Day 3 - Piraeus (Port of Athens)

Decided to do Athens by ourselves - took the free shuttle bus to the port entrance and then purchased public bus tickets for the X80 bus to Athens from right outside the port which cost €4.50 and was a nice easy journey of less than 20 minutes.  Whilst reading a map, picked up at the tourist office in the port, suddenly found myself in charge or organising the whole bus trip as no one else knew where they were going.  Now my husband David would find this amusing as I don't know how to hold a map never mind read one.  However as usual the internet is my friend and having paid for eurotraveller on my phone had full use of the internet so followed the journey on google maps. I knew that we would like to see the Acropolis and wander in the district of Plaka as my daughter, Rebecca, had visited last year and gave recommendations.  As we got closer I asked the bus driver to shout out when we got to the stop for the Acropolis and he did this, getting off he bus to point the way and show us the return bus stop.

A short walk later we were at the entrance to the Acropolis.  We didn't go in as it would be too much for mum and headed off to the Plaka district.  A lovely wander along the old town and headed up to the Parliamentary area - Syntagma Square, where the marches and protests during the Greek crisis a few years ago were held.  Heading back to Plaka had a lovely lunch followed by an ice cream and return bus to the port.  We waited about half an hour for the bus but the return journey took about 12 minutes.  You could also use the Metro for convenience but believe that was further away from the port.

That evening we were surprised to receive some Canapés delivered to the cabin - a nice touch and I believe compliments of an officer who is related to my friend and colleague Julie.

We met a new couple at dinner tonight who were a Scottish couple, fairly quiet but very nice.  The other couple didn't come to dinner tonight as they had said they were trying alternative dining.

The show tonight was The Ivories, a couple of guys who were both good singers and entertaining.

A couple of sequence dances later and an early night.

Day 2 Sea Day

It was a very tiring journey to Malta because of the early flight at 6am but once on board we had chance for a couple of hours in Valletta.  We left mum to rest in the cabin and Jeannette and I walked to the Euro lift which took us up to the war battery gardens and from there it was a few minutes walk to the centre.  The views were lovely from the park.  We had a nice walk and then returned to the ship as it was a little overcast.

We were given late sitting for dinner but requested if this could be changed to first sitting at 6.30pm as mum can't eat too late.  This was confirmed overnight and we were on a table for 9 in a nice quiet part of the restaurant after the first night.  The first night was not designated seating as many flights were arriving late and guests would not make it for dinner.  The safety drill was 8.15pm which is later than we've had it before.  An early night was had by all.

Our cabin is a basic inside cabin for the three of us and as the youngest at 55 I've got the top bunk.  Our cabin steward is Arlene and she's very nice - although she forgot to fill the ice bucket for our daily g and t but I can forgive that.  A gentle reminder two days later and everything is well with the world.

Our first full day onboard was a sea day, after a lie in we had a look around the shops but by the afternoon we were in need of fresh air so sat on the promenade deck relaxing - by the end of the day we were feeling more energised.  It was a formal night but it takes quite a while for 3 ladies to get ready in a confined space so actually missed the captains cocktails and just made it in time for dinner at 6.30pm.  We met some of our table mates for the first time - a couple of ladies from Liverpool in their 70's and a couple from Preston.  After dinner we went to the Headliners show in the theatre and it was quite a good show called Encore,  it was standing room only so note to ourselves to get there earlier next time.  Mum wanted to watch the ballroom dancing in the atrium before bed so we had a last drink there.  Mum enjoys seeing me dance so I did a couple of sequence dances with the instructor - who happened to be the same Scottish couple as last year but in comparison to my husband quite a small man so seems fragile.

Linda Cruises Again: But this time it's an all girl team with my mum and sister (Margaret and Jeannette)

So, I'm holidaying with my mum (Margaret) and sister (Jeannette) for a one week cruise on P&O Oceana on 11th May 2017.  David's stopping at home to get a start on the garden, I know he's a little jealous but the week will fly by and he has lots of invitations for meals with our two children and his mum and dad so I'm sure he will be fine.

We had a similar girls week last year to give mum a holiday, and also consider it a special time with her away from the stresses of everyday life.  The holiday was a huge success and we immediately made plans to repeat the trip again this year.

Oceana was the first cruise ship I ever sailed on with David to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary and has a special place in our hearts.  It's one of P&O's older ships, classed as a mid-size ship and remains to be a firm favourite with many cruisers.

Since our last cruise we've treated ourselves to a "GoPro" - which for this cruise will be affectionately known as "NanCam".  We haven't had chance to have a practice but will attempt to try and do a few uploads with it.


I'm hoping to keep the blog going for the full week but I often get distracted when I'm enjoying myself too much and the lack of wifi often hinders updates.  

Anyway I hope you enjoy sailing with us................................

Itinerary

 Day 1 - Embark at Malta

Day 2 - Sea Day

                                                                      Day 3 - Athens

Day 4 - Mykonos

Day 5 - Katakolon

Day 6 - Sarande

Day 7 - Sea Day

Day 8 - Disembark at Malta

P&O Oceana

Day 9 - St Lucia

We decided on a beach day today and used a shared minibus at the port which cost $14 pp return to Rodney Bay Reduit Beach and pre-booked a time slot to return. Once we arrived we were offered 2 loungers and parasol for $25 and met by a guy calling himself "RightAway" 'cos he'll get it right away!  Funnily enough we never saw him again once he had our money!

RightAway walked us down the beach to some of the older loungers but in a nice spot, we offered him $20 and he said no problem.  He offered us wifi for a few dollars but we didn't take him up on the offer.

The Sea was beautiful and we felt very blessed to be enjoying this lovely place.  We took the snorkel out again and saw some lovely fish and although we shared the snorkel we enjoyed it so much that we will definitely be buying another set when we get home.

The guys selling beer were storing them in a boat so did a bit of haggling for a decent price and got free wifi thrown in. The wifi was actually from a nearby hotel and the code didn't work but we weren't bothered anyway as we were happy to wait until we returned to port.

David bought a tropical shirt at the port for €13 as they had a half price sale and they had a good choice.  Of course we added a magnet to our shopping.

The port had a few bars and drinks were cheap so many guests remained drinking in the port as it was a 10pm sailaway so no rush.

A local band boarded the ship to perform on the outside deck until it was time to leave port, but there was a poor turn out to listen to them and they got rained off for a while.

We didn't fancy the show tonight as it was the dance troupe.  We walked through the Crystal Room and it was lacking atmosphere as the band weren't on tonight and it was being hosted by a girl from the entertainments team.  One couple who had been dancing most nights were complaining that the host didn't know one dance from another.  We decided to have an early night and finished watching a Disney film we had been watching earlier on the TV in the cabin.  We know how to party hard!

Day 8 - St Vincent

When we got up we decided to have a day in the port of St Vincent instead of a beach day to get a taste of local life.  We disembarked about 10am and headed off to the information bureau to arm David with a map - which always makes him happy and in control. We thought we would have a walk to the Botanic Gardens and told it would take about half an hour.  The lady told us to look out for the local ambassadors wearing orange T-shirts who would help with directions.  David's a Blackpool FC fan so felt quite at home with the Tangerine Army!

We didn't have any preconceptions of the port and found once you left the port gates it was alive with the bustle and noise of locals going around their business on a Friday morning.  The road was edged with market holders selling fruit and veg and locals were stocking up. Shops mainly included supermarkets and hardware stores.

We walked for a while and received several directions from our tangerine ambassadors.  After about 20 mins we spoke to a young girl who told us we could keep to the main road or go up "the Lonely Road" which would be more direct but it was very quiet.  I asked if the lonely road was safe and she answered that she couldn't say whether it was or not!  Anyway we saw several cruise guests taking the route so thought we would risk it.  I had my bodyguard with me and apart from a small rucksack,  had no jewellery or expensive cameras on show.  

The road was quiet and a little rough but in the daytime felt safe enough and we were fine.

We reached the Botanic Gardens after about 40 minutes. We paid our $2 pp entrance fee but chose not to pay an additional $4 pp for an escorted tour. The Gardens were nice and they also housed several parrots who, if you are lucky would say hello.  I didn't have any response when I said hello to them but once I said Ola they responded with an Ola Ola.

We walked back to town down the main road and stepped into a couple of churches.  On the way David, who was walking behind me on the narrow footpath, said the locals were friendly as a lady has said Hiya to him - i told him that I thought she was a very "friendly" lady and she may have been looking for business!  I've warned him about ladies like that before but he is convinced they are just being nice.

We spotted a bar down a little alley and popped in for some light refreshments. Local beer was $3 a bottle and the wifi was good. The bar was called Vee Jays and was a good spot to spend an hour texting our adult children and phoning our parents.

We headed back to the ship and went into three supermarkets for bottles of tonic but they only stocked Waitrose Tonic and it didn't look cheap but managed to get a couple of small bottles in the port shop. 

Back on board just before 3pm and raced up to Horizons for a buffet lunch before spending an hour in the Lido deck sunbathing.

Just as the Sailaway was due to start the heavens opened and a heavy shower sent guests undercover. The party carried on anyway and I have to say the entertainments team do their best to get the party going.

We decided we'd take cheese and biscuits back to the cabin but had to wait until 6.15pm for the Horizon to open. You pay a nominal charge for cheese and biscuits on room service which we are used to getting free on Cunard, it's not much but we are happy to walk to the buffet for it.

Went to the Crystal room for a quick dance before dinner. The whole evening was hosted by the dance couple Andy and Victoria but as the band were not playing the room remained fairly quiet all evening.

The Crystal room is a lovely room and a decent sized dance floor. The waiters are very friendly and we particularly like Karan who remembers our names, favourite drinks and we no longer need to show our cards as he remembers our cabin number - a nice touch and lovely guy.

Dinner was quieter tonight just 2 couples - the foursome from Wolverhampton went to Sindou (Indian Restaurant) tonight so shall look forward to a report tomorrow (they were also planning an early call to the Glass House to keep them going).

For such a big Ship the entertainment selections are, in our opinion, a bit limited. We love dancing so always have that as a back up and the Crystal room is very good. However we would like to mix it up a bit with some live entertainment.  In second sitting we don't have a chance getting a seat in the Live Lounge so have missed out on Take That Tribute band and Michael Buble tribute, both of which were apparently very good. If they had been in the Theatre we would have gone along.  We've been to one of the cast shows in the Theatre and they were good but all a bit too hyper for our liking - a common trend with all the cruises we've been on.

We enjoyed the Four Tunes but didn't go to the ventriloquist, pianist or magician. The magician/comedian did a late night adults only show in the Live Lounge at 11.45 pm on one evening which we went to but didn't get a seat.

Day 7 - Grenada - the Isle of Spice

We headed back to the beach today and decided to get the water taxi to Grand Anse Beach.  The taxi cost $10 pp return and was a nice journey.  The couple we'd bumped into at the airport, who we met on a previous Cunard cruise, had recommended Grand Anse and told us that Pirate Jack runs the water taxi.  When we got to the water taxi there was a large man with one leg and a crutch organising people so assumed we were in the right place.

Once we arrived at the beach the boat driver called a guy over called Jasper and recommended us going with him for the best loungers and drinks on the beach.  We weren't going to decide before having a stroll down the beach, but ended up going with him as the water taxis were coming in quickly and didn't want to miss out.  We paid a further $20 for our loungers and parasol. Our waitress for the day introduced herself as Nicole and said she would get any drinks we wanted and bring them to us.  We swam in the sea and after a bottle of local beer each went for a walk down the beach.  We realised that when you get off the taxi if you walked to the right and wandered down the beach it was a bit quieter and possibly slightly nicer than where we were so next time we wouldn't be hurried so much into agreeing anything.  As we walked past Jasper he was offering people loungers and parasol for $15 so thought next time we would haggle a bit.  We took our snorkel to try it out as hadn't snorkelled much previously - we gained confidence with it but didn't see any fish.

We returned to the ship for a late lunch and I had a hot dog, chips and salad by the pool and David opted for burger and chips.  The food was nice and hot, although I ended up with indigestion later.

At dinner the other people at the table had gone to Magazine Beach by taxi and thoroughly recommended that so we may try that in the future.

That's one of the benefits of sitting with others at dinner as you can all share experiences and get tips on places to go.  Becky is the source of lots of info as she is very active on the P&O Facebook group.

Day 6 - Sea Day Number 2 / Terry & Becky's Renewal of Wedding Vows

Today's a Sea Day heading back East to the Grenadines and the Island of Grenada.  It was also a big day for one of the couples on our dinner table, Becky and Terry, who were getting their wedding vows renewed in the afternoon.

We woke up feeling a little over baked after the beach days so decided to stay out of the sun today and instead purchased a 24 hour package of wifi at a cost of £12.50. This gave me a chance to update my blog and browse social media and look at emails. We bought a one day package and whilst I used my iPad to type David logged on the iPhone to check work emails and we just kept switching the log in so we both got full use.

The day was lovely and chilled. We are lucky that we enjoy each other's company so much, we've been married for over thirty years and still very happy doing the simple things in life.

We had a walk around the shops on the ship and once we had used some of the internet time went for lunch in the Horizon restaurant and had a drink in the Sunset Bar which is one of our preferred places.  The bar is right at the back of the ship and fairly quiet, we like to get a table for two by the rails but there is also more comfy seats in the shade.  David usually goes to the gym on a sea day but today we decided to go for afternoon tea in the main restaurant and then to the Crows Nest for a gin and tonic.  

As we walked through the ship we bumped into four of our table mates. Becky and Terry were renewing their vows on board and were holidaying with some friends Tessa and Mike and Tessa was their bridesmaid.  When we saw them they had just had the renewal and the Captain had taken the service, they were with one of the ships photographers so only said a quick hello and congratulations. They looked great, Becky was in a full white wedding dress as she said she hadn't worn a white dress when they first got married so wanted to have the opportunity.  We were to see them again later at dinner.

Dinner was lovely tonight as it was a little wedding type reception. It was a formal night so everyone had made the effort and of course we had the bride and groom at our table. The waiters brought some balloons and sang congratulations on the renewal of your wedding vows song.  Becky also got a large cake so we had a big piece each with our coffees, and as there was still over half left, she asked if the waiters would like to have it later.

We excused ourselves at 10pm as we wanted to nip to the Crystal Room to watch the dance teachers perform a ten minute show dance before returning to the dining room to continue the celebrations. 

Day 5 - Aruba

Walked half an hour to Surfside Beach and the Reflexions Bar - there was some light rain on our walk but cleared by the time we arrived at the beach.  2 Sunloungers and parasol advertised at $18 but as we were off the ship we had to pay the bargain price of $20! We sat right on the waters edge which was crystal clear with golden sands.  The water was calm but a little chilly.

Toasted sandwiches for lunch at Reflexions cost $6 each and Beer was $5 - not overly friendly staff - whilst we were having lunch in their bar they removed our towels and pegs from our loungers and  sold the loungers to someone else!!  We spoke to the lounger girl and asked what had happened to our things - she apologised and thought we had left because we hadn't said goodbye - she got us another couple of beds and returned our towels and pegs.

Walked back to the port barefoot along the waters edge  which felt romantic.  Bought our port magnet and reboarded the ship - the beers were actually cheaper on the ship.  We'd had more than enough sun for one day and went for a drink in the Sunset Bar for sail away - we saw a pelican fly past.  We moved onto the Lido pool for the last half hour of the sail away party.

At dinner it was good to have our waiter Nelson back as he'd been ill and in quarantine for 48 hours.  The waiter from the next area had been looking after us well but it had meant a lot of tables for him to cover.

After dinner we went to the theatre to see the cast show Gravity - which was good but as usual with any cast show, very frantic.

We had a fairly early night as when we walked through the Crystal Room it was very quiet tonight.

We do miss having an accessible promenade deck as we usually have a morning walk and also take a breather at the end of the evening to finish the day.

Day 4 - Curaçao

We arrived in Curaçao and intended heading straight to The Sea Aquarium Beach by public bus.  Although it was Monday, it was a festival day so lots of shops were closed and the information bureau told us that the buses would be infrequent.  Some of our dinner table friends had mentioned getting a Caribbean bus trip which took a tour of several places and left you at a beach for a few hours as well as free beer and water on board.  When we left the terminal people were selling tours for $20 pp and we spotted the recommended trip with Irie Tours so jumped on board.  This proved to be a good move as taxis were charging about $15 each way I think and the tour included drinks and entry to Sea Aquarium Beach which would have been $3.50. The tour was good fun and we had a stop at the Curaçao drink factory and had some free samples and drank 3 beers each and a bottle of water on the tour bus so proved to be very cost effective.

The Sea Aquarium Beach was nice but we were a bit unlucky with the weather as it clouded over and had some drizzle.  We just stayed swimming in the sea so it wasn't a problem.  There was a cost of $3.50 pp for hire of sun loungers and that included a bottle of water.

Once back on board we ate by the pool and had burger and fries for David and I had hotdog, salad and fries.  Food was tasty and hot.

We had a late departure at 10pm so went back into Curaçao for a few hours to get some wifi and watch a bit of the children's parade which was nice.  We met the singer from the Crystal Room as we walked into town and had a chat - she's a lovely lady and commented how nice it was that there were so many keen dancers on this voyage.

We had a full table at dinner which was good and the feedback from the couple who had been to the dinner/cabaret the previous night was excellent so at an additional cost of £22 pp seems a good deal.

Tonight we went to the theatre to watch the Four Tunes perform (4 guys who had performed in the West End). They were excellent but I've seen them 3 times in the last 10 months so knew what to expect. We managed to sneak in the last half hour of dancing too before bedtime.

Day 3 - Sea Day

Breakfast as usual for us in the main dining room, followed by the hunt for a sun bed.  We were on deck 16 well before 10am but all sun beds around the pool had been taken or reserved with the P&O blue towel.  We found a number of empty beds half way along the ship (near the funnel!). Bagged 2 beds and David went off in search of towels to be told he should have brought them up from our cabin.  Now with about 10+ cruises behind us in 6 years, with the exception of boarding the first cruise, we have never used the lifts and try to burn calories by climbing the stairs.  Not too bad on medium sized ships but on Britannia going from deck 11 to deck 6 for breakfast and then to deck 16 for a sunbed to be told you need to bring your towel from deck 11 is getting a bit much - only joking I reserved the sunbeds and made David do the return journey for the towels.  By the time he got back I'd had enough sun and wanted a swim only to find I was already nicely tanned - well not tanned as such, just covered in specks of soot from the funnel.  Once we had our swim we settled down onto our soot covered towels for a well earned rest. David managed to insult a lovely lady who took the spare lounger next to him.  She apologised for putting her bum in his face to which he replied (jokingly) he thought it had gone dark!   The lady took it in good humour and told him he was lucky it wasn't three months ago as she's lost three stone in that time.

We went for another swim to wash the soot off and saw that the pool stewards were actively monitoring the sunbed situation and tagging chairs which had been left for thirty plus minutes.  We decided to stalk the steward in order to be the first ones to grab any chairs he had bagged up.  In the end we befriended him and asked if any were soon to be available and he offered to come over once he had some.  Within five minutes we had two great loungers by the pool for the rest of the day! 

Lunch was in the Horizon Buffet, I have to say I was a bit disappointed as struggled to find anything I fancied but David was happy so maybe I was just being too fussy.

The afternoon was spent in and out of the pool, it was extremely hot on the open deck.  We finished off with a drink in the Sunset Bar to grab some shade.

Tonight was a formal night and majority of passengers seemed to take part with a range of sparkly dresses both cocktail style and long gowns and men in both tuxedos and suits.

We were two less at dinner tonight as one couple had gone to the Limelight Bar/Restaurant for a meal and entertainment from Darren Day.  The dining room was certainly busier in our area tonight which was nice to see.  

We finished the evening by dancing in the Crystal Room.

Day 2 - Barbados

Saturday 25th February - Barbados

We had a very comfortable and much needed nights sleep and woke ready to start the holiday with a visit to the Boatyard in Barbados.  We've only been to Barbados once before on another cruise 5 years ago and found ourselves at the Boatyard along with many of the crew off the ship so knew it must be good.  We weren't disappointed today. We walked the half hour walk from the port to the Boatyard and paid our $25 pp entrance fee which entitled you to a sun lounger, parasol, a free drink and boat trip to swim with turtles.  If you want to do the boat trip you need to get your name down as early as possible as the trips run throughout the day but only take about 10 people on each trip.

We had fun swimming in the sea and swam up to what can be described as a floating trampoline for a sunbathe and chatted to two young Eastern European girls about their Go Pro cam as this was something we had thought about buying and looked like it could be fun for future holidays. 

The Boatyard had wifi near the bar and we had hotdogs and chips.  It was at this time when a siren goes off and the fun at the bar started with the bartenders standing on the bar giving free shots to customers with out the need for glasses.  We didn't participate as still hadn't been on the turtle trip so didn't want to get tipsy since we are not the strongest of swimmers.

After a few more dips in the sea it was our turn to swim with the turtles.  We were given life jackets and snorkelling equipment and instructions not to touch the turtles or chase them or they may take a chunk out of your leg!

After a ten minute boat ride we got it into the water and put on the snorkels.  It didn't take long before we spotted turtles - some small and some pretty big.  It was pretty exciting and we were really pleased that we did the trip.  As part of the entrance fee we felt we had a really great value trip.  

Drinks in the Boatyard were reasonable at $3.50 for a bottle of Caribbean beer.  You could buy six in a bucket of ice for only $15 but as we knew we would be doing the turtle trip we didn't get this package.  The hotdogs and chips were approx $9 each.

Staff were extremely friendly and helpful.  A free shuttle bus back to the ship is also included but we decided to walk as had plenty of time and wanted to pick up some tonic water to go with our gin in the cabin.

Dinner ran more smoothly tonight and we sat at our table which turned out to be a window table in a smaller area off the main dining room which thankfully meant we couldn't hear any bass noise from the Live Lounge.

Our waiter is called Nelson and his assistant waiter is Noel - both very nice and want to do everything to make our dining experience a great one.  Dennis the Sommelier is lovely and I have to say a much friendlier one than several we've had recently on Cunard.

Our dinner table mates seem very nice - we have a couple from near Southend on Sea, a group of 4 from the Birmingham area and of course the two of us from the North West.  The group is quite diverse, but all similar ages and should make for interesting evenings of entertainment.  I think we will have some stories to tell as the holiday continues ;)

Join us on our next cruise to the Caribbean if you fancy a bit of winter sunshine

Providing Storm Doris doesn't disrupt our flights we will be flying Thomson Airlines from Manchester to Barbados on Friday morning.  Once in Barbados we will board P&O's largest and newest ship Britannia and after an overnight stay in Barbados will sail to Curaçao, Aruba, Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St Maarten and back to Barbados.  I hope you tag along for the ride 🚢

Travel with us to the Caribbean on P&O Britannia from 24th February for a bit of winter sunshine

Tuesday 15th November

Sea Day

Beautiful sunny day. When you wake up in an inside cabin you have no idea about timings or weather as it is so dark but once the alarm wakes us up we put the tv on channel 40, which is the camera view of the front of the ship, and you get an idea of how it is outside and of course depending on the time of the day let's you know whether it's still dark or if there's daylight.

After breakfast we had our daily stroll on the promenade deck and as we wanted to go to the theatre for today's talk by Angela Rippon at 11am decided to collect our books and take a comfy lounger on deck 3 for an hour rather than climb the 8 floors to the Lido deck.  It was really warm once you sat down although quite breezy whilst walking.  Spoke to a nice lady who was writing her journal and holidaying with her mum.

The theatre was full and hardly even any standing room. Angela  Rippon proved to be a big hit and entertained with many stories of a very interesting life.  She spoke very fondly of her father and sounded like he was a huge inspiration and driving force in everything she did.  She spoke of her joy if her infamous dancing with Eric and Ernie and how they had become lifelong friends and how her father met them several times with her and the fun he had sharing jokes with Ern (ie). We look forward to her next talk in a few days.

The Captains 12 noon announcement explained that in the night we went off course after a request from authorities to check an area following a possible sighting of a distress flare which didn't turn out to be anything but did show as a dogleg on the tv onscreen map of our voyage.  Each day at this time he delivers a short humorous naval anecdote - today's was the origin of the term "hanky panky" which he explained was a drink of ginger mixed with brandy which sometimes resulted in naval personnel behaving inappropriately in particular with members of the opposite sex.  Not sure whether this is available on the current drinks menu!

By the time we went up to deck 9 it was sunny but very windy. We sat out for about 90 minutes and went to the Lido for a light lunch.  After lunch we decided on a wander and went to buy a Queen Elizabeth fridge magnet but the ones we preferred in the shape of the ship were more or less already starting to peel and at $9 decided to leave it.

Decided to have some quiet time reading and surfing the internet in the Commodores Club for an hour mid afternoon.  This extended to fit in a lovely G&T with a supply of nuts and crisps to keep us going.

Formal night tonight with an invite for drinks with the Captain for Cunard world club members.

Wednesday 16th November

Lisbon 

Started the day slightly earlier to watch the sail in to Lisbon which was nice. Had a quick breakfast in the Lido buffet for the first time - best part was freshly prepared omelettes to order.

It was our first time in Lisbon so decided to use the hop on hop off bus to get an overview. There'll be chances in the future to plan our visit more carefully. Although it was a nice enough day it felt quite cool on the open topped bus and felt underdressed for the conditions.  It's a good way to see the area but we've had better experiences on hoho buses and didn't think much of the commentary.

At the end of the trip we went for a drink and wifi in a cafe and enjoyed an hour of sunshine. Angela Rippon sat on a nearby table.

After getting back onboard for a late lunch of hotdogs in the Lido deck we sunbathed for a while to get the last of the sunshine but wasn't that warm.  We watched the sun go down over the 25th of April Bridge which was lovely.

Sea Days Thursday 17th and Friday 18th November

We went to the Captains talk in the theatre which was a virtual tour of the bridge at 10am. It was an excellent talk and the Captain is one of our favourites both extremely professional but also has a lovely sense of humour and fun.  Angela Rippons talk followed on so we stayed for this too.

We strolled quite a few laps on the promenade deck and as we were wrapped up well it was v refreshing.

We had lunch in the Golden Lion and the food was up to its usual excellent standard - and the staff in their are amongst the best onboard.

Monday 14th November
Gran Canaria

Beautiful sunny day today. Wandered into port and were pleasantly surprised - nice sandy beach and more of a holiday resort feel than our port in Tenerife.  We hadn't taken our beach towels or swimsuits so strolled along the beach and  promenade and stopped for a drink before boarding in time for lunch.  Healthy food options today as clothes are feeling a bit tighter.

Whilst we were in port bumped into lots of fellow cruisers. Caught up with our new dancing pals Paul and Claire and chatted with Roy and Marilyn, one of the couples from dinner.  We got into a conversation with a couple from Sweden who were holidaying in Gran Canaria but were very interested in the details of our cruise.

We hunted for a suitable fridge magnet and were very pleased with our final choice.

It was a very hot afternoon on deck and as I couldn't be bothered to get my sunhat from the cabin 8 floors down made a compromise with a towel and pegs


We sailed away at 5pm with a deck party - music and singing from Changez - who are always entertaining.  We chatted with Olena, the female professional dancer, and look forward to their next show dance display tomorrow evening.



David went to the gym and although I know I should - I didn't!   Decided instead to have a little sort out in the wardrobe and then shower early so we can squeeze a plate of cheese and biscuits from the room menu before dinner with our G&T once David's back from the gym.

Tonight we are going to the theatre to see a circus acrobatic duo from France which should give my dancing feet a rest.

Sunday 13th November
Tenerife

After yesterday's sunny morning but showery afternoon we decided to switch plans around today. We hadn't organised anything for this port and just planned a wander, a cafe with wifi and a fridge magnet purchase, so we decided to make the most of the sunshine and do some bronzing around the pool for the morning. After breakfast in the dining room we headed for the Lido deck.  It was fairly quiet and plenty of loungers available.  Weather was gorgeous and decided today would be a good day to purchase the Vodafone Eurotraveller which at £3 for the day gave me use of my full mobile phone package. I paired/bluetoothed it with my iPad so David had use of that within the cost whilst I used my iPhone.  I wanted to learn how to add photos to my blog but unfortunately still haven't worked it out - never mind I will add it to my list of jobs to do when I get home and next time we travel hopefully be able to use it.  David was quite happy being able to watch the highlights of his beloved Blackpool FC game on YouTube and with a 4-0 win against Notts County was chuffed.

We ate lunch outside, David indulged himself with a cheese  burger and curly fries, I had a baked potato with bolognese sauce and salad. No desserts today.

We used the port shuttle bus at about 3.30 to go into port.  As we phoned our parents and children we got caught in a shower and sheltered under a tree.  We hunted out a suitable magnet for the collection and decided to head back to the ship instead of going to a bar as we planned to open our bottle of bubbly in the cabin.  As we headed back to the shuttle bus we were lucky enough to see a double rainbow over the Queen Elizabeth and took a few snaps just before it rained again.

Once onboard we drank our Pol Acker and ordered a cheese plate from room service to keep us going to dinner.  Now the bubbly - Pol Acker comes in for a lot of stick on the cruise forums but as we are not experts and actually enjoy anything complimentary from Cunard.

We had the usual 45 mins of sequence dancing before dinner.  David missed the chance to do the Mayfair quickstep with the American lady as she left a little earlier but I asked an older gentleman to dance a  basic Rumba One. I had noticed he had been to the dance classes and often watched the evening dance on his own and thought it would be a nice gesture.  He was lovely and think his name is Eddie, hopefully get chance to do the same again before the end of the voyage.  There are 4 dance hosts who are very enthusiastic and give the single ladies, or those whose partners don't dance, a chance to join in but it's much harder for the men who are travelling alone.

Dinner was lovely again and I shared my joy of magnets with the table and of course amazed them with the fact that the cabin walls are magnetic.  I really am the person to invite to a dinner party - only kidding!  Everyone is getting on really well at dinner and each evening we switch places around the table- always sitting with your own partner - but it really does make for a sociable group and we've all enjoyed catching up with everyone's adventures of the day.

After dinner we danced the evening away in the Queens Room again - once they played the Viennese Waltz I felt a panic  as one of the dance hosts had previously asked if I would dance with him if we got the chance.  I didn't need to be so worried we were the only ones dancing but both survived and he was very much a gentleman checking with both myself and David if it was ok and giving me the option to refuse if I had changed my mind.

We ended the evening for the second night chatting with another dance couple Paul and Claire who we have befriended during the cruise.  They're a lovely couple and considering they are fairly new to dancing do so with ease and elegance.  We first started to say hello when they ran each day on the promenade deck as we walked our circuits.  As they were going  in the opposite direction they became a familiar sight and always smiled.  It's funny how easy it is to make friends through cruising and I'm sure we will bump into them again in future cruises as this has happened regularly in the past.




Saturday 12th November

Today's port is La Palma one of the Canary Islands. The Captain warned the seas may get a little choppier last night but we didn't notice. We walked the short distance into port and thought it was a nice little place for a stroll and drink.  We stopped for a while to listen to a local folk band which was nice and then stopped off for a beer and daily wifi before heading back to the ship for lunch.  We ended up ordering 2 beers each as the weather was overcast so no hurry to return to the ship.  When we asked for the bill we were charged €4.80 so called the waitress over to tell her she hadn't charged us for our extra round of beers but she assured us she had so we were very pleasantly surprised at the cost at only €1.20 each glass.

We walked back to the ship and stopped off at a Spar shop to buy a new toothbrush for me as I had brought my electric one with me but the charger didn't fit in the bathroom which I'm sure it usually does??  We also ended up buying a litre bottle of Gordon's gin for the cabin as at less than €12 it seemed rude not to.

We ran back to the ship and pretended it was because we were caught in a rain shower but in actual fact I had an urge for fish and chips in the Golden Lion and David thought they stopped serving at 2pm so it ended in a sprint with us stepping into the bar at 1.59pm, as it happens we think it must have served lunch until 2.30 as others came in after us and ordered.  We didn't have dessert - not because we were being good - we just didn't want to be put off afternoon tea at 3.30pm.

The weather didn't end up improving so found a comfy chair to spend an hour reading and blog writing.

David is going to go to the gym later to work off the additional calories but I'm not sure I will.  The other day he came back from the gym to proudly tell me that one of the cabin stewardesses had told him he had a good body and asked if he worked out regularly so think he's been spurred on.

I've not previously mentioned that we buy a magnet from each new cruise port.  We started doing this after a previous table mate told us she did this for each port on each cruise and writes the date on the reverse and pops them on the fridge under a magnet of the ship for that particular cruise.  We adapted the idea so just buy magnets for each new ship and new port so we have a lovely colourful memory board on the fridge of our holidays.  Whilst at sea I put the newly purchased magnets to good use in the cabin as the walls are magnetic.

Dinner once again went smoothly - David struggled to find options for his fussy eating tonight for the second time but Ramil is very obliging and brought plain chicken, baked potato and vegetables.

We danced again this evening and feel very humbled to receive so many compliments from guests on our dancing, both from fellow dancers and non dancers.  We are simply social dancers at home and enjoy dancing to our best ability and this is one of the main reasons we keep choosing Cunard as our cruise line of choice.  Sequence dancing has been on offer before dinner each evening and although not our first choice happy to participate.  It's nice to see the American dancers so interested as I don't believe they are particularly familiar with this in the USA.  After chatting with one American  couple who dance ballroom beautifully David offered to teach the lady the Mayfair Quickstep - so hopefully it will be good for Anglo American relations.

Friday 11th November

Today was a lovely day in Madeira. After 3 full sea days we were ready for land and some sunshine.  Having holidayed in Funchal a few times we decided to head for a coastal walk to Camara De Lobos. We throughly enjoyed it. We left the ship at 10am and at the end of the dock road took a left when everyone else was heading right along the road to Funchal town.  We walked passed Reid's hotel and noted the cost of afternoon tea was €34 pp whereas the ship tour was $199 for two which included return transfer to the ship.  Unless it was a helicopter transfer I think it was quite overpriced.

We continued our walk to the Lido area and noted quite a transformation from our previous trip 2 years ago when it was being renovated. We continued on before eventually stopping for a drink half way at a lovely bar called Doca Do Cavacas. 2 x 33cl glasses of local beer a bargain at €2 each.   We walked through the cave and reached Camara in time for lunch at about 12.45pm.



I had spaghetti bolognese and David had a ham and cheese roll - washed down with another glass of beer.



We headed back to Funchal on the public bus which ran about every 20 minutes and cost €2.20 pp - tickets were purchased from a little booth opposite the bus stop. A good 20 minutes or so later we were back in Funchal. We walked along the newly renovated sea front to the far end of town and walked back through the old town. Had a quick look in the market and found a little bar with wifi for another drink.

Back onboard for sail away at 5.30 ish - in total walked a approx 23k steps and spent less than €30.  Temperatures were lovely and Madeira is a beautiful place and hope to return many times in the future.

Dinner was great again and everyone is really getting on well at the table - we feel very lucky with our fellow guests - but then again we've rarely had any other experience. However, I always seem to have an issue with Sommeliers losing my bottle of wine at some stage during a cruise and this was no exception. I only have a small glass of white at dinner so the bottle often lasts 5 nights.  David drinks red so we always have our own bottles. David was ready for a new bottle as he'd finished his the previous evening - he duly ordered a new one - after a while i realised that I had not been offered any so David spoke to the sommelier to request my glass to be filled to be told I had finished mine the previous night.  Anyway after a brief discussion the sommelier went in search and duly came back with my bottle which had been put in the wrong ice bucket by mistake.  It was quite timely as I had only just had the conversation with a fellow guest about my misfortune with wine in the past.

We had 45 minutes sequence dancing before dinner and went to the show after dinner to see the dancing and singing from the Cunard Troupe.  Apparently it was their first performance on board.  They performed a very energetic show but we would prefer it if everything was calmed down a little with perhaps some narration or quieter singing between sections.  You have to admire the effort they put in though. We finished the evening dancing to Changez performing popular music in the Queens Room.

Tonight's dress



We had a lovely evening for our first formal night. We danced prior to dinner and it was nice to have the orchestra playing before as well as after dinner.

Dinner was excellent and our waiter, Ramil, is looking after us very well - ensuring everyone is happy and has enough food - he is particularly fond of force feeding additional ice cream with your dessert.  We all left the table fairly handy to watch the professional dancers Dan and Olena perform a Viennese Waltz in the ballroom and we were not disappointed.

It's lovely dancing in your formal wear, although it can be a bit tricky doing a jive in a long gown.  We spoke to a few of the dance hosts who were quite charming.  One very enthusiastic German dance host has asked me if I would dance a Viennese waltz with him when we get chance - which although very nice of him will fill me with fear as I'm only used to dancing with my husband - it certainly won't resemble the pros!



Thursday 10th November

It's been slightly warmer today and we even sat out on deck for a while this afternoon.

We usually have a table for two for breakfast but today shared with a father and son travelling together.  They were good company and it really is the perfect way to spend quality time together when you're holidaying with an older parent.

Lots of people taking in the air today on the promenade deck and managed quite a few laps ourselves before having half an hours reading and then a salsa dance class.

Lunch for us today was in the lido buffet and I had a chicken salad with two tiny desserts and David had a variety of cheeses and chicken and bread rolls.  He managed to squeeze a couple of desserts in too.

Tonight is another formal night with Captain's Welcome Reception at 7.45pm

Unfortunately I'm having problems uploading photos but as soon as I can I will




Our first dinner went well, we booked 2nd sitting with a table for 8.  We were in the upper dining room in deck 3 which was a first for us.  Always feel a little apprehensive about the first meal but don't think we have anything to worry about - first impressions all very good having been seated with 3 other couples who were friendly and chatty.  We danced before and after dinner to the orchestra in the Queens Room til midnight.

First night sleep went well although the bed seems much shorter than usual and David commented his legs were having over the edge.  Luckily the bed is comfy and plenty of nice soft pillows.  Cabin is situated forward on deck 1 and is nice and quiet.

Tuesday 8th November

Breakfast and lunch in MDR. There was quite a queue for breakfast this morning and as I am antisocial in the morning opted to wait a little longer for a table for 2.  By lunch I'm a bit friendlier so we were happy to share with 4 others.

Went to the morning port presentation on Madeira, followed by a Dance class at 12.15 covering an intro to the  Cha Cha Cha. Afternoon Tea followed in the Queens Room - which proved v popular as it was a sea day.  We enjoyed the company of a solo traveller on the next table - a lovely lady aged 90 who still enjoyed her independence, she told us her mother who had lived to 1 day before her 100th birthday had been a suffragette.

David went to the gym and I had a little nap before dinner as can feel a sore throat and cough coming on.

Danced before and after dinner until midnight in the Queens Room and declined David's offer of our usual brisk walk on the promenade deck before retiring

Wednesday 9th November

Woke this morning to the controversial news of the presidential election and wondered how it would impact on the world.  Enough of politics though - we had breakfast to go to.

After breakfast and feeling quite lethargic decided we would stay outside this morning. We did quite a few laps of the promenade deck.  The seas has been a little rocky but not as bad as I feared.  7.5k steps later we went to another dance class - today it was Quick Step.  The classes have proved v popular and the teachers were good.

Now whilst I'm mentioning steps - I love gadgets and just last week got a new Fitbit which reminds me if I have not achieved a minimum number of steps per hour (think it's 250) so if we've been having a quiet read it may look a little strange when I suddenly stand and jog on the spot to reach my target.  It's our tenth cruise and we have never used the lift since the very first day of our first cruise when a helpful steward put us in the lift when we didn't know where to go. Now at times it's like being on holiday with the "stairs police" as David reminds me on a daily basis that we do not use the lift.  I have been tempted when he goes to the gym just to sneak out of the cabin and ride the lifts for an hour and then sneak back in and he'd never know!

Lunch was in the Golden Lion - I had fish and chips and David went for the sausage and chips, nicely lubricated with a pint of Greene King and I had half a pint of shandy.

Now for a little read and catch up in the Commodores Club before afternoon tea in the Queens Room. In fact going to make our way down half an hour early to secure a seat so we don't have to queue today.

Looking forward to our first formal night tonight - Cunard Ball and hope that tomorrow may bring some sunshine as we get nearer to Madeira.