28 days to go wowsers

Arcadia cruises in 2014
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#26

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Kenmo1 wrote:
Akureyri says arrive early morning plus possible tender and depart afternoon. Very vague timings but I looked on a port site for Iceland and Arcadia is shown as 8am to 18.00 for all three Icelandic ports which is not necessarily what PO are saying.
I'd advise caution with the port sites for timings. They are often provisional and very inaccurate when the time comes.

We go to Madeira regularly and I always look up the port website before we go to see what is due in of interest.

The arrival and/or departure timings are often 2 hours or more adrift from what actually happens.

On one occasion when the port site claimed Oceana was coming in she never arrived at all. When we checked the ship's webcam she was exactly where the P&O site said she was supposed to be - in the Caribbean! :crazy:


p.s. For anyone whose geography may be shaky, Madeira is not a Caribbean island!


Boris+
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#27

Post by Boris+ »

It's quite a dilemma, but I think I would rather try and have a record of just before and just after and then watch the actual event for myself. With something like a fly-past where they may be a commentary running it's possible, but with something like watching from a boat - you just can't predict when the 'action' is going to occur.

Em


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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#28

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Boris+ wrote:
It's quite a dilemma, but I think I would rather try and have a record of just before and just after and then watch the actual event for myself. With something like a fly-past where they may be a commentary running it's possible, but with something like watching from a boat - you just can't predict when the 'action' is going to occur.

Em

I was watching the flypast from a boat! I was anchored just off HMS Daedalus and there was the Battle of Britain flight and a P51 Mustang directly overhead, amongst others :)

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jacksparrow
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#29

Post by jacksparrow »

I thought this was about Iceland….
The pesky scarfaced pirate

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Dark Knight
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#30

Post by Dark Knight »

it still is
booked our trip over t'internet yesterday and look forward to it . despite the usual negativity on here and the usual, the only way is the Pando way.

Some people :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:
Nihil Obstat

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david63
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#31

Post by david63 »

Dark Knight wrote:
... the only way is the Pando way.
I thought you were going with Thomson :?


Boris+
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#32

Post by Boris+ »

No, I don't think that 'the only way is the P&O way', DK - I just want you to be careful and have a lovely time.

Em

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Dark Knight
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#33

Post by Dark Knight »

Not Me Smurfy, Maureen, she was worried about the high cost of the trip, so I pointed her in the direction of a cheaper alternative, hence it does not have to be the Pando way, there is a much more cost effective alternative
Nihil Obstat


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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#34

Post by Quizzical Bob »

I had a quick look at the tours yesterday and then Mrs QB fell asleep so nothing was decided. We are making a day trip to the Orkneys next Monday from John O'Groats which includes a guided coach tour. That way we have two chnaces of actually getting there, not that I don't trust P&O to call in it's just that I don't trust them. Added to that the fact that it's a tender port and all the associated chaos so we should have a more leisurely visit, if we eventually get off, that is :)

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#35

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Hope the ferry's got a nice teak wrap round deck thingy for you QB! Have a nice day. :sarcasm:


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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#36

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Mervyn and Trish wrote:
Hope the ferry's got a nice teak wrap round deck thingy for you QB! Have a nice day. :sarcasm:
Not exactly wrap-around but at least it's outside!

Image

http://www.jogferry.co.uk/Tours/Maxi.aspx

Thanks, we are touring Scotland for the week. I thought we had better see it before they put up the border fences and all the minefields when they go independent ;) It will be the first time I've really done Scotland so let's see if it's as good as ITWA and all the other Scots keep telling us :) At least we shan't have to put up with hordes of moaning grockles off a cruise ship when we're there. Then when we go in June we can bore everybody stiff with tales of how wonderful it is and 'What, this is your first time? :o

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#37

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

And you can add one to your total number of cruises, along with the line "Our last cruise here was on one of the smaller more intimate and exclusive ships."

Just one thing QB, can't quite pick out your suite balcony. You must be on the port side! :thumbup:


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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#38

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Mervyn and Trish wrote:
And you can add one to your total number of cruises, along with the line "Our last cruise here was on one of the smaller more intimate and exclusive ships."

Just one thing QB, can't quite pick out your suite balcony. You must be on the port side! :thumbup:
Well that was a long drive today! 560 miles from Hampshire to Invergarry near Loch Ness, just under 12 hours all told. We might try a cruise in the Loch tomorrow and go monster hunting :)


Boris+
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#39

Post by Boris+ »

So, you're hoping to see the monster?

Fat chance - I'm not up there at the moment!!!

Em

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jacksparrow
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#40

Post by jacksparrow »

So who is going on this cruise?
The pesky scarfaced pirate

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Kenmo1
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#41

Post by Kenmo1 »

jacksparrow wrote:
So who is going on this cruise?
We are going on the one to Iceland in 3 weeks time, also Quizzical Bob and Bellybee. We should have a lot of room on Arcadia by the looks of it.

I think QB is just doing a run up north to Scotland to test the weather so he knows what to pack for Iceland. :lol:

Maureen


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bellybee
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#42

Post by bellybee »

Yeah sounds like a half empty ship lol maybe I should have left auto upgrades on lol.

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johnds
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#43

Post by johnds »

We are on with two friends

John & Joyce
John

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Kenmo1
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#44

Post by Kenmo1 »

johnds wrote:
We are on with two friends

John & Joyce

Hurray - a few more people. Still not enough to fill the cinema though. :lol:


Quizzical Bob
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28 days to go wowsers

#45

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Kenmo1 wrote:
jacksparrow wrote:
So who is going on this cruise?
We are going on the one to Iceland in 3 weeks time, also Quizzical Bob and Bellybee. We should have a lot of room on Arcadia by the looks of it.

I think QB is just doing a run up north to Scotland to test the weather so he knows what to pack for Iceland. :lol:

Maureen
Well we did the day trip to Orkney yesterday and it was bloomin freezing. 10 degrees and a strong wind. Still a good day out though, but not many trees if you like that sort if thing. The 'maxi' day trip from John O'Groats cost £58 each including the ferry so the P&O prices are not too bad. We did see three orcas just before returning to Scotland which was a great thrill :)

The coach was operated by these people:
http://www.maynes.co.uk/orkney/orkney.php
Who are very good. The tour has a pick-up in Kirkwall if anybody's interested.

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Kenmo1
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#46

Post by Kenmo1 »

QB - how wonderful to see the orcas. I hadn't thought about the chance of seeing whales off the Orkneys or the Faroe Islands, I was only thinking of Iceland. I should think we stand quite a good chance of possible sightings from the Arcadia. Just got to hope it isn't too freezing cold to stand out on deck.

Maureen.


Quizzical Bob
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#47

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Kenmo1 wrote:
QB - how wonderful to see the orcas. I hadn't thought about the chance of seeing whales off the Orkneys or the Faroe Islands, I was only thinking of Iceland. I should think we stand quite a good chance of possible sightings from the Arcadia. Just got to hope it isn't too freezing cold to stand out on deck.

Maureen.
Yes Maureen, these were as close as we've ever got. They passed down our port side within a few feet of me but because we were travelling in opposite directions the encounter didn't last very long. The Pentland Firth is a popular route for whales and dolphins but we shall be scanning the sea throughout the cruise because there's always a possibility of seeing something.


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bellybee
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#48

Post by bellybee »

Only 15 days to go now. I have just done my packing as I was stressing I wouldn't get it all in the case. It just about fit apart from sundries which can go in hubbies case as he doesn't need as many clothes.

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Kenmo1
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#49

Post by Kenmo1 »

bellybee wrote:
Only 15 days to go now. I have just done my packing as I was stressing I wouldn't get it all in the case. It just about fit apart from sundries which can go in hubbies case as he doesn't need as many clothes.
We've got the suitcases out and have been trying things on to see what still fits but I am still wearing a lot of the day time clothes (jeans/jumpers/raincoats etc) because most days have been wet and miserable recently and it is supposed to rain again later in the week. I couldn't believe it when the central heating came on a couple of mornings this week!

It looks like we are going to have to make do with tatty d.i.y labels again as the brochure arrived with labels for our original cabin. Thomas Cook printed off our e-tickets and some d.i.y. labels. So much for the bells and whistles having paid full fare!

Maureen


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bellybee
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Re: 28 days to go wowsers

#50

Post by bellybee »

Oh how annoying ours has the proper labels but that's because when etickets came I emailed and said I didn't have a printer and they sent me the labels and tickets luckily most of my stuff is new so I don't need it for work just gotta wash my jeans just before we go. It's so worrying making sure we have everything,

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