Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Lanky Lad]

7 hours ago, majortom10 said:

When I cancelled my Holiday Inn Express hotel booking I was told refunds would be from head office within 14 days since then was told being paid by individual hotels by Manager when it reopens on 15th May which it didnt it is still closed. It does say on their website that refunds can take up to 90 days.

Thanks for the advice.   I have a booking with Holiday Inn Express in Southampton for August.  If the cruise is cancelled but the hotel is open, I might go anyway and then move on somewhere for a few days.

[Lanky Lad]

3 minutes ago, vettprincess said:

Cruising has to start sometime or what is the point of life???????????? We have cruised for 48 years, many lines and ships there is nothing better than being on a ship.

Stay safe out there.

 

Only 29 years of cruising for me, but I agree.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Lanky Lad said:

Thanks for the advice.   I have a booking with Holiday Inn Express in Southampton for August.  If the cruise is cancelled but the hotel is open, I might go anyway and then move on somewhere for a few days.

We use Holiday Inn Express just off M271 west of Southampton.

[Camgirl]

3 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

Thanks for the advice.   I have a booking with Holiday Inn Express in Southampton for August.  If the cruise is cancelled but the hotel is open, I might go anyway and then move on somewhere for a few days.

 

We have a hotel booked for the August cruise as well and are thinking the same. Not the same as a cruise but at least we would get away and see some ships. Could always move on to Portland and see more!

[Lanky Lad]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

We use Holiday Inn Express just off M271 west of Southampton.

That's the one, I have booked.  Was a very good price and includes breakfast. 

[Lanky Lad]

48 minutes ago, Camgirl said:

 

We have a hotel booked for the August cruise as well and are thinking the same. Not the same as a cruise but at least we would get away and see some ships. Could always move on to Portland and see more!

It could be too sad to see all those shops with nowhere to go.  Hopefully, we will be on QV, but maybe not with the big bands. 

[beaveh]

Our cruise was due to go on Sunday, so I’m going to try and have a Cruise lifestyle for a week at home. 
lie-ins

nice breakfast.

morning walk.

trip out somewhere once a day ( essential shopping, walk in the countryside, queue for the local DIY store), 

nice evening meal ( I’ll have to work on my cooking)

glass of wine or beer on the patio in the evening.

 

sadly no gym or spa, but I can get fit doing 1/2hr house work each day.

 

i will also periodically remind my self which port I should  be in, or the fjord views I should be looking at. 
im gonna have fun... without having to drive to Southampton 

 

looks like I can’t go back to work until July, so i could even extend my cruise for a few days 🙂

Edited May 28, 2020 by beaveh

[LadyL1]

11 hours ago, Camgirl said:

 

We have a hotel booked for the August cruise as well and are thinking the same. Not the same as a cruise but at least we would get away and see some ships. Could always move on to Portland and see more!

We live very close indeed to Portland, and would love an hour or so out to see the ships, including the QV which we should be on now. However, the area is overwhelmed by trippers who are leaving detritus from their days’ out, and illegal overnights. There are no public loos open, so it does not leave much to the imagination. From what we see on the local news, we will stay away from our LOCAL beauty spot and  National Trust areas. 

What a sad state of affairs! Lockdown and distancing being ignored: it is impossible to avoid being close to others on the tracks down to the beaches with so many. One major hospital in the south west is closed to A&E and admissions because of a spike in CV.

Just to make matters worse I cannot see our Canadian trip going ahead this year on the QM2.

[Lanky Lad]

3 hours ago, LadyL1 said:

We live very close indeed to Portland, and would love an hour or so out to see the ships, including the QV which we should be on now. However, the area is overwhelmed by trippers who are leaving detritus from their days’ out, and illegal overnights. There are no public loos open, so it does not leave much to the imagination. From what we see on the local news, we will stay away from our LOCAL beauty spot and  National Trust areas. 

What a sad state of affairs! Lockdown and distancing being ignored: it is impossible to avoid being close to others on the tracks down to the beaches with so many. One major hospital in the south west is closed to A&E and admissions because of a spike in CV.

Just to make matters worse I cannot see our Canadian trip going ahead this year on the QM2.

It seems we had some campers near here, who thought it was a good idea to have a BBQ.  Setting a forest on fire in the process.  Idiots.

[Host Hattie]

Happy Thursday everyone, I went to my first in person meeting since mid-March. It was quite a big room but I didn't feel entirely comfortable sharing it with 9 other people.

It's been another warm (for Wales) day here and we're expecting some news about a relaxation of our lockdown tomorrow. We're still a bit behind England.

I had paid the deposit for a cottage stay with friends in mid-August, they're not asking for payment yet but as the person who booked it is based in England, they will want final payment once English rules allow holiday cottage stays. As we're all from different households in England, Wales and Belgium it could get messy !

[Lanky Lad]

The Great Tits left their nest today, 7 of them, now hiding in the garden, still being fed by parents.

[Kynance]

We had the final “clap for carers” tonight - I agree with the lady behind the initiative that now feels like a good time to stop and look at other forms of recognition. 
 

There has definitely been some back sliding on lockdown measures and social distancing guidance - I think this started around the time of the VE Day anniversary weekend. I’ve noticed locally that people are not being as assiduous at keeping to the 2 metre rule as they were previously (possibly they have just relaxed a bit too much rather than made any deliberate decision to ignore it). The PM’s announcement today that from next week, people in England can meet in up to groups of 6 in each other’s gardens  feels like it’s just given the official “ok” to  what is probably happening already - by way of example, my aunt had her neighbours round for a socially distanced BBQ on bank holiday Monday. 
 

Dentists in England can also resume seeing patients from 8 June. I am definitely overdue a check up and scale and polish.

 

Tomorrow I’ll be queuing up for the weekly Waitrose shop and over the weekend, I will hopefully finish Craig Brown’s Beatles biography (One, Two, Three, Four - The Beatles in Time) which I heartily recommend if you are either a fan of Craig’s writing or of the band themselves. 
 

Enjoy the weekend!

[Camgirl]

22 hours ago, LadyL1 said:

We live very close indeed to Portland, and would love an hour or so out to see the ships, including the QV which we should be on now. However, the area is overwhelmed by trippers who are leaving detritus from their days’ out, and illegal overnights. There are no public loos open, so it does not leave much to the imagination. From what we see on the local news, we will stay away from our LOCAL beauty spot and  National Trust areas. 

What a sad state of affairs! Lockdown and distancing being ignored: it is impossible to avoid being close to others on the tracks down to the beaches with so many. One major hospital in the south west is closed to A&E and admissions because of a spike in CV.

Just to make matters worse I cannot see our Canadian trip going ahead this year on the QM2.

 

Wow! That's very sad.

 

I must admit, we have been avoiding all beauty spots and attractions. Though that is not difficult outside of Cambridge! The fens, whilst fascinating, are definitely not an area people are likely to flood too! Normally, by this time of year, We would be visiting the Norfolk coast regularly. We are not going to be risking that any time soon. It is just not fair on the locals. I would not consider going anywhere like that until we can be a lot more sure of the situation and facilities are open and coping.

 

Sadly, so many people are not taking any notice of the social distancing any more. We go for a walk early every day. We have noticed far more people out lately, but they are generally following the rules at that time of day.

 

However, a couple of days ago, We went out in the evening as well. Wow! I was shocked and dismayed by the number of large groups of, mainly, young people everywhere. The green areas of Cambridge, of which there are many, were covered in groups. On Jesus Green, the fencing around the closed skateboard park had been broken through and about 15 people were skating on it! 

 

We won't be going out in the evening again any time soon.

[Camgirl]

12 hours ago, Kynance said:

Dentists in England can also resume seeing patients from 8 June. I am definitely overdue a check up and scale and polish.

 

I have a contact lens check up appointment with the hospital next week (special contact lenses). They are doing it by phone! That should be interesting!! However, I have to admit I am relieved not to have to go into the hospital.

[Lanky Lad]

England has had one of the warmest and sunniest springs on record when we have not been able to take advantage.  What are the odds that when they restrictions are finally lifted, the weather will change.  Or maybe it will autumn or even winter by then. 

[alc13]

Hello, all - nothing much new to report here in Maine.  The covid-19 statistics here are mostly positive (few cases, few deaths) but concerning because of localized hotspots where case numbers are going up.  Our small businesses are struggling with decisions around reopening, and how to manage the double-edged sword of summer tourism (+ revenues, + risks).  The weather is glorious, however, and I forget about pandemics whenever I'm outside. 

 

Mr Alc13, or as I call him, Mike, completed his vegetable patch this week, complete with 8-ft fencing to keep deers out and screening around the base to keep groundhogs out.  Barely perceptible inside are tiny shoots of corn, and various other hopeful sprouts of things I can't identify from a distance.  Fingers crossed for the tomatoes, and I'd love to see the melons succeed, too.

 

I'm counting on a vaccine by next spring, and if signs look good for that near the end of 2020 I think we'll book a cruise then for Fall 2021.  Our FCCs expire in November, so we'll have decide before that, or apply for a refund.

[Bigmike911]

1 hour ago, alc13 said:

Hello, all - nothing much new to report here in Maine.  The covid-19 statistics here are mostly positive (few cases, few deaths) but concerning because of localized hotspots where case numbers are going up.  Our small businesses are struggling with decisions around reopening, and how to manage the double-edged sword of summer tourism (+ revenues, + risks).  The weather is glorious, however, and I forget about pandemics whenever I'm outside. 

 

Mr Alc13, or as I call him, Mike, completed his vegetable patch this week, complete with 8-ft fencing to keep deers out and screening around the base to keep groundhogs out.  Barely perceptible inside are tiny shoots of corn, and various other hopeful sprouts of things I can't identify from a distance.  Fingers crossed for the tomatoes, and I'd love to see the melons succeed, too.

 

I'm counting on a vaccine by next spring, and if signs look good for that near the end of 2020 I think we'll book a cruise then for Fall 2021.  Our FCCs expire in November, so we'll have decide before that, or apply for a refund.

I hate deer. My rear garden about one half acre is completely fenced so I can safely plant things that the deer like. The front garden is open to the road, and while I try to plant deer resistant plants, trees and shrubs. I failed to check on two Acer Palmatums, and the deer ate most of the leaves on the red Emperor One. Both are now screened with an eight foot wire fence and will be until they are more mature. The flowers are blooming up a storm and the butterfly bushes are heavy with their purple flowers. A week of heavy rain (free water) has everything growing like crazy. The pool is warm enough to swim in and I do my deep water aerobics every day. I had another hair cut and did my grocery shopping. I am going to have to go to Trader Joe's earlier in the day though. Standing out side in the humidity nearly did me in when I went at about one p.m. Steaks on the grill are planned for Sunday and then another week at home. Everyone have a great weekend, and look forward to June next week. 

[alc13]

1 minute ago, Bigmike911 said:

I hate deer. My rear garden about one half acre is completely fenced so I can safely plant things that the deer like. The front garden is open to the road, and while I try to plant deer resistant plants, trees and shrubs. I failed to check on two Acer Palmatums, and the deer ate most of the leaves on the red Emperor One. Both are now screened with an eight foot wire fence and will be until they are more mature. The flowers are blooming up a storm and the butterfly bushes are heavy with their purple flowers. A week of heavy rain (free water) has everything growing like crazy. The pool is warm enough to swim in and I do my deep water aerobics every day. I had another hair cut and did my grocery shopping. I am going to have to go to Trader Joe's earlier in the day though. Standing out side in the humidity nearly did me in when I went at about one p.m. Steaks on the grill are planned for Sunday and then another week at home. Everyone have a great weekend, and look forward to June next week. 

 

Bigmike911, I envy you your warm pool and butterfly bush blooms, but even more your haircut!  Longing for the day I can get mine done.

 

[alc13]

1 hour ago, alc13 said:

 Our FCCs expire in November, so we'll have decide before that, or apply for a refund.

 

I think it's the refund offer that expires, actually; not the FCCs.

[naturelovergirl]

Florida continues to figure out the complex steps in reopening.
The theme parks have all started on their planning and procedures for this. Universal Orlando parks open with restrictions at the end of next week. Disney will open with restrictions in mid-July. Again, I stress the word “restrictions”... it will not be what we all considered to be normal for a long time.

It will be interesting to see how it all goes for the parks and for tourism in general.
I believe how it all turns out here will be a litmus test for many other branches of big tourism and for the entertainment business- everyone will be watching and learning what works and what needs tweaking.
 

Personally, we have been making bread, hiking, walking, and trying to keep our spirits lifted.

We miss our lives before the pandemic- especially our work In the performing arts... which will unfortunately not return for a while.

Each step towards normalcy helps, but we still have so far to go.

 

Stay safe and find beauty in the small things.

 

[vettprincess]

Greetings again from Minnesota the scene of 4 days of riots and burning of buildings.

 

Now have heard that no more cruise ships for Canada through 2020. So besides our canceled QM2 on 9/11 there is not going to happen the 10/9 QM2 cruise.

 

So I will be home trying to stay safe from the virus and all the rioting and destruction around me.

 

Most of my gardens are planted but did buy a few more vegetable plants and oriental lily plants. I have a small yard in the back and bigger in the front.

Every space is planted with food or flowers and plants. It was only 55 degrees this am and not very warm weather here this spring.

I put tomatoes in pots and in the ground. The squirrels take them off the vine take a bite. The rabbits in the front yard dig up my bulbs and chew up my lily plants. Mr. chipmunk digs and eats in the backyard. 

My daughter says I provide the critters with a buffet. Wish I could use them for target practice.

On Sunday I will be having a zoom video call with my QM2 friends and one from Isle of Thanet in England. (spelled it wrong!)

Have a nice week-end and I welcome a peaceful day in Minnesota and getting back on a ship or two.

 

[alc13]

39 minutes ago, vettprincess said:

My daughter says I provide the critters with a buffet. Wish I could use them for target practice.

 

I know the feeling....  so close to picking sometimes, and the next morning, gone!

[Bigmike911]

2 hours ago, alc13 said:

I know the feeling....  so close to picking sometimes, and the next morning, gone!

I have my reliable "Red Ryder" bb gun, it won't kill the little tree rats, but is does get their attention at least for a while. 

[LewiLewi]

Hi from Palm Beach County, Florida,

  We have had over 1,200 new cases of the virus this past week, yet people are acting as if things are back to normal. We like to walk in the evening and generally have a mask with us, if we see other people close by, we put it on. However, very few people are wearing masks and are not even bothering to social distance from each other.

Our downtown area looks like the Wild West, people are jamming into restaurants and stores as well as crowding the sidewalks. At this point, we are wary of leaving home. We will sit out on our patio and look at the birds on the lake. I can pretend that I’m sitting on the balcony of the QV and looking out at the ocean as I read my book. My husband is busy tending his gorgeous orchids, which are all in bloom.

[Host Hattie]

It's another beautiful day in South Wales, our lockdown rules have changed slightly. From Monday the message is Stay Local rather than Stay Home. We will be allowed to meet people from another household outdoors but only within 5 miles of home. The last bit has caused some consternation but I understand the logic of trying to contain cases. I'm not sure we'll be doing anything different immediately but most of our local friends and some of Mr HH's family live within 5 miles so there's progress.