Reminiscing

[AndyMichelle]

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Another lovely thread Andy. I’ve been mulling it over and I can’t think of a favourite cruise as I love them all!

So sorry to be boring, I’m going to mention my first cruise - it was 2012 on Azura for our 25th wedding anniversary. It was meant to be a special one off holiday but of course we were hooked!

Not the most exciting ports in the world - La Rochelle, La Coruna Bilbao and Guernsey- which was cancelled but they took us to Cherbourg instead. 
It was early June and not the fabulous weather I was expecting but my God I enjoyed every minute. 
The first time we spotted Azura our jaws both dropped - I can’t remember the terminal, I think it was QEII but the angle of it meant we could see the radar ‘balls’ of Azura over the top of some flats and I thought she was enormous!

Ive always loved the sea and just to be looking at the sea sitting up on deck or watching out the window makes me feel happy. No other holiday compares. I love unpacking once then waking up somewhere different each day.

 

Our Captain was the famous Camby and his address the last night brought a lump to my throat as he wished his crew a safe journey home as many were finishing that cruise. I remember I was grateful my husband was busy watching the tug boats as I had a tear in my eye! 
I was so so sad to get off and raved about the holiday to anyone and everyone!

I still get that slither of excitement as I see the ‘to the ship’ sign!

That's lovely Sue, thank you. 

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, moonstone01 said:

I am with you all the way P&O Sue, the excitement when we realise that Southampton is only a few more miles after travelling down from North Wales, it is also a relief as my wife tries to sing a song for every town we see...god help me when we get to the sign saying Winchester

Winchester Cathedral has its own song so shouldn't be too hard. 

Malmesbury would be interesting.. 😉

Andy 

[funinhounslow]

First P&O cruise was the Oceana in 2016.

 

Up until then had only been on EasyCruise and Cunard. EasyCruises round Greece and Belgium and Holland many years ago were great fun and I'd still be going on them now if they were still running. 

 

We later got into the habit of going away with my parents each year on Cunard. I enjoyed them but quite a few things niggled me - the overly formal dress code (I don't want to wear a suit on holiday!), drinks prices were taking the Mickey (I was a drinker then), evening entertainment wasn't great (although the speakers were superb).

 

Then one year I saw an offer on the Oceana and suggested we try that.

 

It was just wonderful - a sensible dress code, great choice in the MDR, Headliners entertainment far better than anything we'd seen on Cunard, realistic prices at the bars and for excursions. And lots of nice touches such as the tureens of hot chocolate and Horlicks at the buffet late at night! We haven't looked back since...

 

A few years ago there was an exhibition on ocean liners at the V&A and it was there that I learned that P&O has a history as long and prestigious as any other shipping line you could mention. Although we may have missed the "Golden Age" of cruising, if you pick up a copy of "P&O across the oceans, across the years" you will see that many gripes you read on Cruise Critic about fellow passengers' behaviour were being made almost word for word in the "glamour years"

[AndyMichelle]

18 minutes ago, funinhounslow said:

First P&O cruise was the Oceana in 2016.

 

Up until then had only been on EasyCruise and Cunard. EasyCruises round Greece and Belgium and Holland many years ago were great fun and I'd still be going on them now if they were still running. 

 

We later got into the habit of going away with my parents each year on Cunard. I enjoyed them but quite a few things niggled me - the overly formal dress code (I don't want to wear a suit on holiday!), drinks prices were taking the Mickey (I was a drinker then), evening entertainment wasn't great (although the speakers were superb).

 

Then one year I saw an offer on the Oceana and suggested we try that.

 

It was just wonderful - a sensible dress code, great choice in the MDR, Headliners entertainment far better than anything we'd seen on Cunard, realistic prices at the bars and for excursions. And lots of nice touches such as the tureens of hot chocolate and Horlicks at the buffet late at night! We haven't looked back since...

 

A few years ago there was an exhibition on ocean liners at the V&A and it was there that I learned that P&O has a history as long and prestigious as any other shipping line you could mention. Although we may have missed the "Golden Age" of cruising, if you pick up a copy of "P&O across the oceans, across the years" you will see that many gripes you read on Cruise Critic about fellow passengers' behaviour were being made almost word for word in the "glamour years"

I think you just summed up what we all like about P&O. 

Thank you. 

Andy 

[NoFlyGuy]

4 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Another lovely thread Andy. I’ve been mulling it over and I can’t think of a favourite cruise as I love them all!

So sorry to be boring, I’m going to mention my first cruise - it was 2012 on Azura for our 25th wedding anniversary. It was meant to be a special one off holiday but of course we were hooked!

Not the most exciting ports in the world - La Rochelle, La Coruna Bilbao and Guernsey- which was cancelled but they took us to Cherbourg instead. 
It was early June and not the fabulous weather I was expecting but my God I enjoyed every minute. 
The first time we spotted Azura our jaws both dropped - I can’t remember the terminal, I think it was QEII but the angle of it meant we could see the radar ‘balls’ of Azura over the top of some flats and I thought she was enormous!

Ive always loved the sea and just to be looking at the sea sitting up on deck or watching out the window makes me feel happy. No other holiday compares. I love unpacking once then waking up somewhere different each day.

 

Our Captain was the famous Camby and his address the last night brought a lump to my throat as he wished his crew a safe journey home as many were finishing that cruise. I remember I was grateful my husband was busy watching the tug boats as I had a tear in my eye! 
I was so so sad to get off and raved about the holiday to anyone and everyone!

I still get that slither of excitement as I see the ‘to the ship’ sign!

 

Our first cruise was with RCI on the Indy in 2011 when Janice reached 50 and wanted to do something different rather than just driving to the south of France twice a year.

Must admit when we approached the city terminal at Southampton that first time we thought OMG she's enormous! Just looking at pictures on the internet didn't prepare us for the shock.

It was a bog standard no fly med cruise which we both enjoyed but I remember when we got back I said that I probably wouldn't want to do another to both Janice and one of our neighbours.

Nine years on now and 20 odd cruises later... tends to be catching!

Stay well all. 

[AndyMichelle]

3 minutes ago, NoFlyGuy said:

 

Our first cruise was with RCI on the Indy in 2011 when Janice reached 50 and wanted to do something different rather than just driving to the south of France twice a year.

Must admit when we approached the city terminal at Southampton that first time we thought OMG she's enormous! Just looking at pictures on the internet didn't prepare us for the shock.

It was a bog standard no fly med cruise which we both enjoyed but I remember when we got back I said that I probably wouldn't want to do another to both Janice and one of our neighbours.

Nine years on now and 20 odd cruises later... tends to be catching!

Stay well all. 

Someone said to us that you don't realise how much of a good time you had on a cruise until you look back. 

Seems to be your experience.. 

Andy 

[NoFlyGuy]

6 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Someone said to us that you don't realise how much of a good time you had on a cruise until you look back. 

Seems to be your experience.. 

Andy 

 

Very true Andy. We are well and truly hooked now!

Who knows when any of us will get to cruise again. Thousands of deaths worldwide and rising so, when we next get to cruise

is not that important, at least to me.

Bye the way I'm Chris and hope all of you and your loved ones stay well.  

[AndyMichelle]

9 minutes ago, NoFlyGuy said:

 

Very true Andy. We are well and truly hooked now!

Who knows when any of us will get to cruise again. Thousands of deaths worldwide and rising so, when we next get to cruise

is not that important, at least to me.

Bye the way I'm Chris and hope all of you and your loved ones stay well.  

Thank you Chris. 

You keep you and yours safe too, hopefully we can all get to enjoy a cocktail at sea in the near future.. 

Andy 

[P&O SUE]

13 hours ago, moonstone01 said:

I am with you all the way P&O Sue, the excitement when we realise that Southampton is only a few more miles after travelling down from North Wales, it is also a relief as my wife tries to sing a song for every town we see...god help me when we get to the sign saying Winchester

Haha not ‘Winchester cathedral’ by any chance?? I sing that nearly every time I see that sign!

Argh it’s in my brain now! 😃

[Josy1953]

38 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Haha not ‘Winchester cathedral’ by any chance?? I sing that nearly every time I see that sign!

Argh it’s in my brain now! 😃

The Winchester sign wakes my OH up too but I drive him mad as soon as we leave the M40 and on to the A34 because as we pass each sign with Southampton on it I tell him how many miles we have left 😀😀

Edited April 7, 2020 by Josy1953

[P&O SUE]

28 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

The Winchester sign wakes my OH up too but I drive him mad as soon as we leave the M40 and on to the A34 because as we pass each sign with Southampton on it I tell him how many miles we have left 😀😀

😂😂