| At every port from the day we left Southampton, Captain Inger and slipped out early and this was no exception. There were more people out for the departure than arrival. Once we'd gone under the bridge, we sat on a bench in the games deck. To my surprise, my friend Fernando Santos video called me on Whatsapp from his office in Lisboa. He'd been watching the webcam of our departure and apologised for being too busy to meet up during the stay. He had organised the 3 Reinhas em Lisboa event back in May 2014 to celebrate the entire Cunard fleet being in Lisbon and invited me onto the press boat and dockside events. Hopefully next time I'm in Lisboa my health will be better and we can meet up. When we returned to the cabin we found the instructions for my dad's LFT the next day due to the UK government insisting on a test before returning. Then it was dinner and an early night due to all the pain I was in. |
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| Back in the Bay of Biscay as we headed home. Because my dad had to go for his LFT, I ordered breakfast later. When he returned, he told me he'd forgotten to put on his mask so he was reminded by the Purser as he asked for directions. This was another $25 charge. There are some who object to paying for extras but when you get a cheap or reasonably priced fare, is it such a hardship? We don't have much money due to my worsening health making it impossible for me to work for several years and my dad having a crap pension but don't whine. Besides, many of the cruise line prices for testing is much less than on land. After breakfast we went for a wander to let the steward do the cabin then the Commodore Club for a drink. Due to the late breakfast, neither of us fancied lunch so I went shopping while my dad slept. I'd been mulling over the crystal model all cruise. It had a few design mistakes but I really liked it so bought it for myself since it was my birthday cruise. I also collected the Christmas ornament photo, which was $15, or $10 with photo. Lazy day until dinner then the theatre for the abridged version of Top Hat. This was based on the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film and cut down to an hour. Both of us thought it was excellent. Then bed. |
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| Final sea day and room service breakfast. Usual going on deck to let the steward do the cabin then Commodore Club. We did even less today until dinner except the dreaded packing. After dinner I went in the Lizzie Lift to the games deck to wait for Aurora. After departing Southampton before us on the 13th and a brief stop in Hamburg, she anchored off Weymouth then had a tootle, passing us as we headed towards home. |
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And so it was an early start as we headed back up the Solent and Southampton Water. I left my dad sleeping while I went to get as many Christmas decorations as possible. Before my health issues, I could have done every single room in about an hour. Now, due to needing to constantly sit after a few minutes due to pain and my hernias, I skipped some. I went back to the cabin to rest until breakfast. We decided to wait in the buffet then be first in the queue left him to wait while I went in the Lizzie Lift for the final time to get Aurora before rejoining my dad and getting some food. Then it was back to the cabin to wait to collect our hand luggage and head to the Queens Room for assistance. |
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| There was no waiting in lounged still, which was good so it avoided crowded and they wheeled you off as soon as a wheelchair became available, meaning not much of a wait. Into a taxi and home! It had been a really excellent cruise to the point I didn't want to leave. Last time that happened had been Radiance of the Seas in 2013! It's hard to believe that at one time I vowed never to set foot of either Betty or Vicky yet I'm now very fond of both ships though Betty has the edge on her sister, and I'll miss her when she returns to Asia, Alaska and Australia. To see photos of the ships in the North Sea and English Channel, click here while more photos of Aurora in Southampton can be found here. |
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