Ray's story

For three weeks, this blog will be written by P&O Cruises passengers.  Today, Ray shares the world he has discovered with P&O Cruises.
____________________

Well I made it, but how do I stand in the shoes of such greats as James, Nigel and Carol, well the answer is I can’t, but I will try my best, so here goes….

Sue and I started cruising in in 1998, and as a lot of folk say “It’s a one off holiday of a lifetime, we will never do it again", but we did.

Yes, we were well and truly bitten. We missed 2000 due to a family bereavement, but by 2001, we were back in the saddle, and this time with the old Arcadia (aka Ocean Village as was) to the Western Med with Captain Hamish Reid, one of the best Captains I have sailed with, such humour, and a real gent.

From then, barring 2004 to 2006 (the dreaded redundancy) we have managed to have at least one cruise per year, and have been lucky enough to sail on all of the current P&O Cruises fleet.

Out last P&O Cruises holiday was on the maiden cruise of Azura, a first for us as we had never “done” a maiden before. Now I’m not overly keen on the larger ships, I much prefer the medium size ships (Oriana is my favourite). But I have to say we had a wonderful time, even when Malaga was closed due to the weather, although a great alternative was found the next day at Palma. A fuller insight for those not having “done” a maiden can be found at my blog on the community site - and my photos are below.

I think many of colleagues at work think I’m obsessed with cruising, as it's one of my main topics of conversation. “What’s so good about a cruise ?” they ask.

My answer is always, a cruise is whatever you want it to be, it can be very busy, or you can just sit on the deck and watch the world go by, and everything in between.

You can dress for dinner if you want, or go on a more informal cruise, there really is a cruise destination, and cruise ship for ALL tastes out there.

Well, did I make it to the blog ? if you are reading this, then we will be at sea on Artemis for her Christmas cruise. Thinking about that statement, even if you’re not reading this, we will still be on the cruise.

So if I have not bored you too much, I will be blogging from Artemis, as we have never been away before at Christmas, so even after all these years, there are still “firsts” to have.

I do feel privileged to have been able to cruise and see such wonderful sights, from the Arctic circle and Russia to the wonders of Greece and the Acropolis, and Ephesus in Turkey and everything in between. These are sights that I am sure I would have never seen on any land based holiday. We have also met some great people, some of which after many years we still keep in touch with.

Thank you all for joining me in this blog, and….

Happy Cruising

Ray & Sue

PS and a special thanks to James for allowing me to “share his space”, and for all his blogs that I, and I am sure many others, read with great joy.

____________________

Discover more about the world of P&O Cruises by visiting Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/pandocruises

Christmas message from Carol Marlow

Hello there

First of all, thank you to the passengers for letting me ‘take over’ the takeover of the blog for a day or two!

We are coming to the end of another successful year for P&O Cruises, and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of our passengers for your continued support and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

We have had a number of things to celebrate this year, not least the successful introduction of our brand new ship Azura.  After an elegant and glamorous naming ceremony by our godmother Darcey Bussell, the ship has now settled into the fleet and is becoming a firm favourite with our loyal passengers.

We were delighted to reveal our new look earlier this month, which you will see on our mailings, brochures, on board, online and on TV.  The new design is based on the lines of latitude and longitude, used by seafarers to navigate the world.  Where the two lines intersect, pinpoints a particular location and we have illustrated this using a burst of sunlight, or a corona.  This signifies a point of discovery – representing all of the new discoveries that our passengers can make on a P&O Cruises holiday.  It has been designed to complement our new brand line – discover a different world.

We are very proud to launch our new, inspirational TV commercial very soon – and you can get a sneak preview at facebook.com/pandocruises.  Based on the theme of discovery, the commercial uses quotes from famous explorers and brings to life the magic of discovery that you experience on a P&O Cruises holiday.  It premieres in the evening of Monday 27 December, so do look out for that.

Another area that we have been working hard on this year is our CRUISE programme.  This is our commitment to excellent customer service – putting you, our passengers, at the heart of everything we do, and delivering the holiday of a lifetime, every time you travel with us.  We’ve recently re-launched this crew programme with a whole host of new initiatives, so look out for it next time you are on board.  Our Outstanding Performer award remains, where we ask you to nominate a crew member for excellent service, so we hope you will feel able to do this when you are on board.

So what does 2011 have in store?

We’re starting the year with our P&O Cruises Sale, which brings you the chance to book an amazing holiday in 2011 or early 2012 for less than you might have imagined.  With free on board spending money and extra savings available until 31 January, there couldn't be a better time to book a holiday with us.

Later in the year, we are looking forward to welcoming Adonia to the P&O Cruises fleet.  Exuding small ship charm, she offers an intimate and classic cruise experience – the same experience that we’re proud to deliver on all our ships, large or small.  Look out for a special announcement about Adonia’s iconic godmother very soon...

We are proud to be the world’s original cruise line, with our rich heritage and reputation as the trusted cruise experts.  During 2011, we will be making some exciting announcements about our 175^th anniversary in 2012.

I’m off now to prepare for Christmas dinner... so I wish you all a relaxed and merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year, from myself and all of us at P&O Cruises.

Warm wishes,

Carol

Malcolm's story

For three weeks, this blog will be written by P&O Cruises passengers.  Today, Malcolm shares the world he has discovered with P&O Cruises.
____________________



Aye Aye Captain?

For a brief moment at sea, I changed from guest speaker to Captain of P&O Cruises ship, Oceana, as it sailed round the Western Mediterranean. It was a formal evening so I was in black tie and considered I looked debonair as I strolled through the glittering Atrium of the ship, stopping to enquire of a couple of elderly ladies sipping G and Ts whether they were enjoying their cruise. Both nodded enthusiastically. One looked up and said ‘You must be very proud of your ship.’ To which her companion, with a beaming smile, added ‘And you’ve such a lovely crew.’ There was a double take the following morning when they bumped into me wearing jeans and tee shirt. But I made amends after lunch, escorting them slowly with their walking sticks to the far end of the ship and the Starlights Lounge where I was giving my third talk about my experiences as a vet. Having ushered them into seats in the front row and commenced my talk entitled ‘Feline Frolics’, they promptly chose to take a cat nap.

 Oceana sailaway.

All aboard on Oceana. My wife Maxeen with mountains of Corsica in background.

Mealtimes as ever were fun. Freedom dining meant meeting new people every time you entered the Ligurian Restaurant; the High Court Judge travelling the world to advise on immigration; the postman based in Barnsley; a courteous, effete gentleman who had chatted up the lady next to me and then stood up when she was about to leave the table only for his trousers to fall down as he had unbuckled his belt during the meal; and the tall sassy blonde on board with her father, who bought six pairs of sling backs in every port and who had ditched her husband on her last cruise, flying back mid way through it.

We ‘did’ Rome, Naples, Corsica and Monte Carlo to name a few ports of call. I decided to offer my services as a tour escort. On a boat trip across Lake Bracciano, an elderly passenger tripped and fell on deck and cracked open his forehead. As he came to, I whispered to him that if he were able to meiow then perhaps I could attend to his wounds. That quickly revived him. Introducing myself to the Spanish guide taking us on a shore excursion round Alicante a few days later, I mentioned the incident, adding that on escort duty for a walking tour of Bergen I’d lost my group twice, while on a trip up Mount Vesuvius, a gentleman in my tour group gashed his leg. I didn’t appreciate all this
was said with the PA switched on. When I turned to introduce myself to the passengers on the coach waiting to leave, they seemed slightly apprehensive and the ‘Good mornings’ from them were muted. No doubt they were wondering what on earth was going to happen to them with me
in charge. But they needn't have worried. All went well. The tour of Alicante was excellent, the guide very knowledgeable and we had a great day out.

Passengers on a shore excursion to Herculaneum. And yes it did rain.

On top of Mount Vesuvius with my P&O Cruises Tour Guide paddle and Maxeen. Now where has my group gone?

Me making friends with a cat in Alicante. Or should that be Alley-catte?

My last talk about eccentric clients I've had to deal with as a vet was on the Friday. I tend to prance around the stage while I give my presentation and at one point,stepping backwards to the lectern, the ship gave a slight lurch which saw me sailing past my laptop and disappearing behind the curtains. Now the Captain would have never done that!

Malcolm D. Welshman

____________________

Discover more about the world of P&O Cruises by visiting Facebook at  www.facebook.com/pandocruises

Elaine's story

For three weeks, this blog will be written by P&O Cruises passengers.  Today, Elaine shares the world she has discovered with P&O Cruises.
____________________

For us as a family we find that P&O Cruises ticks all the boxes for what we want out of a cruise.  We have been to lots of places over the years that most would never see in a lifetime, and I do plan to do a world cruise when my husband retires, maybe doing a boomerang type cruise where we would get some time to spend in Australia itself – I have suggested we spend a year there, but in the current economic climate not sure it’s financially viable.  But that is on our bucket list J

The children’s facilities on board are excellent.  It is the type of holiday where you don’t actually go out of your way to avoid your children (or it certainly was for us), but they wanted to avoid us as they were having far too much fun to spend time with the boring adults!  I spent many a time around the childrens pool on Canberra whilst the children went swimming.   I remember sitting on the tiered wooden seating (bit like the seating area around the endless pools on Ventura and Azura today).  One thing we always did, even from the age of 4, was to take our children to dinner with us.  This would not have been possible if they were the type of children to misbehave, but thankfully we never really had any problems like that.  Most of our summer holiday cruises coincided with my son’s birthday – I have found one picture of him celebrating his birthday onboard, but I don’t think he’d be happy with me publishing it, so lets move on to my favourite time of year for cruising.  For the past 12 years we have gone away at Christmas on a cruise – Also very topical at this time of year.  I can’t imagine having Christmas at home anymore to be honest.  In fact we are in the process of packing as I write.  I am up earlier than my husband because I’m finding it difficult to sleep (101 things going on in my head – I hope I’m not the only one that gets like this before a cruise – I’m sure I’m not).  All of the Christmas cruises that we’ve done have been long Caribbean cruises.  I do not fly so we always depart from Southampton. 

The band play carols and as you can see Father Christmas is there to see us depart too.  To think we go from this:-

To this:-

Within the space of a week!

The atmosphere at Christmas is magical.   The ships are beautifully decorated.  Most of the ships have a gingerbread village display.  On the family friendly ships they have had a pantomime (and in fact last year on Arcadia they had one too, very funny it was).  The children’s club do a carol concert on the stairs of the reception area and they have also done a nativity play in the past as well.  Christmas day dinner is in the evening and it is always a formal occasion.  Our in laws have come away with us now for quite a few years too with their daughter (who is a lot younger than my children) and we usually go for lunch on Christmas day too.  Nothing better than spending the afternoon sleeping off lunch - and the glass of wine we have with it - out on deck getting a tan.

 This was taken on Oriana in 2007

This was last year in Madeira. 

This beatiful gingerbread village was created on Arcadia last year.

Well I can hear movement upstairs, so I am going to wrap this up now.  But I would like to just wish all the regular blog followers a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

____________________

Discover more about the world of P&O Cruises by visiting Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/pandocruises

Vigo –Spain. The Final Blog. 17 December 2010

Good day to all my readers!

My final blog before going on leave today and flying home to the UK. First of all I would like to say a huge thank you for all the messages I have been receiving. This cruise has been very interesting as a great many of our passengers on board had been reading the blog on the cruise and telling me in person how much they have been enjoying it!!! So this is blog eighteen for me this year, I may be back again one day, who knows? I set out to give you an insider’s view on the wonderful world of P&O Cruises shipboard entertainment, facts, ports of call etc, etc and I do hope that I have achieved that for you all.

I thought today you might like to hear about what my plans are for my leave and when I actually return to sea.

I am contracted to work 219 days a year but that can be divided up into work and leave segments just about any way possible, although I should not work over four months at a time. When at sea we work every day, and are on call 24 hours a day so our leave is vital to enable us to re-charge our batteries! I always love to go home, I still get great satisfaction from my job but the real world for me exists at home with my wife Mandy and our son Bradley.

You are probably asking yourself why is Nigel going on leave from Vigo today when Arcadia is in Southampton in two days time. I was meant to go on leave at the start of this cruise 8/12 but this was extended to take in the whole of this cruise. As it happens I have a very important family commitment tomorrow and it was agreed I could go home today.

My son Bradley is an opera student and tomorrow night is the final night of the opera he has been in all week Carmen, he has been playing the Toreador Escamillo. This is one of the great bass baritone operatic roles and demanding to say the least for a 22 year old! Bass baritone voices will keep maturing with training and will hit their peak in middle age!! This is his biggest part to date and I would not have wanted to miss it.

I am really looking forward to seeing him perform once again. He loves his operatic studies and performing, and both Mandy and I realise how fortunate we are that Bradley is doing something he enjoys so very much. Being an opera student is however very hard work; their holidays are far shorter than university recesses and during term breaks he is performing and singing here, there and everywhere in various music festivals!

I have a long leave coming up, in fact I am not due to return to Arcadia until 29 March, that is for Cruise J102 (a 14 night cruise), which is followed by the 72 night Alaskan Grand Voyage. I am then due to go on leave at the end of that which is 23 June. I am also due to be working in our Southampton office in February assisting our shore side entertainment team with the planning of the 2012 World Cruises.

I have many plans for my leave; Christmas at home and then a few days in the Cotswolds over New Year as Mandy has some time off work. Also as I have a long leave I am going to completely re-decorate our kitchen and a bedroom, which should keep me out of trouble for a few weeks!!!

 A photograph with a difference today, me on leave out for a walk!!

The shot was taken in the National Trust Property Lyme Park on the Cheshire Derbyshire border, near where we live. Lyme was Pemberley in the BBC Adaption of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In the photograph I am standing in front of ‘The Cage’; it was built in 1580 and rebuilt in 1737. It has been a hunting lodge, a park keeper’s cottage, and a lock up for prisoners. It is a Grade 2 listed building. Looking west from ‘The Cage’ on a clear day you can see the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park in Wales and looking east you can see Kinder Scout in the Peak District National Park.

The other shots were also taken in or near Lyme Park, I am lucky to live in such a beautiful part of England.

This shot was sent to me by my wife Mandy, this was our garden a couple of weeks ago!

''The Cage'' Lyme Park Cheshire.

Lyme Park Cheshire, ''fun in the snow''!

Lyme Park East Gate.

 

The blog passenger takeover is coming up next, so look out for your stories.  We've had some great entries in but we still have room for a few more - so if you haven't taken the opportunity yet, email us at community@pocruises.com to send your entry or to ask us for more info.  I can say from personal experience that writing for the blog is a great opportunity and a lot of fun!

Farewell from me and a very happy Christmas and New Year to you all.

Nigel

Mystery blogger! Lanzarote 15 December 2010

Hello all, Nigel here again, today’s blog is from a mystery lady! All will become clear as you read it and then study the photographs at the end!

---

I took my most memorable cruise in August 1982. A Mediterranean Cruise on Sea Princess, later to become Victoria. A family holiday with my parents - little did I know what a life changing experience it was going to be.

In fact we had originally been booked on Canberra but as she was seconded by the Government as a troop ship (it being the time of the Falklands War) our booking was transferred. This proved to be a fortuitous twist of fate.

Arriving at Southampton I was very much looking forward to my holiday and hoped to make some friends during the cruise but I had not anticipated what was about to happen. We walked up the gangway and were greeted by the entertainment staff immaculately turned out complete with white gloves and red carnation buttonholes. However, I was not paying too much attention to the uniforms as I had spotted a rather glamorous young officer. It really was a case of love at first sight!

Anyway the cruise started and I received an invitation to a cocktail party which I was very excited to attend and chose to wear one of my favourite outfits. What I hadn’t realised was that it was a “coketail” party for the children and at 19 years old I was just eligible! I can remember being surrounded by much younger passengers when said young officer appeared. He looked across the room at me with a rather confused expression and then left.

I thought that I had missed my chance! However, I did not give up quite that quickly and later that evening after my parents had gone to their cabin I decided to try and find him. I was just about to give up my quest when there he was chatting with some other officers in the Carousel Lounge. Now I have to say my courage left me and I could not make the final move - instead got myself a drink and hovered! He since told me that he had spied me but wanted to see how long I would wait!!!!

In the nick of time he did come over and asked if I wanted a drink and the rest as they say is history!

Our first date was on a P&O Cruises tour to an evening BBQ in San Antonio, Ibiza – we still have the photographic evidence on the wall.

After a super holiday the time came to say goodbye and I never questioned that this was going to work. Even my Dad said “I suppose we will be coming on a cruise next year” and indeed we did! Our courtship was for the most part by correspondence as these were the days before e-mails and texts. We have boxes of letters in the loft sent to and from every corner of the globe.

We got married in 1985 and our son was born in 1988. It is a very strange life but the only one we have known and it seems to work for us. There are ups and downs, obviously he does not come home from work each evening and can be away for four months at a time. This, of course, means that family celebrations may be missed like our son’s 21st birthday but we celebrated later – us and 10 young people on a Ventura Party Cruise, great fun - and we often have Christmas on a date other than 25th December!!!

We have fabulous times when he does come home and enjoy our own holidays more often than not in Italy.

Due to my own work commitments I do not often get to cruise but I did just recently and it is good to see him at work. He is very dedicated, still enthusiastic and works incredibly hard as do the rest of the ship’s company.

Well who is the mystery man you may ask?

None other than Nigel Travis, your blogging Arcadia Cruise Director!!

Goodbye from me!

Mandy

Nigel on our first date ever in San Antonio Ibiza 1982.

Mandy on our first date ever in San Antonio Ibiza 1982.

Nigel and I on board Arcadia in November 2010!

La Palma - 13 December 2010

Hello from La Palma, it is the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands and is the most north easterly. It is a volcanic ocean island and although only 276 sq miles in area has a mountain 7,874 feet above sea level!

Today I am going to tell you all about what we do on our fleet of ships at Christmas as I am sure you are aware it’s nearly that time of year!

We make a huge effort to make sure our passengers will have the best Christmas ever on our P&O Cruises Ships, and that starts even before they join! I was on board Arcadia last Christmas for its 23 night Southampton to Southampton cruise to the Caribbean and what we did on board is quite typical of what happens on any of our ships. Before the passengers joined there were Father Christmas and his Elves to greet them in the passenger terminal at Southampton which had been decorated for the festive season.

Once the passengers came on board we had the ‘Southampton Music Services Children’s Choir’ to entertain them with festive favourites, and of course the ships had been fully decorated for the passengers' arrival!

One of the Entertainment Officers and ship's pianists invited the passengers to form a choir and they performed on Christmas Eve for Santa’s arrival, Christmas Day at the on board Church Service and at the Pantomime on Boxing Day, and they also gave their own concert.

Yes, the passengers put together their very own Pantomime with the assistance of another of the talented Entertainment Officers; this was performed on Boxing Day to a packed house in the Palladium.

On Christmas Eve Father Christmas arrived, he greeted everyone and then had to be off on his way, he’s a busy sort of chap at the festive season! On Christmas Eve night we had our very own Headliners Theatre Company perform their very own Pantomime ‘Harlequinade’. We also had a Countdown to Christmas Party out on deck as by this time we were already in the tropical climate of the Caribbean.

Christmas Day is one long festive feast which included ‘The Arcadia Officers Choir’ singing carols pre dinner.

As I am sure you can see we make a huge effort to make sure there is a great deal of festive activities and fun going on for those passengers who want it.

We also had classic Christmas movies being shown on the ships passenger TV system and up to date Christmas movies in the Screening Room, which is our on board cinema.

The passengers were still on board for New Years Eve on that cruise and we held the party for this out on deck where I can ashore you everyone had a very good time!

Enjoy the photographs of our wonderful Christmas Decorations here on board Arcadia, I am sure the Christmas Cruise this year will be as memorable as last years!

The Atrium, looking down from The Piano Bar.

The Atrium Stairway.

Myself and a very fine Christmas Tree in the Atrium! 

The fabulous Christmas Decorations in the Atrium

Arcadia's Pub 'The Rising Sun', looking great for the 'Festive Season'!

Another shot of the Christmas Decorations in 'The Rising Sun'. 

The Shore Excursions desk.

Spinnaker Bar


Best Wishes.

Nigel

Madeira - 12 December 2010

Hello from Madeira!


We have just had three days at sea down from Southampton and we are now in Madeira our first port of call this cruise.

We arrived here first thing this morning and are due to sail for La Palma, Canary Island this afternoon at 5.30pm.

Madeira is one of my favourite ports of call in the world; it is so lovely I have even been here on holiday with my wife Mandy and son Bradley. We were here for New Years Eve a few years ago and they always have a firework display to see the old year out and the new year in, it is fantastic, something everyone should see once in their life. This year on New Year’s Eve the lucky passengers and ships companies on both Artemis and Oriana will get to see the fireworks display in Madeira as these two ships have scheduled calls into here on 31 December.

Our passengers adore Madeira, there is just so much to do and so many diverse tours to choose, you can go on the Famous Toboggan Ride, go up the Cable Car, have Tea at the Reids Palace Hotel or even go out on the Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour, in all we have eleven tours available in this port!

Madeira had awful floods and landslides in February but you'll be pleased to hear you would never know now, Madeira is back looking its pristine best!

First thing this morning I have a ‘Ships Activity Schedule’ meeting for next cruise. At this meeting all the various departments on board make sure that we are all working together as a team to finalise next cruise. We then will release a ‘Ships Activity Schedule’ document for next cruise to the ships company which states all our various training drills, clock changes, sailaways, committee meetings, ports of call itinerary, food and beverage arrangements, dress codes, entertainment, passenger parties etc. On Arcadia, (as all the P&O Cruises ships), we work as one big team to make sure everything runs as smoothly as it possibly can for our passengers.

After I have ‘cleared my desk’ this morning (after the Ships Activity Schedule meeting), I intend to get off for a walk, this is what I tend to do in the ports of call if I have the time. As I think you know I am a keen walker and even bring my walking boots away with me so if I do get an hour or two off I can get out and about and stretch my legs.

A little bit today about all the staff who keep this mighty ship operating. The ship’s company numbers 861 and is made up of 27 nationalities with people from all over the world, with different cultures and religions who all work together harmoniously, if only the world was like any one of our ships! We are a mini United Nations without their Security Council!

I will be off for now, but will be back tomorrow from La Palma.

 Arcadia in Madeira

Aerial shots of Funchal Madeira.

Reids Palace Madeira

Madeira sea cliffs

I do hope you like these shots of the new Cunard Liner Queen Elizabeth. I took these yesterday. Queen Elizabeth was on her way northbound from Madeira where she had been on Friday and sailing to Southampton where she is due to arrive on Tuesday. We were heading southbound from Southampton to Madeira! The passengers just love passing other ships at sea, I love it too, it adds to the daytime entertainment!!

Queen Elizabeth has been in service since October, she is 90,900 GRT, 964.5 feet long, 106 feet wide and has a guest capacity of 2,068 and a crew of 996.

Take care.



Nigel

North Atlantic Ocean - 10 December 2010

Hello from the North Atlantic Ocean, Southbound heading for Madeira and the sun where we arrive on Sunday.

I will set the scene for this cruise today!

We departed Southampton Wednesday on this 11 night cruise due to call at Madeira (an autonomous region of Portugal), La Palma, Tenerife, Lanzarote (all in the Canary Islands) and Vigo in northern Spain, before returning to Southampton on 19 December. It really is ‘A Magnificent Adventure’, what a cruise!!

This is a rundown of the entertainment we have for our passengers; there really is a great deal of it!

We have as always a great line of day and night time entertainment, our fantastic Headliners Theatre Company will be performing six production shows this cruise, including our Christmas Show, ‘Jingle all the Way’. In addition to these we have three cabaret acts on this eleven night voyage; David Karl who is a vocalist who has appeared in many West End Musical Theatre shows, Lee Wilson, our comic who has had a long varied career in the world of entertainment and was one of the Granada TVs Comedians, and Robin Good who is a multi instrumentalist and all round entertainer.

We also have a classical pianist Christina McMaster, and our usual five bands and a cocktail pianist.

There is also a really great line up of activities for our passengers to go to during the five days at sea this cruise that include; Dance Classes with Bob and Jean Kilpatrick, Craft Classes with Susan Smith, Guest Speaker on Aviation and Concorde Mike Hollyer, Guest Speaker Political History, Professor Robert Williams and last but certainly not least award winning columnist from The Guardian Newspaper Polly Toynbee.

We also have game shows, sports activities, cooking demos, movies being shown etc, etc, the list is nearly endless!

Don't forget to send us your blog entries - 500-1000 words plus your photos, to community@pocruises.com.  We have seen some great entries so far but we're still looking for more, so please tell us your story so we can share it with the world!

I have some shots of Arcadia in Southampton on a very cold bleak 8 December for you today; you can see from them what a logistical wonder turnaround day is! Thank goodness we were sailing for the sun!!

Best Wishes.

Nigel