Ardennais

I personally can’t imagine using towels for a whole week before washing them. As I’ve said before, we have a good reason for washing ours after every shower.

Yes. I think I interpreted your response as meaning no non-alcoholic at all!

We’ve often had non-alcoholic drinks served. Also sometimes walk in with a drink purchased before dinner,

We’ve discussed this before. The issue should have been considered during the planning stage. They’re getting away with offering an inferior product at inflated prices during school holidays. So the only advocating I would do is to suggest that they, at managerial level, think of ways of better deploying their staff during the peak periods.

Yes Zap, I’m well aware of that being in the hospitality business myself. Which is why we provide additional treats for our guests in peak periods - they’ve paid more. Cruiselines seem to do the opposite - you pay more in peak periods but often have to put up with an inferior product.

Ok, probably applies to all cruiselines, not just P&O. Still unfair, but of course, doesn’t affect many of the retirees here who go on holiday several times a year and who can brush off a slightly disappointing holiday every now and then because, hey, we’ve got another one in a few weeks. I’m sorry, but I don’t like that ‘just suck it up’ attitude. All cruiselines should still be adequately staffed even in busy periods, all the more so when considering that prices are higher.

They can’t ‘flex’ up staffing levels, but they jolly well flex up the price in peak periods. You pay more for inferior service. Very unfair.

What a great review. Makes me want to revisit Tallinn and Helsinki!

I’m too busy eating to give anyone ‘looks’.

That doesn’t sound good at all. Reminds me of one I attended on RCI which was basically buy a kit and assemble some pre-made elements. I didn’t stay! The craft classes on Ventura to the Caribbean and back were very good, well planned, well resourced and well taught. For instance, we used different inking techniques and were introduced to Zentangle, etc.

Disappointing if true. Loved the craft classes on Aurora 17 nighters and Ventura 35 night.

During the winter, I change sheets once a week but I do change them more frequently during hot weather.

If we shower twice in a day at home, we use clean towels, so yes, I would want them changed twice a day on holiday. It’s not a case of having an accident. It’s a case of rubbing skin and shedding skin particles and just the yucky feeling of an used towel.

To reduce our carbon footprint, how about getting rid of tablecloths?!

I’m not bothered about changing sheets more once a week, but I am fussy with towels. I use mine once only and then wash them. I change the hand towel in the downstairs toilet every day too. My husband had cellulitis 20 years ago and was hospitalized for 10 days. It was recommended then that he had clean trousers and towels every day which is what he did even before then as a builder. So I expect plenty of clean towels on holiday.

Why would the membership number change?

We did the return cruise from Ambleside. Lovely part of the world!

We’re enjoying ourselves in Morecambe and the surrounding area.

Speak for yourself! I sleep well as per usual.

Oh dear! It worked well for us because my mother took her walker too, and we didn’t have to change at Birmingham which can be a pain with luggage and for those with limited mobility. Also easy to use the toilet with a clear corridor at all times. We will definitely use it again, so cheap too.

This is the reason why we decided to use National Express to travel to London in June. Ok, it took 6 hours rather than 4 on the train, but the return ticket only cost £78 for 4 of us! Yes, a total of £78 to which I added £2 each to reserve seats in the first 3 rows. The train would have cost £80 EACH! Lovely air-conditioned coach and we could forget about our luggage. I appreciate that the coach isn’t feasible for work journeys, but for us, it was great.

In our case, my husband and I want to chat to each other in our first language. We go on holiday to have quality time together as life can be hectic at home! It’s definitely not a case of being unsociable. We don’t mind sharing in the buffet or even lunch time, but dinner, no way.

Some businesses are really hopeless. Last night, I visited the WHSmith website to order my usual photo albums as I’d been sorting my photos over the weekend. To qualify for postage I looked for some 2024 A5 week to a view diaries for business use as we need them now to schedule business events for next year. They only had a few fancy ones, not their basic standard diaries. No wonder they’re struggling if they can’t provide their core products in a timely manner. If they don’t have them ready by mid September, I will look elsewhere.

Lovely photos. We will be travelling from Morecambe. September should be less busy so will probably head to Bowness.

Never been to Wales!! Then again, I don’t think I’ve been to Essex either - not to stay, might have driven through. I remember the Dartford Crossing, now that was a mission!