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quizzer
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24-05-2008 03:08 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Hi fellow Calypsians, good name eh , ...My wife and are have booked a year in advance for July 2009,two weeks on Calypso.On other cruises we have done the 1st sittings, where you rush back on board after excursions,and also 2nd sittings where you begin dining at 9.00pn and the evenings all but over once the meal is done.so my question is this, thinking of the evenings entertainment on board , which is the best sitting to take .? Plus we have the all inclusive drinks package what brand of beer is served on board and is the wine free at evening meals by the glass or by the bottle .and finally still related to drinks package ,is there a time each evening when the free drinks stop. oh by the way I'm not a big drinker ,but if its there use it, We would love to see any photos of the Calypso,decks,cabins etc too .send to ernie.weatherhead@blueyonder.co.uk.kind regards Ernie
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nanabo
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24-05-2008 09:39 PM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
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| We always prefare late sitting, this enables you to take your time getting ready for the evening plus have a nice drink on the deck before going in for your meal. You can always catch the evening show for second sitters. Wine is free by the bottle when we were on Calypso, it is put in a cooler and the wine waiter tops up when your down.
All I would say make sure your table in the dining room is at the top end as the bottom end is very noisy. Check this out on your arrival and aske to be moved if it is.
It is only a small boat with narrow stairs, cabins very basic and it still looks like a car ferry to me, not the usual plush staircases on this boat quizzer, but everyone friendly.and it goes to some lovely places where other boats carnt.
Enjoy
Bo
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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quizzer
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25-05-2008 10:20 AM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Thanks for the reply Bo , so the Entertainment team do the evening shows twice,for the benefit of early and late sitting diners., we were just recently on the Island Star and this was not the case,on that ship its open dining. ,it was difficult arranging a meal time around the entertainment going on.thats why we booked a ship with set evening meal times for the next cruise.
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quizzer
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25-05-2008 10:23 AM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| HI again Bo ,the remark about dining i do not quite understand.you say try and get a table near the "top" is the top ,towards the middle of the ships dining room or to the rear of the ship.?
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nanabo
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25-05-2008 11:19 AM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
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| The bottom of the ship was were the cars loaded on when it was a ferry, it is rather loud. or it was when when we were on it. When you are booked in go and have a look in before the others, because you will be allocated your table on arrival. If your table is at that end of the ship then ask it to be moved at the top quieter end.
You will see once you enter the dining room its best to have a table there you will see how its slopes down to the noisy back. Hope this helps.
Bo
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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mtek
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25-05-2008 09:31 PM
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
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| Hi Quizzer. I was on the Calypso last year in September and am off again on Monday week for another two weeks - even booked two of the cruises for next year.
Yes the evening show is performed twice each night - I generally avoid organised entertainment on cruise ships but everyone I spoke to last year really enjoyed the shows. When I was on board wine at dinner on the all inclusive was by the glass but the red in particular was really good and they just kept topping up the glasses during dinner. I can't remember the brand of beer on board but will let you know when I get back from this trip. All drinks between 2am and 10am are charged to cabins. However the Calypso is a very small ship and the average age of fellow passengers was in the mid 50s so most people were in bed shortly after midnight. I don't think I heard of one late night drinking session while I was on board - in very stark contrast to the Island Escape who I had the misfortune to be on for two weeks last June. On the IE very late drinking sessions followed by food in the Beachcomber was pretty much the norm. I have to say that the Calypso was a pleasant surprise. Respectable and respectful behaviour, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves (apart from those who had not read the brochure and thought they should have QE2 standards) and, thank goodness, no children. What itinerary are you doing next year?
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mtek
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25-05-2008 09:41 PM
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
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| Quizzer I meant to add that the Calypso leaves port each day at 6pm (with one or two exceptions over two weeks) and the early sitting at 6.30 is just too early. If you have been ashore all day and either missed lunch and afternoon tea (or just had a snack) the bistro is open at about 6.30 or 7pm so if you can't wait until 8.30 then pop up there for a nibble before dinner. Again because of the size of the ship the dining room does fill up quickly so dinner is started well before 9pm. I travel alone and used to meet up with my table companions in one of the bars for a pre dinner drink and we all went down together dead on 8.30 and the orders were taken immediately and we would be started by around 8.45 most nights.
I have read that the top of the dining room nearest the entrance is much quieter but I was at a table in the lower end - a table for 8 right next to the Captain's table and can't say that I had any difficulty with noise. We also rotated seats each evening so everyone got a chance to talk to everyone else at the table over the cruise. Even though the ship was full both weeks I was on board on the second week we just had 4 some nights at our table as a very snobby pair of "ladies" moved to another table after the first formal night. And other tables for 6 just had 4 people at them. So if you have a table that is affected by noise a quiet word with the Maitre'd should be enough to get moved.
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quizzer
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25-05-2008 11:06 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Hi Mtek thanks for the great information,my wife and I are on the Calypso in July going into Aug next year we begin with Aegean wonders ,then our second week is Crimean discovery.we are celebrating our Pearl Wedding Anniversary (30 years) while on board but we are a young at heart 53 year old pair.since 2004 we have done Airtours Carousel, Thomson Destiny and just a few weeks ago Island Star ,the biggest of the three ships,oh and in 2007 we did a weeks Nile Cruise which was a great experience.i reckon once you cruise its a bit addictive and i cannot see us doing hotels anymore.I'd love to see any photos you have of the Calypso too, my email address is
ernie.weatherhead@blueyonder.co.uk
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mtek
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26-05-2008 09:07 PM
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
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| Hi Quizzer, last year I didn't have the digital camera with me so I will hopefully have loads of photos in three weeks time. Just remembered last night that the beer on board is Boddingtons - as an Irish woman who only drinks beer on holidays after a long day ashore or sunbathing I could not for the life of me remember as its not sold here. You are right - cruising is addictive but as a single cruiser I have to pay a hefty supplement. If I book early I will get discounts but if I leave it until late I have no chance of getting a single cabin. Next one is off to the Caribbean in early December on Island Star - thought I would give Island Cruises one last chance and all the reports of the Star suggest that it is a better product than the Escape. Marie
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quizzer
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26-05-2008 09:23 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Hi marie . well blow me we were on Island Star three weeks ago, lots of photos too, if you wanna see em just get in touch
ernie.weatherhead@blueyonder.co.uk...Boddingtons on there too,but no inclusive drinks package drat..as you may have read in my reviews i prefer set dining,but we did the Island Star to suit my sisters delicate diet lol.kind regards Ernie
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nanabo
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27-05-2008 06:07 PM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
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| Hi folks
Never say never, we have just booked to go back on the Calypso in July. After I was reading all the reviews on the Crimean Discovery we decided to give it a go as it goes to some different places than the other boats. Hubby always wanted to go to Romania and Ukraine so it gives him a chance to get a taster of both, and me to soak up the sun.
We went on this ship in 2007 were we went down the Corinth Canel, hopefully I think the ship has sttled down now looking at the reviews.
So if anyone has any tips on how to get about I would appreciate it. Taxis, Buses and prices, or the Thomson tours which are best???
Looking forward to it now we booked.
BO
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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mtek
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27-05-2008 08:14 PM
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
My Profile
| Hi Bo. Glad you are giving the Calypso another chance. Read your comments about your experiences on last year's cruise and was very scared for a while leading up to mine in September. However the ship was so different by the time I got on board all my fears were groundless. I did the Aegean and Black Sea last year but they pulled Romania as a result of negative feedback. Instead we had an overnight in Istanbul which is no hardship. To make up for this I have booked the same cruise for next year with one or two minor changes.
In relation to ports of call - well Nessebar is a very pretty small town and you berth right in the centre of things. Unless you want to visit the tourist traps of Sunny Beach there is no need to go any further than the town. Loads of quaint buildings, churches, cobbled street and stalls selling local produce as well as the usual tourist tat. The ship is only there until 2pm which is plenty of time to walk around and get the feel of the place. Most places took euro (some difficulty with changing notes over 50 euro though). The port is pretty and everyone enjoyed their time there. I know Thomson did excursions - the only one I remember was a 2 hour walking tour which was not expensive (12 pounds I think) but there is no need to go further afield and given the short time there it is best to stay close to hand. Didn't bother going to see the nearest beach as I am not a beach babe. However some other did and it seemed to be only a short (and very cheap) taxi ride from the town.
Sevastopol is a fascinating city. I think it has the record for the most monuments/statues in what was the old USSR. Again the ship berths about 5 minutes walk from the centre of town. It is a really lovely city to walk around. Someone from the Ukrainian tourist board comes on board and gives advice and (I think) changes money. The first time I did this port was on the Emerald and we had to keep our passports on our person when we left the ship but last year on the Calypso we didn't. Also the first year there was a brass band on the quay as we arrived and left but in 2007 there was none. Highlights of the city are the Panorama building which depicts the sights of the siege of the city - can't fully describe it but its in the round, is comprised of collage, paintings and artifacts and has to be seen to be believed. This is a fairish walk from the port and uphill. Didn't see that many taxis waiting around but I presume there were some. Thomson combine this with a visit to the Sapoun Highs - the location of the Charge of the Light Brigade and a visit to Balaclava bay. Can't find my 2007 excursion guide but my notes from 2005 say it costs 24 pounds for about 5 hours and well worth it. The excursion I did last year was to the Khans Palace and Cave Monastery (again a half day and about the same price). This was good because it gave me time to see the countryside. But the highlight of the visit was the Black Sea Navy Fleet performing traditional dances. This is a short afternoon trip and can be combined with the morning excursions (or going it alone). These guys are world famous for their Cossack dances and traditional songs and put on a great performance. As I said the city itself is lovely to walk around and there is a large square just outside the port and depending on the day you are there any brides getting married that day come to have their photographs taken there or on the steps at the port area. There are also a lot of decommissioned navy vessels (including submarines) around.
Istanbul is very easy to do on your own. Turn left out of the port building until you come to the tram tracks and follow them uphill and you will arrive at the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Aya Sophia. If I remember correctly none of these will accept anything other than Turkish lire when paying the entrance fee. Use the tram (very cheap but you will need coins) as the taxi drivers have a habit of agreeing a price and then locking the doors when you arrive until you pay a higher price - this may be unfair to most of the taxi drivers in the city but it happened a lot every time I was there. The other benefit of using the tram is avoiding the traffic. To my mind if you have time go ahead and visit the Grand Bazaar but it is a bit of a tourist trap and very easy to get lost in. The Spice Bazaar (just over the Galeta Bridge) is smaller and much more authentic.
If you are visiting Canakkale as the last port of call then there are few options. The ship docks way out of town but does run a courtesy coach. The town is a typical Turkish town and does boast the Trojan Horse used in the movie Troy - a lot smaller than I expected. Thomson run trips to Troy itself and to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Troy is fascinating if you are interested in ancient history - they have very good explanations of the site and the different levels they have uncovered. However Gallipoli is just magical. Being Irish I was unaware until I got there of the fact that so many Irish were involved in the fighting there in 1915. Its a fairly long day starting with a drive to a ferry port where the bus is loaded onto the ferry to cross to the other side of the Straits. They take you to about 6 - 7 small cemeteries including Lone Pine and a Turkish one. Our guide was excellent and had guided major world leaders about the area. Lunch is included and it was very good. I can't understand why in 2005 on the Emerald they did not include this tour - another reason I booked the Calypso last year. I don't think you could do this trip on your own - you need a good guide to put it all into context and I didn't see any taxis around the port area but there were plenty in the town itself.
Thomson have most of their excursions and prices on their website and from my point of view they really do provide good value for money (not always the case). Well I'm rambling too much so must go and do some more ironing in preparation for the Calypso next Monday. Major reason for doing this one is I love that little ship and I do want to sail through the Corinth Canal. Have seen it from the shore on a visit to Athens from Zante and always wanted to pass through it. Enjoy your cruise - I really think this time you will. I'll post a review on my return. Marie
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nanabo
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28-05-2008 06:53 PM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
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| Thanks mteck for the information this is very usful for our cruise. We also did the Istanbul last year, but went cruising down the bosferous and the Grand Bazaar and did not get time to visit the blue mosque, so this will give us the chance to see it.
We did the Corinth Canal last year it is great, people came out of their way to give us a wave as we passed through. We did have a bunp or two on the way through but we were fine, theCaptain has had plenty of practice now eh!
Hope you enjoy your cruise on Monday and have a good time we will wait for your reviews on your return.
Bo
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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quizzer
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01-06-2008 12:47 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Hi bo . no deck or cabin number i'm afraid,just take our chance, ive read so many times of folk booking a cabin hoping its away from noise, lifts etc but then theres restricted view.or your under the showroom/bar..kind regards Ernie
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nanabo
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01-06-2008 03:09 PM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
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| Now I always like to look at the deck /cabin plans and make sure we are not under cafes discos etc. This way I will get sleep.
This did happen once on Royal Caribean we booked a balcony on mid ship and lo and behold we had a cafeteria above us, so 4am each morning we could hear the trollies been rolled out for breakfast. Then you could hear the early risers going for a cuppa. So now I make sure whats above me, before I book a cabin.
Bo
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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quizzer
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01-06-2008 05:29 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
My Profile
| Hi Bo so what your saying is ,when you book the cruise you pay extra each time at the booking stage to choose your own cabin,? or do you have the gift of the gab and being a regular cruise booker get a few favours thrown in ./
kind regards Quizzer
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nanabo
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01-06-2008 07:48 PM
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 566
My Profile
| Hi quizzer
On the bigger ships you look at the deck plan and pick your cabin free. Or if its a late deal they will tell you what cabins are left for you to look at. But on Thompsons you have to pay £35 to pick your choosen cabin, that way you know what you are getting. I wish I had the gift of the gab and did not have to pay the extra. Thomsons been Thomsons its another way for them to get more money out of you.
If I were you I would book your cabin number especially on this ship, as last year I was on and someone had a cabin on deck 2 and they said they got no sleep at all for the noise from the engine and funnel.
If you look back on some of the reviews it will give you an idea of what some were saying on their cabin. Since last year I heard she had been renovated so it might not as be as bad. they might have done something about the noisey cabins. Hope this helps
Bo
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My Latest Review: Jul 2007 Renaissance Harbourside Hotel, Vancouver (10/10)
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quizzer
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01-06-2008 09:37 PM
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Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 38
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| Hi again Bo
Its all part of lifes rich tapestry finding things out once you arrive on board, like wheres the cabin and what deck, etc,,,i like to have some knowledge of the ships layout ,as it used to take us 3 days to get our bearings,ive searched all over the sites for photos which i want of sundeck , pool area and theres not much out there,hope you can help on your return.kind regards Quizzer
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