Eddie99

Bon Voyage both Smooth seas

Hope the last steps of your journey home are smooth Thank you again for taking so much effort over your blog. It was an enjoyable read

@lincslady It may or may not help, but I don’t think it would do any harm to try rubbing some Voltarol gel onto the sore bit. You can combine using it with taking the standard paracetamol dose too. If that could offer you, even a little more, refreshing sleep that could brighten your life considerably Talking of which … clock change! It feels like an argument as old as time. I wish someone would just make a decision and stick with it. Even though it’s only an hour each time, and even though I have all the time in the world with no 9-5 routine, I find it really disruptive for several days Anyway - must get on. Get the dog walk done before the rain returns. What a lot I heard in the night -it was really hammering Hope everyone’s day is good

Happy Birthday/Anniversary to those lots and lots of posters who have celebrations in the next few days. There are a lot! There’s some odd truism, isn’t there, about if you have a certain (fairly low) number of people in a room there is a good chance there will be at least one pair sharing a birthdate? Also, congratulations to those with new dogs/pups. Lovely! There seems to be a rash of new pups around town, and my sister has a new pup hoping to fill the gap left when lovely Todd went. Exciting. I haven’t got a new dog, but I do have a reconditioned one today, after she had a grooming session this morning 🙂 It won’t last - she’s a bit of a mudlark, which isn’t great when you’re low to the ground and have soft white fur

Just a thought Sue. It might be worth looking at taxis, just to get things done and to take a little off John’s shoulders? Or maybe Rotary or similar can organise lifts from volunteers? As everyone has said, look after yourself. Know when it’s time to ensure a little “me time” This, like all things, will pass x

I was thinking the same! How lovely for the staff to look forward to this, rather than a turkey dinner at a local hotel 🙂

I’m very sorry to hear your news Sue I hope everything goes smoothly wrt the funeral and such Special thoughts for your poor Mum

Love marzipan Also, Lidl’s bags of little gingerbreads. Super, and small enough to prevent you feeling guilty (as long as you stop at one)

It’s looking like being a nasty old afternoon. It’s been spitting rain all morning but not enough to keep us from getting to the market or getting the dog out. Strong winds and heavy rain expected

Thanks for the replies everyone I agree that the additional benefits, over Caribbean level, are pretty skimpy. At least it means I won’t be bereft if I never get them again btw - don’t you love the expression Going Baltic? Sounds quite explosive 🤣

England really aren’t that good, are they?.

Just to say that I am enjoying this thread and cruising along with you

We were due to take the ferry to Bequia from Kingstown last trip (early 2020). Weather disrupted Ventura’s schedule, so we never got to mingle with the First Division 🙂. It goes St Vincent, Bequia, Mustique. Who knows who you might see! . It’s possible to DIY but that may be an adventure too far? https://www.bequiatourism.com/gethere.htm

What to expect from your TV detective drama

For myself I’d say that cruise passengers are a pita for the local population in Kingstown. One disembarks, walks across the dock, through the security gates and into the taxi-driver crush. They’re all offering a wonderful tour and I expect they deliver - I believe St Vincent is a fascinating, nature-rich island. If one choses not to take a tour and walks on, one is immediately into an area of cramped streets and local markets. Local markets for local people. No craft items, no tourist tat - it’s the stuff they need to get on with their lives - corn cobs, bars of pink Lifebuoy soap, bags of different-looking sweeties, screwdrivers, whatever. The pavements are cramped. There are stalls, on the pavement and in the road. We didn’t feel unsafe but we didn’t feel welcome. We were in the way and our presence did nothing to improve their lives - at first glance anyway. Maybe at a deeper level through the whole island. There is a lovely pub/hotel/destination called, I think, Cobblestones. Its bar/restaurant is, unfortunately, upstairs. No lift, afaik There is a lovely cathedral which was behind scaffolding and screens when we were there. I think you could check out whether you can get there. It’s not terribly far - just awkward wrt roads, pavements, kerbs, open sewers (yes, there was one 🤢) These are all pre-C memories. Things may have improved. Research further. Don’t be discouraged

Whaaat? 🙃 That must be grounds for cancellation 🤣

Our cruise in the new year will be our one and only at Baltic level loyalty. We (just) hang on to points earned pre-C but will lose the benefit for any future cruises, as we plan on simply one winter trip per year So - to make the most of it, what should I start anticipating? What is the earliest likely boarding time? What then? - Lunch? Served or buffet? A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise? Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy? We plan to self-disembark, so I guess we’ll miss out on choosing a disembarkation time Anything else I should know, other than the standard stuff I can research on the P&O website? Thanks in advance

Welcome back Grapau Hope you’re not finding it too chilly

Selbourne - I searched the water taxi issue and found this website Looks like it might be handy for you for the whole trip? Nice, encouraging pics there, and from TigerB, above https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/10/02/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-philipsburg-sint-maarten-st-martin/

My previous post was done in a rush, as I wanted to get out with the dog whilst it was nice & sunny. So, I’ll expand on a couple of places St Maarten - the resort is quite big, with a long, flat, promenade - sea one side, shops and bars on the other. You will like it. It’s a boring hot walk to get there, on a busy road. You will feel safe though. Investigate the “passenger ferry” which cuts out the road. It’s a slick operation and I suspect it will be roll on/roll off. Cheap enough, and quick Cartagena - if you research and feel you can’t face the heat and a taxi, then the port area is charming. There is a sizeable aviary/bird park, which you go inside and watch the goings-on. Snacks and drinks. We had the biggest, fiercest G&Ts ever, and a fish cerviche snack which was glorious. Get a coffee! It’s sooooo good. Colon - pronounced like we say Cologne, rather than a bowel part! Puerto Limon - there is a sizeable indoor/covered craft market at the dock, with nice things, not tourist tat … and that’s me probably “memoried out”. I’ll come back if anything jogs my memory Have you looked at the Ports of Call section here? There’s probably some decent info on some of the less (P&O) visited ports You will have a great time!

No - you’ll be fine Here’s what I know/remember Hamilton - Bermuda Nassau - Bahamas Port Canaveral Miami Key West - (Possible Tender) New Orleans San Juan - Puerto Rico St Maarten - long promenade/boardwalk Dominica Kingstown - St Vincent Bridgetown - Barbados - flat easy walk to centre Fort de France - Martinique - boardwalk from ship to centre. V French. Lovely Curaçao - beautiful. Flat easy walk Oranjestad - Aruba - can’t remember but suspect it was flat &c easy. V American Cartagena - Colombia - fascinating but town is not walkable from dock.. Extremely hot 40C+ Colon - Panama - port area not nice Panama Canal (Partial Transit) - you’ll be aboard ship! Enjoy! Puerto Limon - Costa Rica Roatan - Honduras (Possible Tender) Belize (Tender) Costa Maya - Mexico Cozumel - Mexico (Possible Tender) Georgetown - Cayman Islands (Tender) Ocho Rios - Jamaica (Possible Tender) Tortola - British Virgin Islands - poor roads near dock Basseterre- St Kitts & Nevis - you’re sorted Antigua - lovely island ? taxi tour Praia da Vitoria - Azores. lovely. Like Portugal. Tiled prom Look at other providers (Cruising Excursions etc) for more inspiration

Just to kick off with a couple Kingstown, St Vincent absolutely no chance of a pleasant stroll with a wheelchair. It’s not a nice town, the roads are poor, pavements worse, no tourist facilities. We felt tolerated but not particularly welcome Puerto Limon, Costa Rica Selbourne - I don’t know if you and Lady Selbourne are nature enthusiasts but we went on a great P&O trip to a nature reserve where we boarded small boats and cruised quietly through mangroves. Saw birds, snakes, lizards, monkeys and sloths! I mention this because one of the boats was occupied by a young quadplegic man and his mum & dad. They had the whole boat to themselves, with his hefty chair. Costa Rica seems a lovely place I’ve been to a few of the other ports but I’ll pause to allow others to fill some gaps. (Is there a “Cruising in a wheelchair” sub-forum here?)

Thanks John and bobstheboy I must be behind the times - there was a minimum deposit per month when we started with NW. Whatever … it’s all looking good for Selbourne and the rest of us can sit back and enjoy the journey