Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[bluemarble]

Here's a link to "Queen Mary 2 Departing Southampton Live Stream - With commentary 4K" from the Solent Ships YouTube channel which should go live today at 16:00 UK time.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqPAfMB9Ubs

[Bigmike911]

3 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Here's a link to "Queen Mary 2 Departing Southampton Live Stream - With commentary 4K" from the Solent Ships YouTube channel which should go live today at 16:00 UK time.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqPAfMB9Ubs

I am watching it now. 

[Victoria2]

On 4/23/2021 at 7:30 PM, Bigmike911 said:

Thank you LL. I have narrowed it down to the Holiday Inn near the Red Funnel Ferry Terminal and the Southampton Harbor Hotel and spa closer to the cruise terminal and for my interest walking distance to the Solent Sky Museum.

 

The Holiday Inn is better priced but the restaurant is not very appealing, The Southampton Harbor is more expensive, but has a very attractive sixth floor harBar with a terrace overlooking the marina.

 

I think both are good choices, although I am leaning more to the Southampton Harbor. I can check in (or leave my bags if I am earlier than their usual check in) and walk to the Museum for a quick two hour walk through. 

 

The next morning I can taxi to the Red Funnel and take the ferry to Cowes, and a bus directly to Osborne. 

 

Has anyone had any experience with the Southampton Harbor Hotel and Spa? 

We have experience of both.

I would say the Holiday Inn is good value for what is provided although their air con isn't up to scratch as the rooms get hot at night. The breakfast buffet has to be mentioned as a plus as it's superb!!

However, we have changed our loyalties to the 'new' Harbour Hotel and Spa.

I would agree with Ray, our room was too hot but was assured the air con can be adjusted lower. I can't verify that as we solved the problem by booking suites which have opening doors onto a decent balcony.

The beds are sublime and with  a DB&B package, if  keeping within the dinner allowance, the food is perfectly acceptable although breakfast isn't a patch on the H.I. buffet, that's  if it still exists now because of Covid.

Staff are delightful and nothing is too much trouble and I have no hesitation in recommending the Harbour Hotel and Spa.

[Bigmike911]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

We have experience of both.

I would say the Holiday Inn is good value for what is provided although their air con isn't up to scratch as the rooms get hot at night. The breakfast buffet has to be mentioned as a plus as it's superb!!

However, we have changed our loyalties to the 'new' Harbour Hotel and Spa.

I would agree with Ray, our room was too hot but was assured the air con can be adjusted lower. I can't verify that as we solved the problem by booking suites which have opening doors onto a decent balcony.

The beds are sublime and with  a DB&B package, if  keeping within the dinner allowance, the food is perfectly acceptable although breakfast isn't a patch on the H.I. buffet, that's  if it still exists now because of Covid.

Staff are delightful and nothing is too much trouble and I have no hesitation in recommending the Harbour Hotel and Spa.

Thank you Victoria 2. You comments are much appreciated. Just 15 months to go now. 

[Host Hattie]

It's a Bank Holiday here and we have typical Bank Holiday weather, wet and windy. 

We managed an outside drink at the pub across the road yesterday, I'm afraid today has been a wash out for them.

Gyms are re-opening here today, another step on the road to normality.

[Camgirl]

We had a slightly traumatic bank holiday, which was also wet and very windy on our side of the country.

 

My son's one year old cat got stuck at the very top of a tree. Various attempts to get him down failed and he stayed there all night in the wind and rain. Luckily, a local tree surgeon was able to climbb the tree and retrieve him, cold and  tired, this morning. He is now sleeping it off at home.

[Host Hattie]

Bless, hope he's OK. We've had a couple of very heavy hail showers today, it's still cool for the time of year.

[Lanky Lad]

I had to work on Monday but as the rain was coming sideways past the window, I didn't mind. I will wait to take the day off until more things are open and hopefully the weather is better.

[navybankerteacher]

17 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I had to work on Monday but as the rain was coming sideways past the window, I didn't mind. I will wait to take the day off until more things are open and hopefully the weather is better.

We are having a very wet Spring as well - getting tiresome, but good for the grass, I suppose.

[Colin_Cameron]

We’ve had an odd few weeks recently. April here was the sunniest on record, but also the coldest for something like 80 years. Now we’re into May and it’s well below freezing with snow, sleet and hail. We’ve got the fire lit again and at one point today there was so much hail coming down the chimney that it was hissing and spitting all over the hearth.

 

Another day for digging into the misbehaviour of my ancestors.

One relative was widowed when his wife died in October 1878. Not one to hang about he got married again the following month, November. I wonder if he was as surprised as I was when his new wife gave birth that December?  I wonder how he got on with his in-laws? It turns out the second wife was the daughter of his first wife’s twin sister!

[Lanky Lad]

27 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Another day for digging into the misbehaviour of my ancestors.

One relative was widowed when his wife died in October 1878. Not one to hang about he got married again the following month, November. I wonder if he was as surprised as I was when his new wife gave birth that December?  I wonder how he got on with his in-laws? It turns out the second wife was the daughter of his first wife’s twin sister!

I am sure that had some tongues wagging and lots of speculation about how wife number one died. 

[Colin_Cameron]

6 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

I am sure that had some tongues wagging and lots of speculation about how wife number one died. 

Christmas with the in-laws must have been fun that year, and the next, and the next ...

[Essiesmom]

Surprised he waited that long to marry her...  EM

[Colin_Cameron]

Polling Day here today. Had to clear several inches of snow off the car to go and vote.

 

IN MAY! What’s that all about?

[Kynance]

It’s a wet and miserable morning here in west Berkshire - and Cornwall seems a distant memory, though we arrived home only 2 weeks ago.  We have since been plagued by nesting starlings using our cars, windows, lawn, plants and just about anything outside as their toilet facilities - there has historically been a bit of an issue with them during the spring but it has never been this bad.  We’ve had to stop feeding the wild birds openly which impacts on the sparrows, robins,  blackbirds, doves, pigeons and others which don’t cause us any problems despite being prevalent in much larger numbers. 😡😡😡

 

We’ve only had the election for the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner and we vote by post. However, I was disappointed that we didn’t receive a single piece of election literature in the post. I suppose that’s good environmentally but the election was so low key that it only registered with me when the postal vote notification arrived. 
 

Anyway, today is Saturday so that means the chores and a delivery from Waitrose this afternoon. We’ve tried Ocado a few times recently too - it seems they had a bit of a melt down last week and were unable to deliver 19 items I had ordered. They did give me a £10 voucher by way of apology though, which I put towards payment of a nice bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc rose which they did manage to deliver yesterday! 🍷😀

[Host Hattie]

Sorry to hear about your Ocado experience, I got quite a lot of mine for free this week after a carton of milk was crushed and leaked over the rest of the box. Quick wipe down and most of it was fine.

The weather is very wet here, Biggles has just come in soaking wet and behaving like a cat that's lost something ! 

We live in a small village so we had no trouble voting but there were reports of people queuing for over an hour in the nearest town. Our constituency was the last to be declared after 10 last night.

 

[LewiLewi]

We were planning our first cruise after this past year for Nov. 2021; Lisbon transatlantic back to Miami. They just totally changed the itinerary out of Miami and instead to Barbados. All ports have changed, and air is now required to get back to Miami. We then checked the new normal for the ship; COVID antigen test pre and post and during the voyage, even though we are both vaccinated; masking in all public places, including dining room, to be taken off for dining only and then put back on; social distancing and masking  in all venues and decks including poolside. No buffets, entertainment scattered, boarding and excursions scattered and with the ship’s excursions only. We are now questioning whether we even want to cruise under these circumstances. We know things may change, but for now, this is the new reality. Our deposit is due within a few days. We are seriously thinking of postponing this cruise and waiting to see what is happening over the next few months. We are so disappointed.

[Bigmike911]

5 hours ago, LewiLewi said:

We were planning our first cruise after this past year for Nov. 2021; Lisbon transatlantic back to Miami. They just totally changed the itinerary out of Miami and instead to Barbados. All ports have changed, and air is now required to get back to Miami. We then checked the new normal for the ship; COVID antigen test pre and post and during the voyage, even though we are both vaccinated; masking in all public places, including dining room, to be taken off for dining only and then put back on; social distancing and masking  in all venues and decks including poolside. No buffets, entertainment scattered, boarding and excursions scattered and with the ship’s excursions only. We are now questioning whether we even want to cruise under these circumstances. We know things may change, but for now, this is the new reality. Our deposit is due within a few days. We are seriously thinking of postponing this cruise and waiting to see what is happening over the next few months. We are so disappointed.

I would postpone. Things will get better and sooner or later the US CDC will come out with proper rules (not the spaghetti rules they have now) and things can get back to normal. In the mean time, don't put yourself through the pain and agony.

[Bigmike911]

It is the first half of the Mother's day weekend. My thoughts go back to my dear MaMa who, as they say in Spanish, Entered Immortality twenty years ago June 5th at the age of 100 years and six months exactly. Her goodness still fills our hearts.

 

It has been a great weekend here in Southeast Texas. The 5 inches of rain from a week ago have finally been absorbed by the earth, and the lawns, flowers, shrubs and trees (except the Mexican Fan Palms) have shaken off most of the damage of the late February freeze and are growing with frenzy. 

 

Even those shrubs that looked dead, are sprouting new growth from their roots.  It would appear that at least one of the 35 foot high Fan Palms has some green in its crown, so hope abounds.

 

The Temperatures have been above 70f at night and in the low to mid 80fs during the day, so my unheated swimming pool is nearly warm enough to get in. Before Memorial day at the end of the month for sure. 

 

In Texas two thirds of the population are either fully vaccinated or have at least one dose,  and the vaccine is now so abundant that grocery drug departments and national chain pharmacies have sufficient vaccine that they are taking walk ins for all three vaccines. Anyone who wants a vaccination can now get one. 

 

This means that the supplies are sufficient to allow the cruise lines to acquire doses to vaccinate all of their staff members at least in US ports.  

 

Four of us, all fully vaccinated for more than a month celebrated one of the groups 78th birthday dining in a restaurant on Friday evening.  It almost felt normal. But for me normal will be getting Popeyes Fried chicken and eating it in their dining room, which I understand is coming this month. I haven't had it since February last year, so it will be a treat .and the ultimate back to normal for me. 

 

So we move into our summer, with more confidence than we had twelve months ago and that is a good thing. My best to all the Forum Posters who have cheers us on the past 15 months. Thank you.

[naturelovergirl]

Spending Mother’s Day with my mom and family up in the beauty of the mountains.

We plan to have a day of eating good food and enjoying nature.

 

Thanks to being fully vaccinated, my 98 year old grandfather got to see his nephew (my mom’s cousin) for the first time since before the pandemic yesterday. We were able to have a nice meal together at the mountain cabin and share lots of laughs and hugs.

My aunt said this very well... and I thought I would share her wise words.

She said- in normal times if something goes wrong in tough situations or we face tragedy we congregate with the people we love. We gather close and face the tough things together. But... what was so strange in this time of the pandemic was that we were all facing tough and unprecedented times and could not gather together to face it. We had to stay apart.

 

Each and every day I am grateful for the vaccines... and yesterday was no exception.

[Bigmike911]

Queen Victoria arrived in Southampton for supplies yesterday and departed at 14:00 today. I watched her on the Ferry Cam and on the Cruise Terminal Cam as she proceeded gracefully down Southampton Water. She is looking good. 

[Jim9310]

BEACH PLUMS IN BLOOM TODAY - CAPE COD BAY

[Host Hattie]

Lovely photograph. We've got a week off work now, we're hoping to get our house in Pembrokeshire ready for professional photos and go live for bookings next week. We might even get chance to enjoy the area !

Indoor dining is reopening on Monday, just as well, the last few weeks haven't been great for outdoor hospitality. Lots of wind/rain or both.

Mr HH has to come back on Tuesday for his second Covid vaccination !

[Lanky Lad]

Cape Cod looks gorgeous, I will have the song stuck in my had for the rest of the day now. 

 

We have had sun, rain, wind and thunder around here this week but it is slightly less cold. Forecast for the weekend is not nice so I don't think I will be going very far.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, Jim9310 said:

BEACH PLUMS IN BLOOM TODAY - CAPE COD BAY

Where on the Cape?— I spent a number of August weeks at Corn Hill in Truro.