Sunday 21st July: Southampton
Sue and I were both awake by just after 6.00am, and we were able to get ready for our journey to Southampton without having to rush. We had loaded the car and were on our way by 8.30am, and despite predictions that it would be one of the busiest days of the year on the motorways (it was the first weekend of the school holidays in England), were had reached junction between the M25 and the M3 by 9.40am. We stopped at Winchester Services for breakfast at just after 10.15am and were on our way again by 10.45am. We reached to outskirts of Southampton a little after 11.00am ... and then got held up by a diversion that had been put in place in the centre of the city to enable a special cycling event to take place.
We eventually arrived at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal at 11.50am, where a porter whisked away our luggage whilst I booked the car in with the valet parking service. Sue and I entered the terminal building and were immediately directed to one of the check-in desks. The process of checking-in took less than five minutes, and after passing through the security checkpoint, we made our way aboard P&O's MV Aurora. Once aboard we were directed to the Medina Restaurant (Deck 6 Midships) where we were given lunch and some much-needed liquid refreshment.
Sue and I stayed in the restaurant until just before 2.00pm, when an announcement was made to the effect that all cabins were ready to be occupied. We made our way up to Deck 9 (which was where our suite was located) and were met at the door by our butler ... who we had last met aboard MV Britannia. Our luggage was also there, and he helped us take it inside.
Sue and I then began the process of unpacking, which continued until 3.30pm, by which time we needed a short break. We therefore went up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant (Deck 12 Midships) for a quick snack and a much-needed drink. At 4.00pm we returned to our suite just in time to pick up our life jackets and go to the Curzon Theatre (Decks 5 and 6 Forward) for our mandatory safety drill. Once the drill was over, Sue and I spent some time on the Promenade Deck (Deck 7) before returning to our suite to complete our unpacking. Once that was complete, we spent the next couple of hours resting (i.e. dozing) before it was time to go to dinner.
We decided to have a pre-dinner drink in Anderson's Bar (Deck 7 Forward) and a walk along the Promenade Deck before going down to the Alexandria Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) for dinner. Sue and I had been allotted a table for two by a window on the port side of the ship, and we were able to watch the sunset as we ate. We had finished eating by 10.00pm, and after another short walk along the Promenade Deck, we went back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Monday 22nd July: At sea
Sue and I woke up at approximately 7.30am after a very good night's sleep. Aurora was already well on her way down the English Channel ...
... and looked likely to enter the top of the Bay of Biscay by lunchtime.
We were ready for breakfast by a little after 9.00am and went down a deck to eat it in the Sindhu Restaurant (Deck 8 Midships). This is normally the Asian select dining restaurant but is used at breakfast time for serving breakfast to the suite passengers.
After breakfast, Sue and I went for a walk around the ship. We paid a short visit to the shops (Decks 6 and 7 Midships) to buy a couple of small items that we had forgotten to pack and a special charm bracelet and a selection of charms that was on special offer. We also went to the Future Cruise and Loyalty Desk (Deck 5 Midships) to deliver our replies to the invitations we had received to attend the Peninsular Club Lunch on 24th July. We obtained a second copy of the ship's daily newsletter – HORIZON – from the Reception Desk (Deck 5 Midships) (Sue likes to cut bits out to glue into her written cruise log) and then went up to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air.
We had returned to our cabin by 10.45am and stayed there reading and resting until the Officer-of-the-Watch made the customary noonday announcement. By then we were both feeling thirsty and went up to the Crow's Nest Bar (Deck 13 Forward) to sit, get a drink, and do some more reading.
It was surprisingly quiet and uncrowded in the Crow's Nest Bar, and we remained there until just after 2.00pm. We then went down to the area near the Riviera Pool (Deck 12 Forward) for some fresh air before going to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for lunch. We then returned the Riviera Pool area for a cold drink. Whilst we were there, we had a long chat with one of the contractors who are aboard Aurora to update her computer systems.
We were back in our cabin by 3.30pm, and other than having a long chat with our butler, we spent most of the time reading until we had to begin to get ready for the Captain's 'Welcome Aboard' party and the first formal dinner of the cruise.
The 'Welcome Aboard' party took place in Carmen's Show Lounge (Deck 7 Aft), so Sue and I decided to walk along the Promenade Deck from the forward end of the ship (where our suite was located), aft towards the Show Lounge. Considering that Aurora was in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, there was hardly a movement as the sea was remarkably calm. Once inside the Show Lounge, were found ourselves seats, and were served drinks by one of the numerous waiters. We had a short conversation with the Reception Desk Manager before Captain Pembridge – Aurora's captain – welcomed aboard everyone who was present and talked briefly about the places we were going to visit and the weather that we could expect.
Once the captain had finished, we made our way down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner. As is normal for formal night dinners, the menu was devised by Marco Pierre White and the ship's Executive Chef. The food was – as one would expect – very good, as was the service we received from our table waiters and the wine waiter.
After dinner, Sue and I took another stroll along the Promenade Deck and were back in our suite by 10.45pm. We got ready for bed, and sat reading until just after 11.30pm, when we both went to sleep. (It is quite exhausting ding very little all day!)
Tuesday 23rd July: At sea
After a very good night's sleep, we awoke to find that Aurora had left the Bay of Biscay and was north-west on Cap Finisterre in Galicia, Spain, and sailing into the deeper waters of the Atlantic.
Once we were dressed, we made our way to the Sindhu Restaurant for breakfast. After eating breakfast, Sue and I went down to the shops to buy a couple of bracelet charms that were on special offer, and to obtain a second copy of HORIZON from the Reception Desk.
By 10.30am the sun had come out and we were sitting out on the Promenade Deck enjoying the wonderful weather. Sue and I stayed there until just after 11.00am, when we went back to our suite to collect out Kindles before going up to the Crow's Nest Bar. Due to the imminent announcement about the Conservative Party leadership election (the announcement was due to be made at 11.45am), Sue and I decided to wait in our suite to see the result when it appeared on Sky News. This took place later than expected, and we did not make it up the Crow's Nest Bar until some time after the Midday Announcement by the Officer-of-the-Watch.
The Crow's Nest was almost empty, and we had no trouble finding a table and chairs near to the front window where we could sit and watch the horizon. We spent the next ninety minutes doing that as well as reading and having a drink.
By just before 2.00pm Sue and went down to the open area near the Riviera Pool so that we could sit outside and enjoy the sun, but the wind had shifted direction whilst we had been in the Crow’s Nest Bar, and despite the sun, the area was colder than expected. As a result, we stayed there less than fifteen minutes before deciding to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
After lunch we went down to the Promenade Deck to sit out of the wind and to enjoy the sea air. As we had chosen to sit on the Port side of the Promenade Deck – which was not in the sun – we had the area pretty well much to ourselves. Despite this, it was surprisingly warm, and we sat there for some time before we returned to our suite.
We stayed in our suite until it was time to go for a stroll along the Promenade Deck and our pre-dinner drink. On this occasion we went up to the Pennant Bar (Deck 12 Aft), which despite the pleasant air temperature and the fact that it was sheltered from the wind, was surprisingly empty.
After dinner, Sue and I returned to the Promenade Deck, where we sat talking to other passengers for a time before returning to our suite to get ready for bed. We watched the news on TV for time before going to bed, where both of use read for about thirty minutes. Tiredness then go the better of us, and we were both asleep by midnight.
Wednesday 24th July: At sea
Overnight Aurora encountered a spell of bad weather and passed through at least one heavy rainstorm. However, by the time Sue and I got up, the weather had begun to improve, and the in-cabin TV display showed that the ship was well on her way towards Madeira.
We ate breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant, and then took our usual perambulation around the ship, ending up on the Promenade Deck. The sky was cloudy, but the sea was reasonably calm, and the air temperature was warm enough to sit in the open. Sue and I stayed there for some time and saw – in the distance – a very large yacht sailing on an opposite course to the Aurora. It turned out to be the Black Pearl, which we had seen in Cartagena in 2018. She is reputed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world and looked magnificent under sail.
As we were going to attend the Peninsular Club Lunch at midday, we spent the rest of the morning in our suite resting until just after 11.30am, when it was time to get ready for the lunch.
The lunch took place in the Alexandria Restaurant, and our table was hosted by the ship's Safety Officer/Senior First Officer. The menu was different from that of our previous Peninsular Club Lunch. Sue and I ate:
Starters
Crispy Fried Goat Cheese & Prosciutto, with Honey Figs, Vincotto, and Spiced Whole Almonds (Sue)
Chicken and Chickpea Soup, with Brioche Croutons (Me)
Sorbet
Raspberry Sorbet
Main Courses
Poached Loch Durat Salmon Supreme, with English Peas, Chorizo and Tomato Dressing, and Crushed New Potatoes (Sue)
Roasted New Zealand Rack of Lamb, with Crispy Bacon and Onion Potato Cake, Glazed Parsnips, and Lamb Jus (Me)
Desserts
Cheeseboard, with A Selection of Regional, British, and Continental Cheese, and Walnut Bread (Sue)
Warm Flourless Chocolate Pudding, with White Chocolate Fudge and Coffee Ice Cream (Me)
Petit Four
Marzipan Fruits
We had all finished eating by 2.00pm, but sat chatting to our table companions until almost 2.30pm. Sue and I then went up to the Promenade Deck for some much-needed fresh air, and we sat there chatting to other passengers until nearly 3.00pm, when we returned to our suite.
The lunch was very filling, and the soporific effect eating so much rich food at lunchtime soon made itself felt, and Sue and I spent the next two hours trying to read between bouts of dozing!
We were fully awake in time to get ready for the second formal dinner of the cruise. Dinner was preceded by a short spell on the Promenade Deck followed by a drink in the Pennant Bar. We arrived in the Alexandria Restaurant just after 8.30pm, and after a quick chat with our waiters, we ate a most excellent meal.
By 10.00pm we had left the restaurant and gone back to the Promenade Deck. We stayed there talking to other passengers for some time, and did not return to our suite until after 10.30pm. By then we were both feeling tired, and after getting ready for bed, we sat in bed reading until we went to sleep.
Thursday 25th July: Funchal, Madeira
Sue and I were woken up just before 7.30am by the sound and vibration of the ship’s bow thrusters manoeuvring Aurora alongside the dock in Funchal. She had experienced very little bad weather or heavy seas overnight, and arrived in Funchal slightly ahead of schedule.
By the time we were ready to go to breakfast, the deputy captain had already announced that passengers could proceed ashore … and once breakfast was over and we were sitting on the Promenade Deck taking in the sights and sounds of Funchal, we could see the shuttle-buses taking passengers around the dock and towards the city centre.
As we knew that crew drills were going to take place at 10.00am, Sue and I went ashore before they started, and by just after 10.05am, we alighted at one end of the Avenida Arriga.
The sun was very bright, and the air temperature was already beginning to rise as we slowly walked past the numerous cafés and restaurants towards the imposing statue of João Gonçalves Zarco that stands at the junction of the Avenida Arriga and the Avenida Zarco.
Sue and I continued our walk along the Avenida Arriga until we reached the Sé do Funchal (Funchal’s cathedral).
We passed to the left of the cathedral, passing a very interesting pink, turreted building …
… and across the bridge that spans the local canalised river.
We then made our way along the Rua Fernão Ornelas, stopping off briefly at one of Sue’s favourite shops, Feira dos Tecidos.
From there it was a very short walk to the Mercado dos Lavradoes (Farmer’s Market) …
… where we visited the fish market …
… as well as the fruit and vegetable stalls.
We even managed to buy a couple of local honey cakes to take home with us to the UK.
By this time, we were both in need of a cold drink, and made our way back towards the cathedral. We turned left there and walked down the Rua João Tavira, where we found a suitable shady café to stop and have a drink.
Opposite the café was a bust of Marshal Pilsudski, who led Poland during the Russo-Polish War and until he went into exile on Madeira in the early 1930s.
We boarded the shuttle-bus back to the ship just after midday, and after dropping off our bags and cameras in our suite, Sue and I went up to the area near the Riviera Pool to sit in the shade and have another drink whilst looking at Funchal.
We had an interesting conversation with two other passengers who were sat on the next table, and it was not until just after 1.30pm that we decided that we ought to have some lunch. Sue and I decided that the best place to go was the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant, as the Lido Grill was crowded, noisy, and rather hot.
After eating lunch, Sue and I made our way down to the Promenade Deck, where we sat in the shade talking to yet another group of passengers. We finally returned to our suite at 4.00pm, where we sat reading and resting until the butler arrived with some canapes at 5.30pm.
Once he had gone, I managed to download and answer my emails whilst Sue went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. When she returned, we both began the leisurely process of getting ready for dinner.
For a change, Sue and I went up to the area near the Riviera Pool before dinner, but as the nearby bar was already shut, we ended up having our pre-dinner drink in the Pennant Bar. We had finished drinking well before it was time to go to dinner, so we went down to the Promenade Deck first for a short stroll. We returned there after dinner and stayed there chatting to other passengers before we went up to our suite to go to sleep.
Friday 26th July: Santa Cruz, La Palma
Aurora sailed from Madeira to La Palma overnight, and as Sue and I awoke, the ship was already approaching the harbour’s entrance.
La Palma is a very steep and rocky island, and this was reflected by the view from our suite balcony …
… and the Promenade Deck.
After breakfast and a short visit to the Reception Desk, Sue and I were raring to go ashore. Although the local port supplied a limited shuttle-bus service from the ship to the dock gates, we decided to walk, and by a little after 10.00am we were ashore and on our way.
It was very sunny and rather warm on the dockside, but the route we had to take was in shade for a large part of the way. Even though we sauntered along rather than strode out at a vigorous pace, it took us less than twenty minutes to reach the dock gates, and we were making our way up the pedestrianised main street, the Calle Real which has the alternative name, Calle O’Daly.
About a quarter of a mile along the road is the Plaza de España and the main local church, the Iglesias Matriz de El Salvador.
Sue and I continued our walk along the Calle Real which, once it crossed the Avenida El Puente, acquired another alternative name, Avenida Perez de Brito.
By this time, we were both feeling very thirsty, and stopped for a drink in one of the local bars. The freshly squeezed local orange juice we both drank was sweet enough to revive one’s energy, and acidic enough to refresh one’s mouth.
A short alley led from the bar towards the seafront, where there were some excellent examples of balcones tipicos, local balconied houses.
We took our time walking back along the Avenida Maritime towards the docks, and I was able to buy a peaked sun cap from one of the local shops. Once through the dock gates, we had an excellent view of Aurora tied up alongside the quay.
On our way back to the ship, we passed through the Estacion Maritime, and Sue and I were able to pay a short visit to the Duty-Free shop, where we were able to buy a few items to take home with us.
Once back aboard Aurora, Sue and I spent about thirty minutes in our cabin cooling down before going up to the area near the Riviera Pool for a cold drink. Whilst there we began talking to a lady who was travelling on her own … and purely by chance discovered that I was at school with her brother from the age of eight until we were both eighteen! We finally parted company at 1.30pm, just in time for us to have lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
After lunch Sue and I spent some time on the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite, where we stayed until it was time to go for a pre-dinner drink. As the Riviera Bar was open, we decided to go there. The staff were making preparations for a tropical evening that was due to begin at 9.30pm, but this did not prevent us from having a very enjoyable time sitting under cover and in the open air, talking to other passengers.
We went down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner at just before 8.30pm and had finished our meal by 10.00pm. As the weather was still good and the air temperature was pleasantly warm, Sue and I went out onto the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before going back to our suite for the night.
Saturday 27th July: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Aurora’s journey to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, from La Palma was not a long one, and her speed was relatively slow as she sailed between the two islands. She arrived in harbour in Las Palmas at just after 7.00am,and had manoeuvred alongside the quay and moored by 8.00am.
As we went down to the Sindhu Restaurant for breakfast, we realised that it had begun to rain outside. Whilst we ate, Sue and I discussed what we would do if the weather did not improve, and decided to buy tickets for the local Ho-Ho (Hop On, Hop Off) bus service that operated from just outside the dock gates. These could be bought ashore or at Explorers, the ship’s tours desk (Deck 6 Midships). Sue and I opted for the latter, and made our purchase after breakfast.
As it was still raining very lightly, We decided to go out onto the Promenade Deck until the weather improved, but due to the ship having to take on fuel from a bunker vessel that had come alongside, we had to go up to the covered area near to the Riviera Pool. This meant that we overlooked the local Spanish Navy base (Las Palmas is the Spanish Navy’s main base in the Canary Islands), where we could see four ships of the Meteroro-class moored alongside.
They were the Tornado (P44), …
… the Rayo (P42), …
… the Meteroro (P41), …
… and the Relámpago.
The rain finally fizzled out just before 11.00am, and by 11.10am we had disembarked and were walking towards the Ho-Ho bus stop. This gave us the opportunity to see Aurora from the forward port quarter.
We had to wait until 11.35am before we were able to board the bus, but within ten minutes it as full, and we were on our way around Las Palmas. We saw quite a lot of the city, including a monument that looked like a lighthouse, …
… the ancient Castillo de la Luz, …
… a building in the local vernacular style (in this case, the main tourist office!), …
… the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus (the local opera house and arts centre), …
… and a very interesting Chinese-style kiosk that had been built just before the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the time we got back to the Ho-Ho pick-up point, it was past 1.00pm, and Sue and I decided that we were in need of something to drink and possibly to eat. The large shopping centre (El Muelle) that is located near to the dock gates has a large number of bars and restaurants, and we had a drink in one near the entrance, followed by a meal in ‘Gino’s’, a pizza restaurant.
The pizzas were huge, so Sue and I ate one between us …
… followed by a dessert.
(Sue had the profiteroles and I ate the apple tart with ice cream)
After lunch we went back aboard Aurora and returned to our suite … where we both had a short doze. We then spent the rest of the afternoon reading or sitting on our balcony.
Because the Riviera Bar was open, Sue and I decided to go there for our pre-dinner drink. We sat there talking to other passengers until just before 8.30pm, when we went down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner. After dinner we spent some time on the Promenade Deck talking to a different group of passengers and did not return to our suite until just before 11.00pm. As we were going on a trip on the following morning, we were both in bed and asleep by 11.30pm, having decided not to read very much before we turned in for the night.
Sunday 28th July: Arrecife, Lanzarote
Sue and I had booked a coach trip to Taguise, which is a small town not far from Arrecife. It holds a market every Sunday, and we hoped to spend a pleasant few hours there wandering about and looking at the stalls.
As we had to be on the coach by 9.30am, we both woke up slightly earlier than usual, and the Aurora was still manoeuvring through the entrance to the harbour when we got out of bed.
We were ready to go ashore in plenty of time, having eaten a light breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant. Sue and I made our way down to the disembarkation gangway on Deck 5 Midships, and stepped onto the dockside at just after 9.00am. The coach was already there, and as we boarded it, rain began to fall.
(Lanzarote is well known for its dry climate and lack of rainfall, so seeing and feeling rain falling was something that we had not expected.)
As the coach drove inland towards Taguise, the weather worsened. The drizzle seemed to get heavier the closer we got to Taguise, and by the time the coach had parked, it was obvious that the rain was not going to disappear in the near future.
Sue and I did the best that we could, but within thirty minutes we were both feeling cold and wet, and in much need of a hot drink. Luckily, we found a small café where we were able to buy a café con leche each to drink.
We stayed inside for as long as we could, but eventually we made our way outside … only to discover that the weather had not improved at all!
After wandering around the market for a further thirty minutes – and buying some table linen along the way – Sue and I arrived outside the Museo del Timple. Not knowing anything about what the museum might be about, we went in … and discovered a small gem!
It transpired that timple are a type of local stringed instrument – not unlike a small guitar or ukulele – that are used for special religious ceremonies, for playing folk music, and as a specialist professional instrument.
The museum has a display of various timple and related musical instruments from around the world that is housed in several of the museum’s rooms.
A typical workshop where timple are manufactured also forms part of the museum …
… with examples of instruments in various stages of construction.
The museum is housed in a house that was built in the local style, with many of the rooms – particularly those that would have been used by the house’s servants – built around a courtyard and connected in places by a roofed corridor.
The building includes a small family chapel …
… and a large dining room that is now used as a meeting room.
The house faces the largest of the local churches, which was very difficult to see in the rain, even though it was only just across the town’s main square.
After leaving the museum, Sue and I continued to walk around the market, getting wetter and wetter by the minute. Eventually we found somewhere to sit in a somewhat ramshackle-looking café near to the main entrance to the market. Luckily, we ended up sharing a table with the member of the ship’s crew who was acting as our group’s escort.
We had met him before on a cruise aboard another of P&O’s ships, and we had had helped us to book three cruises for 2020! (He was a member of the Future Cruise and Loyalty team). We spent forty-five minutes taking to him, by which time we all had to leave to find our coach to go back to the ship.
We found our coach without too much trouble, but two of our fellow passengers did not join us, and we had to wait until 1.10pm before the tour guide received permission for the coach to leave Taguise. (The missing passengers had made their own way back to the ship by taxi … but had not informed anyone that they had!) Sue and I eventually reached our suite at 1.45pm, and were able to take off our wet clothes and warm up.
We had lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant at 2.30pm, after which we went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. By this time the weather had improved somewhat, and we were able to sit there for nearly an hour chatting with other passengers.
By this time Sue and I were beginning to feel tired, and returned to our suite to read and rest until it was time to get ready for dinner. At 7.45pm we made a very quick trip up to the covered area near the Riviera Pool for some fresh air, after which Sue and I went down to Anderson’s Bar for a pre-dinner drink. After dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant we spent a short while of the Promenade Deck before going back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Monday 29th July: At sea
The weather was quite windy overnight, and the Aurora experienced quite a bit of movement. In addition, the ship’s clocks were put forward in preparation for our visit to La Coruña, with the result that both Sue and I awoke feeling rather tired.
As usual, we ate breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant, and then went down to the Reception Desk to get a printed copy of our onboard account and to get hold of an additional copy of HORIZON. We also spent some time looking at some of the watches that were on sale in the ship’s shops as my current one is now nearly ten years old and needs either to be renovated or replaced. Unfortunately, they didn’t have one with a metal strap that would fit around my wrist.
Sue and I then went to the Promenade Deck, where we sat for a while watching the daily procession of people walking endlessly around the deck. There were even a couple of joggers who were getting in everyone’s way, and it was mildly amusing to watch the interplay between the two groups.
We were back in our suite by 11.00am, and stayed there until just after midday, when we went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink. All the window seats and tables were already taken, but Sue and I were able to find somewhere to sit where we had lots of natural light to read by. We both drank a café latte for a change, and the caffeine helped to stop us from dozing off.
By 1.45pm Sue and I were both in the mood for some fresh air, especially as the chairs in the Crow’s Nest Bar can become uncomfortable to sit one after an hour or so. We went out to the covered deck area near the Riviera Pool to sit out of the wind, and other than for a short break to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant, we stayed there until nearly 3.00pm.
Sue and I then returned to our suite, and other than a visit from our butler at 5.30pm, we stayed there reading, resting, and – in my case – doing some design work on a wargame campaign system that I have been thinking about developing.
At 7.30pm, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck to sit in the sun until it was time for dinner. For once, we were served a drink on deck by one of the bar waiters from Champions Bar (Deck 7 Aft), and this meant that we were able to enjoy sitting in the fresh air for nearly an hour. Although there was some cloud in the sky and the wind over the deck was about 16 knots, it was surprisingly warm.
We ate dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant as usual and returned to the Promenade Deck afterwards. Although the sun had gone down, it was still very pleasant there, and it gave us the opportunity to chat with other passengers before we went back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Tuesday 30th July: At sea
Overnight the weather changed, with the wind speed and wave height increasing. The sound of the wind was quite loud, and the movement of the ship became more lively, so much so that walking around became difficult at times.
By the time Sue and I woke up and began to get ready for breakfast, Aurora was sailing northward along the coast of Portugal, and was roughly level with Lisbon.
We have passed through this area quite frequently over the years, and we have noticed that it is often subject to higher wind speeds and rougher seas than one would expect, and that this makes ships subject to more violent and rapid movement. Sue and I are quite used to it, but a lot of passengers seem to be surprised that the seas along the Atlantic coast of Portugal can be so rough and make moving about the ship difficult.
After breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant and a visit to collect an extra copy of HORIZON from the Reception Desk, we returned to our suite to read. At 11.30am we decided to go to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink, and we stayed there until 1.15pm, at which point we went down to the open deck area near the Riviera Bar.
During our stay in the Crow’s Nest Bar, the officer-of-the-watch made an announcement that an expected solar storm was likely to affect the Earth’s upper atmosphere over the next couple of days, and that this might cause problems with satellite communications. In other words, the ship’s navigation system might not function as well as usual, the satellite TV link might suffer degradation or break down entirely (i.e. there might be no signal on the in-cabin TV system), and mobile telephone communications could become difficult.
Unfortunately, we arrived there just before a group began playing right next to where we were sitting. Although the music was excellent, it was far too loud to be comfortable, and by 1.30pm we had made our way into the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant to eat lunch.
Once we had finished eating, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck, where we sat talking to other passengers until 3.45pm. During our time there the Entertainment Manager made an announcement regarding the stage show planned for that evening. Apparently ‘technical problems’ were preventing the show from being staged, and alternative entertainment was being planned.
Just before 6.00pm, another cruise ship came into view ahead of Aurora. She was on a reciprocal course, and the two ships passed each other at approximately 6.15pm. The other ship was the Celebrity Silhouette, which is not a lot larger than the Aurora.
The dinner was the last formal one of the cruise, and was preceded by the Peninsular Club Cocktail Party, which was held in Carmen’s Show Lounge. After a brief introduction by a member the Future Cruise and Loyalty team, Captain Pembridge gave a brief speech about P&O’s future plans before drawing the raffle.
As usual, Sue and I ate dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant, after which we went up to the Promenade Deck to sit … and to see the sun go down on the horizon.
We then returned to our suite to read for an hour or so before it was time to get ready to go to bed.
Wednesday 31st July: La Coruña
Sue and I were woken up just after 6.00pm by the sounds of Aurora docking in La Coruña. We both tried to go back to sleep afterwards, but only managed to doze until the alarm clock went off and we had to get up.
Aurora was moored across from the commercial part of the harbour …
… and close to the main marina and pedestrianised shopping area.
Sue and I had booked a morning tour to see the river estuaries around La Coruña, and because this started at 9.45am, we had a very quick breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant before going ashore to join our tour party. Everyone was very prompt, and exactly on time the coach began to make its way out of the dock area.
The countryside around La Coruña is reminiscent of parts of the Channel Islands and the West Country, and it was very nice driving through it on the way to our first stop, Pontedeume. The town was founded in 1270 by King Alfonso the Wise, and is named after the bridge that crosses the river at that point.
We were given time to get out and to take photographs as well as visit a local café for a drink and a comfort break.
The town is also famous for the 14th century Andrade Tower, …
… which is all that remains of the castle that guarded the original bridge.
We then drove on, crossing numerous bridges and small rivers, and passing through several villages. We eventually reached Bergondo …
… where we stopped at a local hotel for tapas.
Suitably refreshed, our journey continued through the village of Sada, past the country home of the Franco family, …
… and on to Santa Cruz, which is located on the opposite bank of the estuary. We stopped there to look at the Castle of Santa Cruz …
… and the port of La Coruña, where we could see the Aurora.
We had returned to the docks by 1.20pm, and as the local shops shut at 1.30pm, Sue and I decided to go aboard straight away. After taking our bags and cameras back to our suite, we made our way up to the area near the Riviera Pool for a drink before lunch. In the end we stayed there talking until nearly 2.30pm, at which point we decided to go to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for something to eat.
Once we had finished eating, we returned to our suite to rest until it was time to join other passengers who had booked places for the scenic sail-away. We all congregated in the Sindhu Restaurant, and at 4.30pm we were led up to the observation areas on Decks 10 and 11 Forward. From there we were able to watch as Aurora made her way out of the harbour and into the estuary … and to eat canapes and drink cocktails as we did so!
We were escorted part of the way by the local Pilot Boat …
… and it stayed with us until we were well past the famous ‘Tower of Hercules’ …
… which is a lighthouse that was originally built by the Romans, and that was later extended.
By 5.45pm it was too cold and windy to stay out on the open deck, and Sue and I returned to our suite to warm up and to get ready for dinner. We managed to spend a little time on the Promenade Deck before going to Anderson’s Bar for a pre-dinner drink.
Dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant was excellent – as usual – and our waiters presented us with signed copies of the dinner menus used during the cruise. (Sue and I sometimes look back at these and ask ourselves ‘Did we really eat all that food?’)
On a previous cruise, Sue and I had seen the latest show that P&O have added to their standard repertoire. It is a combined magic, illusion, dance, and music show entitled ‘Astonishing’, and we were determined to see it again. We finished dinner at 9.30pm, had a stroll along the Promenade Deck until 9.50pm, and then joined the queue for the Curzon Theatre. The doors opened at 10.00pm, and we were both given a sealed gold envelope as we entered. By the time the show started at 10.30pm, the theatre was packed, and there were very few seats left unfilled.
The show was as good as we remembered, and the card trick that everyone took part in went very well indeed, and left us wondering just how it worked. (The gold envelopes contained four large playing cards that were used in the trick.) Personally, I could have done without the song-and-dance interludes between some of the illusions (I wish that some singers would realised that volume does not equal quality), but they were necessary in order to give the stage crew time to set up the next one.
Sue and I both felt the need to stretch our legs and get some fresh air before going back to our suite, and we took another turn along the Promenade Deck before turning in for the night.
Thursday 1st August: At sea
As Aurora sailed across the Bay of Biscay, she did experience some movement, but not enough to make sleep difficult. When we awoke at 7.00am, she was already well on her way towards the westernmost end of Brittany and reasonably close to the west coast of France and roughly level with Brest.
After breakfast and a short trip to the Reception Desk for a printout of our onboard account, we had a walk around the shops and along the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite.
We then spent about an hour sorting out clothes, dirty washing etc., prior to beginning our packing. After that Sue and I both felt like a break and went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink. We stayed there until just after 1.30pm, when we went down to the covered area near the Riviera Pool. The sun was shining, the sea was calm, and it was very relaxing sitting there until we decided to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
Once we had eaten, we returned to our suite to begin packing. This took us a couple of hours, with a short break in the middle to pay a visit to the ship’s shops to buy some small gifts for the crew who had served use so well during the cruise. Five of our six bags was outside our suite awaiting collection by the time our butler arrived with some pre-dinner canapes. We had a chat with him, and gave him his tip and a small gift. He seemed very pleased with what we gave him, and he wished us a good journey home.
Before going for a pre-dinner drink on the Promenade Deck, we spent some time thanking our Cabin Steward for everything that he had done for use, and we used the opportunity to give him his tip and a gift of some chocolates.
The sun was shining when we arrived on the Promenade Deck, and it turned out to be one of the most pleasant evenings of the entire cruise. Sue and I went down to the Alexandria Restaurant at 8.30pm for our last dinner of the cruise. After we had eaten, we thanked our two waiters and our wine waiter for their excellent service during the cruise, and then gave them their very well-deserved tips and gifts of chocolate. They seemed very touched by this, and all wished us a safe journey home and hoped that we would meet them again on a future cruise.
Before going back to our suite, Sue and I had one last walk along the Promenade Deck. Although the sun had already set, it was still quite light, and on the horizon to port we could see the vague outline of part of the south coast. Before getting ready for bed, we put our sixth and final piece of luggage outside the suite door for collection. We then turned our clocks and watches back one hour as ship’s time was reverting from Continental to UK time during the night.
Friday 2nd August: Southampton
Sue and I were woken just after 6.00am by the sounds of Aurora manoeuvring alongside the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton.
The view from our suite balcony was not the most scenic one could wish to see as we were looking at Southampton’s recycling depot and incinerator.
Sue and I had our last breakfast on the cruise in the Sindhu Restaurant before going to our disembarkation assembly point, the Glass House Bar (Deck 8 Midships). We arrived there at 8.10am … and before we could sit down, we were taken down to Deck 5 to disembark. The process was faster than we had experienced on any of our previous cruises, and by 8.45am we had collected our luggage, passed through Customs, collected our car from the valet parking service, and were driving out of the docks.
Our journey home was uneventful, and by 11.20am we had parked our car outside our house and were unloading our car … and the process of getting back to normal had begun.
During my cruise I did a lot of reading, including:
Sue and I were both awake by just after 6.00am, and we were able to get ready for our journey to Southampton without having to rush. We had loaded the car and were on our way by 8.30am, and despite predictions that it would be one of the busiest days of the year on the motorways (it was the first weekend of the school holidays in England), were had reached junction between the M25 and the M3 by 9.40am. We stopped at Winchester Services for breakfast at just after 10.15am and were on our way again by 10.45am. We reached to outskirts of Southampton a little after 11.00am ... and then got held up by a diversion that had been put in place in the centre of the city to enable a special cycling event to take place.
We eventually arrived at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal at 11.50am, where a porter whisked away our luggage whilst I booked the car in with the valet parking service. Sue and I entered the terminal building and were immediately directed to one of the check-in desks. The process of checking-in took less than five minutes, and after passing through the security checkpoint, we made our way aboard P&O's MV Aurora. Once aboard we were directed to the Medina Restaurant (Deck 6 Midships) where we were given lunch and some much-needed liquid refreshment.
Sue and I stayed in the restaurant until just before 2.00pm, when an announcement was made to the effect that all cabins were ready to be occupied. We made our way up to Deck 9 (which was where our suite was located) and were met at the door by our butler ... who we had last met aboard MV Britannia. Our luggage was also there, and he helped us take it inside.
Sue and I then began the process of unpacking, which continued until 3.30pm, by which time we needed a short break. We therefore went up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant (Deck 12 Midships) for a quick snack and a much-needed drink. At 4.00pm we returned to our suite just in time to pick up our life jackets and go to the Curzon Theatre (Decks 5 and 6 Forward) for our mandatory safety drill. Once the drill was over, Sue and I spent some time on the Promenade Deck (Deck 7) before returning to our suite to complete our unpacking. Once that was complete, we spent the next couple of hours resting (i.e. dozing) before it was time to go to dinner.
We decided to have a pre-dinner drink in Anderson's Bar (Deck 7 Forward) and a walk along the Promenade Deck before going down to the Alexandria Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) for dinner. Sue and I had been allotted a table for two by a window on the port side of the ship, and we were able to watch the sunset as we ate. We had finished eating by 10.00pm, and after another short walk along the Promenade Deck, we went back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Monday 22nd July: At sea
Sue and I woke up at approximately 7.30am after a very good night's sleep. Aurora was already well on her way down the English Channel ...
... and looked likely to enter the top of the Bay of Biscay by lunchtime.
We were ready for breakfast by a little after 9.00am and went down a deck to eat it in the Sindhu Restaurant (Deck 8 Midships). This is normally the Asian select dining restaurant but is used at breakfast time for serving breakfast to the suite passengers.
After breakfast, Sue and I went for a walk around the ship. We paid a short visit to the shops (Decks 6 and 7 Midships) to buy a couple of small items that we had forgotten to pack and a special charm bracelet and a selection of charms that was on special offer. We also went to the Future Cruise and Loyalty Desk (Deck 5 Midships) to deliver our replies to the invitations we had received to attend the Peninsular Club Lunch on 24th July. We obtained a second copy of the ship's daily newsletter – HORIZON – from the Reception Desk (Deck 5 Midships) (Sue likes to cut bits out to glue into her written cruise log) and then went up to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air.
We had returned to our cabin by 10.45am and stayed there reading and resting until the Officer-of-the-Watch made the customary noonday announcement. By then we were both feeling thirsty and went up to the Crow's Nest Bar (Deck 13 Forward) to sit, get a drink, and do some more reading.
It was surprisingly quiet and uncrowded in the Crow's Nest Bar, and we remained there until just after 2.00pm. We then went down to the area near the Riviera Pool (Deck 12 Forward) for some fresh air before going to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for lunch. We then returned the Riviera Pool area for a cold drink. Whilst we were there, we had a long chat with one of the contractors who are aboard Aurora to update her computer systems.
We were back in our cabin by 3.30pm, and other than having a long chat with our butler, we spent most of the time reading until we had to begin to get ready for the Captain's 'Welcome Aboard' party and the first formal dinner of the cruise.
The 'Welcome Aboard' party took place in Carmen's Show Lounge (Deck 7 Aft), so Sue and I decided to walk along the Promenade Deck from the forward end of the ship (where our suite was located), aft towards the Show Lounge. Considering that Aurora was in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, there was hardly a movement as the sea was remarkably calm. Once inside the Show Lounge, were found ourselves seats, and were served drinks by one of the numerous waiters. We had a short conversation with the Reception Desk Manager before Captain Pembridge – Aurora's captain – welcomed aboard everyone who was present and talked briefly about the places we were going to visit and the weather that we could expect.
Once the captain had finished, we made our way down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner. As is normal for formal night dinners, the menu was devised by Marco Pierre White and the ship's Executive Chef. The food was – as one would expect – very good, as was the service we received from our table waiters and the wine waiter.
After dinner, Sue and I took another stroll along the Promenade Deck and were back in our suite by 10.45pm. We got ready for bed, and sat reading until just after 11.30pm, when we both went to sleep. (It is quite exhausting ding very little all day!)
Tuesday 23rd July: At sea
After a very good night's sleep, we awoke to find that Aurora had left the Bay of Biscay and was north-west on Cap Finisterre in Galicia, Spain, and sailing into the deeper waters of the Atlantic.
Once we were dressed, we made our way to the Sindhu Restaurant for breakfast. After eating breakfast, Sue and I went down to the shops to buy a couple of bracelet charms that were on special offer, and to obtain a second copy of HORIZON from the Reception Desk.
By 10.30am the sun had come out and we were sitting out on the Promenade Deck enjoying the wonderful weather. Sue and I stayed there until just after 11.00am, when we went back to our suite to collect out Kindles before going up to the Crow's Nest Bar. Due to the imminent announcement about the Conservative Party leadership election (the announcement was due to be made at 11.45am), Sue and I decided to wait in our suite to see the result when it appeared on Sky News. This took place later than expected, and we did not make it up the Crow's Nest Bar until some time after the Midday Announcement by the Officer-of-the-Watch.
The Crow's Nest was almost empty, and we had no trouble finding a table and chairs near to the front window where we could sit and watch the horizon. We spent the next ninety minutes doing that as well as reading and having a drink.
By just before 2.00pm Sue and went down to the open area near the Riviera Pool so that we could sit outside and enjoy the sun, but the wind had shifted direction whilst we had been in the Crow’s Nest Bar, and despite the sun, the area was colder than expected. As a result, we stayed there less than fifteen minutes before deciding to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
After lunch we went down to the Promenade Deck to sit out of the wind and to enjoy the sea air. As we had chosen to sit on the Port side of the Promenade Deck – which was not in the sun – we had the area pretty well much to ourselves. Despite this, it was surprisingly warm, and we sat there for some time before we returned to our suite.
We stayed in our suite until it was time to go for a stroll along the Promenade Deck and our pre-dinner drink. On this occasion we went up to the Pennant Bar (Deck 12 Aft), which despite the pleasant air temperature and the fact that it was sheltered from the wind, was surprisingly empty.
After dinner, Sue and I returned to the Promenade Deck, where we sat talking to other passengers for a time before returning to our suite to get ready for bed. We watched the news on TV for time before going to bed, where both of use read for about thirty minutes. Tiredness then go the better of us, and we were both asleep by midnight.
Wednesday 24th July: At sea
Overnight Aurora encountered a spell of bad weather and passed through at least one heavy rainstorm. However, by the time Sue and I got up, the weather had begun to improve, and the in-cabin TV display showed that the ship was well on her way towards Madeira.
We ate breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant, and then took our usual perambulation around the ship, ending up on the Promenade Deck. The sky was cloudy, but the sea was reasonably calm, and the air temperature was warm enough to sit in the open. Sue and I stayed there for some time and saw – in the distance – a very large yacht sailing on an opposite course to the Aurora. It turned out to be the Black Pearl, which we had seen in Cartagena in 2018. She is reputed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world and looked magnificent under sail.
As we were going to attend the Peninsular Club Lunch at midday, we spent the rest of the morning in our suite resting until just after 11.30am, when it was time to get ready for the lunch.
The lunch took place in the Alexandria Restaurant, and our table was hosted by the ship's Safety Officer/Senior First Officer. The menu was different from that of our previous Peninsular Club Lunch. Sue and I ate:
We had all finished eating by 2.00pm, but sat chatting to our table companions until almost 2.30pm. Sue and I then went up to the Promenade Deck for some much-needed fresh air, and we sat there chatting to other passengers until nearly 3.00pm, when we returned to our suite.
The lunch was very filling, and the soporific effect eating so much rich food at lunchtime soon made itself felt, and Sue and I spent the next two hours trying to read between bouts of dozing!
We were fully awake in time to get ready for the second formal dinner of the cruise. Dinner was preceded by a short spell on the Promenade Deck followed by a drink in the Pennant Bar. We arrived in the Alexandria Restaurant just after 8.30pm, and after a quick chat with our waiters, we ate a most excellent meal.
By 10.00pm we had left the restaurant and gone back to the Promenade Deck. We stayed there talking to other passengers for some time, and did not return to our suite until after 10.30pm. By then we were both feeling tired, and after getting ready for bed, we sat in bed reading until we went to sleep.
Thursday 25th July: Funchal, Madeira
Sue and I were woken up just before 7.30am by the sound and vibration of the ship’s bow thrusters manoeuvring Aurora alongside the dock in Funchal. She had experienced very little bad weather or heavy seas overnight, and arrived in Funchal slightly ahead of schedule.
By the time we were ready to go to breakfast, the deputy captain had already announced that passengers could proceed ashore … and once breakfast was over and we were sitting on the Promenade Deck taking in the sights and sounds of Funchal, we could see the shuttle-buses taking passengers around the dock and towards the city centre.
As we knew that crew drills were going to take place at 10.00am, Sue and I went ashore before they started, and by just after 10.05am, we alighted at one end of the Avenida Arriga.
The sun was very bright, and the air temperature was already beginning to rise as we slowly walked past the numerous cafés and restaurants towards the imposing statue of João Gonçalves Zarco that stands at the junction of the Avenida Arriga and the Avenida Zarco.
Sue and I continued our walk along the Avenida Arriga until we reached the Sé do Funchal (Funchal’s cathedral).
We passed to the left of the cathedral, passing a very interesting pink, turreted building …
… and across the bridge that spans the local canalised river.
We then made our way along the Rua Fernão Ornelas, stopping off briefly at one of Sue’s favourite shops, Feira dos Tecidos.
From there it was a very short walk to the Mercado dos Lavradoes (Farmer’s Market) …
… where we visited the fish market …
… as well as the fruit and vegetable stalls.
We even managed to buy a couple of local honey cakes to take home with us to the UK.
By this time, we were both in need of a cold drink, and made our way back towards the cathedral. We turned left there and walked down the Rua João Tavira, where we found a suitable shady café to stop and have a drink.
Opposite the café was a bust of Marshal Pilsudski, who led Poland during the Russo-Polish War and until he went into exile on Madeira in the early 1930s.
We boarded the shuttle-bus back to the ship just after midday, and after dropping off our bags and cameras in our suite, Sue and I went up to the area near the Riviera Pool to sit in the shade and have another drink whilst looking at Funchal.
We had an interesting conversation with two other passengers who were sat on the next table, and it was not until just after 1.30pm that we decided that we ought to have some lunch. Sue and I decided that the best place to go was the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant, as the Lido Grill was crowded, noisy, and rather hot.
After eating lunch, Sue and I made our way down to the Promenade Deck, where we sat in the shade talking to yet another group of passengers. We finally returned to our suite at 4.00pm, where we sat reading and resting until the butler arrived with some canapes at 5.30pm.
Once he had gone, I managed to download and answer my emails whilst Sue went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. When she returned, we both began the leisurely process of getting ready for dinner.
For a change, Sue and I went up to the area near the Riviera Pool before dinner, but as the nearby bar was already shut, we ended up having our pre-dinner drink in the Pennant Bar. We had finished drinking well before it was time to go to dinner, so we went down to the Promenade Deck first for a short stroll. We returned there after dinner and stayed there chatting to other passengers before we went up to our suite to go to sleep.
Friday 26th July: Santa Cruz, La Palma
Aurora sailed from Madeira to La Palma overnight, and as Sue and I awoke, the ship was already approaching the harbour’s entrance.
La Palma is a very steep and rocky island, and this was reflected by the view from our suite balcony …
… and the Promenade Deck.
After breakfast and a short visit to the Reception Desk, Sue and I were raring to go ashore. Although the local port supplied a limited shuttle-bus service from the ship to the dock gates, we decided to walk, and by a little after 10.00am we were ashore and on our way.
It was very sunny and rather warm on the dockside, but the route we had to take was in shade for a large part of the way. Even though we sauntered along rather than strode out at a vigorous pace, it took us less than twenty minutes to reach the dock gates, and we were making our way up the pedestrianised main street, the Calle Real which has the alternative name, Calle O’Daly.
About a quarter of a mile along the road is the Plaza de España and the main local church, the Iglesias Matriz de El Salvador.
Sue and I continued our walk along the Calle Real which, once it crossed the Avenida El Puente, acquired another alternative name, Avenida Perez de Brito.
By this time, we were both feeling very thirsty, and stopped for a drink in one of the local bars. The freshly squeezed local orange juice we both drank was sweet enough to revive one’s energy, and acidic enough to refresh one’s mouth.
A short alley led from the bar towards the seafront, where there were some excellent examples of balcones tipicos, local balconied houses.
We took our time walking back along the Avenida Maritime towards the docks, and I was able to buy a peaked sun cap from one of the local shops. Once through the dock gates, we had an excellent view of Aurora tied up alongside the quay.
On our way back to the ship, we passed through the Estacion Maritime, and Sue and I were able to pay a short visit to the Duty-Free shop, where we were able to buy a few items to take home with us.
Once back aboard Aurora, Sue and I spent about thirty minutes in our cabin cooling down before going up to the area near the Riviera Pool for a cold drink. Whilst there we began talking to a lady who was travelling on her own … and purely by chance discovered that I was at school with her brother from the age of eight until we were both eighteen! We finally parted company at 1.30pm, just in time for us to have lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
After lunch Sue and I spent some time on the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite, where we stayed until it was time to go for a pre-dinner drink. As the Riviera Bar was open, we decided to go there. The staff were making preparations for a tropical evening that was due to begin at 9.30pm, but this did not prevent us from having a very enjoyable time sitting under cover and in the open air, talking to other passengers.
We went down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner at just before 8.30pm and had finished our meal by 10.00pm. As the weather was still good and the air temperature was pleasantly warm, Sue and I went out onto the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before going back to our suite for the night.
Saturday 27th July: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Aurora’s journey to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, from La Palma was not a long one, and her speed was relatively slow as she sailed between the two islands. She arrived in harbour in Las Palmas at just after 7.00am,and had manoeuvred alongside the quay and moored by 8.00am.
As we went down to the Sindhu Restaurant for breakfast, we realised that it had begun to rain outside. Whilst we ate, Sue and I discussed what we would do if the weather did not improve, and decided to buy tickets for the local Ho-Ho (Hop On, Hop Off) bus service that operated from just outside the dock gates. These could be bought ashore or at Explorers, the ship’s tours desk (Deck 6 Midships). Sue and I opted for the latter, and made our purchase after breakfast.
As it was still raining very lightly, We decided to go out onto the Promenade Deck until the weather improved, but due to the ship having to take on fuel from a bunker vessel that had come alongside, we had to go up to the covered area near to the Riviera Pool. This meant that we overlooked the local Spanish Navy base (Las Palmas is the Spanish Navy’s main base in the Canary Islands), where we could see four ships of the Meteroro-class moored alongside.
They were the Tornado (P44), …
… the Rayo (P42), …
… the Meteroro (P41), …
… and the Relámpago.
The rain finally fizzled out just before 11.00am, and by 11.10am we had disembarked and were walking towards the Ho-Ho bus stop. This gave us the opportunity to see Aurora from the forward port quarter.
We had to wait until 11.35am before we were able to board the bus, but within ten minutes it as full, and we were on our way around Las Palmas. We saw quite a lot of the city, including a monument that looked like a lighthouse, …
… the ancient Castillo de la Luz, …
… a building in the local vernacular style (in this case, the main tourist office!), …
… the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus (the local opera house and arts centre), …
… and a very interesting Chinese-style kiosk that had been built just before the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the time we got back to the Ho-Ho pick-up point, it was past 1.00pm, and Sue and I decided that we were in need of something to drink and possibly to eat. The large shopping centre (El Muelle) that is located near to the dock gates has a large number of bars and restaurants, and we had a drink in one near the entrance, followed by a meal in ‘Gino’s’, a pizza restaurant.
The pizzas were huge, so Sue and I ate one between us …
… followed by a dessert.
(Sue had the profiteroles and I ate the apple tart with ice cream)
After lunch we went back aboard Aurora and returned to our suite … where we both had a short doze. We then spent the rest of the afternoon reading or sitting on our balcony.
Because the Riviera Bar was open, Sue and I decided to go there for our pre-dinner drink. We sat there talking to other passengers until just before 8.30pm, when we went down to the Alexandria Restaurant for dinner. After dinner we spent some time on the Promenade Deck talking to a different group of passengers and did not return to our suite until just before 11.00pm. As we were going on a trip on the following morning, we were both in bed and asleep by 11.30pm, having decided not to read very much before we turned in for the night.
Sunday 28th July: Arrecife, Lanzarote
Sue and I had booked a coach trip to Taguise, which is a small town not far from Arrecife. It holds a market every Sunday, and we hoped to spend a pleasant few hours there wandering about and looking at the stalls.
As we had to be on the coach by 9.30am, we both woke up slightly earlier than usual, and the Aurora was still manoeuvring through the entrance to the harbour when we got out of bed.
We were ready to go ashore in plenty of time, having eaten a light breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant. Sue and I made our way down to the disembarkation gangway on Deck 5 Midships, and stepped onto the dockside at just after 9.00am. The coach was already there, and as we boarded it, rain began to fall.
(Lanzarote is well known for its dry climate and lack of rainfall, so seeing and feeling rain falling was something that we had not expected.)
As the coach drove inland towards Taguise, the weather worsened. The drizzle seemed to get heavier the closer we got to Taguise, and by the time the coach had parked, it was obvious that the rain was not going to disappear in the near future.
Sue and I did the best that we could, but within thirty minutes we were both feeling cold and wet, and in much need of a hot drink. Luckily, we found a small café where we were able to buy a café con leche each to drink.
We stayed inside for as long as we could, but eventually we made our way outside … only to discover that the weather had not improved at all!
After wandering around the market for a further thirty minutes – and buying some table linen along the way – Sue and I arrived outside the Museo del Timple. Not knowing anything about what the museum might be about, we went in … and discovered a small gem!
It transpired that timple are a type of local stringed instrument – not unlike a small guitar or ukulele – that are used for special religious ceremonies, for playing folk music, and as a specialist professional instrument.
The museum has a display of various timple and related musical instruments from around the world that is housed in several of the museum’s rooms.
A typical workshop where timple are manufactured also forms part of the museum …
… with examples of instruments in various stages of construction.
The museum is housed in a house that was built in the local style, with many of the rooms – particularly those that would have been used by the house’s servants – built around a courtyard and connected in places by a roofed corridor.
The building includes a small family chapel …
… and a large dining room that is now used as a meeting room.
The house faces the largest of the local churches, which was very difficult to see in the rain, even though it was only just across the town’s main square.
After leaving the museum, Sue and I continued to walk around the market, getting wetter and wetter by the minute. Eventually we found somewhere to sit in a somewhat ramshackle-looking café near to the main entrance to the market. Luckily, we ended up sharing a table with the member of the ship’s crew who was acting as our group’s escort.
We had met him before on a cruise aboard another of P&O’s ships, and we had had helped us to book three cruises for 2020! (He was a member of the Future Cruise and Loyalty team). We spent forty-five minutes taking to him, by which time we all had to leave to find our coach to go back to the ship.
We found our coach without too much trouble, but two of our fellow passengers did not join us, and we had to wait until 1.10pm before the tour guide received permission for the coach to leave Taguise. (The missing passengers had made their own way back to the ship by taxi … but had not informed anyone that they had!) Sue and I eventually reached our suite at 1.45pm, and were able to take off our wet clothes and warm up.
We had lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant at 2.30pm, after which we went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. By this time the weather had improved somewhat, and we were able to sit there for nearly an hour chatting with other passengers.
By this time Sue and I were beginning to feel tired, and returned to our suite to read and rest until it was time to get ready for dinner. At 7.45pm we made a very quick trip up to the covered area near the Riviera Pool for some fresh air, after which Sue and I went down to Anderson’s Bar for a pre-dinner drink. After dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant we spent a short while of the Promenade Deck before going back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Monday 29th July: At sea
The weather was quite windy overnight, and the Aurora experienced quite a bit of movement. In addition, the ship’s clocks were put forward in preparation for our visit to La Coruña, with the result that both Sue and I awoke feeling rather tired.
As usual, we ate breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant, and then went down to the Reception Desk to get a printed copy of our onboard account and to get hold of an additional copy of HORIZON. We also spent some time looking at some of the watches that were on sale in the ship’s shops as my current one is now nearly ten years old and needs either to be renovated or replaced. Unfortunately, they didn’t have one with a metal strap that would fit around my wrist.
Sue and I then went to the Promenade Deck, where we sat for a while watching the daily procession of people walking endlessly around the deck. There were even a couple of joggers who were getting in everyone’s way, and it was mildly amusing to watch the interplay between the two groups.
We were back in our suite by 11.00am, and stayed there until just after midday, when we went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink. All the window seats and tables were already taken, but Sue and I were able to find somewhere to sit where we had lots of natural light to read by. We both drank a café latte for a change, and the caffeine helped to stop us from dozing off.
By 1.45pm Sue and I were both in the mood for some fresh air, especially as the chairs in the Crow’s Nest Bar can become uncomfortable to sit one after an hour or so. We went out to the covered deck area near the Riviera Pool to sit out of the wind, and other than for a short break to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant, we stayed there until nearly 3.00pm.
Sue and I then returned to our suite, and other than a visit from our butler at 5.30pm, we stayed there reading, resting, and – in my case – doing some design work on a wargame campaign system that I have been thinking about developing.
At 7.30pm, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck to sit in the sun until it was time for dinner. For once, we were served a drink on deck by one of the bar waiters from Champions Bar (Deck 7 Aft), and this meant that we were able to enjoy sitting in the fresh air for nearly an hour. Although there was some cloud in the sky and the wind over the deck was about 16 knots, it was surprisingly warm.
We ate dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant as usual and returned to the Promenade Deck afterwards. Although the sun had gone down, it was still very pleasant there, and it gave us the opportunity to chat with other passengers before we went back to our suite to get ready for bed.
Tuesday 30th July: At sea
Overnight the weather changed, with the wind speed and wave height increasing. The sound of the wind was quite loud, and the movement of the ship became more lively, so much so that walking around became difficult at times.
By the time Sue and I woke up and began to get ready for breakfast, Aurora was sailing northward along the coast of Portugal, and was roughly level with Lisbon.
We have passed through this area quite frequently over the years, and we have noticed that it is often subject to higher wind speeds and rougher seas than one would expect, and that this makes ships subject to more violent and rapid movement. Sue and I are quite used to it, but a lot of passengers seem to be surprised that the seas along the Atlantic coast of Portugal can be so rough and make moving about the ship difficult.
After breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant and a visit to collect an extra copy of HORIZON from the Reception Desk, we returned to our suite to read. At 11.30am we decided to go to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink, and we stayed there until 1.15pm, at which point we went down to the open deck area near the Riviera Bar.
During our stay in the Crow’s Nest Bar, the officer-of-the-watch made an announcement that an expected solar storm was likely to affect the Earth’s upper atmosphere over the next couple of days, and that this might cause problems with satellite communications. In other words, the ship’s navigation system might not function as well as usual, the satellite TV link might suffer degradation or break down entirely (i.e. there might be no signal on the in-cabin TV system), and mobile telephone communications could become difficult.
Unfortunately, we arrived there just before a group began playing right next to where we were sitting. Although the music was excellent, it was far too loud to be comfortable, and by 1.30pm we had made our way into the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant to eat lunch.
Once we had finished eating, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck, where we sat talking to other passengers until 3.45pm. During our time there the Entertainment Manager made an announcement regarding the stage show planned for that evening. Apparently ‘technical problems’ were preventing the show from being staged, and alternative entertainment was being planned.
Just before 6.00pm, another cruise ship came into view ahead of Aurora. She was on a reciprocal course, and the two ships passed each other at approximately 6.15pm. The other ship was the Celebrity Silhouette, which is not a lot larger than the Aurora.
The dinner was the last formal one of the cruise, and was preceded by the Peninsular Club Cocktail Party, which was held in Carmen’s Show Lounge. After a brief introduction by a member the Future Cruise and Loyalty team, Captain Pembridge gave a brief speech about P&O’s future plans before drawing the raffle.
As usual, Sue and I ate dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant, after which we went up to the Promenade Deck to sit … and to see the sun go down on the horizon.
We then returned to our suite to read for an hour or so before it was time to get ready to go to bed.
Wednesday 31st July: La Coruña
Sue and I were woken up just after 6.00pm by the sounds of Aurora docking in La Coruña. We both tried to go back to sleep afterwards, but only managed to doze until the alarm clock went off and we had to get up.
Aurora was moored across from the commercial part of the harbour …
… and close to the main marina and pedestrianised shopping area.
Sue and I had booked a morning tour to see the river estuaries around La Coruña, and because this started at 9.45am, we had a very quick breakfast in the Sindhu Restaurant before going ashore to join our tour party. Everyone was very prompt, and exactly on time the coach began to make its way out of the dock area.
The countryside around La Coruña is reminiscent of parts of the Channel Islands and the West Country, and it was very nice driving through it on the way to our first stop, Pontedeume. The town was founded in 1270 by King Alfonso the Wise, and is named after the bridge that crosses the river at that point.
We were given time to get out and to take photographs as well as visit a local café for a drink and a comfort break.
The town is also famous for the 14th century Andrade Tower, …
… which is all that remains of the castle that guarded the original bridge.
We then drove on, crossing numerous bridges and small rivers, and passing through several villages. We eventually reached Bergondo …
… where we stopped at a local hotel for tapas.
Suitably refreshed, our journey continued through the village of Sada, past the country home of the Franco family, …
… and on to Santa Cruz, which is located on the opposite bank of the estuary. We stopped there to look at the Castle of Santa Cruz …
… and the port of La Coruña, where we could see the Aurora.
We had returned to the docks by 1.20pm, and as the local shops shut at 1.30pm, Sue and I decided to go aboard straight away. After taking our bags and cameras back to our suite, we made our way up to the area near the Riviera Pool for a drink before lunch. In the end we stayed there talking until nearly 2.30pm, at which point we decided to go to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for something to eat.
Once we had finished eating, we returned to our suite to rest until it was time to join other passengers who had booked places for the scenic sail-away. We all congregated in the Sindhu Restaurant, and at 4.30pm we were led up to the observation areas on Decks 10 and 11 Forward. From there we were able to watch as Aurora made her way out of the harbour and into the estuary … and to eat canapes and drink cocktails as we did so!
We were escorted part of the way by the local Pilot Boat …
… and it stayed with us until we were well past the famous ‘Tower of Hercules’ …
… which is a lighthouse that was originally built by the Romans, and that was later extended.
By 5.45pm it was too cold and windy to stay out on the open deck, and Sue and I returned to our suite to warm up and to get ready for dinner. We managed to spend a little time on the Promenade Deck before going to Anderson’s Bar for a pre-dinner drink.
Dinner in the Alexandria Restaurant was excellent – as usual – and our waiters presented us with signed copies of the dinner menus used during the cruise. (Sue and I sometimes look back at these and ask ourselves ‘Did we really eat all that food?’)
On a previous cruise, Sue and I had seen the latest show that P&O have added to their standard repertoire. It is a combined magic, illusion, dance, and music show entitled ‘Astonishing’, and we were determined to see it again. We finished dinner at 9.30pm, had a stroll along the Promenade Deck until 9.50pm, and then joined the queue for the Curzon Theatre. The doors opened at 10.00pm, and we were both given a sealed gold envelope as we entered. By the time the show started at 10.30pm, the theatre was packed, and there were very few seats left unfilled.
The show was as good as we remembered, and the card trick that everyone took part in went very well indeed, and left us wondering just how it worked. (The gold envelopes contained four large playing cards that were used in the trick.) Personally, I could have done without the song-and-dance interludes between some of the illusions (I wish that some singers would realised that volume does not equal quality), but they were necessary in order to give the stage crew time to set up the next one.
Sue and I both felt the need to stretch our legs and get some fresh air before going back to our suite, and we took another turn along the Promenade Deck before turning in for the night.
Thursday 1st August: At sea
As Aurora sailed across the Bay of Biscay, she did experience some movement, but not enough to make sleep difficult. When we awoke at 7.00am, she was already well on her way towards the westernmost end of Brittany and reasonably close to the west coast of France and roughly level with Brest.
After breakfast and a short trip to the Reception Desk for a printout of our onboard account, we had a walk around the shops and along the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite.
We then spent about an hour sorting out clothes, dirty washing etc., prior to beginning our packing. After that Sue and I both felt like a break and went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a drink. We stayed there until just after 1.30pm, when we went down to the covered area near the Riviera Pool. The sun was shining, the sea was calm, and it was very relaxing sitting there until we decided to go for lunch in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant.
Once we had eaten, we returned to our suite to begin packing. This took us a couple of hours, with a short break in the middle to pay a visit to the ship’s shops to buy some small gifts for the crew who had served use so well during the cruise. Five of our six bags was outside our suite awaiting collection by the time our butler arrived with some pre-dinner canapes. We had a chat with him, and gave him his tip and a small gift. He seemed very pleased with what we gave him, and he wished us a good journey home.
Before going for a pre-dinner drink on the Promenade Deck, we spent some time thanking our Cabin Steward for everything that he had done for use, and we used the opportunity to give him his tip and a gift of some chocolates.
The sun was shining when we arrived on the Promenade Deck, and it turned out to be one of the most pleasant evenings of the entire cruise. Sue and I went down to the Alexandria Restaurant at 8.30pm for our last dinner of the cruise. After we had eaten, we thanked our two waiters and our wine waiter for their excellent service during the cruise, and then gave them their very well-deserved tips and gifts of chocolate. They seemed very touched by this, and all wished us a safe journey home and hoped that we would meet them again on a future cruise.
Before going back to our suite, Sue and I had one last walk along the Promenade Deck. Although the sun had already set, it was still quite light, and on the horizon to port we could see the vague outline of part of the south coast. Before getting ready for bed, we put our sixth and final piece of luggage outside the suite door for collection. We then turned our clocks and watches back one hour as ship’s time was reverting from Continental to UK time during the night.
Friday 2nd August: Southampton
Sue and I were woken just after 6.00am by the sounds of Aurora manoeuvring alongside the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton.
The view from our suite balcony was not the most scenic one could wish to see as we were looking at Southampton’s recycling depot and incinerator.
Sue and I had our last breakfast on the cruise in the Sindhu Restaurant before going to our disembarkation assembly point, the Glass House Bar (Deck 8 Midships). We arrived there at 8.10am … and before we could sit down, we were taken down to Deck 5 to disembark. The process was faster than we had experienced on any of our previous cruises, and by 8.45am we had collected our luggage, passed through Customs, collected our car from the valet parking service, and were driving out of the docks.
Our journey home was uneventful, and by 11.20am we had parked our car outside our house and were unloading our car … and the process of getting back to normal had begun.
During my cruise I did a lot of reading, including:
- MAIGRET IN VICHY by George Simenon
- SINK THE BISMARCK! By C S Forester
- WHERE EAGLES DARE by Alastair MacLean
- Four of the Oberleutnant Karin Muller detective books
- STASI CHILD
- STASI WOLF
- A DARKER STATE
- STASI 77
- NAPOLEON VICTORIOUS! AN ALTERNATIVE HISTORY OF THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO by Peter G Tsouras
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your Holiday Voyage with us- just spectacular - certainly very interesting looking at places we will never have the chance to visit. Seems in part you brought with you some of the English Rain - when we visited England in April-May 2015 it rained every day- not heavy -but it did rain without fail. Lots of Cafe' style venues there - I'd like to just sit down and have a capachino and watch the world go by - it is a good way to get the feel for a village or town or city and the Locals. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI am very pleased that you enjoyed my after-cruise report. We had been to all these places before, but tried to spread our wings a bit this time, hence the trips we made away from the area near the docks or centre of town.
The weather was mild for most of the time, and except for Taguise, reasonably normal for the time of year. Back in the UK they experienced high temperatures followed by lots of rain ... so I think that we did well to miss it.
People watching is a great way to spend an hour or two, and we had plenty of excuses to do that onboard and ashore. Sue and I even gave some of our fellow passengers nicknames such as 'Salty Soup', 'The Decrepit Duo', and 'Club Jacket'. I won't explain how these nicknames came about, but they pretty well sum up the individuals so-named!
All the best,
Bob
Who knew that the Atlantic Ocean was such a mill pond?! You sure visit some interesting and pretty places, Bob!
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteWe've sailed parts of the Atlantic many times, and the weather has varied from six days in fog with a very flat sea to thirty-six hours in a Force 12 hurricane, where only a very intrepid few (ourselves included!) would venture out of their cabins!
Wherever we go - even if we've been there before - we always try to find something new to see and do. We also never try to have great expectations about what we are going to see, which means that we are rarely disappointed.
All the best,
Bob
Excellent travelogue, Bob!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the content of your recent posts, I figured you must be out cruising again. When I read of a recent fight aboard a British cruise ship, I hoped you were not involved. If you were involved, I was awaiting a report on all of the sordid details!
Jonathan Freitag,
DeleteI'm glad that you enjoyed my travelogue. We certainly had a lot of fun, even though we had been to everywhere we visited before.
The fight was aboard P&O's Britannia, a ship we have travelled on twice in recent years. In fact, the last time we did so a passenger was ejected in Gibraltar for drunkenness and offensive behaviour. He kept insulting people, and had been warned, but when he swore at one woman and her husband objected, the drunk turned on the husband ... who promptly knocked him over and sat on him until the Security Team arrived! This is proof that you should never take on an ex-Royal Marine Commando who is on holiday with his wife ... especially after saying 'What are you going to do about it, then? Stop me if you think that you're hard enough!'.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks for sharing your travels and photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you make of the Tsouras book Napoleon Victorious? I'm wondering if it might make a good birthday present for a family member interested in Waterloo and Napoleonic Wars.
Mark, Man of TIN,
DeleteIt was my pleasure to share my travelogue with you.
Tsouras' book is a fun read, and full of action. In my opinion, he takes a few liberties with some of the facts, but the final result is a close run thing ... except that the Allies lose. I'd certainly have appreciated it as a present.
All the best,
Bob