Jump to content

Canal archive

Members
  • Posts

    4,563
  • Joined

Posts posted by Canal archive

  1. It’s heartening that companies are still investing in the river cruise business they’ve had a hard time overall the last couple of years and then the low water levels this year at least some have still got the gumption to invest fingers crossed it proves profitable for them and not to over the top for us users.

  2. A little U.K. WW2 waterways history because most of the men were otherwise engaged women were recruited to operated the canal fleet. The canals were operated by a government agency whose name included Inland Waterways. They all had to wear badges and the acronym got corrupted to ‘Idle Women’ which of course they certainly were not. In WW1 the war ministry used the Kennet & Avon Canal to train soldiers and horses to work boats so their newly acquired skills could transfer to the rivers and canals of Europe.

    • Like 1
  3. I have a great uncle who’s name is on the Menin Gate and his brothers name is on the memorial on Southsea Common he went down on HMS Shark at the battle of Jutland.

    Wherever we’ve been in the world we've visited the War graves looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and other count groups - Lest We Forget.

    • Like 1
  4. I’ve been convinced several times that I’ve seen people half way through a river cruise that I’ve never seen before, some are very good at keeping themselves to themselves or there again is it me, eyes and no eyes. I’m all for live and let live but react to some who when there is a seat shortage get huffy and occasionally rude if you sit anywhere near them (maybe they don’t like my delicate perfume).

    • Like 1
  5. Such a pity Steerpike58 I hope your snuffles and coughs clear up quickly. It’s such a pity.  Covid has caused other challenges because of it people now seem to have forgotten the straight forward precautions they took prior to it. We had a similar experience this year and the main culprit in my eyes said well we’ve not got Covid I took a test. Get well soon and look after yourselves.

  6. Nooooo don’t give up the wine! I’m pretty sure that river cruise vessels have grey water tanks and these could not be emptied into the rivers but on one low water year our Captain did admit to lowering the fresh water tanks overnight to get through a tricky section of river which we did at stealth speed in company with two huge trading barges. I’m still trying to work out what the benefit was to us being the filling between the sandwich of barges, but it certainly worked.

  7. As many of you will know I have only ever cruised with Scenic but and this is a big but I have read a lot about other cruisers experiences with other lines on cruise critic and for example River Cruise Advisor. In the U.K. we are lucky to have vastly different payment requirements (not often it’s this way round) so payment way up front is not required. Regardless of what anyone says on  similar length vessel more passengers means the space has to be found somewhere. Like Franski I can only admire how Viking coped with my dearest friends DH when he fell ill on board I will be forever grateful to them. I know Scenic has had a few knocks and Viking has many more vessels but they sport the ubiquitous blue tarpaulin in many instances. I agree a night light in the heads oops bathroom is a really good idea but heated floors what a breading ground for unmentionable germs. I also agree about  the Viking decor but all it is, is what everyone expects from a Scandinavian company so very Scandie. I’ve decided to troll through the other companies websites to get a better idea of their decor I’ve seen a couple first hand when breasted up and walking through but then you don’t get the full effect. On our recent Seine cruise we had a Viking vessel moored outside of us as we were on the top deck enjoying my DH’s birthday bottle of Champagne the returning Viking passengers had to walk over the top deck to get back to their vessel we talked to several of them and I suppose it’s up to the CD but many had no idea or how to cope with the situation.

    Im sure that each of us could compare several companies vessels and the design their favourite but still each would be different.

    Happy cruising whoever you decide to go with.

  8. I must admit with our earlier repeat cruises when I phoned to arrange booking I reminded them it is a repeat cruise and it just happened now I phone and when they have my name they just check what level we are just keep your loyalty number to hand.

    • Thanks 1
×
×
  • Create New...