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

[Son of Anarchy]

We were in Southampton on the 100th anniversary of Titanic's sinking.  There was a life size deck plan of her main deck and features including life boats painted on the grass in one of the parks.  Within the lines of each of the lifeboats there was post with sign showing how many people the lifeboat could carry and the names of each person that was rescued from that particular lifeboat.  I was amazed at how small each lifeboat was, but that they could hold something like 60 people. 

[Eddie99]

I was onboard, somewhere or another (Not onboard Titanic, onboard a P&O cruise!) at the time of the 100 year anniversary.   We had a Titanic expert, who gave 3 or 4 very interesting lectures about the whole thing, different aspects each lecture.  On the day of the actual sinking he gave a 10 or 11am lecture, as usual, but also invited everyone to a bar at a specific time in the evening, to mark the time of ... collision? radio message? last glugs?  I didn’t go

 

I suppose some will find it macabre but it was actually very interesting and not at all mawkish.  It was the start of maritime safety as we know it now

 

 

 

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Cold but bright again here this morning, snow and sleet forecast for overnight and tomorrow though. 

I like our immediate Royal Family, not so much the lesser royals, but with a few minor exceptions. I was bought up to have respect for the monarchy, and imo our Queen and Prince Philip have always deserved it, regardless of the shame that other royals have caused them. They are from a different generation when they new what was expected of them and did their duty without complaint. Times and ideas change, but why should they be pilloried for doing the job that they have given up so much for, and why should they continue to be verbally attacked, because they have too much class to respond?  Rest in peace Prince Philip you've earned it.

Avril

 

I absolutely agree with you Avril.

Graham.

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

We were in Nova Scotia in 2019 and went to the Cemetery in Halifax where the poor folk from the Titanic were buried. What brings it home, is some person who boarded the ship to make a new life in America. Now all that remains is a stone with a number and a date. Nobody to mourn their passing, no name,  nothing. Now that IS sad.

I find cemeteries fascinating places, so much history. We have visited some interesting ones over the years.
 

In Scotland a popular wedding present used to be a burial plot (yes really) and a headstone with all the engraving on, here lies x born 1.2.34, except the date of death. Migration meant that many young married couple moved to the USA or Australia and the empty plots and unfinished stones were left behind, you can see them in many church yards. If you ever see a stone with no date of date that is probably why.

 

 

[pete14]

Stoke, 10 minutes ago.

 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Eddie99 said:

I was onboard, somewhere or another (Not onboard Titanic, onboard a P&O cruise!) at the time of the 100 year anniversary.   We had a Titanic expert, who gave 3 or 4 very interesting lectures about the whole thing, different aspects each lecture.  On the day of the actual sinking he gave a 10 or 11am lecture, as usual, but also invited everyone to a bar at a specific time in the evening, to mark the time of ... collision? radio message? last glugs?  I didn’t go

 

I suppose some will find it macabre but it was actually very interesting and not at all mawkish.  It was the start of maritime safety as we know it now

 

 

 

Would that have been Kenneth Vard by any chance?  He did a lot of absolutely fascinating lectures on Azura and Ventura, doubtless all the others, about the history of liners and cruise ships - unmissable. Lovely chap. Bit of a chocoholic. Managed to polish off a bag of Leonidas chocolates on the shuttle bus from Zeebrugge 

 

Also wrote a rather beautiful book, Liners in Art, which we bought after one cruise. A nice reminder of cruising at the moment, and still available on Amazon.

 

This chap:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eddie99]

Ha!  You’ve edited to add the YouTube.  Thanks for that.  In the interim I did a search and found the same clip ... but it’s not him 😕

I don’t remember our lecturer’s name but he was a younger man than Mr Vance, with dark hair

 

I know tastes vary but I almost always enjoy the lectures, even when I initially find the topics eccentric - forensic dentistry anyone? 😮

 

[Presto2]

40 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Stoke, 10 minutes ago.

 

 

Its finally gone off now but left a couple of cms and it looks very odd on top of all of the Spring flowers in the garden. Very pretty though 🙂

[Harry Peterson]

7 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Ha!  You’ve edited to add the YouTube.  Thanks for that.  In the interim I did a search and found the same clip ... but it’s not him 😕

I don’t remember our lecturer’s name but he was a younger man than Mr Vance, with dark hair

 

I know tastes vary but I almost always enjoy the lectures, even when I initially find the topics eccentric - forensic dentistry anyone? 😮

 

The lectures were one of the best things about cruising for us, but unfortunately as time went by they became fewer and fewer, and lighter and fluffier, without much of great interest. Some were good, but not remotely as many. The cruises we had with Vard also included a university professor talking about British film history. She was equally good.

[Eddie99]

I think my favourite, other than the “celebrity” speakers, who they don’t seem to have any more, was Michael Fopp, one time director of the London Transport Museum, but who gave a fascinating series of talks entitled “Bomber Boys”.  War stories?  Absolutely not my thing but he was excellent.  His dad was a bomber pilot, an Aussie, with nothing to offer except flying ability and excellent eyesight, which is what Fopp maintained were the main requirements for success.

It’s good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes

 

Gervaise Phinn was pretty damn good, of course, but he was a known quantity, having heard him on the radio

[Josy1953]

My favourite speaker that I have heard on P&O was Geoff Hughes, he had had a very interesting career in the Prison Service and had extensive knowledge of the history of penal systems both here in the UK and abroard.  We went to his first session because it was bad weather so we couldn't go outside but he got us so hooked that we went to all of his other sessions, even missing other things that we would normally have gone to.

We also had a very interesting speaker from  ORCA.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Josy1953

[ann141]

One reason I like the longer cruises is that you tend to get better speakers onboard.One of my favourite speakers on a P and O cruise was Gervaise Phinn and we have also enjoyed the cruises where there have been members from ORCA onboard, Cunard is very good for speakers as well.

[Bloodaxe]

The best lecturer I ever saw on a ship was the Maritime Historian John Maxtone Graham, on a Atlantic crossing he gave a daily lecture on Ocean Liners through the years.

It was on Celebrity but he worked for many lines including Cunard, I have several of his books including one on the Titanic.

[yorkshirephil]

One of my favourites is Shelley Bonus, mad as a box of frogs but very entertaining. I usually go for any science/nature speakers but will give anything a look, time willing.

[ann141]

A good speaker can make anything seem interesting.I even went along to a football talk after my hubby said what a good speaker he was and I enjoyed all his talks.(He can't have been brilliant though as I can't remember his name!!!)My hubby doesn't like to miss anything so goes along to all the talks whether or not he is interested or not.I tend to pick and choose

[Snow Hill]

Went to one with Ian Ridpath on astronomy and solar system, my wife as usual came out of talk with a glazed look on her face. 😬

[kalos]

Good morning it's a chilly -1.c with a very cold -5 chill in the air at the moment but 

expected to reach 7.c with a bit of sun later .

I didn't realise how many are into these lectures .The best one I remember is about an

elderly man who is stopped by the police around 2 a.m. and is asked where he is going at

this time of night. The man replies, "I am on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and

the effects it has on the human body, as well as smoking and staying out late."

The officer then asks, "Really? Who is giving that lecture at this time of night?"
The man replies, "That will  be my wife."   I bet there's a few men out there looking 

forward to a pint at the pub ,not long now and I'm pleased to say some pubs are now running 

a service for those who would rather not attend a lecture and the prices seem reasonable.

          

 

With a bit of luck we will get back to a bit of normality in our streets where we see the news 

headlines reading things like ....  .....     

     

 

Or when he sneaks in the house and wakes the household up by trying a cookery lesson 

whilst under the influence ....   

 

       

 

Lots of things to look forward to as we come out of this lockdown but just lets all

take care and keep safe !

Have a good day everyone 

[Beckett]

Another great start to our day Kalos! Well done you for a laugh so early on a cold Sunday. Keep well. Jane.x

[davecttr]

Two P&O speakers stand out for me but I can't remember their names!

 

The first gave astronomy lectures and sky parties on the top deck with all the light up there out except the navigation lights. That was on Aurora in the far east

 

The second one was a lady warden from Shetland? who was a whale expert and lots of us spent days staring out to sea. That was on Oceana a cruise somewhat spoiled by being confined to my cabin sick, TWICE. Still hooked on sea life etc though

[bobstheboy]

As always a good chuckle at the funnies from Kalos, keep them coming !

 

Another cold day, I must have imagined I was on the patio a few days ago with a G&T. 

 

Stay safe.

[davecttr]

Discovered yesterday that I can't receive BBC4 HD on Freeview any more. Apparently they are using the MUX, whatever one of them is, for other broadband transmission stuff. The appropriate help sites suggested I change transmitter to a 'green' one but I live in Kent and the only 'green' transmitters are in Essex which means I will get BBC East local news not South East 😠

 

I recently upgraded my old HD TV with one of those smart sticks and it works well and I find I can watch BBC4 HD live via broadband and I-Player. Lucky for me that my BT broadband now has unlimited download 🙂

[Eddie99]

16 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Two P&O speakers stand out for me but I can't remember their names!

 

The first gave astronomy lectures and sky parties on the top deck with all the light up there out except the navigation lights. That was on Aurora in the far east

 

The second one was a lady warden from Shetland? who was a whale expert and lots of us spent days staring out to sea. That was on Oceana a cruise somewhat spoiled by being confined to my cabin sick, TWICE. Still hooked on sea life etc though

Was the astronomer Leon de st Croix, the Cruise Director (have they got a new title now?).  Med height, stocky, bald, neat beard?  Very affable.

He’s good!  One minute doing the Macarena at a sail away party, the next giving a very knowledgeable lecture in a blacked out theatre and the next having pax flat out on loungers after dinner, describing the visible stars

 

Ahhhh, cruising.  It’s good, innit?

[Dermotsgirl]

3 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Was the astronomer Leon de st Croix, the Cruise Director (have they got a new title now?).  Med height, stocky, bald, neat beard?  Very affable.

He’s good!  One minute doing the Macarena at a sail away party, the next giving a very knowledgeable lecture in a blacked out theatre and the next having pax flat out on loungers after dinner, describing the visible stars

 

Ahhhh, cruising.  It’s good, innit?

I like Leon, he’s the best Cruise Director that we’ve had.

 

No matter what people say, I think the Cruise Director makes a difference. We were on 2 legs of the Aurora world cruise in 2017. Leon joined us in New Zealand, and things immediately picked up, entertainment-wise, and a lot more effort was put into things like sail aways. 

[Snow Hill]

39 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Two P&O speakers stand out for me but I can't remember their names!

 

The first gave astronomy lectures and sky parties on the top deck with all the light up there out except the navigation lights. That was on Aurora in the far east

 

The second one was a lady warden from Shetland? who was a whale expert and lots of us spent days staring out to sea. That was on Oceana a cruise somewhat spoiled by being confined to my cabin sick, TWICE. Still hooked on sea life etc though

Ian Ridpath probably was the astronomer some friends of ours had him on a Cunard cruise he did the star gazing masterclass from the top deck on their cruise.

[davecttr]

11 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Was the astronomer Leon de st Croix, the Cruise Director (have they got a new title now?).  Med height, stocky, bald, neat beard?  Very affable.

He’s good!  One minute doing the Macarena at a sail away party, the next giving a very knowledgeable lecture in a blacked out theatre and the next having pax flat out on loungers after dinner, describing the visible stars

 

Ahhhh, cruising.  It’s good, innit?

That's him, a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society 🙂