July 13 to July 28, 2017 – SHIP: Queen Elizabeth. PEOPLE: Diana Clifford, Nelson Clifford, Anne Martin, Roger Cooper. ROUTE: Southampton, England; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallin, Estonia; St.Petersburg, Russia; Skagen, Denmark; Wernermunde, Germany; Southampton, England.
Friday July 13 – SOUTHAMPTON – Anita Martin arrives from Mexico and we head first to Wokingham for some breakfast and a rest before heading down to Southampton. Nelson and Diana had arrived on the Queen Mary this morning and after dropping their bags at the hotel, went to the West Quay Mall. Roger and Anita met them at the mall for lunch at a nice Italian place. After a wander around the mall we all went to the Hilton Doubletree Hotel. The place is nice but the service terrible. In the bar playing dominos we ordered a Pims and it took 40 minutes to get them. Dinner was as bad with us ordering tomato soup and getting squash soup!!!!
Saturday July 14 – BOARD QUEEN ELIZABETH – After breakfast we ordered a taxi and piled the luggage into the rental car and taxi heading to the Queen Elizabeth ship Quay where Diana, Nelson and Anita got off and Roger & Taxi delivered the rental car and returned. On the ship we had lunch and a fun time exploring the ship. Smaller than it’s sister ship the Queen Mary, but much more elegantly appointed. The common areas really reflect the by-gone days of elegant sea travel. Our dinner table is by the stern window, which will be great for early sail away’s. We purchased from Bo, our somnolier, a wine package and the Rioja Reserve was on the table. We were greeted by the waiter Edwin and his assistant, both from the Philippines and enjoyed a nice dinner. We then went to the Lawn Bowls / Croquet area on the top deck stern, to watch the sail away down the Solent past the Isle of White, before ending up in the Commodore Club bar and retiring for the night.
Saturday July 15 – AT SEA – A quiet day at sea. After a leisurely late breakfast, we wandered around and explored the shops then came the serious task of a fierce lawn Bowls competition. After some 20 ends Diana and Nelson trounced Anita and Roger so we retired to the bar for shandy’s and ended up staying for tea. It was then time to dress for dinner and the show – Stephanie Parker sings a tribute Whitney Houston to a relatively subdued audience. The night was capped off with drinks at the midship bar with a delightful harpist.
Roger & Anne Travels 