anyone been on funchal?

[first cruise]

Hi Mitasol, you are an intrepid traveller aren't you???? And do you really do that all on your own??? You are so brave. My hubby has always talked about getting a caravan and travelling just like that, but I think I might prefer motels or relatives. I hope you can get to check out cabin 56 on Funchal. It's amazing that you will be on board with Matilda and her hubby, that is so wonderful. Stay in touch with your news. First Cruise

[mitasol]

ta to both of you. Intrepid or stupid? Moot point. For me it is simply a matter of going or not going. There is a great deal of the world still to see. Why sit at home and mope. I'd rather be out there! Sure it gets lonely sometimes, but it also can be horribly lonely in my own lounge room.

 

Also, too, you meet all sorts of interesting people out on the road.

 

Anyhow, am looking forward to meeting you guys. It would be nice if we could somehow manage to contact some of the other people who will be travelling, wouldn't it?

 

Anne

[matilda]

No, Mitasol, I don't think so. And I think you meet more people when you travel on your own. People would make an effort to chat. Don't worry, First Cruise, if you don't find anyone else who is on your cruise before you sail. By the time you have been on board 24 hours you will have made lots of friends.

Anyway, your cruise was heavily advertised in Geelong, just ask around, you will come across other passengers.

Matilda

[first cruise]

Hello Everyone!!! I have made 3 wonderful friends since I found this thread, now all I need is to be out on the water!!!! Cruising the internet is great, but cruising on the water is going to be so good! Your right Matilda, 24 hours should see me talking up a storm to lots of people, although I really wish you were going as well as Mitasol. Mitasol, dumb question I know, but where did that name come from??? Wonder how Seabourndt is going.....is he sailing at the moment?? First Cruise..Lea.

[seabourndt]

no leaving tomorrow friday on the arcadia for 4 days, back tuesday.

hope to meetr quite a few friends onboard meeting in the pub on the ship before lifeboat drill. still lookking for another cruise for the winter, even thought about the athens-australia on the funchal. doing a visit on the arion in aug she is smaller than the funchal.

dave

[first cruise]

Hi Seabourndt, wonderful to hear from you!! Happy sailing this week, hope you have the BEST time!! Don't forget to report as soon as you get back. First Cruise (Lea)

[mitasol]

Hi again guys,

 

mi tasol is pidgin English for "me that's all", or "just me".

I have been on my own for several years now, so it seems to fit.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Anne

[matilda]

Mitasol, that is interesting. I have always thought pidgin English is fascinating. Does that mean that you have lived in New Guinea? Just tell us if First Cruise and I are too nosy!

Several years ago my husband and I were thinking of booking on a cruise that took in a couple of New Guinea ports, but we didn't, and then we heard that a lot of people suffered from food poisoning on that cruise, so perhaps it was a good thing we didn't go.

Lesley

[mitasol]

yes, lived and worked in png for several years. used to be a really interesting and fascinating place to work. nowadays it's too dangerous, and even this intrepid traveller would not go back. I worked for the university, and I used to get to visit the most fascinating out of the way places, in the most remote parts of the country, looking after students studying by distance education. But we had to leave when the civil war broke out on Bougainville. Great pity really.

 

and no, you're not too nosy. you've got quite a way to go before you reach that level.

[first cruise]

Hi Everyone,

 

Mitasol, my aunt and uncle lived in PNG about 35 years ago and they just loved it. They said it was the best experience of their lives.

 

Matilda, i have posted a new thread for Funchal February 2006 and will be trying to keep it on the first page, hopefully I will get some replies.

 

Seabourndt, although I hope you are having an absolutely wonderful time, I can't wait to read your messages as soon as you return.

 

Thinking of you all, First Cruise (Lea)

[seabourndt]

So Great To Et Messages From You All, Its Nice. Just Got Back Today From Thev Arcadia Trip. My Review Is On P&o Cruises, If You'd Like To Read It, Let Me Know What You Think.

Only 7weeks Till The Next One Qe2. I Got Another Mini Cruise But After I Enquired About It Just Realised That I'm On The Qe2 In Aug So Thats Out. On The Ncl Jewel A New Ship. I'm Still Looking Between The Funchal To Australia In Nov Is Matilda Doing That One Or Feb 2006?

Or Princess Danae 35day Carribean Cruise In Nov

David

[first cruise]

Hi Seabourndt, welcome back!!! Hope you had the best time. Now I'm off to look at your report. Will be in touch soon, Lea

[matilda]

It is nice to hear from you again. Enjoyed your review. Yes, we are booked on the Funchal to go from Athens to Fremantle in November/December. And so is Mitasol. Why don't you join us?

[seabourndt]

qjust the small cabin for all those days,also noticed the online itinarary seems different, is goa still on itr you think?

dave

[matilda]

Dave, this is the itinerary as I have it.

Leaving Pireaus, Greece 15/11 after overnighting 14/11

Port Said, Egypt; transit Suez Canal; Sharm-El-Sheik, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; Safaga, Egypt; Male, Maldives; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Phuket, Thailand; Singapore; Sererang, Indonesia; Bali, Indonesia; Lombok, Indonesia, Fremantle, arriving 17/12.

Some cabins are larger, ours was, but don't know about singles.

From Matilda (Lesley)

[seabourndt]

strrange that! 1st wev wer going friomm monte carlo. don;t know if is right?

coming into athens too. was going o=into goa but i noticed that goa is not there online, shame that as i really wated to go there again!

in cabin 203 on algarve deck, sharing. also douing the arion 2 day cruise to amsterdam ansd back opn 29th aug as i'm doing the ship visit the week before in a guaranrteed cabin. so all is well, are you overnighting on the ship then,. looking forward to you after all this time writing on here. after the dissapoinment of the past few cruises would be nice to sit pon the same table if you like. give me your table size and full name, or have you done it already. are you in a cabin as yet?

 

hoping to get over to nz afterwards. as i've wanted to go theree for some time.

david

[matilda]

Good on you, Dave, so you have actually booked on Funchal in November, have you? Cabin 203 looks a reasonable size, and it will be good exercise for you going up and down those two extra decks from your last cruise on her. We are in cabin 72 on Madeira deck. Yes, we are overnighting on the ship in Athens, we will get on board on 14th November. We will fly out of Melbourne on 11th November and arrive Athens 6.15am 12th and stay 2 nights in a hotel so that we can have a bit of a look at Athens before setting sail. Haven't been to Athens before. It sounds good for you to go to NZ after the cruise. There is a bit of flying involved for you then.

Yes, it will be nice to meet up with you - and Mitasol of course.

Lesley.

[seabourndt]

would be nice if we are at the same table, if so i'll put it i=on the form what is your surname?

glad its a good size then. i see the itinarary has changed quite a bit,the original was from monte carlo which would habve been nice but the revised onew is indeen from piraeus. lucky as i am hoping to get a ship visit on hebredian princess on sat 12th so would not have been able to go. might fly on the sunday to have a lok around did the acropolis when i was there before. see goa is off but more p[orts in indonesia including the old fave bali.

talksoon

dave

[matilda]

David, we are Lesley and Desmond Boseley, and are happy for you to request the same table as us, but would like to be at a table of at least six, to get some lively conversation going, if that is OK with you?! On our previous Funchal cruise they sorted out the seating after we boarded.

[matilda]

PS We prefer second sitting. How about you?

[seabourndt]

normally i have 1str sitting as it makes it too late on 2nd. but i think on trhe funchal its one sitting only is that right. i'll put itn on the formm thenm for a table for 6 then

thanks

dave

[matilda]

Yes, when we were on Funchal there was only one sitting for dinner, but we thought that was because the ship was only half full. A table for 6 or 8 would be best.

Lesley

[seabourndt]

i sent off the form today, i put table for 6 with your name, it says theres no guarantee, lets hope for the best. i'd like a good friendly table, after the last 2 cruises which were not the best. the itinarary is quite changed since the brochure came out. as monte carlo was the the startu=in port on 14th plus mesina. now its starting in athens,are you overnighting on board in athens did you say? not really looked at the revised itinarary, but GOA is gone but quite a few ports in indonesia have been added. interesting as a few were in the tsunami last year,SRI LANKLA for one. are you flying straight back when you get to FREEMANTLE? not sure what i'm doing yet. never been to western australia. would have loved to go to MINYIP again if i get the chance!

have to be back before christmas, but if i can get a flt to new zealand just for a few days, get a couple of LORD OF THE RING SIGHTS and see a friend of mine in lower hutt who i met on a cruise. she lost her husband christmas day!

talk soon

dave

 

ps also planning on the QE2 atlantic on jan 3rd with my cruise voucher.

[mitasol]

Hi again to all - have been out of touch a few days, and look what happens. so we will have the pleasure of the company of Seabourndt on funchal? Gee do you get around David! You seem to be a serial cruiser. Yes, they did change the itinerary from that advertised on the British site. A pity really, but Semarang should be interesting - the Borobodur temple complex is fascinating, although it is a long time since I last visited, and my most enduring memory is being hassled out of my mind by souvenir sellers. Mostly, however, I am looking forward to the Egypt/Jordan/Suez segment. How wonderful that will be.

 

I checked my booking - I am down in the bowels of the ship at the moment, in 304, as I am sharing with some other ladies. They said this might change if the ship is not fully booked. I really do not mind how big my cabin is as I only go there to sleep. Too much else to do!

 

Anyhow, once again, regards to all. More chat later, no doubt.

Anne:cool:

[matilda]

Nice to hear from you both. David, thanks for putting in the table request. Now come on, there really are more places to see in Australia than going to Minyip for a second time! And, yes, I know you have been to other places. There are lots of interesting things to do in Western Australia, and yes Lord of the Rings sites in NZ would be good, but a long way from Fremantle. As for us, we will be flying straight back to Melbourne the day we land, we have already booked. We will be wanting to get home and concentrate on Christmas by then. And you are doing another cruise on 3rd January! Wow! Does the ship leave from Southampton? What is the story on the cruise voucher?

Anne, interesting that you are in cabin 304. On our Bali cruise on Funchal in January we were originally booked in the cabin next door, 308, but they changed the itinerary on us after we had booked, and the cruise left from Fremantle instead of Darwin, so they gave us an upgrade to Madeira deck to compensate. Then when we booked the Athens/Fremantle cruise we couldn't resist Madeira deck. Still an inside cabin though. As you say, you only go there to sleep.

It is nice to know your cabin number, so that we can look you up. Perhaps you would like to join us at our table? David is organising that side of it!

The timeline has got down to less than 5 months to go. Don't be too jealous Lea, your cruise will come pretty soon, too.

We don't know much about Semarang, so interesting to hear about Borobodur temple complex. The souvenir sellers will get us in training for Bali and Lombok!

Talk again soon. Lesley