P&O SUE

I’ve been twice on Britannia, in 2017 and 2022. The first time we saw Eric and Ernie, they were really good and they posed for photos afterwards with everyone. Not everyone’s taste but we all enjoyed it. Lots of young people said they’d enjoyed it too!

Food was really good and as I’d booked early we got seats right at the front.

Second time we saw Ray Quinn and he was brilliant. Now they don’t seat you by what order you booked it but we had a decent enough seat. Ray sang swing songs mostly and also talked about his life a bit ( I loved him on Dancing on Ice!) and enjoyed quite a bit of banter with the audience. The food wasn’t quite as good this time but good enough.

It’s nice to have your meal and entertainment all in the same place.

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks Sue. What an idiot I am 😂. I’m surprised that nobody else has pointed that out. I have it ingrained in my brain that we are on this cruise until March and that has obviously got me muddled. I‘m grateful that you pointed this out. 

I’m still not entirely sure what day it is after Christmas etc so I genuinely worried I was looking at an old thread 😂

Hello all, I’ve just skimmed read the last few pages I’m afraid, I got sidetracked by Selbourne and Mrs Goggins reports 😁

I’ve been looking for news of Frank, so I know it’s worrying Avril, but hopefully they can sort him out now. My Dad was under the heart failure team for about 10 years they can do wonders now.

My mum has been in her nursing home for just over a week now and it’s still stressful! She phones me up telling me she’s lost things 🙄 Meanwhile my sister is in the Canaries…. ho hum!

hugs to all x

36 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

I got mine back under control but the travel insurance we use asks ..

"Have you ever been told your cholesterol has been raised   Ever in your life time"

 

I would hate anyone to fill in their insurance declarations falsely and end up with a non 

payment should they put a claim in at a later date .

Yes that annoys me too, I’m sure there’s loads of people walking round with higher levels than me! I’m around 3. Years ago my mum’s was 8!! 😱 

6 hours ago, Lickylips said:

Sadly my friend boarded Aurora on Wednesday and on Friday with the terrible weather she fell and broke her shoulder and hip. She is now in Hospital in Madeira having surgery. Take care everyone. 

Oh no, hope she recovers well. What a sad ending to her cruise.

8 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

….and some sunset shots to compliment this mornings sunrise ones.

Gorgeous Selbourne.

Im following with interest as usual. Thanks for taking the time to do this and I hope you manage to miss the storm.

By the way, you really confused me dating some of your posts as March!!!

@mrsgoggins I’ve just come across your report, really enjoying it thank you. Look forward to reading more.

1 hour ago, pennib said:

How lucky are you???? Having been to the Epicurean on Britannia for our Christmas dinner a few weeks ago, we wanted crepes suzette done by the table (which they always used to do) but were told that could not be done for health and safety reasons and that this was fleet wide now. So we had something else instead. This was the final straw for a poor meal ( no amuse bouche and no sorbet). The main course was also poor. So we decided that after years having our Christmas dinner in the Epicurean on various ships, that was it. Our last Caribbean Christmas on P&O so instead we are on Ventura for 35:nights in January 2025. Hope they continue doing crepes suzette by then!!

enjoy the rest of your cruise.

I was on Ventura in June and we had our crepes made by our table, loved it!

On 12/29/2023 at 10:46 PM, Adawn47 said:

  Ive just got back from the hospital' Frank was admitted yesterday morning at 5.20am and it's been hectic. After tests he has Pneumonia,and severe anemia.which needed 2 tranfusions.To top it off he probably has a heart murmer too, he's having a heart xray  to see what it is or could be. 

In his 78 years it's the first time he's been in hospital and everything's come at once. Almost 59 years married and the first time we've not not slept in the same bed, it's really strange and I'm not sleeping. Sorry for the late post, but I needed to chat.

I'll try and read though the posts tomorrow.

Avril

Only just seen this Avril, big hugs to you both, hope he’s improving today.

Morning all, I was steadily catching up and then this forum went down! I’ll have to catch up later.

We had a nice two days with the family, although obviously missing Dad. We went to our son’s Christmas Day and our DiL did her usual huge spread! My sis and bro in law and mum came too.Our grandson was the star of the show and very excited.

Boxing day we went to our DiL’s sister for their mad Boxing Day they always have but we’ve never been invited to before! They have a daughter two years older than our grandson and they’re very close and there were other cousins there (some I’ve met before some I hadn’t!) we had to take Mum of course and a great time was had! 
 

Friday 29th we took Mum to her nursing home. She’s got a nice room but so far she hasn’t been to the lounge. They’ve got a party this afternoon so hopefully she’ll enjoy that. We took her to the local pantomime yesterday which was very good. My sister is coming up to see her today . We do have some issues at the moment but hopefully it’s just settling in issues.

John went back to work this morning!! Very odd for me being alone in the house! He’s doing a phased return so 6am-10am and is due home any minute so I’ll sign off for now.

Happy New Year to you all!

3 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

We had a lovely afternoon with my niece's children, it was sad that she wasn't with us but she would have been so proud of them. 

They had special end of year assemblies this morning and both of them had awards.  The daughter had the head of year's certificate for continuous excellent work, a £50 gift card, a bar of chocolate.  The son had a certificate for highest average marks for his year, a £30 gift card, he didn't have any chocolate because he had given his to a boy with learning difficulties that he has been mentoring this year.

Dad was over the moon when he saw that they had both had awards despite the hard year that they have had.

That is so lovely, you must have been so proud.

It’s funny you’ve all said the same thing, i remember my mum and dad both saying they didn’t know how they had time for work after they retired!

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

Sue, I think that is true of a lot of pensioners particularly those of us who were part of a final salary pension scheme. I feel sorry for the younger people who are going to have to work longer and won't get such good pensions at the end.

Yup even me at just turned 59 haven’t got a final salary pension. I think I did in my very first job in the bank but I left to have my son and didn’t want to leave him with a stranger! When I went back to the bank when he was 11 it wasn’t a final pension scheme. 

Morning all, after today I have 5 days off. I’m looking forward to Christmas Day itself as we’ll be all together at our son’s. Mum, John and I, my sister and her husband.

Then we have the task of getting everything together for mum’s move on the 29th! I’ve got some stick on name labels from good old Amazon!

Hope everyone has a lovely day spent the way they want to.

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

I had a very welcome text on my phone when I got up.  My niece's  husband has said that he will take the children to school this morning so that I don't need to go out in this foul weather.

Sometimes it is the little things that mean a lot.

Wow, I’m surprised they’re still in school. Round here most schools broke up Tuesday/Wednesday.

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Best wishes for a very happy retirement.  I know full well that teaching is great but restrictive in terms of choosing your own holiday dates, which I’ve been able to do in my new job since leaving teaching in 2019. Not close to being ready to retire though! 

After 30 years in teaching my sister now works part time in a library! She loves been able to holiday outside of August! 
 

She’s also got involved with teaching adults to read arranged by the library.

11 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Our news is that today we both retired ....

It's been an emotional time but now chilling amidst the many Champagne bottles we've been given. 

Cheaper holidays here we come ....

Happy retirement! Not jealous at all…,

10 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Almost 14 years for us Phil and it's still good. The best job we've ever had☺️

Avril

My mum gets more pension than I get in wages!! 

47 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I think that over the last few years the meaning of Christmas has changed a bit. For many, no more work for a few days. Relief that we have got through another year of ---- relatively unscathed, or remembering absent friends. A time to relax, let your hair down a bit and look forward. Thanking your God as well. Worrying about " have I got enough chocolate for all those visitors ", is an important pre-Christmas ritual. When all your visitors gave gone off home..That went alright, didn't it ?.

Actual Christmas Day I normally enjoy with our family. It’s all the build up and busy shops beforehand I hate! Also John and I normally only have Christmas Day and Boxing day off and often John works Boxing Day as well! 
 

28 minutes ago, posford said:

Must just come back on the subject of disembarkation.

 Last 3 cruises on Iona, Sept, Oct and Dec this year.

Passengers taking their own luggage off just after 6.00, all others off just after 7.00.

So very smooth.

 

We don’t normally attend guest lectures but on the last cruise was a guy that was in charge of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.  Three very informative and interesting lectures. Venue packed out for all three.

That does sound a talk that would be interesting!

On 12/16/2023 at 8:32 AM, Beckett said:

@P&O SUE "Warm, safe, and well" were the words my brother and I used time and time again after our mum went into a care home. We both felt a degree of guilt and, I suppose, abandonment when she first went in, but knowing we no longer had to worry about falls and wanderings was such a relief. The care home wasn't perfect - what is - but she was happy there. The staff were true carers and we felt we had done the right thing.

 

You have had a nightmare last few months Sue and the care of your parents seems to have been largely on you. See this next stage of your mum's life for what it is - a kindness to protect her safety. She will meet new friends, enjoy entertainments, and be stimulated by all sorts of new company. You are absolutely doing the right thing.

 

Best wishes.  Jane xx

 

 

Thank you Jane for your kind words. She can be very strong willed so I do hope she likes it there.

I was delighted Ellie won Strictly, sent her all my free online votes. Her American Smooth was classic with a perfect song to match.

I thought they all did well though and it was a great Final.

5 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Sue, I am so pleased for you all

Good residential homes are so good for all concerned - I’m sure Mum will soon find new friends and possibly new interests

I hope she will blossom, and that you and John will be able to relax … maybe a nice Canaries cruise to put some colour in your cheeks?

 

PS Attendance allowance is still available whilst she is in the home

😁 to the Canaries cruise! Not for a while, it’s in the back of my mind though! 
 

We have a four night Aurora cruise to look forward to at Easter though…

Thanks all for your kind words, made me cry again!