mrsgoggins

17 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

At the moment there is a strong anti-cyclone with up to 49 knot winds due to be in the South-west approaches by mid-night on Friday. That's Storm Force with waves up to 9 m but reaching up to 12.5 m. Tad bumpy... best not to order soup that evening at dinner.

As a poor sailor, currently in Lisbon on Iona and due back in Southampton on Saturday, I am not cheered by any of this 🤢🤢.  I’ll be starting my Stugeron routine tomorrow, wish me luck!

41 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We were on Iona last week and had no problem with MDR booking. We just joined virtual queue before leaving cabin and by the time we got too MDR we had been informed that our table was ready. The times varied during the cruise and there was many who turned up without booking in virtual queue and all they were asked was if they wanted a table for 2 or happy to share and nobody was turned away. It worked very well with no queues at MDR like on Princess.

What you describe may be happening on the current cruise also. We have opted for the smaller Opal dining room which appears to book up and disappear from the system, leaving the 2 larger venues to queue virtually. Therefore people are more likely to be turned away from the smaller dining rooms if they are fully booked. Not surprising.

This evening people were prevented from entering the theatre (told they could wait if they wished) because they had a booking for the earlier show which they had missed.

I can see how this is necessary on a ship the size of Iona when full, but it just isn't for us, despite having no problems ourselves. I've joined the 'prefer a smaller ship' group, but not a 'small' ship - I want big stabilisers for the Bay of Biscay challenge 😉

17 minutes ago, devonuk said:

Opal and Aqua for us as we find the other 2 too busy and lacking in any form of intimacy. Also, dare I say there’s not so many children in the first 2, apart from own grandchildren of course 😉

+1

46 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

You and I agree, I think, on quite a few things, .....

😁 Very true, the only thing you've ever written that I disagreed with was your not liking Lindt Lindor!

44 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

 

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise and will be interested in any other observations that you feel like sharing. 

Thank you. I have already made a few notes with the intention of writing them up when I am home and have access to a 'proper' keyboard. I can't do thumbs alas, but if there's anything specific you'd like to ask, I'll oblige if I can.

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Totally agree.  Although it can be good to plan in advance, all this pre-booking does take away some of the spur of the moment side of things.  Certainly found that on Iona last year.

I agree up to a point. I'm on Iona now and can see it's not a good fit for us. I'm a planner, dine early and am reasonably 'tech savvy' but I dislike not being just able to turn up at whichever time theatre performance I fancy after dinner.

Even pre-booking 5.30 dining puts you in a queue, often with those who haven't understood the system. I feel really sorry for some older folk who appear bewildered when they reach the front only to be declined immediate entry due to not booking. Then there are those (passengers) aggressively asking if you've booked 'because there are plenty who haven't?'. Only day 3 for me and so it will probably settle down as those not 'in the know' become informed.

It's the size of the ship and passenger numbers ultimately. Lots to like on this mega ship but it's a once and done for me!

And I will barely mention the 2 thin slices of turkey, one roast potato and 2 sprouts on last night's dinner 😂. Taste was good though! 

On 3/17/2023 at 10:04 AM, grapau27 said:

It is Oasis of the seas.

We were docked next to Enchantment of the seas in Coco Cay on January 30th during our 7 night western Caribbean cruise.

 

The photo of Oasis and Enchantment was reassuring for me Graham as we are on the latter later in the year out of Athens.  We had a wonderful cruise on the giant (to my eyes) Anthem of the Seas in 2021 but it was only carrying around 1300 passengers.  Happier with smaller.  Thanks 👍

56 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

Sunny, clear blue skies and no wind. Could be summer if it wasn’t freezing!!
 

Twelve months ago a coffee group was set up for people who wanted to make new friends in the area. It has averaged 20/25 people meet once a fortnight and I have made some lovely friends. We are all going out to a local Italian tonight so looking forward to that.

 

Have a good day everyone 

 

Michelle

Same glorious sunshine in my part of SW Lancashire Michelle 👍

Eight years ago an elderly lady posted on a local internet site that she would like to meet new people.  Six strangers turned up at the coffee shop and we all became good friends.  We try to meet up weekly at each other’s homes but sometimes go out for lunch instead. Today I’m hosting.  
 

Next week, however we are returning to the coffee shop where we first met, to remember the wonderful lady who brought us together.  She died suddenly one year ago at the age of 92, whilst still being fit enough to collect her morning paper and climb stairs!  Despite being 20 or so years older than the rest of us, she was lively of mind, intelligent, kind and a joy to be with and we miss her.

Enjoy your meal out tonight Michelle.

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Absolutely! Agree with every word.  It's a holiday - live a little!  My dear wife and I eat together twice a day, most days of the year.  It's great - but even better to meet new people on a cruise, and we're still in touch with some of them many years later.

I’m certain that I would enjoy sharing a table with you and your wife Harry, and I agree with much of what you say, but my husband’s hearing is so very poor these days, that I find it stressful sharing, knowing he will be missing parts of the conversation.  We don’t linger over meals because dining rooms are noisy places and so we save our conversation for our room.

As an aside, I’m lucky enough to have really good hearing and so often I find myself overhearing conversations on neighbouring tables and wishing I could join in!  

I’m sure there are quite a few reasons why people would prefer not to share.

9 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

Just back from Iona. I booked the Limelight Club twice and Sindhu and Chefs Table before we sailed. We ate in the Glasshouse and Olive Grove without any booking and the remainder in the Coral restaurant, always went straight in with the option of a shared table or one for two. We never saw any queues for restaurants.

Did you try the other restaurants before settling on the Coral restaurant? Thanks for the info about not needing to book for the Glasshouse or Olive Grove. 

I'm due on Iona in two weeks and I'm still trying to work things out.  I've made the bookings I think I want, but hesitated about Sindhu.  The reason being we tried it on Ventura last year and were not that impressed.  Does the £10 pp booking fee come off the total spend or is it just that, a booking fee?

Good to hear of so many positive accounts because previously I had read the lengthy cruise reports on here and they are generally less than flattering.

On 2/28/2023 at 3:33 PM, daiB said:

There is or at least was a small ferry between the 2 berths 10 mins to get from one to the other.

Unless there is another one we did not see, the small ferry we saw very close to the ship was taking people on a short tour, but I don't remember the price.  We were looking for exactly what you describe but didn't see any sign of one.

On 2/28/2023 at 12:50 PM, TigerB said:

 

They wouldn't have done that; they don't do so for passengers from Pointe Seraphine who wish to go into the town.

Anyway, they have port shops next to them at the other berth, and immediate access to the markets without having to walk right around the bay.  Swings and roundabouts!

Mmmmm ...... not sure about the swings and roundabouts analogy.  We've docked at Pointe Seraphine twice previously (and didn't realise there was another place to dock!) but this year, on Celebrity's Equinox, we were at the dock in town whilst the much bigger Anthem of the Seas was at Pointe Seraphine. 

The port exit was scruffy and the nearby market itself had seen better days and had few visitors.  I felt sorry for the stallholders and so made a purchase, which I rarely do.  Also, this area is not easy for people with walkers or mobility issues, unlike Pointe Seraphine.  A young Canadian couple we became friendly with, did do the walk to Pointe Seraphine and I think said it took them 20 minutes to do, at a good pace.

We did enjoy watching the crowds of folk returning to Anthem from our balcony because the only time we had been on her, was during a covid-safe bargain week around the UK in 2021, when the ship had fewer than a third of its passenger load.  That year will be forever thought of as a golden year of cruising in my mind.

4 hours ago, True Devonian said: If you feel the need to take sea sickness remedies you would be wise to talk to a pharmacist first, I would never recommend a particular product as I am not aware of any medical issues you may have or if you are on any medication which may not interact well with particular seasickness medication. Please seek medical advice before buying any seasickness medication for your own use.

My (retired) pharmacist cruiser friend recommended Stugeron to me years ago, before she became a really good friend and she definitely didn’t ask what medication I took.

I think your caution is probably misplaced in this instance, although I would always read the details on/in the packet as I assume others would do the same.  I’ve been grateful to Stugeron a few times and only wish I’d known about it on a Viking cruise (small ship plus North Sea) when I ‘disgraced’ myself in the theatre.  Since then, I only book midship, low deck and stay away from the theatre!

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

Dirty filthy trains. Rubbish service. Out 12 bn revenue, 5bn comes from fares. I don't use the things, but pay over half the costs. I remember getting home from work covered in filth. As you may gather , I'm not a fan.

I used the trains daily to Liverpool and Manchester from 1966 - 1975 for education and work, and although far from perfect, my experience is nothing like yours, I'm glad to say.

16 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I’d appreciate some advice please from anyone who’s had smart meters fitted - particularly if they also have solar panels on a feed in tariff. 
 

Any problems encountered with the switch, particularly if it created any issues with the boiler - or gave the installer the chance to issue a safety notice on some kind of pretext to sell a new boiler. I gather they have to check the boiler, and British Gas are notorious for inventing ‘reasons’.

You probably remember that we also have solar panels on a feed in tariff. From DH: You are right to be very cautious. Our issue was the very weak mobile phone signal that is essential to communicate data to the provider and for the domestic device in the house. When they came to do the install we insisted that they prove the signal before commencing. Of course they found it wouldn’t work and we sent them away. Despite that they are badgering us every few weeks to secure an installation date.

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Good morning.

It is a nice sunny morning and 9°C.

I'm a little tired this morning after driving 6 hours from Heathrow yesterday.

 I hope everyone is well and looking forward to the weekend.

Good morning Graham and welcome home.  We did 19 nights on Celebrity Equinox out of Port Everglades last month.  We always arrange our own itinerary around cruises, but wonder if you have RC do yours, and if so, have you found them competitive on price?

We had great weather, but our friends who sailed the Caribbean a week earlier weren’t so lucky.  I’m sure you’re both looking forward to your next cruise already - we are, and consider ourselves very fortunate indeed.

Loved the photos by the way. I’ve been to Labadee, another of RC’s private islands in the past (but with Celebrity) but not Coco Bay. Thanks for sharing as always 👍

Anyone got any advice on what to do with old pre-decimal coins?  I'm having a clear out and it's time my old mum's (died almost 40 years ago!) handbag full of old coins left the house.

I know they are not worth anything and are a mix of half-crowns, two shillings, shillings and lots of copper coins. They weigh a ton and I read somewhere that charity shops accept them, but I don't want to lug them around if it's no longer true.  If so, I might just as well pass them on to DH to take to the tip; I'm assuming there's a facility for disposal of scrap metal.

Anyone know if charity shops do take them please?  Thanks

24 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Here’s a slight change of tack, but a food related one.  
 

And a question - does the word Pobs mean anything to you? ❓

Oh yes, given to me as a child if I were unwell.  Fond memories of 'milk pobs' and 'tea pobs' (less frequently offered).  White bread, with sugar, soaked in hot milk.  I'm pretty sure my 42 year old son wouldn't have a clue what they were, so I obviously didn't carry this on 😉

And I was brought up in the north west, so maybe it is regional?

22 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

 

Here’s another mundane question from someone who’s never watched Happy Valley. I think I know the answer though - should we start at Episode 1, Series 1 on BBC iPlayer?

Oh yes Harry, do give it a chance. Often not an easy watch, as has been said, but worth it.  And worth starting at the beginning for the back stories.

We are embarking on Coronation day, which DH sees as a great opportunity to totally ignore the event! I'm sure I'll see the highlights at sometime though.

I saw Mrs Harris goes to Paris on a long haul flight last month and I thought it was a charming film.

Thank you for posting today Michelle (and Sarah of course) because I took a quick look earlier and saw nothing, and then I think I should post something but can think of nothing of interest ...... , but I would hate this thread to die off!

I loved, loved, loved Happy Valley last night even though a few of the story ends could possibly have done with a bit more time.  Hope next week's replacement is even half as good.

Meanwhile, tonight we are going to watch Death in Paradise, where my DH will struggle to stay awake, despite liking the scenery 😁

Thank you @Megabear2 - I'm on this cruise too and so your questions are very useful, even though I was on a Canaries cruise last year and have visited all of the ports before.  However, I'm really keen to see Play Blanca on Lanzarote (before possibly committing to a land holiday there) and am so pleased that this cruise has an 'on your own' option to visit.  Last year's Canaries cruise (Princess) only offered Play del Carmen on your own, which we did but won't be back - not for us.

I agree that Teror in Gran Canaria is a pretty inland town and worth a stop - unless it's a Sunday when it is market day and can be crowded.  We were last there on a Celebrity cruise in late 2021 but we were only allowed off the ship on 'bubble' tours for Covid safety reasons. The joke was the tour guide set off before everyone got off the bus, at a pace, and fortunately we had been before and knew which way to head and lead the other 'stragglers' to the centre, which was packed as it was a Sunday.  So much for the Covid-safety measures!  It was so full, we couldn't find the rest of the group and so stopped another tour guide to ask for advice and he phoned the office, who told our guide he had to come and find us!

A note for those with limited mobility, although it is a pleasant and easy walk from the ship into the central, attractive parts of Lisbon, as is almost often the case, it's quite a walk just to get out of the port and so I find the ship's shuttle a useful way of doing the walk just one way.  There is plenty of seating options on the way back to the ship.  That is my memory of Cadiz also - very close to the centre but with mobility issues, a bit further 😉; lovely town however.

I'll be making notes of other recommendations 👍

On 2/2/2023 at 1:37 PM, Angel57 said:

Ditto. I also bought the BP wrist monitor that you mentioned a while ago which is much better than the arm cuff.

+1

Thank you Avril @Adawn47

1 hour ago, Beckett said:

You go for it Avril. Small steps will reap a great reward. I wish you the best of luck. Very best wishes. Jane.xxx

Hello Jane, long time lurker-more-than-poster here, but I wanted to welcome you back and to tell you that I’m pretty sure that Avril (aided by Graham, and possibly others) were mentioning your absence and worrying about you by name, months ago.  It is a lovely community. 
 

I’m currently in Fort Lauderdale in preparation for joining a Celebrity cruise ship tomorrow.  We flew into Miami yesterday with the easiest flight ever - Heathrow easy and friendly, Virgin plane only about half full in each section, Miami; straight through immigration with no wait and a friendly official; no queue for the hire car.  After probably 60 or more entries into the USA in 30+ years I’ve never known anything like it.  I felt like we had entered a VIP world!

This will be a reflective trip rather than a joyous one in the main, because my best friend of more than 60 years died recently and so we are cutting the trip short to return for the funeral, where I will attempt to deliver the eulogy I was asked to do.  I do have back up if I falter.  She and I, both only children with one child each, have remained close since we were children and I am beyond saddened at her loss.
 

Lincslady am pleased to read your positive posts and hope you may be able to persuade your friend to renew her passport.

Graham, your New Year’s Eve dinner table looked lovely and put me to shame.  I’m afraid I only go to that much trouble if we have guests but I so admire the style of you and Pauline.

Avril good luck with your intentions to be a little bolder with your plans. I’m in no position, or shape, to comment on anyone’s weight aims 😉.

Off out now to get some daylight as DH assures me it’s what I must do to reset my body clock to US time.  He’s been giving me the same advice for years but I still find jet lag difficult so feel my transatlantic flying days are numbered.

Good wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to you all  🎉 and long may this forum, with its wide range of topics, humour and support provided by interesting contributors, continue!

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

 

https://www.davidpilling.com/wiki/index.php/Kunzle

 

A real treat to anyone with a sweet tooth - a solid chocolate shell, with sweet gooey stuff in the middle.  

 

I loved Kunzle cakes!  In the mid sixties my friends and I went to Saturday morning art class in St Helens town centre.  A nearby coffee shop used to sell them so sometimes at break, we treated ourselves  to one with a frothy coffee in a glass cup and saucer. It felt very sophisticated! Or a Coca Cola in its fancy bottle for 10d.  
 

I recall being horrified, when on a school trip to Switzerland the following year, finding that the cost of a coke was a Swiss Franc, and at that time that translated to 2/6d 😱.  For youngsters here, that translates to three times the price 😁

I also remember 5 Boys chocolate bars. My own favourite chocolate bar was a 6d Cadbury’s bar with 6 different fillings in the squares, the best one being Turkish Delight.  On the other hand I disliked Fry’s chocolate cream bars and still dislike a Cadbury’s creme egg even now.

That was a nice memory Lane trip, so thanks Harry.