Megabear2

Yes a six hour private minibus tour with Go Orkney. Really thorough, great knowledge and the minibus is normally the dial a ride for the islands. Unfortunately we were sharing with some passengers on Nieuw Statendam who had an earlier sailing- we're still here all onboard is 6.30pm - or we would gave an an extra hour or so. An absolutely unforgettable day, if every thins else is a washout today will be more than enough.

I'm trying to work out if Essex lies to the north or south of the Cathedral .. I'll come back to you when my slide rule gives a result. I quite fancy the uppies given the choice.

I'm sure he won't. He had major problems getting off the ship this morning - the story was quite horrendous. Unfortunately Queen Anne isn't proving very disability friendly.

Yes, I tried both and bought a small bottle if each. I gather Scappa is more for the locals. Highland Park Distillery closed to yours due to a new floor being laid at present. The weather is absolutely gorgeous, tee shirts apart from Scappa Flow where I popped a sweater on. I thought the whole place totally magical.

I think he's already wound up today unfortunately.

Oh and by the way, I bought these guys... vote time, shall I let them run free on Queen Anne???

Today has been truly spectacular and wonderful. Nothing else much to say, the pictures paint a thousand words to quote a wise man.

Not a lot to see in Scapa Flow - the fog came in! As for the rest, wow just blew me away.

Sorry, back to operation catch up and to the business in hand before the theatre called my name. The tenders back were having reduced capacity as apparently 80 seats are outside and with the rain pouring down no.one wanted to use those seats. Everything was full with standing down the middle row. On pulling up to the tender platform they said they wanted to do disembarking row by row. Not a hope in he'll, I'm afraid. I was quite shocked that before the standing passengers had finished leaving or the ones downstairs had climbed the stairs the guy next to me was chiveing me to get up and stop the queue because he was in a hurry. I did eventually step out to let him through but I thought it was rather rude and irresponsible. Incidentally the floor and connecting platform very slippery despite best efforts with mops. Back onboard I had time for a reviving g&t and a hot chocolate to take the chill off before heading back to my room to prepare for the night's festivities. I had booked Bright Lights Society for 7.15 show with no idea what Noir actually was. I was about to learn big time! Firstly as I said previously I wear very bright clohhjng in the evenings and on this occasion it must have been a big target on my back. I found a nice table on the second level as I'd been told to avoid the front row and ordered a drink - I can confirm the mojito served there was by far my favourite drink on the ship to date - and was joined by another solo lady traveller. A sort of pre-show was happening which we were enjoying when approached by the female presenter who asked if we would be prepared to help out, nothing too taxing just a bit of dancing. My new friend didn't seem too worried so I nodded along. Yes you can guess what happened next! The male "star" came over and said he'd heard we were going to help by being very brave, and who was going to be bravest he says looking straight at me! Big smile, I thought, our main man will pass on by. Did he heck ... without spoiling the plot for those to come I found myself with a seriously big part as a suspect in the case! You only have to read of the cue cards and adlib he says ... yes right. When my time came I looked at the first card and thought it was in a foreign language- Swedish I told them which brought the house down. To hell I thought, best ad lib this one in case I cant read anything else. It was hilarious, great fun but not for the faint hearted zbd i really I needed my second mojhito fast- well that was my excuse anyway they really are very good. Despite my unexpected participation this was great entertainment and I'd recommend everyone's. Certainly I'm hoping to go again, even if only for those mojitos! Dinner followed again excellent and our table had grown another couple do we are now full. Despite the traumatic tendering it was another great day both onboard and ashore, crowned by my now infamous performance as Jonesie!

Nature just treated us to this wonderful spectacle.

Yes, I did but I didn't have the camera. Really seeing some unexpected things on this voyage. Just saw the marvellous Mr Ure so missed dinner tonight. I had my Diamond free lunch in Sir Samuel's today and I can only manage one large meal a day now I'm under the health coach. Thought I'd pop in here for some cheese and biscuits and was treated to 15 minutes of nature's spectacle. I've never been to Scotland (yes I know) so these late nights and open skies are a real treat for me.

I'm in the buffet(!) facing forward and the sun is just on my left and slowly disappearing. Really nice light a few minutes ago.

I think Captain decided to look for the sun this afternoon so perhaps she's still looking!

But it might just be happening for you as a one off? I was unhappy with my dining on here first night so asked if it could change. The MD didn't want to help however chatting at reception about booking Internet and a lunch the guy organised "off the books" for me to have what I wanted. I know others wanted to do different and were told sorry we can't accommodate your request. If everyone tried to do as you suggest how could 6,000 people be accommodated with personal requirements, and that's a genuine question, not a wind up.

A bit like the perceptions of those who say nothing ever goes wrong for anyone on such and such ship and that everyone needs to adopt to their way of doing it then? As I'm clearly one of your erroneous posters. My original comment #7 where I joined the conversation stated what I believe to be true, ie many of the older and more experienced cruisers book out the speciality restaurants the moment they can, not everyone but a great number. That comment also mentions Britannia, a ship I love and sail on regularly. Regarding her I mentioned if you need to change a reservation in a speciality restaurant it is virtually impossible as reservations are full.more or less from bookings opening or at the best on day 1 of the sailing. That's not spreading erroneous information about Arvia or Iona, itsa general observation on booking speciality dining in advance which is what the thread was about. As an aside and nothing to do with me, others have stated they dislike using the app or queues which is why they do it. Personally I intensely dislike Arvia, I make no bones about it. However boot on the other foot I booked my one and only cruise on her due to ICF's extremely enthusiastic comments after his first cruise on her. That isn't a problem to me because he clearly loves the ship experience on her but there are two views of everything and mine is different, not erroneous just different.

Sir Samuel's is the venue here. The food was very nice. I was surprised at how many items there were chargeable compared with the other Queens. It's quite a small venue. A row of seats next to the window looking down to the pool area with sea beyond and then a row with one seat facing the window view and the other inyo the room. There are seats in a dort of l shape off. Again two rows. I was sat on the inside row facing the pool and I felt quite exposed there. My time was 12.30pm, the noon guys obviously had all the window seats which were the opposite way round and definitely less exposed so more private.

Sorry for being tardy with my update from yesterday. As has already been mentioned the tendering was delayed. That is obviously important to what I write next and my story/opinion on the operation is partly the reason for the delay as if I'd written in haste it would not be a good idea. I was in breakfast with some great people from New York state when the delay announcement came in. As a result with none of us planning anything special we took the decision to linger a while eventually being the last out at around 9.45. Outside every public area on deck 2 was full with people, clearly the excursion crowd and those who'd taken early tender tickets. It looked like everyone had their hands full so having said my farewells to my breakfast companions I decided to return to my room to pack my ashore bag with umbrella and raincoat and to await the next announcement. This came a while later and after waiting another hour to let things start to move I walked down to deck 1 to take a seat and enjoy a coffee where I could monitor the crowd movement above. At around 12.15pm I decided to go to the tender ticket station to get an update on the situation. On arrival two rather harassed young people were handing out tender tickets. I wanted to gauge how long I'd be required to sit in the theatre if I took a ticket at that time, ie what numbers were currently leaving. They didn't know, absolutely no clue or information to offer. The cruise entertainment manager was standing to one side of them so I repeated the question. He was rather evasive so I repeated did he have an estimate of how long the wait might be for a new ticket taker if they proceeded to the theatre now. I pointed out as far as I was aware no further announcements on the operation had been made in the public areas for well over 90 minutes. He told me announcements were being made in the theatre only. Fair enough, so if I take the ticket now No. 26 at what time do you estimate I will be on a tender? This apparently was not a question he was able/willing to offer a reply to. Eventually he told me 10-30 minutes was his estimate so I took the ticket and entered the theatre. There were a couple of hundred people seated. Spotting a couple I'd sat with a couple of nights back I went to sit in the empty row in front of them. Hi guys, how long have you been waiting in here? One and a half hours ... the boys were not very happy as they had plans they now couldn't make. A lady sitting behind them joined in, I've been here two hours, need the bathroom but am frightened to leave in case my number 19 gets called and I'm left for more hours. Oh dear I thought. After 20 minutes our errant entertainment guy arrived and was immediately accosted by a group of very cross American ladies who also had number 19 and had been there nearly two hours by this time. Lots of hasty apologies going on but leaving the wider audience waiting patiently for explanation. Eventually he came on the microphone and informed the ensemble that he had two boats coming in which would seat 130 each. He asked for a raise of hands to count for the first boat, groups 19 to 25 drawing the straw. Those remaining were assured the second boat was immediately behind. He informed us he'd stopped operation of general tendering to allow some late tour guests to go as they'd made the mistake of going to the theatre as a group rather than their meeting. That caused a general mumbling of why hadn't the staff martialled them properly and made sure they went to the right place but apparently two preceding boats had taken those guests leaving the remaining groups sitting with no information as to why the wait was so long. Ten minutes after this announcement he called groups 19 to 25 and off they went. The remaining people he did a rough count and said we would be on his "immediately behind" boat. Time ticked one, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes... meantime more new arrivals with tickets coming in. Long story short called 40 minutes after groups 19-25 left. Followed Francesco as instructed, down to the loading deck swipe out - oops sorry we aren't ready yet, go back to the other side of the barrier. Along the walk down others asking how to get the tender were being told you still need a ticket. I boarded first of the group at 2.15pm. Standing room only and arrived shoreside 2.30pm. I've no idea if this was atypical but it was a dreadful experience for many. Having got ashore after about 10 minutes the heavens opened again. Many decided to just wander through the village to get lunch. I took a taxi and asked the driver if he'd take me on a general tour avoiding central Edinburgh which he kindly did. That was a great way to see a bit withgetting wet and he ended by dropping me for dome authentic shopping before taking me back. The queue was growing to get the tender back. That was far better though completely uncovered, it was about 20 minutes.

It's nice you are happy to be able to do that. Myself I'm the complete opposite. Being in isolation for six months at a landmark age makes you appreciate human contact I found. At home I'm more than content to be alone but once outside the door I like to talk to people. One of the reasons I disliked Arvia so much was the lack of interaction with other guests. As you know I was quite upset on boarding Queen Anne because they wanted me to dine alone. I'm sure others would thrive on that, it just made me miserable. I've just had my diamond lunch and dined alone. The food was great but I didn't enjoy the experience. Now I've got great table companions, met some fabulous Americans from New York who I now breakfast with and life is great on the dining front. P&O on the other hand always make me share if I used the app and walk ups for breakfast on the other ships they really don't like giving up a two top if they can help it.

We're all different. I love interaction with people, happily chat to anyone on buses, trains, airplanes and cruise ships. I commuted to London for 40 years and the journey was the adventure, people watching etc. On my 8 year commute from Salisbury to Waterloo we had a travel club of commuters, same carriage everyday, parties for birthdays and Christmas. I'm so lucky to count many friends as people I met on trains and cruise ships. I am an only child and spent a lonely childhood from 11 when I spent a year in hospital and all my friends moved on. It makes a big difference.

Hey guys, whisper it very, very softly but the sun has come out, it's 22 degrees and I'm doing my CC catch up on the pool deck with my first cocktail of the day listening to jazz saxophone music. Hope everyone poorly is feeling better today and rain or nay enjoy the bank holiday.

But it's what the individual wants to do with their own hard earned money that counts, surely. You like spending an absolute fortune on meals out which many might consider equally obscene as paying for Saga or Cunard Grills is to you. They don't challenge your right to do that so why challenge them on their cruise choice?

Wot me, I come from a two up two down railway cottage with an outside bog and a tin bath. I'm the irritating little fly they're not quite sure how to swat away. Down here in the cheap seats I'm currently using my Labour Party membership card to keep the lights on!

Yes the cans were out yesterday for shoreside but seem to be a bit limited in availability at present. I'm guessing they'll be out more now the sun's come out.

Keep up lad, keep up. Queen Anne has plenty of paid restaurants if you want them and most importantly you can book once onboard and get in. No climbing ropes or escape rooms but excellent uncrowded facilities abound for adults. High quality modern fixtures and fittings and goodness me designed by the same people who did Arvia. Much more room at 3,000 or so guests as well no bunfight for a chair and goodness me sunbeds. Believe it or not even Cunard has a modern ship, just trying to keep the refinement. If you've not tried it don't judge it.

Nowt wrong with the Grills Zap, they share tables too so are down with the likes of us.