As I pulled on my wellies this morning and went out in the pouring rain to feed the pigs in the mud couldn’t help thinking of what I’d much rather be doing.
Being Halloween, I was expected a fright as I grappled with the 12-week old porkers and I wasn’t to be disappointed one tried to chew my leg rather than bury its snout into the pig feed.
With the children on school half term climbing the walls because they can’t go outside due to the dreadful weather, this time of year is really depressing.
What made things worse was the clocks going back an hour on Sunday morning. That feeling of depression really intensifies for me as it signals that the nights are drawing in and that winter’s almost upon us.
Combined all this together and there’s only one conclusion I could come to – why didn’t I get my act together and book us all on a cruise as there happens to be lots of options at this time of the year.
Not least of these are so-called re-positioning cruises, when cruise companies move their vessels around the world.
What they are effectively doing is following the sun. So, for example, ships deployed in the Mediterranean in summer such as those run by American companies like Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International return cross the Atlantic Ocean to operate in the Caribbean or head to Dubai or other warm water destinations.
Follow the sun
They then return after their winter sojourns in the sun in April time just when the weather starts hotting up again in southern Europe.
These transatlantic voyages are a great way of squeezing the best value out of your cruise.
Prices tend to be pretty keen as they are one-way journeys – you have to fly home again – and there’s plenty to time to relax on board due to the extended amount of time spent at sea. Perfect for rejuvenating in the spa, getting a health kick in the gym or catching up reading the latest books on my favourite new gadget, the Kindle.
Because of the distance travelled, these voyages tend to be ten days or more in duration but provide a fascinating way of following the routes explorers to the New World made centuries ago.
Also, such journeys across the Atlantic only happen twice a year – when ships travel to Europe in the spring and when they return to the Caribbean and US in the autumn.
Flagship revamp
Of course, one of the best ways of travelling to and from New York is on the only regular scheduled cruise liner service run by Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2.
And that experience is about to get even better thanks to a top to toe revamp of the vessel ahead of its eighth birthday in January.
The ship is going into a shipyard in Hamburg for two weeks from November 24 for a thorough make over, including a number of new features the company is keeping close to its chest.
What we do know is that the refit will cover all 1,310 cabins which will be given a fresh look with new carpeting, curtains, bedspreads and new furniture in some.
Cunard promises that the new look cabins will be “in keeping” with current designs but with an enhanced sense of comfort that can be experienced in luxury hotels around the world.
The popular Golden Lion pub on board is being revamped with improved TV screens and plush seating similar to those in the same venues on board sister ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria.
An extensive refurbishment of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub at sea is planned with a general upgrade of all the facilities. New exercise machines in the fitness centre and improved features in the Beauty Salon will be installed.
The Commodore Club lounge overlooking the bow of the ship will be refreshed with a new carpet design and additions to the white leather furnishings of chairs, sofas and bar stools.
New carpets will be laid in the Queens Grill and Princess Grill Restaurants as well as the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar and Sir Samuel’s coffee and wine bar.
QM2 is mistakenly often not thought to be suitable for youngsters, when in fact the vessel has more than adequate facilities for children. These are being improved as the Play Zone/Kids’ Zone undergoes a complete refurbishment, including new soft play areas, plus the latest in electronic gaming technology and entertainment.
The ship is due to re-emerge in all its finery on December 8 in time for a two-day sojourn from Southampton to Cherbourg before returning to the North Atlantic and voyages in the Caribbean and then stretching out on its 107-night 2012 world cruise to Australia via Cape Town on the way out and Asia, India and the Middle East on its return to Southampton.
Sounds like passengers will be high on the hog. However, pigs are likely to fly before I find the time to take three months off, so it’s back to the pigsty for me.
Leave a Comment