| I ordered the tuna sandwich from room service but they'd added bits of red pepper. Why???? It didn't say it came with it on the menu. Once I'd scraped all the offending bits off it was actually quite tasty but they could learn a thing or to from RCCL. I was on the phone to my dad when I heard one parp. I looked out and we were off. It had only taken half an hour. The snow was coming down heavier as we sailed towards Holland and out to open sea. |
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| I went to see the future cruise sales lady because she'd made a mistake on my booking. She had an appointment but saw me first since it was easy to clear up. Then I went for a wander. I was going to go on the deck but the snow was quite heavy so I just poked my camera outside. Back to the cabin and I wrote postcards. This was the first one not addressed to both parents and it was hard but I was in a postcard mood and had to do it sooner or later and later may have been harder. |
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| We hit some rough seas even though the Captain had said it would be calm (but they have been known to get it wrong before). After another great dinner but minus Terry and Mary 2. Mary 1 wanted to have a gamble but a smoke first on the Lido deck. Most of the snow had now melted but they hadn't closed most of the decks the way P&O had on Aurora. We were passing between Dover and Calais. I left Mary to it and went back to the cabin to pack and put the case out before going to bed. I noticed the cabin was MUCH warmer, as were the other cold places so they must have reduced it while in port. |
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| Plan for the day we arrived - get up at 4.30am, take photos of the ship from Marina Deck upwards now bods were out the way, have breakfast then take some photos of QV in port afterwards. Did it go to plan? What do you think? It all went wrong when I popped by head out of the door to check the ice and snow situation on deck and saw QV on our starboard side! I thought at first she was docked and we were back early then realised we were still moving. We were approaching Ryde at 5.20am in minus temperatures and we overtook since we had further to go. |
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| It was time to brave the deck and shoot a Bendy! In other words, get my kit out (as opposed to off in this weather!) to take pics of what had become our stalker. The Lido Lounge had no lights on so I used the flash. Outside there were still some patches of white stuff and the cleaner asked what ship that was. I thought Cunard had the most famous ocean liners in the world! Mind you, Vistas look more alike in the dark. He also asked if it would be in with us so I said yes then he went back inside. |
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| Unfortunately my shot of the lit funnel came out crap due to the wind and shivering so had to be deleted. I returned to the Lido Deck for a while before heading in to get my coat and saw they'd put the lights on in the Lido Lounge. Grrr! I then phoned my dad as we were passing Fawley. We vibrated, twisted and turned, so I'm surprised my photos of the stalker came out as well as they did. |
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| I went back to the cabin to defrost. We had to be out by 8.30am but since that was arrival time, who knew what would happen now? I decided to leave about 7.40am and wait. Ronnie Finch went on for about five minutes about clearance, disembarkation etc then deck 9 was called. Deck 8 was at 8am. Ronnie Finch was at the entrance saying goodbye to people and a poor girl was at the bottom of the escalator in the terminal freezing to do the same thing. Some bright spark put my case with Deck 9 but at least it was at the front so I grabbed it and went. I was supposed to go by bus but with the snow and ice there was no way I'd manage so I had to get a taxi, my dad scraping together every penny he had to add to mine. Tip of the day - ALWAYS get to a cash machine before you go away. I meant to but with everything going on I ran out of time. |
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| Home after a slippery short walk from the terminal to taxi rank. Very little was cleared or even gritted. I enjoyed my cruise though and really needed it. Now Black Watch is buggering off to Dover for summer and we keep Balmoral instead, it'll be difficult doing a cruise from my doorstep but I do want to go on her again in better weather. Unlike Pam, I don't have a preference between the Royal Viking sisters. I love her and Boudicca equally! To see more photos of Queen Stalker, click here. |
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