The last full day and it was very windy. Breakfast in the Lido and I went early to avoid the Creepy Walter Mitty. The bloke from earlier in the cruise had the same idea so he joined me. He told me creep had warned him to stay away from me after I left last time then deliberately schmoozed up to his wife. He was at the next table for dinner and said creep has pissed off his table companions so not gone the past three nights. Patricia saw me and said we were still on for the World Club lunch with Maureen and Val but she may not be there due to feeling seasick then left. I'd been talking with the bloke for nearly an hour when Walter Mitty turned up, curtseying to me. He asked if he could join me. I said no but he plonked his drink down beside me anyway then got his food. I moved it and when he returned with his porridge, sat opposite without a by your leave. The other bloke continued his conversation which was about his Concorde collectibles. Creep jumped in with something completely irrelevant then sat silently, getting clearly more angry. After finishing his porridge, he grabbed his banana and left, rather than get a cooked fry-up. I'm guessing he'd forgotten about the photo - phew! It beggars belief how men not there could defend him. Maybe he was lonely but forcing yourself onto people and being overbearing won't change that. The Captain came on at 9am to say our rough sea would ease so I went on deck afterwards which was lovely. Didn't feel too bad. There was a Remembrance Sunday service in the theatre in association with the Royal British Legion and Help For Heroes. I decided to go to the solos meet in the Winter Garden, which I'd avoided the entire trip, partly due to illness. Usually these things are as boring as hell but my table companions said it was good. Jean was there and we discussed the party later in her cabin. During the noon announcement, the Captain insisted the rough sea would decrease soon but it increased quite substantially. He needs a new weather source pronto! There was a Rumba lesson in the Queens Room which has Creepy Charles in attendance and showing his two left feet. Benny had laid the luggage mat across the bed. Massive hint to pack. I do as I go along anyway so there wasn't much to go in. Patricia had booked our table for our free World Club lunch in the Verandah Restaurant for 1.30pm. Maureen and Val turned up but Pat had called ahead to tell them she was unwell. The food wasn't bad, very rich, but Val wasn't Diamond so had to pay. Lazy afternoon until Jean's party at 6.45pm since Chris was on hosting duties in the Queens Room at 7.45pm. She had arranged nibbles for us all and told how she had put the cheese on the balcony to keep cool only they locked all doors due to weather so she had to get a maintenance man after thinking the door was stuck. We all left after 45 minutes so Pat and I returned to our respective cabins to finish packing. I put my case out but she wasn't ready when I knocked on her door. En route to our last dinner onboard, Chris persuaded me to dance a Square Tango with him, despite the fact I never had. He was very patient as I failed with the square but managed the 9 steps backwards but he did a turn at the end before starting again. It was Party Night in the Queens Room with resident band Changez from 9.15pm plus The Beatles Experience at 10.30pm. I was persuaded to join in, which I did for a few minutes but was very careful not to overdo anything then sat out the rest of it while everyone else had fun on the dance floor. There was a balloon drop after 11.35pm then I went to bed. |
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| And so an early start to get the few changes during refit and just some general photos, since I hadn't been able to sooner due to my illness. Britannia Club was in place of the original Chart Room and Veuve Cliquot bar. The new Chart Room was Cafe Carinthia, minus all that heritage in the old one. Cunardia had mostly been removed. Hemispheres had been renamed the Yacht Club, to match Queen Elizabeth, yet the Cunard Radio advertising hadn't been updated 5 months after refit. We were leading the way home, docking in the QEII Terminal which I'll always think of as Cunard's after all the years QE2 and QM2 used it before the new Ocean Terminal was opened. Oriana, who was incredibly close up our bum. Ventura was a bit behind her while Saga Sapphire was coming via the Needles. It was bitterly cold and windy out and rather annoyingly music was played on the open decks. Muzak I could just about put up with, but not pop songs including Barry Manilow singing Bermuda Triangle. Between freezing, the final onboard bill arrived and as I thought, the bastards charged me for drinks while I was confined. I went to the Purser's desk and was the only one there, probably due to the lateness of the bills. A bloke came out the back. I explained everything and showed him the letter I'd been given for my insurance claim. He said he'd have to discuss it with whoever it was came on at 7am, asked what time I was getting off and to come back. Bloody stupid! A quick breakfast, finish freezing then back to to the Purser's, where by now there was a huge queue. After waiting about 10 minutes, the bloke appeared and waved me over. All charges removed - good! Cooked breakfast to warm me up, collect my stuff then time to go. Disembarkation was very smooth. Platinum and Diamond World Club members waited in the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant. Sandra had assumed breakfast would be served there so she and Jill had to go down a deck to eat. I had Pink 1 for my label which was supposed to be 8.30am but were called at 7.50am. |
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| And so another cruise came to an end, and my longest on a bookend. After resisting them so long due to my love of QE2, I now really like them and have no qualms booking more. They are what they are and, despite the obvious Spirit/Vista inspiration, inside they did wonders in some areas such as Grand Lobby and Queens Room. Walking past the latter reminded me of the similar on QE2, except on the bookends it's only along one side. They have the cosiness inside she did and a great atmosphere. I just wish they'd do something about the slippery when wet fake wooden deck and awful deck music. Also there really should be some way to notify room service when you have been confined by the medical team. How many people know drinks are free when you're stuck there? I wouldn't have if I hadn't been told by the nurse Elizabeth. Something really needs to be done, especially since the number you're given is the one you get when you just press the button on the phone. Maybe a special number to the Purser with a note on your account, who could then tell room service. It really is a struggle on your own when no one can get anything for you. But despite those few niggles and trying to fend off the creepy lecherous fantasist, I cannot wait to go back in January! To see photos of the other ships in port, click here while more photos of the Southampton arrivals can be found here. |
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© Patricia Dempsey 4th-13th November 2017
Not to be reproduced without permission