Ship diversion

My parents (in their sixties then) had travelled on a Fred Olsens cruise dep and returning from/into Tilbury. They had arranged taxi transfers from home in Chandlers Ford (Hants) to get here and back. On the day of their return I took my son to Southsea (not a place I wnent to often) to pick up an antique item from an Antique shop - and afterwards, prior to lunchtime, we took the opportunity to promenade on the nearby Southsea beach. Whilst sitting on a bench this 'stranger' started talking to us - and whilst we were a bit unwilling to engage in conversation he mentioned that it was a special day - in that a cruise liner had made an unscheduled visit into port (nearby Portsmouth), after battling thru gales in the Channel. Nonchantly we asked him if he knew which ship - and he told us The Braemar. This is Fred Olsen Lines - and the ship my parents were travelling on. This was before mobile phones - so my son and I left immediately to go the ship and appeared at the same time as my parents were putting their cases into the back of a taxi - ready fro the trip back home. Everyone was pleased to see each other - except the taxi driver! I rarely went to Southsea - and The Braemar never usually stopped at Portsmouth