bye bye oceana

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, winman14 said:

Only sailed on Oceana once, March 2013 for a family wedding on board but still sad to see her leave! The cruise itself was the worst BoB crossings I've ever experienced, both ways at that too! Found the ship really charming however and absolutely loved both Le Club and Cafe Jardin. Unfortunately never got the opportunity to revisit Oceana, instead favouring the 'bigger' ones for various reasons such as Itinerary and the kids facilities on the newer ships being slightly more favourable. 

Image is taken in Gran Canaria. 

 

 

 

Lovely photo. Looking at her best in the old livery imho...

[Bazrat]

Looks like the original topic as now changed to tour of northern Britain only slightly off topic 

[happy v]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

 

Would you stay in Durham or Newcastle.  We don't know either.

Durham every time.

The Old Shire Hall is now the Indigo Hotel. Have not been inside but the building is fabulous and right in the centre of Durham.

[happy v]

I've just remembered the Elvet Bridge in Durham is going to be closed. Traffic will be horrendous go to Newcastle.

[grapau27]

12 minutes ago, happy v said:

I've just remembered the Elvet Bridge in Durham is going to be closed. Traffic will be horrendous go to Newcastle.

Newcastle has lots of bus lane cameras in the centre.

Newcastle is a major city and the night life capital of the north.

Durham is my choice.

[wowzz]

8 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Newcastle has lots of bus lane cameras in the centre.

Newcastle is a major city and the night life capital of the north.

Durham is my choice.

You couid always call in at Yarm, where I used to live. Reputedly it has the widest High Street in Britain.  

[Clodia]

9 hours ago, happy v said:

Durham every time.

The Old Shire Hall is now the Indigo Hotel. Have not been inside but the building is fabulous and right in the centre of Durham.

Indigo, Gadds Town House and the Royal County (Marriott) are all in Old Elvet in the centre. The New Elvet Bridge is closed for months from next week, but Old Elvet is reachable if you come off the A1M South of Durham (Junction 61) rather than Junction 62 the "official" Durham junction. It's about 10 minutes' drive through Bowburn and Shincliffe Village then turn left at the roundabout before the University Library and follow the road to Old Elvet. They all have parking. Alternatively if you want a quiet stay with easy public transport access, the Premier Inn North Durham (take the A167 junction 63 north of Durham and follow the road to Pity Me and Newton Hall) offers a cheaper and comfortable stay with loads of parking and the regular 64 bus (about 10-15 minutes' travel) into the centre from the Arnison Shopping centre next door. Newcastle as others have said has more hotels, but I hope you find this helpful (I live in Durham)

[davemorton]

Another vote for Durham over Newcastle. 

[jeanlyon]

11 hours ago, wowzz said:

Jean, why is it OK for you to travel, yet you hate anyone visiting your part of the world?  Just interested to know.

Where did I say I hate anyone visiting?  We were annoyed when second home owners were still visiting during lockdown.  But now it's opened up we are of course happy for folk to visit, just wish they would follow the rules in the shops, that's all.  There are a certain type that we get down here and only a few spoil it for the majority.  It was ever thus.

 

By September, we might all be back in lockdown and I won't be going anywhere.

Edited July 9, 2020 by jeanlyon

[jeanlyon]

How about the Kings Lodge Inn, Waddington Street?

[zap99]

12 hours ago, wowzz said:

Jean, why is it OK for you to travel, yet you hate anyone visiting your part of the world?  Just interested to know.

Sorry Wowzz, you got that wrong. She hates that Starbucks, hates it. She just loves the local people who buy a second house as a business and drive a 4x4 so that they can see over the hedgerows. She hates people who live outside Salcombe and travel into town to take a job from a proper local. Hates that, but loves those luvverly Grockles who spend their cash in the town's shops😂.

[drsel]

Bruce on YouTube says that Oceana is being scrapped, because it will be financially unviable to operate

 

 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Clodia said:

Indigo, Gadds Town House and the Royal County (Marriott) are all in Old Elvet in the centre. The New Elvet Bridge is closed for months from next week, but Old Elvet is reachable if you come off the A1M South of Durham (Junction 61) rather than Junction 62 the "official" Durham junction. It's about 10 minutes' drive through Bowburn and Shincliffe Village then turn left at the roundabout before the University Library and follow the road to Old Elvet. They all have parking. Alternatively if you want a quiet stay with easy public transport access, the Premier Inn North Durham (take the A167 junction 63 north of Durham and follow the road to Pity Me and Newton Hall) offers a cheaper and comfortable stay with loads of parking and the regular 64 bus (about 10-15 minutes' travel) into the centre from the Arnison Shopping centre next door. Newcastle as others have said has more hotels, but I hope you find this helpful (I live in Durham)

If Jean is coming from Edinburgh it is best to take the Chester le Street turn off and take the A167 which runs adjacent to the A1 to Pity Me turn off and the Brewers Fayre Premier Inn.

[jeanlyon]

18 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Sorry Wowzz, you got that wrong. She hates that Starbucks, hates it. She just loves the local people who buy a second house as a business and drive a 4x4 so that they can see over the hedgerows. She hates people who live outside Salcombe and travel into town to take a job from a proper local. Hates that, but loves those luvverly Grockles who spend their cash in the town's shops😂.

As I don't live in Salcombe, looks like you have that wrong!   I actually don't hate anybody, sorry if you do.

[jeanlyon]

7 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

If Jean is coming from Edinburgh it is best to take the Chester le Street turn off and take the A167 which runs adjacent to the A1 to Pity Me turn off and the Brewers Fayre Premier Inn.

Graham, thought we might go all the way out to the East coast and go down that way?

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

As I don't live in Salcombe, looks like you have that wrong!   I actually don't hate anybody, sorry if you do.

But I thought you were a local. You seem to speak on behalf of Salcombe Town Council, if not the tourist board 

You are doing a good job selling the idea of holiday home ownership. Buy one in your personal pension wrapper, no CGT, tax breaks. Local businesses advertising their management services. Sounds interesting.

[jeanlyon]

I don't know what I have done to annoy you.  I work there, I don't live there.  The town is 50% second home ownership, so come September, it will be empty.  There are no shops apart from touristy ones, no laundrette, quite a few nice pubs and some very expensive restaurants.

[grapau27]

11 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Graham, thought we might go all the way out to the East coast and go down that way?

Berwick is nice.

Holy Island is nice but you need to check the tide times as the road is submerged for several hours and you won't get off the island.

From A1 the B1342 takes you on a nice scenic route past 

Bamburgh Castle

Seahouses

Dunstanburgh Castle

Amble

Newbiggin by the sea then across to Morpeth then A1 south to Durham passing the big Metro Centre shopping centre.

Great choice Jean if you take this route.

 

[Britboys]

51 minutes ago, drsel said:

Bruce on YouTube says that Oceana is being scrapped, because it will be financially unviable to operate

 

 

 

Please see posts #765 & 766 on the 'Carnival to dump 6 ships' thread...

[Clodia]

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

How about the Kings Lodge Inn, Waddington Street?

It's nice; I often have lunch there with friends. Quiet slightly out of the way site. Approach from the A167 at Nevilles Cross to avoid the closed bridge.

[jeanlyon]

Clodia, thanks.  That's good info.  I liked the look of the hotel on a Bookings website. 

[Bazrat]

Just out of interest a while a go a couple of us discussed cruise and stay in Orlando but it got deleted because it was off topic,how is a conversation on driving holidays anything to do with cruising 

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

Just out of interest a while a go a couple of us discussed cruise and stay in Orlando but it got deleted because it was off topic,how is a conversation on driving holidays anything to do with cruising 

I think in these days it is quite acceptable to drift off thread. After all, none of us are doing any cruising at the moment!

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think in these days it is quite acceptable to drift off thread. After all, none of us are doing any cruising at the moment!

+1.

We are all cruisers giving each other advice and as you rightly said,none of us are doing any cruising at the moment so going off topic occasionally to help each other should hopefully be okay.

Edited July 9, 2020 by grapau27

[Bazrat]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

I think in these days it is quite acceptable to drift off thread. After all, none of us are doing any cruising at the moment!

Speak for yourself I am currently having a pint looking out to sea