Smurfie Live on A626

[towny44]

I think you 2 are being a bit harsh, sometimes it is the only way if you really need a lift. We have experienced long waits at times when most passengers are only going one way, and if you leave an empty lift which is going the wrong way it is very galling when it is full on its return.
The problem with all 3 big P&O ships is that the lifts are just not big enough, and Britannia's are the worst of all, I know you will have some negative comment Merv but we seldom have these problems on the Eclipse.

[Stephen]

If you hold the button in you will keep going up or down without stops, or at least that what I found on Aurora.

[qbman1]

I think you 2 are being a bit harsh, sometimes it is the only way if you really need a lift. We have experienced long waits at times when most passengers are only going one way, and if you leave an empty lift which is going the wrong way it is very galling when it is full on its return.
The problem with all 3 big P&O ships is that the lifts are just not big enough, and Britannia's are the worst of all, I know you will have some negative comment Merv but we seldom have these problems on the Eclipse.

I really don't know why I am getting involved in this as we seldom use the lifts !

I accept that you have a genuine need, FK, but I am sure that if everyone played ball and no one tried to buck the system by going the opposite way to that which they need, then everything would run much more smoothly.

[RB1961]

We had a situation at the glass lifts on Arcadia in June. Wife was in her wheelchair.
We pressed to go up. A couple came along and pressed down.
Down appeared 1st. Man says to me are you getting in. I say no.
Why not says man. Because we want to go up says I.
They then are puzzled by my response and freeze on the spot and the lift doors shut.
They then walk off to the lifts by the stairs mumbling that I made them miss there lift.

I would like to add that they were in the next age group up on this forum from me....

RB

[towny44]

I think you 2 are being a bit harsh, sometimes it is the only way if you really need a lift. We have experienced long waits at times when most passengers are only going one way, and if you leave an empty lift which is going the wrong way it is very galling when it is full on its return.
The problem with all 3 big P&O ships is that the lifts are just not big enough, and Britannia's are the worst of all, I know you will have some negative comment Merv but we seldom have these problems on the Eclipse.

I really don't know why I am getting involved in this as we seldom use the lifts !

I accept that you have a genuine need, FK, but I am sure that if everyone played ball and no one tried to buck the system by going the opposite way to that which they need, then everything would run much more smoothly.

I cannot really agree with you Cubie, as a professional lift watcher and waiter now for the last 6 years, it is most certainly my opinion that at peak meal times of breakfast and dinner the lifts just do have adequate capacity, and to watch one go past the wrong way then return full, it is understandable why people do travel the wrong way just to make sure they have room in the lift on its return journey.

[qbman1]

I know why they do it, but that doesn't make it right. If everyone just had the patience and waited for one going the right way then there shouldn't be any problems. We're all on holiday, for heaven's sake - what's wrong with waiting a few extra seconds for a lift ?!

[towny44]

I give up, its not seconds we are talking but several minutes and several full lifts, if the lift capacity matched the passenger numbers I might just agree with you, but as it doesn't and never will until these ships are sold then you're wrong and I am right.

[Stephen]

It's when it goes the wrong way, stops, and no bu99er is there I find annoying.

[qbman1]

I give up, its not seconds we are talking but several minutes and several full lifts, if the lift capacity matched the passenger numbers I might just agree with you, but as it doesn't and never will until these ships are sold then you're wrong and I am right.

That's a persuasive argument, FK. "I know I'm right, 'cos I'm not often wrong" !

I still say that, for the most part, the lifts are capable of handling the number of passengers if everyone plays fair.

Mind you, I can't speak for Britannia (until after our Ship Visit next Tuesday!)

[towny44]

I give up, its not seconds we are talking but several minutes and several full lifts, if the lift capacity matched the passenger numbers I might just agree with you, but as it doesn't and never will until these ships are sold then you're wrong and I am right.

That's a persuasive argument, FK. "I know I'm right, 'cos I'm not often wrong" !

I still say that, for the most part, the lifts are capable of handling the number of passengers if everyone plays fair.

Mind you, I can't speak for Britannia (until after our Ship Visit next Tuesday!)

Final point Cubie, someone not playing fair, according to you, is unlikely to make any difference whether they get in the lift going the wrong way or wait for it come back, they still only take up the same amount of space.

[Mervyn and Trish]

But in going the wrong way they fill space they don't need until they get back to the floor they got in at. Thus denying space to people wanting to actually go that way. If no one did it there would be space. But as soon as some do it everyone else does too. It's the same with sunbeds. If no one reserved them there'd be plenty to go round.

But although you are wrong Towny, you have my sympathy because unlike many the wheelchair means you have to use the lift where others have a choice. Although we are both able bodied I detest our fellow passengers who not give priority to wheelchairs and other less able passengers. I've been known to hijack a lift myself simply to bring it to where I know a person in a chair is waiting

[Jan Rosser]

I though this was all about Smurfie's cruise not a flippin thread on lifts - come on boys please can't you agree to disagree

[Mervyn and Trish]

Of course not Blod. Towny is wrong as usual.

[david63]

Wednesday 21st January 2016

Today was our first port – Cadiz. It is quite a while since I was last here and cannot really remember much about the place, and did not recognise anything due to the fog!

Question: How do you reverse park a cruise ship in the fog?
Answer: Slowly!!

We had booked a trip to Seville today which was due to leave at 08:00 with instructions to meet at the coach 15 minutes prior to the departure time. Now is it beyond the wit of man (or woman) to realise that it breakfast does not start until 07:30 that passengers on this trip will not get any breakfast, and room service cannot be guaranteed before 07:30 – however those of us with a butler can manage to get room service breakfast at 06:30 (another perk – and no butlers on P&O cannot reserve tables in the MDR)

Now I am sure the journey to Seville passes through some pleasant countryside, but not much of it was visible through the fog. Fortunately the fog had cleared when we reached Seville. We were on the Seville on your own tour so the guide took us all to the Cathedral where we were then left to our own devices, having been told to be back at the coach for 13:30 – which effectively only gave us about three hours in Seville. The weather in Seville was getting hotter by the hour.

As there were already lengthy queues for both the Cathedral and the Palace we gave them a miss and just had a good walk around. Seville is a pleasant city with wide streets but difficult to see much in the limited time we had. With hindsight we should have used the ho-ho to get the most out of the place.

The journey back was fogless so we were able to see the countryside, but there really was not that much to see. On our arrival back at the port the guide said that as we were back early the driver would take us on a short tour of Old Cadiz – fine but we had just been sat on the coach for the last hour and a half and personally I just wanted to get off.

On our return we had an email from P&O confirming our second choice cabin for out 2018 cruise to New York and Canada.

Tonight we decided to try the MDR again and whilst we were able to just walk in we have yet to be convinced about Freedom Dining.

To be continued …

[qbman1]

But did you use the lifts when you got back to the ship ? We need a comprehensive report - please try to include that next time !!

[Manoverboard]

Seville is a gorgeous walk around City but it takes a couple of days minimum, also best seen when sailing up the river rather than coaching from Cadiz.

ps ... Suite ( sweet ) passengers ought to have the ability to phone the Freedom MDR and book their preferred table and time prior to the opening of the restaurant ( a la Celebrity ) ... one for you to put in the suggestion box ?

[Mervyn and Trish]

The only time we had a suite was a two nighter on Ventura when our butler sorted out a reservation in East and a table for two at our preferred time in the Freedom Dining Restaurant. I presume the rules have changed.

[qbman1]

More likely the Smurfmeister has upset his butler so he is being uncooperative !

[Mervyn and Trish]

His butler is probably stuck in the lift with Towny

[david63]

Thursday 22nd January 2016

We woke to another warm day that was destined to get hotter as the day progressed and as we got closer to our port for today – Cartagena (pronounced Cartahena – that’s Spanish for you!) We docked on time at 10:00 but, unfortunately, RCL’s Navigator of the Seas had the best berth which meant that we had to be shuttled to the town (a 10/15 minute journey)

Never having been to Cartagena before we decided that we would use our self-acquired map off Cartagena’s tourist web site to explore the town (or is it a city?). Now that turned out to not be one of the better decisions that was made this cruise as the map was totally useless, but having said that the “official” tourist map was not a lot better. The main problem is that there has been a lot of regeneration in the centre and most of the street names have been removed so there are streets with no names and those that do have names are not on the map! Add to that that what few signposts that there are point in any direction other than the correct one – all very confusing for the visitor unless you want to “shop ‘till you drop”.

Despite all of that Cartagena is a very modern looking centre which does not give any impression of being poor – in fact quite the opposite. We wandered around for a while and I was trying to find the city walls, so we were up this street and down that one – all good exercise. Eventually we found them but they are part of the Roman excavations so that was about as far as we could go. These continental folk have some strange ideas – the Roman excavations are “fenced off” so that it you want to see them you have to pay to get it – fair enough. The problem is that the type of fencing used has slats with gaps between them that any passer-by (in this case us) could see through at what was there.

Having had a taster we though that it might be an idea to put our hands in our pockets (or to be more precise – for me to put my hand in my pocket) and pay to go in. So we found a sign pointing to the “Entrance” – great. We followed the sign, and kept going but never found any entrance. By this time it was getting very hot so we called it a day and headed back to the ship via the shuttle bus – along with many other passengers – some of whom were trying to stop the first shuttle bus that they saw (and was full) in an attempt to get on it when you could clearly see another four busses parked up. At times you begin to wonder if these people have ever travelled anywhere before!

As the sun was on our balcony in the afternoon that was where we adjourned to for the remainder of the day – we did have a bit of entertainment with the Spanish Navy docking behind us – it took longer to tie up that little boat than it did Azura.

As we were not leaving port until 19:00 we were, unfortunately, liable to the dreaded Spanish Tourist Tax of 10% on bar purchases which meant that the ship was like the Marie Celeste in the early evening. It never ceases to amaze me that people will spend thousands of pounds on a holiday but will refuse to pay a couple of extra pounds on a couple of drinks.

Tonight we decided to try the Glasshouse for dinner. We have had lunch there several times in the past, but never dinner. We both agreed that it was one of the better meals that we have had.

If anyone wants a “blast from the past” then the we have on-board as an entertainer none other than Bernie Flint. Will P&O ever update their entertainment?

To be continued …

[david63]

Leave my butler out of this - he is doing a sterling job

[qbman1]

They probably got Bernie Flint in a job lot - he was on Aurora in May as well. Needless to say, we didn't go to see him !

[qbman1]

Leave my butler out of this - he is doing a sterling job

More like he is doing a job to get hold of your sterling !

[Frank Manning]

I used to travel to Cartagena regularly in the 1990's when we were fitting a data acquisition system at the local Repsol refinery. I remember fabulous Spanish seafood restaurants in the back streets, and the local yacht club had a superb menu too. Happy days.

[Stephen]

Thursday 22nd January 2016


Tonight we decided to try the Glasshouse for dinner. We have had lunch there several times in the past, but never dinner. We both agreed that it was one of the better meals that we have had.


To be continued …

Interestingly they don't list the Glass House on the cruise personaliser under either dining options or select dining. I was thinking of booking a table for an evening meal, but you obviously just turn up as we did one lunch time.

Still strange P&O don't list it though, unless I've just missed it.