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Pre-cruise

Atlantic Coast Adventure Q133Q 15th Nov 2021

Things are starting to get exciting again, here at Chez Jimbo. The suitcases have been retrieved from the shed, dresses and suits are starting to appear, hanging full length from wardrobe doors in the spare room. Labels, eTickets and a myriad of COVID related documentation is sitting on the printer ready for fileing.

It’s time for another cruise, one with real ports and the opportunity to see and step onto a foreign land for the first time since late 2019. Better than that it’s also our first foray into the Grills, Cunard’s more exclusive suite offering. We’re in the Princess Grill this time which is the lower grade of the Grills suites, more Business Class, than the “First Class” experience of the Queen’s Grill, there’s no butler in the Princess Grill suites but the promotion literature from Cunard, does make it very attractive though.

“This is what luxury feels like.
From the moment you step into your Princess Grill Suite, it is clear that this is a world apart from the rest.

Fresh fruit, sparkling wine and chocolate are awaiting upon your arrival. Sweeping ocean views invite you to spend time on your balcony, simply sipping coffee or getting lost in a good book.

Ready for a rest?
A curated pillow menu ensures you fall right into
deep relaxation whenever the mood strikes”

I’ve always wanted to travel in the Grills, at least once, just to see how much better it can be than the already excellent Britannia experience.

We’ve a fairly port heavy itinerary, with six ports in the 12 night cruise, Lisbon, Cadiz, Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga and Gibraltar. Hopefully there will be some good weather on offer to push back Winter for a few weeks.

I’ve taken a pre-cruise Lateral Flow Test, to make sure that being in the Office earlier this week hasn’t infected me. This one is good and I’m negative which is a relief for Jane who has convinced herself we’re going to test positive when boarding. We’re both double jabbed and boostered so it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be taking another before heading down to Jane’s dad’s place in the New Forest on Sunday, but Jane won’t be truly happy until she gets the all clear text in the Ocean Terminal on Monday morning.

by Jimbo

Queen Elizabeth Sun Voyage 20th – 27th August 2021

It’s all starting again, last week Queen Elizabeth set off on her first post-covid cruise, now it’s nearly our time. It’s two days before boarding and getting very exciting. All paperwork has now been completed and printed off. All the packing has been mostly done, just waiting for a couple of items to be returned from the cleaners. Our departure is slightly different this year, normally we’d head off to the New Forest to stay the night at Jane’s Dad’s place and get dropped off by him at the terminal in the morning. This year John and Bess are travelling with us, so instead of trying to squeeze the four of us, with luggage in a single car we have decided to travel separately and use CPS to park the cars. This was a cheaper option than getting cabs as this cruise is only seven nights. It also has the added advantage that if, in the unlikely event that any of us test positive for Covid on embarkation then the holiday is not spoiled for all.

The documentation for these first Cunard cruises has changed slightly from previous trips, the checklist is slightly different from normal. The major changes are:

  1. Ensure you have appropriate travel insurance cover for the duration of your voyage

The documentation emphasises the following points need to be checked and to take your policy with proof of this to be checked on boarding

  • When travelling with us, your insurance must include medical cover of £2 million minimum and cover for emergency evacuations and medical expenses related to Covid-19.
  • Ensure your policy includes cover for repatriation, cancellation and curtailment
  1. Ensure you have proof of your Covid-19 vaccination Printed in case of connectivity issues at the terminal
  2. Read our latest health protocols information
  3. Complete online check-in

This involves clicking on a Check-in link in MyCunard and entering your details again. Once in there are 3 sections to complete.

  • Check passport details again
  • Enter a payment card for spending on board
  • Upload a passport style photograph – These are not mandatory as they will take a photograph at the terminal

Once the Passport checks and Payment card are completed you can download your boarding pass

  1. Plan your travel to Southampton to arrive at the specified time on your e-ticket
  2. Three days prior to embarking, complete your Health Declaration on My Cunard

This again is a link on the MyCunard site, accessed via the Before You Sail tab and very similar to previous health questionnaires just Covid specific this time. Once completed you can print it off and you will be emailed a copy of the Health Declaration saying you are now cleared to travel.

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by Jimbo

The Fun Begins

We’re all set for this year’s cruise to the Caribbean. Work has been finished and we took the train this afternoon, from London Waterloo to New Milton, in the New Forest, where Jane’s dad lives. The only thing left to do is for me to have a haircut tomorrow morning and the we’ll be heading off to the Ocean Terminal in Southampton and board the ship.

by rakkor

4th November – Travelling down

It’s nearly here, we’re all packed, and Minty has been farmed off to Aunty Sarah for his two week’s holiday. The drive down to the south coast started off in glorious sunshine, little did we realise that it’s Bonham’s London to Brighton vintage car rally this Sunday which made for an interesting, if slow journey until we got to the M25. The rest of the trip was uneventful though and we arrived in the New Forest all ready for tomorrow’s embarkation.

by rakkor

Itinerary

I will be posting my upcoming cruise here in the next week or two. We are travelling on the Greek Islands cruise on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. A first for us on this ship having sailed on the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria previously.

It is a seventeen night cruise leaving Southampton on October 7th and calling at the following ports:

Palma – Majorca

Athens

Heraklion – Crete

Katakolon – Greece

Sarande – Albania

Messina – Sicily

Cadiz – Spain

Returning to Southampton on the 24th October.

 

We have two shore excursions booked so far on the cruise.

The 1st is a bicycle ride in Palma in Majorca and the second is Tapas and flamenco dancing in Cadiz.

We did have a third booked, this was the tour of Ephesus in Turkey, unfortunately as the Elizabeth is no longer stopping in Turkey that was cancelled.

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by Jimbo