21st August 2021

A sea-day of forms.

The clocks went forward an hour last night, so breakfast at 7.30 am felt rather early. It took a while to come round, and the choppy North Atlantic swell, combined with the realisation that we’re homeward bound, didn’t do much to lift the spirits. Still, all good things must come to an end!

Our first task of the day was to complete the UK Government’s Passenger Locator Form online. This must be done within 48 hours of landing in the UK and requires access to the ship’s Wi-Fi. I had purchased a Wi-Fi package that gave me fast, reliable internet for the entire voyage. In contrast, a far less dependable connection was offered free of charge to all passengers, but only for accessing the government website in the trip’s final days. We had finished our form-filling by 10 am and were soon sitting in one of the upper lounges, enjoying various shipboard activities. Around us, groups of fellow passengers were growing increasingly frustrated with the ever-slowing internet connection and the crashing government website.

The form itself is quite lengthy, demanding details from one’s passport as well as various other travel-related documents. For those less confident with technology, the ship offered assistance to help guide them through the process, which, by the look of things, was a much-used service.

In the afternoon, we were scheduled to take a compulsory COVID-19 test. About half an hour beforehand, an announcement informed us that instead of arriving back in Liverpool at 6 am on Sunday, we would now be docking the evening before, at 8.30 pm. This change is to allow passengers struggling to access the Passenger Locator Form to make use of more stable land-based internet connections. However, we still won’t be disembarking until the originally scheduled time the following morning.

It seems the ship’s Wi-Fi simply can’t cope with the increased demand, and that’s with fewer than half the usual number of passengers on board. They’ll need to sort that before the next international cruise. I’ve since heard from Joan and Phil in Italy that the Borealis featured on Sky News; apparently, we’re guinea pigs on the first international cruise to depart from the UK. That said, aside from the Wi-Fi issues, the procedures in place have been efficient and not overly restrictive. We’ve felt safe throughout.

At 1 pm, we joined many other passengers in the theatre for our COVID-19 test. It was a well-organised affair; the lateral flow testing was completed within half an hour, leaving just enough time for a leisurely lunch.

Later in the afternoon, as Sue and I took a turn around Deck 3, we passed the usual throng of keen wildlife watchers gathered at the bow. We remarked that this was the first cruise on which we hadn’t seen any whales or dolphins. A friendly twitcher explained that we were currently sailing through a deep, barren part of the North Sea, and sightings were therefore unlikely. Mere moments later, as I passed this information on to Sue a few metres further along, a pod of eight Pilot Whales appeared, playfully chasing the ship. To top it off, a lone Fin Whale dove beneath the hull. Naturally, I had neither binoculars nor a camera to hand, typical!

That evening’s meal was a formal occasion, complete with generously poured champagne and introductions by the captain to the heads of the various departments. The festivities continued in the theatre, where we were treated to the ‘Crew Show’, a wonderfully entertaining performance by the ship’s talented staff. I particularly enjoyed the traditional dancers from Thailand; it brought back fond memories of that beautiful country. However, the highlight for most was a rather cheeky number by Filipino crew members from the engine room. Given the heat in the bowels of the ship, it was perhaps no surprise that things got a little steamy!

22nd August 2021 Into the Irish Sea and Liverpool

Over breakfast, we were delighted to follow up yesterday’s whale sightings with a group of dolphins sprinting towards the ship. Unlike the Pilot Whales, these easily outpaced the Borealis as she headed south towards the Mersey estuary.

Although it was our final day aboard, it was packed with activities. We each picked our favourites, often going our separate ways to make the most of it. One of the lectures I attended included a fascinating snippet: I had always assumed that the Great White Shark was the apex predator of the oceans, but I learned that the real title belongs to the Killer Whale. Apparently, two Orcas recently appeared off the Gulf Coast of Australia and decimated a local population of around 200 White Sharks. The technique? One Orca grabs the shark by its fin, flips it upside down, rendering it completely paralysed, while the second Orca tears open the soft belly to feast on the liver. The rest is left to rot or be scavenged. Brutal, but brilliant!

Even more intriguing, a pod of around 40 Orcas is currently in the Mediterranean between Majorca and Italy, reportedly attacking small yachts, ripping off rudders and damaging hulls. It’s thought one of their number may have been injured by a boat, and the pod is now acting defensively. Interestingly, no humans have ever been harmed by an Orca, which is more than can be said for the Great White!

The Borealis entered the Mersey Estuary just after 6 pm, a day earlier than scheduled. Owing to COVID-19 regulations, government forms, and sluggish Wi-Fi, disembarkation wouldn’t take place until the following morning. Until then, the ship’s internal timetable would continue to operate as though we were still at sea.

There is only one mooring berth for cruise ships at Liverpool Cruise Terminal, and the TUI Marella Explorer was already in position, embarking new passengers. Gliding past her, the Borealis performed a full 360-degree turn mid-channel, upstream, and waited patiently as her rival slowly eased away from the berth at 8 pm. The Marella Explorer, having already circumnavigated the British Isles, was now bound for Southampton.

With barely a whisper, the Borealis inched her way into the now vacant, still-warm mooring, bringing our memorable voyage almost to a close.

That evening, Sue had a lovely surprise during our meal in the specialist Goan restaurant. Although her birthday wasn’t until the following day, a guitarist and a phalanx of waiters suddenly congregated around our table, presenting her with a birthday cake and launching into a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. A thoughtful gesture, and no doubt the result of the ship’s staff spotting her birth date in the passport details. They had wisely chosen to celebrate a day early, rather than attempt it over breakfast on disembarkation day.

The evening’s entertainment came courtesy of the ship’s excellent song and dance troupe, who performed a medley of hits by British artists who have been honoured by the Queen. It was a wonderful show, full of energy and nostalgia. Just after midnight, we placed our packed suitcases in the corridor outside our cabin, ready for the crew to collect them around 2 am.

23rd August 2021 Not quite home on Sue’s birthday

We were up and dressed shortly after 6 am, making our way to the Lido restaurant for our final breakfast on board. By 9.15 am, our group was called over the ship’s intercom to disembark. Coincidentally, we had been among the last to board nine days earlier, and we were now among the last to leave. Despite gathering all the required documentation, none of it was checked as we made our way through the departure process.

A waiting coach took us to the Liverpool Arena to collect our luggage, and from there we strolled the short distance to the car.

As we left Liverpool city centre via the M62, the Monday morning traffic was so light I found myself wondering if anyone was working in the city at all. Today, however, we weren’t heading directly home. Instead, we were stopping overnight at the Three Horseshoes Inn near Leek in Staffordshire, a gentle end to a very memorable trip.

We arrived at 11 am, but it was too early to check in, so we continued five minutes further down the road and parked in a layby near The Roaches, a striking rocky ridge overlooking Leek and Tittesworth Reservoir in the Staffordshire Peak District. Some of its millstone grit formations rise dramatically to 505 metres.

Leaving the car behind, we set off on a short ramble, which began with a little more blueberry scrumping at the base of the nearest rock towers. We followed a well-walked path that passed by Roaches Hall and gradually led us to the summit, where we were rewarded with magnificent views stretching across the Cheshire Plain and, in the far distance, a faint, hazy outline of Liverpool. The day was warm and sunny, attracting plenty of walkers from nearby caravan parks and campsites to the heights.

After our walk, we returned to the car and checked into the inn.

Later that afternoon, revived by strong coffee, we took the short drive into the nearby town of Leek, often called the ‘Queen of the Staffordshire Moorlands.’ Once a thriving textile town, especially known for silk, it has a long and fascinating history. With no prior expectations, we spent a very pleasant couple of hours exploring the centre. We were particularly impressed by the town’s striking war memorial, the largest in the country. Sadly, many of the shops had chosen to close on Monday; otherwise, we might have lingered longer.

That evening, we dined in the Three Horseshoes’ excellent restaurant, rounding off the day in fine style.

24th August 2021 A diversion home.

After another hearty full English breakfast, we hit the road once more, heading south towards Derby. We planned to make a brief stop at the home of a friend of Uncle Stan’s to collect some photos and documents that had surfaced following his passing just before the pandemic began. Hilary was waiting for us on the driveway when we arrived, and after a brief chat and gathering up the paperwork, we continued the journey home.

Barely ten minutes after stepping through the door at Willow Bank, the phone rang, it was Peter calling from New Zealand. He’d been trying to get hold of me for over a week to discuss his flat. He’s decided not to return to the UK except, perhaps, for the occasional holiday, and wanted to make arrangements for giving it up.

Shortly after the call ended, Charlotte popped in on her way home from work to bring us up to speed on their house move. It seems the original buyers had pulled out of the deal, but Charlotte and Suraj decided to relist the property, this time at £30,000 more. Incredibly, they received three offers almost immediately and accepted one that was £5,000 over the new asking price. Even better, a property that had long been on their “favourites” list came back on the market, and the owners accepted their offer. The UK housing market is certainly moving at a frantic pace!

Just as Charlotte left, still under the impression that we weren’t due back until the following day, Jim and his dogs arrived to water the greenhouse. Later that evening, Sue and I took them a bottle of wine as a thank-you gift for Jim and Bridget. As expected, they opened a bottle of their own too, which turned the visit into a much later night than we’d planned!