Grumpycruiser60plus

I was also sorry to read about Kalos being unwell, so i thought i would adda little picture humour. just to help fill in the gap.

Good afternoon. just an edit really, we are now back at home from our very relaxing few days in Devon, I could not get photos to add from my tablet down at hotel, so will post below the last eve menus from Wed. including the A La Carte menu(i ate from wed eve) I thought I would have some posh fish & chips just to show our man in the northeast 😇.20230913_200021.heic 20230913_193214.heic 20230913_200029.heic 20230913_202108.heic 20230913_202117.heic

Morning all, from a still sunny & warm Sidmouth, we are going easy today to Seaton, plan is to ride the Seaton Tramway. We have been previously,but many yrs ago when on holiday with our two sons. Might take the opportunity to sit looking at the sea enjoying an ice cream. Simple pleasures. As mentioned above to Bobstheboy, will post pics back home, as they will be on my camera. Menus tonight hopefully.

Thank you for those thoughts. We come here because the standards of food, hotel staff, service e tc are & have been maintained for years. Jackets required in restaurant, staff .... Nothing is a problem. Yes it is not cheap, but it runs at 90-95% capacity all year round, with a very high returning clientele. ( i e, no riff raff). sorry just me likening here.

Thank you for the interest, yes I would recommend. Why not have a look at TripAdvisor for the hotel, I will post another one once we return home later in week. I would also add. We have been coming here on/ off for last 40 yrs, at least once a year for the last five yrs. My wife even longer, she came on holiday a few times with her parents. Tonight's menu below, ( still having odd probs posting pics too. Ps. I post under a similar (name) on TA.

Apologies for incomplete pics but my tablet "froze " so have now settled in a cafe & decided to use phone. Will post again later today, once returned to hotel. 20230911_200242.heic 20230911_200249.heic 20230911_202519.heic 20230911_202538.heic

Good Morning all. Thank you for all the good wishes, today is our anniversary. We are sat on our balcony with 20* and a little overcast, the rain forecast has gone up north( sorry folks) we are going over to Exmouth shortly, we wants to look around the shops as usual, me I will find a nice cafe & people watch. Then later we are booked on a river cruise up from Exmouth towards Topsham. I will below hopefully post some pics for those that like to see The food on offer here. I will show the menu& what we had.

Good Morning all. Thank you for all the good wishes, today is our anniversary. We are sat on our balcony with 20* and a little overcast, the rain forecast has gone up north( sorry folks) we are going over to Exmouth shortly, we wants to look around the shops as usual, me I will find a nice cafe & people watch. Then later we are booked on a river cruise up from Exmouth towards Topsham. I will below hopefully post some pics for those that like to see The food on offer here. I will show the menu& what we had.

Thank you for the reply.. Yes I have to agree 81, was a good year. Just a few days ago DW was clearing out some old photos/ papers eff from the loft,when she came across her dad's receipts for our wedding venue, grand total just under£1000, for reception of 80+ people. That's sit down3 course meal plus eve buffet. Happy days.

Good afternoon everyone. Just thought I would come out of my " lurking cabin" . We are just arrived to our favourite Hotel down here in Sidmouth Devon .(We travelled down yesterday & stayed in a Holiday inn Taunton( had to slum it overnight) as we didn't want to spend half a day travelling. We are here again for a short break to celebrate our wedd/anniversary 42 yrs. It is 21* sunny but overcast, we left 32* back in Kent yesterday. Great to be welcomed back again, we were here last newyear. The staff here are first class, food excellent, it is just to nice to be looked after. Hopefully will post some pictures later, and from our planned river cruise from Exmouth tomorrow.

Just had this sent to me by DW, who had gone by train up to London today.?

They still serve Mateus Rose in our favourite 5* hotel in Madeira. very nice it too.🤪

Just thought it was time to insert this .😊

Hello Everone. Our last day here in (somewhat) sunny Jersey. Hotel has been excellent & staff very friendly/ helpfull. We are on an evening flight back to Lhw, so are taking a boat trip across the bags to the lighthouse shortly. I view that as a small cruise. We have enjoyed the food in the local restaurant, have taken pics, but will not post as I think it gets boring. ........Peanut glad you also enjoyed your stay.Perhaps we have started a trend on going to same places, this happened earlier this year when we had holiday in Madeira. Then a few others followed 😃

Have just checked D.D.S. Website, cannot find Anything for Cunard, only P & O and Princess cruises. Best to check with T.A.

Good Afternoon All. Just to share,we are in Jersey ( for the 1st time) for a few days. Hotel is great, room very comfortable, lots of toiletries, fresh milk in fridge+ a turn down service nightly.Dinner in hotel booked for later.. no ques or app to worry about. Pics of view from our room to castle opposite. 20230626_144358.heic 20230626_144226.heic 20230626_142311.heic

Good afternoon, I don't post very often, but do check in on the site most days, We went to visit N.T. Sissinghurst yesterday & lurking in the gift shop was the card below, could not resist. so thought would share. s too.!

Perhaps have hubby look on y tube, there are some fixes on there, maybe a simple fuse!!

Hello, may I just add currently sitting in a Hotel next to R P Hotel in Madeira. I will add photo of current Afternoon Tea poster taken 1 hrs ago outside Hotel. It is much cheaper to book online direct with hotel. R P Hotel is 20min walk up from cruise marina, or 5 min Taxi ( about€5). Azura comes here once a week from Tenerife,is in port 07.00- 21.00pm. Ample time to see sights & the afternoon tea I think,. Hope this helps any other folks coming to Maderia. Sadly we return home tomorrow after a fantastic 2 week Hotel holiday.

Good afternoon all from a warm & sunny Madeira. Have been here since wed lunchtime. Hotel is fabulous, staff very friendly & helpful. My big birthday was spent relaxing down on sun lounger,then evening in the Michelin star restaurant. Have to say no shortages of seafood here, or turndown service& chocolate on pillow.😇 will post some pictures below, wed saw Iona here, last couple of days Saga Spirit of Adventure + 3 German Mein Stiff ships. I believe Azura comes in tomorrow. 20230118_121559.heic 20230118_122004.heic 20230118_134857.heic 20230118_134741.heic 20230120_144930.heic 20230120_160231.heic 20230120_160318.heic 20230120_160326.heic 20230120_182722.heic 20230120_192523.heic 20230120_195339.heic 20230120_195343.heic 20230120_203833.heic 20230120_205301.heic

Yes I also woke up this morning to read about Sad passing of Jeff Beck, one of my favourite guitarists of all time, Im happy to say i saw him & Eric Clapton together on Stage at O2 Greenwich in 2010. Highlights of that night were Jeff playing his version of Nessun Dorma & Beatles" a day in the life". sent shivers down ones back. As an encore Eric & Jeff came on stage to do Hi Ho silver lining" but you could tell Jeff did not really want to play it. I also have a memory of going to Brixton sometime in 90,s to see Jeff Beck play in a very sticky floored Academy with Ginger Baker on drums too. So i will now make appoint of listening to JB tracks on flight down to Madeira. Just thought i would share. thanks.

Have been to Southampton today, I drove our close friends to join QM2 for their cruise of 1st leg of W C , atrocious weather on drive back to Kent. They were very happy to be upgraded to P G level. Now to get ourselves ready for Maderia next week.

Good afternoon all, Thought I would just like to add that next week we are off to Madeira for a 2week Hotel stay. it will be our 3rd visit. like many have said they found it very agreeable after a ships visit, we did back in2017 on Britannia, we then returned in 2018 for a hotel stay, & this time we are visiting for my big (0) birthday. We should have been there in 20, but something got in the way!!! So we look forward to returning next week. We shall be dining at Madeira's only Micheline star restaurant which is in our hotel( not mention name in case i get told off) Can report on "things to do if anyone needs to know ". .Off back to my lurking cabin now.

We were on Arcadia in October ( Northern lights cruise) we had booked Club dinning 2nd sitting & had no problems what so ever. But probably because of the "demographic" of Arcadia guests being older, they do like to eat early, there were always queues. However it was noticeable when we sat down at 8.30pm there was many tables empty down in Freedom D. I would recommend booking fixed at your likely time.

A Happy New year to everyone on here from a "lurker". We have been lucky to spend this w/ end at a hotel in South devon. The food & quality of service is outstanding. We were lucky to grab a cancellation for this stay. The 7 course gala dinner last night fantastic, also unlimited fizz both pre dinner & at midnight. Have been for a walk along front already & had a go at "The Archery" offered to guests too. ( 6 out of 6) on the target. Later this month, we shall be down in Maderia to celebrate my big 0 birthday somewhere warm, sitting by a pool drinking a cocktail. Something I was unable to do back in 2018 on a 35 night Caribbean cruise because we had a tropical downpour all day in Roatan. We shall be taking a break from cruising in 23, to visit some of UK places instead. Happy cruising to you all that set sail.