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

[zap99]

18 minutes ago, PJ's said:

I was surprised to get a text message from my GP asking if I want the shingles vaccination as I am of an age to get it now. So, I've booked in for it on Monday afternoon - anything to keep me as healthy as possible is okay by me. Also looking forward  to when I have my 2nd covid vaccine at the end of April. Anything to get us back to normal, really looking forward to the day when we can visit a restaurant and have a lovely meal. 

Missed out during this pandemic with celebrating our silver wedding anniversary in 2020 and now my 70th birthday earlier this year. Fingers crossed that we get to go on our cruise in November 2021 on Ventura. 

I had my shingles jab this year. Have had Covid jab 1, and jab 2 is due a couple of weeks before we go to Cornwall at the end of May. I hope the restaurants are open by then. Self catering is fine as long as we don't have to actually cook anything.🤣

[Presto2]

2 hours ago, DamianG said:

Great to hear news of Pauline's vaccination bookings and everyone else's for that matter.

 

Genuine question - how are the vaccinations / bookings being allocated? Michelle (6 years younger than me) has had her first vaccination this week but I've heard nothing. Similarly my sister (older than me) has heard nothing but her partner (younger than me) is booked in.

 

I'm not bitter in any way and I am glad Michelle is vaccinated (and I would have happily given up my place to her) but I am genuinely intrigued as to how it's being managed? Is it just a case that I (along with my sister) are at a surgery with a larger number of patients to get through so there is a longer waiting list compared to where my wife goes ?

Hubby had a letter today to say that he could book his jab. He is 59 (and clinging on to it ;-))

We booked his on line on the nhs site - it was really easy.

I then read that anyone over 56 can book on the same site so I put my nhs number in and date of birth and could have booked as well.

I didn't because the date offered was the same as hubby's and I was unsure about us both having the jab at the same time incase we were unwell or had a reaction and we were both ill. 

I will now keep an eye on the dates and once the following weekend comes up I will book.

This isn't cheating the system - have double checked and if you are over 56 you are allowed to book your slots as of today.

Hope this helps because we didn't know

 

PS There were loads of spaces available

Edited March 6, 2021 by Presto2

[Selbourne]

My brother in law, who is 56, has also been able to book his jab online today. We are very relieved as he is a key worker and a really conscientious and hard working chap and he’s the last person over 50 in our family to secure a slot. 

[Eddie99]

Awful situation in the Isle of Man.  They had been clear for so long!

 

Please, please, don’t think this is all over.  I’d be delighted to be proved wrong but I think there may still be problems ahead.  We will prevail, eventually, but it ain’t finished yet

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Glad you're happy with it Harry, it is just about the lightest of this type of powered chair, at only 19 kgs, some have a better footrest arrangement but the lightest of these is 23 kgs.

The prices do vary but the cheapest online price I saw at the time was £1450 and only about £150 less than I paid, however it is now down to just under £1300. 

The I go plus does have a few more advantages, including the neater folding footrest, but it is about 5kgs heavier.

Glad to see you back posting, we were starting to worry.

Thanks, John. Taken it for a trial run round the village this afternoon - interesting! You’re right about that additional weight, but I think between the two of us we’ll get it into the car. 
 

The prices charged by local dealers stunned me. £1350 online, with a year’s onsite warranty - £2699 locally + £30 delivery. Unbelievable. Captive market I suppose.

[terrierjohn]

11 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Thanks, John. Taken it for a trial run round the village this afternoon - interesting! You’re right about that additional weight, but I think between the two of us we’ll get it into the car. 
 

The prices charged by local dealers stunned me. £1350 online, with a year’s onsite warranty - £2699 locally + £30 delivery. Unbelievable. Captive market I suppose.

We did well then paying £1600 at a local mobility dealer, the salesman there did admit they were having to reduce their prices to compete with the online sellers.

[yorkshirephil]

[Dermotsgirl]

4 hours ago, PJ's said:

I was surprised to get a text message from my GP asking if I want the shingles vaccination as I am of an age to get it now. So, I've booked in for it on Monday afternoon - anything to keep me as healthy as possible is okay by me. Also looking forward  to when I have my 2nd covid vaccine at the end of April. Anything to get us back to normal, really looking forward to the day when we can visit a restaurant and have a lovely meal. 

Missed out during this pandemic with celebrating our silver wedding anniversary in 2020 and now my 70th birthday earlier this year. Fingers crossed that we get to go on our cruise in November 2021 on Ventura. 

My husband will be 70 in October, and had chickenpox as a child, so he will be a prime candidate for the shingles jab later this year.

 

I remember when my dad had shingles, I think he must have been in his 70s at the time and he was really ill with it 

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

My husband will be 70 in October, and had chickenpox as a child, so he will be a prime candidate for the shingles jab later this year.

 

I remember when my dad had shingles, I think he must have been in his 70s at the time and he was really ill with it 

Never knew there was such a thing re the jab for it. I had shingles in May 2019 and I was really ill. Not nice at all and I still feel the odd twinge in the area now to remind me that it is still lurking ......

[Dermotsgirl]

2 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Awful situation in the Isle of Man.  They had been clear for so long!

 

Please, please, don’t think this is all over.  I’d be delighted to be proved wrong but I think there may still be problems ahead.  We will prevail, eventually, but it ain’t finished yet

 

 

I was just looking at the graph for IOM. It has ballooned in the last couple of days. We certainly can’t get complacent, that’s for sure 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Dermotsgirl

[Harry Peterson]

4 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

My husband will be 70 in October, and had chickenpox as a child, so he will be a prime candidate for the shingles jab later this year.

 

I remember when my dad had shingles, I think he must have been in his 70s at the time and he was really ill with it 

Worth getting.  It’s not necessarily going to be 100% effective, but it’s probably going to reduce the impact.

 

I’m now on my second bout of shingles in 18 months, but thanks to very early doses of an antiviral (and maybe the vaccine too?) it’s not a big issue.

 

Should anyone get symptoms, a course of an antiviral as quickly as possible usually has a massive impact.

[Presto2]

Well have just priced up a cruise for August 2022 to the Canary Islands on Ventura.

It is coming out Select at over £5000 for a couple in a standard balcony cabin. Some OBC - the most I have seen is £360.

 

We are very happy as we booked this way back for an aft balcony cabin that is wonderful and it cost us 

£3382 ! We get our transfers included too.

 

Very happy tonight - think we got a good deal for high season 

 

🙂

[Angel57]

19 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Worth getting.  It’s not necessarily going to be 100% effective, but it’s probably going to reduce the impact.

 

I’m now on my second bout of shingles in 18 months, but thanks to very early doses of an antiviral (and maybe the vaccine too?) it’s not a big issue.

 

Should anyone get symptoms, a course of an antiviral as quickly as possible usually has a massive impact.

Sorry to hear about the shingles Harry. I’ve had it twice myself and if you can get the medication quickly it certainly considerably lessens the severity.

Look after yourself.

Gill x

[Manx buoy]

3 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Awful situation in the Isle of Man.  They had been clear for so long!

 

Please, please, don’t think this is all over.  I’d be delighted to be proved wrong but I think there may still be problems ahead.  We will prevail, eventually, but it ain’t finished yet

 

 

20 of the cases today 10-14 age group. 500 tests done today, 900+ still to be tested so expecting well in excess of 100 cases next day or two. Also we’ve now got 5 in hospital hopefully we’ll not get too may more it’s not very big

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Worth getting.  It’s not necessarily going to be 100% effective, but it’s probably going to reduce the impact.

 

I’m now on my second bout of shingles in 18 months, but thanks to very early doses of an antiviral (and maybe the vaccine too?) it’s not a big issue.

 

Should anyone get symptoms, a course of an antiviral as quickly as possible usually has a massive impact.

I can second this.

Pauline and I have both had shingles several years ago and early anti viral tablets really helped both of us.

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

My husband will be 70 in October, and had chickenpox as a child, so he will be a prime candidate for the shingles jab later this year.

 

I remember when my dad had shingles, I think he must have been in his 70s at the time and he was really ill with it 

It's a nasty thing. Frank had shingles when he was 27,  he was very ill with it and in considerable pain. We were both vaccinated 3 years ago.

Avril

[Ardennais]

The only time I remember my father being ill was in the early 70s when he had shingles. He was confined to bed for a fortnight, very unusual for a fit farmer in his mid 30s then. I remember a fire in the upstairs grate! I was told years later that he had been very very unwell, and the only thing that cleared it was some potion/lotion from a noted local herbalist who was well known for treating various ailments. 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Ardennais

[Ardennais]

Just now, Ardennais said:

The only time I remember my father being ill was in the early 70s when he had shingles. He was confined to bed for a fortnight, very unusual for a fit farmer in his mid 30s then. I remember a fire in the upstairs grate! I was told years later that he had been very very unwell, and the only thing that cleared it was some potion/lotion from a noted local herbalist who was well known for treating various ailments. 

 

[Dermotsgirl]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Worth getting.  It’s not necessarily going to be 100% effective, but it’s probably going to reduce the impact.

 

I’m now on my second bout of shingles in 18 months, but thanks to very early doses of an antiviral (and maybe the vaccine too?) it’s not a big issue.

 

Should anyone get symptoms, a course of an antiviral as quickly as possible usually has a massive impact.

Sorry to hear you have shingles - but glad to hear you are not too bad 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Worth getting.  It’s not necessarily going to be 100% effective, but it’s probably going to reduce the impact.

 

I’m now on my second bout of shingles in 18 months, but thanks to very early doses of an antiviral (and maybe the vaccine too?) it’s not a big issue.

 

Should anyone get symptoms, a course of an antiviral as quickly as possible usually has a massive impact.

Sorry to hear you have shingles again Harry hopefully you will be okay soon with getting the anti viral tablets quickly.

[Harry Peterson]

43 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Sorry to hear you have shingles - but glad to hear you are not too bad 

 

39 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Sorry to hear you have shingles again Harry hopefully you will be okay soon with getting the anti viral tablets quickly.

Thanks guys - I'm fine!

 

Messaged GP at 0830 a few days ago as soon as first symptoms appeared,  he phoned back at 9, and I saw him by 10.  Acyclovir taken not long after that.  Worked a treat, so very few problems, thanks to a first rate GP and a wife who confirmed the symptoms. 

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Well have just priced up a cruise for August 2022 to the Canary Islands on Ventura.

It is coming out Select at over £5000 for a couple in a standard balcony cabin. Some OBC - the most I have seen is £360.

 

We are very happy as we booked this way back for an aft balcony cabin that is wonderful and it cost us 

£3382 ! We get our transfers included too.

 

Very happy tonight - think we got a good deal for high season 

 

🙂

Brilliant deal! Those suites are the best on Ventura! One of my favourite cruises,  and a great way to do it.

 

Breakfast outside in the Epicurean?

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Well have just priced up a cruise for August 2022 to the Canary Islands on Ventura.

It is coming out Select at over £5000 for a couple in a standard balcony cabin. Some OBC - the most I have seen is £360.

 

We are very happy as we booked this way back for an aft balcony cabin that is wonderful and it cost us 

£3382 ! We get our transfers included too.

 

Very happy tonight - think we got a good deal for high season 

 

🙂

I think this shows that P&O are inflating prices so as to soak up all the FCC that is being generated by the continuing cancellations. 

When offered  25% extra FCC, people are obviously going to be tempted and accept it, especially if cruising is their holiday of choice.

Fortunately we are still able to look at non-cruising holidays, and whilst we have two long standing cruuses booked for 2022, I think we will wait until 2023 and 2024 before looking at future cruises.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

I think this shows that P&O are inflating prices so as to soak up all the FCC that is being generated by the continuing cancellations. 

When offered  25% extra FCC, people are obviously going to be tempted and accept it, especially if cruising is their holiday of choice.

Fortunately we are still able to look at non-cruising holidays, and whilst we have two long standing cruuses booked for 2022, I think we will wait until 2023 and 2024 before looking at future cruises.

Of course it is quite possible that the cruise in question is approaching the covid capacity limitation. In which case the price could be being inflated to limit take up to the very desperate.

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Of course it is quite possible that the cruise in question is approaching the covid capacity limitation. In which case the price could be being inflated to limit take up to the very desperate.

But do you think Covid capacity issues will still be an issue in August 2022 ?

If so, then of course prices will be inflated, but I'm hopeful that by then we will have got on top of the CV19 pandemic. I certainly don't think P&O will be working on 70% capacity (or whatever) when it comes to pricing  strategies for 18 months hence.