mrsgoggins

2 hours ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

Good morning! I’m now nearly 8 weeks post-op following a total reverse shoulder replacement and my physio rumbles on at a pace. I’m not back to driving yet but I hope to be soon, especially as we have a cruise booked for just under 2 months’ time which I’m starting to feel quite excited about.

 

Have a great day everyone! 🙂

I’m a year on from a reverse shoulder replacement (following a trip up my cruise ship bathroom step whilst half asleep) and I remember the strangeness of driving at first, but it’s just a memory now I’m glad to say. Persevere with the physio - I was shocked to be advised to take pain killers before I did the exercises 😳.  Good luck.

25 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

Just been out for afternoon tea at the Clifton Arms Hotel in Lytham with my mum. The hotel overlooks Lytham Green which is nice. It was delicious, apple and celery soup with cheese straws, home made sausage rolls, selection of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and a selection of cakes. I am stuffed!! We couldn’t manage to eat it all. 

 

So much for cutting down on the food after my hols!!! 

 

Michelle

Well that brought back memories of staying there for inset (training) courses back in the 80s. It was really good even then and I’m going to add it to my list for a return visit, so thank you.

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

That dinner looks heavenly.  I can't imagine walking 10k on a day as hot as that; you must be pretty fit!

 

It is beginning to cool down here, still summery but not roasting this week.

I was another 'up in the wee small hours' person last night, but for me it was the heat.  Normal drill; eat a piece of fruit, download the Times (and because we have the Times digitally, I missed the P&O ad from yesterday; it was probably a separate section like a well known company who package interesting cruises with land stays).  I'll take a look later.

Yesterday I had a text message from a good 77 year old friend who is currently doing a 6-7 hour cycle ride daily through France, to pre-booked accommodation, in a heatwave!  She also climbed up (and down) Snowdon within the last few months.  As my mother used to say 'she's not got a pickin' on her ....!' and I'm sure that helps, along with a lifetime of preferring to walk/cycle everywhere and with good genetics to boot.  She's the poster 'girl' for our group of friends.

Agree about a post from Avril being overdue, although I notice that she is still reading, but Harry and Wowzz .... well, I just wish .....  Isn't it amazing how you feel you 'know' people you have never met? On that topic, many years ago I met the moderator and family, of a Disney board I occasionally posted on, and they were exactly as I knew they would be - lovely people.  We are still in contact today and the fact that he and his wife are now cruising means we still have things in common, which is a bonus.

 Meanwhile, after a promising start to the day, it's clouding over here in south Lancashire and so a good day to prepare yet more apples for the freezer.  Every visitor is guaranteed apple crumble for the foreseeable future 😉

A bit of a ramble from me today 🤭

21 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

That is shocking. Too many low lives around that have no care or respect for anyone. 

 

Best wishes to you all.   Bob.

DH sometimes watches the Police chase-type of TV programme and the abuse the police have to put up with from some folk (young and not so young!) is just appalling; and that's before you even look at the crime being investigated. I have to keep repeating the mantra to myself that this is a small minority ........!

Michelle I am so sorry that the benefits from your holiday must be evaporating fast with the worry and the fact that you are both not well.  Let's hope the next few days bring big improvements on all fronts.

17 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good morning.

It is already 15°C and sunny here.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and are well this morning.

Nice here in Lancashire too, and off to WWT Martin Mere (we are lifetime members and it's my go-to place, like your beach visits maybe Graham?) to visit the ducks shortly, with our teenage grandson. Yesterday we took him to the Avro Heritage Museum at Stockport, where he and DH did a few of the cockpit tours.  They were especially pleased to do the Vulcan tour with a genuine former Vulcan pilot.  This museum is well worth a visit for anyone remotely interested - and has a good café with lovely views, which is where I spent much of my time 😉 

40 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Over the coming days as the country suffers in a heat wave and you send photos of your meals and beautiful sunny snaps please share a thought for anyone involved in a school ....

We have battled through the rain, cold and winds throughout August and have now had to go back to work / school

Not bitter ..... much .... really

😉

Hang on in there …… that Caribbean cruise is moving ever nearer; freedom looms 😉

On 9/1/2023 at 7:01 PM, yorkshirephil said:

Which cruise are you on Bob? as we have booked Canada and New England for Sept 24.

I read your post yesterday, researched the cruise and booked it today!  Great itinerary, so thank you 👍

2 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

Well I’m all packed up ,4 suitcases and 1 big hold all, housework done , nails and hair done so now chilling down the beach watching the air show , suns out and it’s a bit hot , hopefully the sun will shine everyday for you guys while I’m away . I will still read this thread every night because I’ve got Wi-Fi on the ship , I’m on sky princess so can’t really do a live blog on here for you but will post pictures now and again if people want .

Sky Princess is a favourite of mine too.  We sailed on her last year and again this and I hope you are as impressed as we were, so yes please, it would be lovely to have a few photographs.  Enjoy.

2 hours ago, kalos said:

 

Two sides to every story ,which reminds me ,where's  @Harry Peterson 

he would put you right 😉🤣

Hope your keeping ok if your reading this Harry 🙂

+1

I felt we were kindred spirits in all but our choice of chocolate!  I do hope his absence is temporary 🤞

23 hours ago, Tess2326 said:

Thank you for your help and I will contact accessibility about subtitles/cc and hopeful they will provides us subtitles at cinema 

I would be interested in the response you get.

When we have sailed on Disney, they advertise some showings of the same films with CC, which I think is an excellent idea and it surprises me that other cruise lines, which are likely to have far more passengers with hearing issues, do not do this.

I have also never been able to access CC on the TVs either.  I should add this is not for me, but for DH who prefers to read in any case, but I would like him to have the option.

On 8/26/2023 at 8:18 PM, Josy1953 said:

How many are watching Northern Soul at the Proms ?

We are reminiscing again, tonight it is about the soul nights at The Kings Hall in Stoke and Wigan Casino.  We wouldn't be able to dance for hours now.

Were any of the northerners on here soul fans ?

Not personally a fan of the music but I started my teaching career in Wigan in 1975 and was fascinated by the fifth formers’ tales of all-nighters at Wigan Casino and loved to watch them dance at school discos - just fascinating for the moves they could make!  This was before the days of elaborate Proms of course.

I had a conversation with a cheerful couple on Celebrity Silhouette today; he the pusher with his wife in wheelchair. I asked about the lift behaviour and they said people, and staff could not be more accommodating and they have had no problems at all, which I was delighted and relieved to hear.

Selbourne I do hope that your next cruises go much more smoothly in that regard. You have been very fortunate with your dining room treatment, but that does not compensate for your wife's feelings about changing floors on Iona.

The poster who mentions people using the lift for one or two floors, in a disparaging manner, could do well to withhold judgement. I may do this and DH will often say, if the lift is fullish, 'You get in and I'll take the stairs', and there is a reason for this which would not be obvious to the casual observer.

We will shortly leave Kristiansand, our final port, and so I wish us all smooth seas for our return to Southampton. Thank you so much for posting and keeping us updated.

14 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline was at work today so we will celebrate together tomorrow.

Wishing you both a lovely day today and maybe a lovely meal to celebrate 🥂

13 hours ago, Presto2 said:

..... Sadly, if we ever get to take our cruise in January, I fear it will be our last on PO - though we will always want to keep in touch with our PO buddies on here 😉

We have 2 land holidays booked for Cyprus and Italy for 2024 and in some ways we are really looking forward to them as it all seems less stressful !

I have 35 night (2024 and 2025) cruises booked with P&O, both on Ventura which I quite like, and importantly DH likes the pool (he's a 7 am swimmer 🙄) but I'm definitely hearing you about other options being less stressful - especially than the new ships. Like Selbourne, I'd done my homework before embarking on Iona but still concluded that it wasn't something I would repeat for the money I paid.  

Clearly others feel differently and I'm definitely not part of the demographic they are targeting for Iona or Arvira (?).

I am doing your itinerary in reverse it seems (Celebrity Silhouette) since we have just arrived in Stavanger and were in Olden yesterday!

The buses outside the ship in Olden do a short (just less than an hour) but pretty tour with a few photo stops.  We did it last year - just had a short walk yesterday, and from memory they have blue single deck buses which I suspect have better access.

I am appalled by the lift behaviour of some people and you are wrong to assume your experiences might have no interest to the able bodied.  I have been known to hold people back when aware of a wheelchair user who has been there longer than me.  (I was a teacher of 14-18 year olds and can 'project' when necessary 😉).  Pleased to read that you can also be assertive but not that it's necessary in the first place.

I've sailed with Princess and now Celebrity since Iona in March and we won't be back on her.  Not to our taste either despite having much we liked.  I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise and it's good to know that the younger ones are enjoying the ship.

8 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

I love your photos Graham, don’t stop posting them

 

Michelle

+1 

I especially like the inside the car photos with that day's snack. Even when raining, it feels cosy and makes me smile.

32 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I was awake at 4:13 this morning and couldn't find any way to go back to sleep so I got up at 4:35.  The cleaning is all done and I have made a cottage pie and prepared the veg for this evening,

On this forum, I'm envious of your energy and Brian's (@Brian1) lifestyle 😁

Please tell me you'll have an afternoon nap rather than going bowling, to make me feel better 😉!

8 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

It’s a lovely morning here today, some sitting outside on the patio might be in order.

 

I am feeling a bit cross today though. We have sold our house and we’re supposed to have a packing service coming today before moving into a rental bungalow for six months while our new house was been extended and renovated. We were supposed to exchange last Friday  - it didn’t happen, then Monday - it didn’t happen then yesterday the bottom of the chain pulled out so everything has collapsed. Now left with a solicitor’s bill, no rental house and possibly no house to buy. It shouldn’t be allowed to happen so late down the proceedings. 
 

Michelle

How very stressful for you!  Something similar happened to us decades ago and we ended up living on my mother's drive in our caravan, with our young son, for some months.  I hope it gets resolved for you soon.  I wonder if the Scottish system works better, as I have been led to believe.

59 minutes ago, TenneSea said:

@JG&Lcruisingnewbies Is the 19th sailing a 14 day cruise ?  

 

It's really been nice.  Hard to find time to do the blog but it certainly fills up an evening. 

 

I hope your cruise is as lovely as this one has been.  Our cruise director is Dan France and he has really been great.

Have you heard him sing yet?  Do attend if you get the chance; he's classically trained.  I've heard him a few times - on Sky last month and twice on Celebrity when he was a CD with them.  Quite a surprise for most people and not what they expect.

4 hours ago, indiana123 said:

Hallooooooooo  Here we go again, joining the Insomniacs Club.  It's my fault for boasting that things had been better sleep wise for a week or two.

 

I am fighting myself at the moment, I have a hot drink but I do not need biscuits, I do not need biscuits, I do not...........🤣🙃

I was awake at 4 am but didn't give in and get up, instead I listened to the 'Americast' podcast on Radio 5 Live of Donald Trump's latest woes on a 30 minute timer!  That helped me doze off again way before the end 😁

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

The Bee Gees and the Spirit of Adventure say hello from Douglas, Isle of Man 

 

 

We had a lovely few days in IOM just as things started to open up 2 years ago. It’s a lovely place and a childhood holiday destination for me. I wasn’t aware that any cruise ships called there, so that’s really interesting. I hope you are enjoying the Spirit of Adventure as a good friend of mine, and a seasoned cruiser, was on the cruise prior to yours and loved it.

5 hours ago, lincslady said:

One of my wakeful nights! 

 

Did anyone watch a programme yesterday afternoon on channel 4 (or could have been 5)  which I suspect is on every day this week, about Brits on a cruise?  The whole thing, to me, looks like pure advertising.  Three groups, two friends, three girls from Blackpool and a famiily of 4 with two young children, on Royal Princess, round the Med for a week.  The female of the couple expressed terrific surprise when she saw the huge ship - had not known what to expect.  I wonder if she had actually booked this cruise - do any of you not know what ship you are going on in advance?  No waiting in line to get on board, delight and surprise at  their cabin with unexpected balcony, champagne and canapes awaiting them etc.  If this is what Princess is like for everyone, it seems wonderful - have any of you experienced this sort of treatment on a huge Princess ship? 

 

 

I had seen it was going to be on and so set 'series record' and we watched it last night.  Now I like Princess a lot, but the staging of this programme was a bit much to take!  Not to mention the padding - thankfully it was recorded and I could jump minutes at a time, which I did.

I have status with Princess and, like Josy, have never had the treatment and in-cabin perks that these cruisers had when boarding any of their ships, including Regal Princess.  They had the 'Jane McDonald treatment' for sure 😉

Also enjoying your thread, which I’ve only just found.  What poor service from National Express!  I was interested in your comments about Virgin Upper since we have only used with the older layout in UC. Returning to LHR from TPA (PE) in January on a near empty plane (new route for Virgin), I asked to be shown the new UC seats and I wasn’t overly impressed.

We were on Sky’s Scandinavian & Baltic cruise last month and it was excellent all round - food, service, rooms etc.  We are booked on her next year for a Canaries cruise I’m happy to say 👍

We’re boarding Celebrity Silhouette in Southampton the day you disembark (also Fjords) and I’m pleased to report that the weather is looking good for the weekend.  Looking forward to the rest of your trip report and more great photos.

10 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

I have always tipped my steward and waiters. They deserve it and really appreciate it. 

I would agree with this.  I've done a lot of cruising over the past few years and whilst I have had some truly exceptional staff members, all have been efficient and deserving of an extra 'thank you'.  My view on this is possibly coloured by the fact that when young, I did a summer season at a high-end Swiss hotel as a chambermaid and appreciate what hard work it can be.  I even leave a tip in a Premier Inn!

I am sure those 'unseens' on cruise ships work equally hard and I'm pleased to think that P&O do the 'tips included' thing, which I hope means they are paid accordingly.

Edited to add that Guest Services have envelopes at the ready towards the end of the cruise for those who request them.  I tend to save and re-use envelopes which come containing reservations or invitations etc.  

I hand over tips, in an envelope, the day before disembarkation.  Mainly because on the morning you leave, the room attendant may be busy clearing out another room and would need hunting down.  I also give additional tips the night before if we have had the same servers in the MDR for most of the cruise. This was not necessary on Iona because we rarely had the same ones twice and the multiple locations.