tartanexile81

hello notamermaid and others. We have booked an escorted cruise for 8 days in July so I will now follow this thread with interest. I lived in Germany for a few years in the 1980s and have only been back a couple of times but this cruise will probably be the last time we visit - before old age and health overtake us. As I don't fly we will be travelling by train from Edinburgh to London where we will join our British organised tour with Riviera Travel. We then go from London St Pancras to Brussels and onwards to Cologne to join the MS Geoffrey Chaucer. 

"What you learn at school and what you see written is Standard High German. As a spoken form of German among friends and family in its pure form it only exists around Hanover they say. Theoretically everyone who has been to school in Germany speaks it of course. But it is often easy to detect where a person comes from no matter how hard they try to use a newsreader type of Standard High German." 

I found your piece about accent / dialect very interesting because I lived about 20 miles from Hanover and loved listening to and speaking German there. Obviously as I travelled round Germany that changed! My sister lived on the Bodensee and her in-laws were from the Black Forest /Schwarzwald so Schwabisch was another kettle of fish. 

On 6/20/2023 at 8:00 PM, TTEllis said:

You gotta be kidding me!! I'll text Levi tonight. How sad I was with Levi 3 time's his tour is the premier tour in all the southern Caribbean. No ships are going to Dominica anymore. I'm trying to find one for this fall I don't see Dominica on anything.  Thank you for this information. 

Did you message him? I've toured with him 3 times too and thought he was fantastic. 

UK ships still visit Dominica. They tend to visit islands with historical links to the UK and more in the Eastern Caribbean which are on the whole less developed / Americanised

Bumpiing Tours has permanently closed sadly.

It doesn't specify opened or unopened but as the biggest bottle of pretty much everything you can buy comes in 1litre bottle not sure how it could be opened unless you're taking bits of different things.

We buy packaging specifically for bottles from Amazon. It wills with air and cushions the bottle completely so we put it in our main luggage

We booked this tour through the Tourist info office but you can now book it online. Probably about half the price of the P&O tour

https://www.geirangerfjord.no/bus-tour-to-mt-dalsnibba

On 7/24/2021 at 1:20 AM, cos24 said:

Yes, we with them a few weeks ago when we were on the Celebrity Millennium... Great tour! Check out my review.

Thanks very much cos24

On 7/7/2021 at 3:40 PM, cos24 said:

As soon as you get off the ship look for a big green open air truck. HAPPY HOPPY safari tours.  We were in Aruba last week. They have a great deal..$20 per person for Eagle beach Plus awesome island tour of the area with the Ayo Rock formations (my favorite),  the natural bridge, Gold Mill ruins, etc. We got to see other beaches, the California lighthouse, nice neighborhoods, Alto Vista Chapel, churches, government buildings, awesome viewpoints and natural wonders, a drive by the Ostrich Farm, squares, outdoor market and more with a couple hours at Eagle beach to finish things off. All for $20 p.p!

I've checked out this company and their page hasn't been updated since 2018. Are they still in business? Was your visit recent?

In the UK Princess is doing 7 day cruises round the coast with 2/3 ports of call. Everybody taking part must be fully vaccinated

5 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

I can't find anything on face book, is it an event on a site?

Message me at tartanexile81 at outlook dot com. I'm not allowed to say here!

14 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

I have started a roll call for this cruise.

I've got one up on another social media forum too!

Thank you both. 

Don't do fly cruises but we are doing a Caribbean cruise from Southampton on Ventura on 3 Jan 2022. Until all the issues with the vaccine I was very positive about it but now I must admit I am concerned if it's going to happen. 

I miss drinking in the Glass House. Their champagne, Prosecco and Ice Peller Cuvee are great and best on ship - can't wait

Thanks Bin man.What do `I need to type in to find it?

4 hours ago, jantoby said:

 

Confirmation and itinerary have come in the post today.  Same cabins as the cancelled 2022 sailing, and - most important - same price, too.

 

Itinerary's:  

Mon 27 March,  depart Valletta

Wed 29    Emoupolis, Syros

Thurs 30   Rhodes

Fri 31      Agios Nikolaos, Crete

Sat 01 April   Piraeus (for Athens)

Sun 02      Cruising Corinth Canal

Mon 03      Argostoli, Kefallonia

Tues 04    Katakolon

Thurs 06    arr Valletta

 

 

I hope you get on.   Yes,let's meet up!

Thanks Jan. I'll let you know how we get on but definitely very interested

Lovely topic Ann and hope you’re both well. Was it the Baltic cruise we met in?  We weren’t due to go to the Caribbean this year but doing a B2B on Iona. Little did we know what would happen to cruising when we arrived back on Ventura on March 17th last year! 
 

I love dressing up especially since I retired but when I first started cruising I wore outfits I’d bought for weddings and a couple of dresses from Mess Nights in the 80s 😬. Since then I’ve enjoyed blinging  up and like other ladies here (and maybe some gents. What do I know 🤔🤔), I have lots of jewellery and sparkly shoes. It’s the only time I wear proper heels any more and cling on to my OH. 😂 

Sadly all my outfits are hanging up in my wardrobe and hopefully I’ll need them next January on Ventura.  I’m a keen planner but the prospect of not cruising or even if we do that we have to take P&O tours means I’ve given little thought to what we can do. However I was tempted by the great sales online and managed to snag a dress for half-price!  
 

3 minutes ago, jantoby said:

 

 

Yes, 10th February.  As the name of the cruise has changed slightly - cancelled one was Greek Islands & Corinth Canal, and 2023 is Corinth Canal & Ancient Greece - I phoned to ask for the itinerary (not that it makes any difference, we'll do it whatever the itinerary) - they said I'd be receiving an email with it in the next couple of days.  That was on Wednesday so should get it soon.

Thanks for the speedy reply. Hopefully we'll meet you on it if we can get a cabin! So few cruises from the UK go to that area and we'd just love to do it 

On 1/14/2021 at 5:45 PM, jantoby said:

We were booked on Braemar to the Corinth Canal in April 2022.  That was cancelled along with all her other 21/22 cruises.  They've transferred us to her on 27th March 2023.  Not yet published, as they're giving passengers from the cancelled cruise first refusal.

Thank you for that information jantoby. I've recently been in touch with my travel agent enquiring about the Corinth Canal cruise in 2023  to celebrate our Ruby anniversary. Have they given you a date by which you have to say yay or nay? 

I love France and the French way of life but you certainly couldn't use the word gregarious to describe them as a nation. Individually though I've met many lovely friendly people and I've spent holidays from Boulogne to Frejus and everywhere East and West.

Thank you for the reminder about Guadeloupe Solent Richard. We used Mirva as our guide when we went maybe 3 years ago and she was very good although 4 of us in her little car got a bit tight. the set-up at the church (AKA police station) is new compared to our visit. 

I'm also hoping to go back to Guadeloupe in January 2022 on Ventura. It's one of my favourite islands because it's so non-touristy unlike money-grabbing, Americanised  islands like St Maarten. Sorry to those who love it but each to their own!! 

The first time I went I  explored the great markets in Pointe-a-Pitre  then four of us grabbed a taxi to beautiful St Anne. On the way our driver took us to lots of interesting picturesque places. Granted he only spoke French and I'm lucky that my French is quite decent.

The next time  four of us did a tour with an English speaking guide Merva and it  included the rain forest, the coastline, sulphur flats, Deshaies village where DiP  is filmed, some of the beaches they use including the one where the shack is (which is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been on) and the hotel used in the film. The Western half of the 'butterfly' is definitely more beautiful that the Eastern side which has its own charm.  It's definitely one of  those islands where a private tour beats P&O excursions hands down. I can't wait to see it all again. I'just hoping if cruising restarts we'll all have to do P&O tours

2 hours ago, phabric said:

I know it is early for 2022.  We will arriving May 25 (LHR) for our cruise May 28 (Southampton) and returning to Southampton June 11 returning home June 12, 2022.

 

I will be looking for hotels May 25-27, June 11.  Is there any National Holiday during that period?

There will be a Bank holiday in England and Wales on the last Monday in May which is 30th. so things will be busy on the Friday night. Traffic will be really bad on the Friday as it is a popular time for families to go on holiday 

20 hours ago, ann141 said:

Hello Tartanexile

Hope you are keeping well .I am disappointed that our January  2021 cruise on Ventura has been cancelled but hope to use information from your blog (from your Ventura cruise)if we sail on Ventura next year.

We're fine Ann and like you had our Winter cruise cancelled.We were doing a B2B on Iona- decided to take break from the Caribbean but will resume next yearn January on Ventura - fingers crossed!  If I can help in any way with your planning,  feel free to message me or email - tartanexile81 at outlook dot com. One thing I'd definitely recommend would be the day pass to the hotel in The Bahamas which is such a disappointing island

Glad some people still remember the old timers. I joined in 2008 for our first cruise on celebrity Summit. Joined the roll call but didn't say much. Probably stopped posting much here a couple of years ago. 

I'm an old timer and used to post a lot on the UK and the cruiseline boards especially roll calls but I think that other mega social media forum has taken over for lots of cruisers. I just find people I know use that one including many people who used to be on here  so I keep in touch with them via that.  However if I've got a cruise up and coming I will occasionally post here and I still check the boards once in a blue moon - like tonight!

 Does anybody remember the P&O forum on the main P&O site? I loved that and it was free to use when you were onboard so you could set up friends on it to keep in touch when you were away. I made friends on those boards whom I still cruise with. 

On 10/14/2020 at 7:31 PM, emam said:

Thanks for all the replies, they have given us a few ways to look at. Flying is now top of daughters list but not mine. It does seem surprisingly to be cheaper than the Eurostar.

It is too early to get the best Eurostar fares but this article will give you useful hints 

https://www.seat61.com/London-to-Paris-by-train.htm

On 9/22/2020 at 12:58 PM, subbuteo14 said:

 

Don't cancel.  Before the final payment date you can always move the booking to another cruise that is on sale.  Maybe the same cruise but in a year's time?

My husband is in the high risk group so we won’t be booking any more cruises for the foreseeable future. We doubt if we’ll be able to go in the Caribbean cruise I mentioned in 2022

On 9/17/2020 at 11:44 AM, subbuteo14 said:

Inevitable I suppose but that's my 4th cruise cancelled and my 7th cancelled holiday between 2018-21.  I should be going to Northumberland in two weeks!  

 

Really cannot face booking another holiday now.  Have taken refund.

 

 

Rob

We were supposed to be on this cruise too with our friends but weren't going anyway because of Covid so we're happy to get  a refund. We're also meant to be doing the next cruise as a B2B so unless they cancel it as well we'll have to lose our deposit. Just hoping there will be a vaccine well before January 2022 so we can go on Ventura to the Caribbean