Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) To cruise or not ?

The demograph is wrong, there isn't enough room in them for the Zimmer, wheelchair and oxygen bottle ..

Cruising defo not for me or Lady HB to be honest.
We don’t like crowds, being friendly with strangers (unless they like Morgan’s), talking to strangers on holiday, hate seeing the big ships in Venice. Conversely, having lived in Shotley Gate for a number of years (home of HMSGanges) we both used to love watching the activities of Felixstowe Docks for many an hour from the marina opposite....
The pollution is awful but I guess that makes me a kinda hypocrite driving the Morgan....
The idea of a cruise would be a living nightmare, the claustrophobic nature of it, with sharing mealtimes and the evening entertainment more of a threat to my very existence than a pleasure.
I really am a miserable sod you know ....
But each to their own of course...
Fondest regards and man hugs to all (but not at the present time of course)
HB

Kept coming across this beastie when we hired a boat on the Caledonian canal.

https://www.caledonian-discovery.co.uk/life-on-board/

Just need one of those outback Canadian canoes Richard - they'd even get the camping gear in too!


Looks interesting.:)

A couple of weeks ago decided no cruise this year due to Corvid. A cruise ship is a bigger version of a plane with conditions ripe for spread of infections. Hand gel is basically enforced on you as you enter restaurants, theatres, introduced to prevent Nova virus infection. You NEED medical insurance too as on board treatment is expensive!
The pollution from the cruise industry is also lurking as a target too. A cruise ship is a power hungry beast. In effect a floating town but with less potential for carbon free generation. It is big business though as more people have discovered it is affordable and the high level of standards of food, entertainment, destinations. I can see taxes being imposed. Cars are already being further developed as cash cows with eco justification. Not a bad thing but a bit disjointed re application. Buying a car for £40k+? You have enough money to pay more tax then, sir! Buying an EV? You need £££ for the higher purchase cost as a private buyer as no tax incentives exist to private owners.

Had many a cruise on the Grey Funnel Line in both big and small ships creating different experiences. Six weeks on the old HMS Bulwark or as she was affectionately known the Rusty B was a joyful experience. Six months on the Destroyer HMS Antrim was good at first but became restrictive, there again as embarked Royal Marines we were surplus to requirements, the runs ashore were good!!!!!

Bruce, I guess you were before the mixed crew malarkey came in that must get very interesting to control at times.

Oh yes way before mixed crews, we had WRNS in our shore establishments and on certain operations such as Northern Ireland. They were always a welcome distraction and they very much enjoyed being attached to the Marines as they were made to feel special, have to say they worked hard and did a grand job. The other welcome ladies were the Queen Alexandra Nurses who were with us during the Falklands War, they did a sterling job in difficult conditions. When I had to go into Stonehouse Royal Naval Hospital for a spot of repair the Naval Nurses always had us Royal Marines iron their Headdress which had seven pleats (representing the seven seas) in it, those days are gone now. We were great at ironing because our uniform shirts had pleats which had to be perfect so our reputation went before us. SWMBO still has me iron anything with pleats or creases in!!!!

I do both. Cruise ship holidays are great. We go from UK ports and so avoid the apalling experience of flying, decent food, lots of entertainment, visit lots of places without packing / unpacking and flights, time at sea, and they are good value cash wise. You need to avod the huge ships but those with 100 passengers or so are good.

One of my neighbours was a lifetime RM Bandie and he went to stretcher bear in the Falklands and try to entertain you sharp end guys. He told me once of how he criticised his newly wed wife about her ironing of his dress shirt and ended up doing all the ironing for a while.
We have an ex WRNS as a fellow bell ringer she is a mathematician and served a lot of her time in Whitehall I believe a good ringer but a little sober.