Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

Reports about cruises on Arcadia
User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#26

Post by Suekersh »

silver surfer 2010 wrote: 13 Oct 2018, 11:38
Just to keep you up to date with your next cruise Sue, a seperate 'meet & greet' has been arranged at 12-30 in the Crows Nest, Starboard side, on the Sunday, this is in addition to the P & O organised one so if we miss you at one we might see you in the other. Hope the next cruise is as good as this one sounds. Enjoy you reports - one week to go.
David E
Thanks David hopefully meet at one or the other although Battle of the sexes is held at 12:15 and the PO official meet clashes with the church service.

Sue

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#27

Post by Suekersh »

10 th Report from Arcadia

Saturday 13 October 2018 - La Spezia

There were lots of long trips today but as we had docked here a few times and had always done trips we decided to see what was on offer in La Spezia itself. This meant that as we didn’t need an early start I could do both exercise classes and Garry could visit the Spa. When I returned from the Gym we were docked so close to the MSC Fantasia that it felt like we could step off our balcony onto their deck. It did feel intrusive and certainly the monster ship blocked a lot of our view.

Another sunny hot day but the Captains announcement was forewarning us of worsening weather conditions in both Toulon and Barcelona. We have been so lucky so far but need to make the most of the sun today.

We had to catch the shuttle bus to the cruise terminal and with 3 ships in port all using shuttles with limited space at the terminal and the usual Italian organisational skills it could have been a recipe for chaos. Luckily the worse of the deluge of passengers had subsided somewhat by the time we disembarked.

La Spezia has a huge naval history and this could be seen from the memorabilia along the long flat walk along the sea front. A very pretty little town with lots of bars and cafes and a large public garden area as well as the famous Naval museum.
We enjoyed the stroll in the sun taking in the sights and stopping for photos. We passed where the boats were docked ready to take passengers to Cinque Terre. Even at 11 o clock the queues were enormous and with 3 ships in port doing organised trips there, the small villages must have been swapped. We wandered into the town where amongst the usual well known shops were the unusual individual Italian shops. It was a Saturday and busy with the locals doing their shopping.
Some stunning architecture mixed in with the usual European concrete blocks.

We found a bar with tables in the sun and enjoyed a beer with a few snacks whilst people watching. A few stalls had set up close by and one was showing the birds from a local sanctuary. Beautiful owls and a huge falcon which luckily was tethered but was showing a lot of interest in its audience.

We stopped for another drink before making our way back to the cruise terminal. We had just missed a shuttle bus as there were no Arcadia passengers in the queue but didn’t have long to wait. It was a good service for disabled passengers as the majority of the shuttles were the low buses with ramps.

Late afternoon I realised that part of a tooth had broken clean off. No pain but sharp edges. We. Both started researching dentists in Southampton as I didn’t want to risk waiting until we were in the Caribbean. Luckily we found one who could offer me an emergency appointment on early Saturday morning. Later on even more of. The tooth broke away and I suspect it is not going to be viable. We still have 5 weeks before I can visit my own dentist so hopefully they will be able to do a temporary repair.

I didn’t really feel like much dinner but the tuna steak was so tender and juicy it just melted in my mouth. I don’t think I will be eating any meat for a while.

The Headliners performed a new show and the best ever. Mr. Tinkertons Clockwork Circus was great fun. The lead male singer was fantastic but the whole show was so well choreographed with lots of acrobatics as well as dancing. I am already looking forward to seeing it again next cruise. One definitely not to be missed and a well deserved standing ovation at the end.

Tomorrow we dock in Toulon and have a full day tour.

User avatar

david63
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9391
Joined: January 2012
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#28

Post by david63 »

Suekersh wrote: 14 Oct 2018, 12:18
The Headliners performed a new show and the best ever. Mr. Tinkertons Clockwork Circus was great fun. The lead male singer was fantastic but the whole show was so well choreographed with lots of acrobatics as well as dancing. I am already looking forward to seeing it again next cruise. One definitely not to be missed and a well deserved standing ovation at the end.
I think that that is probably the best Headliners show that I have ever seen


silver surfer 2010
Able Seaman
Able Seaman
Posts: 19
Joined: April 2018

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#29

Post by silver surfer 2010 »

The other site, CC, has been down since last Thursday so no one on your next cruise is aware of what is happening. quite disappointing really, and very frustrating

User avatar

Gill W
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 4897
Joined: January 2013
Location: Kent

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#30

Post by Gill W »

I'm pleased to see that Elba is still on the itineraries. Elba was on my first cruise in 2001, and we've never been back. Hopefully we'll get a chance go back one day.

Hope your tooth doesn't give you too much trouble
Gill


silver surfer 2010
Able Seaman
Able Seaman
Posts: 19
Joined: April 2018

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#31

Post by silver surfer 2010 »

Thunderstorms forecast for Barcelona today but looks as though tomorrow might be OK

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#32

Post by Suekersh »

The weather today in Barcelona is fine some clouds and sun but the storms seem to have past. Very bouncy last night and for the first time this cruise we knew we were on a ship.

11 th Report from Arcadia


Sunday 14 October 2018 - Toulon

The weather wasn’t as bad as forecast and although breezy and overcast there was no sign of rain. At around 20 degrees it wasn’t cold.

It was an early start so we had ordered room service for 7 a.m. as usual it was very prompt. The ship was on time docking but it took a long time for the French authorities to clear the ship and by the time the announcement had been made there appeared to be queues along every corridor and public area. We joined a queue and as the disembarkation commenced an officer announced that the forward gangway was open and that there were no queues there. A group of us set off for that one and were soon off the ship but then met another queue to get through the terminal where the tours crew were directing everyone to the coaches for tours or independent passengers to the boats to get through the naval area and into the city. I can understand why passengers booked on tours needed to disembark early but why on earth independent passengers were rushing off at 8:30 a.m. on an overcast windy Sunday morning in France where nothing opens on a Sunday is a mystery. If they had waited 30 minutes the tours would all have departed and they could have strolled off without the hassle.

We boarded the coach and Helene the tour guide intoduced herself and the coach driver Frederique.
It was a 90 minute drive to Saint Tropez along narrow winding roads. Just after we left the port we were stopped by a police barrier for around 10 minutes and had a great view of a parade of very expensive cars. Some vintage some new which seemed to go on for ever. Helene was an enthusiastic guide who enjoyed talking about the scenery and what we were seeing along the way which was mainly trees, bushes, and vineyards. She recommended the local Rose wine which she thought was the best ever.
When we reached Saint Tropez the sun was trying hard to break through the clouds and there was quite a lot of blue sky. There was another parade of Porsche’s and they were all gathering close to whe the coach dropped off. Zillions of pounds worth of metal seemed to get the men excited. Helene walked us to what would be the meeting point for our return journey and then gave us a choice of exploring on our own or following her on a tour round the town. We did a bit of both and followed her along the front where more Zillions of pounds were docked up. These interested me far more from huge yachts to old sailing boats. All were immaculate. Because of the Parade of the Porsche’s many of the small individual shops had opened and of course the bars and restaurants were already doing good business.

Another how much moment when we stopped for a drink at a waterside bar but just something you have to do when in Saint Tropez. We didn’t have time for a full lunch there but made do with a wrap and ate it by the sea front. Everyone was at the meeting point on time and we set off for the 2 nd part of the trip Port Grimaud.

This place reminded me of Burano an island off Venice. Port Grimaud had lots of bridges and waterways. Most of this place is private and closed to visitors but the central area is open and full of quaint restaurants and bars. We only had an hour here and some chose to do a canal trip round but we chose to walk and stop at a bar by the canal where I sampled the Rose wine recommended by Helene. Not to my taste at all but to be fair I haven’t found a French wine I do like.

The journey back to Toulon took 90 minutes and would be longer if midweek. It had been a long day and we arrived back just before sailaway which was extremely windy and Arcadia needed the assistance of a tug.

We had booked Sindhu for the evening meal which was excellent. My lobster was thick and juicy. Garry ordered the chefs signature plate which he thoroughly enjoyed. There was so much food on the table that we just couldn’t eat it all. I am sure most of the extra rice they put on the table goes back untouched. Who would fill themselves up on rice when there is so much tastier food on offer.

We were too late finishing the meal for the first show and too tired to stay out until the late show started so skipped the entertainment which was a variety show with the Byron the guitarist and Ben Makisi.

Tomorrow we are in Barcelona.
Last edited by Suekersh on 15 Oct 2018, 09:01, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#33

Post by Suekersh »

Monday 15 October 2018 - Barcelona

A very Rock and Roll night being woken up regularly by loud bangs as the wind and waves hit the ship. This is the first time this cruise that we have experienced any sort of bad weather and now we know we are on a ship. We woke to a very windy day and I did wonder if the Captain was going to abort the call as we appeared to get close then circle away but he came around again and got us safely berthed behind the Costa Diadema. There were 6 ships in port so very busy in Barcelona.

The sun came out and the wind died down and it was another beautiful day which shows how erratic the weather forecasts can be. After I had breakfast I met Garry after his spa session where he was delighted to report that finally the blinds in the spa had been closed and he no longer felt like he was in a goldfish bowl. Thank you to the Customer service manager for helping to resolve this issue.
As there was no rush to get off ship my butler did a wash load whilst it was quiet then we set off to join the horrendous queue for the shuttle bus to the bottom of the Ramblas. It looked worse than it was as more shuttles kept arriving. It was good to see the Customer Service manager outside talking to passengers in the queue and keeping things moving.

We ambled up the Ramblas taking in the sights and smells of Spain. It wasn’t as busy as last time we were here but we still needed to keep our wits about us as petty crime is rife here. We stopped at the Carrefour where once again lots of the crew were shopping. We were going to stock the cabin with soft drinks in Southampton but now with the dentist visit being the priority we are not sure if we will get there. I am soft where dentists are concerned and I am anticipating the need for my bed straight afterwards to get over the shock not just of the pain but the cost as well. Shopping done we then headed to Plaza Catalunya and our favourite tapas bar.

It threw us for a bit as last time we were here it was called Ciudad Condial but now it is called Cuitat Comtal which as it was the same staff menu etc I presume is the Catalan version of the same name.
The food and drink did not disappoint, we were just missing our friends who we usually eat here with to help us out with the quantity. It was only tapas but we certainly didn’t need to eat again before dinner.

Not wanting to face the crowds of the Ramblas again or the shuttle bus queues we got a taxi back to the port where Arcadia was waiting and the sun was fully on our balcony.

We had an Invite to the Viceroy room for a Sailaway Cocktail party hosted by the Loyalty team - Brooke, Chloe and Lewis . The party was for the most loyal passengers on board and the drinks and delicious canapés were much appreciated.

The Tropical night party was held in the Globe after the Headliners had performed Destination Dance in the theatre. We headed to the Crows Nest where once again I sampled the Northern Gin flight.

Spain v England was being shown in the cabin so that is where we finished the evening.

Tomorrow we have a much needed sea day after 4 consecutive busy port days.


Sea Day to Ceuta

I was looking forward to a lazy sea day. Just two of us at the early fab abs class.
The sun tried hard all day to break through the cloud but never quite managed it although it was still warm enough to sit out.

The scenery as we sailed close to the Spanish coast was stunning and just as the Battle of the sexes was about to start the officer of the watch announced that at the port bow of the ship there was an unusual phenomenon in the form of of a water spout.

The men won the Battle of the Sexes and the score is now 3 to the ladies and 2 to the gents with 2 more rounds to go.

Garry met me for lunch in the upper dining room which was surprisingly busy as the Caribbean tier passengers were having their Peninsular lunch in the lower dining room. The new lunch menu always has a sharing dish on it, which as we don’t normally choose the same food we hadn’t tried it but today it was a sharing curry. It was excellent as the P & O curries always are.

It was the third formal night of the cruise and Black & White night.
The entertainment was a female vocalist who we hadn’t seen before but we didn’t feel like spending up to an hour sitting in the theatre so after dinner went for a drink in the Crows Nest and then down to the theatre about 10 minutes before she started. We managed to get seats right at the back but we didn’t stay long as although she could sing the songs she chose from the West End shows weren’t our thing. We headed to the Globe and the Black & White Ball.

Tomorrow we dock in Cueta which is a Spanish town in Morocco and a new port of call for us.

User avatar

GillD46
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3364
Joined: January 2013
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#34

Post by GillD46 »

Good luck at the dentist.
Gill

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#35

Post by Suekersh »

Hi all,

Very rough seas sailing past the coast of Lisbon so retired to the cabin early and took the Internet package.

Wednesday 17 October 2018 - Cueta

A new port of call for us and the last one of this cruise. It it was still dark when the Captain made the announcement that passengers could go ashore. We didn’t rush off and had a leisurely breakfast. The sun rose and there was endless blue sky. At around 22 degrees it was perfect sightseeing weather.
The city of Cueta is a 15.5 square kilometre peninsula protruding from the North of Africa just across the sea from Gibraltar. Morocco is its neighbour and there were tours visiting Morocco.

We walked around the outside of the well preserved fort walls which were surrounded by a moat with loads of fish swimming around. We then headed down into the main part of the town. We walked for miles passing fabulous beaches. It was just so lovely and unexpected. Everywhere was very clean and modern with lots of upmarket shops as well as the usual high street names. We stopped for a beer at a local bar before continuing our search for the Duty Free shop. All the shopping here is duty free but this particular shop had much better prices than the rest.
P & O had put a notice in the Horizon that anything brought back to the ship today would be classed as souvenirs and would not be taken at the gangway to be stored until the end of the cruise. The Duty free shop was heaving and they did a very good trade.

We saw the statue of Hercules who according to Greek mythology smashed through the mountains linking Africa and Europe which created the Gibraltar straits between the two continents.

Laden up we made our way back to the ship which was quite a long walk but very pleasant in the sunshine. We hadn’t known what to expect from this port and had read mixed reviews. It is nothing like its neighbour Morocco and is more similar to Spain. It is clean well kept and we would be more than happy to call here again in future. We do like Gibraltar but this this made a very pleasant change.

We had lunch in the main dining room and got chatting to a couple who dine at a table close to us in the evening. He told me that the men were were admiring my dresses each evening which I thought was a lovely compliment.

It was the Great British Sail Away and the temperature had risen to 28 degrees but we missed it as we had invites to The Senior Officers Scenic Sail Away Cocktail Reception which was held in East bar.

This turned out to be one of the many highlights of the cruise. Next to the East bar there is some outside space with a table and chairs. We used to use this a lot when we first started cruising on Arcadia until we ‘found’ the Aft balcony cabins. The sun was shining and it was perfect sail away weather. We had picture perfect views of the Rock Gibraltar and the Spanish Mainland. The food was in the East bar and the different cocktails flowed all the time. The food was amazing with different meats and huge langoustines, olives, salads, cheese and bread. It was a fabulous spread. I can’t remember the number of different cocktails I sampled as well as a Sangria and we finished on white wine. Lots of officers attended and they were all mingling with the guests. We spoke to a number of them including Rose the Head Wine Officer. When we were on the World cruise she had reserved a large number of bottles of our favourite Rose wine for us which was no. Longer available on the wine menu. We thought we had completely drank the ship dry and we were discussing the fact that the rose which is now available is not to our taste and are hoping that eventually they will bring another Spanish Rose onto the menu.
All too soon we had to leave to attend dinner but it was a fabulous early evening party.

During dinner Rose turned up at a table with a bottle of our favourite Rose wine, she had been down into the depths and found another 12 bottles which she has put our name on. That together with the Bottles of Billy Billy we have stashed in our cabin is our wine sorted for the next cruise.

We didn’t make the Killer Queen performance in the Palladium but will make sure we see it next cruise as though we have seen it before the Headliners are superb and it will certainly be worth seeing again.

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#36

Post by Suekersh »

Thursday 18 October 2018 - 1 st of 2 Sea days to Southampton.

The sea conditions worsened overnight and it was very difficult to walk around the cabin. Lots of bangs and Judders as the strong wind battered Arcadia. I decided on a very lazy morning, took 2 anti sea sickness tablets and stayed in bed until after 9a.m. for the first time I can remember for many many years. I missed main breakfast and had a late one in the buffet. I felt absolutely fine after that. It was surprising how on the lower floors the movement was nowhere near as bad as the upper decks so a good excuse to peruse the shops. They have been exceedingly disappointing this cruise with no offers on the sale of alcohol or tobacco. The clothes are either mega expensive or what I would be giving to the local charity shop. How they have done any business at all is beyond me.

When we returned to the cabin our steward Girish had worked his magic. The sun was on the balcony and it was surprisingly hot out there.

I went to the Battle of the Sexes where the men won the round and at present it is a draw. Tomorrow is the final battle and the decider.

After a light lunch we returned to the cabin and I sat in the sun until it was time to prepare for another Highlight of the cruise the
Gin Afternoon Tea.

Garry had decided not to accompany me to this tasting as he is not a Gin lover.

This was an amazingly different experience expertly hosted by Sunil and Savio in the Piano bar which is right by the new Gin Parlour.
There were 40 passengers booked but 36 had cancelled because of the rough weather so there should have been 4 of us but only 2 turned up. Such a shame as it was an excellent afternoon tea. Sunil and Savio welcomed us and introduced themselves. Savio explained the reasoning behind this new concept which they hope to introduce across the fleet. All of the food served had either been made with or steeped in Gin.

The sandwiches and cakes arrived and the first gin which was Hendricks was served in a teapot with elderflower and a dash of lime. The name of this cocktail was Show Time. This was poured into a tea cup and I can honestly say it’s the first time I have drunk gin out of a teacup. We were told to take a bite of a smoked salmon and cucumber sandwich and then a sip of the gin. It worked marvellously together and the flavours matched perfectly. There were 4 sandwiches each and plenty in the gin teapots to fill 2 tea cups each.

The next tasting was served in a champagne glass and was the Andersons Gin with Pink grapefruit and Prosecco and was called ‘Curtain Up’ none of these cocktails can be ordered in the bars as they are purely for the Gin afternoon Tea tasting. We were told to eat the Choux pastry which had been filled with custard and was slightly spicy with red peppercorns on top. Once again the drink and pastry went perfectly together.

The third one was the Tanquerry gin mixed with raspberries and served on crushed ice. This was eaten with a sweet cup cake. Of the three this was my least favourite but probably because I don’t have a sweet tooth. I did enjoy drinking it through the crushed ice. It was like an alcoholic slushy. The other passenger at the event thought that the gin taste was masked by the ice and that he would have preferred it on smaller cubes of ice.

We then moved into the gin parlour which is right next door and were given tastings of different gins. I was aware that it was a formal night and that we had another cocktail party to attend and limited my tastings to four different ones. One was a pink gin with ginger which was delicious and the second an Apple and elderflower which I found slightly too sweet. The third was a rose gin which was excellent and the last was the blackcurrant which I enjoyed. I left my partner in crime sampling more gins. Sunil had arranged for the food I hadn’t eaten to be plated up and I took it back to the cabin as a treat for Garry.

This was an excellent way to spend a sea day afternoon and at £25 a head it was certainly worth the cost. I have no reservations in recommending this event to any gin lovers. It was such a shame that the inclement weather had put passengers off attending but on the plus side we had the undivided attention of Sunil and Savio who were both very informative and friendly.

It was our Final Formal night of the cruise and the Peninsular cocktail party which was held in the Neptune Pool area. The Captains afternoon announcement had informed us that the rough seas would lessen after 6 p.m. so we decided to go to the 8 p.m. party rather than the 6 p.m. one.
It wasn’t very busy and many passengers had given it a miss.

Another excellent dinner followed by The Parade of the Chefs. They were welcomed and applauded. I haven’t heard anyone complain about the food on this cruise and they all deserved the appreciation shown to them by the passengers.

The cocktail party wasn’t very busy and many passengers had given it a miss because of the weather.

The entertainment was a magician in the theatre followed by a formal night ball. The sea was still too rough to risk dancing so we retired to the our cabin for the night.

Tomorrow is the final Sea day of this cruise.

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#37

Post by Suekersh »

Final Report from J814 Arcadia



Friday 19 October 2018 - final Sea Day

Another Rock and Roll night but by the time we woke it had calmed down somewhat but still moving about.
Breakfast in the MDR was uncomfortable as everyone seemed to be in early and the tables left were a long way aft. It was very noisy being near the engines and vibrating a lot. I think the Captain has a fast sail ahead to make Southampton in time.

The final of the Battle of the Sexes and the ladies were victorious but a close run thing as there were only 10 points in it.

We had a quick lunch in the dining room then spent the afternoon on the balcony in full sun. It was glorious and hard to believe it is mid October and sailing through the BOB.

Lots of suitcases started appearing early afternoon but the stewards were quick to move them into the lift area so as not to block the passageways.

It was our last dinner being served by our fabulous waiters Vikas and Francis who are moving to Freedom dining next cruise. Neil our extremely efficient wine waiter is staying in our dining area as is the gorgeous Rachel our diet waiter.

Headliners performed Reel to Reel in the Theatre. They have certainly been worked hard this cruise.

We said our goodbyes to people we had got friendly with during this cruise and retired early to the cabin as we will have an early start tomorrow to get our new cruise cards before we can disembark. My dentist appointment is at 08:30 and with the horrendous traffic around Southampton we need to make sure we leave plenty of time to get there.

It has been an excellent cruise and has exceeded our expectations in all areas. Let’s hope the Caribbean cruise does as well.

User avatar

GillD46
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3364
Joined: January 2013
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#38

Post by GillD46 »

Hope your dental appointment went well and that your next cruise is as good as this one has been.
Gill


cruisin_duo
Second Officer
Second Officer
Posts: 399
Joined: August 2013

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#39

Post by cruisin_duo »

Sue, It was lovely to meet you on Arcadia - we couldn't believe we were sat on the same table at breakfast. Shame we never got to meet you again on the cruise.

Hope you managed to get the tooth sorted out. Have a lovely time in the Caribbean. Whilst it is sunny in the UK today it is nowhere near as warm as where you are going.

May post some observations about the cruise, and Arcadia, as we haven't been on her for quite a while. We had a great time and loved the itinerary and we were lucky with the weather when in port. Thought the crew were great and had the same wine waiter as you along with the lovely Rachel. Had a little blip with a visit to the Medical Centre, but all fine now.

Look forward to hearing about the next cruise when you are able to post.

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#40

Post by Suekersh »

cruisin_duo wrote: 21 Oct 2018, 10:29
Sue, It was lovely to meet you on Arcadia - we couldn't believe we were sat on the same table at breakfast. Shame we never got to meet you again on the cruise.

Hope you managed to get the tooth sorted out. Have a lovely time in the Caribbean. Whilst it is sunny in the UK today it is nowhere near as warm as where you are going.

May post some observations about the cruise, and Arcadia, as we haven't been on her for quite a while. We had a great time and loved the itinerary and we were lucky with the weather when in port. Thought the crew were great and had the same wine waiter as you along with the lovely Rachel. Had a little blip with a visit to the Medical Centre, but all fine now.

Look forward to hearing about the next cruise when you are able to post.
Hi, it was great to meet you both. We certainly kept the table entertained lol. Tooth sorted temporarily and will need crowning once back home. You will see from my next reports that unfortunately we have now lost both Rachel and Neil.

Sue

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#41

Post by Suekersh »

Hi all, now on the 2 nd part of our Back to back cruise.
1 sr Report from 2 nd cruise on Arcadia

Saturday 20 October 2018 - Re - embarkation day.

A very early start for us and we had breakfast in the buffet at 06:30 a.m. it was surprisingly busy as passengers were making up their takeaway bacon butties for the journey home.

We collected our new cruise cards at reception then headed out to find a taxi to take me to the dreaded dentists. I had been worrying about nothing and I just wished I lived in Southampton and I recommend Dentistry on the Boulevard to anyone terrified of dentists. I was put at ease immediately and the whole procedure was discussed with me and was totally pain free.

We did some shopping in Southampton to stock up the cabin for the 6 sea days to Bermuda then returned to the ship in time for the priority champagne lunch. Garry went to visit the Spa to book the package for the cruise which as we have a lot of sea days he will get a lot of use out of.

We called in at the Priority lunch but as it was was a sunny day we didn’t stay long as Garry wanted to watch the football and I went to meet some people by the pool I had been chatting to on face book about the cruise. Once again perfect weather and hard to believe it is nearly November.

Mid afternoon we got a message from friends we cruise regularly with but who never do long cruises asking if we would like to meet them for a drink in the Priority lunch venue. We half thought it was a hoax but went down there and yes they had kept this as a secret since booking it 2 years ago. It was a wonderful surprise and although unfortunately we are on different dinner sittings the Restaurant Manager is trying to sort it out for us. They had already pre booked Ocean Grill for us all for tonight for Garry’s Birthday. The never ending birthday celebrations continue.

After muster we had sail away drinks in the sun on our balcony before an other excellent dinner in the Ocean Grill where we met another couple we had cruised with over Xmas around 3 years ago on Arcadia.

The Welcome on board show featured Roy Locke but as Phantom of the Opera is not our favourite we left our friends to it and returned to the cabin.

We now have 6 sea days to Bermuda.

Sunday, 21 October 2018 1 of 6 sea days

We gained an hour last night which puts us an hour behind the UK time and still 3 hours in front of Bermuda which is our first port of call this cruise.
I didn’t go the the early morning class as my knee still hasn’t recovered from the hundreds of star jumps at the the last Body Conditioning Class. I will probably just attend the FA ABS Class which have less impact on knees.

The sun was full on our balcony when I returned from breakfast. Garry decided to stay there whilst I went off to the Viceroy room where
P & O had arranged a Facebook users Meet up at 10 a.m and I was surprised how many attended not just from Facebook but from other Internet forums as well. It was great catching up with fellow passengers I had met on previous cruises and also new faces who I had been in contact with on Facebook.
At 11 am. we vacated this room and continued chatting in the Crows Nest where others joined us who had been at the Church service. There was a large group of us and other passengers who had gone to the Crows Nest for a quiet read or snooze soon vacated their seats allowing the group more room to spread out and grow as others heard our chatter and frivolity and came over to see what the party was about. We certainly kept the waiter busy.

I had arranged to meet Maureen at the Battle of Sexes of the sexes and Mikey has handed over the roll of Ringmaster to the newly joined Entertainment Host Sarah. It was extremely busy and the men were in good form beating the ladies easily. Lots of sea days left to to catch up.

Garry & Bob met us for lunch and we opted for the Neptune bar. The pool was looking quite threatening as the seas were increasing and Arcadia was starting to move around.

The afternoon port talk in the theatre was on Bermuda. Michael the port presenter has returned from his short journey home in Cape Town to continue his role as Port Presenter. Lots of the trips here are already sold out and as we had arranged a private trip a few months ago B & M are still considering what to do.

Whilst we were getting ready for dinner Kevin the fabulous restaurant manager had come up trumps and found us a table for four in the restaurant. It is in a different section from our original table and means losing both Rachel our gorgeous Head diet waiter and Neil our fabulous wine waiter but being able to eat each evening in the company of our friends more than compensates for this.

B & M joined us for pre dinner drinks and arrived with a bottle of Rhubarb and Ginger Gin. It was excellent and I can’t see that bottle lasting long. Dinner was excellent again where we met our new waiters Valaroso and Ashay, our new Head diet waiter and Wine waiter.

The show was the Comedy master Roy Walker who although getting on in years proved that ‘The Old Ones are the Best.’ He kept his audience entertained for the full 45 minutes without being ‘blue’ or swearing.

Another Sea Day tomorrow.

User avatar

Kenmo1
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1963
Joined: January 2013

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#42

Post by Kenmo1 »

Glad the tooth is 'sorted' for now so that you can enjoy the next section of your cruise.

I think Rhubarb and Ginger Gin must be the in drink at the moment. My daughter-in-law loves it.

Looking forward to your next report.

Maureen.


Whynd1
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1832
Joined: February 2013
Location: Gower, Swansea

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#43

Post by Whynd1 »

What a lovely surprise Sue. I remember doing the syndicate quiz with you all.
Hope you have a fantastic cruise.

Lindsey

User avatar

GillD46
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3364
Joined: January 2013
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#44

Post by GillD46 »

I’ll be interested in your thoughts on Bermuda, as we are there on Ventura in 2020. Enjoy your sea days.
Gill

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#45

Post by Suekersh »

Monday, 22 October 2018 - 2 nd Sea Day to Bermuda

The Sea quietened down as we continued to head virtually due West and the temperatures increased.

No exercise class again but I do need to get back into the habit of attending these classes but don’t want my knee to worsen and spoil the cruise.

After breakfast in the main dining room whilst Garry was at the Spa I returned to the cabin to prepare for a bit of pampering, Garry went to put a wash load in then returned to colour my hair in readiness for our formal night. It was almost 4 weeks since I last visited my hairdresser and my roots were calling out for attention.

The sun was warm when it came out from behind the clouds and we managed some fresh air time on the balcony.

I attended the Battles of the sexes where the men once again won the day. They are certainly very knowledgeable but there is still plenty of time for us to catch them. The Battle does seem to be taking longer than usual. Last cruise it was just general knowledge but this time we have to choose hard medium or easy questions which takes the men a long time to debate . Sarah has cut down the answer time from 30 seconds to 10 seconds but hasn’t stipulated how long it takes to answer which difficulty of question we want. The men seen to have the knowledge to answer the questions but can’t about the difficulty of the question.

It was the first formal night of the cruise and the Captains Welcome aboard party where the drinks flowed freely. I saw Sunil from the Gin Afternoon tea and Maureen and I booked it for the 29 October which is a sea day between Bermuda and Nassau.

Another excellent dinner with Marco’s Beef Wellington Menu and the Port Marinated Stilton to finish.
It was Roy Lockes 2 nd performance we said goodnight to our friends and as they went to the show we went to the Piano bar for cocktails.

There was a formal night ball in the Globe but the ship was still moving around a bit so decided not to risk making my knee any worse.


cruisin_duo
Second Officer
Second Officer
Posts: 399
Joined: August 2013

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#46

Post by cruisin_duo »

What a nice surprise for you to have your friends onboard, and that the ship has managed to seat you at the same table.

Hope your knee improves.

Look forward to hearing about the rest of your travels.

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#47

Post by Suekersh »

Tuesday, 23 October 2018 - 3 rd Sea Day to Bermuda

The clocks were turned back another hour last night putting us 2 hours behind UK time. My knee was feeling much less painful but as it was another Body Conditioning Class I gave it a miss.

The port talk today was on Tortola which had been devastated last year by Hurricane Irma. The Island has only just started accepting cruise ships again and there is still a lot of work to be done on the island.

After the Port talk I stayed in the theatre as Gervase Finn was today’s speaker. Garry joined me as did B & M. Gervase is brilliant. So much funnier than lots of the comedians and he had the theatre enthralled with his funny stories about children and his life in education.

Maureen and I left the men and went to the Battle of the Sexes where today’s format was slightly different. We had to listen to voices and name the voice. I was absolutely useless and probably knew only 4 out of the 40 voices. Some of our ladies were exceptionally good at recognising the voices. Sarah declared it a draw overall which didn’t tally with the men’s score keeping as they thought they had won by 30 points. I thought we had won by 30 points but probably wishful thinking. No doubt Sarah will be correct but is going to check and clarify tomorrow. As the men are well in the lead anyway it isn’t going to make much difference. We won’t be at the Battle tomorrow as it is our Ligurian lunch.

We met the men for a light lunch at the Neptune pool, and took the opportunity of booking another Sindhu meal for the night of Nassau.

We had pre dinner drinks in our cabin as it still wasn’t warm enough to use the balcony in the evening but has been quite pleasant during the day.

Wednesday, 24 October 2018 - 4 th Sea Day to Bermuda

There was an absolutely beautiful sunrise at around 7 a.m. I thought it was going to be a glorious day as the temperature was already 18 degrees. Unfortunately it didn’t transpire and rained on and off all morning.

We had a lazy morning as we prepared for our Noonday Ligurian lunch which was hosted by Helen Skoins the Hotel General Manager. I chose the beef which was excellent and once again the wine flowed well as did the conversation.

The weather didn’t improve although it was warm enough to sit out even though there was no sun. I dozed most of the afternoon away and when B & M came round for pre dinner drinks we all opted for the T with out G and even refused wine with dinner. I couldn’t eat much and Valencio our waiter was concerned that I didn’t like it.

We all went to see the Headliners perform Blame it on the Boogie and spent the 3/4 hour before the show started to finish the crosswords and sudokus. It was another High Energy show and they only had 60 minutes break before they had to do it all over again.

It was the 60 s and 70 s party in the Globe but there wasn’t a seat to be had anywhere so we headed for the piano bar to listen to the Groove Saloon duo and have a non Alcoholic cocktail. I think if we want to attend anything in the Globe we will either have to give the Headliners a miss or get seats right by an exit.

The Captains forecast wasn’t great for tomorrow either but the temperature should be up to 23 degrees.

User avatar

oldbluefox
Ex Team Member
Posts: 11305
Joined: January 2013
Location: Cumbria

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#48

Post by oldbluefox »

Thanks for your reports - enjoying them.

User avatar

GillD46
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 3364
Joined: January 2013
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#49

Post by GillD46 »

As always, a good read.
Last edited by GillD46 on 26 Oct 2018, 05:54, edited 1 time in total.
Gill

User avatar

Topic author
Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Sue Kersh Arcadia Cruises

#50

Post by Suekersh »

Thursday, 25 October 2018 - 5 th Sea Day to Bermuda


The clocks went back another hour overnight putting us 3 hours behind UK time. My fit bit which I wear as a watch hasn’t synced to my phone since we left Southampton which means that I have to remember the time difference which is fine during the day but first thing in the morning waking up and seeing 08:30 it takes some time for it to register that it is only 05:30 and not to panic as I haven’t missed breakfast.

The sun came out and was hot. I gave the St Lucia port talk a miss and sat on our balcony enjoying the heat. It was still very cloudy and the sun lost the Battle after only about half an hour. I gave up and went to see Gervase Phinn in the theatre who gave another humorous talk. He seems to forget his slot is 45 minutes and always overruns.

We had to rush to get to the Battle of the Sexes which once again the men won hands down. It is not that the ladies are dreadful just that the men are better and take more risks which as they are so far ahead it is easier to do. It is difficult to make any headway into their huge lead when they rarely get an answer wrong. When they did get one wrong I thought our Captain was going to wet herself she was so excited.

We met the men and had lunch in the main dining room then a lazy afternoon as the ship had started to move around again. It rained for most of the afternoon and the movement gradually worsened.

The Captains early announcement was for more cloudy rainy weather tomorrow. There are a lot of first time cruisers on board who could well be put off for life. The last time we sailed to Bermuda we went Southerly to Madeira first which meant better weather and less consecutive sea days. This Northerly route may be more direct but it is not ‘passenger friendly’.

After pre dinner drinks where the bottle of Rhubarb and Ginger gin got another bashing we had another enjoyable formal dinner where three of us had the lobster tail and Garry opted for the Sea Bass.
It was the Chaine des Rotisseurs menu which is an International gastronomic society that the P & O Head Chefs are members of. Unfortunately the Port Marinated Stilton did not make an appearance.

Roy Walker performed to a full house in the theatre. Some of his material I had heard before but it was still humorous. By the time we left the theatre the ship was moving around considerably and we realised there was no point risking the formal ball in the Globe. We decided to retire early to the safety of the cabin.

Tomorrow is the last of the six consecutive sea days before we reach Bermuda.

Return to “Arcadia Cruise Reports”