To the extent that my booking experience was conducted by email it was entirely satisfactory. To the extent that it was conducted by telephone it was a disaster. I indicated to Sandie Collier that I abhor business dealings by telephone and asked that we continue to deal by email. No, Sandie indicated, it was necessary to speak by telephone in order for her to get credit/debit card details (agreed) and in order that she could run through matters generally (strongly disagreed). To what end I do not know our conversation dealt with the following topics. The merits of a room in the bow of the ship or midship. The need for flights at the beginning and/or end of the cruise. Special events for my wife or me during the cruise. All of these I generally understood, though I did not understand why they could not have been dealt with by email. And then began a lengthy exposition on the subject of alcoholic beverages generally, champagne and premium beverages and the presence of alcoholic beverages in the room which I did not understand at all. All this absorbed fifteen minutes of my time, took place one hour later than I had expected and caused my wife to have to hold our dinner, there being a two hour time difference between the UK and South Africa. Please can the customer's wishes be respected. Thank you. Wilson McLeod