ann141

3 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Understandable, Ann - but I'm pleased you're no longer having to shield.  I won't be able to go to the wedding, sadly, unless I can get some sort of assurance via a spike protein antibody test that there are some antibodies this time round, which I suspect won't happen.

 

However, thanks to our daughter and her family in Yorkshire the plan is for my wife to go to the wedding in mid-December and then effectively form a fully closed bubble with the four of them (including the grandchildren she hasn't been able to cuddle since March 2020) until the end of December.  We reckon that, plus the use of lateral flow tests at the end, should enable her to return home virus-free and avoid passing anything on to me.  What a game - but well worth it to enable her to go to the wedding AND get to spend Christmas with the family!  She'll be worn out though.......

Sorry to hear that you won't be able to go to the wedding but hope your wife enjoys the occasion and spending time with close family.Fortunately I have been invited to have another antibody test as part of twin research so even though I will have to wait until I am home from holiday It will be reassuring to hopefully hear that I have antibodies

6 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Thanks, Ann (and to your husband too).  I had my flu + Covid this morning at the surgery, but they can't fit my wife in for her Covid until a bit after her 6 month date.  Not much turns on that (we're still shielding) so long as it's done in good time (which it will be, I'm sure) for our son's wedding later this year which we're hoping to find a way of getting her safely to.

I hope your wife gets her covid jab soon and that you will be able to enjoy your son's wedding.I no longer have to shield thankfully as my medication has been much reduced but still apprehensive about going away tomorrow with such high number of covid cases

Can I add my thanks Megabear

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Are the walk-in centres doing boosters?  The website for ours says not, and I've heard they're turning people away. 

My husband is a steward at our local vaccination centre and although most people are booking appointments there is an option to walk in for booster or 1st or 2nd vaccinations.Some people have been turned away if it hasn't been 6 months since their second.I have had my text to say I am due my booster from tomorrow which is exactly 6 months but we are going away tomorrow so will have to wait until we return.

However in the part of Oxfordshire that my sister lives the local GP surgeries are giving booster jabs at the same time as flu jabs so it seems different health areas have different policies.My sister has been told she is likely to have to wait 7 months since her 2nd covid jab

23 minutes ago, heslopali said:

We have booked a fly cruise to Barbados in November. I have paid £800 to upgrade to premium seats for the two of us, P&O are asking for a further £140 to sit together, I have emailed them twice and tried to call them several times after waiting over 3 hours given up with the phone calls. I am not happy about the extra £140 but it has been impossible to contact someone to discuss this with them, we are both nervous flyers and when booking the premium seats we were told choosing your seat was part of the deal. The website keeps breaking down so I’m at a loss as what to do next, We have cruised with P&O many times but I’ve never had any problems like this before with customer services., or lack of.Can anyone out there help or advise.I have even thought about contacting the consumer programme Rip Off Britain.

If you use social media, try sending a personal message.I am a nervous flyer and on our last Caribbean cruise we did have to pay extra to choose our seats in addition to the extra cost of choosing to fly Premium.Things may have changed but we felt that if it meant I wouldn't be as anxious about the flight both before and during, it was a price worth paying.

4 hours ago, ccpm said:

 

Not a good day for me today. My eldest dog died yesterday. He has been a little unwell but the previous day the vet said he was so much better. Not to be he had a heart attack as he came to see when I was going to ever be getting to his dinner. I have kept myself busy with planting and can report I only have 5 feet to go whoopee.

 

Really sorry to hear this.Thinking of you

On 10/11/2021 at 7:53 PM, Josy1953 said:

I had a phone call from the hospital this afternoon, my biopsy results have shown that I do not have cancer so that is a relief. The bad news is that they want to carry out some more tests including a biopsy done under anesthetic so that they can take a larger sample that can be analysed in more depth to determine whether the lesions are likely to become malignant. It looks the next few weeks are not going to be much fun.

I have been away from the thread for a few days visiting my Mum but really pleased to hear that your biopsy  results mean you don't have cancer.I do hope that the further procedures go well

2 hours ago, CeaJay said:

Got some paperwork through from Saga regarding our January 2022 cruise.  We opted for a private transfer (at our expense) but it showed as FOC on departure and return on the breakdown.  It looks like they have extended the private taxi transfers into next year.

We are booked on a Saga cruise in January 2022 and their website now states that private taxi transfers will be included on January cruises and return to shared transport for cruises starting in February

3 minutes ago, tring said:

I  not so sure these covid protocol problems as seen by some people here is that different to the normal cruising situation.  After all if you are off loaded from a ship with any illness, you would have to have insurance to cover the illness and any medical care and costs of repatriation as well as the costs for any companion to remain with you if necessary.  It would also mean people who would not normally fly, would likely need to do so.

 

If as one person has suggested, the insurance companies are not going to cover the cost of a travelling companion staying with the I'll person, that would be a concern, though in practise, if the person who is I'll is not seriously ill, then the travelling companion could stay in quarantine accommodation on the ship as Moley had said would happen.  Itay be desirable to stay together, but surely not an essential for most able bodied people.

Possibly not essential but good to have the choice.On a previous Caribbean cruise a chap was taken to a hospital in Madeira and his wife had the choice of staying in Madeira where P and O would organise a hotel for her to stay in or of staying on the ship to Southampton.If I was taken off the ship in a foreign country to be quarantined in a hotel for a couple of weeks I would want my hubby to be with me.If I was seriously ill in a hospital abroad I would focus more on wanting the best treatment and it would be a bonus if my hubby was with me

I understood that the main reason for taking out couples insurance rather than separate insurance policies is so that if one of you becomes ill or can't go, the insurance company will cover costs for the healthy partner to be flown home etc as well. I presume this would cover the cost of enforced hotel quarantine for both though obviously difficult if 2 people travelling together have got separate insurance policies

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

If you didn't want to go ashore in Lisbon, you did not need to be tested, so I don't think your argument holds water.i

I would hope that if someone onboard developed covid symptoms they would alert the doctor so that they could be tested,whether or not they were going on an excursion

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

To be fair,  if your symptoms became serious, it would be much better if you were on land,  close to a hospital,  rather than out at sea with limited medical support.

I agree but being double vaccinated it is much more likely that I would have mild symptoms.I don't think it encourages people to get tested onboard if they develop mild covid symptoms and if that is the case, covid is more likely to spread.

I had been under the impression (like others) that if tested positive on a cruise I would be quarantined on the ship until Southampton.Had I known that I would be off loaded at the next port, have to spend goodness knows how long in a hotel and then have to fly home (I am a nervous flyer) I may have not booked even if P and O were meeting the cost.

Just now, terrierjohn said:

We are not posh enough in Huddersfield for a Waitrose.

Our nearest Waitrose is in Sheffield but they have a good delivery service.Until recently it was free and now only a small charge

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

John, you missed it ! Last week !

We bought 24 bottles - theoretically we are stockpiling for Christmas (that's what we told the cashier) but in reality we will be lucky if it lasts until the end of November. 

Its Waitrose turn this week- a lot of wines at 25% or a third off

1 minute ago, picsa said:

Did he manage to get a top hat and whip to complete the fancy dress costume?

He has just informed me it is a red waistcoat not a cummerbund! I will have to pretend I am not with him!!

6 hours ago, davecttr said:

my favourite is never wear a red cummerbund, it makes you look like a circus ringmaster 😁

Oh dear! My hubby bought a red cummerbund in the Debenhams sale and he has a sparkly bow tie

22 minutes ago, Luke1066 said:

So its looking like to get of at Lisbon you will need to be on an arranged shore excursion and have an Antigen test before .

 

https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/A-Z destination entry requirements 5 October 2021.pdf

Did Marella organise the LFT and did you have to pay for them?

1 hour ago, Angel57 said:

I think you are right Avril as I also remember Wowzz saying he was going away.

Gill

He is going on the same cruise as me later this month.Of course he may be on another holiday

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

I should be spending today packing for our cruise that we have had to cancel so I am not in the best of moods 😡 

On the plus side it is a lovely morning here, blue skies with just wisps of cloud but only 48° C.

How disappointing for you and obviously worrying for you as you wait the result of your biopsy.I do hope that the result is negative and that you can book another cruise soon.Take Care

I have had another look at the website.It states that members of The Civil service Sports and Social Club can apply for Travel50Plus Insurance where medical conditions don't have to be listed and it states worldwide cover It is only for members between the ages of 50-74.I haven't clicked on 'Get a Quote' because I am not a member of the CSSC but may join if I can no longer get bank insurance.Is it a different insurance to the 50plus insurance that you are looking at

4 minutes ago, Bob++ said:

Sadly there are some restrictions. It was not easy to see the Ts&Cs  without actually joining but I found this:

 

Medical Conditions - Worldwide   

In respect of Worldwide travel outside the United Kingdom and Europe this insurance carries automatic Health Exclusions. Before you purchase your policy please telephone the Medical Screening Helpline on 01403 788 975 to inform them if anyone to be covered by this policy, or any close relative, or business associate, whether they are booked to travel on the holiday or not:

• Has a pre-existing medical condition that has required treatment or for which medication has been prescribed in the last 24 months.
• Has or has had any condition still requiring periodic review or is awaiting any tests, treatment, investigation, referral or results of the same.

The Medical Screening Helpline may charge a separate premium to cover medical conditions before you can purchase your Worldwide CSIS travel policy. Some conditions may not be insurable.

Please note: In respect of travel to all Worldwide destinations, it is your responsibility to disclose all pre-existing medical conditions at every renewal to the Medical Screening Helpline.

 

But of course, the policy may still be a bargain.

Thank you.Presumably it only applies to travel outside the UK and Europe

We have just changed from this cruise to one of the new replacement cruises on Spirit of Adventure.Still going to the Canary Islands but an extra night in a slightly higher grade of cabin, all for £80 cheaper!!🙂

7 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

OK - sent home from hospital as no icu nurses!!  Maybe next week - we'll see 😞

So sorry to hear that Sharon.

I buy everything from M and S.I used to feel I had to make everything but noticed that the lunches/ parties where people seemed most relaxed and enjoying themselves were the ones where the host or hostess was able to chat and mingle rather than be in the kitchen or worrying whether things tasted ok.