| Now apparently, even though Mary will lose her RMS title and become common cruise ship like the Vistas and even Independence of the Seas, they have been allowed to keep the postbox standing outside the Golden Lion. Whether or not that's true or just supposition, I have no idea, but we'll find out soon enough. My favourite room is having a makeover in the November refit so I hope it retains the great atmosphere. One deck up is the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar which merges into The Chart Room. |
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Then it was to the dockside and handy really her fat bum was facing the bridge so I could get another shot of Southampton on it before she becomes Hamilton Tart. It's just a shame the sun was in the wrong angle, but it was a glorious day. I went up some rather dodgy steps to try and get a photo but quickly returned to concrete. I think I was going to be told off because a security guard I'd passed nearer the ship started heading my way then turned when I went back down. I was talking to a couple who took my photo and they had been with Princess fifteen years so thought they'd give Cunard a try. They were in Grill, were very disappointed, said their butler had an attitude and everything was too much trouble when he could be bothered, so they were sticking with Princess. Surprisingly there were no X-ray machine when I reboarded. You just showed your cruise card. Then I quickly popped into the theatre, since it was open for once. |
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| Golden Lion time and I was in time for a general knowledge quiz - bugger! I was invited to join a team but thought I'd see how much I didn't know by myself. I scored 11/20, which wasn't bad, especially when some teams got even less. The quiz was hosted by Naughty Nico, the former Yacht Club DJ on Lizzie, although I couldn't place him at this particular point, even though I recognised that accent. An elderly American lady on the next table had taken forty-four trips on Mary. Had lunch then headed up before back down to deck 3L via Stairway A, which is a dead end bar stairs. |
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| About 2.15pm, I went to wait outside the Future Sales Office (which is barely open and I don't want to make an appointment for a quick question) and got talking to a bloke who helped build Lizzie 2 and sailed on Lizzie 1 when she needed repairing. He said she should be scrapped, her soul has gone and we discussed how the climate in Dubai is doing her superstructure no good whatsoever, which is far more important than her interior. Well I asked my question, got the answer I thought then went to get an interim bill - yikes! I overheard part of a conversation about a crew member who got left behind in Lanzarote - oops! No name but some of us wondered if it was Campbell Simpson, since he hadn't been listed to play piano since Gran Canaria and it looked like Vladimirs Zincenko and others were drafted in to replace him in the Commodore Club and Chart Room. Course it was possible Campbell was just sick, since some crew came down with norovirus, but odd for a member of guest entertainment to vanish mid-cruise. And so up for sailway, which was the only 5pm departure. I was wise and had my cardie and coat while many didn't and were hugging themselves to keep warm and complaining how cold they were. The sun was setting, so we would literally sail into it. The Captain came on and then, ten minutes late, we moved, blasting as we turned then under the bridge then again in response to a boat parping, but many had gone to warm up by then. I was enjoying the sunset when the fat cow made me jump. |
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| Golden Lion at 7.15pm rather than Allen Stewart in the theatre. He had been on Aurora four months earlier and when I walked past was doing the same song to Bohemian Rhapsody. I went back to the room an hour later to check on the aircon, which was blasting out cold air for the second time this trip. I reported it and went to dinner. I had to laugh at the collage outside the Britannia because the stupid wazzocks spelt Britannic wrong. My aunt Peggy emigrated to the States on it in 1956 and whoever did that put Brittanic. Did no one check it before it went on display??? |
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| Helene (mostly) and Richard were telling our Sommelier about the trip from Fort Lauderdale to Rio when Mary damaged her pod. He then told us of the mishaps during his time including when Mary hit the dock in Zeebrugge and the recent gas turbine fire. None of the reports on various forums were exaggerated. Judith didn't turn up for dinner and we were all worried about her so I went to her cabin afterwards. She'd kept telling us her steward constantly rearranged things but it was such a mess, perhaps he was putting things away. She was fine though, having fallen asleep after a long day and ordered room service. She had a good view from deck 11. Pity it was dark. |
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| I left her to it just after 10.30pm, checked my room and then went back down to the Purser's desk to report the aircon AGAIN. It was now 10.45pm and the room was like a freezer. It was honestly warmer outside than in there. Ten minutes later, an engineer turned up and a further ten minutes until heat started to come again. |
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Down the the Golden Lion until after midnight when I went to bed. Course, I had to take the lomg route because they'd closed the fire doors to the Spa so I couldn't cut through and go down one deck as usual. Meanwhile, only the Promenade deck doors in the Winter Garden were closed off for some reason. |
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| Vigo was our final port of call, where we'd be arriving in the dark of 8am. Grand Princess would be with us, due for 10am. I had the alarm set for 6.45am, having ordered room service to come at the usual 7-7.15am only was woken by knocking on the door. I didn't have time to throw anything over my nightie (good job I wasn't starkers!) and apologised since the alarm hadn't gone off. He came in, started to put the tray down and the alarm went off! The room service breakfast delivery had turned into a flipping farce. Just start it from 6.30am and be done with it! Mind you, it may come at 6am since no one seems to be able to tell the bloody time! I did the last blog before home then finished off my minutes, keeping an eye on the AIS for the Princess so I wouldn't go up too early. I've only been to Vigo once so far and then on Celebrity Equinox, where we'd docked where Mary had while Aurora docked at another part. A bloke from the Isle of Wight I'd spoken to a few times was up there. He didn't stay for her docking but I did - and saw she was going behind us so I quickly went to Deck 13 and saw Captain Oprey (with nasty cough) and wife watching. There was also yet another drill going on, the most I've known during a cruise. |
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I phoned my dad before heading back in to nab fruit, which was also bananas and grapes now, and admired the butter carvings near the fruit. Be it ice, butter or whatever, I'm always in awe at the talent whoever does these has. |
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I went on the dock to get pictures and it was bloody raining and windy! My £2 brolly from Maplins wasn't doing very well in these conditions. So many people coming off the Princess were going, "It's the Queen Mary!" so I started telling them we go at 4pm if they want better photos (they sailed an hour later). |
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They were erecting another gangway as I went back to go with those on decks 2 and 3 and security officer, Glenn Cairns, was standing in the doorway, keeping his beady eye on everyone and we chatted briefly about Ian MacNaught. Golden Lion for a Coke, since getting soaked is thirsty work! Although as usual when I ordered from a certain male waiter, nothing materialised. Another quiz was on, so I joined a team that time. We got 12/20 and were in second place, beaten by just three points. Then I placed Naughty Nico when he mentioned his name! Bergen Night on Lizzie..... Best cruise EVER! Since he's always been a naughty boy, he recalled when I reminded him he got his third warning after that party in his cabin. Going by his reaction when biker chick Sue was mentioned, I'm more convinced they shagged when the rest of us left. He said he's a good boy now. He'd have to be with crew accommdation instead of passenger. Lunch and when Natalia asked if I wanted a Coke, I told her I'd ordered more than half an hour ago. She was very apologetic when she brought one but it's not her fault. Then I braved the wet for photos of the SMASH alien and so friends on Facebook could see me on the webcam. The end was taped off but after a crew member ducked under saying, "I did eight years on that ship", I decided to bugger rules and do the same before heading back in to dry off and have a kip. |
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