Hello and goodbye!

James and Ian handing over today.......


Good Day Everybody

Well, we made it - eventually! We arrived in Southampton some twelve hours behind schedule last night and passengers remained in good spirits right until the very end. Our Cruise Director, Sally, laid on two additional shows in the Palladium Theatre - just when they thought the show was over there wasn't a dry eye left in the house when the Headliner's Theatre Company broke out with an emotional version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' - the impact of the opening line was not lost on the audience!

Arcadia is now on the way to Bremerhaven for her first refit and today I handed over to my colleague Executive Purser Ian Wynne-Smythe. Many of our regular blog readers will know Ian as he has served on board many of our P&O Cruises' ships. Ian and I first worked together on Canberra in the early 90's. My thanks to Ian for volunteering to continue this blog during my leave. I am so excited about going home for Christmas and the New Year and will be rejoining Arcadia on 5th January at Southampton for Arcadia's Inaugural Grand Voyage.

All good wishes

James

We may not arrive at our port within a calcuable period, but we would preserve the true course. Henry David Thoreau