P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Peanut006]

Good Morning everyone, it’s a dull and cloudy day here today unfortunately.

 

Just been doing a few “jobs” at home this morning, sorting out dog insurance which has just jumped by 40%, sorting out Christmas presents ready to take to parents to hide and other various bits of correspondence. 
 

It is our ladies coffee morning Christmas Night out tonight so looking forward to that

 

Michellr

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Peanut006 said:

As long as you can open the wine!!! That’s the main thing!! Hope you have a lovely time on Christmas Day

 

Michelle

I wonder if @zap99 will be well enough to open his wallet at the restaurant?😎😇

[Peanut006]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I wonder if @zap99 will be well enough to open his wallet at the restaurant?😎😇

I am sure he will, if not he might be doing the washing up!!!

 

We are out for lunch on Christmas Day and we have had to pay in advance and make our menu choices

 

Michelle

[Adawn47]

5 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

That seems to be a dreadfully discriminatory, derogatory and ageist remark. The people who invented what she refers to as "technology" are now elderly!

 

But there is hope... with time she may develop compassion, understanding, consideration, wisdom and an attitude of fairness towards others... it tends to come with age.

 

 

 

Years ago when teaching a college student how to use the various keys on a till, she was amazed,(and voiced it) that I actually knew what a qwerty keyboard was 🙄

I was offended she considered me that stupid😲 

The hair might be grey, but it grows from fertile ground😉

Avril

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, Adawn47 said:

Years ago when teaching a college student how to use the various keys on a till, she was amazed,(and voiced it) that I actually knew what a qwerty keyboard was 🙄

I was offended she considered me that stupid😲 

The hair might be grey, but it grows from fertile ground😉

Avril

We never realise how smart old people are until we get to be one Avril.

[Adawn47]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

I have a broken bone in my hand and am excused Christmas tree duty this year....I was so looking forward to it.🤣

Don't worry zap, I'm sure your hand will be much better tomorrow😇

Avril

[Adawn47]

11 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

We never realise how smart old people are until we get to be one Avril.

Too true Phil. I have graduated from a fun loving chick to a wise old bird, and over that time I learned the meaning of tact, and never to judge a book by it's cover.

Avril

[Josy1953]

7 hours ago, Rupert2251 said:

Hi Josy was this at Wolstanton? We were in there yesterday and even in the main store they are now asking how you are paying. If you are paying by card you are directed to a bank of self serve tills,no explanation how to use, we had to call for someone to come because we wanted a gift receipt so an assistant came and did the transaction for us.

Yes it was at Wolstanton.  I am getting tired of shops that are changing to to self serve tills.  Tesco and Sainsbury both seem to have switched to having mostly self serve tills and there is invariably someone having problems though I seem to be lucky in both Longton and Meir Park Tescos and Stoke Sainsburys, up to now I have had no problems in any of those stores.

DH says that they are obviously saving a lot on pay if they are prepared to alienate a fair  proportion if their customers.

[pete14]

3 hours ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

We’re back safe and sound from our Queen Victoria cruise to the Canaries. The drive up from Southampton to Cheshire on Wednesday was easy with good dry roads and light traffic, although between Swindon and Gloucester was thick fog.

 

This was our second cruise on Queen Victoria in 5 months and found the overall experience very good. Some notes below:

- at the Mayflower terminal check in and embarkation was well organised. We arrived at the terminal at 12.15 just as Queens Grill passengers were being called, the waiting area was full with QG, PG, Diamond and Platinum (which we are). We didn’t have to wait for check in as there were several desks available, then we had to wait for only about 10 minutes to be called. For security there was another 10 minute wait but we were fortunate that we were one of the first of the Platinum category and we’re on board by 1.00 pm, it would be a longer wait for those at the back of the queue but I guess that all priority boarding would be on board by about 1.15pm.

 

- The ship is in good condition and the Christmas decorations enhanced the interior. Some minor observations were that our balcony furniture was peeling off its coating, the cabin toilet flush was hesitant at times once taking 10 mins to flush after giggling for that time. At times there was a drain smell in different parts of the ship.

 

- The staff were very good from waiting, bar, reception and cleaners. They were cheery, polite and efficient.

 

- The quality of the food was good both in the mdr and buffet. However in the mdr in the evening there was only a choice of 3 main course non veggie on menu choices but every night there was something that I wanted, I presume if there was nothing that you wanted a steak or salmon etc could be provided? The steaks were not very good though, on the first night I had steak Diane and it was very thin like a what supermarkets call sizzle steaks, it was tender though. My wife and 2 others next to us ordered sirloin steak on another evening and all were not cooked to the correct preference. Medium/rare was medium/well done and medium was well done, the replacement that my wife got was full of sinew, again the sirloin steaks were thin. The evening menu choices were a bit strange at times, no curry’s then 3 nights in a row, lamb one night then another lamb dish the next and the same for venison at another time, I like both but 2 nights in a row?

 

- We only went to 2 shows, one was a Christmas theme which we enjoyed. The Queens room had a band and ballroom dancers most nights, but other musical acts also performed there including a superb 60s style band on the last night. What is the silent disco all about though, it’s hardly silent with participants singing along loudly and mostly badly😂

 

- Disembarkation was very straight forward, we had a time of 8.20 and got straight off. We found our luggage easily, walked to the cps parking area and were on our way within 15 mins.

 

Overall a very good pre Christmas relaxing cruise, now back to tidying the garden from all of the fallen leaves and putting up the Christmas decorations.

Thanks for your report. All seems very positive which is good but I couldn’t help but pick up on your point about the slimmed down MDR menu in the evening. It seems as though this may be a Carnival thing because Aurora was the same a couple of weeks ago. 

[Purdey16]

Lanzarote today sunny and cloudy and I think 22 . We docked a little further away from town this time and p&o ran a free shuttle bus into town about a 15 minute trip they said and then a 400 metre walk into town, there was also 2 disabled buses running. We only spent 2 hours in town and that was enough, last night’s entertainment was Electra again (they keep turning up on all our cruises) busy town today with a Aida ship and balmoral ship and us in . Tenerife tomorrow. Hope you are all well and not too cold 😁

[Splice the mainbrace]

I managed to get up most of the fallen leaves from the garden which fell while we were away. Used the mower on a high setting to suck up them up on the grass but racked up others, the garden looks a lot tidier.

 

We've just put the tree up and put the lights on, as is tradition I now have to retreat and not interfere with the decorating of the tree or comment in any way (like packing before we go away). Another tradition is a whisky coffee and Christmas songs playing on a TV video channel while the tree gets decorated.

 

The weather forecast is showing for this area mostly dry on Monday so I'll probably do the outside lights then.

[yorkshirephil]

13 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Thanks for your report. All seems very positive which is good but I couldn’t help but pick up on your point about the slimmed down MDR menu in the evening. It seems as though this may be a Carnival thing because Aurora was the same a couple of weeks ago. 

I think it is a Carnival thing, we noticed on Queen Elizabeth that the menu was not as extensive as our previous cruise, however the food was excellent, I did ask our waiter if they still did salmon, steak and chicken as there was no indication of it on the menu. He said they did plus if we wanted a salad as a main that was fine too.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I wonder if @zap99 will be well enough to open his wallet at the restaurant?😎😇

That may be a problem. Oh, just been told I have already paid, just drinks to add......🤔 it may be a dry lunch.

[zap99]

59 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Don't worry zap, I'm sure your hand will be much better tomorrow😇

Avril

The Doctor said I could blag it for 6-8 weeks.

[Splice the mainbrace]

10 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I think it is a Carnival thing, we noticed on Queen Elizabeth that the menu was not as extensive as our previous cruise, however the food was excellent, I did ask our waiter if they still did salmon, steak and chicken as there was no indication of it on the menu. He said they did plus if we wanted a salad as a main that was fine too.

Thanks for confirming the menu alternatives, we didn't want to ask the waiter as there was always something on which we would happily chose. I don't know if there was an anticipated problem one night because early in the cruise the head waiter was heavily promoting the Indian themed night in the buffet, which was excellent.

[indiana123]

10 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The Doctor said I could blag it for 6-8 weeks.

 

 

Six months ago I had endovascular surgery, which is amazing. A young person could get up and run round the block  next morning.  No after effects whatsoever.

 

As it took 5 hours I presumed I should take it easy for ages, also I complained to the surgeon about the half inch plasters.  I wanted BIG ones.   I tried to blag a few weeks rest but the surgeon said no and wouldn't lie to my other half.  He  was a stern man but we did have a laugh about it   (especially me singing Mamma Mia in the theatre!!!)

[Rupert2251]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

Yes it was at Wolstanton.  I am getting tired of shops that are changing to to self serve tills.  Tesco and Sainsbury both seem to have switched to having mostly self serve tills and there is invariably someone having problems though I seem to be lucky in both Longton and Meir Park Tescos and Stoke Sainsburys, up to now I have had no problems in any of those stores.

DH says that they are obviously saving a lot on pay if they are prepared to alienate a fair  proportion if their customers.

Another experience again today in M&S food. Two ladies in front of us on the self serve conveyor belt, clearly over 25 bought some wine. When the assistant came to authorise she asked the lady who was paying for ID, the lady said it was in the car, so the assistant asked her to go and get it holding up the rest of the queue. It turns out they were mother and daughter (daughter who was paying was in her 30ies). The mother was so embarrassed and kept apologising to us. I wonder if it was the same one who you had (no brains or common sense).

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

Yes it was at Wolstanton.  I am getting tired of shops that are changing to to self serve tills.  Tesco and Sainsbury both seem to have switched to having mostly self serve tills and there is invariably someone having problems though I seem to be lucky in both Longton and Meir Park Tescos and Stoke Sainsburys, up to now I have had no problems in any of those stores.

DH says that they are obviously saving a lot on pay if they are prepared to alienate a fair  proportion if their customers.

I think it depends how much shopping you have.  I have a mid sized Sainsburys  almost on

my doorstep, so tend to make several small shops over the week where a self serve till is far more convenient. But when I do a full shop with a trolley, then I also prefer a manned till. So I hope that supermarkets continue to offer both.

[9265359]

1 hour ago, Purdey16 said:

Lanzarote today sunny and cloudy and I think 22 . We docked a little further away from town this time and p&o ran a free shuttle bus into town about a 15 minute trip they said and then a 400 metre walk into town,

I was there yesterday on Azura and weirdly the shuttle bus was completely different. 
 

It was a two minute ride in the shuttle bus (£4 each way if you were not Select!) to the port entrance, and then a 15 minute walk to the town centre around the ‘puddle’. 
 

Today a glorious 24c in Tenerife. 
 

 

[Purdey16]

In the Horizon it did say £4 each way for non select but I suppose the birth we got at times there was not a safe pathway to walk at all so it was a bonus for us and they dropped you off at the tourist spot.

[Josy1953]

My friend just sent this to me, I can't imagine why.

[Josy1953]

3 hours ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

I managed to get up most of the fallen leaves from the garden which fell while we were away. Used the mower on a high setting to suck up them up on the grass but racked up others, the garden looks a lot tidier.

 

We've just put the tree up and put the lights on, as is tradition I now have to retreat and not interfere with the decorating of the tree or comment in any way (like packing before we go away). Another tradition is a whisky coffee and Christmas songs playing on a TV video channel while the tree gets decorated.

 

The weather forecast is showing for this area mostly dry on Monday so I'll probably do the outside lights then.

We have done things the other way round here because I don't like the Christmas tree up in the house too early because I find that it stops me from cleaning properly but DH put the outside lights up last weekend.

[Splice the mainbrace]

5 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

We have done things the other way round here because I don't like the Christmas tree up in the house too early because I find that it stops me from cleaning properly but DH put the outside lights up last weekend.

The outside lights going up are weather dependent and I had to concentrate on tidying the garden today as our garden bins go for the last time for a month on Monday. Our Christmas tree doesn't get in the way much to vacuum around it, it is going up a bit earlier than we normally do because the MIL is coming around this Sunday for lunch and it will be nice for her to see it then.

[Josy1953]

18 minutes ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

The outside lights going up are weather dependent and I had to concentrate on tidying the garden today as our garden bins go for the last time for a month on Monday. Our Christmas tree doesn't get in the way much to vacuum around it, it is going up a bit earlier than we normally do because the MIL is coming around this Sunday for lunch and it will be nice for her to see it then.

Our garden bins went a few weeks ago and don't go out again until either March or April.  DH got a load of leaves up this morning and there are still some to come down so he has put them in a bin liner ready to take to the tip. 

[twotravellersLondon]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

Our garden bins went a few weeks ago and don't go out again until either March or April.  DH got a load of leaves up this morning and there are still some to come down so he has put them in a bin liner ready to take to the tip. 

 

For 40 years we've cleared our shared drive of leaves... all 100 yards of it and it's beginning to be a bit of a "pech" to be honest. But yesterday we learned that good things come to those who wait. A neighbour's son... a ripper snapper in his late 50s cleared it for us... and collected up and bagged all of the leaves.

 

We thought that he had taken pity on us and was doing his good deed for the month... it seemed to be son kind and considerate of him... but... he was just collecting stuff for the compost heap on his allotment!