On dear Azamara!

[welwyngirl]

I received my first email from Azamara today giving details of savings on their intensive voyages. It's described as leaving from Southampton, where the Mayflower sailed from!  History and geography lessons needed. It sailed from Plymouth hence Plymouth Rock.  😆

[uktog]

They are still using the old RC write ups which are full of errors. I hope the new regime really cleans this up and pays much more attention to detail and much less to inaccurate spin 

[nordski]

1 hour ago, welwyngirl said:

I received my first email from Azamara today giving details of savings on their intensive voyages. It's described as leaving from Southampton, where the Mayflower sailed from!  History and geography lessons needed. It sailed from Plymouth hence Plymouth Rock.  😆

 

As uktog points out, in the past mistakes, sometimes egregious,  have been made on by the Azamara team.

 

But I would cut them slack on this one.

 

On the first point, The Mayflower left London and rendezvoused with another ship, The Speedwell, off of Southampton. The Speedwell was carrying a number of Pilgrims from Holland; those who had already left the less -friendly environs England.

 

Twice, the two ships set off for North America, and twice they returned because The Speedwell was springing leaks (we have to remember that the Pilgrims were rather poor and, unlike us, could not afford to sail on "premium" level ships :))

 

Finally, The Mayflower struck out on its own and, on this final embarkation you are absolutely correct, it indeed sailed from Plymouth, England. 

 

As for Plymouth Rock, I don't know if there is such a site in Plymouth, England, since unfortunately I have never visited that port, but there is certainly one in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a colony which, of course, was named after the last port they had left.

 

As a young lad I had my picture taken beside said rock on a vacation on the Atlantic seaboard.

 

It was deflating to learn later that the Rock in question was not named until 100 years later in the annals of the colony, and that the Pilgrims may never have stepped on it. This is how my romantic dreams have been dashed!

 

And this takes us back to uktog's useful admonition to be wary of the "facts" one is told as one prepares to travel/cruise.

 

And a final and very useful admonition, best to avoid me on board unless one wishes to be bored with pointless pedantry, made especially grievous during a Covid lockdown.

 

[TeaBag]

10 hours ago, welwyngirl said:

I received my first email from Azamara today giving details of savings on their intensive voyages. It's described as leaving from Southampton, where the Mayflower sailed from!  History and geography lessons needed. It sailed from Plymouth hence Plymouth Rock.  😆

At least you received an email.  I would welcome one. 

[Mackdogmolly]

10 hours ago, welwyngirl said:

I received my first email from Azamara today giving details of savings on their intensive voyages. It's described as leaving from Southampton, where the Mayflower sailed from!  History and geography lessons needed. It sailed from Plymouth hence Plymouth Rock.  😆

The Titanic sailed from Southampton, but they might not want to point that out!

[crazyman3]

Some of my ancestors were on the Speedwell. They decided to stay in Devon rather than risk the Atlantic. Some of their descendents still live in the county.

[nordski]

59 minutes ago, crazyman3 said:

Some of my ancestors were on the Speedwell. They decided to stay in Devon rather than risk the Atlantic. Some of their descendents still live in the county.

 

Thanks for the personal comment.

 

What a difficult decision your ancestors must have faced as to whether to stay on their side of the Atlantic or risk a transit in a less than seaworthy vessel.

 

Certainly the ship’s name is rather ironic.

[Host Hattie]

Southampton certainly likes to celebrate the Mayflower connection

 

https://visitsouthampton.co.uk/mayflower-400