P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[purplesea]

1 hour ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

I love a German Christmas market!  But not so much the big ones like Cologne or Dusseldorf; more the small town ones which don't have folk arriving in coaches and you can park nearby (lol, crucial that bit, these days). Hattingen, with its half-timbered houses in the Ruhr area is a favourite. It's not like I buy anything, other than mulled wine and maybe the souvenir mug it comes in, oh and possibly a sausage, but I just love the atmosphere. I've really missed a December German trip since Covid and, all being well, I'll be planning on a trip again next December 🤞.  Maybe you should do the same Kalos 😉

 

 

My mother and I would go to a Christmas market each year and have visited many. We have made our own way to various places including Prague, Tallin, Brussels, Cologne and Copenhagen, to name a few. We've also done a Christmas market river cruise and a cruise with Fred Olsen. I too think that the European markets are better than the ones I have visited here, there seems to be more of a Christmassy atmosphere about them. 

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, purplesea said:

My mother and I would go to a Christmas market each year and have visited many. We have made our own way to various places including Prague, Tallin, Brussels, Cologne and Copenhagen, to name a few. We've also done a Christmas market river cruise and a cruise with Fred Olsen. I too think that the European markets are better than the ones I have visited here, there seems to be more of a Christmassy atmosphere about them. 

We have visited a lot of them abroad as well and I have to say that the Edinburgh market (pre covid when we were there before at least) is a match of many on the continent. It’s held in the Princess St gardens with the lit up castle in the background, really pretty.

 

[mrsgoggins]

41 minutes ago, Peanut006 said:

When my children were small we were lucky enough to live in Bavaria for just over two years. We lived about 30km outside Munich, the Christmas market there is fabulous. All the smaller towns have their own too which are also just lovely. It seems a lot more Christmassy(is that a word?) over there 

 

Michelle

 

What a lovely area in which to live Michelle, even if only for a few years.  We've been to Munich quite a few times but never at Christmas.  DH has worked extensively in the Ruhr area but also in Berlin, and often instead of coming home at weekends, I would fly out to him. So we normally visit at least once a year even in retirement to get our 'fix' but Christmas is my favourite time, and as you say, the smaller towns have lovely markets.

[brian1]

5 hours ago, pete14 said:

Ovo are introducing something similar but different. It appears to be willing to give a discount for reducing use during times when consumption is too high to be covered by renewable energy (peak times). Off peak times, you can use as much as you want because renewable energy is more readily available. They will use the smart meter data to monitor usage at different times of the day. I am therefore considering becoming nocturnal to save money - if it can work for badgers it can work for me. 🦡

I knew you were set in your ways Pete.Watch out for those Jack Russels.

[Eglesbrech]

5 hours ago, Britboys said:

I had the same when I was working in Scotland. 'Ordinary' sausages known as "link sausage" as opposed to Lorne Sausage, the one that is a flat, squarish sausage patty.

I always have a full butcher made Lorne sausage in the freezer for unexpected breakfast visitor. I particularly like black heart lorne with a small round of Stornaway black pudding in the middle. The food of the gods.

[pete14]

1 hour ago, brian1 said:

I knew you were set in your ways Pete.Watch out for those Jack Russels.

Only if they are allowed out at night. 

[Snow Hill]

6 hours ago, Peanut006 said:

That is probably a good idea. It was unplugged for about three years then for whatever reason Hubby decided to plug it in. No idea why

 

Michelle

We have had IHD (In Home Device, the Smart Meter is in the utility cupboard outside) plugged in since we had it, we have a daily budget set on it so we know roughly how much is being spent. We find the IHD quite useful in conjunction with our online account which gives us the kWh used. Comparing it with last years usage we can see our new boiler is so much more efficient than out old one and also have notice electricity usage is down since we got the Ninja Foodi. 
 

We had been able to dry most things on the rotary line outside until this week, so we had to use the tumble drier for a couple of hours today to dry the bedding, 76p an hour to run the drier, we can afford to use it for now, but can understand way some people can’t give the cost of running one. 
 

We have been trying to get a heated air drier but out of stock locally. I Have ordered a dehumidifier to help reduce the humidity in the house, I think probably partly due to the damp air outside in part as we have seen mould starting to appear on the windows, normally we would have windows open, but has been so cold and damp they have remained shut.

 

 

[grapau27]

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on Azure.

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on Azure.

I just knew it!!!. February for us.🤣

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I just knew it!!!. February for us.🤣

The ship was in excellent condition John.

First night we went to the buffet then the next 13 nights we went to Epicurean, Sindhu and Glass house.

The food was absolutely amazing.

[Britboys]

15 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on Azure.

Glad you had a good time Graham.

[Peanut006]

9 hours ago, zap99 said:

I just knew it!!!. February for us.🤣

February on Azura for us too

 

Michelle

[Peanut006]

9 hours ago, zap99 said:

I just knew it!!!. February for us.🤣

February on Azura for us too

 

Michelle

9 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on Azure.

Lovely pics Graham

[Eglesbrech]

@grapau27 looks lovely, glad you had an enjoyable cruise.

 

For those doing Azura what are your flight times like and did you get to select your plane seats. I’m particularly interested in northern flights (they aren’t offering any from Scotland that I can see).

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

@grapau27 looks lovely, glad you had an enjoyable cruise.

 

For those doing Azura what are your flight times like and did you get to select your plane seats. I’m particularly interested in northern flights (they aren’t offering any from Scotland that I can see).

There are daily flights from Newcastle on Jet 2.

Depart Newcastle 08.45am.

Depart Tenerife 14.30pm.

I contacted Jet2 and pre-booked our seats and you can pre-book meals as well.

There was a Glasgow flight departing around the same time from Tenerife.

There was a coach full of Glasgow passengers leaving the ship just before our coach for Newcastle left for the airport.

Our flights were included with the P&O cruise £175pp return.

I hope you can get booked.

Graham.

[purplesea]

9 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on Azure.

Lovely pictures and glad you had an enjoyable cruise.

 

We are due to join Azura in the Canary Islands flying out from Bristol, but not until January 2024.

[zap99]

9 hours ago, grapau27 said:

The ship was in excellent condition John.

First night we went to the buffet then the next 13 nights we went to Epicurean, Sindhu and Glass house.

The food was absolutely amazing.

Gail isn't too keen on the Epicuruan menu, but we will give Sindhu and the Glass house a bashing, It his her birthday that week so I think she will pick Sindhu. We are on Iona in October with £630 OBC. That will probably go to Sindhu and the Keel and Cow. We are glad you and Pauline enjoyed your cruise. The weather looked good. Fingers crossed for February.

 

 

 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Peanut006 said:

February on Azura for us too

 

Michelle

Only a week for us,10th. 

[grapau27]

21 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Gail isn't too keen on the Epicuruan menu, but we will give Sindhu and the Glass house a bashing, It his her birthday that week so I think she will pick Sindhu. We are on Iona in October with £630 OBC. That will probably go to Sindhu and the Keel and Cow. We are glad you and Pauline enjoyed your cruise. The weather looked good. Fingers crossed for February.

 

 

 

Thank you.

Menu 1 in Epicurean is great but 

Menu 2 in Epicurean is so so.

The food in Glass house was excellent as was Sindhu.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

@grapau27 looks lovely, glad you had an enjoyable cruise.

 

For those doing Azura what are your flight times like and did you get to select your plane seats. I’m particularly interested in northern flights (they aren’t offering any from Scotland that I can see).

Sorry, but we are going from Gatwick with TUI. 10.25 out, 15.50 return. We have booked out seats. We knew which rows TUI classed as extra legroom, so booked those.

[kalos]

We should have been on the Azura next week 9th -23rd but due to one thing or another , 

it was not to be this time .

Love the photo's Graham and glad you and Pauline had a great time away .

I see that TV star Kevin The Carrot featured in your pics 10 and 17 😉 

 

Take care 😀

[Jennizor]

We are on Iona in Feb, going to the Canaries. We had a lovely September cruise on Azura and are back on her for Christmas and New Year 23/24. The food looks amazing. We don’t do the Epicurian as there is far too much for me. Love Sindhu and the Glass House though. What we found confusing about Sindhu was that despite only being one third full we were refused a table on a couple of nights. We are looking forward to trying the different restaurants on Iona.

[mercury7289]

R307 Aurora details under: There's plenty to do on a P&O cruises holiday, lists Anderson Bar, The Beach House, Champions Bar, The Glass House, Oasis Spar but does not mention Sindhu!

Seems odd? 

Been on her a number of times, and although the food in Sindhu was rather paste on, not cooked in, and was a little bland for our taste, we always enjoyed the ambiance and the occasion.

[Eglesbrech]

@grapau27 there are some limited Glasgow flights but unfortunately not for every cruise and they also charge £175 for them too (still better than the longer drive to Manchester).

 

I have never used Newcastle airport, what’s it like? Easy to get parking etc?

[grapau27]

24 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

@grapau27 there are some limited Glasgow flights but unfortunately not for every cruise and they also charge £175 for them too (still better than the longer drive to Manchester).

 

I have never used Newcastle airport, what’s it like? Easy to get parking etc?

There is short stay and long stay parking.

The airport Premier Inn is a 300 yard walk to check in.

There is another Premier Inn half a mile away so make sure you book the airport one which we do.

The Hilton is 200 yards walk to check in.

The Brittania hotel has parking at the hotel and a 400 yard walk to check in.

I use holiday extras and my parking in the short stay park for 15 nights was £105.

The airport is very accessible and only 3 miles from the A1 road near Ponteland.

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by grapau27