Eglesbrech

If that’s what suits you then great. I hope you manage to get the dining reservations. It would be interesting to hear how your experiment goes. You don’t however get the same as other suites eg on MSC Boarding at 10 am with a butler to collect you and take you straight to your private lounge. Drinks and snacks all day. Full service YC pool and sunbeds area with food & drinks service. Evening entertainment in the suites only lounge Reserved seats in the theatre every night and butler takes you there to bypass any queues. Priority lift call Priority off and back on at every port Stocked and replenished mini bar / bottle of choice for the cabin / premier extra drinks package/ treats in cabin every night Daily printed newspaper of choice Private restaurant for all meals etc etc etc Thats not to knock P&O, it’s just a different package that they don’t do

You are correct John. As an example those with the Aurea experience on MSC used to get the basic drinks package included which has now been removed (prices are apparently reduced a bit but not by the package price). Diamond voyages members used to get a sculpted chocolate ship, it’s now a toblerone! Most of the lines are making small changes so they can reduce the base price advertised. We used to book suites on P&O but many years ago decided it was not value for money as they offer so few extras. Now we book standard cabins for the odd P&O we do and suites on lines that offer much more for the money. Princess took away the previously free and very popular Alfredo’s, then added it as a new benefit to their drinks packages. All hell let loose on the boards about that It’s all choices and what is important to me may not be to others. What annoys others may not even register for me.

Brilliant, thank you so much for coming back with that information.

I won’t, I like to try new things and I have never had an Australian whisky. Easy to order via Amazon. If I don't like it I will cook with it or serve it to those less discerning 😀. Nothing is ever wasted.

My that is very well priced. Just ordered a bottle. Never heard of it before but I will try anything, once. Thanks for the recommendation.

I’m excited about this one as it was my Dads favourite whisky and the first brand I ever tried. I’m not that keen on lowland ladies as a rule but this is the exception that proves the rule (well that and the Deanston dragons milk stout cask finish which is really, really cheap but very good).

Rosebank 32 Year Old - Legacy Release Three Goes on sale Monday 13 May (max 2 bottles per customer) @daz1107 in case of interest to you / any other whisky enthusiast.

How very sad. As we get older this unfortunately becomes more common but just as tragic.

It may well be now, I was just highlighting that initially it was not.

A discussion on another thread has reminded me of a bit of nostalgia. Do you remember going to new ports and the welcome you got back when ships were seen as a very welcome addition to the local economy. The first time we went to Cartagena we were given a flower from ladies in costume and there was a band. Frederica we had music, costumes and were given sweets. One port in Iceland, I can’t remember which, gave us some sort of soused fish. I don’t recall the port but the fish was shall we say unique. Closer to home in the early days Invergorden put on a full pipe band and highland dancers (don’t know if that was the local chamber of commerce or Celebrity). Any memorable “welcomes”

The first time we went there they really had the red carpet out, the free bus, lots of local tourist staff with maps, music etc. Presumably as more and more ships went in did not feel the need to make such an effort (or like other ports felt that the spend in local shops perhaps did not justify the cost).

The bus was provided by the local business community and yes it was initially offered as a free service. So you are correct, not a P&O cutback.

On Aurora a few weeks ago they provided reusable heavy plastic take away cups with lids which you just returned (or the cabin steward cleared them). No additional charge and yes they would fill your own. As you say proper cups if sitting in.

Yes, we looked at it for September one year when parking at the port was all gone. They charge you more than they would if you were just leaving the car for a flight and that’s more taking account of the additional cost of the transfers to and from the port. You can’t just book the car park at the standard rate and get a taxi, or at least you couldn’t when we looked as you needed a flight reference. May have changed.

Good morning all. Another lovely day here. There is a black bird bouncing around in the back garden picking up worms. The apple trees are in full bloom and look really pretty. Have a good day all.

It’s 2% of all U.K. exports but 26% of U.K. food and drink. It’s one of the largest net contributors to U.K. balance of trade.

Hope you get over it completely soon. These bugs take time to shake.

Anyone been watching the Eurovision knock out rounds. Some interesting offerings to say the least.

2% of a massif market, £278m in 2023.

Many thanks, I’ll look out for that. India is one of the biggest markets for whisky in the world, good fo our exports!

I like some of the Penderyn range and tried them while in Wales. The St George English has some interesting offerings too. I’ll look out for the Norfolk, do you have a name (might be St George?) I’ve tried numerous Japanese but haven’t found one quite to my taste. We were in Ireland last year and came across Red Breast whiskey while trying a tasting flight in Galloway City. We had the 12 year old Pot and it was excellent. We asked mine host if the 25 year old would be better and the honest man said no, just more expensive but not better. Had several bottles since. And don’t get me started on Scottish offerings as I can (and have) bored people for hours in on the subject. We had Cullen skink for dinner on Sunday as I managed to get fresh Arbroath Smokies and had a dram of Smokehead (cheap and cheerful from the Macleod stable of distillery’s) so it’s doesn’t have to be expensive to be good if paired with the right food!

@daz1107 I didn’t want to go off topic on the drinks thread but as a fellow whisky (and whiskey) enthusiast can I recommend one from a fairly new distillery. We were in Fife last year and visited Kingsbarns which is less than a decade old. Their Balcomie Sherry matured malt is really good and very well priced for the quality, I’d say cheap for the flavour profile. Rosebank is also opening again in June after 25 years sleeping so looking forward to going for a tour there. You are correct, the selection is pretty safe and pedestrian for anyone who knows and enjoys their whisky.

ICF has not been around much recently, unless I have missed posts.

I can’t say what the P&O policy is but Princess have the same 15 units drink limit and yes they do indeed let people move to paying by cruise card after that. Seen it several times as the person at the bar is told they have used their daily allowance but a drink is served and charged. In fairness the people we have seen were not rolling drunk so there was perhaps no obvious reason for bar staff not serve them (except perhaps liver damage). As they are the same group perhaps the same policy? Maybe someone else knows definitively

That would be much appreciated. Have a lovely cruise.