[mkcol]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

Rule 1 – Do not do this

Rule 2 – See rule 1

I doubt a CC would reimburse you if this all went wrong.

As mentioned this is against the BAC rules.

I wouldn’t put it past it for some of these accounts to be plants.

I wouldn’t do this even if it was the first and only time.

If you have any friends you could ask them if they’ll transfer them to you. Even if you paid them the transfer costs back it’s safer than buying from some random off the Internet.

Excellent point about them being a plant, to root out people violating the T&C

[mkcol]

I suspect the big announcement is that you can book any available Central Sea Terrace cabin on VV cruiss with Virgin Points.

Tracy wrote:

Apparently a big announcement due today, is this the big announcement? 😂😂😂

Dragonlady wrote:

And this afternoon they’ve announced 100 Virgin Red points per person per night earned for cruises booked directly through Virgin Voyages.
That’s right 100 points per night per person …🤣🤣I mean really ? Why bother ?

[mkcol]

Yup they still do, mine posted from my flight in mid-October within a couple of days at most.

[mkcol]

5 minutes ago I got an email asking me to set up 2FA – done that & now I can get into my account, so I’ve ensured everything is updated.

[mkcol]

And this is what looks like a very automated response, clearly having not read what I’ve written as I told them I’ve already contacted them.

“Your request cannot be completed at this time.

Customer to contact Executive Club directly”

There was a further line which reads “If you have any questions please contact a member of the privacy team” without any links showing you how to make such contact 🙄

In the meantime the Avios seats I wanted are no longer available.

[mkcol]

And this is their auto-reply

Thank you for your email.

This is an automated response acknowledging receipt of your email. Please do not reply to this email.

Please note that Data Protection Rights are processed and managed using our online web form here. If you wish to exercise your data rights, please complete this web form for a response.

If you wish to exercise your right to erasure or opt-out of marketing, please use our Permissions Centre. We will ask for some information to identify you and verify your identity in order to process your request.

For help with your booking or order, please visit the Help and Contacts page on ba.com for further information.

Email messages will be automatically deleted if they are not a data protection matter.

Thank you.

[mkcol]

mkcol wrote:

Oh all interesting bits of info thanks. I spoke on chat to someone who managed to verify me in other ways & said they’d change the number, then to try logging in but it might take some time to update – who knows how long that “some time” will be.

I’ll try the DPO route if I have no success by tomorrow.

Email to DPO duly sent & CCd Sean Doyle more because I can than I believe it will have any effect.

[mkcol]

Rob Burgess wrote:

Note that Trainline is very good for showing split ticketing options by default so worth checking – but feel to go off and make the final booking elsewhere.

Beware with Trainline split ticketing where reservations are available – they can & do reserve you a different seat for each split. Not every time but it does happen frequently, so beware.

[mkcol]

Oh all interesting bits of info thanks. I spoke on chat to someone who managed to verify me in other ways & said they’d change the number, then to try logging in but it might take some time to update – who knows how long that “some time” will be.

I’ll try the DPO route if I have no success by tomorrow.

[mkcol]

I’m going to use Visitor Toll Pass which you pick up from vending machine (after reserving online) at Orlando Intl MCO.

You’re meant to return it there too, but they gave me an address to post it back to as I return my vehicle to Tampa TPA.

It doesn’t cost you anything other than the actual cost of the toll.

[mkcol]

Bizarre but good to know @can2
Just makes it a bit harder to ID in my wallet/virtual wallet.

[mkcol]

Just to add: since getting the new card I’ve gone into the app to check my progress towards my reward. It’s reset to £0 even though I’ve already earnt a voucher in the current member year – any knowledge if another will be credited if I breach £10k spend again?

[mkcol]

I’d be very happy to be switched to Titan.

[mkcol]

I see the onboard bar is to return & they made a mistake with The Loft.

[mkcol]

Whereabouts do you view them as I’ve never been aware that was a feature.

[mkcol]

Thanks @JD_traveller I’ll pay more attention when I next make a Highlife Shop purchase, as didn’t see anywhere to enter my EC number.

[mkcol]

Thanks for confirming I’d read it right.

Good shout about the Tropical bar – I’ll probably just head right there!

[mkcol]

This is all the Oneworld site says for the lounge:

Access
Sapphire Tier
Emerald Tier

Airlines
Iberia
Access for eligible customers traveling on these oneworld member airlines only.

[mkcol]

LD27 wrote:

We were about to buy a business in Florida, just before the financial crash, so know the state quite well. There were issues that couldn’t be resolved, so fortunate in many ways as had no idea what was about to follow.

We have driven between the two cities many times, but not in the last 5 years. Basically west coast, east coast and through the middle. If you’ve done the east coast, the west coast has lots of well known beaches to chose from. You could start by going through Everglades. We’ve stayed at Clearwater, St Pete’s, Sanibel and some smaller places near Cape Coral. We’ve often used Tampa airport, so have stayed around there too. A couple of times we went through the centre, via Everglades and stopped by Lake Okeechobee. We also stopped at a place called Yeehaw – yes, it does exist. There was a place called the Desert Inn, which was great, but don’t think it’s there any longer.

If you get to Orlando with time to spare, you go to Daytona or can relax in Blue Springs National Park and watch the manatees.

Think I’ve done all those routes too & recognise many of the places you’ve mentioned. Actually hadn’t thought about stopping off somewhere on the way up as focused on getting to the destination so might check that out to break up the dull, dull slog.

[mkcol]

hugh1972 wrote:

I’m tracking this as well. We went on a VV Barcelona cruise for 95k points in 2022 and loved it so much we took up the on-board MNVV offer and paid for the greek islands “mermaiden”cruise last year, which was just as good. We have another MNVV to use now and waiting to see if the points offer comes back (maybe April/May). If it does we plan to treat our siblings and take a larger group. It’s an amazing ship, great food, wonderful staff and very different vibe to other cruise lines we’ve been on.

I’m still hopeful the offer will come back – as another data point, we have several friends who work for airlines (not Virgin) and have access to the Touchdown discount travel portal, apparently VV are offering some heavily discounted deals there if you qualify. I guess VV think they’ll make the discount back from the extra loot spend 🙂

Talking of Touchdown (so many great fares from them when I was airline & retail travel agent staff!) – does anyone know of an equivalent to Touchdown for railway staff but for non rail employees?

[mkcol]

Was reading a professional travel advisor’s email today and saw this promo for Virgin Voyages – essentially 4 B2B cruises.

“Forget “Work from home”, how about “Work from the Med”? Starting at $9990 per cabin – yes, that’s a 30% savings value— two Sailors will enjoy four weeks at sea in the iconic Central Sea Terrace cabins from June through September. Travel Advisor Math: That’s only $178 per person per day for a sea view terrace, amazing food, fitness classes, and the opportunity to really escape daily life!

For a month’s long stay, we’ll provide the comforts of home — Premium Wi-Fi, a $10 daily coffee credit per cabin, Wash & Fold laundry service — as well as prepare them for the thrills of the unknown — early access to book dining and Shore Things, onboard RockStar support, access to Richard’s rooftop, and a complimentary bottle of bubbly to welcome you aboard.

Only a limited number of ‘Scarlet Summer Season Passes’ are available.”

[mkcol]

timajackson wrote:

Reveived a phonecall from an 0203 number yesterday claiming to be from Curve Security Team. Knew my name and last 4 card digits. Asked if i’d made transactions at Dominos in Dublin and a few other random locations (I hadn’t).Got cut off and they called me back again on a witheld number 10 secs later.
I didn’t give any information out other than to confirm my name when they called. They said they would have to send me a link to reset my seucrity via text message, at which point I hung up on them.
Given that I only use Curve on either NS&I (fronted) or Apple Pay it seems they must have suffered a data hack/ breach.
I contacted curve via the app but obviously no response.
It is unsustainable to run a financial company this way and unfortunately (especially as I invested) I feel it is ony a matter of time until they are no more.

My husband had exactly this happen to him around the same time in December – they hung up on him when he repeated 3 times back that he would not be giving them any information about himself or any OTP sent.

Also he contacted Curve to report this and it took until January for them to acknowledge.

He only uses it via Google Pay.

[mkcol]

Scott wrote:

cin3 wrote:

Driving after dark is completely fine, I’m always bemused about the reasoning for suggesting this.

By far the best way to rent a car is locally not through international chains but even national Costa Rican chains will be better.

Never leave luggage in your car even for five minutes.

Leaving luggage in your car if it’s just for a few minutes is absolutely fine. I’m always puzzled by people who take this scare-mongering approach.

Tell that to the multiple people who nip into UK motorway services for a pee only to return to their car minutes later missing all their luggage. This happens daily.

[mkcol]

Thanks both.

[mkcol]

TMG wrote:

IC Miami is very well located for the cruise terminal. Plenty of rooms overlook the port. Lounge was very good when we there last year (also pre cruise)

Thanks!
At 29000 points (instead of $272) that seems decent.

Hilton is showing as 55000 points (or $190).

Now to figure out if the Miami Metromover will get us from airport to near enough hotel – their site is a little lacking….