And so it begins …

We’ve decided to go down to Southampton today rather than on our sailing day – tomorrow; the snow has helped make that decision, as has the need to get-on-with-it.

We sailed on Arvia a couple of years ago from Barbados, around the Caribbean so are aware of P&O’s ethos, but the reviews I’ve read on Arcadia are far from glowing, and I have to say I’m a bit nervous. But the good points easily outweigh the bad … all P&O vessels transact in Sterling making it easy to keep tabs on spending and there is no such thing as gratuities, however ‘optional’ other cruise lines tell you it is. This ship is 20 years old and in ship terms is almost pensionable but I’m stunned and a little concerned about people’s negativity. My mum always used to tell me and my sister “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” and whilst it’s helpful to know that the ship won’t allow inflatables in the pools, and the speciality dining or spa days get booked up pretty quickly, is it necessary to highlight that on an adults only ship, that overall is doing a round the world cruise of 100 nights, the demographic is quite mature and some mobility aids may be in use? As a parent, grandparent and veteran cruiser I can honestly say that a couple of wheelchairs or mobility scooters outrank badly behaved children and parents who think its the crew’s job to entertain their offspring any day of the week!

As a retired software trainer and Practice Manager, my life is run on the 80/20 rule, and if the 80% is good then the 20% is inconsequential, if it’s vice versa then you need to go to the source and allow them to fix it before pouring negativity into an atmosphere that always affects more people than you ever intended it to. If a complainer’s personal life is as perfect as they expect other experiences to be, then I am in awe … but we all have a skeleton in the closet.

So bring it on Arcadia … you’re taking me to places most people only dream of … Senegal, Namibia, South Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, Mauritius, the Panama Canal and many more … and for that I’m grateful 🙂