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Blogging about Westering Home and Whisky Galore!


knotheadusc
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As promised, I'm starting my blog series about our latest Hebridean Princess cruise.  You will find the first post here.  It's just an introduction.  We spent three days in Scotland prior to boarding, so the first couple of posts in the series will be about them, then I'll get into our actual cruise experience.  Fair warning-- I tend to be very detailed and sometimes I'm inappropriate!  

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I have just finished the series, which runs for fifteen posts.  Those who want to start at the beginning will find the link in the first post on this thread.  Those who want to start with the cruise should start here.  I'll probably write a brief summary post tomorrow for those who don't want a blow by blow.  

 

Hope this is helpful for those who are curious.  We didn't have a perfect cruise, but it was our favorite of the five we've done so far, mainly because we had a great group and a mostly great staff.  

 

 

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Knotty, that's a great series of posts you've written about your most recent cruise on the Hebridean Princess. Very informative and entertaining. My wife and I enjoyed it so much that we went also read about your 2012 cruise.

As for the gentlemen that embarrassed himself on the last night, my DW who hails from the UK tells me a possible explanation is that he may have been an Upper Class Twit. 

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Ha ha...  well, I didn’t get that impression.  He was actually great all week.  I think maybe he had too much whisky that last night.

 

I am glad you enjoyed the series, although I think you probably read about 2016’s cruise.  In 2012, I didn’t have a travel blog, so that first one got limited coverage.  I reviewed it on the now defunct Epinions.com.  I also did a series in 2017.

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13 hours ago, knotheadusc said:

Ha ha...  well, I didn’t get that impression.  He was actually great all week.  I think maybe he had too much whisky that last night.

 

I am glad you enjoyed the series, although I think you probably read about 2016’s cruise.  In 2012, I didn’t have a travel blog, so that first one got limited coverage.  I reviewed it on the now defunct Epinions.com.  I also did a series in 2017.

Yes, that was a typo. I meant to write 2016 but instead typed 2012.

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2 hours ago, knotheadusc said:

It’s hard to believe I was on the ship a week ago.  Reality bites.  

I'm sure, especially since you had such a great time. We can't wait for our turn on September 24!

Have you ever tried cruising in the Galapagos Islands? We went last December and loved it 

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I realize that South America is a long haul flight from Frankfurt, but the combination of a Galapagos cruise with a trek to Machu Picchu might make it worthwhile. 

We did both last December and really enjoyed it. I wrote about the cruise in my travel blog which you can find at:

https://gentlemansportion.com/2019/04/15/the-gorgeous-galapagos-darwins-dream-destination/

Cheers!

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Great!  I'll check it out.  I'd actually love to explore parts of South America.  If we hadn't moved to Germany, we probably would have finally gotten down there.  I don't know how much longer we'll be over here.  I'm not in a hurry to move back to the States.  I have heard the Galapagos are amazing.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thoroughly enjoyed reading of your exploits aboard. We too are ‘fully obstructed sea view cabin’ cruisers - although on our first cruise ( a taster in & around the Clyde) we had a cabin with two portholes ( Ardvreck Castle) and we were told that when the ship was originally sailing that was the cattle deck. We therefore look upon Loch Crinnan as a step up 😂

Apart from our taster cruise we have only done footloose cruise and have thoroughly enjoyed them. Not sure how we’d get on on a visits only trip. Hell, we’d be fine; the food, views and company are the main thing. 

Sorry to hear Bill was a bit embarrassed about the kilt thing. My kilt ( which I inherited) was made in Aberdeen in the late 1940s. (It’s a work of art even if I say so myself.) The kilt etc. is very standard but the needlework on the inside of the jacket is something to behold - if I had the nerve I’d take off my jacket and lay it down inside out!  To the point though, the kilt & assorted paraphernalia came with underpants in the same tartan as kilt so the idea of wearing nothing under the kilt is not universally accepted. Tell Bill not to worry.  

Finally, Harris gin is very good and there is a healthy trade for the empty bottles in Scotland. Folk are removing the bases from the bottles and using them as lamp shades. (Usually downward hanging). With the advent of low wattage led lighting there is no risk using them for such a purpose. 

All the best,

Steve 

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Thanks so much for reading!  I noticed when we were in Glasgow about to embark on an earlier cruise, we had dinner at a steak and gin restaurant at the Glasgow train station and they had what looked like bottomless liquor decanters hanging like lamps.  We were given a bunch of similar decanters as wedding presents in 2002, so I immediately noticed how they'd been repurposed.  If I were a craftier sort, I might have tried that myself with ours!

 

I've never not had a great time on Hebridean Princess, although we have had some strokes of bad luck afterwards.  So far, we've done five cruises, one of which was a back to back.  After two of them, I've wound up getting sick.  After the other two, I've had dogs suddenly die of cancer.  I'm sure it's coincidental in the cases involving our dogs.  The cases involving my getting sick have only taught me to wash my hands more often, never share utensils or dishes, and use the hand sanitizer religiously!  That's good advice no matter what!

 

As for Bill and his kilt... well, it took a lot of work to convince him to get one, and he looks amazing in it.  He will keep wearing it.  I will insist.  I'm not sure what the future holds for us, but I'm sure we'll do another Hebridean cruise at some point, after my credit card has recovered.

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  • 2 months later...

Knotty I always really enjoy reading your blogs on your HP cruises. It is most interesting to hear about the HP and the remote areas of the Scottish Isles as not many seem to report on CC. Let's hope in the future you can squeeze in another trip. 

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It's great to know people enjoy the blog.  I try to be honest and candid, as well as charitable.

 

It's hard to believe three months have passed since we were onboard.  Seems like so much has happened in that time.  With any luck, we'll be back onboard again before too much more time has passed!  I'm ready to try a new itinerary, or if not that, a new theme other than whisky.

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