gadabout60

Just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your posts. You two really make the most of your cruise which is fantastic to see.

Josy, it sounds like the children have done amazingly well since losing their mum.

Oh I see! I can’t imagine travelling without mine - easiest way to keep in touch and necessary for emergencies

Can you not get an Uber if the shuttles don’t go where you want?

I get that and fine if it’s a longer cruise but if it’s only a week it’s difficult

Understand this but either way the ship has sailed! Even if P&O can fly you to Norway quickly you still lose a few days of your cruise

Was this not longer than 3 hours so no guarantee with Intercruises either. Very unfortunate situation though as someone else commented fortunately rare (though no consolation if you are affected)

I think that should read some guests. There are cheaper deals to be had as Selbourne has illustrated

Also add in desserts that you can’t resist instead of being bland and watery and decent cheese my last cruise was on Britannia last year and food was ok to good - but still not what it used to be! there is of course now an option to upgrade in mdr but it is only 1 item for each course throughout the whole cruise agree of course that food is subjective but Selbournes posts have resonated with some P&O cruises of recent years

Which is why I said it was less relevant on the newer ships but certainly an issue on Aurora and Arcadia which are the ships on longer voyages as well as the ships with less options

You can trust any picture any more unfortunately Maybe Graham has been eating bangers and mash for years and has been photoshopping the delicious food!😂😂

I do agree Josy. it just seems bizarre that this photo was rushed out seemingly to counter the huge amount of speculation last week and they do it in such a way as to add to the speculation

I don’t know enough about manipulating photos but as rumours have abounded about the state of their marriage it seemed a bit unwise to me that she was not wearing her rings.

But Selbourne has reported that only 20% of mdr food was very good - the rest was mediocre or worse.15 years ago 80% would be very good - better cuts of meat, much bigger choice of veg, flavoursome desserts, decent cheese etc. Personally I would rather a cruise line gave us decent mdr food rather than cut prices to a ridiculously low and unsustainable level. I am not a foodie either but on a 60plus night cruise like this one I would have started to find the mdr a trial

Cruising on some cruises with P&O is interesting. Standard food offering in MDR and buffet is universally agreed not to be great but some very cheap cabins sometimes to be had. I for one - and I suspect many Aurora passengers would agree -would be happy to pay say £10 more per day and go back to the P&O dining experience of 15 years ago. perhaps not so relevant on the newer ships but certainly on cruises like this one

Don’t they often have food pop ups in the Lido? I would have thought that a noodle bar was just that

Think his wife is Tracey Clegg who was a P&O cruise director (not one I was a fan of)

I also did Latin (and Ancient Greek) currently revisiting Latin at u3a and Duolingo

I got COVID on my return from Barbados after the transatlantic on Britannia last October / November. I was really quite poorly with it for 5 weeks - I think as it had been 11 months since my last vaccination (am slightly too young for this winter’s vaccination) Due to the timing I think I got it on the flight. I don’t blame the cruise line on the whole but I found hygiene on the cruise to be poor. This was my first post COVID cruise and I was surprised that there was no-one at the doors of restaurants / buffet to enforce/encourage handwashing or gel use. The vast majority of people did not use the sinks or gel as far as I could see. There were also issues with out of order and malfunctioning lifts which meant that lifts were generally crowded which would have helped the spread.

On the subject of Antarctic and Arctic exploration can I recommend Erebus by Michael Palin. Read this for my book group and was fascinating

On the transatlantic mid October to beginning of November

On Britannia the pay for menu was on an insert inside the main menu

No need to apologise - you mentioned it after it has been aired

Thank you - I have had a rough few days and the cough is really nasty

So very sorry and sad to hear your news Josy. I was feeling very sorry for myself as I have just returned from a cruise with you know what, but this puts everything into perspective. Those poor children. Sending you love