I can't believe we've done this!
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Topic author - First Officer
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Hampshire
I can't believe we've done this!
We had one of the cheap Oceana cruises to the Canaries booked for next February - really good price for a suite and a lot of OBC. The trouble is that the balance of the cruise is payable next week. Those of you who read of our happenings on the Aurora Canada/USA trip will know of our trip to hospital in Newfoundland and luckily being able to reboard Aurora and continue with the rest of the cruise. This was all because of John's dropped foot. He was already being treated for Polymyalgia and the ship's doctor thought that the foot was probably the result of a spinal problem. We saw a Neurologist in St. John's and he said there was some long term damage but nothing that needed immediate treatment so we finished the cruise. Since then things have continued at speed. We now know that John never had Polymyalgia and that the foot problem is a result of a fairly nasty illness/disease called Vasculitis. It's very rare - only 10-15 people per million get diagnosed each year, very difficult to diagnose hence the Polymyalgia diagnosis as there are symptoms common to both. Vasculitis is inflammation of the blood vessels which attacks the nerves. Anyway it's not malignant, it can't be cured but it can be controlled and hopefully John will go into remission after treatment which he's having intensively now. I must praise our local NHS hospital as once the diagnosis was made they really went into action and the registrar in the Rheumatology department has been amazing. She phoned one evening at 7.30 to see how John was coping after his first infusion of an immunosuppressive drug.
As you can imagine for a man who has never been ill, apart from colds, in over 70 years and who has always been the fittest, most active of our friends, this has hit hard. Anyway he's coping and going back to the cruise we had long discussions about what to do. We could just cancel the Oceana cruise and lose our deposit - not a large amount - or we could transfer to another cruise later on if P&O would allow it. We also, of course, have to consider the insurance aspect. John has his through his bank and at the moment they have been taking a long time to reimburse the money we spent on the medical department on Aurora. It's complicated because John had a CT scan at the hospital in Newfoundland and so far we have not been charged for our stay there. They didn't want paying at the time but said they'd send a bill to our home, well they never have. The insurance company said they'd contact the hospital but whether they have or not I don't know. There's a very good UK site for Vasculitis and one of the things they have is details of insurance companies that people with the illness have found to be good so we will explore those when the time comes.
If we were to transfer the cruise we needed it to be only within Europe - I can't see us venturing further afield. It needed to be before part way through February 2021 and it needed to be the same cost or more than our Oceana cruise. Initially I was only looking at Aurora, Oceana or Arcadia but found nothing. We wanted to be Southampton to Southampton, no flying so that knocked out Oceana who will be doing the fly cruises. The other problem was that having paid for a suite on Oceana - albeit a good price - it still meant we were limited to the choice of cabins and most of the mini suites on Arcadia and Aurora were gone. I was in favour of just cancelling and losing the deposit but John started looking at the other two ships - Britannia and Iona. I'd always said, as had he, no way, too big, too many people, they look like blocks of flats at sea. This is why I put - I can't believe we've done this - as the title. John came up with a cruise on Iona to Spain and Portugal next September. What is more it's for one of the new Conservatory Mini Suites! We only had to pay less than £30 extra deposit and obviously it's quite a long time before the balance will be due, by which time we will have a clearer picture of what John will be able to do. Of course we have a cruise already booked for next July - Aurora Northern Lights. We're hoping by the time the balance for that is due we'll know if it's a goer or not. Bolsover sorted it all out for us very efficiently. All the suites had gone on most of the Iona cruises apart from the two at the front on deck 8, the promenade deck. They are described as Family Sea View suites. My agent at Bolsover warned me that those two suites do not have a balcony - no balcony at all! How is anyone going to fork out for a suite when there's no balcony? Both suites are unsold on the cruise we were looking at. However, as I said at the beginning I can't believe I have to say - "Yes we're going on Iona!"
Carole
As you can imagine for a man who has never been ill, apart from colds, in over 70 years and who has always been the fittest, most active of our friends, this has hit hard. Anyway he's coping and going back to the cruise we had long discussions about what to do. We could just cancel the Oceana cruise and lose our deposit - not a large amount - or we could transfer to another cruise later on if P&O would allow it. We also, of course, have to consider the insurance aspect. John has his through his bank and at the moment they have been taking a long time to reimburse the money we spent on the medical department on Aurora. It's complicated because John had a CT scan at the hospital in Newfoundland and so far we have not been charged for our stay there. They didn't want paying at the time but said they'd send a bill to our home, well they never have. The insurance company said they'd contact the hospital but whether they have or not I don't know. There's a very good UK site for Vasculitis and one of the things they have is details of insurance companies that people with the illness have found to be good so we will explore those when the time comes.
If we were to transfer the cruise we needed it to be only within Europe - I can't see us venturing further afield. It needed to be before part way through February 2021 and it needed to be the same cost or more than our Oceana cruise. Initially I was only looking at Aurora, Oceana or Arcadia but found nothing. We wanted to be Southampton to Southampton, no flying so that knocked out Oceana who will be doing the fly cruises. The other problem was that having paid for a suite on Oceana - albeit a good price - it still meant we were limited to the choice of cabins and most of the mini suites on Arcadia and Aurora were gone. I was in favour of just cancelling and losing the deposit but John started looking at the other two ships - Britannia and Iona. I'd always said, as had he, no way, too big, too many people, they look like blocks of flats at sea. This is why I put - I can't believe we've done this - as the title. John came up with a cruise on Iona to Spain and Portugal next September. What is more it's for one of the new Conservatory Mini Suites! We only had to pay less than £30 extra deposit and obviously it's quite a long time before the balance will be due, by which time we will have a clearer picture of what John will be able to do. Of course we have a cruise already booked for next July - Aurora Northern Lights. We're hoping by the time the balance for that is due we'll know if it's a goer or not. Bolsover sorted it all out for us very efficiently. All the suites had gone on most of the Iona cruises apart from the two at the front on deck 8, the promenade deck. They are described as Family Sea View suites. My agent at Bolsover warned me that those two suites do not have a balcony - no balcony at all! How is anyone going to fork out for a suite when there's no balcony? Both suites are unsold on the cruise we were looking at. However, as I said at the beginning I can't believe I have to say - "Yes we're going on Iona!"
Carole
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- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 13014
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Dorset
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
You wouldn't like a balcony at the front of B Deck .. it would be too windy to walk in a straight line or even to stand up.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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- Deputy Captain
- Posts: 8946
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Huddersfield
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Good for you Carole, we already have 2 cruises booked on Iona and I am hoping it will prove to be our favourite. I hope everything goes well with John's treatment and that you manage to get a reasonable insurance quote, if you end up having problems PM me and I will give you the contact details for my insurance broker who gets us better insurance rates than we are quoted by any on line system.
John
Trainee Pensioner since 2000
Trainee Pensioner since 2000
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Topic author - First Officer
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Hampshire
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Thank you John, I'll remember that.
Carole
Carole
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- First Officer
- Posts: 1832
- Joined: February 2013
- Location: Gower, Swansea
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Hope you enjoy the cruise and Iona.
I am waiting for the feedback on Iona before I consider it.
Pleased to hear John is slowly improving.
I am waiting for the feedback on Iona before I consider it.
Pleased to hear John is slowly improving.
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- Commodore
- Posts: 15262
- Joined: February 2013
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Yes we're waiting for feedback too.
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- First Officer
- Posts: 1963
- Joined: January 2013
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Carole, thanks for the update on John. I was wondering how things were going. I'm pleased to read that John is looking for future cruises so that's a pretty positive move.
Sounds like you and towny might be the forum ' testers ' for Iona.
Maureen
Sounds like you and towny might be the forum ' testers ' for Iona.
Maureen
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- Deputy Captain
- Posts: 8946
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Huddersfield
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
You'll be well ahead of me then David, my first cruise on Iona is not till Feb 2021, so we will all rely on you to give us a full review.
John
Trainee Pensioner since 2000
Trainee Pensioner since 2000
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- Senior First Officer
- Posts: 2406
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: South Wales
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
I'm going on Iona Christmas 2020 with the family to the Canaries and Madeira so I'm interested too in any reviews of the ship.
Janis
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- Second Officer
- Posts: 399
- Joined: August 2013
Re: I can't believe we've done this!
Hope you have a lovely cruise on Iona.