Live from the Royal: June 26th, 2015--British Isles-- Move-over Offer Part 2

[TracieABD]

July 5, 2015

Edinburgh, Scotland

 

Hi friends-

 

Let me begin by wrapping up last night and the mystery of the Arriabiata... They had it!!!! Maitre'd Roberto did a smashing job of prepping it, just the right amount of heat and the pasta was cooked perfectly. Yum. This may be my second favorite next to..... Twice baked Goat Cheese Souffle (which shall hence forth be know as TBGCS- because I am lazy.) I did nothing after dinner. Headed to bed early and tried to get a decent nights sleep.

 

This morning, I managed to coerce my mom into joining me in Sabatini's. I had an omelet and bacon and fruit. Oh, and my super special coffee (thanks, Milos). It was a fabulous way to start our day.

 

I am not sure if this is a new thing or not, but we were given priority tender boarding tickets. I know that Black Cards can board with their card, but I was not aware this perk was extended as a suite perk. Even so, I am pretty grateful. I do want to take a moment to talk about tendering from the Royal. Based on the tides (I think), you would have to walk down about 10 steps to enter the tender. I took one look at that, and my heart sunk a bit. There is no way my mom can negotiate this and she will not trust me to carry her (even though I can). I had such a sinking feeling that we would not be seeing Edinburgh today. They asked us to step aside, called a Safety Supervisor, and viola! they deployed a wheelchair lift for my mom. I could have hugged those people (I might have shaken a hand or two and smiled a lot!). When we reached Edinburgh, we were able to walk right of the tender. And my mother set foot in Scotland! Yay, Princess, for getting that right! Also, a big mention to the new tenders- very, very nice!

 

I booked a fully private tour with Peter Milne (who came at the highest recommendation from Duncan McNab). Peter has been brilliant at keeping in touch with me and fully customizing our tour. He was right there at the end of the dock with a sign. The sun was out and we were off in his 8 passenger van (though, we were only 4). We did an Edinburgh city tour, a tour of a really cool old castle, and had lunch at pub. My brother had the fried Haggis. I had fried Camebert- yep. fried and delicious. I guess the Scots just love to fry stuff, like fish and potatoes and cheese and meat and hot dogs and sausage and Oreos and Coca Cola and... well, rumour has it, anything that will fit into a fryer. We proceeded onto the Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery where my brother and SIL had a tour. My mom and I had tea-- that is more our speed. We then made our way back to the ship. I have to say, this was a wonderful tour with a fabulous tour guide. Peter has just the right amount of history, humour, schtick, and local lore to make a day pass very, very quickly. I would highly recommend Peter to anyone seeking a fully customizable tour of this area of Scotland.

 

The fam has gone to dinner and I have just finished the veal dish in Alfredo's. It has been a terrific day. I feel a little like I should get a medal or something, as I have just completed 8 of 9 ports with only one sea day! I am opting out of Le Havre, as I don't really want to go to Paris or Normandy. I never did get it together to book something to Giverney or Honfleur, so I just may have an unofficial sea day!

 

I am so stinkin' tired; I am really ready for a sea day tomorrow. I promise to post more later!

 

Thanks for traipsing through Scotland with me!

 

Tracie-Lynn :) :)

[TracieABD]

We are sailing on a similar itinerary on the Caribbean Princess next June with our 14 year old son. Do you see many teenagers on the ship?

 

There a few American and Canadian teens. Not a lot, though.

[TracieABD]

Hi Nuke-

Just the super duper coffee machine... Practice when you are fully alert, so you will develop muscle memory when you are not yet coherent.:)

[TracieABD]

Hi Tracie.... I just found your live from thread! Now this explains all your steps on fitbit.

 

So nice to follow along.... say hi to your Mom for us.

 

Oh and what! You have other Canadians that you love... oh okay we can share the wealth.

 

Keep up the journal,

 

Cheers from roasting British Columbia

 

Vickie

 

Hi Vickie! Yep, walking like a crazy fool! :)

 

Hi Annie- feel free to add a verse or adjust the chorus.

 

Hi Steve- Thank you for the pictures and info.

 

I wish I could write more live, but I am chewing up internet like crazy!

[Colo Cruiser]

Sounds like a wonderful day and tour! :)

[Shogun]

Hi Tracie

 

Nice to hear you had a good day, Hornfluer is worth a visit, will be taxis who will take you there, worth it just for the sea food.

 

enjoy the rest of your cruise

 

 

yours Shogun

[Shogun]

Hi tracie,

 

Do all your writing off line then post,

 

I always have hours of time left even after doing live posts from my cruises

 

yours Shogun

[chamima]

July 5, 2015

Edinburgh, Scotland

 

Hi friends-

 

Let me begin by wrapping up last night and the mystery of the Arriabiata... They had it!!!! Maitre'd Roberto did a smashing job of prepping it, just the right amount of heat and the pasta was cooked perfectly. Yum. This may be my second favorite next to..... Twice baked Goat Cheese Souffle (which shall hence forth be know as TBGCS- because I am lazy.)

 

I am not sure if this is a new thing or not, but we were given priority tender boarding tickets. I know that Black Cards can board with their card, but I was not aware this perk was extended as a suite perk.

 

Tracie-Lynn :) :)

 

Hi Tracie

So glad to hear Roberto is still on the Royal!!!

(Actually there are (or were) two wonderful Robertos on the Royal last year , Navarro and Zoboli, but we got especially close to Roberto Navarro. Tell him hi from Allan and Karen in Michigan. We'll be back to (hopefully) see him again this coming February.

And yes, his Arrabiatta is something special! :D

 

 

And, yes, priority tendering is a suite perk.

Glad to hear they were so helpful with your Mom!

[boca7]

Hi Tracie

 

Nice to hear you had a good day, Hornfluer is worth a visit, will be taxis who will take you there, worth it just for the sea food.

 

enjoy the rest of your cruise

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Will be at that port on the transatlantic, can you tell me about your experience with the taxi`s, price, do they take visa, availability, etc. Thx advance...

[caribill]

J

 

I am not sure if this is a new thing or not, but we were given priority tender boarding tickets. I know that Black Cards can board with their card, but I was not aware this perk was extended as a suite perk.

 

This has been a long time full suite perk.

[JulieM]

Just adding my name to the thread for updates. Thanks again!

[Loonbeam]

You can subscribe to a thread without follow posting. Look under thread tools. Subscribed threads show under userCP.

 

Just adding my name to the thread for updates. Thanks again!

[TracieABD]

July 6, 2015

Sea Day, Number 2

 

Hi Friends-

 

I can't believe how much I have slept on this cruise. Last night I packed it in around 9 am and woke this morning at 9 am, though that really was on eleven hours sleep, as we have lost an hour--- on our way to France. I am such a light sleeper, and it always takes me a few nights to get over the cabin "rattle". For the first two or three nights, I must look like an OCD mess... Adjusting hangers, moving drinking glasses, securing drawers, etc. If I had my way, I would sleep in a sensory deprivation chamber, no lights, no sound... That certainly cannot be considered on ship, at least not in a balcony room. There is so little night in Scotland during the summer, anyways. Eventually, I always settle down and sleep... That must have been last night.

 

I only have one more breakfast in Sabatini's... boo. Their food and service have been outstanding. Jonathan, Milos, and (sometimes) Romeo have been true breakfast heroes. If only I could begin every day this way... ahhhhhhh.

 

I also want to send a shout-out to the Concierge Lounge. Louise, the Concierge, and her assistant, Sainith (I think I have that correct, If not- please, forgive....), have been greatly helpful and lots of fun. There are always plenty of snacks available, and they have worked extra hard to keep me stocked in skim milk! I know the lounge has been a bit slow to take off, but I think that it is a lovely addition to the Royal class ships. I wish they would retro-fit a lounge on every Princess ship.

 

So mostly, I wandered around and started packing the "Clampet-style" luggage. I do want you to know that while everything looks like heck on the outside, It is really organized on the inside. I bring a whole new set of symptoms to the DSM VI for OCD. It takes days to get all that stuff back in the appropriate bags.

 

At 3pm my SIL when to tea in the MDR. It was fun, and I think she was kind of sad that she did not know about it earlier in the cruise. The scones have gotten a bit smaller, and that is actually a good thing. This takes it down a notch from a meal to a snack.

 

We had reservations for fondue, but upon reviewing the menu, we discovered it was lobster night... and there went fondue night... right out the window. I don't eat lobster, but they had the pumpkin crepes. Yay! These may be my second favorite thing on the Princess dinner menu. No hard feelings- fondue- but you were trumped by giant squashes and crustaceans.

 

After dinner, we attended the Where in the World Am I? game with Victoria. We did not win. Boo. But we had fun playing as a family. We proceeded to the Vista Lounge for more of Doug Funk. When he asked for audience participants, I volunteered my SIL who is one of the funniest people I know. She was thrilled (seriously thrilled). She and Doug did a bit that had the entire audience in tears. I only wish we had film. The woman has absolutely no boundaries, and the entire skit involved a lot of physical comedy, for which she is genius. Even Doug Funk was laughing hard. It was a definite highlight for all of us! Yay! Susan! You rock!!!

 

Steve must have laughed himself to a point of exhaustion, as he escaped. Susan and I poked around, got our nightly hot chocolate, and watched a little of the Princess Pop Stars finale. One gentleman wrote a ditty about cruising to the tune of My Way. The part about the buffet was precious.

 

Thanks for hanging out on our last sea day.

 

More later-

Tracie-Lynn :) :)

[Colo Cruiser]

Excellent! Enjoy your last Sabatini's and the rest of the cruise. :D

[JF - retired RRT]

Tracie,

I've been following your excellent "live from". I laughed, I cried, I was so jealous...

Edited July 8, 2015 by JF - retired RRT

[margeg]

Hi Tracie,

I just started reading your live yesterday. Then I realized there was a Part one, so I went back to read that one first. I was so excited to learn that you were in a penthouse suite on the Royal. You are the only one I read with first hand info. We have booked our FIRST (full)suite on Princess.!!!!! It is a penthouse suite on the Royal in November to the Carib. From what I could get from your posts, seems that you liked it?? I am so looking forward to it with all the "extras". I guess the balcony was not so bad after all?

 

Its costing an arm and a leg, but what the heck. We are of the age now that for all we know it might be our last one! Just like your mom, its our kids inheritance! lol!.

 

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you have put into these threads. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

your neighbor up north,

marge from n.j.:)

[TracieABD]

Hi Friends-

Well, I never suspected that this would be how this thread ends.

On July 7, ported in LeHavre. My mom and I had decided to stay on board and enjoy the day (maybe we would go into to LeHavre for a few, but no big plans). I went to Sabatini's for breakfast. When I returned to the room, I discovered my mom not feeling well. I helped her to clean up, called the ship's hazmat team (who are so darn cheerful, considering their job) and just stayed in the suite and hung out with my mom for the day.

 

We cancelled our Crown Grill reservation and finished packing.

When my brother and sister returned from Paris, the three of us parked ourselved at Alfredos and had a bite. I returned to the room to complete the packing.

 

The next morning my mother was still ill, but we had a flight to catch. Our pre-booked and pre-paid car service from Southampton to London decided not to show up (and even had the audacity to send an email at 10:20 that morning- they were supposed to be there around 10). I would highly caution anyone from using British Airport Transfers. They have proven to be unrealiable.

 

We ended up catching a cab and made it to the airport on time. It was a bit of a hassle as the driver dropped my BB and SIL at Terminal 5 first and them my mom and me at Terminal 2-- a block away from the terminal-- with 9 pieces of luggage and my mom in a wheelchair. I was livid.

 

The flight was fairly uneventful and we made it home with all of our luggage and my mom intact. And I would love to say this is where our adventure ends, but sadly, it is not...

[Colo Cruiser]

Yikes Tracie, I hope all is OK.

[TracieABD]

... Actually, this is where our journey ends...

I suspected that my mom was having some neurological issues and i made an appointment see her Dr. She ordered a CT scan on a Friday. Last Sunday, my mom had a major stroke. While she survived the stroke, she died in my arms 5 days later.

 

For those of you who have followed my live froms, you know how attached my mom and I were. While my heart is broken, I am so grateful that I had this one last adventure with her and my brother. I will treasure this time for the rest of my life. This is just another reason why we should not postpone joy.

 

While in Hospice, she has some moments of consciousness, and during those times I would read her my "live from" blogs about our travels around the world. I am also grateful I took the time to write these, as we were able to relive our travel highlights together.

 

I am not quite sure what happens next. I feel pretty lost without her. I do know that she taught me everything I need to know to survive this, so I will persist.

 

Thanks for cruising with us, and I am so sorry our magical British Isle adventure ended so sadly.

 

Tracie-Lynn

Edited July 25, 2015 by TracieABD

[Colo Cruiser]

... Actually, this is where our journey ends...

I suspected that my mom was having some neurological issues and i made an appointment see her Dr. She ordered a CT scan on a Friday. Last Sunday, my mom had a major stroke. While she survived the stroke, she died in my arms 5 days later.

 

For those of you who have followed my live froms, you know how attached my mom and I were. While my heart is broken, I am so grateful that I had this one last adventure with her and my brother. I will treasure this time for the rest of my life. This is just another reason why we should not postpone joy.

 

While in Hospice, she has some moments of consciousness, and during those times I would read her my "live from" blogs about our travels around the world. I am also grateful I took the time to write these, as we were able to relive our travel highlights together.

 

I am not quite sure what happens next. I feel pretty lost without her. I do know that she taught me everything I need to know to survive this, so I will persist.

 

Thanks for cruising with us, and I am so sorry our magical British Isle adventure ended so sadly.

 

Tracie-Lynn

 

 

Oh Tracie, I am so sorry. I know how much your Mom meant to you and especially taking this trip together. My prayers to you and your family.

May she Rest in Peace.

[Shogun]

Hi

Tracie, sorry to hear of your lose,

 

Yours Shogun

[PescadoAmarillo]

Tracy I am so sorry for your loss. Your relationship with your mom reminded me of mine with my mom...lots of memories of wonderful travel together. It's only fitting you were with her as she began her next journey; it must have been very comforting to her.

[js1357]

Hi Tracie,

 

Your Live thread was the first I've read because I'm traveling on the Royal with my husband, who is 8 years into Parkinson's Disease, in about a month. I read your posts to my husband and we shared many laughs about your witty writing. I am so glad that you got to spend this time with your Mom -- I'm sure the good memories will help you get through the upcoming months.

[CamCruiser]

Dear Tracie

Of course we have never met, but I feel as though I have gotten to know you and your wonderful Mom through your live froms.

 

Thank you for sharing her with us through your adventures.

 

With sincere sympathy for your loss,

Carla

[MustangGT]

Tracie -

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. Even though I only know you from your posts and your wonderful 'live from' threads, my heart is sad for you.

Many prayers that your memories will comfort you.