Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Lanky Lad]

3 hours ago, alc13 said:

I read a similar article if not the same one.  I think it meant the US FDA actually reruns analyses, while the UK MHRA doesn't.  But both agencies review the data rigorously.

I suspect at least some of this is the FDA trying to justify why the USA was not first.  So long as it's safe and it works, then I am sure we will all be happy.

 

We had our first snow of the winter here. Roads clear but cars and grass covered.  It makes the hills looks nice.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Lanky Lad

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I suspect at least some of this is the FDA trying to justify why the USA was not first.  So long as it's safe and it works, then I am sure we will all be happy.

 

We had our first snow of the winter here. Roads clear but cars and grass covered.  It makes the hills looks nice.

"Nice" - I think not.  A covering of snow strikes me as a kind of funeral shroud.  If there is anything positive in global warming it would be the absence of snow.

[Bigmike911]

25 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

"Nice" - I think not.  A covering of snow strikes me as a kind of funeral shroud.  If there is anything positive in global warming it would be the absence of snow.

I went to prep school in Colorado, and got a car for my senior year. I hate driving on snow. I hate other drivers when they are driving on snow. That is why I live in Texas and not further north. Yes we get icing and a bit of snow some winters, and I have the ability to stay off the roads. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is there is no place like home in bad weather, and now we have enough food to last for weeks if necessary. 

[navybankerteacher]

10 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

I went to prep school in Colorado, and got a car for my senior year. I hate driving on snow. I hate other drivers when they are driving on snow. That is why I live in Texas and not further north. Yes we get icing and a bit of snow some winters, and I have the ability to stay off the roads. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is there is no place like home in bad weather, and now we have enough food to last for weeks if necessary. 

I spent five years in school in New Hampshire - followed by university in upstate New York - my first year in the Navy - deployed to the Caribbean from January to April confirmed my belief that winter was obsolete and should be jettisoned.  Unfortunately, my career was New York City based - and I settled in Connecticut —— so, here I am.   

 

However, while I envy your winters, I still believe General Sheridan had a point when he stated” If I owned Hell and Texas, I’d rent out Texas and live in Hell.”  I have a step-daughter in Houston - whom I love dearly - so it is unavoidable.

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by navybankerteacher

[alc13]

I'll take the fence-sitter's position with respect to snow.  A fresh snowfall is beautiful to see, not funereal at all but pristine and peaceful.  And I love the hush of a falling snow.  On the other hand...  the filthy slush that accumulates after the snow plows deposit salt on the roads covers the cars in muck and makes frozen piles on the sides of roads and sidewalks that make walking sometimes seem more like navigating a par course.  And icy sidewalks are treacherous. 

 

We haven't had snow yet here.  Soon, though.  It's dark at 4:30 and the trees are completely bare.  I took a long walk this week on one of the local trails.  So good to get a couple of hours of fresh air.

[Host Hattie]

No snow here, we don't get it every Winter but we have been cut off a couple of times. Just damp and grey for the moment.

I've just been to the supermarket to collect the credit card my husband left there on Thursday ! They don't have contactless so it's about the 3rd time he's walked away without it.

Our local pub has decided to close completely this time so no fish and chip takeaways from across the road. The other pub in the village is opening during the day for food and soft drinks.

At his briefing yesterday our First Minister was quite pessimistic about the chances of being able to relax the regulations at the next review. We are allowed to travel outside Wales but not to very high risk areas. Handy for people living near the border but I don't think we'll bother.

 

[LewiLewi]

This is the time of year that I am delighted to live in Southern Florida. 80 degrees F, sunny,  soft breezes on the patio. I can sit outside for hours reading a book, overlooking our lake and pretending that I am on the balcony of the QV. Hope I can get back on board a year from now and begin another a world cruise.

[navybankerteacher]

13 hours ago, alc13 said:

I'll take the fence-sitter's position with respect to snow.  A fresh snowfall is beautiful to see, not funereal at all but pristine and peaceful.  And I love the hush of a falling snow.  On the other hand...  the filthy slush that accumulates after the snow plows deposit salt on the roads covers the cars in muck and makes frozen piles on the sides of roads and sidewalks that make walking sometimes seem more like navigating a par course.  And icy sidewalks are treacherous. 

 

We haven't had snow yet here.  Soon, though.  It's dark at 4:30 and the trees are completely bare.  I took a long walk this week on one of the local trails.  So good to get a couple of hours of fresh air.

From what I've heard this evening, Maine is getting plenty this go around.  Fortunately we are just south of the rain/snow line and have just gotten drenched today.

[alc13]

11 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

From what I've heard this evening, Maine is getting plenty this go around.  Fortunately we are just south of the rain/snow line and have just gotten drenched today.

Mostly drenched here, but temps dropped last night so we've had our first snow.  Winter is officially here.

[sfred]

On 12/6/2020 at 1:09 AM, LewiLewi said:

This is the time of year that I am delighted to live in Southern Florida. 80 degrees F, sunny,  soft breezes on the patio. I can sit outside for hours reading a book, overlooking our lake and pretending that I am on the balcony of the QV. Hope I can get back on board a year from now and begin another a world cruise.

 

It's hot and humid here in summertime Queensland (mid 30s C).  We were on the Sunshine Coast this past weekend, doing a petsit for some friends.  Their house was a block in from the beach, and we could hear the sound of the surf from the balcony, and watch the sunrise over the Pacific.  Almost like a balcony on QV/QE/QM2, but not quite.

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by sfred

[alc13]

National Health Service Delivers First Shots to Fight Covid-19

 

Well done, Britain!

[Host Hattie]

It's been quite emotional watching people being vaccinated today, a mixture of the elderly and healthcare workers. My friend had an appointment today, I must check if she actually had the injection.

There's more news out later today about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as well.

It certainly feels a little more hopeful.

Unfortunately the area where we both work now has the highest case rate in Wales. We have started the lateral flow tests for contractors coming to work on site during our Maintenance shutdown.

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

It's been quite emotional watching people being vaccinated today, a mixture of the elderly and healthcare workers. My friend had an appointment today, I must check if she actually had the injection.

There's more news out later today about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as well.

It certainly feels a little more hopeful.

Unfortunately the area where we both work now has the highest case rate in Wales. We have started the lateral flow tests for contractors coming to work on site during our Maintenance shutdown.

I hope the tests help cut numbers.  We had the highest in Lancashire (7th highest in England) a few weeks ago, but now down to 40 something in England so numbers can come down with effort.

[alc13]

I feel emotional too.  It is a momentous day. 

 

Sadly, much of the rest of the world is also seeing huge case numbers.  Stay well, everyone.

[Bigmike911]

Today is a special day for us all. It was joyful seeing the first vaccinations in the UK. Later today DHL delivered a package from great friends in the UK with a Christmas gift,  a stunning modern candlestick. It has received a place of honor in my living room, and will be from now on a symbol of what we have all been through, and are conquering. It will be a while before I get my vaccination. While I am over 75, I don't have any health issues, so others more in need will come first, as they should. I will stay safe and wait for my turn, soon I hope. Stay Safe. 

[Host Hattie]

So today was emotional for a different reason, Cunard cancelled our May cruises on Queen Elizabeth.😪. It was always a possibility of course but they could have let us keep dreaming for a little while longer.

We'll just have to find some other way to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.

 

[Lanky Lad]

My May trip has also been cancelled, but thankfully, it was not a special celebration.  I hope you find a nice way to celebrate HH.

 

I am thinking of booking something in July, but I am not sure I am confident at the moment.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

So today was emotional for a different reason, Cunard cancelled our May cruises on Queen Elizabeth.😪. It was always a possibility of course but they could have let us keep dreaming for a little while longer.

We'll just have to find some other way to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.

 

I would see it as a kindness - the closer the sailing date is, the more accrued anticipation has to be dumped in the trash.   I prefer looking forward to things which are likely to happen.

[sfred]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

So today was emotional for a different reason, Cunard cancelled our May cruises on Queen Elizabeth.😪. It was always a possibility of course but they could have let us keep dreaming for a little while longer.

We'll just have to find some other way to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.

 

Sympathies, @Host Hattie.  I hope you find an alternative way to commemorate that important 20th anniversay milestone.  Congratulations in advance!

 

I think I understand your emotion.  When Cunard cancelled our QM2 Christmas and New Year's voyage this year, 75% of me fully expected the outcome and was relieved that we'd be getting our deposit back on a booking for which it was highly unlikely we could make it to NY.  But 25% of me was still gutted at the final loss of a QM2 yuletide experience.  It must be much worse still for missing a 20th anniversary trip.

 

[bluemarble]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

We'll just have to find some other way to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.

 

This past month was the 15th anniversary of the day I proposed to the future Mrs. Bluemarble on board QM2 during an eastbound crossing on November 5, 2005. We managed to celebrate both the 5th and 10th anniversaries of that date on board eastbound QM2 crossings as well. But of course celebrating the 15th anniversary this year on board QM2 was not to be.

 

We weren't really planning on that happening anyway because QM2 was going to be doing one of those five day Hamburg round trips on November 5th this year rather than a crossing, but the pause in operations made that a moot point. At least we don't have to regret not booking that trip now.

[Bigmike911]

I am now growing fearful that my 22 July, westbound from Hamburg might be in Jeopardy. Fingers crossed. Hattie I am sorry for your disappointment. But as vaccinations roll out in the UK and next week here in the US, have hope.

[Lanky Lad]

I was please to hear that the vaccine has been approved and will be free to all in the USA, that is a good start. 

 

The Northern Belle Pullman train was out and about today so I had a little trip to see it. Made a change to get out and about.  Odd how trains can run but not cruises. 

 

I have picked a replacement cruise for the May one that was cancelled, but I am in too minds whether to book it.  It the end of July 2021 so in theory it will go ahead, but I have had 3 cancelled already.  I might wait and see how the vaccine role out goes. 

 

My mother is in the third group to get the vaccine and my friend is in the fifth, whilst I am in the ninth.  I have told them they can't go off enjoying themselves until I have caught up. 🙂 

[Underwatr]

3 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

I was please to hear that the vaccine has been approved and will be free to all in the USA, that is a good start. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that vaccine distribution is at the point by December that cruising can return to its normal experience. Hopefully I'll know before final payment (or I'm likely not to go through with it).

[navybankerteacher]

Of course, responsible and knowledgeable authorities are warning us that, vaccines notwithstanding, we have another ten weeks or so before our present worsening trend even eases.  We are, and will be, looking at a couple of thousand daily deaths for the near term - largely because the unthinking still refuse to learn.  The Thanksgiving travel which largely caused the present surge is likely to be repeated in the next couple of weeks over Christmas.  The dust will not even start to settle until late January.

 

To quote Churchill, this is nowhere near the end - or even the beginning of the end -  at best it might be the end of the beginning.

 

It will be May (at best) before there will have been sufficient immunizations to take a big bite out the spreading contagion.   The sad fact is that (in the US at least) the general public is unable to think long term - a condition perhaps correctly attributed to the fact that so many were weaned on 30 minute TV shows - where all problems got wrapped up before the next station break.

 

Anyway, we are looking at a bit of snow on Monday, followed by a significant storm on Wednesday-Thursday - which is likely to give us more snow (before Winter even starts) than we got all of last year’s season.

 

Damn, just Damn.

[naturelovergirl]

Hello from Central FL.

All is fine here for us.

 

We have a beautifully decorated house for the holidays- and that has absolutely helped in this strange year. I look one way and see the beautiful tree... another way, a nutcracker or a Christmas decoration found on our many travels in years past... Christmas plates and Santa mugs for coffee at the ready! All of that has been important to us. The little things are valuable to our hearts.

 

The holidays are absolutely different for us this year, but we have accepted this. Luckily, we have family who are compassionate and caring. Each side is doing what they can to get through the pandemic as responsibly as they can- my side of the family is from a big city while my husband's family lives in a small town. The approaches from each side are slightly different, but they are both trying. We have high risk family members on both sides. We love them... so we try our hardest to keep them safe. We are all resigned to the fact that this year is not our normal holiday. Our love and devotion to each other is what is most important.

 

We read the news each day about the vaccines... and we are hopeful for the future.

Edited December 13, 2020 by naturelovergirl