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

[Josy1953]

4 hours ago, Angel57 said:

Your boy still seems to be enjoying himself with cone on and great video.

When Freddie had to wear the cone of shame he just sat there staring at the floor….. A pitiful sight!

When our dog had to wear one after having to have an operation on his leg he was far from pitiful.  Any time he saw anyone he would lift his leg up to show off his bandage so that he would be given a lot of fuss.

[Eddie99]

Had an errand in Weymouth

Definitely not sunny seaside this morning.  
I think it’s Arcadia we could see berthed at Portland?  There were certainly smart but cool looking groups of two, four and six, dressed as per cruising, trying to amuse themselves around the harbour.

Hopefully it’s warmer for them now

This pic time-stamped @ 10.51

 

[Eddie99]

Doug, in the cone of shame, from the animated movie Up

 

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/ec868a46-d588-420c-ae43-f30d1c75f40b

[pete14]

Tonight’s tea at Lunar, Stoke’s fine dining restaurant. No oatcakes in sight.

[Presto2]

42 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Tonight’s tea at Lunar, Stoke’s fine dining restaurant. No oatcakes in sight.

Wow that looks amazing. 

Looks like you have competition Graham 😀🙂

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Wow that looks amazing. 

Looks like you have competition Graham 😀🙂

Always pleased to see nice food photos.

[pete14]

6 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Always pleased to see nice food photos.

Believe it or not, photo 2 is soft lightly whipped butter, put in moulds and with honey over the top, for the rye soda bread. Very clever. Executive chef is Niall Keating (from Great British Menu and other TV shows) and he was in the kitchen tonight.

[Purdey16]

Absolutely lovely looking especially the butter , I was trying to figure it out what it was , and Niall keating is a great chef, glad you enjoyed yourself.

[brian1]

Is that a plateful of real bacon or veggy.

[pete14]

23 minutes ago, brian1 said:

Is that a plateful of real bacon or veggy.

Believe it or not, it is real dry aged beef from a real cow that munched on real grass (that’s the veggy bit I guess) and very nice it was too. 🐄

[SarahHben]

Morning all.
3 weeks until we leave for our pre-cruise night at Southampton and I am getting very excited now. Mum’s coming over today for me to take up some dresses so she doesn’t trip and go flying, not that a shorter hem will prevent that, she trips over air!
Looking at my lists I think I’ll be packing twice as much as I need, but with Norwegian weather I could be packing for 2 seasons.

 

Alcohol wise, is it ok to take a few small cans of mixed drinks rather than a bottle? I can’t drink much alcohol due to some meds I’m on and there’s no point taking a bottle of wine as wine makes me hot & bothered at the moment and not in a good way! 😳

My husband and I have very different tastes in drinks and he’s got his bottle of Sancerre all ready to go.

[mrsgoggins]

Can I confess to preferring (quality) pub-type food to fine dining? Am I alone? Good ingredients and well-cooked is sufficient for me. I really don't need anyone plating my food with the aid of tweezers!

 

My son took me for lunch last week to Moor Hall barn, Aughton, which is near me. The barn has one Michelin star and the Hall has two. I loved the occasion - it was a mother-and-son outing and I rarely get time alone with him - and the food itself was beautifully presented, but I would have been just as happy at my favourite Italian at a fraction of the cost! I have not told him this by the way, and made lots of appreciative noises, which was not difficult.

 

I think my palate may be 'faulty'; I don't care much for alcohol but Lindt chocolate has me in raptures 😁

 

 

[pete14]

1 minute ago, mrsgoggins said:

Can I confess to preferring (quality) pub-type food to fine dining? Am I alone? Good ingredients and well-cooked is sufficient for me. I really don't need anyone plating my food with the aid of tweezers!

 

My son took me for lunch last week to Moor Hall barn, Aughton, which is near me. The barn has one Michelin star and the Hall has two. I loved the occasion - it was a mother-and-son outing and I rarely get time alone with him - and the food itself was beautifully presented, but I would have been just as happy at my favourite Italian at a fraction of the cost! I have not told him this by the way, and made lots of appreciative noises, which was not difficult.

 

I think my palate may be 'faulty'; I don't care much for alcohol but Lindt chocolate has me in raptures 😁

 

 

I think there is a place for both quality pub food and fine dining (and occasionally fast food) and comparing the two is not really helpful. Last night was the first time we had been to Lunar and the environment and service, together with the food made it more special than even good quality pub food which on other occasions we would really enjoy.

I agree about Lindt chocolate (and other quality high cocoa chocolate) but am sometimes partial to a Snickers or KitKat but alcohol also has it’s place. All in moderation.

[mrsgoggins]

6 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I think there is a place for both quality pub food and fine dining (and occasionally fast food) and comparing the two is not really helpful. Last night was the first time we had been to Lunar and the environment and service, together with the food made it more special than even good quality pub food which on other occasions we would really enjoy.

I agree about Lindt chocolate (and other quality high cocoa chocolate) but am sometimes partial to a Snickers or KitKat but alcohol also has it’s place. All in moderation.

 

My post was not meant to be personal to your experience, so I'm sorry if it appeared that way. It did remind me of my last week's lovely meal out with my son, but it certainly was not any form of dig at those who do love fine dining and find it worth the money.

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by mrsgoggins

[pete14]

4 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

My post was not meant to be personal to your experience, so I'm sorry if it appeared that way. It did remind me of my last week's lovely meal out with my son, but it certainly was not any form of dig at those who do love fine dining and find it worth the money.

 

No offence taken at all and I am sorry if my post made you think I was being critical of what you said.  We both seem to have the same preferences anyway.

[wowzz]

34 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Morning all.
3 weeks until we leave for our pre-cruise night at Southampton and I am getting very excited now. Mum’s coming over today for me to take up some dresses so she doesn’t trip and go flying, not that a shorter hem will prevent that, she trips over air!
Looking at my lists I think I’ll be packing twice as much as I need, but with Norwegian weather I could be packing for 2 seasons.

 

Alcohol wise, is it ok to take a few small cans of mixed drinks rather than a bottle? I can’t drink much alcohol due to some meds I’m on and there’s no point taking a bottle of wine as wine makes me hot & bothered at the moment and not in a good way! 😳

My husband and I have very different tastes in drinks and he’s got his bottle of Sancerre all ready to go.

No problem taking cans. Don't forget that as you are not taking any wine on board for yourself, your husband can take three bottles of sancerre on board - one for him, one for you and one for your mum (unless she is taking her own).

Mind you, no one checks anyway !

[brian1]

29 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I think there is a place for both quality pub food and fine dining (and occasionally fast food) and comparing the two is not really helpful. Last night was the first time we had been to Lunar and the environment and service, together with the food made it more special than even good quality pub food which on other occasions we would really enjoy.

I agree about Lindt chocolate (and other quality high cocoa chocolate) but am sometimes partial to a Snickers or KitKat but alcohol also has it’s place. All in moderation.

Dark mint kitkat,my favourite.

[lincslady]

I also enjoy some fine dining, pub food and fish and chips, depending on the circumstances, and they all need to be the best of their type.  One problem with fine dining can be that expectations are understandably very high, an anything less than perfection is noticed.  My DIL went with friends to the slightly cheaper bit of Moor Hall, the barn, and they had a lovely time.  However, I have read on Trip Advisor or similar from people who felt the service for them was slow and unfriendly - sounds like they were very busy with  large tables at the time - so naturally felt they did not get what they expected.  I know a few restaurant owners actually don't want Michelin stars or other gongs, as they know they will attract foodies expecting perfection at all times.  That meal at Luna looked lovely, and not overfussy.

[brian1]

Hi all,just leaving PI Basingstoke after 2 nights with our son and his family.Going to Portsmouth to catch the IOW ferry.Meeting our daughter there.That's our cruise this year probably.

[grapau27]

57 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

My post was not meant to be personal to your experience, so I'm sorry if it appeared that way. It did remind me of my last week's lovely meal out with my son, but it certainly was not any form of dig at those who do love fine dining and find it worth the money.

 

I think it was lovely your son took you to such a nice place to eat.

We did this for my late mam and Paulines late mam and really miss those times.

We eat in Epicurean and other ships speciality restaurants but also like a chicken or veggie wrap from McDonald's or pizza and pasta at our favourite Italian restaurant in Newcastle.

6°C and sunny here this morning.

Graham.

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, mrsgoggins said:

Can I confess to preferring (quality) pub-type food to fine dining? Am I alone? Good ingredients and well-cooked is sufficient for me. I really don't need anyone plating my food with the aid of tweezers!

 

My son took me for lunch last week to Moor Hall barn, Aughton, which is near me. The barn has one Michelin star and the Hall has two. I loved the occasion - it was a mother-and-son outing and I rarely get time alone with him - and the food itself was beautifully presented, but I would have been just as happy at my favourite Italian at a fraction of the cost! I have not told him this by the way, and made lots of appreciative noises, which was not difficult.

 

I think my palate may be 'faulty'; I don't care much for alcohol but Lindt chocolate has me in raptures 😁

 

 

With you on so many levels there, Mrs Goggins. Including the Lindt chocolate (but not Lindor for some reason). No faulty palate there!

[indiana123]

Well that's a relief... both done our official tests for our Ambassador cruise on Sunday and both negative. We leave tomorrow to stay overnight at the PI.

 

This is  a strange  one as we have to pack layers and hat and scarves as it's Round Britain and it gets a bit nippy up there in Scotland and the Shetlands.

 

Normally we would be all sorted out and packed by now, but we aren't.  We dont know why.  Probably psychologically it could be something to do with covid or the fact that it isn't 'abroad',  Its very strange.

 

I wont be able to get off at some ports, which are tendered,   (taking my little buggy) but hey ho... i'll be on a ship with wine, books, chocs and good company.

 

No naughty steps while I'm gone.   Have fun😇

 

 

[Josy1953]

13 hours ago, pete14 said:

Tonight’s tea at Lunar, Stoke’s fine dining restaurant. No oatcakes in sight.

It looks delicious.  I showed the pics to my friend who worked at Wedgwood years ago and she said that she had they have obviously upgraded since she used to eat in the canteen,.  I didn't quite understand until she to!d me that Lunar is in what used to be the staff canteen. 

[Caullkhead]

2 hours ago, brian1 said:

Hi all,just leaving PI Basingstoke after 2 nights with our son and his family.Going to Portsmouth to catch the IOW ferry.Meeting our daughter there.That's our cruise this year probably.

Have a lovely time, look out for my Mum in Godshill & my sister in Calbourne, they’re like an old married couple at the weekends doddering along together 😂 

[Josy1953]

17 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Well that's a relief... both done our official tests for our Ambassador cruise on Sunday and both negative. We leave tomorrow to stay overnight at the PI.

 

This is  a strange  one as we have to pack layers and hat and scarves as it's Round Britain and it gets a bit nippy up there in Scotland and the Shetlands.

 

Normally we would be all sorted out and packed by now, but we aren't.  We dont know why.  Probably psychologically it could be something to do with covid or the fact that it isn't 'abroad',  Its very strange.

 

I wont be able to get off at some ports, which are tendered,   (taking my little buggy) but hey ho... i'll be on a ship with wine, books, chocs and good company.

 

No naughty steps while I'm gone.   Have fun😇

 

 

Enjoy the cruise.  We did Round Britain some years ago and are doing it again in July on Princess.