Host Sharon

Either I've been lucky, or us Brits are better at queueing (line ups) but I've never had trouble at disembarkation. You get your coloured card and time slot and only go to the foyer when you are called. Crew check the colours so no one can jump the line. Luggage is waiting in the customs hall to be claimed and then out to the car. Even on Ventura - the largest ship I've ever been on with 3500 passengers, there was no problem - tendering yes - disembarkation, no.

Ships cat, did you take those photos yourself? That "dawn in Port Said" is amazing. I didn't see that particular angle when I was there! The photos are excellent quality - congrats.

 

About Greenland - Nuuk is a pop. of about 14,000, Qaqortoq is pop. of about 3,000. Dare I mention those statistics to the woman inquiring about shopping and restaurants in Qaqortoq?

 

Ruby

Yes I did, and thanks Ruby. I never go anywhere without a couple of cameras! Re Qaqortoq, I think it may be kinder to mention them, otherwise she'll have a very nasty shock. Unfortunately the harbour was still iced up (in August) so we never got to land there.

Okay, I have to vent, I'm laughing so hard. As you can imagine, more and more folks are visiting Iceland and Greenland so more questions are being asked on these boards about those countries. My apologies to Marion for pulling her quote off this thread from awhile back but it was too good to pass up.

 

I recently saw a post saying that they were leaving "Thursday" for Greenland on their way back to the States. Their ship would be in Qaqortoq and "what restaurants and shopping is there in the city?" Which makes this post my second favourite post of all time which was, "Weather in April 23-29, 2009?"

 

But seriously now, folks. You may be interested to learn that Delta will be announcing a nonstop from Atlanta to Cairo. I might actually be interested in that one. I wanna try a Nile River cruise and a felucca. I would much rather spend the time incountry than do the 6-hour dash from port to Luxor and pretend I have seen Egypt.

 

Michael, have you and Virginia done the Nile cruise? I know Rickey 88 and his wife enjoyed their cruise so much and his photos look like they've been issued by the Egyptian tourism board.

 

Ruby

Oh dear - they are in for a shock in Quagortoq if it is anything like Nuuk! I have not done the Nile per se, but had a wonderful tour of Cairo from Port Said. I was not sure I would like Egypt but totally fell in love with the country and the people - very smiley and friendly. I took a tour (not a country for a lone woman to explore on their own) which included a longish walk around the medieval streets just as they were setting up shops for the day, and the highlight - lunch on a felucca on the Nile, just at midday as the muezzin were calling from the mosques. Magical. We ended up at the pyramids at sunset.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/CruiseOnOrianaToEasternMediterranean2005

I cruised the Baltic on Vistafjord (Saga Ruby) way back in the 1970s. We sailed through the Kiel Canal too - a wonderful experience akin to river cruising for a day and yet another reason to sail on smaller ships.

Well I shall be travelling steerage!!, although I have got a twin cabin to myself as they had sold out of singles when I booked on the day bookings opened! I did dine in the Caronia Restaurant last time as it was a three week cruise to the USA and I wanted the extra cabin space and thought a nice leisurely single sitting for dinner would be lovely. It was a disaster though as my table companions firstly had a row on the second day (they had only met the day before) so two of the 8 left. The others complained about the service being slow because they just wanted to eat as fast as possible and go off and do other things. I do hope this time will be better!

Sorry - a hospitality tray has a kettle, cafetiere, mugs, biscuits, tea, coffee and hot chocolate, so you can make yourself a drink in he cabin without having to wait for room service or go to a restaurant or bar.

By the way , QE2 is a small ship by today's standards and she certainly looks it next to some of the new ones - half the size of QM2.

Hi Ruby. Ventura is very similar to the Grand Princess - same design of hull, but designed inside "to appeal to British passengers" whatever that is supposed to mean. She is also designed to appeal to a new cruise market - especially families, so there is lots for children to do - including a circus school etc. One of my favourite sensations on board ship is bare feet on a warm teak deck. Oriana and Aurora have beautiful broad wooden promenade decks. Ventura has a narrow apology of a promenade deck and the flooring is not teak but a plasticy finish imitating teak. Worse (to me ) is that the upper sun decks are astroturf (fake grass). This was horrible and squelchy when wet. Because Ventura is aimed at a new market, lots of traditional shipboard activities are no more - no card room, shuffleboard and deck quoits were a disaster on the plastic decking etc. Having said that, the cabins were very nice and I do like the hospitality trays in the cabins, that you don't get on US ships often. She is just too big for me - 3500 passengers. I only did the two night pre-maiden cruise to Bruges and back, but friends on board for the maiden to the Med, said she does not handle rough seas well either - but then a lot of these new huge ships which are all superstructure and little draught, don't handle rough weather well. I would not want to do a TA on her. These are of course only my views. My friend just back, loved every bit of her. Just as well we don't all want the same thing from our ships.

I know what you mean about the class distinctions on Cunard, but I do so love the QE2, I couldn't let her go without a last cruise or two on her. In my view, nothing can beat the feeling of being on QE2 at full speed - 32 knots. She truly is a greyhound of the seas.

More photos - Ventura

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/VenturaWelcomeCruise

Have you done that Ventura Welcome Aboard cruise yet? I have heard positives and negatives about the ship - colour me curious.

 

Is the Winter Wonderland cruise what you and I were calling the Christmas markets cruise?

 

Ruby

Yes , it was last month Ruby. I'm not a fan of big ships, but was willing to try it out for 3 days. For me - never again! I am sure lots of people, and especially families, will love her, but a plastic fake promenade deck?? I will be very glad to get back to QE2 and Artemis.

Yes - the Winter Wonderland is the same as Christmas Markets. For those that want to see some photos (I know you've seen them Ruby) there are some at

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/WinterWonderlandCruiseOnArtemis

again, another cruise I am looking forward to doing twice.

Ah, now there was a ship! My first cruise on my own was on Caronia - we had the BEST ever service.

I'll see what will go through the metal detectors!! I do have to confess to liberating a souvenir or two on my recent pre-maiden cruise on Ventura, but as a long-time collector of liner memorabilia, I just had to have something!

Thanks for sending me the link to this thread Saga Ruby by the way.

Does P&O have a better reputaition when it comes to "Less kids"? Because this is what I'm looking for. No kids...sing me up.

Arcadia and Artemis are both child-free ships! :D

Totally agree with all your comments Soletred

 

I wish people would stop knocking Arcadia, I get fed up defending her to be honest. I think a lot of older pax just CAN'T ACCEPT she is different....she does a small atrium, she IS modern - so what? If you want glitzy OTT go on a American Ship or NCL.... Why can't there be different ships for different people...

 

Ventura is advertised as a family lovin' ship with lots of 3/4 berth cabins, go in July and August peeps but don't come back and complain about the kids onboard!:eek:

 

I will never go on a child friendly ship in the school holidays ever,

 

Sue

Why do you feel you have to defend Arcadia? We all like different things from our cruises...thank goodness!

I have been told by someone who has actually been over her that Ventura is VERY geared towards children so hopefully she will be the ship that parents go for, leaving the lovely Aurora and Oriana for us adults!! I think you will like Artemis Jean - a truly traditional ship ...and with only one main restaurant the food was always hot!