davecttr

2025 for passport Insurance company emailed me a couple of days ago reminding me to take all the paperwork Oops, must remember all the device batteries

With the larger ships they should have a servery that makes light dishes up for you then and there. I like the Quays on Iona as you get your food served to you and don't get to sneeze or cough over it. I will use the buffet for breakfast but I will be there at 6.30 when it opens, several mugs of tea later it is a turn around the prom deck, Two and a quarter times round is about 1 mile. I tried timing it but stopping several times for conversions spoilt that 😉

My advice to new cruisers that I met aboard was that you will meet people with different opinions, don't let them influence you and make your own minds up at the end.

I don't want to go, but of course I always don't want to go until I set off for Southampton when the holiday spirit kicks in 🙂 Todays tasks - Fill in the health questionnaire Move plants from conservatory - done Renew lottery ticket Confirm car to Southampton for Friday Tomorrow - Main packing final laundry Get repeat prescription, Boots texted me yesterday that it was ready Friday - Do LFT test Check I have my passport 17 times Set off

Checked further, that Gala dinner is in Southampton Guild Hall - phew!

Compare it to rolls in the buffet, unless you are there when it opens you can be sure that those rolls will have been picked up, looked at closely and squeezed until the one that is just right has been selected.

Just found this on the Cruise Lines International Association website CLIA UK & Ireland has announced its 2022 conference will be held from May 20-22 in Southampton. The conference, the 14th to be held and the largest annual travel agent event of its kind in the UK, will include a trade fair, daily conference sessions and a gala dinner. The first day will offer the chance to visit MSC Virtuosa, followed by the trade fair. The second day comprises a visit to P&O Cruises’ Iona, with an evening gala dinner. The final day will be held onboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas. I hope to ell that gala dinner is not aboard Iona

That was the usual order of sailing, stop at Hellesylt ( very small and nothing much to do, a bit like Olden town) and unload passengers for long excursions. Then on to Geiranger for more local excursions and superb scenery. It was the highlight of this cruise for me. I am concerned about boarding day as well, the ship will have hundreds of maybe the worse for drink delegates aboard so forget a quiet Saturday afternoon. I hope the *uggers are not sailing with us

Just read the emails and in addition to dropping the geiranger call Iona will be hosting a Cruise Lines International association Conference on board on the departure day. Wonder how long they have had that booked. The terminal and ship will be busy and no Peninsular Club lunch but £20 added to onboard credit to those who qualify. Nothing much to do at Hellesylt I reckon. Geiranger has the extendable jetty which may not be available because it was part paid for by a rival cruise line. The itinerary is carefully worded and I don't think actually mentions Geiranger as a port.

The grab and go on iona was closed last august and may still be. I think it is because they have cut the crew numbers and the there is no one to make the sarnies. Also reduced menu choice in the restaurants. The key to using the grab and go is to understand that whatever you pick up has been handled several time already by people who don't wash their hands and cough or sneeze over the display. Just like the buffet 😉 the answer is to take LOTS of hand sanitiser with you and use it

Thats what I intend to do but it appears that you have to give lloyds 48 hours notice of cancellation or they will charge you anyway and may apply a £20 penalty charge.

About 3/4 mile flat walk to 'black horse square' on the river front beside the tourist area

That's the one i bought and downloaded the certifly app. not used it yet.

What does a Randox fit to fly certificate look like? Does it just show the date or the time as well. I will want to do my test at 6am which is still the day before.

the figures for the last 3 weeks were one 25/35/45 so maybe 1 in 55 next friday. Theoretically that means up to 100 people might be infected out of say 5000 for Iona. Maybe the day before LFT will catch 30 of these but of course there will be infections after the test!. Infected people will board the ship, it can't be stopped.

180 days!

I wonder if there is anything special about 9th November as my booster was 1st December

You have my sympathy, it is amazing just how 'stupid' people can be

I suppose this is an emergency service is for those who turn up without a certificate but I reckon you would need proof that you were not just trying it on. Imagine if the word got around that you could just turn up at the terminal and get a test. 😱

Not on Iona, the only drawers are the passengers ones 😁

There is a topic on the Cunard forum about people being bumped off cruise. to cut a long story short it is down to crew shortages or more specifically a problem with flying in crew with the appropriate certificates etc. Like other businesses they let a lot of staff go and maybe they can't get them to come back!

I don't see why not. i have a cheap android smartphone which does not have a SIM so can't be used as a phone. I use it for onboard apps, monitoring my Costa coffee beans, reading a bit of news and accessing my NHS services. I also have an Android tablet which I mainly use to read Kindle books and that should do the job as well. The Randox tests etc are done via WiFi and don't use my phone account so don't need a SIM just wifi access. I have a cheap Doro pensioner mobile phone for calls and texts on a PAYG account

are you still logged into the boots ReCoVa-19 portal? Lots of people testing for flying tomorrow etc might be slowing things down?

Not for me. the expiry dates when I downloaded last week are 5th June but today they are the 9th November. I had my booster on the 1st December.

Be careful, don't give them ideas. Changing to observed tests only would be a nightmare for passengers and if implemented would have to have a long lead in time. I don't think there will be significant attempts at deception. The current system is no different than the fit to fly requirements for lots of airlines. I have a Lloyds face to face test booked but given their chance of cancelling it at the last minute I also have Randox and Boots home test kits as a backup.