My dream comes to an end !

Before the virus hit us I said I wanted to travel more depending how long my dog was alive . I've not visited parts of Scotland and never been to Ireland so I picked out a cruise that departed from an English port which meant no flying and hence no limit on luggage . The problem which might have arisen was also stopping off at Rotterdam in Holland and Honfleur in France using a passport in male mode .

I checked out to see if the trip was still bookable once the virus is behind us , possibly being slightly optimistic with the vaccine .

It looks like this particular dream is over , the company has gone into liquidation and their fleet of ships are beached in Turkey waiting to be scrapped .

Looking for alternatives wasn't very helpful many more ships are also beached in Turkey or India waiting to be scrapped . Surprsingly some cruise lines are reporting brisk sales but I think I will give 2021 a miss and see what 2022 brings , it's still nice to dream !

Maybe just postponed. Not sure how doggy fits in but I'm sure you know.
There's always more dreams. They're endless.

Keep dreaming Teresa!

These things will come back some day and where a void was left by the company that went into liquidation another will take its place so long as there are people who still want these kinds of trips.

Racel

Hi Teresa :hugs:, Maybe some day the world will return to normal , I hope I live long enough to see it, >>>>>>Orchid**O:daydreaming:O**

Teresa,
Load up the Volvo next summer and drive around Scotland!
There are some unbelivable roads to explore.
No airline, No cruiceline, and you have a lot better control of the situation.

Remember the saying -- "This, too, shall pass." Some things will return to normal. I had planned on taking my daughters on a trip to DC in 2020 until the virus hit. Now, I'm dubious about 2021. It has been delayed for about 4 years already due to other circumstances. It could be a lost cause, but I'm still dreaming. As the song says, "Don't stop believing."

Don't ever let your dreams die my friend, the North Atlantic is a cool place to visit on a ship.
I was in the US Navy on a carrier for the 40th Anniversary of D-day and saw Northern France, Cork, Plymouth and Lisboa. Go in July if you can, the colors are so vivid and the wine.... "merveilleuse"!!!!

Hi Teresa, This Covid has ruined so many plans but with the vaccine we may see some sense of getting back to where we were.
I say to take the money from the trip and get another puppy, they are so good to have around.

Suzie,
I must admit I like the glamour of cruising , go do your daytrips then clean up find a nice bar and relax with a drink , have a wonderful meal and take in a show . Wake up to find another port of call and start all over again , the right cruise line and destinations gives you the flexibility to do your own thing . On our Baltic cruise I just hopped off and went exploring the lovely cities armed with my guide and plenty of film for my camera .

Crissy,
I walk everyday with dog walkers so I get the exercise without needing a dog but saying that I miss my old Labrador , she was a sweety !

Candy ,
Is it right once you have the salt in your veins you never leave the sea ? I must admit arriving to some destinations by sea is the way to do it , I'll never forget sailing into Venice was fantastic even if it was 6.30 in the morning .

Teresa,

Having toured Scotland a couple of years ago I'd second Suzie's idea of going by car. Part of our trip took us from Glencoe to the Isle of Skye. Every bend we went around it was, "OMG, look at that view!". The scenery was just stunning and of course you're free just to pullover and soak it all in.

The Scottish ports along the west coast are really quiet small affairs and if you're there just for a matter of hours you don't see a great deal of what the area has to truly offer.

Last night I think it was channel 4 had Julie Walters travelling from Fort William to Malaig by train. It's said to be one of if not the most scenic railway journeys in the country and something I've done twice and would do again at the drop of a hat. Top travel tip; get off at the last but one stop, Morar. It was where they filmed "Local hero" and the beaches are just pristine white sand. Much nicer than the end of the line which is really not much more than a small ferry/fishing port.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is inland so you'd miss it on a boat as is Loch Ness.

One final thought; cruises have proven to be nothing more than floating petri dishes at the start of the pandemic. I'd steer clear of a liner as you don't know from where in the world the other passengers have travelled from for at least the next 2-3 years. Also given there's just lots of small independent hotels that serve wonderful food, what's not to like.

Not related to being in "Terri mode", but we are giving the cruise lines a little more time to get a handle on things. So, maybe next year will be a great time for your adventure.

Been doing a lot of overseas holidays up until last year. A few cruises around Europe with my daughter. The last one in 2018 was similar to the one u described. I always bring Sherry along on my cruises for a few pics here and there!:battingeyelashes:

I gave up pets like dogs and cats years ago. Too difficult if u travel a lot like I do. And, heart breaking when they pass!:doh:

I predict you'll have plenty of chances to live your dream of cruising as Teresa!:thumbsup:

Helen,
Sorry I'm stuck on cruising , I've never had a problem with health issues but I also realise they will want a full clean bill of health before I step on board again . I've made so many friends in the past onboard ship and visited places I may never visit again .

Sherry,
It will be nice to retell the stories when it happens , which I hope it will .

Teresa, I'm a bit in both camps with this. Scotland is beautiful, but chose your times carefully. The midges on the west coast are terrible, so many that they are under air traffic control.
Bit I also enjoy cruising, particularly into the Baltic, or Arctic circle regions. Just chose your cruise line carefully. I would hate to be on one of those ships with 2500 plus passengers. Already booked for 2022, and 630 guests max.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Teresa

Suzie,
I must admit I like the glamour of cruising , go do your daytrips then clean up find a nice bar and relax with a drink , have a wonderful meal and take in a show . Wake up to find another port of call and start all over again , the right cruise line and destinations gives you the flexibility to do your own thing . On our Baltic cruise I just hopped off and went exploring the lovely cities armed with my guide and plenty of film for my camera .

---

I've heard of that - photographic film. Is it still available? How do you get the images off of it and onto your PC or tablet? LOL...
I was just today thinking of all the time I spent shooting motorsports on Tri-X and refining my darkroom technique. It seems like a lifetime ago.

Teresa,
My suggestion was of course not that you should do a car trip instead of the cruise you wanted to do .. it was more of a "Since a cruise is not possible, how about doing a car trip!"

But honestly, I agree with Helen that the inland of Scotland has a lot more to offer than a few brief stops along the coast.

I have been on one cruise and while I did to a degree enjoy the feeling of luxury at times, I also had more than enough of people everywhere. And to be honest, I dont like the pressure of the very strict timing of port calls and the threat of being left behind if not back onboard in time.

We are all different of course, but I much prefer to be able to stay a little longer if I feel like it, and not have someone else tell me when I have to go. Especially so with camera in hand, since in a place like Scotland, another 30 minutes can mean the difference between pouring rain and a streak of magic sunlight.

Suzie,
Maybe you could see cruising as a taster for venues you might like to revisit . Norway was lovely and cruising was a great way of seeing it but I'm not sure if I want to return . My Baltic cruise gave me the chance to sample most of the Cities . The cruise from Greece through turkey and then passing through the Suez canal to see the Pyamids , the Valley of the Kings and up to the hidden city of Petra in Jordan was amazing value and a wonderful trip . I may revisit Egypt and possibly take a Nile cruise but I have to say I'm drawn back to Italy , I've promised myself another trip to Lake Garda but this time to buy a steamer ticket and travel round the lovely towns surrounding the lake .

Aunt kelly ,
I've kept my old PC running Windows XP so I can use my Epsom scanner to scan my negatives into an old version of Photoshop , at the moment I rely on a Canon Ixus for my digital pictures but really need to get a digital Nikon body so I can use my selection of Nikon lenses .

Kaye,
I've only been to Scotland once and that was to visit friends at R.A.F. Kinloss , so we spent a few days touring round looking for " Nessie " .

I agree about passenger numbers , most of my cruises were on a small ship with 550 passengers , it was lovely you got to know most people it was so friendly . Some well known celebrities entertained us and often doubled as tour guides , we had a great time touring Copenhagen with Peter Goodright acting as a guide .

Yes Italian lakes. I can recommend Lake Como, been there twice and if you go just before Easter time as the trees blossom the colours are just stunning.
The pic below is from the roof terrace of our hotel. Queen Vic stayed there you know!


Attachment 318543

We flew into Milan and caught the train to the lake side and then a quick ferry to the hotel. 05:00 start, flight, train, ferry and in the hotel for early afternoon tea.

Really enjoyed Lake Como a couple of years ago. It was part of an organized tour that started in Stressa (which is a very interesting town) and then moved along to Zermatt and Lucern. Anyway, while in Stressa we had a side trip to Lake Como which included a cruise up and down the lake and some time in the town. It also included a pasta making lesson plus lunch afterwards that we really enjoyed.

Anyway, a very picturesque experience.

Candykowal, We stopped at Rota Spain to have catwalks welded that were knocked off by waves. We lost a couple planes over the side as well. I spent over thirty hours on bucket brigade scooping up salt water on account of some bad dogs on the hatches. I think our forum sisters want to avoid those kinds of cruises at all costs.

When we got close to the base they had us go up and launch a couple planes. The cat officer signaled to launch while the bow was pointing into the wave and by the time I hit the fire button and the plane got to the end of the cat track the bow was lifted up. Like I said, they want to avoid those kinds of cruises.

While we're on Iraly, Teresa how about Milan during fashion week? A chance to strut your stuff?

Helen,
That is the point of Italy so many places to want to return to . I've done Venice twice , Pisa , Florence , Sorrento twice , Rome , Verona, Caserta ( allied HQ ) . I would like to return to Pompeii and Herculaneum . The most moving experience was standing in the commonwealth cemetary looking up at Monte Casino Abbey , the abbey itself is amazing .

Yet there are so many parts of the UK I've not visited , there is so much on our own doorstep .

Teresa, I'm just wondering what effect Brexit has had on your future travel plans too. As I understand it, you'll need your UK passport to visit any of the EU countries. Right?

Jenna,
In all my travels abroad whether it was within the EU or not we always needed a passport . Lets not forget it contains other information if you are involved in a serious accident like a plane crash most people can be tracked though the information in their passports . I may stand corrected but hotels abroad etc. take your passport as form of definite ID for your credit details .

My designated gender might pose more problems after Brexit but again most EU countries are OK with gender issues , that's why I'm disapointed that I won't be booking this particular cruise .

In my experience a cruise is no way to visit Italy unless you've already seen it all before? U need to spend a week in Rome alone! 2 or 3 days in Venice, Florence, Napoli area, and few other places.:daydreaming:

Cruises give u 1/2 a day in each, at best!:straightface:

This thread has become more about the places to cruise to than CDing. Anyone who wants to continue talking to Teresa about traveling is free to PM her.