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

[DamianG]

On 5/9/2024 at 12:42 PM, SarahHben said:

I love Cadiz, my favourite port from our cruise last summer

Our favourite of all the ports we’ve been to!

[DamianG]

5 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

A discussion on another thread has reminded me of a bit of nostalgia. Do you remember going to new ports and the welcome you got back when ships were seen as a very welcome addition to the local economy.

 

The first time we went to Cartagena we were given a flower from ladies in costume and there was a band.

 

Frederica we had music, costumes and were given sweets.

One port in Iceland, I can’t remember which, gave us some sort of soused fish. I don’t recall the port but the fish was shall we say unique.

 

Closer to home in the early days Invergorden put on a full pipe band and highland dancers (don’t know if that was the local chamber of commerce or Celebrity).

 

Any memorable “welcomes”

In 2005 Aurora had a gap in the winter schedule due to a refit finishing early (imagine that?). P&O sent us a letter inviting bookings for a new “experimental” cruise heading to Northern Europe in the winter with the intention of visiting several cites with Christmas markets. We booked and it was a fabulous experience right from the start. As we departed we were on the promenade deck in the cold & dark drinking mulled wine & there was a band playing shore side.
 

Every port had something extra to welcome us, from bands of different sizes to a full marching band with majorettes waving us away from Oslo.

 

Onboard Captain Mark Symonds told the story of how P&O gave him some free reign to plot a course for the extra (non-brochure) cruise & him & his officers decided to go against the grain in winter & head North instead of the usual Canaries or Mediterranean. I really don’t care if he embellished the story a little as it just made the cruise even more magical. We had great table companions at dinner as well & it will always be one of our favourite cruises. 
 

As for the idea of Christmas market cruises, the rest is history!

[Josy1953]

When we were out for lunch today my sister came into the same restaurant with 2 of her friends, as we were leaving I went over to have a word with them, the lady who I had never met before turned to my sister and said " I thought that your sister was older than you " she doesn’t look older, the other friend who I have known since my sister went to live near to her when their children were babies laughed and said "That's what happens when you let your children spend a lot of time with family members who wind them into a frenzy before handing them back to you".

The joys of having no children but still  having some in your life. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Angel57]

There was something very special when the band serenaded the departure of the cruise ships away from the dockside at the Mayflower Terminal.
When I did my world cruise on Aurora back in 2012 the send off (along with fireworks, which I think they still do) it was completely magical and we still talk about that moment.

Back in the 1990s when I first started cruising the send offs happened every cruise we went on - was the champagne on deck at the sail-away from Southampton free back then can anyone remember?

[SarahHben]

1 hour ago, DamianG said:

Our favourite of all the ports we’ve been to!

I think for us it would be a close call between Cadiz and Geiranger for our favourite all of the ports we've been to. Mind you we've only done 2 cruises so far, have 3 more booked though 😁

[DamianG]

15 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

I think for us it would be a close call between Cadiz and Geiranger for our favourite all of the ports we've been to. Mind you we've only done 2 cruises so far, have 3 more booked though 😁

I understand folks wanting new ports to visit and we do too but we never tire of Cadiz. Despite having a constant flow of cruise ship visitors it retains its Spanish seaside charm without being “touristy”. 
 

We hope to visit for a land based holiday sometime in the future with getting there being part of the adventure (given the lack of direct flights from the UK).

[Josy1953]

I just arrived home from the school run and found a text from our ladies bowling captain to tell the team that the husband of one of our team has passed away this morning.

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, Josy1953 said:

I just arrived home from the school run and found a text from our ladies bowling captain to tell the team that the husband of one of our team has passed away this morning.

How very sad. As we get older this unfortunately becomes more common but just as tragic.

[yorkshirephil]

7 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

A discussion on another thread has reminded me of a bit of nostalgia. Do you remember going to new ports and the welcome you got back when ships were seen as a very welcome addition to the local economy.

 

The first time we went to Cartagena we were given a flower from ladies in costume and there was a band.

 

Frederica we had music, costumes and were given sweets.

One port in Iceland, I can’t remember which, gave us some sort of soused fish. I don’t recall the port but the fish was shall we say unique.

 

Closer to home in the early days Invergorden put on a full pipe band and highland dancers (don’t know if that was the local chamber of commerce or Celebrity).

 

Any memorable “welcomes”

I think the best we have ever had was when FO made their maiden stop in Gambia, the dockside was packed with bands and dancers, really made us welcome, we did get a couple of good send offs in a couple of maiden ports in Japan last year.

[Eglesbrech]

Rosebank 32 Year Old - Legacy Release Three Goes on sale Monday 13 May (max 2 bottles per customer)

 

@daz1107 in case of interest to you / any other whisky enthusiast.

[brian1]

3 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Our first ever cruise was November 2010 on Arcadia and we had a rousing brass band send off, no streamers though. It was a pleasant surprise, as I understand that they had stopped doing that a while ago, but it made a lovely begining to our cruising life. 

Also Oceana 2011. October/November I think? Our itinerary was changed because of the 'Arab Spring.' One change was Malta instead of Libya, where we had a lovely welcome and sailaway with traditional costume, music and dancing. Sad that these traditions are very rare nowadays.

Avril

Yeah but you'd get a 21 gun salute in Libya.You'd have to duck though,bro..

[yorkshirephil]

Another lovely sunny day here, a bit hazy but fine for me, I have had to resort to watering the garden and pots. We have now had two weeks of good weather with little rain. Hosepipe ban next week. We went to Junction 32 this morning and it was nice to sit out people watching. I hope others are being treated to some nice weather to enjoy.

[grapau27]

24 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I just arrived home from the school run and found a text from our ladies bowling captain to tell the team that the husband of one of our team has passed away this morning.

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news Josy.

Condolences to all the family and friends of the gentleman.

[daz1107]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Rosebank 32 Year Old - Legacy Release Three Goes on sale Monday 13 May (max 2 bottles per customer)

 

@daz1107 in case of interest to you / any other whisky enthusiast.

In sure my whisky enthusiast friend will be interested. I'll let him know. 

Thank you! 

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, daz1107 said:

In sure my whisky enthusiast friend will be interested. I'll let him know. 

Thank you! 

I’m excited about this one as it was my Dads favourite whisky and the first brand  I ever tried. I’m not that keen on lowland ladies as a rule but this is the exception that proves the rule (well that and the Deanston dragons milk stout cask finish which is really, really cheap but very good).

[purplesea]

I remember having a welcoming brass band at Bergen in 2012 and in Skagen we were welcomed by a group of singers as it was Britannia's maiden call at that port. They also had a marching band for our departure.

[daz1107]

12 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I’m excited about this one as it was my Dads favourite whisky and the first brand  I ever tried. I’m not that keen on lowland ladies as a rule but this is the exception that proves the rule (well that and the Deanston dragons milk stout cask finish which is really, really cheap but very good).

Hopefully it won't let you down! 

I tried an Australian whiskey the other day called Starward. That's a cheapy but very nice! 

[brian1]

30 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I think the best we have ever had was when FO made their maiden stop in Gambia, the dockside was packed with bands and dancers, really made us welcome, we did get a couple of good send offs in a couple of maiden ports in Japan last year.

Years ago when we went to Nagasaki on Diamond Princess the captain said we'll get special treatment cos she was built here.On the sailaway there was marching bands and allsorts.I believed it all these years until our friends posted a video of them on QE last week with the same bloody band.On the same cruise he said we've got special permission to sail thru Victoria harbour HK with a laser and firework show all over the city.It was impressive but I don't think it was down to us.

[Eglesbrech]

7 minutes ago, daz1107 said:

Hopefully it won't let you down! 

I tried an Australian whiskey the other day called Starward. That's a cheapy but very nice! 

My that is very well priced. Just ordered a bottle. Never heard of it before but I will try anything, once.

 

Thanks for the recommendation.

[daz1107]

11 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

My that is very well priced. Just ordered a bottle. Never heard of it before but I will try anything, once.

 

Thanks for the recommendation.

Oh my, I really hope you like it now!!

Please don't attack me if you don't 🤣

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, daz1107 said:

Oh my, I really hope you like it now!!

Please don't attack me if you don't 🤣

I won’t, I like to try new things and I have never had an Australian whisky. Easy to order via Amazon.

 

If I don't like it I will cook with it  or serve it to those less discerning 😀. Nothing is ever wasted.

 

[daz1107]

10 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I won’t, I like to try new things and I have never had an Australian whisky. Easy to order via Amazon.

 

If I don't like it I will cook with it  or serve it to those less discerning 😀. Nothing is ever wasted.

 

Excellent! 

Tonight I'll be opening my cheapest whiskey, which I have bought from amazon. It's an English one called Bankhall. 

Never heard of it, but it was mentioned on a forum I follow, so I thought, why not?!? 

Edited May 10 by daz1107

[Megabear2]

3 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

Hello all it’s another lovely sunny day here today, hope you are all well and will have a good weekend.

 

I have a question for our cunarders on here , does Cunard have an app they use on board ? Like ordering drinks and booking restaurants etc , I can’t seem to find one on my phone App Store , I know I could ask this on the Cunard board but I don’t want to start a new thread, thought I’d ask among friends 😊

Yes, same as P&O.  An app that's not an app available on boarding.

[yorkshirephil]

3 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

Hello all it’s another lovely sunny day here today, hope you are all well and will have a good weekend.

 

I have a question for our cunarders on here , does Cunard have an app they use on board ? Like ordering drinks and booking restaurants etc , I can’t seem to find one on my phone App Store , I know I could ask this on the Cunard board but I don’t want to start a new thread, thought I’d ask among friends 😊

They do have the internal web page thingy that isn't an app. We found that when we went to Japan last year it wasn't updated till mid way through the day. Someone told us that it was because it was updated from the states and we were many hours ahead?

[Snow Hill]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

Has anyone else got roses which are already out and even getting over?  Most peculiar - the beech tree is only just coming out, but a few roses are in flower.  I guess something to with weather/climate.

No roses in flower yet, apart from the climbing roses, they all got a hard pruning this year, something I do every 2 or 3 years in so still putting on new grow, no buds a yet, unlike the climbing roses which have a number of buds, but no flowers as yet.