End of Great British Sailaway ?

[brillo]

I liked it, I miss It, and the sour puss's who did not like it were not forced to attend.

I think I will now start a campaign to do away with the ballroom dancing and the cards as I do not take part in these !!!

Edited February 21, 2020 by brillo

[Adawn47]

It's  something we never attended, not that it annoyed us but we'd much rather watch leaving port from the balcony. We don't like bingo, quizzes or the casino but we'd never complain just to get them removed. We're all individual with different tastes which are catered for on the ship. If you don't like anything don't go, it's that simple. 

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

It's  something we never attended, not that it annoyed us but we'd much rather watch leaving port from the balcony. We don't like bingo, quizzes or the casino but we'd never complain just to get them removed. We're all individual with different tastes which are catered for on the ship. If you don't like anything don't go, it's that simple. 

Adawn47, I see you are also from Yorkshire, so no real surprise that you have a sensible down to earth attitude as to how to enjoy a cruising holiday without raining on other peoples parades.

Maybe we should arrange to run training seminars for some of the ones who don't possess our common sense.😇

[Harry Peterson]

22 minutes ago, brillo said:

I liked it, I miss It, and the sour puss's who did not like it were not forced to attend.

I think I will now start a campaign to do away with the ballroom dancing and the cards as I do not take part in these !!!

Part of the problem, I’m sure, was the poor image of the UK it projected sometimes, with jingoistic anthems blasting out as we left overseas ports and, on occasion, highly offensive contretemps with German ships - the war finished 75 years ago.

 

Someone suggested that we should play the national anthem of the country of the port being left as a mark of respect and thanks. That’s a great idea, and would have enhanced, rather than damaged, the reputation of the UK.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Part of the problem, I’m sure, was the poor image of the UK it projected sometimes, with jingoistic anthems blasting out as we left overseas ports and, on occasion, highly offensive contretemps with German ships - the war finished 75 years ago.

 

Someone suggested that we should play the national anthem of the country of the port being left as a mark of respect and thanks. That’s a great idea, and would have enhanced, rather than damaged, the reputation of the UK.

I think your view sadly reflects the poor opinion you have of your home country which, fortunately, is not shared by the majority. From reading posts on some of the US line fora, there are lots of people who like to watch a P&O ship sailaway just so they can share in the enjoyment that this displays.

Only a sourpuss would condemn then in the way you do.

[wowzz]

41 minutes ago, brillo said:

I liked it, I miss It, and the sour puss's who did not like it were not forced to attend.

I think I will now start a campaign to do away with the ballroom dancing and the cards as I do not take part in these !!!

Nothing wrong with a sail away party,  per se, it was the jingoistic, xenophobic nature of the GB sailaway that I found both unpleasant and outdated.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think your view sadly reflects the poor opinion you have of your home country which, fortunately, is not shared by the majority. From reading posts on some of the US line fora, there are lots of people who like to watch a P&O ship sailaway just so they can share in the enjoyment that this displays.

Only a sourpuss would condemn then in the way you do.

Why do you think a couple of hundred drunks belting  out Rule Britannia reflects well ? 

Sourpuss  - really. What an outdated phrase (and attitude!)

[Harry Peterson]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think your view sadly reflects the poor opinion you have of your home country which, fortunately, is not shared by the majority. From reading posts on some of the US line fora, there are lots of people who like to watch a P&O ship sailaway just so they can share in the enjoyment that this displays.

Only a sourpuss would condemn then in the way you do.

I’m puzzled as to why you should think I have a poor opinion of the UK. On the contrary, I want it to project a great image across the world and not damage that by the things I mentioned.

 

Sourpuss?  A bizarre word to use for a positive suggestion aimed at enhancing sailaways and our reputation.

 

 

[terrierjohn]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Why do you think a couple of hundred drunks belting  out Rule Britannia reflects well ? 

Sourpuss  - really. What an outdated phrase (and attitude!)

Wowzz,  that really is an insulting view of those attending a GBS, and not at all the friendly comment I expect from you.

TBH I rarely attend the sailaways, but I don't disparage or condemn those that do, and equally I am not embarrassed by anyone who enjoys a last night of the proms type singalong.

Edited February 21, 2020 by terrierjohn

[emam]

Are they a recent addition to P&O or have they always done them?

[wowzz]

15 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Wowzz,  that really is an insulting view of those attending a GBS, and not at all the friendly comment I expect from you.

TBH I rarely attend the sailaways, but I don't disparage or condemn those that do, and equally I am not embarrassed by anyone who enjoys a last night of the proms type singalong.

Sorry, but just reporting what I saw on the one occasion I attended. Never again!

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, emam said:

Are they a recent addition to P&O or have they always done them?

They have stopped doing the flag waving GB sailaway. 

[Adawn47]

I know I'm about to get a lot of backlash from this post but I have to say that I am, and always have, been proud to be British. We should not be ashamed to sing our patriotic songs nor our National Anthem, although to use them as an insult to other nations is, and I agree, absolutely disgusting. We should be proud of our country, other nations are proud of theirs.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Adawn47

[Britboys]

I certainly found using songs like Rule Britannia and the Dambusters March jingoistic and potentially insulting to others but on my last P&O cruises, the GBS had evolved into using songs with the various national flavours of our home countries, which seemed fine.  I do think it is a shame to lose it altogether and would love it to continue with more environmentally-friendly flags of our four home countries.  I also agree that perhaps the first music to be played as the ship breaks its lines is the National Anthem of the country being visited.

[emam]

32 minutes ago, wowzz said:

They have stopped doing the flag waving GB sailaway. 

 

Yes, but what I meant was when did they start doing them, 10/20 years ago or have they always had them.

[AndyMichelle]

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of sailaways and we usually don't attend, but the couple I have seen I have enjoyed. 

Sailing out of Bergen in beautiful sunshine, I was one of the drunken Brits referred to earlier, although I must say it was a good hearted singalong with no disrespect shown to anyone. 

The other was at New Year, and to see 3-4 generations of families doing the Macarena together was hilarious but a nice sight. 

Each to their own, we don't have to attend. 

Now sing with me, 

SWEET CAROLINE.... 

Andy 

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

SWEET CAROLINE.... 

I hope your version is better than Freddy Flintoff's! 

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Adawn47, I see you are also from Yorkshire, so no real surprise that you have a sensible down to earth attitude as to how to enjoy a cruising holiday without raining on other peoples parades.

Maybe we should arrange to run training seminars for some of the ones who don't possess our common sense.😇

Thanks for the compliment. I'm not Yorkshire born however, I'm a  Southern transplant but have been here for 62 years now so I'm sure I'm forgiven 😉. My parents also had a sense of live and let live and I feel the same. The seminars are a good idea, but I don't think they'd be well attended. Too many people are already perfect 😇.

[AndyMichelle]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I hope your version is better than Freddy Flintoff's! 

I have the voice of an Angel... Hells Angel... 😊

Andy 

[miniyorkie]

4 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Thanks for the compliment. I'm not Yorkshire born however, I'm a  Southern transplant but have been here for 62 years now so I'm sure I'm forgiven 😉. My parents also had a sense of live and let live and I feel the same. The seminars are a good idea, but I don't think they'd be well attended. Too many people are already perfect 😇.

Please can I join the seminar training? - not that I need reminding that I  am definitely " you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can't take Yorkshire out of the girl"  although I have to  sadly admit that  I now  sometimes say   " Can you not and Do you not "  I  seem to be losing the Can't you and Don't you phrase.  Apologies to those offended LOL

[TangoYork]

If I remember correctly, the GBS has been going for at least 18 years.

[emam]

8 minutes ago, TangoYork said:

If I remember correctly, the GBS has been going for at least 18 years.

 

Thanks. With all the talk of how cruises are going downhill and not the same clientele I wondered when they started. Looks like it was with the old cruisers who must have taken part when it first started. 

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, miniyorkie said:

Please can I join the seminar training? - not that I need reminding that I  am definitely " you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can't take Yorkshire out of the girl"  although I have to  sadly admit that  I now  sometimes say   " Can you not and Do you not "  I  seem to be losing the Can't you and Don't you phrase.  Apologies to those offended LOL

Why would you want to change your dialect? That's what makes us different. After living with southern parents and going to school with Yorkshire girls my accent is a mish-mash of the two.

[Adawn47]

32 minutes ago, emam said:

 

Thanks. With all the talk of how cruises are going downhill and not the same clientele I wondered when they started. Looks like it was with the old cruisers who must have taken part when it first started. 

I'd rather be known as an earlier cruiser than an old one (even though I am 😉)

[Denarius]

3 hours ago, TangoYork said:

If I remember correctly, the GBS has been going for at least 18 years.

I believe that it dates back to when Gibraltar held a referendum as to whether its citizens wished for it to be returned to Spain or whether they wished to remain British. 99% voted to remain British. P&O tapped into this and held patriotic sail aways when leaving Gibraltar, which later became a feature of all cruises. The referendum was held in November 2002.