Megabear2

Oh dear. I'd hoped they'd sorted this out.

I'll keep you informed. It's probably a good bet he won't run but he never seems tired and often runs twice close together.

I stand corrected.

Autocorrect again?????

Damian, may I ask if you know if they are operating the 50% bookings in advance for the MDR that was meant to commence last month? If so it doesn't seem to be helping with the availability in the MDRs on the app.

For those who were interested in Dutch Decoy's exploits at Goodwood, I've just heard that he has been "borrowed" for Saturday! He has this week been entered in one of the Shergar Cup races at Ascot - the 15.20. 12 will run with 2 substitutes, currently he is No.23 so a lot will need to be balloted out for him to run. The Shergar Cup is an annual team race for jockeys, they are awarded points on their finishing position, points are scored down to 5th place. As a result if Decoy does get in there will be no idea who's riding him until an hour before. Also because of the points system all the jockeys ride out their horses to try to get in the top five. Will be interesting,.

It's a very grand new building, until a few months ago they had hastily arranged some old Nissan huts from the 1960's site that was going to cure the common cold. As you say, I'm waiting for the call ...

In conversation with P&O executive office after my Arvia cruise they indicated 1hr 30min + 15 minutes "overrun" was the aim for dining. It was given as allowing 15 mins turnaround during which people would be virtually called. It was explained that's why they asked for all three courses at once. My experience was an average 2 hrs with considerable overrun on top if you wanted tea/coffee and also large shared tables over ran.much more from odd people hanging around from early dining - my reservations were for 6.00pm and 6.15pm.

In some States in the USA it is an offence to use a disabled toilet if you are able bodied. As such many Americans automatically will not question what appears to be an able bodied person using one and are more likely to offer assistance. It certainly makes things more calm on arrival at a port or the airport when we arrive. Sadly some British people have become very judgmental and see disabilities as black and white, ie no wheelchair you're able bodied.

I sympathise on the access to lifts as I was my mother's carer. I am however surprised by this idea of early boarding for those with assistance. As you may recall I registered for help on my last cruise as I was recovering from an accident and could not stand in line for long. My boarding time was 4.00pm, the latest on that voyage. When acknowledging my request P&O informed me my boarding time had moved to 3.30pm so not a lot of difference on boarding. For disembarkation I was told to ignore my time and wait till the very end. The problem with hidden disabilities is exactly that. Not everyone has a lanyard or wants to wear one. My husband has chronic fibromyalgia, ME and heart problems along with IBS. No one ever queries him using a lift but all hell can break out if he uses the lavatories marked disabled. Sadly everyone, able bodied or not judges everyone else.

Interesting post from Victoria2 from her recent QV cruise mentioned this topic: Quote We have assistance onto the ship and that has changed somewhat and apparently, will change more in August. It’s still there but I get the distinct impression they are trying to weed out those who just turn up and decide it’s a quicker way onto the ship. Our cabin number wasn’t on their manifesto although the name was and I had to take the manifesto and point out our cabin name. Fair do's, the number was incorrect. Not his fault I know but I knew we were on the list. Moral here, make sure your data is up to date Cunard as we certainly didn’t need the added stress when trying to get on the ship with help. The disabled 'pen' had far less passengers in than I would call normal. Could be a coincidence but I’ll wait and see what Sunday morning brings. Bottom line, need assistance, FILL OUT THE FORM. Cunard are understandably wanting confirmation on who will need help if we strike an iceberg! Unquote That seems to indicate something on the horizon from Carnival House.

Well our friend has a 13 year old travelling with him so only 1,199 others to worry about!

Lauren's misfortune in losing her head has caused enormous excitement in our house. We are hoping Esme Morgan (Manchester City) who is my husband's friend's daughter might now get a chance to replace her for the next game. The entire family are in Australia at the moment. The girls were lucky today but will certainly need to do better in the next game.

As a matter of interest, when covid testing was happening there was a side door into an area presumably "backstage" of the Ocean terminal. Is there any reason why this could not be utilised for the secondary queue in inclement weather? I assume that area still exists or does it gave a regular purpose and was just requisitoned?

On Arvia they were available on day 1 for every night.

I did think Operational Reasons might be good

I have shares in two filly foals who will be needing names in January when they reach their official first birthdays. All suggestions considered!

Yes he's safely back home and as usual eaten up well. He has an advance entry at York in the Clipper Handicap on 24 August.

Well the deluge down here at Goodwood was spectacular! Very glad they abandoned the meet as it was cold, wet and very windy even before the downpour at 3.00pm. Back at our rented cottage after the long wait for our rearranged taxi we've actually put the heating on and instead of enjoying the garden for an open air feast are now snuggled under throws eating fish and chips. We did have a minor miracle in that we backed the first three home in the Stewards Cup so at least the chips were paid for!

I sympathise totally. In our case the insurance emergency number was called by the doctor on the ship before my aunt was taken ashore by the ambulance personnel. Although notified we had to continue to pay expenses ourselves until the insurers had taken a full medical history from the doctor. As it was a weekend they did not even contact the GP until late on the Monday, I had by then flown back out to Italy, and as a result my aunt was still lying on a trolley in the corridor. We ended up with £27,000 of bills as I moved my aunt to a hospital in Rome as no treatment was available at the hospital she was taken to. Some of that money has been recovered but the argument continues about the remainder with the insurance Ombudsman still investigating. It is stressful and very worrying and most people have no idea how it works believing the insurer just picks up the tab immediately.

Well interesting reading this! My experience in a major emergency is well documented on pages of CC so I won't go into the details here. I will however say that Princess who I had the misfortune to be dealing with, so assumedly the Carnival team, were unhelpful, uninterested and uncaring. They most certainly did not find a hotel for me, refused assistance at the port so I was locked in with no access to telephone charging and money and left me alone shore side with a telephone number in the UK that I could not call as my phone was depleted of charte. They failed to send anyone to the hospital in Civitavecchia where my aunt was taken and she was left alone there with no assistance or any English speaking person. Having to rely on the assistance of two fellow passengers to get out of the port and fly home because neither insurance company were prepared to provide help, my aunt was finally located by the "care" team 36 hours after her removal from the ship. I received a call whilst driving home on the motorway to inform me she had "been located"! I'm afraid I cannot provide any positives at all, I had thought I'd just been unlucky but ABTA and the insurance ombudsman informed us this was not the case. Although I did get my personal money back from Princess - I'd been forced to pay an onboard medical bill before being allowed to leave the ship - it took months of arguments and an investigation lasting months before any acknowledgement of poor service was obtained. My 82 year old aunt even suffered the indignity of a letter informing her bailiffs were instructed by Princess over the "outstanding" onboard medical bill, this despite them being aware the matter was with her insurers. The only advice I would offer on this is to ensure you have a substantial amount of foreign currency with you to pay things like taxis, food etc and keep an emergency credit card with a very large credit limit - Princess stated at least five figures would be required. Be aware your insurer will not automatically pick up the tab, you will have to start payment yourself. In Italy before medical care would commence, even with a valid GHIC, we were required to pay €2,000. That paid for a "bed" in the corridor in an over full hospital. Cover from your insurer is dependent on them checking your policy is valid, ie all your medical declarations were made and the insurer has seen your medical records. Even then you may well find yourself having to continue to pay out yourself for some time. I say this not to scare people but to warn them to be prepared.

Our hand luggage was weighed at the gate, before passport was checked. The lady told me it was because people go shopping in the airport and ram heavy items like bottles and toiletries in their bags and the bigger ones end up being way over the 10kg. My coat was pretty heavy as it was a ski jacket - there was heavy snow that year and I'd travelled to the airport by train. Bizarrely I was told nothing wrong with the coat but I should carry it over my arm and not put it in my bag.

He was wearing a tie, in fact it was his MCC one. We were confused as it was an outfit he'd worn on Queen Elizabeth in the summer but the Azura staff wouldn't have it. This was in 2014 so things may well be different now.

That works, my OH has done that in the past. It can be one part of your 28kg each. I've never got anywhere near my 28kg in the past as I travel with very light clothing for the Caribbean. We load up my medium sized case with toiletries, shoes etc and take one large case each. Myntotal last year going out was 21kg, my husband's was 19kg plus his suit carrier. We don't normally take drinks and get off once boarded to do so but as we are Saturday arrivals this year we will get some at the first port. TUI were pretty strict on hand luggage and we had to have our bags weighed as well as measured and airport purchases had to go in. I had put my coat in my bag and they told me off at the gate as it made it over the 10kg. Stupid as once I'd boarded I put it back in!

My OH has worn a linen suit but was told no go in his blazer and chinos. The luggage has to be split into cases. We normally take 3 and divide it between them. You have 56kg so divide into as many as you like. It's the weight limited, not the number.