Richard Twynam has joined Australian line Coral Expeditions as a non-executive director.

[mrbluesea]

Just for interest. Reported 3rd Feb.

[Grandma Cruising]

Had a look at their website, looks very interesting. Some lovely cruises, but a long way to go from the UK. I’m sure he will have a lot to contribute.

[excitedofharpenden]

I was sorry to see him leave Azamara. He actually travelled to my home town to see me and we went out for coffee to have a chat.  That's the kind of thing I have loved about Azamara to get involved and how many senior company execs would do that? I miss him here in the UK. I wish him all the best.  

 

I hope the new owners read the boards here. They have much they can learn from their punters. 

 

Phil

[nordski]

41 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

They have much they can learn from their punters. 

 

Phil

OK! I can think of a number of meanings for “punter” in North America; namely, one who tries to avoid solving a problem, a particular position on a team playing American football, or a gambler.

 

But, to me, those definitions don’t work in this context.

 

So I need some help with expanding my vocabulary in British. Or perhaps in North American for that matter.

 

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

[uktog]

Aha a punter is slang for a paying customer particularly one who takes a gamble with buying something from the seller.  It is also a word for a gambler

[Host Jazzbeau]

And also a word for someone who poles a boat on the Cam?  Or is there another word for that avocation?

[uktog]

8 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

And also a word for someone who poles a boat on the Cam?  Or is there another word for that avocation?

Yes, but that wasn’t the context Excited of Harpenden was using. 

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

OK! I can think of a number of meanings for “punter” in North America; namely, one who tries to avoid solving a problem, a particular position on a team playing American football, or a gambler.

 

But, to me, those definitions don’t work in this context.

 

So I need some help with expanding my vocabulary in British. Or perhaps in North American for that matter.

 

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

Yes, sorry. Sometimes I forget the words don't always translate. As uktog said, I meant nothing more than punter = the paying customer. 

 

Phil 

[hamrag]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

OK! I can think of a number of meanings for “punter” in North America; namely, one who tries to avoid solving a problem, a particular position on a team playing American football, or a gambler.

 

But, to me, those definitions don’t work in this context.

 

So I need some help with expanding my vocabulary in British. Or perhaps in North American for that matter.

 

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

punter | BUSINESS ENGLISH

punter

noun [ C ]

   COMMERCE   UK informal

 

a customer:

Many hotels are offering discounts in an attempt to attract punters.

We're hoping our summer sale will pull in the punters.

[nordski]

Thanks all for the clarifications.

 

I really appreciated the responses.

 

And now I kind of remember the usage as a paying customer. But I don’t think that I would encounter that meaning in Canada.

 

If I can’t cruise, at least I can keep good company on this forum.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Yes, I've only heard it before referring to gambling.  So it's good to expand our knowledge of usage on this side of the pond.

[MNgardens]

It's been at least 12 or 13 years since I went on one of their Great Barrier Reef cruises. The ship we were on was much smaller and less swanky than the current ones. It was a really good vacation. I am glad to see that the cruise line is flourishing.

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, MNgardens said:

It's been at least 12 or 13 years since I went on one of their Great Barrier Reef cruises. The ship we were on was much smaller and less swanky than the current ones. It was a really good vacation. I am glad to see that the cruise line is flourishing.

We had a wonderful Whitsunday Islands & barrier reef cruise from MacKay on the Roylan Endeavour (30 passenger catamaran) in 1999. Our daughter lived in Australia at the time - if she still lived there we’d be very tempted by Coral Expeditions.

[Bloodaxe]

Our first ever cruise was around the Barrier Reef booked on the spur of the moment while on holiday in Queensland.

It was 4 nights on the Reef Endeavour Captain Cook Cruises which carried about 90 pax round trip Cairns, in January 2001.

One of the highlights of a great holiday but the self drive land tour was also brilliant.

[mrbluesea]

In the uk, the term 'punter' is generally not the most complementary way of describing a paying guest. 

[excitedofharpenden]

On 2/5/2021 at 9:58 PM, mrbluesea said:

In the uk, the term 'punter' is generally not the most complementary way of describing a paying guest. 

I most definitely did not mean it in that tone. I'll rephrase it. The new owners of Azamara have much they can learn from their guests and indeed the people that come to this board. 

 

Phil 

[mrbluesea]

I know you did not mean it in any way derogatory.  I just did not want our American friends to use the term perhaps inappropriately. Keep well.

[tgg]

8 hours ago, mrbluesea said:

I know you did not mean it in any way derogatory.  I just did not want our American friends to use the term perhaps inappropriately. Keep well.

 

An American friend thanks you for the clarification.😉

[nordski]

50 minutes ago, tgg said:

 

An American friend thanks you for the clarification.😉

And a Canadian friend as well. 😄

[Host Jazzbeau]

We have enough trouble with the word 'fanny.'  What must you in the UK think of the US government institution 'FannieMae' ??? 

[mrbluesea]

7 hours ago, nordski said:

And a Canadian friend as well. 😄

I knew as soon as I had posted that I should have made my comment more inclusive - apologies. The multi national dimension is the really nice thing about this board and although I've only cruised twice with Azamara, its the main reason I keep an eye on the comments made.

[nordski]

No need whatsoever to apologize.

 

I was only alluding to the idea that one might think that a Canadian, based upon heritage, might be expected to have more familiarity than our American cousins with British terms.

 

Especially a Canadian who personally spends too much time listening to BBC4, thinking about Coronation Street and The Archers, and dreaming about visiting Yorkshire.

 

So the whole conversation here has been enlightening, particularly your point that "punter" may be pejorative.

 

There is another thread about the "personality" of Azamara. As an outsider, I think one of the key elements is the large number of British cruisers relative to the usual majority of Americans. Indeed, it can often be seen in the staff and entertainers.

 

In my mind, this creates a different culture on the ships.