Back to Southampton - part 3 - conclusion

As it was our last formal night, we dressed up in our tuxedos and best party frocks before dinner found seats in the Explorers lounge in order to watch a comedian (I use that term loosely) by the name of Jamie Sutherland. Hmmmm....two funny jokes in his forty minute set wasn't a particularly good return, but on the plus side, he didn't swear.

We then had the traditional (almost) Captains farewell dinner with the usual options of beef Wellington and lobster tails. I chose the former and it was very agreeable indeed. The chefs parade was expected, but didn't materialise, so we are waiting to see if it happens on our last night aboard. As usual, we were not quite the last out of the dining room, but almost.

Regular readers may recall that we still have a small matter of $7 to make up on the roulette table in order to be all square for the trips so we hit the casino with our table companions, Sharon and Dennis. Sharon had (allegedly), never played roulette before and hit a winning streak straightaway, winning just over $100 in less than five minutes. Talk about beginners luck! Unfortunately this run of luck did not rub on us and we left the table not having won or lost a single dollar, and before retiring we went to watch the house band for part of their late night set.

Thus we are now on our last day and the prospect of packing the suitcases awaits. The seas in the bay of Biscay have been very kind to us and in fact provided us with a nature moment at breakfast time when we spotted a whale spouting several times about 100 metres off our starboard side.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Emerald Princess the largest ship that we have sailed on to date. On the warm, sunny days there has been more than enough room to wander around and find a quiet space to read or to catch up with the news from home. However, when the weather has not been quite so clement, the lower decks become very busy and very crowded indeed.

The best thing about the ship from an above decks perspective, is the number of vantage points for viewing both forward and astern, in fact the viewing points are arguably the best of any ship that I have been on previously. The promenade deck wraps right around the front so there is no excuse for not taking that iconic Kate Winslett arms outstretched picture from Titanic. The skywalkers lounge is at the highest point of the ship and has wings which extend over the sea almost as far as those of the bridge. Above this lounge is the sports deck which is usually quiet and a great position for watching the sailaway. At the back is the outrigger bar and this is also an area with two small pools and three jacuzzis...and also a number of tables and barstools for those who wish to have a drink or eat their buffet meal whilst enjoying the view from astern. The very front of the ship on the upper deck contains the Sanctury...we have not visited apart from a quick look around as we see no point in paying extra for a small area of relative peace. As far as I can tell, nor do many other passengers.

Although the promenade deck goes all the way around the ship, it is rather narrow, hence there are no loungers on this deck, only chairs. Unfortunately, it also means that when the walkers get caught behind a shuffler, they all get bunched up and the morning constitutional ends up becoming something resembling a conga line. As well as the main theatre, there are several lounges equipped with stage and lighting that can be used for evening entertainment, including Club Fusion, the Wheelhouse, Crooners bar and the Explorers lounge. All are pretty much full every evening. It is also good that the entertainment acts play in different lounges at different times, giving everyone, no matter what their dining option, a chance to see the performance.

The one downside of being below decks is that many of the public rooms do seem to be rather on the chilly side, especially until the room begins to fill with people. Many of our fellow guests have also mentioned this.

As we have visited all the ports of call before apart from Genoa and as I have already provided details of our adventures in each, I don't think there is any need to provide a summary. However, it has been a very enjoyable cruise with lots to see and do, both on shore and on board. The weather has been sunny and warm on the important, port days and we have meat and enjoyed the company of many interesting and friendly people.

And so, dear reader, another blog comes to a close. But do not despair as all being well, the next one will begin in December when we board the Golden Princess and sail around Cape Horn. You should be able to find the link from my blogger profile home page. I hope that you have all enjoyed reading of these adventures as much as I have enjoyed writing.

Until next time, au revoir and calm seas!

Back to Southampton - part 2

We passed through the Straits of Gibralter late yesterday afternoon, but unfortunately were only able to catch a glimpse of the Rock through all the showers and low cloud. However, at last the seas have not been too rough.

Pre-dinner last evening we found seats for a show by Phil Hitchcock, a magician and illusionist. As he began his act, we realised that we had seen him before on a previous cruise and although not in the "amazing" category, it was an entertaining enough hour.

Dinner itself was again good...my choice was not as rich as the previous two nights in that I opte for mushroom soup, some southern fried chicken and a creme brûlée for dessert.

Unfortunately, there was little time for the casino or another show afterwards as once again, our table was last to leave the restaurant...our little group is more than happy to socialise and chat for hours.

We have had a stunning sunrise this Sunday morning (picture attached) off the coast of Portugal, and the sea has remained a glassy calm all day. Quite a contrast to yesterday. We have amused ourselves thus far today by taking part in the morning trivia (didn't win), walking six laps of the promenade decks, attending a lecture given by a space scientist and then supporting our table companion, Jen, in a concert given by passengers who have taken up learning to play the ukulele. All great fun!

The food on board has always been of a very high standard, but I would say that the evening dinners in the second week have been slightly better, but only because they have been a little better presented. 

The buffet area is divided between the Horizon Court and the Cafe Caribe...they are both essentially the same thing, but at lunchtimes, the Cafe Caribe provides a differently themed lunch, eg. Indian, Chinese, Mexican or sushi. Pizza, hot dogs, burgers and ice cream are always available from the trident grill on the main sun deck...we have tried the hot dogs and have no complaints whatsoever!

The buffet closes at midnight, but there is also an International cafe which is open 24 hours and thus always available so satisfy any hunger pangs that strike in the early hours. It also serves speciality teas and coffees. Alongside this cafe is a wine and tapas bar which always seems to be well attended, although it is not really the sort of thing which appeals greatly to us. Lastly, my greatest culinary/beverage complaint concerns the standard of the coffee served throughout the ship. It is universally bad and has almost turned me into a tea drinker.

Although we have had little first hand experience, from talking to other passengers, the general consensus is that the entertainment has not been quite as good as it could have been. The resident musicians are all good, (although they may not all be to everyone's taste), and we certainly have had no reason to complain about the shows that we have seen.

Back to Southampton - part 1

First of all, an apology if the font on my posting yesterday mysteriously changed. I have no idea how or why it happened!

We left Barcelona on time and without leaving anybody behind. As there were four other cruise ships in port, the ritual ships' whistle blowing was a long drawn out and as you can imagine, very noisy affair.

As the main deck area was crowded we escaped to the highest deck on the ship atop the skywalkers lounge for the sailaway. It always seems to be quiet up there, either because other passengers have yet to discover it or because they are too lazy to climb the steps. Anyway, it is a great vantage point and gives great views astern.

Last night's dinner was again superlative. Being Italian themed, (and therefore my favourite) I chose a melon and Parma ham starter, then minestrone soup, veal escalope in Marsala wine and then tiramisu to finish. I also enjoyed a rather large and rather strong limoncello with my coffee. Fabulous!

We then retreated to the casino and I am pleased to report that we won $13, this reducing our overall loss from our original stake to just $7. There is still ample time to make up this difference!

Today's weather forecast (Saturday) could not have been more wrong. We were promised sunny skies, but instead we have had heavy grey clouds, fog and rain. On the plus side, it is not a bit cold, the sea swell is low and we should be thankful that all our port days have been warm and sunny.

We have spotted a several migratory birds heading southwards and of course, as we get closer to the Straits of Gibralter there are a number of other ships in the vicinity as I compose this note.

As there are three consecutive sea days to Southampton and thus no ports from which I can relate adventures, I will use the next couple of days to reflect on various aspects of the cruise.

As with our previous Princess experience, the staff and crew have been superb. Pedro, our room steward has been wonderful and ever ready with a small and a few words whenever we pass by. Our waiters, Tanya and Tony have both been superb, ever helpful and informative and happy to supply a small taster if someone is not too sure about a particular dish, or to combine a couple of dishes, should more than one look too tempting.

The bar staff and excursion staff have been extremely efficient, hugely appreciated and important given the number of passengers they are serving. In fact, everyone that we have spoken with cannot praise the attitude and helpfulness of the staff too highly.

Spain - Barcelona

Another delicious and mouthwatering dinner menu last night. I started with some antipasta/parma ham, followed by a soup course of beef consommé. The main course was a melt in th mouth chateaubriand steak and to finish, the thinnest crepes I think I have ever had, rolled and containing a light chocolate cream filling. Just sublime.

We had then planned to watch the evening show as David Copperfield was on stage (he originally found fame in the Three of a Kind TV show from the eighties which launched the careers of Lenny Henry and Tracey Ullman). The theatre was packed and there was no room for us to sit....which was probably just as well as we stood and watched for a few minutes and decided it was all pretty dire. Plan B was to visit the roulette table and once again, we played for a half hour or so and neither won nor lost.

I know that many people love it, but try as I might, I find it hard to warm to Barcelona. It is just too crowded, just too busy, just too noisy and just too much of an urban sprawl for me. The Ramblas apart, many of the other streets which we saw today looked rather run down, with many vacant shop fronts and graffitied walls. This is not to say that the City does not have its good parts and it's attractions, it does...and fortunately today's excursion took in a few of them.

Having done a fair bit of walking over the last few days, today's tour was a much less strenuous one as we opted for some sightseeing from the comfort of a coach. The route took us past the Olympic stadium and from where we could take in some fabulous views of the city and then descended back into the city centre and the gothic quarter with its unique architecture. Next stop was the Sagrada Familia which never fails to impress despite building work starting over one hundred years ago and still not being scheduled for completion until 2026. We then came back along the seafront and passed the site of the Olympic village and sailing venues before having a last stop at Barcelona Cathederal and the oldest part of the city.

Thus we have now departed the port and the next time our feet touch dry land, we shall be back in Southampton.

Monte Carlo - Monaco

Firstly, a brief update on yesterday evening. Following what we all agreed was an excellent dinner menu  (I chose a simple green salad, followed by Asian spiced duck breast and a grand manier soufflé to finish), we opted to go and watch the main show as our evening's entertainment. It was a song and dance affair based on popular tunes of the 1920's, and performed with great enthusiasm and polish.

Today our port of call is Monaco. The ship was berthed by 7.30am and following breakfast we donned our smartest shorts and most reflective sunglasses and set out to join the rich and famous and the beautiful people for the day. First off was a walk up the hill to the old part of town and to get the best views of the Principality. The area also takes in both the Royal Palace and a maze of narrow streets crammed with shops and cafés. After a mid morning coffee (thankfully not too expensive), we made our way back down to the quayside and jumped aboard the hop on-hop off bus for a circuit of the main points of interest in Monaco, including the Casino, the Hermitage (and for Formula 1 fans, the famous tunnell, swimming pool complex and the hairpin).

Circuit completed (without a change of tyres or refuelling), it was back to the ship for a late lunch and the mid-afternoon sailaway.

As it happened, our day in port coincided with Monaco's annual Super Yacht Show. (Think Southampton boat show but many times more expensive). The harbour and the approach thereto were both full of all shapes and sizes of super-yacht and the waterfront bustling with exhibitors tents and wares, and smartly dressed men and girls, all with tags defining them as crew, visitor, organiser, or VIP. Similarly the harbour was buzzing with speedboats, ribs, and tenders all no doubt taking prospective buyers to inspect the latest off the super-yacht production line. (All prior to customisation, obviously). Some of the launches themselves looked as if they were worth more than the GDP of a small country. We didn't spot anyone famous, in fact most of the clientele looked as if they were Russian oligarchs or belonged to the mafioso.

Still, it was fabulous watching all the comings and goings with the harbour resembling a mini Venice. I must admit that a very small part of me would loved to have seen an amateur captain put one of the launches into forward instead of reverse and watch him scrape along the harbour wall, but fortunately it never happened. 

We did however see the yacht "Athena" in port....she one belonged to the Onassis family, and still looks as elegant and spotless as the day she was launched.

Departing from the quay was obviously going to be a tricky manoeuvre with very little room to swing the ship around, plus the vast number of boats around, but the Pilots did their best to stop all traffic and we moved out without incurring any insurance claims.

Onwards now to Barcelona.

Italy -Genoa

Today we have been in Genoa. We had no excursions booked, so there was no real plan for the day other than to have a bit of a wander around the city.

To my mind Genoa is a city of contrasts. The cruise terminal itself is a magnificent old building with very compact quays so with having MSC Poesia docked next to us, it is almost as if two huge cruise ships have berthed in somebody's front driveway. Having said that, our position gives us fabulous views across the harbour with the older buildings on one side, the more modern, high rises on the other, in between a bustling, modern waterfront and the hillsides surrounding the port covered in apartment blocks old and new, castles, churches and palaces.

As we set off after breakfast, the queue for the hop on-hop off bus was already a hundred yards long, so we gave up on that idea and headed towards the main part of town. Initially, we walked along some of the back streets which were more reminiscent of North Africa than an Italian maritime city and although interesting, gave a small sense of unease. Fortunately, we soon found our way to the more fashionable side of town with small piazzas, a multitude of all kinds of shops, narrow streets less than a few feet wide and parts of the old city walls and gates. Certainly, there was a sense of history when considering the importance Genoa had as a commercial and trading centre in the Middle Ages and thereafter. Statues and other reminders of it's most famous son, Christopher Columbus, abound.

By this time, a morning refreshment was called for in one of the many small restaurants and bars which lay just within the walls of the main front of the city. Once the caffeine from the strong Italian coffee had kicked in, we set off again and soon spotted the wally trolley just across the Square. There was no queue and no wait, so with tickets purchased we climbed aboard and set off on an hours journey around the streets, passing many of the old historical monuments, cathederals and buildings. It really was interesting and informative.

Once back at our starting point, we crossed over to the waterfront area. This is a fairly recent development and boasts several attractions including an old (and undoubtedly replica) galleon, a maritime museum, aquarium, modern apartments and a plethora of small shops and restaurants. 

We could not leave Italy without experiencing a gelato, so sat outside in the warm lunchtime sunshine feasting on vanilla, strawberry, lemon, coffee and pistachio ice creams. Lush!

Of course we had to get down to the afternoon trivia competition. We didn't come first this time, but the winning team received a bottle of champers. For our victory yesterday, all we got was a cheap, tacky lanyard. Unfair is not the word.

Upon pain of death, I am obliged to report that I challenged my DW to a game of shuffleboard.....and I lost. A rematch is due tomorrow, methinks.

Italy - Pisa and Livorno

Last evenings activities included our second visit to the roulette table. After playing for 20 minutes, we were still all squared so called it a night not having recovered a single dollar from our previous loss. Still, we are only half way through our trips so plenty of time yet! We then retreated to Club Fusion to watch the end of the karaoke and also to listen to the house (or should I say ship) band who continued to play a wide range of songs from artists as diverse as Dire Straits to Anne Murray.

Today was our visit to Livorno, and specifically to the city of Pisa. Thankfully the coach journey took no longer than half an hour and we were soon mingling with the vast crowds of tourists snapping pictures of the famous Leaning Tower. Our guide was extremely knowledgable and talked for what seemed like hours, but there is only so much information about 16th century architecture that one can take in at one time, so we sneaked away to explore the rest of the Field of Miracles on our own.

I make no excuse for the picture attached...yes it is corny...but who can see the Leaning Tower without attempting to push it upright?

We made it back to the ship in time for a late lunch and then hopped on to the shuttle bus for a very brief look around Livorno. It is obviously a very busy industrial port being the gateway to both Pisa  and Florence, but the city itself is well worth a visit. It parts, it has a canal network not unlike Venice or Amsterdam, it has large, open piazzas, old buildings and bell towers, and a fairly modern main shopping street boasting stores such as H&M, Zara, Timberland, Benetton and Swarovski. Obviously the Italians are coming to realise that there is money to be made from the less glamourous ports of their country.

A couple of hours was all we could manage before feet started to ache, so it was back to the ship again and just in time to join in the afternoon trivia. I am somewhat embarrassed to say that we achieved our second win for the trip and so, if any reader would like a very fashionable and much sort after Princess Cruises lanyard, please let me know as I am building up quite a collection.