Thoughts on an evening out

[Meldrew2]

We went out to the theatre last night. Staying overnight at the Holiday Inn, we took a taxi to Manchester Arena for the show. The entrance is now from a ring road, where there is no room for traffic to stop, so the taxi dropped us off a block away. An uphill walk, crowds in the entrance, but finally we are in.

After a great show ("Early Doors" Live) we had a supper reservation at a well known Indian Restaurant. Ten minutes walk became twenty as we struggled to find the restaurant, but still we got there at 10.30 for an 11.00 supper booking. It was closed, despite having had an email confirmation that very afternoon.

Taxi back to the hotel. Well - - - err not exactly to the hotel. Did you know, there are FOUR Holiday Inn hotels within two miles of each other! Finally back at the correct hotel, to finish the evening on beer and pizza. Not quite the supper we were looking forward to.

Why am I posting this on here? Well, contrast the above experience to an evening on a Cruise Ship. Good food in the MDR, a good show in the theatre or show lounge, after show drinks in one of a choice of bars, supper in the buffet.

The biggest potential problem is maybe turning the wrong way, getting out of the lift on the way back to our cabin.

Is it any wonder that we love cruising?

 

[MancMike]

Obviously you're deliberately comparing apples & pears, but even as someone who's never lived outside of Manchester, none of the above is surprising.

It read like you've planned an evening in a small town, but in one of the busiest cities in the UK. An evening plan like yours, I'd make if I was visiting southport! Having said that, with your restaurant closed, you wouldn't have been more than a few minutes walk from somewhere else open and ready to seat you. Also there's several of everything, sometimes even naming the street isn't sufficient!

Manchester city centre is chaotic, stressful and ever changing. Whenever we go there, it's for one thing and we get the hell outta there. I was at the arena a few weeks ago, and you're right, such a venue should have a take off area for pickups & drop offs, much like the Parrswood "multiplex" has in Didsbury. You pull off the main road into a "pit stop" style road for pickups and drop offs and access to the car parks.

 

[Yugguy]

Haven't been to Manc for a good 15 years, but previous to that spend many a working day, and night there.

I wonder if the Balti Basement ever redecorated?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Sometimes I can be in the wrong mood for going out.

 

[Scott_F]

Is it any wonder that we love cruising?

So did Ron Davies and he never had to go further than Clapham Common.

 

[alzieboy]

What’s an. Evening Out

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Never been on a cruise because, I have a mental image of people bingeing on food (also hate buffet food) and booze because they have "paid" for it as part of an inclusive package and then sleeping it off lying next to a pool all day.

Is it like that?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Newly wed or nearly dead.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Also never done a cruise unless you count North Sea Ferries and the likes on the overnight "Love Boat" over to mainland Europe.
It is one of the things on the other half's list though, she keeps telling me we must go on one as a lot of her friends rave about them.
I keep explaining (after traveling a lot for work over years) that I have air miles but no cruise miles so it will have to wait to I use them first.

Do like Evenings Out though, meals, concerts even musicals, must be an age related thing.

Have a late afternoon meal and drinks booked with friends today, then same tomorrow, I say late afternoon as we like to be back home and settled by no later than 9pm.
Got a few overnights booked too, Edinburgh next month for a musical and booked The Eagles in Glasgow next year with an overnight too.
You can sort of treat them like mini holidays, something to look forward to and a break away from the norm.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

We did our very first cruise last October so we have nothing to compare it against. We really enjoyed it. Our one and only gripe was the utter snobbery of some of the guests.

There was a certain degree of binge eating in the two buffet restaurants but we favoured the more sedate atmosphere of the other ‘sit down’ restaurants.

Every member of staff was lovely, friendly & very helpful.

Btw it was a budget cruise with Thomson (Discovery 2 at the time). But very nice all the same.

I can only imagine the standard of the more upmarket cruise liners.

 

[Meldrew2]

Never been on a cruise because, I have a mental image of people bingeing on food (also hate buffet food) and booze because they have "paid" for it as part of an inclusive package and then sleeping it off lying next to a pool all day. Is it like that?

Nothing like that. Plenty of "proper" restaurants on board, with lots of healthy options. From a cabaret "supper club" (Limelight on P&O Britannia) to Teppanyaki (eight seats around the hot plate on Norwegian Cruise Line) and great steaks (Crown Grill on Princess). Several cruise lines offer inclusive drinks (most at a supplement over the regular fare) but the only "Booze Cruises" that we have been on are the shorter P&O cruises from Southampton - they seem to attract a young, TOWIEish British crowd. We generally prefer the American & European lines, which have a nicer mix of passengers of various nationalities.

Our one and only gripe was the utter snobbery of some of the guests.

Snobbery seems to be prevalent on the cruise lines catering to British guests - and it seems to be the particular preserve of those who like to "dress up" on gala nights. In particular, P&O, Fred Olsen, Thomson and Cunard. We have found no snobbery on board Norwegian (who have no dress code), MSC (who have a Gala night but do it with Italian style - designer jeans, nice shirts, not dinner suits like the British) or Princess (the nearest American equivalent to P&O).

On our last cruise (with P&O) there was a bit of snobbery about "how many cruises have YOU done" between a couple at our table - 18 cruises for one couple, 6 cruises for another, 3 for the other couple. I just winked at Mrs Meldrew, but they pressed us for an answer to how many we had done (slightly more, at 105).

We particularly like the way that cruise ships put a lot of facilities in one place, and the moving scenery and ports of call are a real bonus - Alaska has amazing scenery just outside your window, and the holiday atmosphere of the ports in the Caribbean are two of the reasons that we have become addicts.

I can only imagine the standard of the more upmarket cruise liners.

I've got a lot of respect for the way Thomson (now "Marella") operate their ships. The smaller ones, like Majesty (no longer with them) are operated in a style that reminds me of how cruising used to be. Small, friendly, and a crew that works hard to make the cruise special. You forget the small cabins and lack of balconies and remember the crew talent show, the waiter who did a striptease on a chair in front of the Captain's table, the unhurried visit to the Bridge and the plentiful entertainment. I'd far rather have that than the latest go-kart track and rock climbing wall.

 

[BEJ]

We did a Fred Olsen cruise to the Norwegian fjords last May - our first cruise, unless you count my many years in the navy. Couldn't fault it, food was outstanding in the smaller restaurant, waiting staff and crew all very friendly. We chose Fred due to the smaller size of the ships, we don't particularly like crowds and queing.
As said before, the scenery and diffent ports come to you!! As for free drinks, the cost of that package came out more expensive than buying the drinks as and when required, we are not heavy drinkers, a bottle of wine between us for each evening meal.

 

[ShaunB]

We've been on quite a lot of cruises now, I love it, so relaxing and hassle free.
Only ever go with Royal Caribbean, been with Celebrity once. It was my first cruise, just for 5 days to see whether I'd like it or not whilst on holiday in Florida.
Last ship we were on was the oasis of the seas, but it was nearly too big. Previous cruises on smaller ships(2.5K on board) seem more personal, staff somehow manage remember your name, know what drink you like etc.
With the very big ship, you get none of that, as it has 5400 people on board.
Having said that, when you wander around, it never really feels overly busy.

 

[tangey]

so the taxi dropped us off a block away. An uphill walk, crowds in the entrance, but finally we are in.

Easy to walk far more than that to go from a stateroom to the threatre / showroom

Ten minutes walk became twenty as we struggled to find the restaurant

Did you know, there are FOUR Holiday Inn hotels within two miles of each other!

Sounds a little to me like there was insufficent planning, and having done a crusie, I do remember that the layout was quite dis-orientating to a first timer and walking what seemed like miles to find places. Quite like being in an unfamiliar city I suppose.

The fact the place you chose to eat was closed is the only thing that was unacceptable, everything else is pretty usual, and all of which could equally happen to anyone on a cruise ship that they weren't familiar with, and didn't plan ahead enough.

And although the shows on the cruise I had were entertaining and certainly made for a good night, by nature the quality of the performers and the stage shows won't be anything close to what you would get in a good threatre or music venue. Most of the supporting stagecast on the cruise shows tend to be regular employees tasked with doing other things during the day.

Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed our cruise, and I may another in the future.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I can think of few things which excite me less than the thought of cruise ship entertainment.

 

[st13phil]

I can think of few things which excite me less than the thought of cruise ship entertainment.

5 nights of cruise ship entertainment?

 

[Deleted96908]

5 nights of cruise ship entertainment?

My cousin went on an 80s cruise to Bilbao in the summer. She wasn't quite sure whether to expect Kim Wilde or tai chi. In the end she got a bit of both, plus bonus selfies with Mike Reid. She was chuffed. But have to say, not for me. Although I do fancy cruising the Norwegian Fjords, as long as it's not packed. I guess that's called a private yacht.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

I love Norway.. been may times, expensive yes, but beautiful just the same.. My best trip was meeting a client over there. We were to meet in a hotel. In he came and sat down.. we started the meeting. "Y'know what?.." he says "I don't like it here.. get your coat, we're leaving. " Promptly stands up and walks out to his car... It was a cracker of a day, cold but clear blue skies. He took me to a mountain car, paid the tickets and off we went.. I ended up in a restaurant at the very top of a mountain looking out over Oslo, what a view, what a meeting.. stunning.
I like the Norwegians, any WWII wreckage you're not allowed to touch, however they mark each wreckage with a Placard in Bronze/Brass (?) with the flight crew names, Squadron details, plane etc and what happened.. amazing really, but fitting I think..

 

[Deleted member 6183]

My cousin went on an 80s cruise to Bilbao in the summer. She wasn't quite sure whether to expect Kim Wilde or tai chi. In the end she got a bit of both, plus bonus selfies with Mike Reid. She was chuffed. But have to say, not for me. Although I do fancy cruising the Norwegian Fjords, as long as it's not packed. I guess that's called a private yacht.

Rrrrrrrrrunaround!!!

Ah, you meant the DJ one didn't you?

 

[Deleted96908]

I love Norway.. been may times, expensive yes, but beautiful just the same.. My best trip was meeting a client over there. We were to meet in a hotel. In he came and sat down.. we started the meeting. "Y'know what?.." he says "I don't like it here.. get your coat, we're leaving. " Promptly stands up and walks out to his car... It was a cracker of a day, cold but clear blue skies. He took me to a mountain car, paid the tickets and off we went.. I ended up in a restaurant at the very top of a mountain looking out over Oslo, what a view, what a meeting.. stunning.
I like the Norwegians, any WWII wreckage you're not allowed to touch, however they mark each wreckage with a Placard in Bronze/Brass (?) with the flight crew names, Squadron details, plane etc and what happened.. amazing really, but fitting I think..

Something else we have in common then D - Bad jokes , AutoDesk, WW2 aircraft and Norway. I lived 135 miles south of Oslo for a while. By coincidence in a tiny hamlet founded by a scotsman. Some photos of our house and view from bedroom window - hidden behind a spolier so as not to bog down the thread.

Spoiler: Lyckorna