End of Great British Sailaway ?

[AndyMichelle]

39 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

We have not been to a GBS for a number of years now because we were on the Ventura leaving Lisbon and the cruise director was encouraging the passengers to make Nazi salutes as we passed a German ship.  Until then we had usually attended the sailaway from the final port but on this occasion found it embarrassing.

I wrote to P&O when we got back to express my opinion and got a letter apologising for upsetting me but saying that many passengers consider the GBS to be the highlight of their cruise. 

We now simply sit on the balcony and enjoy a quiet drink and let those who like the GBS enjoy it. We all have different views and I think that those of us who don't like it should just stay away from it.

I haven't seen anything I would consider racist, just stereotyping which could offend some. 

Agree that if we don't like it, stay somewhere else while it is on. 

Andy 

[Zombatar]

With regard to what goes next I would guess it will be dropping the use of Stirling on board and everything being charged in dollars. P&O will eventually go the same way as Cunard and become very British/ American. I wonder if the other thing that will change is Caribbean cruises that only go to the American Caribbean islands, the same as the rest of Carnival ships, instead of the British/ European ones.

 

Peter

[wowzz]

20 minutes ago, Zombatar said:

With regard to what goes next I would guess it will be dropping the use of Stirling on board and everything being charged in dollars. P&O will eventually go the same way as Cunard and become very British/ American. I wonder if the other thing that will change is Caribbean cruises that only go to the American Caribbean islands, the same as the rest of Carnival ships, instead of the British/ European ones.

 

Peter

I think that the chances of changing the itinerary to US islands would be very unlikely. The need to obtain ESTAs would deter many people, plus the sheer complexity of clearing 3000+ people through Border Control on a small island would be horrendous.

[majortom10]

We were on a P&O cruise in Gibraltar parked next to a German cruise ship and on sailaway the entertainment took great delight in playing repeatedly Dambusters theme and encouraged cruisers to sing we won WW2 doo dah doo dah so that those on the German ship could hear us. Cringworthy, disgusting and very embarrassing in my opinion.

[kruzseeka]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

We have not been to a GBS for a number of years now because we were on the Ventura leaving Lisbon and the cruise director was encouraging the passengers to make Nazi salutes as we passed a German ship.  Until then we had usually attended the sailaway from the final port but on this occasion found it embarrassing.

I wrote to P&O when we got back to express my opinion and got a letter apologising for upsetting me but saying that many passengers consider the GBS to be the highlight of their cruise. 

We now simply sit on the balcony and enjoy a quiet drink and let those who like the GBS enjoy it. We all have different views and I think that those of us who don't like it should just stay away from it.

 

That was reprehensible and whilst P&O clearly responded without addressing the crux of the issue (ie the salutes, worse still encouraged by the CD) by just pointing out the popularity of the event, i trust the CD was taken to task in no uncertain terms.  How crass! 

Irrespective of ones views on the GPS, there's no room for such actions with or without the apparent approval of P&O personnel.  

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We were on a P&O cruise in Gibraltar parked next to a German cruise ship and on sailaway the entertainment took great delight in playing repeatedly Dambusters theme and encouraged cruisers to sing we won WW2 doo dah doo dah so that those on the German ship could hear us. Cringworthy, disgusting and very embarrassing in my opinion.

Totally agree, but can't see Bucks Fizz offending anyone...well...😊

Come on P&O, you should be 'making your mind up'... 😂😂

Andy 

 

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

We have not been to a GBS for a number of years now because we were on the Ventura leaving Lisbon and the cruise director was encouraging the passengers to make Nazi salutes as we passed a German ship.  Until then we had usually attended the sailaway from the final port but on this occasion found it embarrassing.

I wrote to P&O when we got back to express my opinion and got a letter apologising for upsetting me but saying that many passengers consider the GBS to be the highlight of their cruise. 

We now simply sit on the balcony and enjoy a quiet drink and let those who like the GBS enjoy it. We all have different views and I think that those of us who don't like it should just stay away from it.

That’s absolutely appalling. And probably in breach of Portuguese law. It’s incidents like that that have so damaged our international reputation. 

[Presto2]

Have just read the posts about people being asked to salute etc or being docked near to ships of other nationalities. Have to say that on all of our cruises we have never experienced a GBS where we have been close to another ship or comments made about nationalities where we were docked. Thinking about it from what we remember all GBS have been while we have been leaving a port and not close to anyone else. I'm not saying that this has not happened, just not our experience and if we had been involved in the 'saluting etc' then we too would have found it cringe worthy.

 

Thinking about it, the best sailaway we have ever experienced was on Oceana when we were docked by the side of Aurora - we had spent the day with passengers from both ships sharing excursions and had made some great friends as a result. The sailaway was good old ship rivalry and some micky taking from both entertainment teams towards the other ship. Lots of waving, cheering and good hearted jeering was had by all.

[Presto2]

39 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

That’s absolutely appalling. And probably in breach of Portuguese law. It’s incidents like that that have so damaged our international reputation. 

 

You actually think we have an international reputation to protect …… people on booze fuelled 'land holidays' have done far more to damage that than cruises have. (Just my opinion)

Edited January 3, 2020 by Presto2

[Presto2]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Totally agree, but can't see Bucks Fizz offending anyone...well...😊

Come on P&O, you should be 'making your mind up'... 😂😂

Andy 

 

 

Then again, being a Port Vale fan, every time they play 'Delilah' (Stoke City's anthem) it makes me twitch uncontrollably !!!

[Harry Peterson]

9 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

You actually think we have an international reputation to protect …… people on booze fuelled 'land holidays' have done far more to damage that than cruises have. (Just my opinion)

I do agree with you.  It's not just cruise passengers, it's the way so may Brits abroad behave now.  And the way we conduct ourselves in the UK too for that matter.

 

Laughing stock of the world, sadly.

[terrierjohn]

Just now, Harry Peterson said:

I do agree with you.  It's not just cruise passengers, it's the way so may Brits abroad behave now.  And the way we conduct ourselves in the UK too for that matter.

 

Laughing stock of the world, sadly.

And yet we still seem to be number one choice for most economic migrants, clearly in your view they must have very little taste Harry?

[Harry Peterson]

10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

And yet we still seem to be number one choice for most economic migrants, clearly in your view they must have very little taste Harry?

There are a number of reasons why Britain's still popular with economic migrants (and bear in mind that most EU migrants have brought far more economic benefit to the UK than they've cost us - they're mainly young, intelligent, keen to do well, and they're paying for the pensions of older folk like me!).

 

That doesn't stop us from being a laughing stock though - very few people across the world can understand our behaviour over the last few years.

[pete14]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

 

Then again, being a Port Vale fan, every time they play 'Delilah' (Stoke City's anthem) it makes me twitch uncontrollably !!!

Being from the other side of the city in footballing terms but only a couple of miles from Vale Park, my reaction to Delilah is a little different. 

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

 

Then again, being a Port Vale fan, every time they play 'Delilah' (Stoke City's anthem) it makes me twitch uncontrollably !!!

Do the Vale have a song that they sing ?  If not, perhaps their most famous supporter could write one and record it and we could petition P&O to play it instead of Delilah. 😀😀

Edited January 3, 2020 by Josy1953

[Presto2]

5 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Being from the other side of the city in footballing terms but only a couple of miles from Vale Park, my reaction to Delilah is a little different. 

 

There you are, you see, I've given you a reason to keep the GBS going ! I hear that the singing at Stoke matches has been a bit quiet of late so you need all the encouragement you can get  ;-) 

 

Only joking - fingers crossed for all of our clubs (and that includes Crewe!) …. and the GBS remaining in some form …. I have loads of flags left from previous events so can recycle!

 

Happy New Year from Tunstall to wherever you are …. you can't be far from us

 

 

[Presto2]

6 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Do the Vale have a song that they sing ?  If not, perhaps their most famous supporter could write one and record it and we could petition P&O to play it instead of Delilah. 😀😀

 

I think their famous supporter wrote one about 'angels', well something like that, and the Vale need all the angels they can get as they approach their match with Man City  . If they win then dreams can come true and P&O will reinstate some of the things we loved and lost !!!

[Josy1953]

7 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

There you are, you see, I've given you a reason to keep the GBS going ! I hear that the singing at Stoke matches has been a bit quiet of late so you need all the encouragement you can get  😉

 

Only joking - fingers crossed for all of our clubs (and that includes Crewe!) …. and the GBS remaining in some form …. I have loads of flags left from previous events so can recycle!

 

Happy New Year from Tunstall to wherever you are …. you can't be far from us

 

 

I don't really support any football teams though living in Lightwood we are closer to the Stoke ground and have to listen to family members who think that they know everything there is to know about both teams, it makes for some fun discussions.

[Josy1953]

I really hope and pray that they get lucky at Man City, one of my good friends is a Port Vale and is going to the match and she is convinced that they can win.  🙏

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

Then again, being a Port Vale fan, every time they play 'Delilah' (Stoke City's anthem) it makes me twitch uncontrollably !!!

Do not think it is Delilah making you twitch I think it might be actually admitting you are a Port Vale fan. I saw the light and gave up on Stoke City many years ago 🤣

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Do not think it is Delilah making you twitch I think it might be actually admitting you are a Port Vale fan. I saw the light and gave up on Stoke City many years ago 🤣

 

I used to like you MajorTom …………… but you gave up on the 'dark side' so I'll forgive you

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

Do the Vale have a song that they sing ?  If not, perhaps their most famous supporter could write one and record it and we could petition P&O to play it instead of Delilah. 😀😀

Perhaps Port Vale could adopt the Chesney Hawkes classic "The one and only" for the few fans that suffer watching them 😁

Edited January 3, 2020 by majortom10

[pete14]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

There you are, you see, I've given you a reason to keep the GBS going ! I hear that the singing at Stoke matches has been a bit quiet of late so you need all the encouragement you can get  😉

 

Only joking - fingers crossed for all of our clubs (and that includes Crewe!) …. and the GBS remaining in some form …. I have loads of flags left from previous events so can recycle!

 

Happy New Year from Tunstall to wherever you are …. you can't be far from us

 

 

And Happy New Year from Tunstall also to you and everybody else as well. Mind you, it won’t be a happy new year for most of us if Stoke, Vale and Crewe are all in the same league next season. 

Major Tom - which team can you possibly have abandoned Stoke for?

 

Now back to the GBS???

[Presto2]

18 minutes ago, pete14 said:

And Happy New Year from Tunstall also to you and everybody else as well. Mind you, it won’t be a happy new year for most of us if Stoke, Vale and Crewe are all in the same league next season. 

Major Tom - which team can you possibly have abandoned Stoke for?

 

Now back to the GBS???

 

And apologies to everyone who isn't from the Potteries or Staffordshire caught up in this major debate !!!!!!!

[Presto2]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Perhaps Port Vale could adopt the Chesney Hawkes classic "The one and only" for the few fans that suffer watching them 😁

 

8,000 off to Man City ------ to keep it in line with a cruise thread -- not many more than a new RCI ship of 6,0000.

Just shows how big these 'new monsters' can be.