| Our sailaway was 6pm and we went on deck for it. The weather was still nice. I went back in after getting our reflection in the glass of what the Deputy Captain had said during our arrival was the opera house. Several people on boats waved us off, which was nice. |
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| Couldn't be bothered going to the Captain's Welcome Aboard party. We heard later he wasn't there anyway. Fay popped up to see us in the lock. It was the Gala Dinner and the starter I ordered (Hot Coronation Chicken and Button Mushroom Vol-au-Vent) had come into contact with bell peppers. I could smell and taste it, plus my mouth tingled with just a tiny bit of sauce. It wasn't a lot but didn't have to be. People can be killed by their allergies so this was incredibly irresponsible of whoever made this dish and my head waiter for not telling me I couldn't have it. The salmon sounded more promising but was full of bones. I was glad I hadn't ordered the sherry trifle because it looked like sick. When we returned to the cabin we found an adorable towel elephant with our disembarkation information. |
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| We didn't fancy what was in the theatre so it was a toss up between Guest Speaker, Eddie Large, in the Pacific Lounge, or getting out of this clobber and roaming the decks. Er..... It was a gorgeous night as we walked around taking some photos. We'd also changed to self-disembarkation after joining a short queue with others changing what they'd been given. |
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| Zeebrugge! I was there just five days previously and it felt like I'd never been away. I couldn't be bothered getting up since it wasn't the first time I've been and won't be the last. Both of us were a bit lazy today, getting up at 11.30am. When we left, Ashley's trolley was in the corridor so it wasn't too late as we went to book Aurora for April 2013 before grabbing food in the Conservatory. I returned to the cabin to find he hadn't done it. Wasn't important. We just missed our biscuits. I went on the dock afterwards and noticed Blondie was back, he who stopped people taking photos of QM2 a month before by chasing them away. What would he do today? Well, just watched thankfully! There was a barrier by Oriana's bow but not ruining great shots of her, nor was it how it had been in June when we were penned in. He seemed to be the only one about, dashing around both ends. Helicopters flew overhead as part of the Navy Day. |
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| As I made my way to the photo shop, I bumped into Jeff Newsway from Facebook coming out of the Peninsular Restaurant. I'd thought I'd seen him before at the Terrace Bar, but hadn't been sure. We arranged to meet for a drink fifteen minutes later. I got there at 2.30pm and left about five hours later! Fay found us and pulled up a chair. It was such a great afternoon. At the Great British Sailaway Party, the world cruise winner was drawn and it was none of us - booo! We'd ended up leaving late for some reason. |
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| Our final dinner and it was okay. Beef Wellington minus pastry and the weirdest Baked Alaska I've ever had! The evening was gorgeous, sea a millpond, as we approached the English Channel and a phone signal. Grand Princess was behind us, then overtook, beating us to Southampton, while Queen Elizabeth went the other way. Someone said Grand was Ventura! I noticed a cigarette on one of the chair cushions, and it wasn't the smoking side. What if that had been lit? Smoking room! Afterwards a late night snack in Al Fresco, which even offered you Horlicks. |
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| Early start as Fay wanted to enjoy her first cruise ship return sailing up the Solent. We'd flown back from Copenhagen on Vision of the Seas. We knew we were home because that glorious sunshine we'd had the past three days turned to more depressing wet stuff. Thanks to the Captain not putting his foot down to make up time, we arrived thirty minutes later than our original 7am. We grabbed breakfast once the Conservatory opened at 6.30am. I think buffets really need to open earlier on disembarkation day although Al Fresco would make a lovely venue for an early breakfast, or turn it into a 24 hour place instead of closing at 2am. |
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On returning to the cabin, we found a Grand Event commemorative certificate. Since Fay had the book, I was having that. We gathered our luggage and finally started to disembark about 7.45am instead of 7.15am. There were no taxis, meaning I'd definitely miss the 8am ferry but Fay managed to get her 8.15am Red Jet and the weather was still chucking it down. So that was the end of the Grand Event cruise and what a cruise it had been! It was fabulous and I'm glad I had the opportunity to take another trip on Oriana after such a long time. The whole day knocked spots of Cunard's Jubilee, mainly because the atmosphere came naturally on P&O whereas on Cunard, the cruise director had to encourage people to cheer. Let's hope they do it again in 2017 to show of their eight ships, rather than wait until 2037! To see more photos of P&O's Grand Event click here, while my previous Ventura cruise review can be found, here. |
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