Waju

29 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

I know what his answer will be, same as mine:  YES!

 

Some folk like it, but many more don't.  We've done it just the once, and won't bother again.

But if you like getting dressed up to eat in a canteen, where you are right on top of your neighbouring table, then go for it!😉

Thank you TigerB.  I thought it was too good to be true - there were reservations left and at no charge 🤣 I’ll check with our friends tomorrow and see if they want to cancel 

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Which ship? Chefs Table means different things on different ships. On Aurora, it’s an officer hosted fine dining event, for a dozen or so people, at a cost of around £75 per person. This includes the cost of paired wines with each course. On Arvia and Iona it’s a sectioned off area of the buffet where the main dining room formal menu is provided. It was created to alleviate pressure in the main dining rooms (Arvia, in particular, doesn’t have enough capacity in the main dining rooms for all those who wish to dine there on formal nights). As a result it’s no cost and the wines are just recommended, but not included, so in reality it’s no different to the main dining rooms in that you can have some, all or none of the wines and pay for those that you have. 

I've booked the Chefs Table for our up and coming cruise on Arvia thinking I was getting something special 😇 Do you think we'd be better sticking with the MDR Selbourne?

I have to admit, as an old fashioned cruiser, I don't much care for this booking so far ahead malarkey!

I've just been looking at the options for our June cruise and it would appear that bookings for the 'included' options are only open until 6.30pm?  I assume that if you want to dine later it will be a case of joining the virtual queue once onboard?  I had an Olive Grove booking in my basket that got taken while I was looking at the rest of the options!

I'm a bit confused though, I've had an email saying 55 days till your holiday and I can go onto the website (but i can't) and book dining.  Then further down the email it says I can do it 14 days before my holiday??

I can't get on 🙄

I don’t know what’s funnier, the horchata de chufa or the fartons 😆

I started to do some research yesterday for our cruise on Arvia later in the year.  When looking at Valencia it recommended I try the drink Horchata so I googled it and found this picture - the information under the photo made my day 🤣

43 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

When I was in hospital in February, the biggest problem was finding beds for patients who need to be admitted, thus causing blockages in A&E. The big issue is finding places of care or care packages for those who need them after a stay in hospital. The an in the next bed to me was fit to be discharged however he could not return to his home as he would be unable to look after himself and need a place in a care home for a few months whilst he recovered, he had been waiting 3 weeks for such a place. It’s the lack of social care and investment in it that causes many but not all of the issues within the NHS. 

We have recently had this experience too.  An elderly Aunt of mine was 'medically' fit in hospital for 7 weeks whilst a care home place was found.

We're creating a perfect storm for the future I think ...............

11 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

I have seen, and enjoyed Mrs Caldecott’s Cabbage War 👍 and also the 2 Mamma Mia films and the Bridget Jones ones.  I too only enjoy happy films!  There is plenty to depress me in real life events and so for entertainment I generally want ‘light’. Do try Seaside Hotel, I’m sure you would love it.

Does Seaside Hotel have subtitles mrsgoggins?  I can never keep up with them but it does sound interesting!

Yes we bring a glass full down from the buffet - I don’t know why it would bother other cruisers though? 
 

I have also asked the cabin steward or waiter at dinner before and been given a full carton!

6 hours ago, queeniemi said:

Britannia?
Back to the coffee questions. Can you get coffee somewhere on the ship at 6:00 am? Making it in the early morning in the room will be noisy to the others.  So not to sound too bitchy at the price of the cruise it would seem the convenience of an early coffee station would be standard. Maybe room service at 5:00am would be the answer!😇

Coffee/tea/fruit tea is available 24/7 in all P&O buffets as far as I'm aware.

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

The price of glasses and sunglasses are horrendous now, not much change from £1000 each if you are having having various coatings such as anti-glare and anti-scratch and having ultra thin lenses because your eyes are really bad and you don't want ones that look like jam jar bottoms.

I was looking for the shocked face emoji!!

6 hours ago, zap99 said:

It's OK when you get to see the Doctor. Getting to see one is fun. Fill in the online form ,submit it and wait and wait and...eventuality phone them 35 in queue....I didn't get an acknowledgement about our form....what form....the one I sent 4 hours ago..oh we haven't seen that..can you do it again ?

I think we must be really lucky at our surgery, I had an ear infection last week - I called for an appointment at 1.30pm, got to see the doctor at 3pm and collected my prescription at 3.40pm - now that's a great service. I was very impressed!

I've just done a dummy booking on a lovely little cruise that leaves Tilbury and returns to Bristol.

There is an offer of free parking plus a free coach back from Bristol to Tilbury PLUS I found the code LS10 and this will give you a further 10% off the already great price.  

Wish I had time to go!

Happy birthday today to Pauline (@grapau27) 

I hope you have a lovely day!

@Selbourne

Another thank you from me, I have enjoyed reading your stories with my morning coffee.

Ok,  so I came across a site earlier called cruise prune - I think it’s a great idea (but not enough to make me want to pay for it 🤪) 

Maybe someone will be interested though 

Are we allowed to add external links on Cruise Critic?  I've just across a website that may be useful to some - it's absolutely nothing to do with me and it's not a travel agent but it is cruise related 🙂 sadly you do have to pay for it's services so I won't be subscribing as I'm from Ooop North but the concept is great!

@Selbourne -  do they still show films in the Playhouse or is that not your thing?

54 minutes ago, Red Ray said:

We were on Arvia lst September outwith the school holidays and there were still too many kids on for our liking. We aren't pool people but walking past the Beachcomber it was very noticeable the number of children there were.  It didn't spoil our cruise though we will probably go back to the adults only/smaller ships unless a really good offer comes up on Arvia or Iona.

I hope we get lucky and not masses of kds!

Another quick question if I  may, I can only find two black tie/celebration night for the two weeks - is this correct now, just one a week?

6 hours ago, AlanCruise said:

We were on Ariva at the end of August last year. We found the Beachcomber pool area a peaceful area to sit and always managed to get chairs. The ship was full with lots of children but OK in that area.

I really hope it’s like that when we go😊

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

While walking around Ionas upper decks last time we were on board, the beachcomber pool was heaving and very noisy, and very tiny.

Oh no - I'm getting worried now - we like a quiet'ish' spot if we can find one but I'm not inclined to pay for The Retreat!

20 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Good morning everyone.  Another early morning I was awake just before 4 am again.  I woke up thinking about the problems that I am experiencing with Staysure, almost 2 hours on the phone yesterday trying to sort out our travel insurance and it looks like a repeat today when they open at 10 am. When we renewed 3 weeks ago they said that they wouldn't cover DH's problem area on his shoulder because he was waiting for a hospital appointment but to call back when he had finished his treatment and that in the mean time he would be covered for everything else.  He received his biopsy result letter from the hospital saying that it was a benign seborrhoeic keratosis and does not need further investigation of treatment so he was now discharged from the hospital.  I called Staysure, paid an additional amount so that he would now be fully covered.  The young lady I spoke to said that she would send me a link that would unlock our account so that I could create a new password and download our documents.  I have still not received the link so I have no proof that we are insured so can't book a short cruise which we were looking at because feel that we need a rest.  Even worse is that I am concerned that we may not get the documentation before we are supposed to go on a cruise next month and so will have to cancel and lose over £4000.

Did you have to pay extra even though the hospital confirmed no further treatment was needed - I think that's shocking.  I phoned my insurers the other day to report a smashed up foot that now has 13 screws and two plates to hold it together - no extra charge.  I was delighted.

Some insurances are getting silly - I have landlords insurance on a little property that increased from £70 something to £270 something a couple of weeks ago and last week my husbands car renewal had risen by £150 - no changes or claims - how does this happen?

I hope you get sorted quickly so you can have your cruise.

8 hours ago, TigerB said:

The area on deck 18 near to the Beachcomber bar is adult only, so no screaming kids.👍🏻

Then again, there may be one or two yawping suvverners within earshot (ooh, light blue touch paper! 🤭)

Haha thank you, I'm a Northerner so I hope not (joke!)