Thursday 21st March 2024 (Published 23/4/24)

It will soon be time to prepare for my journey to Lisbon and La Coruna on board Cunard’s Queen Anne as she sets sail on her much awaited maiden voyage. Lucy (my long-suffering travel consultant) secured me sole occupancy of a balcony cabin, aft, on Deck 8.  Of the current  fleet, I will have travelled on the maiden voyages on three out of four Cunard ships, all named after a British (female) monarch. 

It’s about time that my blog lived up to its title/address “davidscruise.blog”  And I look forward to imparting first-hand impressions (rather than critical opinion) on this much anticipated brand- new cruise ship. 

Easter is a week on Sunday, and I still have the Lindt chocolate Easter Bunny from last year’s World Voyage, albeit slightly disfigured from a brief spell in the sun! 

The first day of spring in Buxton is somewhat nondescript with little, if any, evidence of blue sky. It’s raining slightly, and it feels cool, with a parsimonious 8 – 9°C indicated in my car.  On Monday, I felt accident-prone, believing that I had written off my hugely expensive vari-focals.  A lens had dropped out, and somehow, the specs themselves had ended up on the garden path, bent and twisted, presumably by my having stood on them, unknowingly, of course!   On Tuesday, I ventured to my optician in Bakewell, where, within minutes, they were mended miraculously.  The repair lasted just one day.  The lens dropped out for a second time, and today, I would (tail between legs) return for a hopefully more permanent repair.  Apparently, the screw that secured the lens in the frame was not compatible with the thread.  I was relieved – not my fault! 

Reverting to reading glasses last night, I joined a full house at Marion’s weekly bible study where the readings and psalm for the following Sunday are studied/discussed in speculative detail.  A friendly neighbour, a couple of doors away, over the road caught up with me as I was setting off.  “Off out?” he enquired.  For some reason, feeling slightly uncomfortable, I admitted I was off to… Bible study!

22/3/24, Friday 14.48 hrs

I had slept well yesterday and awoke slightly more livelier than usual.  I would get up, have breakfast, drive out to Bakewell, hopefully have my veri-specs repaired again(!) head into Buxton for a weekly shop, and finally pick up some plastic cartons in which to store clothes I rarely, if ever, wear.  Most of these will end up in a charity shop.  I achieved everything except picking up the plastic cartons.  Cars were queuing for spaces not yet vacated by previous motorists.  I drove home.

Friday 12th April 2024. 10.10 hrs

Three weeks from today, I shall be in Southampton, probably just finishing breakfast with Roger, my long-suffering friend and neighbour over the road who drives me, the day before, to the South coast, and then takes my car back to Buxton at his leisure, priot to most of my voyages.  Cunard’s brand new cruise ship, Queen Anne, will have (or should  have been) in port since a much anticipated and triumphal arrival on 27th April.  I may try to be there for that, and then come home again before returning to Southampton on May 2nd.

For the first time in Cunard’s (and probably any other’s) history, Queen Anne is going to be officially named during its third voyage, around the coast of Britain, by a show-biz personality that I am unfamiliar with, rather than actual Royalty.  Usually, the naming ceremony (or “christening”) preceeds the maiden voyage.   

Last Monday, a total eclipse of the sun wowed millions in North America as a narrow area from Mexico to Newfoundland was overcome by spooky darkness for around four minutes, gradually during the day.   A hint of a partial eclipse occurred in N.W. Scotland, but photographs of that were unconvincing. 

There will be another total eclipse in 2026, and already, Cunard is arranging cruises from which this total eclipse can be viewed.  I must contact Lucy!

Tuesday 23rd April 2024 in Hargreaves Tea Rooms, around 4pm.

It is a calendar month and two days since I started writing this blog.  In less than 10 days, I shall be on my way to Southampton for my 50th Cunard voyage, nicely scheduled to be a maiden voyage.  Cunard’s Queen Anne is now scheduled to arrive at Southampton on 30th April after the completion of further “finishing touches.”   Today, I (with much assistance from a younger generation) managed to complete the online check-in.  Theoretically, I can now walk straight onto the ship with a minimum of delay.  It will be good, once again, to be writing blogs from on board a cruise ship, especially as we steam southwards towards some decent weather.  Roll on next Friday!  Many thanks for reading. David, 18.01 hrs, at home.