Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

Reports about cruises on Arcadia
User avatar

Topic author
melsea
Senior Second Officer
Senior Second Officer
Posts: 576
Joined: February 2013

Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#1

Post by melsea »

Day 45. At Sea. Heading towards last port Ponta Delgada.
Sunny & warm.

26th April 2016 clocks forward at midday.

This morning being a sea day Bill went to the Christian Fellowship gathering. I caught up with him at just after 9.30 at the buffet, we managed to find a table for two that was not too close to anyone else, in fact it was not close to anyone really except a table behind us. It was at the entrance to the Buffet which turned out to be a good seat for Bill, from when we sat down down and me leaving him there to go to a talk. He had various chats with staff & passengers who either spoke of how good the church service was on Sunday with the readings he did and another passenger from the Christian meeting. People so want to talk. One lady, Diane I think her name was, was thrilled and pleased that he did the story about Enoch's walk with God, she has dealt with bereavement recently and this helped her immensely.
I on the other hand had gone to a talk that was given by the Olympic Ice Skating Champion Robin Cousins. He brought with him his gold medal which he allowed to be passed around among the audience. It took the entire time for his talk to run for the medal to only reach 6 rows, I was in row 7 when he finished his talk. I decided to go and see him and show him the copy of the programme for the Ice Skaters ball at the London Hilton in 1977 with his autograph, I had a photo of it on my iPad. He actually remembers the ball, I was a teenager at the time. I had a copy of it on my iPad because a friend who was also at that event wanted to see it. I manage to touch and have the medal round my neck along with having a photo with him while I was wearing his Gold Medal.
Afterwards I spoke with the Entertainment Manager John Bartrum who got married last year I think it was and I told him how so much more relaxed he looked and happier. He said he is on all counts, he then talked about how his life and boy he can talk for England, they say women can but he was epic. I was like his therapist he was pouring it all out. He always seemed such a grump on previous cruises and I didn't like him but he grew on me this time, he had so much more time now for passengers and happier too.

Show this evening was Peter Howarth singing the songs of The Hollies & Roy Orbison.

Day 46. At sea easing our way towards Ponta Delgada.
Sunny

27th April 2016 clocks forward at midday.

An audience with the Headliners.
Night with the Stars show by the Headliners in the evening, it was excellent.

Day 47. At Sea sailing coolly towards our last port.
Blue skies & cool airs.

28th April 2016.

Not a lot going on today.

Sat in Crows nest looking at which photos to put into the photo competition.
Started to go through the Horizons to write up what I had not written at the time of when the Horizon was published, once done I could throw them away.

The show tonight was Robin Cousins, 6 degrees of Gene Kelly, his idol. He spoke about how he wanted to be Gene Kelly. He sang a variety of songs and he was very good. Certainly a different kind of show it was too.


Day 48. At Sea

29th April 2016 clocks forward at midday.

Macmillan Cancer Fund Raising Day.

Passenger walks 55 laps, 1 for each year of his age. He raised £1200.
The fund raising continued in the Meridian Restaurant with several items being auctioned off. I made a bid on a sailing chart map of our route from Hong Kong to San Francisco. I went up to £130 but I would have gone to £150 but the next bid went to £150 and so my play in it came to an end, it eventually went over the £200 mark. The other charts San Francisco to Southampton & the full World Cruise both also went over the £150 mark.
My friend Joan's doll that she had knitted went to £105. Later on we were told that the auction raised £1300, a good day of fund raising.


Day 49. At Sea. 1 day before Ponta Delgada.

30th April 2016 clocks forward at midday to Ponta Degada.

Arcadia Vocalist Choir Performance, it was brilliant.
Evening show, Philip Brown, former bus driver turned West End star. Fab show. His voice range was phenomenal.


Day 50. At Sea.

30th April 2016.

Clocks forward, we are now Ponta Delgado time.
Captain made an announcement to say we will now be back on board tomorrow in PD at 5pm which is later than originally planned.

Day 51. Ponta Delgado. Azores. 8am - 5pm (4.30pm).
Warm & cloudy.

1st May 2016.

Walked around the town. It was a Sunday and usually not a lot going on but this Sunday there was a religious festival going on and the streets were adorned with displays of flower like petals with real flowers in the centre, it was beautiful. It started at St Joseph's Church and once the Priest had finished taking in the statue of Christ inside we were allowed to go in. It was amazing, the display of flowers was spectacular. I followed the flowers down the streets a long way until I came to a point where I was close to the ship and so heading back. I had a really pleasant walk in our last port.
The Last sail away was a good one, that's as it should be.

Day 52. At sea. On way home.

2nd May 2016.

Last of the midday clocks going forward.

Face to face immigration with UK boarder force. We went just before our number was called and just as our cruise card was swiped the numbers came up. The process was that quick, had you blinked you would have missed it.
Later there was an 'In company with Robin Cousins' question & answers by us the passengers, in the Crows Nest. It was very good and we got to hold his Olympic Gold Medal again.
Chocoholics in the buffet. Sat in the Neptune pool area and read from my kindle.
In the evening the headliners performed their last show which was Killer Queen and as usual it was really good, it has been updated a bit too.

Day 53. At sea.

3rd May 2016.

Photo competition. Did not win. I realised that this time round they did not have a mention for highly commended photos. It was all so different.
At just after 2.30 I managed to see the crew variety show of which our head restaurant manager Georgio was taking part in, he was a one man band, harmonica, guitar and one drum all at the same time, brilliant was too. As were the rest of the team.

Day 54. At sea.

4th May 2016

Day of more packing.

The final Christian Fellowship meeting. The Captain came to say thank you to the group and that it has helped him when things were challenging. I went this morning to say goodbye to everyone.
We started with a prayer and one of the other passengers had a hymn for us to sing. When we finished a member of staff from the Health Spa came in and said could she sing a Hymn which we may know but not before she said a prayer which was so emotive that a tear came to my eyes and poor Pat was in tears from it, she was really affected by it and I knew if I looked at her I would be off myself.
On our way to the buffet we saw the lady from the spa was outside of it doing work for the spa, we stopped and spoke to her and said thank you for her in sharing along with the hymn and prayers.
We had our breakfast and I left Bill there as he wanted to read more and I had gone to the photo gallery to find out when the sector DVDs would be available? At 6pm tonight. returned to the cabin where I continued with my packing, almost done.


Day 53. Disembarkation day in Southampton.

Last night we decided to change our arrangements for getting off the ship tomorrow. Self disembarkation is what we changed our minds to.

Woke up with the alarm blaring out at 06.15am.
Breakfast 7am in the Meridian, table for two.
Back to the cabin to leave, making our way to deck 2 where we were to get off. Literally by the glass lifts.
Managed to carry all our luggage ourselves and with the ease of our nice 4 wheeled cases this makes life so much easier.
Got through customs, there were 3 officers who were not interested in any of us.
Once outside we looked to see if Alan our friend had turned up. Some minutes went by when Bill suddenly asked a question that sent shivers down my spine and sheer panic, 'did you empty out the safe?'!!! No, oh my god, I then legged it to the departure lounge which was empty and I was directed to the ladies on the information desk close by. I told her of my problem and she radioed in to the ship for them to check the safe and then they will pass it on to someone who would bring it down. Some 10 to 15 minutes went by it seemed so much longer when the lady who I spoke with, later came back and handed me a bag with our stuff, it was easy to check that it was indeed ours as it was our passports, house keys etc.
Arrived back home at around 10.30 & 10.45
I sorted out our post, Bill got onto the tractor and the hand mower out to cut the grass.

So folks, again I rambled on about our cruise, I hope you are still awake.
Until next time, if there is one. Thank you all for reading my reports.

Note to self, must try to condense my reports.

User avatar

Meg 50
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2266
Joined: January 2013
Location: sarf London

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#2

Post by Meg 50 »

melsea wrote:
...
Note to self, must try to condense my reports.
please don't!
Meg
x

User avatar

oldbluefox
Ex Team Member
Posts: 11305
Joined: January 2013
Location: Cumbria

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#3

Post by oldbluefox »

melsea wrote:

Note to self, must try to condense my reports.
I agree with Meg. Please don't, I like the detail.
Welcome home and thank you for your reports. :thumbup:

User avatar

Suekersh
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1562
Joined: January 2013
Location: Lancashire

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#4

Post by Suekersh »

Thanks Melsea, that has whetted my appetite. Have to admit that I am not a fan of John Bartram but I suspect he will be Ents manager for our world cruise or part if it. I look forward to seeing the new livelier married JB.

Sue

User avatar

Raybosailor
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1195
Joined: February 2015
Location: Nottingham

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#5

Post by Raybosailor »

I have followed your reports with great interest and agree with others don't condense your future reports and thank you.

Ray

User avatar

Meg 50
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 2266
Joined: January 2013
Location: sarf London

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#6

Post by Meg 50 »

Meg 50 wrote:
melsea wrote:
...
Note to self, must try to condense my reports.
please don't!
to elaborate - if you had given us all 12 episodes in one thread , yes, we'd might have begged you to condense(!) or given up part way through, but because you chop them into bite sized chunks we can dip in and out at our own speed, so they are perfect as they are.

they are also well spaced out, making them easy to follow.

Please keep them as they are
Meg
x


CaroleF
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1857
Joined: January 2013
Location: Hampshire

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#7

Post by CaroleF »

Great reports, thank you. Don't shorten them, it's lovely to read about your adventures all over the world, especially for those of us who probably won't do a Worldie.

Carole

User avatar

Happydays
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1839
Joined: June 2014

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#8

Post by Happydays »

Great reports as the others have said keep them as they are. They are very interesting and the only way I will have any experience of a world cruise. My husband won't do one, we have to think of our dog also the kennel fees and the price of the cruise would break the bank :)

User avatar

Topic author
melsea
Senior Second Officer
Senior Second Officer
Posts: 576
Joined: February 2013

Re: Melsea's 1st Half World Cruise, Arcadia 2016 Part 12 The End!!

#9

Post by melsea »

Oh you lovely people, Thank you.

You won't have to wait too long as we will be sailing on the Cunard QM2 to New York in November. We stay 2 nights, then we head to Penn Station to catch the Amtrak Train to Niagara Falls, the Canadian side. Stay for 2 nights fly home from Toronto. So as the song goes, Boats (Liner), Trains & Planes; well almost.
Looking forward to it especially since the refurb of the QM2, it will be interesting to how she looks compared to how we last saw her back in January.
I am really looking forward to Niagara Falls, I have not been and it's on my list of places to see,a nother first for me. Also a first for both of us is travelling by train in the US, in fact it takes the exact route that Michael Portillo took on his Great Railway Journeys.
Thanks again folks for reading and taking the time to comment.
Melsea

Return to “Arcadia Cruise Reports”