pete14

19 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Sorry put this on the wrong thread. Not sure of it can be moved over to the what's happening one?

Seems as though Whitebridge wine tasting was even better than we thought it might have been.

53 minutes ago, Stokiegolfer said:

Hi Pete at the moment I am a member at porthmadog as we have a caravan there. I may look to join Trentham Park when we decide to get rid of the caravan.

As some / many on here know, we have caravan near Abergele. Have played there, in the shade of the ‘I’m a Celebrity’ castle a couple of times with mixed success.

34 minutes ago, Stokiegolfer said:

Hi Pete yes I always check who makes the tableware. First cruise on Ventura we went in the Epicurean and was disappointed to see it was Villeroy and Boch.  Having worked in the industry for 45 years - a company who supplied materials etc, it was interesting and very changeable. Glad to be retired now to enjoy the golf and cruising.

If you don’t mind me asking (shame there is not a pm facility on here), can you give me a clue where you play? Doesn’t matter if you don’t want to but just curious.

5 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

A really sharp frost here today. Looks like the poor fuschia in the back garden will be hibernating for another year after this. 

Well us Presto2s are off wine tasting today at Whitebridge Wines. Will think of you all and raise a glass or two;-)

Enjoy the sunshine.....if you have some.

And to those of you crusing .. enjoy the day and may the sea be kind 😀

 

Enjoy the wine tasting, just a pity we are in the glorious sunshine of Haugesund and not Stoke. We will undoubtedly be with you in spirit.

1 hour ago, Purdey16 said:

Thank you Pete for all your details on board I’m very interested in the Tiffin box in sindu and the glass house on Aurora, I have already booked the beach house for our cruise next week but obviously leaving sindu for when we get on board and possibly the glass house for lunch on boarding day if it is open, not sure when you get back but I’m currently packing for boarding on Friday when aurora goes to the canaries but really wished we were going to Norway and being in lots of snow, maybe I could be a stowaway on the one after us 😂 enjoy the rest of your cruise 

The tiffin lunch is not every day, in fact I think yesterday was the only day it was scheduled. On Aurora, Sindhu is quite small so does get booked up quickly. Quality of the experience is excellent. We get back on Monday. Between then and your cruise, it is doing a short Amsterdam cruise. I think the glasshouse opens on boarding day but not at lunchtime. We had a very enjoyable meal in there last night. I am getting a bit disillusioned with the MDR evening meal which I may say more about later. Quality is fine but choice is poor. 

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I wish that I’d agreed a commission deal with Peller wines for the number of people I’ve persuaded to try their Ice Cuvée 😂 I hope that you enjoyed it?
 

Earlier today I stumbled cross a small travel sized can of WD40 in the cupboard. That’s going in the case for our long cruise on Aurora 😂 

I did enjoy it thanks. 
 

I don’t think a small travel sized can of WD 40 will be sufficient, lovely ship though she is.

17 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

He does on all the ships.  Mind you he has a busy night nipping from one continent to the other so let's hope the skies are clear.

I am not sure everybody is being serious in their remarks. Of course Santa will arrive in good time, dispensing good cheer, turkey and a fine stuffing to go with it. If the skies are clear for Stokiegolfer in Alta, Rudolph’s nose may be clearly visible alongside the green in the sky, that would make a good photo which I expect to see on here.
 

By the way, Stokiegolfer may appreciate the fact that the crockery on P&O is made by Dudson and that in Sindhu by a subsidiary of Churchill. You can always tell if somebody is from the fine city of Stoke on Trent, because whenever they have a plate put in front of them, they always look underneath it to see whether it is of sufficient quality to be made in the Potteries, or at least for a company based there. 
 

I always find that sea days towards the end of a cruise lack the anticipation and excitement of those at the beginning. Once you have drunk your way through the wine list, sampled everything off the breakfast menu, had your fill of singers and comedians etc, some of the magic dissipates. There has been a sense of that today, which we have tried to dispel. We had the Tiffin Box lunch in Sindhu which was excellent, highly recommended. I was actually allowed to sit where the Captain sits for breakfast which for sad minded people like me was quite a thrill. For the first time in living memory, we chose not to observe formal night (to give it it’s old name) and ate in the Glasshouse. What a good decision! As with all speciality restaurants we have tried, it was excellent in every respect. Service was brilliant, the food was superbly presented and tasted great, the extra cost, even bearing in mind we had already paid to eat in the MDR, was a bargain and, to the delight of some on here, I had a glass of Peller Ice as an aperitif. This drinks package is very handy. 

Pete junior has a bit of a penchant for nice watches. I committed a great error in allowing him to look at what the jeweller was selling (not that I could stop him as he is taller, more well built and of course younger than me). They actually had one he really likes which, even before Peninsular Club discount, was considerably cheaper than reputable dealers online were charging so he took the plunge and treated himself. I am sure they will be very happy together and I am pleased he seemed to get a bargain. 

There is currently a singer in the theatre who I don’t really have any great desire to listen to, so am writing this whilst she is thrilling the audience with her obvious vocal dexterity (or something similar). Then another chunk of the book I am reading about a Norwegian private investigator before an early night to catch up on my sleep. If Selbourne has any of his giant can of WD40 left, perhaps he can airlift it to us because, nice as though Aurora is, she doesn’t half creak with every breath of wind, especially if the sea is rougher than the average millpond, which it has been since last night. Motion Discomfort Receptacles are hanging from the banisters. 

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

You had a Christmas meal with crackers in your Christmas jumpers in November?  Give me a break.

Not through choice but it was quite a nice atmosphere and the decorations have been up for more than a week. The roast Turkey joint was very tasty, the sausage was fine, the roast potato and vegetables were as you would expect and the stuffing us was…………….P and O stuffing. They have to practice cooking and serving Christmas dinner sometime in order for it to be perfect when it needs to be so why not last night with such discerning clientele? Just a pity Eric and Ern were in the theatre the night before (Christmas Eve) rather than the big day itself which is customary and traditional. 

1 hour ago, mercury7289 said:

Pete

How was the muster briefing done? In May, we went to our muster station presented our cruise card and then went to our cabin to listen to the briefing on the TV is this still the case please?

Seems like you have had quite an experience, does look cold though!

 

That is exactly how it was done. On boarding we were directed to our muster station and then to lunch. We didn’t even have to prove that we know how to put a life jacket on. 

First of all Malcolm, I had no idea we had done a U turn this afternoon and so have no answer to your question. From the timing of your post, it seems that it might have been during the Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime performance but I don’t suppose they are connected, unless someone shouted ‘it’s behind you’ so we went to have a look before saying ‘Oh no it isn’t’. 
 

Some did have some excitement a bit later as there was a fire alert outside the Curzon Theatre which was quickly and successfully dealt with, so very many thanks to the safety team involved. 
 

Not a lot else happened this morning.

Gervase gave a talk about poetry, reading some of his own along excerpts from other more classical works. The photography expert gave a talk and the classical guitarist a recital. Mention should go to what seems a dedicated group of people who are learning and producing all sorts of crafts, led by a company called ‘Creative Waves. As I walk past them they really seems to be enjoying developing their creative skills. 
 

This evening was Christmas Dinner. For a mass catered meal it was fine. We also had crackers and some of us wore Christmas jumpers, with the waiting staff wearing Santa hats.
 

Anyway, a quick brandy in the Crows Nest to settle my stomach because the sea is a bit lively with the promise of greater liveliness to come, some more chapters that need reading and then to bed for an early night.

To finish, from my cracker:

Why do elevators tell good jokes?

Because they work on many levels

I am not saying the weather is bad but the fog horn is being used. Visibility made worse by fast falling snow.

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

It’s probably because they have invested in snow clearance kit as they know there is a guarantee of snow or ice every year and it won’t be sitting round idle, unlike in the U.K. where some years we get little or no snow except possibly in Scotland. 

I am sure you are correct. Investment has clearly been made just for around a dozen planes in and out in a day, mainly small ones. A couple of larger ones to and from Oslo but mainly linking Alta and Tromso. I suppose a country such as Norway with the larger settlements mainly on the long coastline, air and ferry (Hurtigruten ferries) transport is more important than in UK. 

A quiet day recovering from the excitement of yesterday. We have been in Alta all day and leave about 01:00 tomorrow morning when those chasing the Northern Lights return. I hope they see them but they may not be as spectacular as last night because it is a bit cloudy. We went into Alta this morning just to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. There is little there although somehow we missed the Cathedral which I have been told is worth a visit. Maybe the very cold weather affected my thinking and vision, certainly nothing to do with the drinks package that early in the morning, 
 

We had lunch in the buffet which is quite civilised and with a wide choice of food (but no trays). The afternoon was mainly spent in our cabin reading. We are currently in the Crows Nest. If the lights appear, we will go down to our cabin as last night. It is cloudy but not quite so cold as earlier. 
 

Tomorrow is Christmas. ‘Love Actually’ in the cinema, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ in the theatre (Oh no it isn’t) and Christmas Dinner in the evening. Christmas jumpers are encouraged (we were told prior to the cruise that we may need them). Hopefully everybody will feel like eating despite the increased wind strength and sea state. 
 

As I sign off, there is another aeroplane coming in to land. Oh the excitement!

Although I had noticed the airport, I was a little surprised to see a plane flying past, just outside the Crows Nest windows, just seconds before it landed. It was probably a bit further away than it looked, but a bit disconcerting.

The flight from Oslo landed at around 12:30. Taken from the ship to show how close we are to the airport and the deterioration in the weather.

There are people on our current cruise who have to use a wheelchair and others who rely on other mobility aids. They seem to be coping quite well, even off the ship. The pavements are packed snow but proper walking boots/shoes with decent grip are recommended. However, there are some icy patches, one of which I nearly slipped over on in Tromso.
 

As David points out, if the lights are visible, as they have been for the last 3 nights but probably not tonight now the weather has turned, you should be able to see them from your balcony. If they are predominantly on just one side of the ship, public outside areas on the other side are accessible unless the decks are closed if it is too icy or too windy. 

1 hour ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

Earlier this year I didn’t have a problem using cruise critic from my old I phone and posted news and photos from South America. However before we went away on an August cruise I couldn’t sign on and again now before we go away again. I’ve tried email address and user name and various of my passwords without success. It kept saying incorrect password and then it seemed to accept it but locked on a redirecting screen. Now when I open cc on it it just goes to the same redirect screen.

 

l’m more concerned that if this iPad or my laptop lose auto sign on info, which devices sometimes do, I won’t be able to sign in again. Has anyone had similar issues or know how to solve it?

 

 

I am currently in Alta and having no problem using my phone to auto login and post on here, as many know from the thread I started. Hopefully there we be no CC problems when we get home next week

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I couldn’t get on at all with my iPhone trying to take photos of the Northern Lights, even using an app designed for this purpose, although your iPhone is a newer version than mine. Those with decent cameras were getting great shots albeit (as is always the case) their photos showed the lights at an intensity that was several times greater than you actually see with the naked eye. A decent camera will show the phenomenon that might only appear a whispy white to the naked eye as a vibrant green.

I am using an iPhone X so not a massively new one - they are now up to 15 and X is 10. I am insufficiently technologically inclined to use any special app so they have not been assisted at all. The first two nights, they had little colour, last night they were very distinctively coloured, even when viewed with the naked eye. It suspect that as the weather has changed to arctic cold, cloudy with the odd snow shower with strengthening winds forecast, there are unlikely to be any pictures tonight. Another first though is a plane flying past the windows in the crows nest as the ‘airport’ is just yards away from the front of the ship.

9 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Ps seems like today has been just a perfect day from start to finish. 

I think that is a fair statement. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? We are here all day tomorrow so provided the weather is good, we may have a repeat performance. Then there is the journey back which I suspect may be less comfortable than it has been so far .

22 minutes ago, Stokiegolfer said:

Hi Pete14 great photos 

From one Stokie to another thank you.
 

We went to the back of the ship and the green light was dancing around and they were pink around the edges. In the 5 seconds it took me to take my phone out of my pocket, they faded and disappeared. Such a shame. 

Taken 20 minutes ago from our balcony on my phone. Pete Junior’s on his posh camera are better but I am happy enough with these (for now)

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

It all looks incredible - what an amazing experience and reminds is of why we wanted to cruise. Not to go on a flow rider or just a resort at sea, but for adventures and to see amazing places. Must admit, it is making us ponder a northern lights cruise - something we would never have thought about before - and Aurora looks like a beautiful small ship. (Rather like an old tin can we used to know .....)

She is a bit like your favourite tin can but much better. The negatives I have mentioned earlier are not the fault of the ship or its crew. The lights are being elusive tonight which is a pity but in this life, people like us can’t have everything. 

Two pictures taken at about 4:45 this afternoon. They were taken on my phone which may explain why they are faint. Hopefully some more vivid ones later.

11 minutes ago, elmsliebev said:

I've recently read that book, it's very funny and there are some recognizable types! 

He wasn’t able to bring with him many books to sell so I may have to rely on

the kindle 

Some images, not all the correct way up but just put the water at the bottom and the sky at the top