Good Morning Everyone,
Here here we are alongside our berth 106, the Mayflower Terminal, in our home port Southampton. Despite some fog last evening were are here on time, tied up, and all systems go at 0600 hours. I have never seen so much luggage for off loading on Arcadia as I have sighted this morning - that's a Grand Voyage for you - 101 days completed. Yesterday was a very relaxed mood on board considering it was the last day with lots of farewells and see you again, thanks for a great time.........and so on!
Thank you to everyone who encouraged and supported me and the fabulous Arcadia team, and travelled with me on this blog, for your comments and good humour - this is all appreciated.
Au revoir!
James
Fascination lies in the magic of the extraordinary
Ralph Anstoetz
James Cusick
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48 comments:
James
Well done and congratulations on your magnificent blog. We have followed it all the way and really enjoyed it. It has been as if we were with you ourselves, and reminded me of my own time spent travelling with the old Line voyages and cruising circum-Pacific.
Have a well deserved leave and look forward to your next efforts.
David and June
Emsworth
Hants
James,
Ciao Ciao e ci vediamo in Italia!!
Luisa e Antonio!!
Many thanks fo great entertainment, James. I hope Peter Thomas will be able to continue it. If not, we await your return on 20th June.
Peter
welcome back.
it was so nice to open my window this morning and see ARCADIA in my view. How lovely her new stern looks.
James
Warmest congratulations on your Grand Voyage Blog. Even though we have not been aboard throughout your trip we have felt very much part of the adventure. You surely deserve a much needed leave break. With a bit of luck we hope to rejoin Arcadia either July for Venice or maybe September
Take care
David & Jean N
Sevenoaks Kent
Hi James
What a fantastic blog, we've enjoyed following Arcadia's first World Cruise and will miss the daily update.
Although frequent passengers on Arcadia, we're a long way off a World cruise as we're many years off retirement age. Sharing the experience with you, other crew (many of whom we recognise) and some off the passengers has been the next best thing and we're hoping to do a section of it next year. You've made all the ports sound fascinating and we're spoit for choice.
Enjoy your well deserved break and hopefully we'll have the opportunity to meet you in the summer when we embark Arcadia on 31st July to cruise the Fjords.
Regards
Carole Stevenson
Yorkshire
Wonderful stuff James, you are now a Legend Ha Ha....
Cheers
Mary K.
James, what can we say other than FABULOUS, Howard & I have been transported each day by reading your blog and although here in North Wales we felt as if we were with you all the way. Have a well deserved rest and catch up with family.
Thank you once again
Lynn & Howard OLIVER. North Wales
It was lovely meeting up with you today and having a chat about the much loved blog. Congratulations on the best blog at sea vote. Have a wonderful leave and look forward to your return.
Have a well earned leave James you and all the crew derserve a pat on the back.
Hope you will continue when you return.
Maybe your relief will do a blog?
Once again THANK YOU for the updates it has been most enjoyable to read and see the great pictures to go with the stories.
Kindest regards
Geoff and Julieta Witts Perth
I am the daughter in law of Angela and Wyn Williams. I have watched the ship and have been reading your blog from the time they boarded the ship in Fremantle and have enjoyed it so much. We would receive postcards from them about how friendly the people are. One of these days I would love to do the same crusie.
Thank you for giving me my daily reading and thank you for making my laws happy.
Kirstin
Welcome Home and enjoy your leave.
We've all greatly enjoyed your blog!
What a fantastic success your blog has been! So interesting and a wonderful insight into a Worldie. I am now saving up for my own worldie with a target for 2013!!
Enjoy a well deserved period of leave, and hope to meet up with you again one day. We love Arcadia.
Janes your blog has been inspirational and has certainly inspired many to plan a cruise with P&O on Arcadia.
Have a well deserved break. We look forward to hearing from you again when you are back on board.
Dear James,
As an entertainer onboard. It was such a delight having you as the purser. Thank you so much for your kindness to me ,and your lovely gift.
Oh and the drink we shared in the Arcadia pub
I am so looking to traveling with you again soon .you are so much fun and a Celt to boot.
love
Iris
Peter, don't be boring, carry on blogging
James,
Thank you for a great blog wish we along for the ride.
Thank you also for the great Lunch in Sydney for the Legends of Arcadia. We were not ten pound poms but I sailed from Sydney to London on the old Arcadia via South Africa in 1966 as the Suez was closed. What a classic liner she was and a great trip as a 17 year old.
Enjoy you well earned leave.
Richard and Anne West.
Hey James, hope you are having a well earned rest from work. When you get back onboard will you be posting blogs again. I've got withdrawal symptoms!
Elaine (aurorabore)
Elaine, you're not the only one! Major withdrawel symptoms!
You are not alone is missing James' blog- I miss my daily reading!
Great Blog, enjoyed every section that you posted. Have a good break and hope to see you again in your next blog. Will you still be on the same ship.
I've heard on the grapevine that James will be back on board Arcadia on the 20th June.
Hi James and the A Team,
I have just read the 22 'comments' and can only endorse what everyone of them have said - that it has been a 'Grand Voyage' for all of us too!!
Yes indeed, what are we all going to do now that the voyage has finished?
If P&O produced a DVD of the GV we will all be able to look back on it all - and 'review' the sights and make forward plans to cruise to some of those wonderful ports of call which I feel sure would be what we all would like to do.
Your leave is well deserved and need to 'recharge your batteries' and......rest and catch up with all your 'family' news!
All for now
From Heather and Les Howard
Prenton, Wirral, UK (Fri 24 April 2009 - 10:26 hours)
Thank you James for all your hard work on this fabulous blog. Enjoy your shore leave and then start it again PLEASE!!
Dear James,
If you have a moment, consult the mail online and you will see us both enjoying a drink - not only that, but the Mail in their caption has promoted you, which of course you richly deserve.
Very best wishes, as ever,
Esther
Lol, James - You've been promoted to Captain!
Do you like the ring of that Captain James Cusick - I see Oriana doesn't have a captain in the portunus mag from 06th May. Is there anything you want to tell us?
:-) ;-)
Elaine (aurorabore)
Cusick for Captain. Captain Cusick.Got a certain ring to it.On the sleeve perhaps!.Miss the Blog come on James
Thanks for everything James. Enjoy your leave. Look forward to your return.
James,
Well the Grey Nomads have finally returned to the Land Down Under after a short peregrination around the Cotswolds. What great memories we have of Arcadia, your excellent staff, the crew and of course your goodself, all of whom looked after us so well all the way from Brisbane to Southampton. Thanks to your all.
Safe travel and good health and we hope to meet again one day.
Kindest regards,
Christine and Julian West
After 52 nights on board Arcadia, Brisbane to Southampton, and a little adventure in London and Paris, which was fantastic we are now back home in Oz.
We never did get to meet you James but are well aware that you and your crew do a great job.
We had a fantastic cruise, so many great memories, so many great destinations!
We are so looking forward to cruising with P&O UK next year on board Aurora, Brisbane to Southampton, not too long to go!
All the best to all the fantastic crew that were on board Arcadia,23/02/09-16/04/09,we will never forget you all.
Cheers!
I'm really late adding to this, having been away on Coral Princess.
I just wanted to add my thanks for a wonderful Grand Voyage - even if it was only via my laptop! Next year however, I'll be with you in person from Hong Kong.
Have a good rest and hope to see you on board next year.
Gill
Hello James,
Just in case you pick this up .....I collected the soldier boys today from Southampton!! Tiger was also present and correct and happy to be released from his bubble wrap!
Once again, many thanks for your company and all of your help on board our first "Grand Voyage"
We hope you are enjoying your leave.
Louise & Tony.
Hope you are back on board on June 20th - as I have just booked that cruise!!!!
We are also hoping you rejoin as advertised when we board on the 20th!! Looking forward to it!
Hi James
I hope you have had a nice leave, I hope you are going to start writing the blogg again when you are back on board. we have missed your interesting letters.
Best wishe,
J Lincoln
Hi James,
The suspense is killing me, please restart blogging soon!!!!!!!! According to the latest Portunus magazine you came back on the 20th June (I was counting down the days in the hope you would restart).
Hope you had a good break, and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Snogger
How much longer are you going to keep your Public Waiting ?Com'on James wheres 'me' daily blog
No more blogging James?
Hope you had a good and relaxing leave.
I was beginning to think I was the only one looking for your Blog. Where are you now? Missing your words of wisdom! Hope all is well with you. regards Jay
Nope,think the last installment titled 15th April, Homeport Southampton was the last. We actually,with much sadness,arrived Southampton on the 16th April, early morning and not the 15th as stated on the blog.
Just got back from Arcadia's cruise and no James onboard!
That would explain the lack of blogs then! Lets hope he returns soon, im really missing his blogs!
Snogger
Is that it then? Are we to be Blog- less for ever more? It was such an interesting way to go cruising. Doesn't anyone know if James will be blogging again in the future? Jay
James
Understand you are back on board now, are you going to start blogging again?
MH
All you faithful bloggers ... James hopefully will be back soon, he has needed to be off rather longer than he would have wished.
Hello James,
Just to say we are always talking about you and thinking about you - we do hope that everything is ok. You know where we are....
Much love, James & "M"
Hope to see you on here again pretty soon James
Elaine B (Aurorabore)
Hi James, this is a bit of a 'blast from the past', I used to work with you on the older Princess ships - IP/PP/SunP when I was Night Manager going on to SAP and you were??? I remember going around the ship with you in the early hours inspecting the night cleaners work and every public room we came to that had an instrument(??), you were on it - such talent. I also remember you in Pub Night - If I Were Not Upon This Ship etc etc, and many more funny, happy memories. Will write again when I can recall other specific moments that might jog your memory! Have enjoyed your blogs immensely, hope you're well and happy. xx
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