Something Differant?

[tenpin]

This virus in the talk of the town let have something else to chat about.

 

What's your best ever cruise & destination.

(Norway on the Grand Princess is ours ) with the Costa Romantica excellent runner up. The Romantica sailed from Guadalupe for an awesome three weeks tour of the Caribbean the Mini-suite on deck eleven was the best cabin we have ever had, the English host give us the encouragement to continuing cruising with Costa now 22v years later we still enjoy Costa. These were the days of great sail away parties awesome food & wonderful entertainment.

 

[tenpin]

Okay I get it, all you want to talk about is the Coronavirus never mind it is constantly on the Radio, television & papers 23 55 mins of every day.

I am 84 stuck here alone in this flat since late October that's isolation but I can still talk about my love of cruising, so instead of waiting for answers I'll get out all my cruise memories' from over the years & chat with the cat.

 

As a point of interest any one heard how Riana is?

[SpeedySal]

Hello Tenpin

So sorry to hear you are stuck all alone in your flat but I am pleased to know you have your cat with you. As a cat lover I know they can be great company at times of need and they are amusing, entertaining and, of course, maddening occasionally but that is why we love them!
We did a transatlantic on the Fascinosa a few years ago and we loved every minute of it. We met many interesting South Americans and there was a lovely vibe on the ship. The food also was amazing at open air lunches on the pool deck. We shared a table with some young Brazilians travelling back home and they kept us well entertained while dining.

I don’t know if we will be able to cruise again in the future as there are still so many places we were hoping to see but we are hanging on to this dream. We had hoped to cruise the Caribbean next spring but right now it seems very unlikely. Also, had to cancel St. Petersburg and Greek Islands cruises this year as we are getting too old to take any risks. 
Please share any other cruise memories you have as it will certainly lift my spirits if you do. Wishing you all the very best.

Sallie

[SpeedySal]

PS I was also wondering how Riana is? Hope she can let us know and sending her all the best.

[tenpin]

I suppose my overall memories are about the lovely people we have met on our cruises.

One sticks out above the rest for his sheer enjoyment of life even though he was dying. We met Peter a millionaire, getting into a lift on a Transatlantic from Ft Lauderdale to Southampton on the wonderful Sea Princess. We spent the evening with him which led to a friendship that lasted 4 years.

The quizzes in Crooners were legendary the Sea Princess was a lovely ship & compared to the Costa Romantica in size amongst our ten best cruises.  I was seated on a table of eight seven of which were Ladies, I wont bore you with what was said but Harlem was used a lot. Peter & his wife joined the table at the start on the second week (he said to give me moral support)

 

Worth a mention on this subject of the people we have met, Annemarie was 22 just divorced  &  23 year later still in touch twice a year. Bill & Hilary, Dale & Mary, June & Andy from the early  90's. I started cruising in 1958 on the New Zealand Shipping line, part working my passage to New Zealand & back to London King Albert Docks.

[SpeedySal]

Lovely to hear more of your reminiscences and thank you so much. Wow! you got off to cruising at a young age and clearly  being at sea was in your blood! It is really interesting to hear about how you got started and I imagine like many of us you moved up from more basic cabins to more luxurious ones as time went by?

We were actually quite unsure about whether we would enjoy cruising or not, so we chose a fairly basic cabin for our very first cruise (plus we were not so flush at the time either!) and we were then hooked immediately. We quickly worked our way up to more comfort but we were not so young when we got into cruising anyway so we felt we deserved to do this! We understand how younger people and young families have different expectations from a cruise these days especially when it has become more affordable.

 

Well, not so long ago cruising was no doubt entirely a luxury affair (as flying once was) and, of course, it still can be if that is what you want and if you can afford it. Personally, I hope cruise lines will overcome this catastrophe and that there will be a future ahead, possibly a long way ahead,  for the cruise industry. Right now it is the survival of everyone, every country and every economy that is upper most in my mind.

[SpeedySal]

Sorry didn’t mean to be gloomy, apologies. I am so truly thankful we have very happy cruise memories and I am grateful for these. Our cats have always disapproved however of being left while we head off.....!

[tenpin]

Believe it or not I did a seamanship course on the River Seven in 1949 on a sailing ship called the Vindicatrics at the age of 14.

This gave me my papers and allowed me to join ships as a deck boy, & either work & return to the UK or work part time for passage, I did various trips both to New Zealand staying just three months & retuning on same ship. I then sailed with Shaw Savile taking the 'Ten pound Pom's over to Australia.

My first fully paid for cruise was in 1963 with P & O round the Med. 

My worst cruise was round the world after 30 days I was totally bored with fine food. I have been so lucky having been left some money by  relatives which in our later years allowed us to enjoy the finer things on board cruises & cabin upgrades.

[Barnacle45]

A Vindy boy , they would have been rough times back then. Were you on the Dominion Monarch or one of the newer ships with Shaw Savill?

Take care 

John

Ex Shaw Savill Deck apprentice

 

 

[tenpin]

4 hours ago, Barnacle45 said:

A Vindy boy , they would have been rough times back then. Were you on the Dominion Monarch or one of the newer ships with Shaw Savill?

Take care 

John

Ex Shaw Savill Deck apprentice

 

 

Hi John, 

           Yes it was a hard time then however brought forth a great life with world wide opportunities to travel, for the life of me can't remember the ship but thought it may have been the Larg's Bay. (Or was that Elder Dempster? )

Funny thing was still in touch with one of the guys from the Vindy after 68 years but he passed two years ago, we both shipped out of London King Edward docks on the same ship three year after the Vindy.

Were you one too , & did you have the sea day on her.

Edited April 4, 2020 by tenpin
speeling

[alicat58]

Hi guys

 

I am fine thank you. I am touched by you wanting to know how I am.

 

I am still working and alas not from home. I work for the NHS so it is still all wheels to the pumps. I am fortunately not at a hospital. I think that must be nerve racking. I work in General Practice. We are still seeing patients but not very many. Most of our work involve telephone consultations and the paperwork has not stopped. Lots of people are panicking about getting medication and ordering when they clearly do not need their next meds yet. This concerns us because some might then not have access whilst others will sit on on stock similar to the recent loo paper and pasta thing. Also some concerns about people having far too many potential dangerous medication available and being at home being sad and maybe taking too many impulsively.

 

We are totally fine with PPE though it took a little while to get all the stuff we need. I now work in stylish burgundy scrubs and I totally hate it. Never mind, all for the good of staying safe and washing the blasted things at 60 degrees celcius.

 

Geoff sorry about you being stuck but you are safest in isolation with your COPD.

 

On a happier note, the sun is shining, I have a small garden, we are going to have our first BBQ of the season tonight and Kipper(the ginger cat in my life) is going to love it sitting out with us. We will need coats, scarves and gloves probably but who cares.

 

Look after yourselves, stay safe and hopefully we will be cruising again in not too long.

 

Riana

[Barnacle45]

On 4/5/2020 at 2:29 AM, tenpin said:

Hi John, 

           Yes it was a hard time then however brought forth a great life with world wide opportunities to travel, for the life of me can't remember the ship but thought it may have been the Larg's Bay. (Or was that Elder Dempster? )

Funny thing was still in touch with one of the guys from the Vindy after 68 years but he passed two years ago, we both shipped out of London King Edward docks on the same ship three year after the Vindy.

Were you one too , & did you have the sea day on her.

No I wasn't on the Vindi, I went to the Worcester at thirteen and a half in 1959. The Largs Bay was a Shaw Savill ship. 

My wife and I were booked on Costa Fortuna from Amsterdam on 31st May to Norway, I dont think it will happen,  

Hopefully next year, in the meantime take care, we are in to our third week of lockdown here in New Zealand

[tenpin]

Hi Riana,

So glad to hear from you and that you are copping I have nothing but the highest praise for NHS & all carers that are giving us support over this horrible time. Me I am use to staying in and normally don't venture out until the temperature reaches 20 & sun is shining.

You take care and hope we can all start to cruise again after this is over.

 

In the meantime I am hoping to write about my miss spent youth & my cruising days just for something different to talk about. 

[tenpin]

2 hours ago, Barnacle45 said:

No I wasn't on the Vindi, I went to the Worcester at thirteen and a half in 1959. The Largs Bay was a Shaw Savill ship. 

My wife and I were booked on Costa Fortuna from Amsterdam on 31st May to Norway, I dont think it will happen,  

Hopefully next year, in the meantime take care, we are in to our third week of lockdown here in New Zealand

 Hi that was it then Largs Bay, and there I was thinking I was getting old and past it. I sailed with the New Zealand Shipping Co. on the S.S. Somerset and spent a wonderful time in New Zealand working on a coaster before joining the Somerset just over three months later.

I guess Australia & New Zealand were the start of my world travels & some really awesome cruises.

 

Norway is still my Joy as we can cruise from close by with no flying.

 

 

[Barnacle45]

Our Costa cruise has been cancelled and we are getting a credit.. see what next year brings.

The "Somerset" was a nice looking ship, when were you no her?

[tenpin]

I joined the Somerset in 1950 as a Deck Boy & I must say it was my first venture into the wide world. I will always remember the Boson's Mate who was a Mr Tucker (Asked to be called Tucker of Tucker Towers) for some reason. Got a 'Visa' visitor's brief in Timaru & joined a small coaster going to Auckland picked up Somerset on next time she came to N.Z. Great days before the world went crazy with security after 9/11. Three years later We jumped ship in Sydney after a shocking two weeks where the Captain 'Went Mad' and we run out of food the last three days.

Spent three years in Australia traveling & working picked up a Iron Ore carrier in Townville  after Mum became ill, worked passage home, took five weeks by which time Mum had recovered.

Got called up for National Service but signed on for the three years in Para's as it paid more money, some of the best days of my life in the 50/60's

Edited April 10, 2020 by tenpin