and the speeds were pretty good.

 

[travelislife]

Maybe they only tested the seats with people of Asian stature...

 

[PaulST]

I look forward to your thoughts/photos from the 748 flight! I'd love to fly one, but my allegiance to OW is making that rather difficult.

 

[Buzzard]

Cripes, that's a quicker download speed than I get at home!
Looking forward to a report and pics of the 747 as it's something​ +1 and I want to do.

 

[RooFlyer]

Will do my best on the B747-8

Brekky on the A380 was a choice between Asian and an 'omelette'. Funny omelette (the thing in the centre front), but breakfast was nice enough. And again, marks to the LH crew to only serve breakfast in the final hour of the flight (we were to land at about 6:30am Frankfurt time). Many airlines will start a similar service maybe 2.5 hours out ... so they can get it all packed away in plenty of time. LH shows what can be done.

Some snow on descent, which mushed over the tail camera. A small window cleared after landing.




The bird on the ground, amongst friends. As forecast by vantage03 in another thread, it was disembark at the far end of this terminal (left) (Z gates), walk to the end (long way!), do immigration, then security before I ended up airside near where my onwards flight would leave from (A gates). The simplest arrival or transit I've had in FRA (although the others were some time back)




There were 2 LH business lounges to choose from (onwards to Norway, so in the Schengen Zone). This was the closest one to departure. Nice enough, but very crowded for the 1.5 hrs I was there (about 7:30am to 9am, so peak time, I guess). 2-3x the size of the field of view. Food offerings only basic, but there was beer on tap (and spirits available), and a number of folks were enjoying a breakfast frothie.




Next flight was LH 860, FRA-OSL on A320neo, 1 hr 55min scheduled. We got bussed out to the gate and we boarded very late, but everyone just got on and sat down and we pushed back only a few minutes behind schedule. Meh. Euro-business.




Euro business is of course just an economy seat with the middle seat blocked. three rows in this case; cabin was full. I wasn't going to eat again, but the fresh berries on the muesli looked great, and there was a little bottle of fresh milk each, so I indulged (it was 5 hours since 'first breakfast, after all ) . Totally yummy.

 

[clazman]

How tall are you RF?

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm about 5' 10/11 in the old money.

Oslo airport is modern and easy to navigate around. Essentially a domestic flight arriving from FRA, so straight to baggage and though the green lane at customs. Landside, to the bus ticket counter where I got my ticket on the Flybussen, which has its last stop, my hotel in the city. Too easy. Bus has wi-fi (of course) and power sockets.




I'm doing Radisson Blu hotels in Norway (and one in the UK) as they are well priced for the standard and I'm 'Gold' in Club Carlson via AMEX Plat charge card. The Radisson is one of the taller buildings in Oslo; I was given a room on the 18th floor with great views over the bay (fjord) and the Royal Palace.




Room was pretty standard; bed was extremely comfortable!




I got to the hotel about 2pm, so it was immediately out and about for my orientation walk; first stop the Royal Palace over the road.

 

[JessicaTam]

Cripes, that's a quicker download speed than I get at home!
Looking forward to a report and pics of the 747 as it's something​ +1 and I want to do.

Same here. I missed out a couple of years ago due to delays.

 

[Daver6]

I'm about 5' 10/11 in the old money.


I'm doing Radisson Blu hotels in Norway (and one in the UK) as they are well priced for the standard and I'm 'Gold' in Club Carlson via AMEX Plat charge card.

I'll be interested in hearing how you get treated with this status. Any upgrades/benefits etc?

 

[RooFlyer]

The next day was fine but cool. I managed 14km of ambling about.


Oslo Opera House. like the one in Sydney this was designed to be a landmark waterfront building and sort of succeeds, although its tucked into the corner of a bay rather than on a prominent point. Its designed so you can walk up onto the building.

Note the cranes; there is a great deal of building / waterfront rejuvenation going on in Oslo; I counted at least 10 major building sites.




Contrasting I think with the Opera House is the City Hall or Radhaus, located on prime waterfront downtown. It was started in the 1930s, but paused for WW2 and opened in 1950. It won a 'Oslo structure of the Century' award in 2005. I think its "monumentally" ugly. The Nobel Peace prize Ceremony is hosted here every December. I tried but failed to find out something about this sculpture.





National Theatre left, and Norway's Parliament 'Storting' Building (right) - built in the 1860s.



Part of the University, left and Oslo Cathedral (Church of Norway), right, built in the 1690s.