"Our lovely, happy cocktail waitress Marai."
Sea Days
(28-29th May 2018)During our cruise we had 3 days when the ship was at sea meaning there were no shore trips. On these days we enjoyed various activities, including daytime shows, entertainers in the various bars, plenty of eating good food and consuming coctails and beer as well as 3 formal evenings when tuxcedos and sequined dresses (figuratively speaking) were the order of the day.
One of the things I enjoyed the most were the talks given by guest speaker John Mercer. He gave talks on a number of fairly well known incidents during WW1 and 2 such as:
• The Christmas Truce
Late on Christmas Eve 1914 men of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) heard German troops in the trenches opposite them singing carols and patriotic songs. Messages began to be shouted between the trenches and the following day soldiers from both sides met in no man's land and exchanged gifts, took photographs and some played impromptu games of football. They also buried casualties and repaired trenches and dugouts. After 1914, the High Commands on both sides tried to prevent any truces on a similar scale happening again. Despite this, there were some isolated incidents of soldiers holding brief truces later in the war, and not only at Christmas.
• The Kronstadt Rebellion
The Kronstadt rebellion was an attempt to instigate an anti-Bolshevik revolution in early 1921 as a consequence of the failure of Bolshevik economic policy, food shortages and worsening conditions. It took shape on Kronstadt, an island fortress and military garrison just a few miles from Petrograd. It was crushed by the Red Army but thousands of rebels fled across the ice, north to the nearby border with Finland, although around 2,000 were captured, marched into forests outside Petrograd and executed.
• Madeleine, the Spy Princess
Noor Inayat Khan, a descendant of Indian royalty, was raised in Britain and France and was recruited by the elite Special Operations Executive (SOE) in 1942 to work in Paris as a radio operator. After evading capture for three months, she was captured, tortured and eventually shot by the Gestapo at Dachau concentration camp in 1944. She spoke her final word 'Liberte' as the German firing squad raised their weapons.
• Mata Hari
Margaretha Geertruida "Margreet" MacLeod, better known by the stage name Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France. She lived a very colourfull life and in fear for her safety she admitted to spying for France but she was betrayed by her French contact Ladoux and ultimately convicted on all eight counts against her of spying for Germany. She was executed in great secrecy early on the morning of October 15, 1917.
• The Accrington Pals
Groups of friends from all walks of life in Accrington and its neighbouring towns enlisted together to form a battalion with a distinctively local identity. In February 1915 the battalion was given a magnificent send-off as it left Accrington to become the 94th Brigade. In the attack on Serre in January 1916 their objective was to capture the hilltop fortress of Serre and form a defensive flank facing north-east and north. However, in the battle that ensued the battalion was wiped out with 584 0f the 720 Accrington Pals killed, wounded or missing. Brigadier-General H. C. Rees, GOC of 94th Brigade paid tribute to the Lads, saying, "I have never seen, indeed could never have imagined such a magnificent display of gallantry, discipline and determination".
The Ship
Berni Flint
The entertainment on board was its usual very high standard with some great shows and superb artistes. My favourite was Berni Flint, who some may remember from his days as a winner (12 weeks running in 1977) on Opportunity Knocks with Hughie Green. This was the second time I had seen him on a P&O cruise ship and he was as funny the second time round - great singer/guitarist and comedian with a superb self-deprecating sense of humour.
A Special Waitress
My wife's favourite singer was Jonny Tristram who was resident singer in various bars on board and we let him entertain us whilst enjoying cocktails before and after the shows. Jane requested 'Black Velvet' so many times that he started playing it as soon as we entered the bar; Jane still follows him on Facebook. We made good friends with one of the waitresses who laughed and smiled so much that you could not help but be happy.
We had our meals at fixed times every evening (8.30pm), which may not be everyone's preference but we like the more formal occasion when we can dress smartly for the evening and get to know our waiters, Elvis, Rohan and our wine waiter (forgotten his name) who were superb. The later meal time gave us time to get back from the day out, get dressed up, have a pre-meal drink and after the meal go to the late show in the theatre.
The days at sea were spent sun-bathing, reading, eating, going to the various entertainment put on for guests and generally chilling out. We loved it and not to be a kill-joy we like the mainly adult population on the ship; we have 14 grandchildren which may be why we like to get away from them on holiday (LOL). It's also nice to be able to swim comfortably in the pools without them being full of children. Next year the Aurora will be 'adult only' and we have already booked again for the Mediterranean Cruise in May-June.
I can't finish this section without complimenting P&O on the quality of the food, especially breakfasts and evening meals - just superb.
