DDolfelin Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 "If (when) we repeat the experience I would follow the advice about organised tours. As it was our first time and also our first visit to some countries we signed up for quite a few. Not Venice though as we did our own thing there having been a few times before. No bullocks were utilised." If you meet other folk with whom you'd like to spend time in their company, it might be possible to put together a small party to tour the sights in a minibus. However, ensure that hangers-on are repelled. I remember encountering one (a potential kiddy fiddler by his actions) who was nearly assisted to an early bath in the absence of a plank. Although there was a small crowd, I don't think any witnesses would have volunteered. --------- The on-board laundry will probably do a good job and is not too expensive in my experience. Probably only for cotton and linen clothes though. --------- Remember when selecting a favourite site for sunbathing etc., that the wind can change. Fumes and sun-tan lotion don't mix well. --------- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 --------- The on-board laundry will probably do a good job and is not too expensive in my experience. Probably only for cotton and linen clothes though. --------- Remember when selecting a favourite site for sunbathing etc., that the wind can change. Fumes and sun-tan lotion don't mix well. --------- There were also self service laundrettes available on the ship we went on. As we had probably taken something close to a full Land Rover payload of cases on board we didn't need to make much use of the facilities. Matthew had an inside cabin and instead of coming to spend time on our balcony (once he had helped finish our introductory champagne and fruit) he sat on the public decks. He never had a problem finding a sun lounger but I think people who wanted lots together may have. I don't enjoy swimming but Matthew and Aditi do. Swimming in the many pools was apparently impossible during the day (People just treating them like giant Jacuzzi) but Matthew went early morning and Aditi went while first dinner sitting was on. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 First dinner sitting? Sounds too much like school for my liking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I`d love to go on a Liner...........or better-yet; a long voyage on a commercial vessel. It`s one of life`s to-do`s.........I know (deep-down) that it`s not going to happen: but one may still dream and enjoy reading of the possibilities and the wonderful experiences of others. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 No, Debs - you'd only come back with a Phillipino waiter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) I only go on a cruise if there's Bingo, Karaoke, 3 Dinner Sittings starting at noon, natch, (with Spotted Dick on the menu) and Quoits.... Best, Pete. Edited May 18, 2013 by trisonic 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 I should like to add that Enigma also makes for good listening while sat on the balcony on what still is a fairly sunny afternoon, dozing! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 there is an HST through the local area later so I will have to "force" myself out for that. Duly forced. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 "Badger badger badger..." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Doesn't look like mush room under there for a badger. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 Doesn't look like mush room under there for a badger. Is that the morel of the story? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 " First dinner sitting?Sounds too much like school for my liking. That was also my first reaction. There were two set times 6.30 (popular with families and people who like the "entertainment") and 8.30. Also there was a "free dining" option at one restaurant where you turned up and requested a table for however many you were. As we only booked about 10 days before departure we had what we were given which was the three of us on a table for 8 on second sitting. It actually worked out perfectly for us. Dd had told me what to do if we had found ourselves with disagreeable dinner companions! Breakfast and lunch (and any other meals, second breakfast, afternoon tea, late evening snacks) were available either cafeteria style or with restaurant service. I thought I had identified a 30 minute gap in the 24 hours when food wasn't available but I had forgotten room service! People we chatted to had also been on other lines. Some people didn't like the "Britishness" (perhaps it was the prize winning black pudding starters?) of P&O and preferred the various American cruise ships. We nearly booked a similar Med cruise on some US line but Matthew wouldn't have been allowed to have his own cabin (not 21) and there were complicated rules about alcohol consumption for young people. He said he wasn't bothered about the drink but didn't really want to share with us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I`d love to go on a Liner...........or better-yet; a long voyage on a commercial vessel. It`s one of life`s to-do`s.........I know (deep-down) that it`s not going to happen: but one may still dream and enjoy reading of the possibilities and the wonderful experiences of others. Not even on a collier? Ed 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 A'noon. A day of precipitation on Fraggle Rock, 12 hours of rain so far, of stair rod style. Groudle tomorrow then as today's planned tree choppping is most certainly cancelled. Little else to report, other than some wry grins about cruising - not quite like that in the Merch, as Gruff will tell you. The largest vessel I sailed on was 167,000 tons, no the comma isn't in the wrong place! They're even harder to 'park' Afraid I don't have any connections now that would assist Debs in her quest, more is the shame. I still miss the sea, even after spending so much longer working elsewhere than my 7 years at sea. It's in my blood, I'm from a seafaring family. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 A'noon. A day of precipitation on Fraggle Rock, 12 hours of rain so far, of stair rod style. Similar weather over here on the Nort East coast. Reports of lots of road closures at the moment. I hope that it clears up soon as I have another airport run to do tomorrow. As things stand I would have trouble finding a route that isn't either closed or passable only with care. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 Ah, I remember it well! No doubt it's a cold nor-easterly wind too, I don't miss that at all! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 On the local news (BBC South) they were showing some 1/25th size boats being used for training on how to manouvre these large vessels it was somewhere near Timsbury. Even with a 1/25th contaier ship it was not possible to see the bows due to the load. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 Afternoon all, Just returned from 5 excellent hours at Fawley Hill enjoying steam (road & rail), meeting folk (including El Davo and Missy from RMweb), meeting and being greeted by some very pleasant animals ranging from an alpaca to Charlie the Newfoundland who was right smasher, looking at some very nice motor vehicles including a restored GWR 'bus and a Ford GT40, watching the next door neighbour flying his aeroplane (so now I will recognise it the next time he 'buzzes' the house), plus a nice session of aerobatics by a Spitfire, and even watching some blokes running a mini-furnace melting down and pouring iron. plus numerous club & society etc stands. All in all an excellent day out although Mrs Dave declined to enter their dog in the show notwithstanding my hint that I know the judge and that he is rather fond of small dogs 'with character'. Anyway a good day out and too knackered after 5 hours there to go on anywhere else. And an interesting discovery for those of a nautical bent was information about the SS Shieldhall - definitely something to further research for a future day I think - http://www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk/The_Ship.html And meals when cruising? - well on our little jaunt on the 'Patricia' all meals were 'informal' although I did wear a jacket on one evening and I put on a tie every evening. Good job there was a decent bunch of fellow passengers as we all sat round one big dining table - the Catering Manager or whatever title he took tried to get us to move round but after a couple days we just ignored his plans and sat wherever we happened to sit. Have a nice evening and weekend (what's left of it). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 On the local news (BBC South) they were showing some 1/25th size boats being used for training on how to manouvre these large vessels it was somewhere near Timsbury. Even with a 1/25th contaier ship it was not possible to see the bows due to the load. Don Warsash Maritime Academy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 Evening All And an interesting discovery for those of a nautical bent was information about the SS Shieldhall - definitely something to further research for a future day I think -http://www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk/The_Ship.html Ah yes the redoubtable Shieldhall, the "cludgie boat" on the Clyde. An acquaintace of mine wrote a folky ditty about it, the verses that I recall are: We tak our precious cargo and dump it o'er the side In a pile growing higher and higher. We're building us an island doon in the Firth of Clyde We're goin' to move there when we retire. We're the crew of the SS Shieldhall Pull your chain and we'll answer your call The terrible aroma Would pit ye in a coma We're the crew of the SS Shieldhall Luckily, I can't remember the rest now after 40 years! We didn't get Neil's rain here - even though we're about his closest mainland neighbours - though we got some, not as much as the Exeter seaweed spotters predicted. Bought Lily a lovely new throw/catch toy yesterday afternoon - threw it away today - here's why Regards to All Stewart 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 That's exactly what happened to pretty much all toys which Charlie the beagle at FiL's got bought thus far, Stewart! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 Robbie would similarly dismantle such a toy. He has been happily running around with old plant pots all afternoon. He did get sent in though for a while as he was getting far too interested in the compost. When I do buy him a toy I choose ones from something like the Kong range. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Bought Lily a lovely new throw/catch toy yesterday afternoon - threw it away today - here's why 001.JPG A word of caution about hard(ish) throw/catch toys: if an eager recipient gets ahead of said toy, and turns to face it..........it is possible to knock your dear-dogs delicate front 'peggies' out as the edge of the discus hits them...............and sadly: yes I`ve done it! My Three Musketeers recommend only a soft-rubber frisbee (the Kong brand flies best and is also the "rubberiest"): the correct use of which they demonstrate here........ http://youtu.be/FPAfN_I025o Edited May 18, 2013 by Debs. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 18, 2013 ...... I'm surprised they haven't got you trained to wait for them to shout "pull". 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted May 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2013 Thanks for the advice there - I was offered a Kong frisbee, and decided against it at eight quid - the one I did choose was clearly a waste of money! Like the action film there, Debs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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