For entertainment My Cruise from Hell

My wife is Disabled, We do many Cruises as cruise ships do not have steps and kerbstones to negotiate
Part of the enjoyment is planning and looking forward to the Cruise So here goes
Take off 06:45 arrival 10:35 (clocks go forward so really 09:35) Ship sails at 17:00

Friday morning we arose at 03:00 and drove to Edinburgh Airport car park for 04:30 to find the transfer is no longer allowed near the airport, they drop you off 200yards from the entrance, Julie is on crutches and I am dragging two suitcases along, but we arrive knackered at Departures for a short flight two and a half hours to Genoa
As I need to help Julie, we put everything except a shoulder bag containing documents into our cases at the desk, which go in the hold including my camera gear, jackets and medcines (it does not rain in Italy high season does it)

Air France 06:30 the flight to Paris for Genoa is now boarding gate 5 (we get boarding assistance wheelchair and cherry picker up to opposite door to boarding No problem
We are now seated and people are boarding ready for the off

07:00 Air France we are delayed as the Lady Pilot has stomach cramps and is not flying today, we are awaiting a Pilot
08:10 The replacement Pilot will be with us shortly, he is inbound on a flight from Heathrow Free glass of water for all
09:20 Air France good morning I am you Pilot and I will be taking you to Paris
O9:25 Missed our take off spot and will be airborne shortly
09:28 Off we go Free glass of water for all
I now lose track of exact times
We land at Paris Charles DeGaulle, and are met at the plane by the wheelchairs
They are pushing us along, and I say, excuse me the flight for Genoa is gate 56 you are taking us the wrong way,
No Sir your flight has left, (but they were holding it for us "Your cheque is in the Post" statement) We ended up at the Flight information desk and a Free glass of water

Explained it was now 12:00 and our ship sailed from Genoa 17:00 Do not worry you will be fine, we will phone the shipping line and advise them you will be late, I advised them MSC will not hold a ship with 2500 passengers on whilst two turn up :-)
Still they phoned them and advised us that MSC could not hold the cruise up for two passengers, Free Glass of water (No services airside)
They parked us in wheelchairs at reception saying we would be taken when boarding is due,
We advised it would be no good taking us on to Genoa as the ship has already sailed so take us back to Edinburgh
They wanted £300 to return us to Edinburgh, but we argued they could used the fare from Paris to Genoa in Lieu
Wow free glass of water AND a £5 food voucher to use when we left airside awaiting our flight to Edinburgh
:-( snacks start at £7:50 and drinks £3) still we had a sandwich each, the wheelchair guys turned up and wow wait, we took two trains to get to the departure lounge
Eventually boarded the Air France plane and arrived in Edinburgh at the same gate we had taken off from twelve hours earlier, still the free water was exceptional

Now we were booked into the airport hotel by the travel agent still in the minimum clothes we left in at 03:00 that morning, We had a nice meal very expensive but it was good
Air France your cases were not on you flight but we will get them to you before the morning (Liars)
In the morning the travel agent had booked us Edin to Heathrow, to Gibraltar (the cruise ships next port of call) and booked into the ROCK HOTEL Gibraltar with British Airways they were good including the Golf buggy transfer for about three miles from arrival gate to Departure
Off course our cases did not arrive in time for us leaving (Air France had sent them to Geneva NOT Genoa) We are now into day two and a half in the same clothes we had set off in the previous morning
Well Julie, when we get to Gibraltar, we can shop for some decent clothes and The Rock Hotel, WOW
We used to live in Gib for three years when I was in the navy, The Rock was where everyone who was someone stayed, and this time it was US
I advised them in the morning Thank you for a great stay, and receptionists said thanks, your Bill is £195 :-(

In Gibraltar ALL the shops shut at 17:00 on Saturday and do not open on Sunday
So we spent our fabulous night in the Rock washing our clothes in the shower and hanging them on the posh balcony to dry
When they were dry we bought a pensioners bus pass £3 for two days travel on all bus routes I mean it is all of 2.6 square miles :-)
Still the ship is not in until 16:00 Monday so we can buy some clothes err NO it was bank holiday Monday and the shops in Gibraltar do not open on bank holidays

We boarded the ship with nothing but ourselves, explained to reception, so they gave us an emergency refugee pack they hold,
A toothbrush and small paste,a white T shirt and paper underwear in a bum bag

I asked if they could sell me some clothing that the crew wear smart black trousers and white shirt with tie, No Sir the crew are issued with their uniform at base and we do not carry any ships clothing, Same for Julie no Madam we do not carry spare skirts the crew have to provide any replacements when ashore

Oh well all is not lost up to the Cabin and wash the clothes routine hope they are dry for evening dinner (The ships shop and boutique are not allowed to open when in Port)

Dry again, and off to the Boutique :-) Boutique prices and styles but I am desperate as is my wife, well Julie is Petite so got fixed up
Myself I am to say the least CORPULENTE, ie 42" waist, The boutiques Extra extra large is 36" same with Polo shirts, so it was a NO for me

Not allowed in the pool in underpants, or the Jacquezie

Evening dinner, all arriving in their evening dress, except Julie and I so we got a table for eight behind a screen with a waiter and sommelier to ourselves just the two of us


Not to worry Jules Madeira tomorrow, we will get some clothes
Now with disability we can not walk to town
All the taxi's are queued up looking for tourist hire, the first would not take us as he was wanting a tour trip, so chucked us out, Number 6 in the Queue was detailed to take us the half mile to town £12 not knowing any better we paid
The shops were the same as the ship XXL is 36", Though they advised there was an out of town retail park, So we got a taxi to that about 8 miles and this time the fare was £3

Well I got fixed up with casual gear sort of, The only shorts they had were Gangsta style with the crutch around your knees and Polo shirts £50 a pop
The rest of the cruise was spent with dinner behind a screen,

After two weeks we arrived home, to find a card through the door from Air France
We tried to deliver your cases but no one was home, Please arrange collection from Edinburgh Airport

We tried to claim clothes bill off insurance, but as we had bought them on day 5, Not allowed as Air France had returned our cases before we incurred the costs

Off on a cruise in two weeks, Hope it goes better

Jack McH

 

Sounds like a comedy of errors all round!

Hoping the next one goes without hitches, Gangsta shorts and you actually get to *enjoy* yourselves

 

Glutton for punishment

 

a nice story for a movie...

 

Jack I'm so sorry that you & Julie have had such an awful experience. I do hope your next cruise is restful & enjoyable.

I hope you have sent a letter of complaint to the tour operator!

 

Things can only get better, hope the next one is much better☺