P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[ann141]

I know its not a cruise but we have a Warners break booked for mid feb.Think I may be being a tad optimistic?!Really want to book a Saga cruise round Ireland in June (particularly as the price has come down!) but hanging on for a few weeks before deciding

[mrsgoggins]

11 hours ago, ann141 said:

I know its not a cruise but we have a Warners break booked for mid feb.Think I may be being a tad optimistic?!Really want to book a Saga cruise round Ireland in June (particularly as the price has come down!) but hanging on for a few weeks before deciding

I ‘gambled’ £75 total some months ago on 2 flights to Venice at the end of April - not paid for seats or luggage yet. My favourite hotel by Lake Garda did not want a deposit and I’ll leave car hire until the last minute. I reckon it’s no more than a 50-50 chance of happening but I really, really want it to 🤞 

 

I would guess that your Saga Ireland cruise (if you go ahead) stands a good chance.  Good luck with the Warner break though, but you never know!

[Peanut006]

Love Lake Garda, we stayed at a hotel right on the Lake for a long weekend a couple of years ago but we flew into Bergamo, cheap flights as well. Hope it happens for you, at least it’s something to look forward to

Michelle

[davecttr]

The christmas reckoning - I have put on exactly 7lb since xmas eve 😟

 

back to the diet

[mrsgoggins]

23 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

Love Lake Garda, we stayed at a hotel right on the Lake for a long weekend a couple of years ago but we flew into Bergamo, cheap flights as well. Hope it happens for you, at least it’s something to look forward to

Michelle

Thank you Michelle. We have flown into Bergamo many times but our current flights are from Liverpool rather then Manchester, which I prefer. We have a long relationship with Bardolino on Lake Garda, since DH often worked in the area (I would tag along as often as possible 😉) and we have been in the resort in mid winter with snow falling and not another person to be seen.  Magical memories!

[nicki-k]

We would love to visit Lake Garda, we went to Venice, Florence and Rome in Aug 19 and it was one of our favourite holidays. We used the train between the cities, is it easy to drive around Lake Garda and do you pick the car up from Venice or locally at the Lakes? I would be on the that plane as soon as it is relatively safe to do so 🤞

[Eglesbrech]

36 minutes ago, davecttr said:

The christmas reckoning - I have put on exactly 7lb since xmas eve 😟

 

back to the diet

4lb here. Started the cut back to rebalance. It never comes off as quickly or easily as it goes on.

[Eglesbrech]

29 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

Thank you Michelle. We have flown into Bergamo many times but our current flights are from Liverpool rather then Manchester, which I prefer. We have a long relationship with Bardolino on Lake Garda, since DH often worked in the area (I would tag along as often as possible 😉) and we have been in the resort in mid winter with snow falling and not another person to be seen.  Magical memories!

We regularly go there but tend to stay in Garda town and walk along the lakeside to Bardolino. 

 

We have been several times for the Bardolino  wine festivals which are always fun. I have a collection of the little glasses and holders for them. A very civilised way to wine taste, wandering along the shore side.

 

Tend to fly into Verona.

[Eglesbrech]

19 minutes ago, nicki-k said:

We would love to visit Lake Garda, we went to Venice, Florence and Rome in Aug 19 and it was one of our favourite holidays. We used the train between the cities, is it easy to drive around Lake Garda and do you pick the car up from Venice or locally at the Lakes? I would be on the that plane as soon as it is relatively safe to do so 🤞

I don’t know about cars as we have never hired one, the roads around the lake can be busy in high season, much quieter early and late in the season.

 

There is however a good network of ferry’s which connect the main towns and can take you from south to north and across the lake to the main places of interest. It is a lovely way to travel on a hot day. The service is quite regular in high season but drops off a bit out with so check that for your dates if you intend to use it. It’s not cheap either but for me better than sitting in traffic.

 

[Peanut006]

43 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

Thank you Michelle. We have flown into Bergamo many times but our current flights are from Liverpool rather then Manchester, which I prefer. We have a long relationship with Bardolino on Lake Garda, since DH often worked in the area (I would tag along as often as possible 😉) and we have been in the resort in mid winter with snow falling and not another person to be seen.  Magical memories!

We stayed in Garda last time but have been to Bardolino a few times, we walked on the Lake path into Bardolino. I bet it’s lovely in Winter getting the cable car from Malcesine.

 

Michelle 

[mrsgoggins]

19 minutes ago, nicki-k said:

We would love to visit Lake Garda, we went to Venice, Florence and Rome in Aug 19 and it was one of our favourite holidays. We used the train between the cities, is it easy to drive around Lake Garda and do you pick the car up from Venice or locally at the Lakes? I would be on the that plane as soon as it is relatively safe to do so 🤞

We used to fly into Verona (closest airport to Lake Garda by far) when we lived in Herts and could access daily flights from Gatwick and pick up a car at whichever airport we use.  Manchester only has Verona flights in the holiday season - May to September - and we like to go either side of these months to avoid the crowds and easier driving to the other lakeside resorts, and so now use Bergamo or Venice airports.  My husband would applaud your use of trains - and be envious - but I like the convenience of a car.  I’m sure it would be possible to pick up a car locally, but there is quite a good bus service, which I would often use when DH was working.  You can definitely have a good holiday in that region without a car 👍

[nicki-k]

15 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I don’t know about cars as we have never hired one, the roads around the lake can be busy in high season, much quieter early and late in the season.

 

There is however a good network of ferry’s which connect the main towns and can take you from south to north and across the lake to the main places of interest. It is a lovely way to travel on a hot day. The service is quite regular in high season but drops off a bit out with so check that for your dates if you intend to use it. It’s not cheap either but for me better than sitting in traffic.

 

 

11 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

We used to fly into Verona (closest airport to Lake Garda by far) when we lived in Herts and could access daily flights from Gatwick and pick up a car at whichever airport we use.  Manchester only has Verona flights in the holiday season - May to September - and we like to go either side of these months to avoid the crowds and easier driving to the other lakeside resorts, and so now use Bergamo or Venice airports.  My husband would applaud your use of trains - and be envious - but I like the convenience of a car.  I’m sure it would be possible to pick up a car locally, but there is quite a good bus service, which I would often use when DH was working.  You can definitely have a good holiday in that region without a car 👍

That's interesting, I am the manager of a pre-school so have to unfortunately travel in school holidays. We have hired cars in America and Spain but have been put off by the reputation of Italian drivers which might be completely unjust 🤣. It's good to know they have a good ferry and bus service. The trains were brilliant and we would recommend them to anyone,  we paid 24 euros to travel first class between each city, sitting in luxury leather seats with lots of space and being served coffee and snacks by our dedicated cabin crew. We pay the same to have the luxury of standing room only in cattle class travelling into London from West Malling in Kent.......the difference couldn't be further apart!

[tring]

1 hour ago, mrsgoggins said:

I ‘gambled’ £75 total some months ago on 2 flights to Venice at the end of April - not paid for seats or luggage yet. My favourite hotel by Lake Garda did not want a deposit and I’ll leave car hire until the last minute. I reckon it’s no more than a 50-50 chance of happening but I really, really want it to 🤞 

 

I would guess that your Saga Ireland cruise (if you go ahead) stands a good chance.  Good luck with the Warner break though, but you never know!

 

Can I ask how you get to see Lake Garda from Venice?  We have done the journey between Garda and Milan, but Venice a lot further, though would be good to combine stays in both and Liverpool airport less than an hour for us.

 

[Adawn47]

39 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

4lb here. Started the cut back to rebalance. It never comes off as quickly or easily as it goes on.

It's not as enjoyable either😁 

I've put on 4lb too, but that's on top of what crept on over the last year since lockdown. So being honest that's a total of 10lbs, and on a 5' 2'' frame that's not good.😬

Time to zip it🤐

Avril

 

[mrsgoggins]

6 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Can I ask how you get to see Lake Garda from Venice?  We have done the journey between Garda and Milan, but Venice a lot further, though would be good to combine stays in both and Liverpool airport less than an hour for us.

 

If you look at an online route planner, such as the AA’s, you can see that much of the journey (between VCE and Bardolino/Garda) is by motorway and takes about an hour and three-quarters, 98 miles.  As the Liverpool flight arrives early, we take a satnav and avoid the motorways for some of the journey and travel through some interesting towns and villages, but take the fast motorway route for the return.

[ann141]

We had a lovely holiday in Lake Garda a few years ago travelling to Verona by train from London and then taking a local train to Peschiera.We then used local buses and ferries to tour the area.The train from Venice also stops at Peschiera

[tring]

12 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

If you look at an online route planner, such as the AA’s, you can see that much of the journey (between VCE and Bardolino/Garda) is by motorway and takes about an hour and three-quarters, 98 miles.  As the Liverpool flight arrives early, we take a satnav and avoid the motorways for some of the journey and travel through some interesting towns and villages, but take the fast motorway route for the return.

 

Thanks a lot.  I did not think of hiring a car, but if we did could perhaps stop for a night or two somewhere quiet on the way. Must look into that idea when things settle a bit as doubt we will be doing our normal extended long haul type holidays/cruises

 

 

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

The christmas reckoning - I have put on exactly 7lb since xmas eve 😟

 

back to the diet

1.1kgs, about 2 1/2 lbs I think.  Pleasantly surprised.  Could do with losing about 5kgs on top of that though.

[yorkshirephil]

30 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

1.1kgs, about 2 1/2 lbs I think.  Pleasantly surprised.  Could do with losing about 5kgs on top of that though.

We have let ourselves go this year, we would usually be watching our weight over Christmas in preparation for our Jan/Feb Caribbean cruise, we gained more in 3 days than we usually do on the 35 night cruise. Not having an upcoming cruise is bad for your health in more ways than one.

[batholiver]

Need some exercise   but not this morning.  Check the pavements before you go out folks. Lethal round here and hospital's the very last place you want to be.

[Angel57]

42 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

We have let ourselves go this year, we would usually be watching our weight over Christmas in preparation for our Jan/Feb Caribbean cruise, we gained more in 3 days than we usually do on the 35 night cruise. Not having an upcoming cruise is bad for your health in more ways than one.

I’m too scared to get on the scales.......🐘🙄

[Purdey16]

I put on 7lbs since my stomach operation beginning of September and then another 7lbs while I was away 10 days Fuerteventura last week ( probably mostly alcohol) I’m hoping but since I’ve been home not a drop and I’ve lost the 7 lbs holiday belly in 3 days so now cutting back again to lose that other 7lbs .

Should of been going on Arcadia today 35 nights Caribbean 😔

[DamianG]

I take newspapers to hospital for my dad on Saturdays and Sundays. Usually I'm out and on my way before 8am but I left it a bit later this morning and our local Tesco car park was covered in black ice. I parked easily enough and got the papers without any accidents so I didn't really think too much about it.

 

The hospital car park is on a slope and I parked the car in the usual spot for short stays. I put on the handbrake then released the brake pedal and immediately the car started sliding slowly backwards! 😲

I thought that I hadn't pulled the handbrake fully into position so I pressed the brake pedal and tried again. As soon as I released the brake pedal the car started sliding backwards again, only a foot or so but scary enough. Eventually it stopped just short of the kerb. I tried to get out but could only keep my feet by holding the front and rear door handles. Eventually I made it onto the grass then slowly walked the remaining 50 metres into the hospital reception. 

 

I've never known black ice like it and thank goodness it was a weekend as you usually can't get in the car park on weekdays and have to park nearby outside the hospital grounds.

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by DamianG

[Josy1953]

3 hours ago, Peanut006 said:

We stayed in Garda last time but have been to Bardolino a few times, we walked on the Lake path into Bardolino. I bet it’s lovely in Winter getting the cable car from Malcesine.

 

Michelle 

 

32 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

I’m too scared to get on the scales.......🐘🙄

Mine screamed "get off I'm for humans not elephants"

[Peanut006]

2 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

It's not as enjoyable either😁 

I've put on 4lb too, but that's on top of what crept on over the last year since lockdown. So being honest that's a total of 10lbs, and on a 5' 2'' frame that's not good.😬

Time to zip it🤐

Avril

 

I dare not even get on the scales!!! I know I have put weight on as my clothes are tighter. I know I can lose it if I try, I lost 10lbs a couple of years ago , I am just not in the right mindset at the moment to do it. Too many chocolates to eat from Xmas yet as well!!!

 

Michelle