lincslady

We meet as I wake up unusually early, and you have not yet gone to bed, I guess, Davey. I admit that I find the Crystal cheerleaders seem to get on to so many threads - though no doubt it must be a wonderful line - that it becomes tedious. Plus, this thread is supposed to be about SS and SB, and they happen to be the two lines I have liked best and cruised with most over the years. Size of ship and ambiance on board have always meant the most to me, and after the demise of the little Radisson ships Seabourn came the closest to a lovely friendly atmosphere, with the no signing for drinks making for a convivial feeling, with staff who were encouraged to be friendly and thoughtful and efficient at the same time. Now for a mug of tea with a dash of the hard stuff, to probably go back to sleep. Sweet dreams.

Hello members of the Wideawake Club, if you are around. Having slept from 10 until 2, can't really complain, but hoping the mug of tea laced with a drop of the hard stuff may work to put me back to sleep after a while. My current reading does not help, as it is a page turner but about a missing wife with a convoluted plot. I have enjoyed the Vera novels; believable plots and interesting characters, plus the atmosphere of Northumbria as I remember it from visits to relatives in Whitley Bay many years ago. I will start reading them again soon! (Old age has the advantage of not quite remembering the plot when you tend to speedread.) I have the joy of phoning the nhs today as I have not yet had a date for my echocardiogram , and was given today's date to remind them.

Sorry, no idea and they weren't published. It was just a quick scan, and there are quite a lot of things to consider, depending on what is important to you. Some of us want more formal evening dress, more restaurants to choose from etc. But if perhaps doing three cruises as against two per year appeals, say, price can be the most important thing.

Out of curiosity, I have just compared offers from probably the best known luxury TA in the UK, which have just arrived in the post, and the difference in cost is quite illuminating. Very similar Mediterranean cruises, this summer, cost approx. £540 per night on Seabourn Ovation, and almost £700 on Silver Ray, both including flights and transfers. SS of course includes butler service and some excursions, and is a much newer ship. Passenger space ratio almost the same, and both for veranda suites. SB is western Med., SS eastern Med., so perhaps more interesting for many people. But if price is important, worth thinking about?

Not knowingly, and the drag race programme for possibly 5 minutes? Not really my 'scene'.

That is the dose I take, and did definitely slow my heart rate down and cut down on palpitations.

I know it is being a bit impolite, but until I saw her photo I assumed Vikki van Tassel was a drag artiste.

It may or may not be a comfort to Indiana, but when I was younger I lay awake for hours at night unable to go to sleep, churning stuff around in my head. Now, I usually go to sleep quickly but sometimes (not always now) wake after three hours and can't get back to sleep. It is actually a better situation, IMO, and I think is somewhat to do with getting old! So maybe old age has a few advantages.

Cor blimey!!!

Unless Fred has changed a lot since I was last on board many years ago, it would have to be a lot cheaper than Saga to be anything like comparable. The old ships are nothing like the quality and attractiveness of the two newish Saga ships, quite apart from the restaurant choices etc.

Just had my email re vaccination, and my nearest place at present is 12 miles away, so I will wait and assume that as before my GP will be offering them soon. I hope all the heart appointments go well; I have had one asked for by GP since February, and I am allowed to ring up on Friday to find out if it will be happening soon! This for an echocardiogram, which I would like to have in case there is some different treatment I need.

I wonder if Fred is hoping to pick up the people who are disappointed with the new regimes on P and O and other lines of going much more casual.

Sorry for my ignorance, but that does not look like a bacon roll, Graham - can you enlighten me? My breakfasts are always chez moi unless I am staying away.

One might argue that they should be large enough in the first place, assuming they are a main course.

Thanks, kalos. Awake at 4.15 but I had had 6 hours, so no complaints. I think many of us are awake very early most nights, but don't want to bore the rest of you too much with our tales! In my case, waking early obviously means tired and sleepy by 9 p.m., a vicious circle.