Live from the 2015 QE World Voyage

[Moonraker7]

It did have Kobe on the side but surely it didn’t travel all the way to Kobe in Japan ?

 

I just searched Kobe to Busan, and yes, a ferry does operate!!! Wow!! Once again, I will probably never go on a world cruise, so thank you all for th posts!! Loving them [emoji3]

[alibabacruisers]

Sunday, 22 Mar

 

Oooo, I slept until 8:30.....OR so I thought! I forgot to turn the time back

an hour last night!! First time I did that! Had me trying to figure out

what was going on most of the morning. We decided that since it was after

"8:30" we would go to the Main DR for the first time, bu could not figure out

why the doors still weren't open. LOL. Then went down to the Tour's Desk

to ask a question and they weren't open (supposed to open at 9:00) and it was

"9:30". It was then that DH found out the correct time! Shew, made me feel

like I was lost in the twilight zone!

 

We asked our question at the Tour's Desk and it was about an excursion for

Shanghai. We originally thought we'd do it on our own, but since we have OBC

we picked one to do thru Cunard. It will be only a half day tour and then we

can wander around and see what else we can find on our own. Last year we had

done the Best of Shanghai which was a full day tour and took us to a few

places that you have to see when in Shanghai. This time we have chosen the

Futuristic Shanghai, which is where you can take the Maglev train for a quick

run to experience it, see Jinmao/Hyatt Building, and have a chance to

photograph the Oriental Pearl Tower. Gavin told us that after the excursion

they give you the opportunity to be dropped off near the Bund where the

ship's shuttle drops off/picks up, then you can take the shuttle back to the

ship. That is our plan for tomorrow. This morning, when we left our cabin,

we had the HK transfer sheet in our slot so I completed that and turned that

into the Tour Desk as well. A Cunard airport transfer was $35 per person via

coach so that sounded good to us. They had an option for a private transfer

but that was around $135-$195 depending on if you wanted a sedan or van I

believe.

 

Then I walked around the ship looking for opportunities where I could shop

and use some OBC. The sales near the shops had duty free purses, chains for

sale by the inch, Revlon lipstick cubes (9 tubes), Revlon 5 pack of lipstick,

Revlon 3 pack of nail polish in 2 color wheel options, or small Revlon

makeup kits. I could not decide on any of those and made my way to the book

store. I wanted to purchase a 2015 (yes 2015) Cunard calendar for a keepsake

and a QE interactive (it has a little ship in it that floats to the top when

you turn it upside down) :)) pen. LOL.

 

I never did make it to a quiet spot to read when I noticed it was time for

lunch...again...lol. Met up with DH at the elevator to our deck and smiled

at each other like "we must be psychic". I had the pasta and a salad today.

I finished it off by trying to emuate the ice cream cones that I saw in Busan

yesterday...the 12 inch pile of ice cream. It didn't work because the ship's

ice cream is too moist, so my "pile" was only about 5 inches which I thought

was a pretty good effort. :)

 

DH was relating to me an issue that cropped up at the table tennis area. He

was saying that when they get there there are not any of the balls around,

and when brought to the attention of the attendant the attendant said that

some of the new passengers take them with them when they leave the area by

placing them in their pockets! Can you believe it? How rude!! And they also

don't adhere to the rules, which are understood by the regulars, that when

playing if you want to play the next game you sit on a bench, or stand

nearby, and wait your turn to play the winner. Even when there are long

queues to play, they won't stop playing each other. Someone will try to

explain to them, but they smile, and say they don't understand and keep

playing. Now, I think that they need to post multi-lingual rules and

etiquette flyers in that area as well as the other sporting areas. It is

just not fair to let a group of passengers take over and do what they want!

Another rant over.....

 

I went back to the room to finish off yesterday's blog which took forever,

because CC and me were having issues! I would take a break every now and

then to get our last suitcase out and try to add a few things to it. It will

now reside on our sofa with the zipper open and I can add as I go. We only

have 4 DAYS TO GO!!! BOO HOO.

 

I walked around the ship some more to see what was happening around the ship.

I was on Deck 3 on the balcony of the Queen's Room and I got to hear a bit of

classical pianist Hiro Takenouchi's concert. The sale from earlier, near the

shops, was being packed up for the day. The shops actually had quite a few

people inside and possibly purchasing items. I descended the stairs near the

Casino and looked at the clock that is central to the staircase. It is such

a pretty site here. It was then that I spotted another CC friend, Judith.

We hadn't spoke for since Yorkey's Knob so I had a quick chat with her. She

was leaving tomorrow for an overland trip and I would not see her before I

disembarked so we said our goodbyes and I felt a bit sad. I enjoyed meeting

and talking to her over the time we have been on the cruise and will miss

her. Then I starting thinking how this was the beginning of the goodbyes I

would have to say in the next few days. :(

 

Then I walked around the Casino and decided to watch some people that were

playing on the Roulette Wheel. I thought I would play a bit since it has

been eons since I played, but it Casino Desk, the technician checked it out

and said I needed to get a new card, to which I said no way since I get off

in 4 days. It must have been a sign for me not to even try it. :)(

 

Since I was at that end of the ship I wanted to watch DH play ping pong. He

was there playing with some people he had played with a lot and the laughter

was contagious. I asked in there were still balls around or had they walked

off in someone's pockets (a reference to above rant...lol). After a bit of

watching them play, I took the elevator up to the Commodore Club, which I

haven't utilized this whole cruise. I was going to walk in and have a seat

by the window but most were taken and I just walked around outside looking at

the plaques from all over the world that had been given to QE in various

ports. That was so interesting to see!

 

Well it was time to head back to the cabin so we could decide what to do for

dinner. By this part of the cruise, it is sad to say, but we will have

dinner in our room again because the DR menu did not appeal and the Lido was

already filling with people waiting for dinner to start.

 

We are due to be alongside Wusongku Cruise Terminal in the morning by around

6 tomorrow morning so after watching a bit of TV it is off to bed for me.

 

Until tomorrow.....

Edited March 22, 2015 by alibabacruisers

[Scrapnana]

I will be interested to hear where the Cunard shuttle drop off point is in Shanghai. I heard a number of complaints (mine being one) last year because you had either a hefty walk or a taxi ride to get to any place of interest from the silk factory which was the drop off point.

 

Barbara,

 

I can't believe that the time has gone by so quickly and it is only days until you disembark. I have enjoyed reading your accounts and getting to know you for the few days I was onboard. Have a safe trip home and I'll see you on the sail-aways!

 

Kathi

[brigittetom]

I can't believe it's almost over either. I've been following along since day one and want to thank you for the wonderful reviews and especially for the time and effort put into it. I hope you enjoy your last days and that you have an easy journey home. :)

[maggiemou]

I will be interested to hear where the Cunard shuttle drop off point is in Shanghai. I heard a number of complaints (mine being one) last year because you had either a hefty walk or a taxi ride to get to any place of interest from the silk factory which was the drop off point.

 

Barbara,

 

I can't believe that the time has gone by so quickly and it is only days until you disembark. I have enjoyed reading your accounts and getting to know you for the few days I was onboard. Have a safe trip home and I'll see you on the sail-aways!

 

Kathi

 

Yes, There were many complaints over the drop off point last year and we were one of them as we had been on the Shanghai tours / shuttles buses in previous years and the Bund was always the drop off point.

It seemed from what I found out the port agent had arranged for the drop to be at the silk museum/factory as he was wanting his commission no doubt. ;)

The silk museum is really good for buying silk duvets and they are a good price. We bought two four years ago and they are cool in summer warm in winter and as light as a feather. Well worth having. However, word of warning, the silk duvet covers are fabulous to look at. More expensive than the actual duvet itself beautiful designs and come in different grades of weight. We bought two last year. We were not aware that there is a seam in the middle so the fabric is joined across the middle. After a few weeks of wear the seams came apart.

I had to have then redone. I would still recommend buying them as they are fabulous to sleep in, but make sure you ask for a seamless one. I never knew this so take my advice here , a seamless duvet cover will be great.

If you want to go alone and ride the Mag Lav fastest train in the world which is easy to do read my blogs below for directions. Enjoy Shanghai it is another amazing place. :)

 

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-guides/maggiemou/?utm_campaign=MAGGIE290414&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MAGGIE290414

[maggiemou]

Barbara and John thank you for your posts on Busan, it was really good to read them as I did the same tour last year. It was one of the best tours. I really think Cunard do the best tours in the Asian ports and if you try to do it alone you miss out on a lot of information. We have done Shanghai many times now so we are happy to go alone but for a one off visit you can not beat a Cunard tour. Some of the best tours we have had have been in Vietnam, China Japan South Korea and Petra.

So lovely to read that you did the same and it was all like yesterday. We watched our video so we were with you. :)

I am sorry your cruise is nearing the end Barbara and many thanks for all your hard work writing your blogs and getting them posted up. Well done. Enjoy your last few days on board.

If anyone wants to see photos of Busan that Barbara describes see my blog from last year as there are many photos of Busan. I am not trying to highjack your post Barbara & John but I know how hard it is to get photos online from the ship, and the photos show the amazing Buddha's you saw on your tour.

find Busan below.

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-guides/maggiemou/?utm_campaign=MAGGIE290414&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MAGGIE290414

Edited March 23, 2015 by maggiemou

[babs135]

Barbara, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful reports. I feel that I've been along with you with the ride and am definitely adding a World Cruise to our bucket list. I've always been worried that it is such a long time away from home and that I might get bored, but following you has truly opened my eyes.

 

Now if only I can get DH to open his wallet :D

[DreamflightPat]

Hi Maggie, feeling slightly better now. Ear has just "popped" so I can hear. Just to clear things up I wasn't meaning about questions re the world cruise, those are great. I was referring to MSC ship. Sad as it was I thought it should be a separate post and not on the World Forum. Hope that makes it clear. Will email you soon.

[maggiemou]

Barbara, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful reports. I feel that I've been along with you with the ride and am definitely adding a World Cruise to our bucket list. I've always been worried that it is such a long time away from home and that I might get bored, but following you has truly opened my eyes.

 

Now if only I can get DH to open his wallet :D

 

Do it while you can Babs 135 as it is a wonderful experience, and once you have done you always have the memories. Life is too short at times so make time to do these things. Only problem is, it can be addictive so hope DH as a big wallet. :) :) Have fun Maggie.

Edited March 23, 2015 by maggiemou

[babs135]

. hope DH as a big wallet. :) :) Have fun Maggie.

 

Deep pockets, short arms 'sigh' :D

[dancourt]

A big thank you Barbara for all your many posts re your adventures. I have enjoyed them all.

 

After following Maggiemou's world cruise last year and yours this year a world cruise is definitely something we will do, sooner rather than later.

 

Safe journey home.

 

Susan

[maggiemou]

Hi Maggie, feeling slightly better now. Ear has just "popped" so I can hear. Just to clear things up I wasn't meaning about questions re the world cruise, those are great. I was referring to MSC ship. Sad as it was I thought it should be a separate post and not on the World Forum. Hope that makes it clear. Will email you soon.

 

Hee! Pat JT would love to have an ear that needed popping. He would be glad of a bit of peace from me chattering away all day. :) Glad you are back on form. When is your book day and talk? Have fun. stay well . MMx

Edited March 23, 2015 by maggiemou

[AlisonH]

Thank you for taking the time to share your adventures Barbara - safe travels home.

 

We have just over 2 weeks until we leave for Dubai for our pre cruise stay, looking forward to joining those of you on board.

 

Alison

[Oahucruiser]

Barbara you aren't the only one who is sorry for your voyage to end. It has been a delight to read your daily updates that are so detailed, positive and fun. Have a safe journey home and maybe you will give some final thoughts and a summary of your time on board after you arrive back home. Cheers, Patti

[MicCanberra]

Barbara you aren't the only one who is sorry for your voyage to end. It has been a delight to read your daily updates that are so detailed, positive and fun. Have a safe journey home and maybe you will give some final thoughts and a summary of your time on board after you arrive back home. Cheers, Patti

 

Agreed, along with Johns posts, they have provided a detailed account of the voyage. Thanks all.:D

[robbo]

Thanks Barbara for the wonderfully informative updates - you have been extremely dedicated and it's very much appreciated. Only sorry you will be leaving before we get on at Dubai. All the very best to you and DH.

[alibabacruisers]

Aww, thank you all so much for your kind words and they are making me a bit dewy eyed.....:o Since this was my first time writing a daily account of my cruise, I was not sure how much to include. But I remember always wanting to know the flow of people's day on a longer cruise, so I just tried to write what I did so it may help others. Some days were boring, I know, but it is good to be able to share those times as well as the others. I am also glad John and others post here as well, so you can get a different view of a day.

 

I have really enjoyed the process, and I love it knowing friends, whom I have yet to meet, are reading and taking the cruise "with me"!:)

 

Monday, 23 Mar

 

We were alongside when I woke up at 5:30 at Wusongkou Cruise Terminal which is about an hour from central Shanghai. The Lido was supposed to be open at 6am so I dressed quickly in hopes to eat before the hordes arrived. I got there at 5:45 and the hordes arrived shortly after and even more than usual

for a port. So I quickly ate and went back to the room after grabbing a few tangerines for our room. DH had placed a room service breakfast order delivery for 7am so he could try it. We have had room service for lunch and dinner but never breakfast, on this cruise.

 

The forecast temperature is supposed to be a high of 12C and the air from our

balcony tells us that this feels about right. So we will take our jackets

with us and possibly the umbrella. We are to meet in the Queen's Room at 8am

for our tour, Futuristic Shanghai. We got there right at 8am and there were

quite a few people already there waiting. It wasn't too long of a wait and

we had to exit the ship via Deck 3 gangway.

 

Oh, I forgot to say that last night we had received a photocopy of our

passports that the Chinese Immigration officials had placed a magnetic

barcode on and we had to take these with us when we were in Shanghai today.

And at the end of our day they had to be turned in via a box on the ship or

the Purser's Desk.

 

So, back to the tour. We left the ship and went into the Wusongkou Cruise

Terminal where we showed our photocopy to the Immigration officials and they

scanned the barcode and checked that we matched our photos. Then it was out

of the terminal and to our coach #23 where we met our tour guide Li-Li (not

sure of the spelling). She was very personable, spoke very good English and

had a great smile! That is a great start!

 

Li-Li introduced herself to everyone and then gave us a summary of today's

itinerary. We would be going via coach into the city, to a train station on

the Pudong side where we would catch the Maglev bullet train. Then we would

take the Maglev on a short trip to Pudong International Airport, roundtrip,

before returning to the station in Pudong. From there we would reboard he

coach to go to the Jinmao Hyatt Building before making a quick photo stop to

see the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Then we would return either to the ship or

we could choose to be dropped off at the shuttle stop at the Bund and return

later to the ship.

 

Along our short excursion, Li-Li gave us a lot of interesting information and

kept us laughing and smiling with her sense of humor. It was funny because

she would say something straight-faced to see if we caught her, but then

smile coyly and tell us the real story. We had a great time and we wished we

had more time to spend with her.

 

The Maglev was our first time traveling in a bullet train and it was an

amazing trip, although very short at 7 minutes one way. Because it was still

peak time when we arrived, the train would reached the top speed around 431

kilometers per hour (267 mph). My DH said that he thought the reading was

wrong because it did not feel like we were going very fast and I told him to

stop watching the distant view and try watching the view next to the train.

 

I took a video of a portion of the ride showing the view both close and far

so he could see the difference and for our memories. The train, as well as

the station itself, was clean and modern inside. Once we left the train Li-

Li confided to us that the train is driverless and is run by computer and she

said she did not tell us this prior because some might have been upset to

find that there was not a driver. :)

 

The Jinmao Building was an amazing thing to see! I loved the architecture

and it was very different to most of he buildings I have ever seen. It was

textured and tiered as compared to most that are smooth on the exterior. We

were to be whisked to the 88th floor where there was an observation floor to

get a 360 degree view of Shanghai. There were several kindergarten classes

there for an excursion and it struck me funny that they would take such young

children to this place for an excursion. We boarded the elevator, about 15

people at a time, and reached the top in about 45 seconds. Inside the

elevator it has a digital readout of the speed and the floor/sec. The views

were amazing especally because it was a nice, clear day! We took lots of

pictures and videos. As you walked around the observation deck there were

several souvenirs desks and I, of course, had to get the required souvenir

magnet which was 200 yen. After about 15 minutes, we rode the elevator back

down and back outside to take more pictures of the surrounding TALL

buildings. Truly amazing to me because each building looked different from

the others. We even saw a man on a window cleaning platform way up the side

of one of the buildings and what was even more impressive was the fact that

he was not only cleaning the windows but the marble on the building itself! I

wonder how long all that would take him?

 

Back on the coach and we drove around a short distance before stopping at a

predetermined spot that was included because it was the best spot to get a

great shot of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Only a handful of us got out to

get another picture of the pretty building.

 

Then it was time to go from the Pudong side of Shanghai, which Li-Li said was

less than 30 years old, back to the Huangpu Park and Bund area. You could

see the contrast between the two with the modern side, Pudong, having more

modern looking buildings, wider, less crowded looking walkways and roads, to

the more colonial looking buildings, crowded, more narrow walkways and roads.

Last year we did not have time to see the Bund so we departed our tour coach

in order to stay in the city longer. We would take the shuttle bus back to

the ship later. The Bund area was beautiful. There was a nice, wide walking

platform built for many people to view the city, and get a spectacular view

of Pudong and its many unique buildings. We saw so many people here! They

had little desks set up and you could purchase a 3D picture of a background

with you "inserted" into the photo. There were different backgrounds and were

different prices depending on the background, size of the photo, etc. We also

saw several wedding parties getting pictures taken along the stretch of the

Bund, as well as in front on some of the beautiful, colonial looking

buildings across Zhongshan Road. Along our travels in this area we saw quite

a few QE passengers, which in itself, was amazing to me.

 

We took the shuttle bus back to the ship and it took 45 minutes. We wound

our way back through the termina, through Customs and Immigration before

finally boarding the ship. Once on board, there was a wooden box set up near

the B elevators, where, if you were not going back into the city, you could

deposit the barcoded photocopies of your passports.

 

We were glad to take this tour because it was such a contrast to the tour we

took last year, which concentrated on Yu Yuan Gardens, Market, Olde Town,

Shanghai Museum, a silk factory and the older part of Shanghai. With the

cruise this year, it was our first time encountering being at a port for the

second time and now we really enjoy that feeling of seeing a more rounded and

different part of a city. :)

 

We were hungry at this point and grabbed a bite in the Lido where quite a few

people were also having lunch. I walked around the ship to just enjoy the

ship and it is taking on a different meaning since we only have 3 days left

to go before we disembark. I am already feeling nostalgic as well as the

need to get pictures of places on the ship, and even more so getting to talk

to the friends we have made along the way. I am making it a priority to make

my rounds tomorrow to try and touch base with everyone.

 

We opted for an early dinner in our cabin as that time grew near. The day

outside was now sunny and a bit warmer so we enjoyed the view over Shanghai

for awhile. As the sun slowly descended, the Costa Victoria, who was also in

port with us today, sailed out her spot at the terminal and continued on her

way. We heard QE's horn blaring to the Costa Victoria and she replied with

her horn. It warms the heart to see the etiquette that ships practice.

 

We were due to be back on board by 730pm and kept waiting for the

announcement that everyone was back on board, etc. At around 730pm , we

heard nothing and we were still docked and when I looked at the balcony

window I saw one coach letting off passengers. When we finally sailed away,

we had not had any announcements to that effect. That has happened several

times and can be frustrating as we have gotten used to that routine. We felt

movement and checked outside where we saw we had already left the dock and

were on our way.

 

After downloading and labelling my photos, I watched a little TV. Then most

channels either had the music and Cunard logs, or said No Signal so I turned

off the light and the slight rocking of th ship lulled me to sleep. Until

next time.....

Edited March 24, 2015 by alibabacruisers

[Janix]

Monday 23rd March – Shanghai

 

Following our departure from Busan we travelled roughly 500 nautical miles through the Korea Straits and across the East China Sea to the port of Shanghai and the new cruise terminal at Baoshan. After docking early at around 0430 in the morning, we were allowed the luxury of a later rise as our trip did not depart until 1145 am. Baoshan is approximately 10 miles north of the City of Shanghai and the trip into the city itself took around an hour in the heavy traffic.

 

Shanghai has a population of more than 24 million inhabitants (more than the entire population of Australia ?) and after driving through the outskirts on the very busy roads we arrived at the downtown area. Don’t believe the Chinese all ride around on bicycles, some do but the majority seem to now use four wheels and most of those appear to be very new cars. There were also many European cars visible. However their driving standards seem to be less than European ! Although we had missed the rush hour, it was still very busy as we headed to the old town area of Shanghai.

 

Here we enjoyed a walking tour exploring the narrow alleys and cobblestone lanes, crossing the zig-zag bridge to stop evil in its tracks (evil only travels in straight lines), in order to view the Pavilion Teahouse. This led to the Yu Garden, a classic Ming Dynasty garden home with traditional halls and pavilions. It was built during the reign of Ming Emperor Jiajing (1559) as the private garden of Pan Yunduan, who was an administration commissioner of Sichuan province. Very photogenic !

 

We then returned to the coach for a drive around the downtown area giving us views of the many new skyscrapers, and heading for the 468 metre Oriental Pearl TV Tower. This is reputedly the wolds third largest TV tower and we were taken to the 263 sightseeing floor which gave 360 degree views of the city in the sunshine. We then took some steps down to a lower level at 259 metres to the Transparent Observatory, where one could ‘stroll in air along the unique all glass panel 360 observatory in the world’. Not my cup of tea so I stayed on the solid floor, however many people were lying on the glass floor for the ubiquitous selfie.

 

After descending the tower we were allowed 30 minutes which allowed us a rapid viewing of the Shanghai History museum situated on the ground floor. This was quite a revelation portraying the history of Shanghai up to the modern day. We then reboarded the bus and proceeded down to the riverside for a view of the Bund – the garden promenade alongside the river, in order to view the older buildings from the east side of the river. All the skyscrapers tend to be on the newer west side.

 

At this stage it was noticed that we had lost a couple of passengers, so we made a return trip to see if they could be spotted at the TV tower, which was a very busy and crowded area. However they were not spotted so we continued to our last stop, and possible highlight of the trip – dinner at a floating restaurant while the sun set and viewing the city’s illuminations.

 

The meal was fine, but I suppose it could have been a Chinese meal produced anywhere, the only really memorable thing being one of the unchewable cold starters ? The remainder of the meal was perfectly adequate and was washed down with some green tea and Chinese beer, which wasn’t strong at 3.1% but it was nice and cold. By this time we had been told that the missing couple had found the shuttle bus and were back at the ship, so they were lucky.

 

Around an hours drive and we were back at the ship, a little late at 1945 instead of 1930 and we were whisked through Chinese immigration and back on board in no time. For our stay we had to carry photocopies of our passport details which bore an official Chinese Stamp and magnetic barcode to ease processing through immigration. Chinese officials had been on board from Busan checking visas and validating the photocopies provided. These then had to be deposited at reception on returning to the ship.

 

The ship pulled away from the dock at 2030 and we are now heading southwest towards Hong Kong where we are due to arrive at sunset on Wednesday. The weather today (Tuesday) is fine and sunny and we can feel it warming up again. In the captain’s announcement at noon we have once again been informed of deteriorating weather tonight with expect 45 knot winds and 4-5 metre seas, so more adverse weather again.

We are saying goodbye to several friends in Hong Kong whose company we have enjoyed on this trip, Barbara and Ali, and also Christine and David in particular, and wish them all a safe onward flight home to Australia. How long will it be before they start looking through the brochures again ????  

 

Until next time !

 

John

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the updates on Shanghai, I enjoyed my time there and found it such a surprise to what I expected. :D

I suspect that all those leaving in HK may already have a cruise or cruises lined up for the future.

[tangoll]

Alibaba and Janix, thanks for your almost daily reporting. I will be boarding in 2 days in Hong Kong and going on the 8 day segment to Singapore.

 

I understand that a large contingent of ballroom dancers from US should have boarded in then Yokohama, but now Kobe. Have you noticed them dancing the night away in the Queen's Room, and or at other times, practicing in the QR, etc?

 

Have you noticed the gentlemen dance hosts squiring single ladies onto the dance floor, and do you have any comment on their dance skills?

[maggiemou]

Barbara Thank you for you all your posts and I have to say how much I enjoyed reading them. I wish you a safe journey home and maybe see you next year. :) Cheers Maggie.

[maggiemou]

John & Andrea thank you for your review, great as always. Give Chis & Dave a hug from me I wish them a safe journey home. Let Toni and her Husband who's name I forgotten ( sorry is it Phil seems ages since my birthday party in the Admiral lounge) I wish them a well and enjoy the rest of their cruise. I guess your cabin parties are now going to be smaller :(

Talk later Maggie. X

[MawganTr]

I have loved reading the regular updates about this trip. I'm many years away from being able to do the world but I'm living it through the descriptions on here!

My husband has just told me that a friend of ours (& his wife) will be joining the ship in Singapore so I'll have to hear more info from them. *not* envious at all!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[alibabacruisers]

Tuesday, 24 Mar

 

I was up at 5:30 am and ready for breakfast and my busy day ahead. We had a nice breakfast in the Lido, of course. It will be sad to leave the ship in a couple of days and we will especially miss the crew we have seen most days of our segment, SOU-HK.

 

Back in the cabin I worked on completing yesterday's blog before trying to plan out my day in my head. DH had a few sporting events he wanted to attend to so off he went a bit early. After the blog, I added a few more things to the third suitcase and one carry-on, secretly wishing I could stay until the end, but sadly cannot because work needs me....lol (that is what I tell myself to make it easier).

 

I walked around a pretty empty ship to look at parts of the ship and take more pictures but with a different mindset. As I entered an area, I thought about the experiences I had had in them, and took a picture from that point. As I was on Deck 1 I needed to get the most updated copy of our account so I could see exactly how much OBC I still had so I could shop til I dropped later. It was still very quiet so I went to the Casino and played for a bit and would win a bit and lose a bit, but that pattern kept me going for about an hour.

 

I wandered up to the shops, where from 9-4pm today they were having a sale again. I just happen ;) to get there as they were setting up....how lucky!

Not too many elbows to fight against so I got quite a lot of souvenirs and gifts. Then I hit the book store as well as the ship shop to purchase a few more things. My bags were pretty heavy so I had to go back to the room to drop them off. DH wasn't there so I did not get to show him what got.....lol

 

I wanted to get some action shots of DH and his sporting events so I went to Deck 12 where I found him playing croquet, short mat bowls and paddle tennis. A lot of his friends were there and I was glad to get some photos of them all together as he had grown quite fond of them, much to his surprise. I had a lot of fun watching and their laughter was very contagious! It made me think that I should have been playing since the beginning of the cruise....isn't that what always happens...well, it does for me. There is always at least one thing that I wish I had done more and tried, but hey isn't that why we continue to book another cruise? so we can "grow" with each experience? Nice thought.

 

I wanted to get some note cards to handout to friends so I went back to the shop to do that. I sat near a window at the Midships Bar area and wrote notes. It made me a bit weepy and I am sure the people around me thought I was a bit strange. I had to deliver them and that was emotional as well, but no one caught me doing it so I escaped for the moment (didn't want anyone to see my loss of control ;) ).

 

Then it was time for .........you guessed it! Lunch! LOL. We had company today in the Lido and that was one of DH's friends whom we had just seen at the sporting event. I was so glad to have an opportunity to talk with this very personable and amazing man. We usually eat and are out of there pretty quick, but today, because of the nice conversation, we were there for over an hour. During our meal, the Captain did her noon announcement and said we might be encountering a bit rougher seas later so that meant Avomine would be taken for one more night, just in case. A few minutes later gues who we finally saw out and about? The Captain! I could not believe it because this would be only the second time since Sydney that we have actually seen her. She was saying hello to everyone and smiling and that was so nice to see.

A CC friend stopped by to chat and we arranged to meet up later so I could pass on my CC M&G stuff.

 

I went back to the cabin to gather my things once again and set off. DH caught me and asked me to get another one of the floating ship QE pens because he thought they were so neat! So I added that to my list and we parted again. After acquiring the aforementioned pen, I went to meet my friend and we talked for a long time (thanks Karen). I am so thankful for being able to meet so many friends on this cruise and I intend to keep in touch.

 

I stopped by the Tours Desk again and asked a question about our HK transfer and the nice girl there said she was just about to deliver our instructions and labels so gave me mine to save a trip. They gave me 4 labels and I had to ask for a few more, to label the extra one we had shipped using White Star. The labels that they had been trialling (ones you were supposedly to keep on your luggage from beginning to end) prior to the cruise were now invalid. I am interested to know if they continue the trial or go back to the "old" way.

 

As I walked around some more I came across some other CC friends. Once they heard I was leaving in 2 days, they said they wished they were leaving too. I was sorry to hear that they had had some frustrating times since the beginning their cruise. After listening to their stories, I felt bad for them. After listening to them and remembering things that I have listened to people say throughout this cruise, I feel Cunard needs to work on improving certain issues. Many of the same issues keep cropping up and never seem to get taken care of. Although I have seen instances of problems, I have also had times where I have seen Cunard shine and go way beyond what people expect. That is the Cunard I wish Cunard would share consistently with people. I do plan on writing my personal comments to Cunard and hope they really do read everyone's comments. At least by the end of our conversation, we were smiling so I was glad for that. I thanked them for attending the M&G and giving me feedback on the tours I organized. We wished each other well and who knows maybe we'll meet another day soon.

 

You know what? I am having such a wonderful time just talking and listening to the people I have gotten to know and wish I had spent more time doing that. People have such interesting lives and it is good to hear...I love it!

 

I wanted to go by the DR to check the menu tonight, and it sounds good so we'll be going there tonight...for our last time. The last day or two are always so hectic and we have learned, that for us, those times are full of detail-oriented issues, that we skip dinner on the last night or two. We will have to say our goodbyes to our wonderful waiters and that will be sad too.

 

After dinner we said goodbye to some more CC friends. We still have a few more to see and I hope we can see them tomorrow. It has been such a wonderful experience to go on CC, talk to these people online for over a year, meet them on the ship, and spend time with them at various times over our 74 days on the ship. In two days it will come full circle and we will be back home and hopefully talking to them via CC. I hope we will be able to keep in touch!

 

Now back in the cabin and trying to pack a few more things. When I turn on the TV the news of another airplane crash! Sad news never stops. Our prayers go out to all involved.

 

I will fill out my Cunard comment card tomorrow when I can think clearly. There is definitely more movement now in the seas as we were told to expect by the Captain at her noon announcement. So will wind down a bit and then it will be off to sleep for me. Later today, I will try to post about my last day if I have any internet left. If I don't have an minutes left, I will post on my return.

 

Thank you ALL for following me on this voyage and I appreciate the time you have taken to read it. A special thank you to Kathi (Scrapnana) for starting this LIVE thread!! See you all around on CC....:)

[soc1965]

Dear Barbara,

A huge thank you for your wonderful blog over the weeks ~ it has been a pleasure to follow you. I cannot imagine the time & commitment you have put into it for our enjoyment & enrichment, but I think you know from the many positive comments you've received that we are all grateful.

Enjoy your last days on board, safe travels home & treasure your memories.

I really hope someone on board takes up your mantle, I for one will not know what to read with my early morning cuppa if not!

Very best wishes.