Megabear2

Virgin (or more importantly Richard Branson) have a very long relationship formed in the early 1980's with Southern Florida. Key West was an important part of building the Virgin holidays brand along with Sunny Beach area in Miami. At the time the areas were trying to recover from the Medallin drugs wars and consequently anything Virgin is welcomed with open arms. It's still considered a "special" relationship between Virgin and southern Florida as a main founder of the UK/Florida tourist industry.

Good for him, hope it goes well for him. Out of interest I just looked at Royal Mail careers group to see if the pay and conditions varied by region. It appears not, but they are advertising 292 postie vacancies countrywide! https://jobs.royalmailgroup.com/go/Posties-and-Sorting/4480301/

In the run up to Christmas our postman delivered an advertisement with our mail asking us to consider becoming a postie. Apparently RM hoped to grab people's ' interest by direct approach. It made interesting reading. A 30 hour contract with Saturday and Sunday obligatory working, hours between 8.00 and 14.00 and 12.00 to 18.00. It stated the pay was 10% above market average in their sector and was £12.20 or so an hour, overtime at 1.25% of this rate. If you stayed three months you'd get a uniform and 22 days annual holiday pro rata. This job apparently was a driving delivery postman, not your average walking/biking delivery guy who according to our lovely man gets less pay. So basically the postmen are now contract workers on low pay and pretty rubbish terms it would appear, yet a pretty easy target for the media etc to put in the line of fire.

You were perhaps just unfortunate as your schedule wouldn't allow time for you to return to another Florida port. My experience on long cruises with set schedules has to date been to idle in an area with clement weather and sea conditions to allow passengers to at least enjoy the outside spaces and I assume this to be fairly standard - others may know better. Although not helpful to you I note that Nieuw Amsterdam berthed in Miami at 11.00Est this morning instead of Key West where she was scheduled for an early morning arrival and late departure. Considering her current cruise set sail from Fort Lauderdale that's probably a bit of a shock to the Country fans who are on this themed cruise! Key West is a difficult port, research shows at least 30% of 2023 scheduled cruises didn't make it, I'm sorry you were unlucky on this occasion. I'm sure you will find the oil and gas platforms along the way later today. You really are being unfortunate with the weather and as Mollag said New Orleans may be challenging tomorrow although the second day is forecast to be better. Once you're into the Caribbean after these somewhat volatile ports your weather at least should massively improve. As for preferring to be at home, nah ... total pants I'm told. Even moping around here on Britannia spluttering and coughing I've no desire for that yet. Put it all behind you and think of the better days ahead, you've got very many miles to go yet all filled with wonderful adventures and memories.

Love Chris Wells. Remember being on QM2 transatlantic searching for and rescuing a lone yachtsman and bringing him safely onboard. A few days later the yachtsman did a Q&A with Captain Wells in the theatre. Full on about how great he was. Any questions he asked the audience at the end. Yes piped up Captain Wells, don't you think it might have been nice to thank my wonderful crew who've just saved your life? Exit stage left one shame faced yachtsman...

That's my interpretation. I do not have cruise cover as missed ports etc dont worry me. I, or rather my husband, has a medical upgrade which cost £1,213 at renewal in February last year and I had ironically been speaking to Nationwide in the week before I left on this cruise based on the over 70 extension as my 70th is rapidly approaching in September. Aviva seem a good choice by Nationwide as my experience with their claims department last year for my aunt was superb, unlike the other claims company her previous insurer used. However I didn't take any action before leaving and so still have my Allianz cover at this time - I have no medical declarations personally. They are being absolutely superb while I'm ill here on Britannia and I'll be sorry to lose them.

Here is your new travel insurance policy. As you will be buying cruise cover extension for every cruise you have booked - ie 10 policies for 10 cruises - one of the things they will do when you purchase the first one is direct you to the medical website. Although your conditions are paid and declared for you will be working with Aviva not UK Insurance. If anything it makes the first year confusing - I had claims with two different insurers as a result of the crossover. If your policy is renewable at the end of April it makes sense if you aren't too far off to speak to Aviva, for instance your cover apart from the extensions ends on 25 April you can be covered under "normal" terms until 1 May and then with Aviva. Basically you have a new cruise policy you buy as an add on for every cruise. Every Nationwide customer won't have an April/May renewal date but clearly as so many have mass bookings you will be dealing with two companies in the event of claiming. Other banks are also having to move their customers as the number of underwriters is shrinking. p4197-upcoming-flexplus-travel-insurance-policy.pdf p4132-aviva-upcoming-travel-insurance-ipid.pdf

No, honestly just trying to make sure all you guys realise you have to redeclare your medical conditions on 1 May. Never forget I've been there got the t-shirt when it becomes a problem. Your other stuff will roll over until it expires and you will get presumably a notification to renew with Aviva. And to those querying it, yes you will have to notify Aviva every time you book a new cruise although no doubt most of us do that now anyway .... well hopefully!

Medical is not an upgrade, its an underwriters decision. The other things are add ons and thereby yes will continue under UK Insurance.The document indicates that medical will need to be redeclared on 1 May with Aviva. If your renewal is very close to 1 May you should discuss it with Nationwide nearer your renewal date. I assume your medical cover is the most expensive of what you perceive as "add ons" so seeking the proper information from the correct party as early as possible should be helpful. When our policy changed provider in November 2021 I was able to speak to them a month before my renewal due in mid October.

You will have to do all your upgrades/pre-existing conditions with Aviva on 1 May, they will not roll over. We had this a couple of years back when AXA parted ways with Lloyd's/Halifax and Allianz took over. UK Insurance are leaving certain sectors of the travel insurance market. Nationwide is not the only couple which will be affected as quite a few companies use them to underwrite. Although cruise cover is automatically included you should clarify the full details with Nationwide by asking for sight of the full policy as soon as it's available. Things like missed port pay outs etc may well have different rates of payment for instance. Your medical upgrades will be subject to different ratings too dependent on Aviva ratings.

Nieuw Amsterdam was scheduled for Key West today but is currently en route to Miami.

The "sunset" balconies at the back of the ship are traditional style with a very large balcony - we had two full size sun loungers and two chairs with a table comfortably spaced on ours.

Lovely picture. I love Dominica as the people are so welcoming and the interior so beautiful. One of my best memories here on Britannia at a very rainy sailaway with a handful of guests. A sudden unexpected lightning flash and thunderous downpour caused our poor waitress to dive under the table taking our drinks with her. Cheryl Baker didn't turn a hair and soaked to the skin danced on the stage between the two pools belting out Makin Your Mind Up with an audience of around ten left including the staff. Certainly a case of the show must go on considering she wasn't even meant to be performing until that evening in the Limelight Club!

Unfortunately it's been an unusually very wet and windy time for the southern US and the Caribbean islands the past two months. With Florida in particular this really isn't that unusual. During the period from 1989 until 2000 I used to spend at least a month in the Florida Keys and Miami areas, generally in late December and January. Average day time temperatures never rose much above 73 degrees in that period, were never stable for long periods and on average at least one day a week with strong winds and rain. The winds come in off the North Atlantic and as a result they do affect the mainland US in the same way as they affect Ireland and the UK if they travel that direction. The good news is that once you move away from the US the weather is very much on the up. Yes there are still a few windy spells and showers but the heavy rains are subsiding, we've seen little other than sprinkles since 13 January. All is not lost.

Thanks to everyone for the kind good wishes which are much appreciated. Not wanting to block Selbourne's excellent thread with my woes I'll just say if anything changes or gets drastic I'll let you all know on a new thread. Thanks again.

Yes we were on Celebrity Beyond over Christmas. We absolutely loved it. It was my OH's first move away from P&O apart from one Cunard cruise and I'm now informed it's his go to despite the Miami flight. I've only sailed Edge class ships so the dining arrangements are not really comparable with MDRs on P&O or other ships but I can confirm the quality was high and varied. We were lucky that we had the AI as a promotional add on as the drinks etc were extremely expensive. I had to take a deep breath at the cost of excursions they sell but we had made our own arrangements so no problem. Our deal was very reasonably priced but we caught it right. That said the quality of service, cabin and overall facilities was so high I'd have happily paid more. As most here know I'm a total devotee of Cunard and love the formality. Celebrity was the total opposite in that regard but Dress to Impress nights seemed well supported. The P&O experience is still fun and offers a good deal, particularly on speciality restaurants, drinks and excursions but overall we think in future for our special cruises over Christmas, anniversaries etc we will definitely think of Celebrity and Cunard going forward. I love P&O but my last two voyages - can't count this one really - did not offer the same thrill and well being feeling as my Celebrity and Cunard ones. You might want to ask Presto2 her opinion when she returns from this first Caribbean cruise as she loved her Celebrity trip and will obviously have had a far better Britannia trip than us this time around.

Not very good I'm afraid. Doctor noted no improvement on the chest in fact right side is apparently "extremely rattly" whatever that means. I've now been given another stronger antibiotic and am revisiting doctor Thursday with a view I may need to see medical facilities ashore in Barbados on Friday. It was mentioned St Maarten has excellent European facilities if nothing improves but I'm going to hope for Barbados in case of the worst as far more flights home from there! Allianz are being very good although I will not get confinement payout as believe it or not only first 48 hours was mandatory. Thankfully I have had the pneumonia jab and apparently this is helping keep the infection down. I'd just like to sleep as I've not really been able to for 4 full days now. Thankfully we have a deluxe balcony so my husband has moved to the sofa bed and so far - touch wood - hasn't gone down with anything. Very glad to have lots of active threads on CC at present to occupy my sleepless nights.

Sorry you've lost Key West. You are unfortunate that you are sailing US ports during one of their odd pattern weather sectors. The Keys can be very windy due to being islands connected by long bridges (as of course are the Florida beach areas). Further up the chain the Seven Mile Bridge is expecting 35 to 40mph gusts and the areas you've left behind are currently under severe rip tide warnings along the beaches stretching from Palm Beach down to Islamorda (half way down the chain of Keys) - sad that I am for many years i have received daily weather reports from the southern Florida area together with the local newspapers electronically and January is often a story of extremes day to day. Has the Captain given any indication of expected sea conditions/weather in New Orleans? You may need to be prepared for some heavy rain although thankfully the very low temperatures of the past week have improved greatly from today.

It might depend on the ship and individuals. As I say the young couple we lunched with last week had had the full menu on day 2 and were intrigued as to why I wouldn't be trying it. Incidentally he was a chef and thought as a one off it was good but boring!

Thank you for your kind thoughts which are much appreciated. Whatever this "viral infection" is it's been pretty devastating and determined to hang on. I see the doctor again this afternoon as the antibiotics run out today. I just hope the next steps clear it up so I can fly comfortably on Saturday. Unfortunately I've written this one off as one of these things that happen. I understand there's been quite a lot of this mystery illness this season so perhaps it's a shoreside thing not a ship one. The Radley bag looks like it's going to be coming from the leftover OBC so that will be a result!

Harry is totally correct. I can assure you that items such as these were offered in the MDR, generally on the black tie formal nights. Lobster thermidore was regularly offered on other days if the ship was calling somewhere with a special reputation for fish and impromptu items regularly appeared alongside themed dining in the MDR. The "Celebration Night" concept is new, it didn't exist until around 2019. The "Epicurean" is also a newish invention coming with Britannia at launching in 2015 with Ventura offering "The White Room and Azura 17. The venues rebranded shortly after Britannia launched the Epicurean. These three restaurants were rarely full and there were often special deals to encourage booking. Incidentally the "special" menu is inside the main dining room menu every night on Britannia. Before I succumbed to my lurgy I only met one couple, honeymooners and first time cruisers, who had bought it. Obviously uptake may have increased while I'm cabin bound.

Apparently these are standard late cancellation fees. I had the first two bookings on the day I fell ill and the following day, one Epicurean the other Limelight Club. When my husband cancelled he was told we would be charged so £40 deducted from our account. Rather stupidly I thought I'd be well before the next booking which was several days away (today).Unfortunately I'm still very rough so my OH cancelled yesterday evening but we are still in the late notice range so another £20 coming out.we know they took people of the wait list as the restaurant managers called to say thank you for advising in time someone else could go. We have now made a block cancellation of our remaining reservations for the remainder of the cruise just in case. My OH wanted to have an argument but I asked him to leave it as I'm so unwell I just want peace and quiet. I might query it when we get home but as this is our last P&O cruise currently booked I'm not sure what it would achieve.

I'm currently onboard Britannia and am also quite unwell - day 5 in my case. Surprisingly as covid tests were negative I was not instructed to isolate so clearly different rules on different ships. My trips were cancelled and fees waived but my speciality restaurants and Limelight Club reservations I have been fined for cancellation. The prepaid costs are apparently being repaid to my card used to book before leaving the UK but each cancellation is being charged at £10pp to my onboard account. I have not complained as the "fines" are coming off my OBC but it does seem rather odd, particularly as the Limelight Club reservations have been resold.

Hopefully I may make one or two ports before it's time to come home. This has really knocked me for six. I'm told the New Year cruise before this one was the start of it so its unfortunate. I had friends onboard over New Year who emailed to say their flight home was full of bad coughing so no doubt the medical team are trying to curtail it. Surprisingly no official request to isolate though. I'm just too unwell to even think about leaving the room.

Unfortunately not. Currently I'm isolating - day 5 - as I have a respiratory virus which has totally knocked me for six, it's not covid thankfully but it has been totally debilitating.