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The Sovereign Cruise Club 14 Diddenham Court Grazeley Reading Berkshire RG7 1JQ

Tel: 03331 22 44 66

Email: [email protected]

Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

With the exceptions of Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year's Day, we are open every Bank Holiday from 10am - 6pm.

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The Sovereign Cruise Club

Information about The Sovereign Cruise Club

Opening hours

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

The Sovereign Cruise Website for Cruise Experts and Cruise Specialists bringing you the very Best Cruise Deals. Find Cruise Holidays perfect for you now...

As one of the most experienced and largest luxury cruise agents globally, only Sovereign provides the finest luxury cruises at the guaranteed best fares. Our team of luxury cruise experts have an unrivalled and infectious passion for luxury cruising and a dedication to truly outstanding customer care.

Since 1998, we have built an unrivalled depth of luxury cruise ship and destination knowledge. We have been Seabourn's largest agent for the last 12 consecutive years and are one of the largest agents globally for the other luxury cruise lines. Our deeply instilled culture of highly personalised customer care, personified by all of our team, is well renowned and respected throughout global luxury travel.

Our expertise is not just in assisting you to select the perfect itinerary for you, it will also help you to find another extremely important element of the perfect luxury cruise holiday - the perfect ship for you. We cannot emphasise enough the importance of this. Also, we are truly independent and family run, established in 1998 by experienced luxury cruisers. Since 1993 we have spent hundreds of days on board luxury ships independently grading and noting the finer points of each luxury cruise, enabling us to use this knowledge to match the perfect ship and itinerary for each Sovereign client.

With so many incredible destinations to choose from, served by so many opulent and award winning ships, our dedicated team will go above and beyond the call of duty to find the perfect luxury cruise experience just for you.

Here you will find a selection of our current favourite luxury cruise promotions, some sailings that depart soon and some gems hand-picked by our luxury cruise experts. Something for everyone's taste.

Silver Nova preserves all our trademarks and delivers a new way of luxury cruising. Her revolutionary horizontal design ensures outstanding public areas, which fuse seamlessly together

Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, and renowned for creating exquisitely designed spaces aboard its ships that exemplify themes of exploration and adventure, has unveiled an extraordinary collection of custom art on board Seabourn Pursuit, its newly launched, purpose-built expedition vessel. The extensive, permanent installation includes more than 700 artworks and takes […]

Cunard achieves a ground-breaking milestone as the brand attains the capability for its entire fleet to connect to shore power where available when docked. The successful plugging in of shore power capabilities on all three Cunard ships – RMS Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – comes ahead of their new ship Queen […]

Discover brand new restaurants for Cunard, influenced by the regions our ships sail to, and fresh interpretations of much-loved Cunard signatures. Perhaps you’ll choose to soak-up the last of the sun on Tramonto’s terrace, passing around sharing plates and sipping fruity wines? Or fulfil all your seafood fantasies at once with a fruit de mer […]

Meet our team of very friendly luxury cruise experts who know everything that you need to know about reserving the perfect luxury cruise for you. Our entire team regularly cruise on and inspect luxury ships, so we know first hand about how to recommend which luxury cruise experience would be the best to suit your requirements. Why not call us now, we cannot wait to help you.

The Sovereign Cruise Club 14 Diddenham Court, Grazeley, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 1JQ 03331 22 44 66

The Sovereign Cruise Club: Reviews

Positive experience: Have used Sovereign Cruise Club about four times to book cruises. Staff are very helpful & friendly, & are cheaper than booking direct with cruise company. Will book with them again.

Fantastic experience: Best cruise booking agent in Uk

Fantastic experience: Love it when on holiday

Fantastic experience: We have used Sovereign Cruise Club exclusively for over twelve years now to book all our Seabourn Cruises. On a daily basis Cleo looks after our needs very, very well and on occasions we have had input from Stefan Shillito the Managing Director who is not only extremely helpful but also exceptionally personable. If you are considering booking a Premium/Luxury Cruise experience, we absolutely recommend you try the Sovereign Cruise Club, rarely have we received such consistent first class service over such a long period of time. Allen & Jane. North Yorkshire

Positive experience: Good service when getting a quote.

Fantastic experience: My wife and I have been Sovereign Cruise clients for over five years and have used their services to book cruises (Seabourn, Cunard and Oceania) initially as residents of Canada then subsequently as residents of the UK after we moved. Our experience with Sovereign over the years has been absolutely superb. Communication, both written and verbal, has been clear, professional and timely. We have two cruises booked with them this year (Caribbean & Mediterranean) and we would not hesitate to book with them again.

Fantastic experience: Saw their advertisement in Mail on Saturday advertising a cruise I had been researching. Called them and they were very helpful. They beat all other prices and I booked the cruise with them. They have been in contact at every stage. I would highly recommend them.

Fantastic experience: We have booked several cruises with this company, and have always found the staff to be very helpful, friendly and efficient. Have never had a bad experience nor needed to complain about our bookings.

Fantastic experience: I have used this company to book several P&O cruises. The website is easy to use and gives useful information, including the prices of the different grades of cabin. I have always made the bookings by phone and have received excellent and polite service. The final prices are always lower than making the arrangements with the cruise line and I feel I can safely recommend this company,

Fantastic experience: Have been using Sovereign to book my cruises with Cunard for the past 8 years and have always been satisfied with them. I would be very happy to recommend them.

Fantastic experience: Positive: Quality

Fantastic experience: Brilliant service and really knowledgeable with excellent cruise discounts.

Fantastic experience: Not a problem very helpful all sorted as usual.

Fantastic experience: Excellent service very organised. No long waits on phone. Very happy have used before and will use again.

Fantastic experience: Ignore David Pope, he must be a very awkward, hard to please person. The Sovereign Cruise Club is by far the best luxury cruise agent in Europe and we have used them for many years. They offer fantastic personal service and are always helpful and easy to get hold of and they offer amazing prices. Book elsewhere at your peril!

Fantastic experience: Great service and good price.

Fantastic experience: The best luxury cruise agent with a helpful team and led by Stefan who is passionate about the cruise industry.

Fantastic experience: By far the best luxury cruise agency in the UK. Great prices and really friendly and informative staff.

Positive experience: As one of the largest luxury cruise agents globally, only they provide the finest luxury cruises at the guaranteed best fares. Sovereign has a unique and unrivalled dedication to truly outstanding customer care, combined with their infectious enthusiasm and exceptional ship and destination knowledge.

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Sovereign Reviews

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Reviews 3.1.

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Useless money grabbers!

We will never use them again. Booked a 23 day cruise costing over £15,000. They lead you down the garden path with information so that they can sell, then they lie and deny all knowledge, or even worse, tell you that they aren't aware of a cruise liner providing such a service (when clearly it's written on the Cruise's website/information), so we end up knowing more than they do!!! They are hardly the experts then... right! On another occasion, enquired about purchasing a second cruise for 2024, and they didn't even provide a quotation. Not a care in the world for a returning customer. I think that says it all! Sovereign, shame on you and no thank you ever again. Competition is stiff out there, and you've lost in this game already.

Date of experience : 25 October 2023

ONCE THEY HAVE YOUR MONEY, FORGET IT

My flight was cancelled and they left me out to dry. I had to book another flight myself and now I cant get compensation for the cancelled flight as it was booked through sovereign. I'm owed £700 in compensation. I have called sovereign 5 times and emailed 6 times. NOTHING It was nothing to do with Airline policy. It was your failure to take responsibility for anything until I threatened to complain to the Company Director whose name I got from Companies House. Even now you're passing the buck.

Date of experience : 06 September 2023

Reply from Sovereign

Thank you for providing feedback. We're really sorry for the delay in processing due to the airlines policies, but we are happy to see it has been finally resolved for you. Best Wishes Customer Experience Team

Trustpilot must remove my review as clearly they are quite correctly not affiliated with Sovereign Cruise Club, and I apologize for error made.

Fails to understand the seriousness of NOT listening to client request with respect to marketing/brochure targeting. Told at the time of booking NO marketing by mail to home address, they therefore have broken guv.uk guidelines on how to respect client wishes regarding the use of client address. We have used Sovereign Cruise Club for many cruises, but i'm afraid now they have LOST this business as no further bookings will be directed to them.

Date of experience : 29 October 2022

Hello there, Unfortunately we are Sovereign Luxury Holidays and not Sovereign Cruise Club. We are not affiliated and cannot help or resolve this for you. We do not believe they are on Trustpilot and we ask you kindly to remove the comment. www.sovereign.com is our website where you can view our luxury holidays. Thank you The Customer Experience Team

I had a delivery yesterday from…

I had a delivery yesterday from Victorian Plumbing delivered by Sovereign Transport Liverpool. The most rude delivery driver i have ever met. My husband is very disabled, the driver left the delivery behind the car I explained that my husband was disabled but the driver refused to move just one meter to help me (it was only a toilet) he said it would be more than his jobs worth to go over three flag stones. Think Soverign Transport Liverpool need to re train their drivers to be more helpful. He was going to take the delivery back why ?? disgusting service.

Date of experience : 07 October 2020

We had an issue with our trusted travel advisor

We had an issue with our resort transfer to our hotel and preempted an issue with the return journey. We contacted our trusted travel advisor twice using two methods but as of yet 3 days after our return we still await a reply. Had a major issue arisen I fear the lack of local or even distant support would have been an issue. As normal once a company has your money your on your own! Thought Sovereign were supposed to be the best but we were sorely disappointed.

Date of experience : 05 July 2019

Going on holiday in two days time

Going on holiday in two days time. Can’t get holiday info from them. Waited another 35 minutes on the phone and now have had to leave for a ‘call back when someone’s available’. I’m working too. I may not be able to answer the phone when sovereign are free. Bad communication between sovereign and Tui. Sovereign say I need to communicate with Tui for the flights. Tui say it’s sovereign we have to speak to. We just want our travel documents including boarding passes for return flight. Poor service. Previous loyal sovereign customers. Not sure if we can trust them in the future.

Date of experience : 12 May 2022

mixef Performance

Very polite over the phone, but failed to identify that direct flights were available until I pointed this out. Also failed to confirm trip with me once hotel had confirmed availability. Also Agent did not record on system that Sovereign could speak to my wife thereby causing delays. However, holiday appears to have been arranged on short time- frame.

Date of experience : 17 October 2018

Mixed experience with this company

We've had a mixed experience with this company. Booked our honeymoon to The Blue Palace in Crete and the staff at Sovereign were very helpful. However, we booked the Amavi in Paphos and Sovereign misrepresented the hotel and beach to us- they showed a cgi version of the beach which was nothing like reality for a start. I can't review our stay with Amavi because they made me sign a waiver not to, but Sovereign washed their hands of the issue and were no help at all when I made a complaint. It seems they are happy to take your money but as soon as youve paid they just don't care. We will not use Sovereign again because of our last experience and the lack of care when something went wrong.

Date of experience : 07 June 2022

Martin Cross a Star!

Martin was fantastic from the start of our booking until the end. He responded speedily with answers to even the most basic questions. He never made us feel like it was a problem and was always happy and cheerful and helpful. He went out of his way to ensure that we got the best value for our money. In fact he was so good that we asked for him on our return to book our next holiday!

Date of experience : 03 January 2023

Refuse refund for cancelled holiday until Jan 2021

Sovereign cancelled our May family holiday to Greece back on April 21st 2020. Refusing to refund any money until Jan 31st 2021 despite repeated requests to discuss constructively - this seems to be company policy applied to many of their frustrated customers. Would avoid and look for a holiday company that complies with consumer laws and regulations through refunding customers within 14 days or is willing to enter into a sensible dialogue

Date of experience : 12 May 2020

we think S0VEREIGN was a very good service

we think S0VEREIGN was a very good service apart from no taxi to meet our arrival at Paphos Airport, this was very disturbing after a long flight, but was ok at the last moment. The Annabelle has changed a lot and some older people ourselves included may not be so happy, as at breakfast one has to collect cups, tea or coffee as the staff do not do this any more which we think is not good for such a popular hotel. We enjoyed ourselves very much and will return one day. Regards Mrs Margaret Walton

Date of experience : 29 November 2018

Friendly, professional, knowledgeable

Just booked a holiday to Croatia and was very impressed with wait times on the call and the professional way in which our booking was handled by Cassie. Really looking forward to our trip now and feel we're in safe hands. We've been so disappointed with Tui over the last couple of years and hoping Sovereign will become our new go-to for holidays.

Date of experience : 13 January 2022

I would highly recommend Citalia

I would highly recommend Citalia! Dealing with them is always an absolute pleasure and nothing is ever too much trouble. I spoke with Leanne Hall today and she was wonderful, from 1st to last contact. Professional, polite, friendly, approachable, knowledgeable and reassuring. Well done Leanne and thank you once again Citalia!! :)

Date of experience : 28 December 2018

Internet Booking

Booking made over the internet, no face to face contact with sovereign. Booking was all my own work so do I mark myself. Does this mean that I have only got myself to blame if something goes wrong?

Date of experience : 04 January 2019

Avoid this lot

Avoid this lot - took us months to get a refund. Threatened CEO with legal action in the end which did the trick - still took another 3 weeks to give us our money back though. Never will use them again.

Date of experience : 18 August 2020

Really helpful company

Really helpful company. Gave every assistance in securing our booking and when our first contact wasn't available, other people in the office took revisions/details/comments etc.., and then passed them on to our assigned agent. Always received either a call or email in response from the original agent. Just very helpful and efficient.

Date of experience : 05 November 2018

Friendly Efficient Booking Procedure

Claire Wood was friendly, helpful and efficient in dealing with my holiday enquiry. She provided the necessary quotes quickly having first checked up on and answered the query I had about the location on the resort of a particular room type. We changed our minds re island and hotel but our new booking was dealt with very efficiently.

Date of experience : 18 October 2018

Cancelled holiday booked for 2021 excellent service…

We booked a holiday for June 20 this was cancelled and we booked for Sept this was cancelled and we have now re booked for June 21.The service from Sovereign through out these difficult times has been first class we had paid in full for the Sept holiday and we received our refund in less than two weeks. Our new booking was made in the usual efficient manner that is why we have dealt with them for many years

Date of experience : 21 November 2020

The provision of a personal travel…

The provision of a personal travel expert makes a big difference to any holiday booking. Any queries are dealt with immediately with the known background knowledge of us as the customer. Claire Wood, our personal assistant deals with any issue efficiently and with the minimum of fuss . This makes any holiday booking easy and stressfree and whilst abroad we have a personal contact to deal with any issues that arise. Cannot fault the service that we’ve used for over 15 years. Many Thanks -Mike

Date of experience : 01 October 2018

A great personalised service

A great personalised service. Our adviser, Helen, was very informative and efficient. She answered all our questions and gave valued advice based on her experience which was incredibly helpful. This all made the booking of our holiday really easy and to know Helen looks after us all the way up to and during our holiday is simply brilliant - a truly personal travel agent service. Can't ask for more! And can't wait for our holiday!

Date of experience : 20 November 2018

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day. Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)? My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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A ghost pianist and color-changing cocktails: Inside Princess Cruises' hidden magic club

The pianist at a lounge on Princess Cruises’ new ship played the theme song from “Titanic” while guests sipped their cocktails.

It may seem like dark humor, but the musician is a ghost, after all. As the story goes, Isabella lives inside the space entertaining guests (she even takes requests).

In actuality, the instrument – which appeared to play itself – is part of Spellbound by Magic Castle, a new venue on the Sun Princess that combines dinner, drinks and magic. The speakeasy-like space was created in partnership with the Magic Castle , a legendary private club in Los Angeles.

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Denise Saviss, the cruise line’s vice president for entertainment experience, said during a recent sailing that the Magic Castle has been a “well-protected secret.”

“As a members-only club, you can only attend by invitation, but they are keen to expand, and a partnership with us was a really great way to do that where we have a ton of international guests who may not ever get over to Hollywood and therefore it's not in reach,” Saviss said.

USA TODAY got a preview of Spellbound during a cruise ahead of its opening next month. Here’s what guests can expect.

What is Spellbound like?

Guests will start the evening with dinner in the Horizons Dining Room, choosing from a menu not found elsewhere on board (our preview did not include the dinner portion). They will then be escorted through an inconspicuous black door off the ship’s Piazza into Spellbound’s small foyer. There, a voice on a speaker tells the story of the Larsen family, who opened the Magic Castle in 1963, for a few minutes.

We were prompted to say the magic words (“Open sesame”), and the fireplace in front of us moved aside to reveal a music room and the Parlor Bar, lined with art and artifacts curated with help from the Magic Castle. A pair of handcuffs used by famed escape artist Harry Houdini even hung on one wall.

Isabella and her companion, a white bird named The Professor, can be seen in a portrait in the music room. She is the cousin of another ghost, Irma, who lives at the Magic Castle in California.

“Irma never loved to travel, but Isabella did,” said Kerry Lovegrove, Princess’ director of entertainment experience. “She traveled probably one too many times across the Atlantic, and then all of a sudden she was lost at sea. So she suddenly found the Sun Princess being built in Monfalcone and thought she’d attach herself onto that ship.”

Isabella disappears from view when she’s ready to play. The Professor, meanwhile, moves over to a nearby birdcage to enjoy the music (I saw him swaying to “My Heart Will Go On” at one point).

Behind the bar, a library holds its own not-so-hidden treasures. I picked up a gold rotary phone and heard someone ask “How can I help?” before changing their mind and hanging up. Guests might also see books float and fall, according to Lovegrove.

Even the drinks appear enchanted. One cocktail I ordered, The Magician, featured butterfly pea tequila that turned from blue to purple as the server poured it into the glass (also containing mezcal, lime, grapefruit, serrano peppers and agave).

Spellbound hosts magic in the bar as well as its 30-seat theater. Before theater seating opened, Mark Gibson kept us glued to his card deck, at one point finding the card a fellow guest chose by cutting the deck with the assistance of a tiny plunger. Woody Aragon also used cards in the theater, including asking an audience member to call someone who wasn’t in the room to pick one. (Spoiler: he named their chosen card correctly.)

The Parlor Bar magician will stay on the ship for a couple of months at a time, and the magician performing in the theater will change every cruise or two, but all are vetted by the Magic Castle team.

When will Spellbound by Magic Castle open?

Spellbound will open April 8 and is now available to book. Guests must be at least 13 to enter and just like at the venue’s Hollywood namesake, there is a mandatory dress code (my invitation called for cocktail attire).

The cruise line also will host its second Magic Castle Conjurer’s Cruise themed sailing on Sun Princess in November.

How much does Spellbound cost?

The experience costs $149 per person, including dinner, entertainment and unlimited drinks.

Spellbound will offer three theater shows a night and can accommodate a total of 90 guests (30 each night). Once they’re in the space, they can stay as long as they like (until it closes for the night). There are dinner seatings at 5, 7 and 9 p.m., and Spellbound is expected to close around midnight, though there is no hard closing time.

Best times to go on a cruise: We broke it down by region

Lovegrove said the venue serves as a new home base for magic, which already proved popular with Princess guests in other spaces on its ships. “If you love magicians, this is the spot for you.”

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Princess Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A ghost pianist and color-changing cocktails: Inside Princess Cruises' hidden magic club

Princess Cruises' new Sun Princess ship.

Explainer-What Is at Stake for Sovereign Debt Bill as New York Legislature Reconvenes

U.S. Dollar banknote is seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York State lawmakers return from a two-week break on Monday with a month left to decide the fate of a controversial bill that aims to streamline sovereign debt restructurings, with hundreds of billions of dollars in bond contracts on the line.

Below are facts about the proposal and potential ramifications.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Unlike corporations or individuals, countries cannot declare bankruptcy and the current process of a debt restructuring can be costly both in time and money. The proposed bill looks to "provide effective mechanisms for restructuring sovereign and subnational debt" and the rewrite of this state law would retroactively affect sovereign debt contracts and its holders across the world.

A stronger, yet simpler international architecture for restructurings is needed, proof of which are attempts put together over the past decades by various stakeholders, most recently the Group of 20's Common Framework for Debt Treatments. The International Monetary Fund recently endorsed a key reform to promote its own "capacity to support countries undertaking debt restructurings."

The bill was repeatedly discussed during last month's meetings of the IMF and World Bank, with some stakeholders concerned about the implications of its eventual passage.

THE BILL'S INTENT

The bill aims to strengthen "the role of New York State as a primary location for the issuing and trading of sovereign debt." It also looks to discourage creditor holdouts - sometimes called vulture funds - by limiting their protection in state courts.

If enacted, it would empower countries eligible for debt relief initiatives to opt between a set mechanism for restructuring or a process that would limit bondholders' claims to those the United States would receive if it were a bilateral lender.

"Low- and middle-income countries are facing unimaginable financial burdens, which are made worse by holdout creditors' continued abuse of New York state laws," said Ben Grossman-Cohen, director of campaigns at Oxfam America, an advocacy group championing the bill. "It is long past time for the state legislature to take action."

THE CONTROVERSY

While proponents and their backers see the bill as a straightforward way to skirt the complications of debt restructurings, its detractors say unintended consequences will make it even costlier for poor countries to borrow.

"The intention behind the bill is not a bad one, but the implementation probably doesn't take into consideration the full ramifications," said Trang Nguyen, the London-based global head of emerging markets credit strategy at BNP Paribas. She said upending the sovereign debt architecture without the input of the IMF, the Paris Club and others could be "quite detrimental."

Nguyen, who said the bill was discussed "ad nauseam" during the April IMF meetings in Washington, conceded there are flaws with the current architecture but said a bill imposed over all stakeholders would not be beneficial to debtor countries.

The bill could also trigger legal challenges and lead to the migration of sovereign debt away from New York to other jurisdictions according to law firm Cleary Gottlieb, which has advised both sovereigns and creditors in debt restructurings.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE BILL

The bill's eventual passage this year would have to happen over the remaining 18 sessions before the legislature closes on June 6.

It needs to be discussed and voted on in committees, smaller groups of lawmakers in both the State Senate and Assembly. If passed, it would be separately discussed and voted by the full chambers. Again, depending on approval, the bill is sent to the governor who can sign or veto. A veto can be overturned by a two-thirds majority in both houses. Democrats hold such majorities, with both chambers up for elections on Nov. 5.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Tags: G20 , United States , World Bank , New York

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Trustpilot must remove my review as clearly they are quite correctly not affiliated with Sovereign Cruise Club, and I apologize for error made.

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Russia tries to breach Ukraine’s defenses in the Kharkiv region. Feint, or all-out assault?

A police officer examines fragments of a guided bomb after a Russian air raid in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in April.

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The assault began at dawn. Defenders rushed in reinforcements. Pitched fighting raged.

Ukraine and its allies sought Friday to discern whether Russian forces were opening a major new war front, more than two years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its sovereign neighbor.

“There is a fierce battle,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in the capital, Kyiv, hours after Russian troops launched an armored ground offensive in northeastern Ukraine, near the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.

Ukraine’s defense ministry said its forces had blunted an initial Russian attempt to break through Ukrainian lines outside the border town of Vovchansk, but that fighting of varying intensity continued in the area.

Military analysts said the attack came as no real surprise, but it was not yet clear whether this was a feint to divert overstretched Ukrainian forces or marked the start of a serious all-out assault.

“It’s potentially very dangerous,” said Marc Thys, a former Belgian deputy defense chief who is now a senior analyst at the Brussels-based Egmont Institute. “It’s also very difficult to analyze at this moment.”

People stand in front of a mural symbolising Ukraine's fight against Russia as they attend a rally aiming to raise awareness on the fate of Ukrainian prisoners of war, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 21, 2024. The U.S. House of Representatives swiftly approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russia's invasion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

World & Nation

In Ukraine, relief over U.S. aid vote — and fear over what an angry Russia will do next

Amid worsening Ukraine war outlook, an infusion of American military aid is seen as crucial in the fight against Russian invaders. Will it be enough?

April 21, 2024

Ukraine for months has been struggling on the battlefield, with the most aggressive Russian moves concentrated on a different sector of the long front lines. The eastern town of Chasiv Yar — more than 160 miles to the southeast of Friday’s fighting and a key bulwark against a Russian push deeper into the Donbas industrial region — has been menaced for weeks.

But Ukraine’s northeast is vulnerable as well. Ukraine said earlier this year Russia was massing troops on its side of the frontier, where they could be used to strike at Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Sumy provinces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow wants to create a buffer zone inside Ukraine, which the Kremlin depicts as a necessary defensive measure — a position Ukraine calls ludicrous since Russia started the war and could end it by pulling back its forces.

“Ukrainian officials have been anticipating an attack on Kharkiv/Sumy for some time,” analyst Dara Massicot of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote on the social media platform X. However, she said, an offensive could divert reserves that Russia wants to use for what she described as its main objectives in the east of Ukraine.

As always in such an outbreak, civilians suffered. Before Friday’s ground assault began about 5 a.m., Russian forces had hit Vovchansk with intense artillery shelling and aerial guided bombs overnight, said Oleh Sinegubov, the regional governor.

At least two civilians were reported killed and several others wounded, setting off an evacuation order affecting about 3,000 people. Fighting has already depleted the town of much of its prewar population of about 17,000.

Kharkiv, Ukraine-April 10, 2024-Children practice fencing in the absence of light at the Unifecht sports complex, which has been repeatedly targeted by Russian missiles. (Olga Ivashchenko for the Times)

Pummeled by airstrikes, Ukrainians in Kharkiv live in defiance of Russia

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is facing intense Russian airstrikes, but its residents are defiant. “We can stand up, no matter what they do,” one said.

April 26, 2024

The attack posed little immediate danger to the city of Kharkiv, home to some 1.3 million people and 25 miles from the Russian frontier. Russia tried early in the war to seize Kharkiv, symbolically important to it as the first capital of Ukraine back in its days as a Soviet republic, but analysts say capturing and holding it would require far more forces than Moscow has at its disposal.

Since the start of the year, the city has been subjected to punishing bombardment, and analysts have said Russia could seek to blockade it even if it did not make a move against Kharkiv itself.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said reserve units had been deployed to counter the Russian ground attack, a move that could also complicate efforts to bolster Ukrainian defense elsewhere along the battlefront.

Delays in the provision of U.S. and European aid have raised fears of a concerted Russian offensive this spring, although weather conditions for that are likely to be more favorable a few weeks from now.

More American weaponry is on the way after last month’s long-blocked congressional approval of $61 billion in military assistance. And on Friday, the Biden administration announced a new $400-million aid package that allows for weapons including armored vehicles and rockets to be drawn from existing Pentagon stockpiles and quickly deployed to the battlefield.

KYIV, UKRAINE - 2024/04/09: Comrades of late Ukrainian servicemen Serhii Konoval and Taras Petryshyn carry their coffins during a farewell ceremony at Independence Square in Kyiv. Serhii Konoval, call sign 'Nord' and Taras Petryshyn, call sign 'Chimera', formerly activists in the 2014 anti-government protests in Ukraine, were serving in the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces when they were killed in action in Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region. (Photo by Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ukrainians contemplate the once unthinkable: Losing the war with Russia

Could Ukraine lose the war? Once nearly taboo, the question hovers in Kyiv, but Ukrainians believe they must fight for their lives against Putin’s troops.

April 17, 2024

Even so, some analysts said the delay had allowed Russian forces to gain crucial momentum — and that Russian forays like this one might be meant to hit Ukrainian positions hard before more Western help arrives.

Territorial losses in the Kharkiv region would be a particularly bitter pill for Ukraine to swallow, after a stunningly successful Ukrainian military push there in the fall of 2022. That counteroffensive was an enormous morale boost for Ukraine and helped convince Western allies that the Kyiv government’s fight might be a winnable one.

Even as its outgunned and outnumbered troops have struggled on the front lines, Ukraine has seemingly rattled the Kremlin with a campaign of increasingly long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory. Most have taken aim at energy installations, including one Friday on a refinery near Kaluga, southwest of Moscow.

Church personnel inspect damages inside the Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, July 23, 2023, following Russian missile attacks. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In Ukraine’s old imperial city, pastel palaces are in jeopardy, but black humor survives

Ukraine’s port of Odesa is a key Russian target, endangering the city’s UNESCO-designated historic center and challenging citizens to keep their sense of humor.

A day earlier, Ukraine made what appeared to have been its deepest strike inside Russia, one that reportedly hit a petrochemical facility some 800 miles from the border with Ukraine. Ukrainian military intelligence declined to comment on the attack.

Some Ukrainian officials played down the significance of the Russian attempt to advance on Vovchansk, which it had occupied earlier in the war.

Sinegubov, the Kharkiv regional governor, told Ukrainian television that the attacks were primarily probing in nature, to “test the positions of our military.” Ukrainian analyst Taras Berezovets, writing on the messaging app Telegram, called the Russian forces “sufficient only for provocations” in the northeast.

But some Western analysts, including Thys, said the Russian move posed genuine peril — if it can be sustained.

“It all depends on reserve forces, what Russia can expend,” he said.

Thousands of civilians flee northeast Ukraine as Russia presses a renewed border assault

May 12, 2024

Russia claims capture of villages in northeast Ukraine as more than 1,700 civilians flee

May 11, 2024

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, blood is seen next to a car damaged by Russian missile strike in Chernihiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP Photo)

Russian missiles slam into a Ukraine city, killing 17 people

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Laura King is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter for the Los Angeles Times. A member of the Foreign/National staff, she primarily covers foreign affairs. She previously served as bureau chief in Jerusalem, Kabul and Cairo.

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FILE - Poland's deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz attends the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace in Warsaw, Poland, on Dec. 13, 2023. Poland's Defense Minister said Thursday, May 9, 2024, that since early in Russia's war against Ukraine he has kept an emergency backpack ready, drawing detractors who said his comments did not send a reassuring message about the country's safety. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)

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Gov. Jim Justice Faces Heavy Business Debts as He Seeks Senate Seat

The Justice companies have long had a reputation for not paying their debts. But that may be catching up to them.

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Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia, who is wearing a blue jacket and light blue shirt, holds a microphone.

By Campbell Robertson and Maureen Farrell

Campbell Robertson covers West Virginia and reported from Charleston, W.Va. and Lewisburg, W.Va. Maureen Farrell covers Wall Street and reported from New York.

Jim Justice, the businessman-turned-politician governor of West Virginia, has been pursued in court for years by banks, governments, business partners and former employees for millions of dollars in unmet obligations.

And for a long time, Mr. Justice and his family’s companies have managed to stave off one threat after another with wily legal tactics notably at odds with the aw-shucks persona that has endeared him to so many West Virginians. On Tuesday, he is heavily favored to win the Republican Senate primary and cruise to victory in the general election, especially after the departure of the Democratic incumbent, Joe Manchin III.

But now, as he wraps up his second term as governor and campaigns for a seat in the U.S. Senate, things are looking dicier. Much like Donald J. Trump , with whom he is often compared — with whom he often compares himself — Mr. Justice has faced a barrage of costly judgments and legal setbacks.

And this time, there may be too many, some suspect, for Mr. Justice, 73, and his family to fend them all off.

“It’s a simple matter of math,” said Steven New, a lawyer in Mr. Justice’s childhood hometown, Beckley, W.Va., who, like many lawyers in coal country, has tangled with Justice companies.

Mr. Justice and his scores of businesses would be able to handle some of these potential multimillion-dollar judgments in isolation, Mr. New said. But “when you add it all up, and put the judgments together close in time, it would appear he doesn’t have enough,” he said.

The son of a coal magnate, Mr. Justice took over the family business in 1993 and expanded its interests beyond coal, with acquisitions in agriculture and high-end hospitality . Like many sprawling enterprises, the Justice companies have taken on prodigious debts. But they have also taken on a reputation for not paying them — and that may be catching up to them.

A bank in neighboring Virginia that has served the Justice family for decades has begun the process of collecting on more than $300 million in defaulted loans. Some of the family business’s prized assets, chief among them the 246-year-old Greenbrier resort, are in the bank’s sights, and collections on the governor’s personal bank accounts and even his house are now a possibility. Efforts have already been underway in Virginia to seize properties belonging to Mr. Justice’s son, James C. Justice III, the president of the family companies.

In West Virginia, the tax authorities have placed liens on Greenbrier properties for millions in unpaid taxes, only months after auctioning off tax-delinquent properties owned by the governor elsewhere in the state.

Collecting on such substantial debt has pitted creditors against one another, at times to the Justices’ benefit. One bank sued Mr. Justice along with a number of banks last month after discovering that the collateral for one of its loans, some land near the Greenbrier, had also been pledged to a host of other lenders.

In a separate case, a federal judge forced the Justice-owned coal business to hand over a company helicopter to one creditor owed millions of dollars, which in turn agreed to share the proceeds of the helicopter’s sale with another creditor, also owed millions. And still, the suits , judgments and collection efforts keep piling up.

Neither the governor’s office nor lawyers for the Justice companies responded to questions. When asked about the growing mound of business troubles, Mr. Justice has repeatedly said that the daily operations of his companies are overseen by his children, and that he is focused on his duties as governor.

“There’s no way on earth that I’m going to take one second of focus off of what my job has been since day one,” he told reporters in February. “I’ve put up with this nonsense the whole time I’ve been here and everything. But absolutely, there’s no way I’ve taken my eye off the ball.”

The most serious of Mr. Justice’s troubles concerns Carter Bank and Trust, a regional bank based in southern Virginia. Carter Bank had been lending to the Justice family for decades, at one point extending roughly $775 million in loans to the Justice businesses, more than a quarter of the bank’s total net loans at the time.

Justice companies had been steadily paying that down, but in April, they defaulted on the remainder of that debt — $302 million in loans that had been personally guaranteed by the governor and members of his family. The bank demanded immediate repayment.

For the Justices, this was — as described in a deposition last summer by Mr. Justice’s son — a “mega crisis.” In November, the governor, his family and more than a dozen of their businesses sued the bank in federal court for a billion dollars, claiming that Carter Bank had engaged in unfair and coercive tactics that made it impossible to pay off the loans.

The suit against the bank did not slow things down. In January, a judge in a Virginia state court sided with Carter Bank, and the bank wasted no time starting the collections process.

The Justice companies took the case to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, saying that they could not pay the security bond, which could range from $25 million to well over $300 million and would stop the collections process. The court said it could not halt the collection effort.

In the meantime, the bank announced that it was auctioning off the Justice-owned Greenbrier Sporting Club, much to the shock and consternation of the club’s members, many of whom own multimillion-dollar homes near the club’s golf course.

That auction is being challenged in court, and an April hearing was postponed as discussions continue “in an effort to reach a resolution that might address all parties’ concerns,” a lawyer for Carter Bank said in a filing.

But the prospect of losing the sporting club portended a threat to the Justice empire’s crown jewel: the Greenbrier Resort. Mr. Justice’s decision to buy it out of bankruptcy in 2009 made him a state hero, and since then, the resort, which is appraised at well over half a billion dollars, has hosted Republican congressional retreats, pro football training camps and big-money golf tournaments, including one for LIV Golf, the league created by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

It is also among Carter Bank’s collateral, and not just Carter’s: A loan for up to $50 million from JPMorgan Chase to Mr. Justice is also partially secured by the Greenbrier. Legal matters involving the Justice businesses often reveal a tangle of overlapping liabilities, and the fight with Carter Bank is no exception. In February, the Justice empire’s biggest creditor, Credit Suisse, stepped in and sued Carter Bank. Credit Suisse, which is owed about $850 million, says in its suit that Carter Bank’s collection efforts have made it harder for Credit Suisse to collect its own debt from the Justice businesses.

Lawyers for Justice-owned businesses have frequently claimed that companies being sued can’t pay because they simply have no money. But an array of plaintiffs have argued that this is a feint: that Justice officials quietly empty company accounts being targeted by creditors and move the funds to other accounts, frustrating efforts to collect on debts.

A federal magistrate in Kentucky, where one company has for years been trying to collect on a judgment in the tens of millions, has called the Justice companies’ moves to avoid turning over financial information “the most egregious litigation misconduct” he has ever encountered on the bench. The federal district judge overseeing that case is now weighing whether to hold senior Justice company officials in contempt.

As these threats pile up, Mr. Justice insists that this is all a distraction. On his federal candidate disclosure form, he listed assets valued up to around $2 billion and liabilities at less than $110 million; this list, however, does not include any Carter Bank or Credit Suisse loans, where his companies were the borrower and he was a guarantor.

Routinely, he says that all will be right in the end.

“Our family’s built an empire of stuff that employs lots and lots of people,” Mr. Justice said in a news briefing. “At the end of the day, it all seems to work out.”

His creditors might not agree with that.

Thomas Link, 59, who owns a small excavating business, was hired to perform some work for Justice-owned businesses in 2021. People told him he would regret doing business with the Justices, but, he said, he was approached by the governor himself. Several months later, Mr. Link was broke.

“‘I told you so’: that’s all I heard,” he said.

On April 24, after a year and a half of litigation, the Justice company settled with Mr. Link, agreeing to pay him a fraction of the hundreds of thousands he says he was owed. The company defaulted on the first settlement payment.

Campbell Robertson reports on Delaware, the District Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, for The Times. More about Campbell Robertson

Maureen Farrell writes about Wall Street, focusing on private equity, hedge funds and billionaires and how they influence the world of investing. More about Maureen Farrell

Our Coverage of the 2024 Election

Presidential Race

At a rally in Wildwood, N.J., former President Donald Trump declared that his campaign would “officially play” in a state he has lost twice by double digits .

Paul Manafort, who was the chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign and also served time in prison, abruptly stepped aside from an unpaid role advising Republican officials on the nominating convention.

Barron Trump, the former president’s youngest son, will not serve as one of Florida’s delegates to the Republican National Convention, the office of Melania Trump announced.

Dodging the Question: Leading Republicans, including several of Trump’s potential running mates, have refused to say flatly that they will accept the outcome of the election .

West Virginia Senate Race: Gov. Jim Justice’s companies have long had a reputation for not paying their debts. But that may be catching up to them as Justice campaigns for a seat in the Senate.

Ohio Senate Race: Bernie Moreno, the Republican challenging Senator Sherrod Brown, tells a riches-to-rags-to-riches tale. But the reality isn’t so tidy .

Maryland Senate Race: The Democratic Senate primary between Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, and Representative David Trone has grown tighter as they vie to take on Larry Hogan, the popular former two-term Republican governor.

Celebrity Cruises

Can They Make Me a Moscow Mule?

By starri , May 24, 2017 in Celebrity Cruises

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Yes to the Pimms in Michael's Club.

always_chasing

I was able to get a Moscow Mule at the World Class Bar on Equinox in December.

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Yay! Thanks so much.

Ensemble Lounge or Passport bar (I forget) also offered them on Equinox. They now offer Ginger Beer on the ship which you need for the "mule". :cool:

Vineyardfan

The Martini bar, Sunset bar, Passport bar and Ensemble lounge all normally carry both ginger ale and ginger beer, so you shouldn't have a problem (as long as the bartender is somewhat knowledgeable).

so you shouldn't have a problem (as long as the bartender is somewhat knowledgeable).

I don't know about the knowledgeable part...I asked for a Paralyzer in a few bars on my March 2017 B2B Constellation cruise and they had no idea until I finally found a "knowledgeable" bartender midway thru my second cruise. I also asked for a Pain Killer during my 30 days on the ship and no bartender knew how to make one or the desire to google it.

Lived on these on Solstice last October! The barman in Ensemble Lounge made the best one ever. I would often stop by to get one, or he also worked at the Sunset Bar so also got them there during the day. I know Mast Bar also made them but w're not as good IMO.

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I was able to get a Moscow Mule at the World Class Bar on Equinox in December. Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Same for us...served in the copper mugs!

We're also on the Solstice. Do you remember his name?

I'm not really going on the cruise to drink, but I need a libation or two in evenings.

If you happen to find yourself on Qsine, they make a mighty fine version of the mule as well.

Tiggertastic

I've never found anyone to have the crystalised ginger but they still taste great

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Can you get one on the classic package? They have become a go to of mine here at home!

midwestchick

What is a Moscow mule? :confused: Never heard of it.

Vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. Usually served in a special copper mug.

Are they good?

On the Solstice now and I've had several in the Passport bar

Dumb question I know, but I've been wondering this for a while, and I don't think I've seen it answered. Obviously not offered in Vintages, the Martini Bar, or World-Class, but what about at the Sunset Bar or in Michael's? Also, Pimm's Cup, same question.

Never had a problem getting anything if they had the makings, even if you needed to explain how to make it.

I like them because they're not too sweet, and I really love the spiciness of the ginger. I don't really like sweet drinks, but I can do a Pimm's cup because of the cucumber and lemon.

I believe that when ordering more obscure drinks, or something that you might prefer to be made a certain way, you should know the ingredients and be able to communicate that to the bartender. I would not assume a bartender is going to Google a drink recipe. Perhaps a PARALYZER or PAIN KILLER are well known cocktails, but I have never heard of them.

We enjoy a top-shelf margarita made according to a recipe we enjoy at home. A friendly discussion with the bartenders at the Mast Bar and Michael's Club, along with instructions on the proper preparation, got us service with a smile... and a nearly perfect margarita each time.

Enjoy yourself!

The taste depends on the brand of ginger beer. There is Goslings, Bunderberg and Fever Tree to name the brands that they have had on board. Sometimes if you order one they may also use ginger ale. Fever Tree is rare. A 4 pack of 6.8oz bottles at the lowest price is about $5, available at Sur La Table for $8.

As with most drinks if you change the spirit it is a different drink. Use rum instead of vodka and it is a dark and stormy. That is usually made with Goslings Ginger Beer and Goslings rum. I prefer Kraken rum over the Goslings.

Drink up 🍷 🍹 🍺 🍸

The taste depends on the brand of ginger beer. There is Goslings, Bunderberg and Fever Tree to name the brands that they have had on board. Sometimes if you order one they may also use ginger ale.

I hope not. Ginger ale is too sweet.

Melissa at Mohair Meadows

Yes, Indeedy. I wave may magic wand and -- ping -- you are a Moscow mule.

(Definitely need a cruise).

what is it called when its made with Jameson, ginger beer and lime juice. I just bought those ingredients today but do not know what its called.

jayoldschool

We got them to make Irish Mules, and Kentucky Mules as well.

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Ukraine war latest: Putin's surprise reshuffle 'not expected' - as another ally keeps position

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu is set to be replaced more than two years into the war, in a major shakeup of Vladimir Putin's government.

Sunday 12 May 2024 21:13, UK

Russian defence minister and long-time Putin ally Sergei Shoigu to be replaced
Ivor Bennett analysis: Big change at the top was unexpected
Reshuffle points to 'serious instability' at heart of Russian leadership - with 'something deeper' likely happening
More than 4,000 civilians have fled Kharkiv region after Friday morning's surprise attack by Putin's military
Eyewitness: Deborah Haynes reports from town 'flattened' in offensive
Analysis: Russia's attack in Kharkiv region not a complete surprise - but the force of it is
Live updates by Katie Williams

Vladimir Putin has likely grown frustrated with Russia's overall lack of progress in the war despite its current momentum on the battlefield, a Russian foreign policy analyst has said.

Ivan Klyszcz, from the International Centre for Defence and Security, said the "entire Kremlin" is focused on winning the war and the reshuffle should be "read in that light".

He told Sky News the Kremlin has a tendency to replace senior officials some time after a failure or defeat, or after they haven't performed at a certain level.

"With Shoigu that's part of the story. It has to do with... some of the defeats that Russia has faced in the battlefront in 2022 and lack of progress in the war for them in 2023."

Mr Klyszcz says that Mr Shoigu has been in a "weak position" for some time.

UK defence minister Grant Shapps has reacted to the news of Vladimir Putin's cabinet shakeup.

In a post to X, Mr Shapps says Sergei Shoigu has "overseen over 355,000 casualties" among Russian soldiers and caused mass suffering in Ukraine.

"Russia needs a Defence Minister who would undo that disastrous legacy & end the invasion - but all they’ll get is another of Putin’s puppets," he said.

This is not just a normal reshuffle but "serious instability right in the heart" of Russia's regime, a former MI6 intelligence officer has said.

Speaking to Sky News, Christopher Steele said Nikolai Patrushev being removed from his role as secretary of the Russian Security Council is "astonishing".

"It's important to understand that he's been one of Putin's closest allies, former head of the FSB and so on for many years... and was rated by people to be probably the second most powerful man in Russia after Putin himself.

"I think what this indicates is not just a reshuffle along normal governmental lines. It's really quite serious instability right in the heart of this regime," he said.

Mr Steele says it has been "clear" to Russia watchers for some time that Mr Patrushev was lining up his son Dmitri, the current agriculture minister, to be Mr Putin's successor.

"I think that this is, as I say, a very significant move by Putin," he added.

'Something much deeper' going on

Asked why Mr Putin would remove Mr Shoigu as defence minister at a time when Russia appears to have the upper hand in the war, Mr Steele says it could point to something "much deeper" happening.

"It's hardly ideal from a military point of view to replace your defence minister right at the time when you're launching a new offensive," he explained.

"This underlines to me that there is something much deeper going on here."

Mr Steele also characterised Mr Shoigu's switch to the Security Council as a "demotion" - but reiterated that Mr Patrushev, a member of the Russian president's inner circle, being moved to an unknown position was "extraordinary".

Sergei Shoigu's removal has "first and foremast come as a surprise", says our Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett .

Mr Shoigu has been part of the cabinet, and Vladimir Putin's cohort, for a "very long time", he says.

Bennett says his position came under threat last year as the late Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin.

"But when he was seen off, when that coup was seen off, Prigozhin died.... Sergei Shoigu's position seemed a lot stronger, actually," he says.

"He emerged from that crisis stronger, as did Vladimir Putin."

Bennett explains that Mr Putin has, by law, to dissolve his government as he starts his new presidential term.

"We were expecting a new cabinet, but I don't think we were expecting such a big change at the top.

"I think that reflects a few different things. First and foremost, I think Vladimir Putin... feels like he needs to do something new, certainly symbolically within the the war context," Bennett says.

Analysts say Vladimir Putin is looking to project an image of stability and satisfaction with his team's progress, with Mikhail Mishustin remaining in post as prime minister on Friday.

As he continues to confirm his top team, Mr Putin has also proposed Sergei Lavrov remain as foreign minister.

Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's general staff, will remain in his position as well.

We're resuming our live coverage this evening following the news that Russia's defence minister is set to be replaced more than two years into the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed replacing his long-time ally, Sergei Shoigu, with civilian and former deputy prime minister Andrei Belousov, who specialises in economics.

Mr Shoigu, who has served as defence minister since 2012, will take up a role as head of the national security council and have responsibilities for the military-industrial complex, the Kremlin said.

Mr Putin's press secretary Dmitriy Peskov said the president decided the ministry of defence should be headed by a civilian to be "open to innovation and advanced ideas".

Parliament's approval of the new appointment is all but guaranteed, as there is virtually no opposition.

By law, the government in Russia had to resign just before Mr Putin was sworn in as president for another six-year term on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian air force has warned a rocket flew through Ukraine's Sumy region this afternoon - not far from Kharkiv.

It didn't give any more information about the rocket, other than saying it was part of "significant activity of enemy aviation".

A Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground in Kharkiv reported hearing explosions later this afternoon, the publication said.

They said they heard them at around 4.15pm local time (2.15pm GMT) - about an hour after the air force's update.

This report hasn't been backed up by Ukrainian officials.

We've got an update completely out of left field now...

The Ukrainian president's top aide has just tweeted saying he's held a meeting with none other than rock legend Bono.

Andriy Yermak said they discussed how Ukraine continues to "resist Russian aggression".

The Irishman has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since its war with Russia began.

In 2022, he put on a surprise gig in Kyiv and told Sky News the conflict was "one man's war really" - referring to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

More recently the 64-year-old singer, who's never been one to shy away from politics, started paying tribute to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a live performance days after he died in prison.

We've now got footage showing the moment a 10-storey apartment block collapsed in Belgorod.

At least seven people have been killed and 17 more injured after the building was struck by a shot-down missile, Russian media says.

Russian officials say the missile was part of an aerial attack by Ukraine. The claims have not been verified.

Footage also shows emergency services continuing to search the rubble for survivors.

We're seeing photos for the first time of Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline against Russia's offensive in Kharkiv.

Their military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi earlier insisted Ukrainian forces were doing all they could to contain the Russian threat, but admitted it was proving a challenge.

You can see the impact of that challenge in the images below, two of which show Ukrainian military paramedics treating a wounded service member.

They're near the town of Vovchansk, which has seen some of the most brutal fighting since the Russian attack began on Friday.

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Can They Make Me a Moscow Mule?
A 4 pack of 6.8oz bottles at the lowest price is about $5, available at Sur La Table for $8. As with most drinks if you change the spirit it is a different drink. Use rum instead of vodka and it is a dark and stormy. That is usually made with Goslings Ginger Beer and Goslings rum.
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