It was sheer coincidence that Sue and I booked to go on a cruise aboard P&O’s MV Britannia so soon after my recent medical procedure, but the anticipation of travelling to the Mediterranean and back in relative luxury has helped me cope with the stress.
Friday 31st July: Southampton
We awoke at 6.00am, and after getting washed, dressed, and eating breakfast, we finished packing our hand luggage before we loaded the car, and by 8.15am we were on our way to Southampton.
We reached the traffic lights at the roundabout at the Dartford interchange of the A2 and M25 in about twenty-five minutes … and that was the last time we stopped until we reached Winchester Services! For once, there were no holdups on the M25 and we joined the M3 just over seventy-five minutes after leaving home. We parked at Winchester Services at 10.10am, and after a comfort and refreshment break, we were back on the road to Southampton Docks by 10.40am.
We reached the Ocean Cruise Terminal at 11.15am, and after queuing for a short time in the valet parking, we had handed our car over to them and a porter had taken our luggage to the correct baggage handling gate. Because we were booked into a suite and I had assisted boarding due to my mobility problems, it was possible for us to bypass the queue outside the terminal and use the lift to go up to the building’s main floor. Once there, we were then directed to the assistance desk where I was booked in and allocated a wheelchair and pusher.
Within a matter of minutes, we had been checked in and had passed through the shore-side security checks … and Sue and I were aboard P&O’s MV Britannia. As we boarded, our boarding passes were scanned, and after a swift visit to our muster station – the Headliners Theatre (Decks 6 and 7 Forward) – to be registered, we made our way to the Meridian Restaurant (Deck 5 Midships) for a buffet lunch.
Starters
Oak-Smoked Duck Breast with Pickled Carrots, Coriander, and Sour Cherries (Both of us)
Main Course
Fillet of Pan-Roasted Barramundi with Tarragon Crushed New Potatoes, Fine Beas, and Sauce Vierge (Sue)
Harissa Lamb Cutlets with Sag Aloo, Chargrilled Courgettes, add Tagine Jus (Me)
Desserts
Selection of British and International Cheeses with Banana Bread, Black Grapes, Mulled Apple Jelly, with Fine Cheese Biscuits (Sue)
Stick Muscovado Sponge Pudding with Candied Orange, Rose Petals and Mascarpone Cheese (Me)
By the time the public announcement was made to inform passengers that all cabins and suites were now available for occupation, it was 2.00pm and Sue and I had left the restaurant and made our way to Deck 7 Midships, where we sat near the Java Bar. We waited there until the initial rush was over before going to the forward lifts and going up to Deck 10, which was where our suite was located.
Sue and I then spent the next couple of hours unpacking, meeting our cabin steward (Nasear) and our butler (Denzil), looking out across Southampton … and the Ocean Cruise Terminal and the docks in particular! …
… and getting used to the layout of the suite.
Britannia set sail at approximately 4.00pm, by which time Sue and I were feeling rather tired. We went for a drink in the conservatory-like area of the Java Bar that is next to the outside deck on the starboard side of Deck 7 Midships. Suitably refreshed by a gin and tonic (Sue) and a Guiness Zero (Me), we returned to our suite and had a doze before it was time to get ready for dinner.
Sue and I returned to the conservatory-like area of the Java Bar for a pre-dinner drink, and by 8.30pm we were sitting at a table in the Epicurean Restaurant (Deck 16 Forward).
We chse the following dishes from the new-ish menu:
Milk Bread, Ciabatta Bread, and Wholemeal Bread with unsalted and herb butter
Starters
Cold-Smoked Hampshire Chalk Stream Trout Diced with Shallots, Dill and Radish, Oscietra Caviar, Herb Cream, and Rye Bread Croûtes (Sue)
Oak-Smoked Gressingham Duck Breast with Marinated Mushrooms, Celeriac Purée, Pickled Blackberries, Rhubarb Membrillo, and Port Jus (Me)
Main Course
Fillet of Pan-Roasted Atlantic Halibut with Deep-Fried Tempura Rock Oyster, Citrus Mayonnaise, Wilted Baby Leaf Spinach, Crushed New Potatoes, Salty Fingers, and Sauce Véronique (Sue)
Pan-Seared Australian Wagyu Beef Sirloin with Crispy Potato Pavé, King Oyster Mushroom, Slow-Cooked Onion filled with Braised Wagyu Beef and Horseradish, Asparagus Spear, Caramelised Onion Purée, and Sauce Bordelaise (Me)
Desserts
Flambéed Crêpes Suzette with Vanilla Pod Ice Cream (Both of us)
The meal – and the service – was magnificent … and it was great to meet waiters who had served us on previous cruises, both on Britannia (Jocelyn) and Iona (Erwin).
After such a long day, we both felt very fatigued and decided to go straight back to our suite after dinner, and once we had watched the news headlines on the in-cabin TV, we went to bed and slept.
Saturday 1st August: At sea
Overnight the ship had sailed down the English Channel, and by the time we awoke at 8.00am, she had rounded Ushant and was making her way into the northern part of the Bay of Biscay.
Sue and I were ready to go to breakfast just after 9.15am, and by 9.25am we were seated in the Epicurean Restaurant and ordering our breakfasts. We had finished eating by 9.50am and decided to go down to the Headliners Theatre to listen to the guest speaker – Caroline Logan – talk about how to become a published author.
This turned out to be a much more interesting talk than I had expected and was an honest and balanced explanation about how she wrote her books and how she had got them published. I had sort of expected a sales pitch for a vanity publishing company, but this wasn’t anything like that. She had chosen a different path through publishing than the one I had, but it was interesting to see that the pitfalls she had encountered and the lessons she had learned were not that dissimilar to my own.
The talk finished just before 11.00am, and Sue and decided to go to the Java Bar for a drink.
Whilst we were there, we had a chat with two disabled sisters who were travelling with their elderly father and were able to explain to them how easy it was to book assisted boarding and how it had helped us to get aboard Britannia so quickly and easily.
Sue and I then returned to our suite to read and rest before lunch … which we had in the Peninsular Restaurant (Deck 6 Midships). We had a very pleasant surprise when we arrived there as the restaurant manager had been the host in the Epicurean Restaurant during one of our cruises last year.
During our meal, a medical emergency was broadcast over the ship’s public address system to the effect that someone had collapsed in the restaurant we were in. We could not see what had happened, but as we were leaving, two nurses came through the exit with a special wheelchair/gurney for moving immobile patients in a confined area.
Once we had finished our lunch, Sue and I went for a walk around the shops on Deck 6 (Midships) before going up to Deck 7 and going out onto the starboard-side open deck area. It was warmer than we expected and the sea was very calm, so we stayed there for some time before returning to our suite to read, rest, and write our respective cruise log and blog.
Our butler paid us a visit just after 4.15pm (he delivered a half-bottle of champagne and a plate of canapes as it was a formal night) and we had a short chat with him before he had to visit another of the suites he serves.
Just after 5.00pm, the ship’s captain – Captain Matthew Nicholls – made a ship-wide announcement that due to the medical condition of the passenger who had collapsed at lunchtime, the ship was changing course so that a helicopter evacuation could take place. All passengers were told to clear the open deck areas and to close their balcony doors. They were also told not to venture out onto their balconies until given the all-clear and that any form of photography during the evacuation was banned.
The helicopter had arrived, picked up the casualty, and then left by 6.15pm, at which point the captain announced that the restrictions on passengers were over and that the ship would be back to normal within fifteen minutes.
As it was the first formal night of the cruise, Sue had to wear an evening dress, and I donned my white tuxedo and dress trousers. We were ready for the captain’s ‘Welcome Aboard’ speech in the ship’s atrium by 7.30pm, even though he wasn’t going to speak until 8.00pm. Sue and I were able to find a couple of seats in the Java Bar area, and this gave us an excellent view of the spot from where he would speak.
The captain talked about how many passengers and crew were aboard for the cruise and jokingly talked about his role on the ship before introducing the senior staff, including the deputy captain, the chief engineer, the head of the hotel services (what we used to call the purser!), the ship’s executive chef, and the head of Human Resources. He also spoke about the member of staff who had won that month’s SHINE award, which was awarded to the member of the crew who had received the most nominations from passengers for exemplary service.
He finished taking at 8.15pm, and by 8.30pm Sue and I had made our way to the Oriental Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) for dinner. We were shown to our table and ate an interesting meal whose menu had been devised by the chef, Marco-Pierre White. We finished just before 9.45pm, and after a short spell on the open deck near the show lounge – the Live Lounge (Deck 7 Aft) – we returned to our suite and got ready for bed.
Sunday 2nd August: At sea
Over night the ship’s clocks were advanced by an hour as she made her way towards Cape Finisterre in north-west Spain and along the coast of Galicia towards northern Portugal.
After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I went down to the open-air section on the starboard side of Deck 7. It was very pleasant out there as the sea was calm, the air was warm, and we could see at least one other ship sailing on a parallel course.
We then went to the Java Bar for a drink before returning to our suite to do the daily crossword.
We ventured down to Deck 7 again before lunch, which we had in the Peninsular Restaurant. Sue and I discussed going there for lunch on future sea days if only because it was never crowded – unlike the buffet – and because the food portions were sufficient for a snack lunch … unlike what was available in most of the other dining venues that were open at lunchtime.
On our way back to the lifts to our suite, we happened to pass a stand operated by the ship’s spa. I asked about the possibility of having a haircut … and it transpired that they could fit me in right away! As a result, I made my way down to the spa (Deck 5 Forward) whilst Sue returned to our suite. I rejoined her two hours later after having had my hair washed and trimmed as well as having a hot-towel shave and a beard trim. Sue was very impressed by the end result, as was I.
Sue and I then watched the latest of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot films, A HAUNTING IN VENICE. It was based on Agatha Christie’s novel HALLOWEEN PARTY and the plot was – as one might expect – full of twists and turns. We had worked out who the murderer was just before the end of the film, but it provided a nice diversion in the runup to getting ready for dinner.
As on the previous night, Sue and I had a drink in the Java Bar before going to the Oriental Restaurant for dinner. Once we had eaten, we returned to Deck 7 for some fresh air before returning to our suite to read for a while before going to bed.
Monday 3rd August: Cadiz, Spain
Sue and I had visited Cadiz many times before and knew not to rush ashore as soon as the ship docked. Instead, we had our breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant before returning to our cabin to collected everything that we needed when we went ashore.
At just before 11.00am, we made our way to the gangway – which was on Deck 6 Midships – and thence across the dock to the main gates. From there we walked along the main road until we reached a crossing near to the square where the town hall is located.
We sat there for a short time before walking through the artisan craft market …
… and up to the front of the town hall.
From there Sue and I made our ways through some narrow streets until we reached the cathedral.
We passed in front of the cathedral and through more narrow streets before turning back towards the ship.
When we reached the main gates to return to the ship, I discovered that my wallet was missing. It had my credit card, my driving licence, and my cruise card in it … and without the latter getting back on board was going to be difficult. Luckily, the local port police were able to check my identity against the ship’s passenger manifest, and I was allowed into the area where the security checks take place. I had to stop at the bottom of the gangway whilst the ship’s security team checked my identity again … and I was eventually allowed back on the ship.
I immediately contacted my credit card provider, and had the card cancelled. Luckily, no one had found it and tried to use it, and a new one should be delivered to my home address by the time we return. I also had a new cruise card issued to me by the ship’s Reception team … and finally I attempted to contact the DVLA about my lost driving licence … but this proved to be almost impossible to do from abroad and I will have to wait until I get home to have a duplicate sent to me.
After all this kerfuffle, Sue and I needed a cool drink (it was 33°C/92°F in Cadiz) and we therefore made our way to the Java Bar … which proved to be almost deserted. Suitable refreshed after our drinks, we then returned to our suite to rest before going to get some lunch.
As it was already after 1.30pm and the Peninsular Restaurant was shut, we decided to wait until about 3.00pm before going to the Poolside Grill (Deck 16 Midships) for a snack lunch and another cold drink.
From there we went to the open deck area on Deck 7 for some fresh air, where we had an excellent view of the part of the city we had walked through …
… but after about fifteen minutes we were asked to move as it was being shut so that it could be cleaned using pressure hoses.
We were back in our suite by 4.00pm and stayed there until it was time to go for a pre-dinner drink in the Java Bar. After dinner in the Peninsular Restaurant, Sue and I went out onto the open deck area on Deck 7 to watch the sunset before returning to our suite to get ready for bed.
Tuesday 4th August: At sea
Overnight, Britannia passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, and when we awoke at 7.30am she was southeast of Fuengirola.
Sue and I enjoyed a relaxed breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant …
… and then went down to the open deck area near the Java Bar on Deck 7. We then returned to our suite to read and do the daily crossword until it was time to get ready for the Peninsular Club Lunch at midday.
During the lunch we sat with two other couples, and had an interesting chat whilst we ate the following:
Starters
Hand-Picked Crab Salad served with Grapefruit, Lime Yoghurt, Shave Celery, and Rye Bread Croutons (Sue)
Pork, Black Pudding and English Mustard Scoth Egg with warm Granny Smith and Celeriac Slaw, Rustic Piccalilli, and a drizzle of Apple Vinigrette (Me)
Sorbet
Lemon Sorbet (Both of us)
Main Course
Prime Beef Fillet Roasted with Garlic and Thyme, served with Truffled Potato Terrine, Sautéed Exotic Mushrooms, and a Red Win Jus (Both of us)
Desserts
Baba Framboise, a Soft Savarin Soaked in Raspberry Liqueur with a Sharp Raspberry Sauce and Vanilla Chantilly (Sue)
Torta Caprese, a Light Italian Chocolate Almond Cake served with Caramelised Almod Gelato (Me)
The lunch finished at 1.45pm, and Sue and I then parted company y. She returned to our suite and I attended an informal Masonic get-together in the bar attached to the Sidhu Restaurant (Deck 7 Aft). Six brethren were present and after we had exchanged details about our Masonic careers, we had a general chat about the cruise.
Our discussions ended somewhat abruptly at 2.45pm when – for the second time during the cruise – the captain announced that a helicopter evacuation was going to take place as a passenger had become ill and needed hospital treatment. As before, all the open deck areas were closed for the duration, and passengers were told to get off their balconies and to shut the balcony doors.
Unlike the previous occasion, this seemed to cause a considerable of people to flood the indoor seating areas and to mill about in the ship’s indoor open spaces. As a result, it took me twenty minutes to get back to our suite, a journey that normally takes about ten minutes.
The helicopter had arrived, picked up the casualty, and left by 3.45pm, and the restrictions on passengers being on the open deck ended about fifteen minutes later. On looking at the ship’s navigation channel on the in-cabin TV system. It appeared that Britannia had turned due west from her previous course to reduce the distance the helicopter had to fly to conduct the evacuation. By 4.00pm she had turned back and was sailing towards her next port-of-call, Ibiza.
That evening, it was the second formal dinner of the cruise. Once Sue and I were dressed in our finery, we went down to the Java Bar for a pre-dinner drink … and a short spell out on the nearby open deck area.
Dinner lasted from 8.30pm until 9.45pm, and the menu was devised by Marco-Pierre White, and included Beef Wellington and Trifle Wally Lad … which Sue and I both ate. After dinner, we went up to the open deck area on Deck 7, where it was warmer than expected even though there was a breeze caused by the wind-over-the-deck effect. We were back in our suite by 11.00pm and were in bed soon afterwards.
Wesnesday 5th August: Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
Overnight, Britannia sailed towards her next port-of-call, Ibiza.
As the ship was not due into the harbour there until 1.00pm, the morning was similar to that experienced during a sea day. Sue and I ate breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant before going down to the Headliners Theatre to listen to a talk by the guest speaker, Carol Logan.
The talk was entitled ‘Worldbuilding and Fantasy Mapmaking’ and proved to be one of the most interesting ones I’ve heard aboard a cruise. She explained how she created the worlds (what I would term imagi-nations) and characters that were featured in her books as well as sharing her experience of creating maps for those books. In the brief conversation I had with her after the talk, she told me that she regularly played Dungeons & Dragons and that this had sparked her interest in creating fantasy worlds and writing stories about them.
Sue and I then had a drink in the Java Bar before going back to our suite to do the daily crossword. We then had a short spell out on the open deck area on Deck 7, but it was very hot out there and we soon returned inside.
Just before 1.00pm, we went to the Peninsular Restaurant for a light lunch, and from our table next to one of the windows, we watched Britannia moor in Ibiza’s harbour, near to the MSC Seaview …
Just … and the local lighthouse.
Sue and I guessed that there would be many people wanting to go ashore as soon as the ship docked, so we waited until 2.30pm before getting ourselves ready to disembark. Even so, the queue for the shuttle-bus into the centre of the town was several hundred people long, and we had to stand in the sun until we reached the front.
Unfortunately, not all the coaches were accessible, and it was with some difficulty that I was able to board one. Luckily, one of the drivers was very helpful, and Sue and I managed to get a seat on one of these adapted coaches, and by 3.30pm we were getting off in the centre of Ibiza … which was very crowded and very, very hot! (The air temperature was 34° C, there was no wind or shade, and the humidity was over 75%.)
After a short walk, Sue and I decided to stop at a bar near the local ferry terminal for a cold drink … and chose the only bar we’ve ever been to in Spain that did not do table service! Sue eventually managed to buy our s from the bar, and we sat in the shade drinking them and discussing what to do next.
In the end, we decided that Ibiza was – as far as we were concerned – a bit of a dead loss for us, and we began to walk back to the shuttle-bus stop to return to the ship … and then we saw the length of the queue! Luckly, we were almost next to a taxi rank, and when the drive told us that it would only cost 10€ to get back to the ship, we jumped in!
The taxi was air-conditioned and the female driver was very friendly and helpful. She dropped us off as close to the terminal entrance as she could and even gave Sue a fan to keep her cool!
By 5.00pm we had passed through the shore-side security check, climbed up the gangway, and were back in our suite. After dropping off our bags etc., and having quick and much-needed wash and tidy-up, Sue and I went to the Java Bar for a cooling drink.
Suitably refreshed – and feeling much, much better – we returned to our suite to rest before getting ready for dinner. We had our usual pre-dinner drink in the Java Bar, then a short spell out on the open deck – where it was slightly cooler than it had been as that area was now in the shade – before going to the Oriental Restaurant to eat.
We returned to the outside deck area after dinner, by which time the air temperature had dropped to the mid-twenties. The Seaview was lit up …
… and the noise of disco music was loud enough to hear very clearly.
We were back in our suite by 11.00pm, and by 11.30pm we were in bed reading … just as Britannia was making her way out of harbour and on her way to Cagliari in Sardinia.
Thursday 6th August: At sea
The sea remained very calm, and by the time we awoke, the ship was well on her way to her next port-of-call,
After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I went down to the Headliners Theatre to listen to Caroline Logan’s last talk of the cruise. It was about how to write scary stories …
… and again reflected her experience of writing books that included such horror and the unexpected.
By the time that the talk was over, Sue and I were feeling thirsty and went along to the Java Bar for something to drink and for somewhere to relax. This took us until just after 11.00am, at which point we went back to our suite to do battle with the daily crossword!
We stayed there until 1.00pm, when we went down to the Peninsular Restaurant for a light lunch. This was followed by a visit to the Live Lounge, where members of the ship’s entertainment team were staging a murder/mystery in the style of an old radio play.
It was full of terrible jokes as well as musical clues as to the identity of the murderer and kept the audience amused for nearly forty minutes.
Once the play was over, we made our way back to our suite via the open deck are on Deck 7 … but we were not able to stand the heat outside for very long and by 3.00pm we were back in our suite and having a much-needed drink.
We then spent the next ninety minutes watching the bulk of a French drama documentary film about the fire that almost destroyed Notre Dame de Paris … and we would have watched all of it if the in-cabin TV system had not suffered a glitch. (From the start, the film kept buffering for a few seconds every four or five minutes … but this gradually got worse until it was buffering more than it was not. The system then reset itself back to the start of the film, although we did eventually manage to save the location we had reached.)
At 7.30pm, Sue and I went down to the Java Bar for a pre-dinner drink, and we sat in what can best be described as the conservatory part of the bar.
As we left to go to the Oriental Restaurant for dinner, we stopped to admire the coloured glass structure that runs from the top to the bottom of the ship’s atrium.
After dinner we managed to get a breath of fresh air on the open deck area near to the Live Lounge, but because we had a bust day the next day, we made sure that we were back in our suite by before 11.00pm and in bed soon afterwards.
Friday 7th August: Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
This was a special day for Sue and I as it was our forty-fourth wedding anniversary.
We were awake by 7.00am and in breakfast by 8.00am as we had booked a trip ashore. By the time we had returned to our cabin to pick up everything that we needed, Britannia had docked alongside in Cagliari.
Sue and I were ashore by 9.00am, and by 9.20am we were aboard the coach that was taking us on our trip. It was supposed to leave at 9.45am, but as everyone was on the coach by 9.35am, we left early.
The first part of the trip was a sight-seeing journey around the city, culminating at a stop where we could see the local salt pans, …
… the Devil’s Saddle (a nearby rock formation), …
… the oldest part of the city (the Castello), …
… and even the dock where Britannia was moored.
The coach then took us to the small village of Maracalagonis, where we were ushered into the courtyard of a typical local house.
Once seated, we were entertained by a musician playing a local piped instrument, …
… and choir that also performed local folk dances, …
… and a small group of musicians.
In the gaps in the entertainment, we were fed local savoury and sweet dishes as well as tasters of local red, white, and fortified wines.
We were guided back to our coach by one of the entertainers, who was wearing local folk dress.
Along the way, we passed the village war memorial.
The coach then took us back to the docks in Cagliari and Sue and I were back aboard Britannia just before 2.00pm. As we boarded, we noticed that the air temperature was 39°C/99°F … which was no surprise as it felt very hot when not inside an air-conditioned coach or ship!
Once we had taken our stuff back to our suite, we set off in search of something cold to drink – which we managed to find in the Java Bar – and to eat. As we were going to have a big meal that night, we decided to have some slices of piazza from the piazza bar on Deck 16 Midships.
It was very hot near the main swimming pool on Deck 16, and once we had eaten, we returned to our suite to cool down and rest before getting ready for our anniversary dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant.
As usual, Sue and I had a pre-dinner drink in the Java Bar, then a short spell outside, where we saw the sunset over Sardinia.
We then went up to the restaurant where we ate the following meal:
French Baguette, Olive Focaccia Bread, and Wholemeal Bread with unsalted and herb butter
This was followed by an amuse bouche.
Starters
Goat’s Cheese Mousse Tartlet with Pickled Beetroot, Candied Thyme, Hazelnut Praline, Beetroot Gel, and Goat’s Cheese Crisp (Sue)
100% Acorn-Fed Iberico Jamón with Tomato Tartare, Spring Onion Top Mayonnaise, Tomato Emulsion, Fresh Basil, Tomato ’Crisps’, and Herb Oil (Me)
Main Course
Pan-Roasted Black Cod with Parmesan Rosotto, Wasabi Mayonnaise, Ginger, Sesame, and Soy-Dressed Bok Choy, Butternut Squash and Yuzu Puree, Lemongrass Cream Sauce, Wasabi Tobiko, and Coriander Oil (Sue)
Limousin Grass-Fed Beef Fillet with Bone Marrow Crust, with Pulled Beef Ship Croquette, Crispy Carrot, Herb-Crushed Potatoes, Red Wine Braised Onion, and Beef Dripping Jus (Me)
Desserts
Epicurean Eton Mess with Vanilla Pavlova, Strawberry and Champagne Bubble Tea, Meringue Shards, Crème Chantilly, Vanilla Gelato, and Strawberries (Both of us)
Yet again, the food was excellent, and when we left at about 10.00pm to return to our suite, it felt as if it had been a wonderful way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
Saturday 8th August: At sea
After an exceedingly good night’s sleep, Sue and I awoke at 8.00am. By this time, the ship was well on her way to Palma de Mallorca.
As usual, we ate breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, and as it was Saturday, I decided to have a full cooked breakfast of sausages, back bacon, black pudding, a fried egg, a grilled tomato, and grilled mushrooms!
In order to give our cabin steward time to clean our suite, Sue and I went to the Crow’s Nest Bar (Deck 16 Forward) to sit and read. In fact, we both doxed as well, and it was not until 11.00am that we decided to returned to our suite … but only after we had been down to the Java Bar for a café latte (Sue) and salted caramel frappé (Me)
We were back in our suite well before the usual noonday announcement, and just in time to see a large MSC container ship sail past us.
(Interestingly, we had seen this ship approaching Britannia for some time, and several people had assured us that it was another cruise ship. In actual fact, its silhouette was – when seen from a distance – similar to that of a cruise ship, and the letters MSC on the side could easily confuse the casual observer as the company is one of the world’s major cruise companies and owns a large number of big cruise ships.)
Sue and stayed in our suite until just before 2.00pm, when I went down to an informal Masonic get-together in the Sindhu Restaurant and Sue went out onto the ope deck area on Deck 7.
The meeting ended at about 2.45pm, and after a short discussion, Sue and I went up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant (Deck 16 Aft) to have a snack. Once that was over, we returned to our suite and stayed there until it was time to get ready for the third formal dinner of the cruise.
As has become our custom on this cruise, we had a pre-dinner drink in the Java Bar before going outside onto the open deck area. Although it was already getting close to sunset, it was still very hot outside, and we only stayed there a few minutes. We then went to the Oriental Restaurant for dinner … which feature yet another menu devised by Marco-Pierre White.
Sue and I both noted that when we left the restaurant, the air temperature in the public spaces seemed to be higher than normal, and it was a relief to go outside into the fresh air! It was still warm outside, but the breeze helped to cool one down. However, it made it feel even more uncomfortable inside and we were very pleased when we reached our suite and were able to turn up the air-conditioner to maximum.
Sunday 9th August: Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Sue and I usually set the air-conditioner controls to ambient or just under when we go to bed, but overnight it was set on the lowest setting possible … and still we both woke up feeling sticky.
It was the sound and vibration of Britannia entering the harbour at Palma de Mallorca that woke us up and we noted that the air temperature outside was already approaching 28°C/82°F. This did not bode well for later in the day, and over breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I decided that we would see what the air temperature was like when we returned to our suite and how far we would have to walk to the cruise terminal before deciding whether to go ashore.
By 10.00am it was 32°C/90°F outside and the walk to the cruise terminal was several hundred metres of unshaded dockside. As a result, we both concluded that it would be too uncomfortable to go ashore and that we would not bother to do so. (We had visited Palma de Mallorca many times in the past so not going into the centre of the city was hardly a missed opportunity.)
We therefore spent a relaxed and leisurely day aboard Britannia. Sue and I sat in the Java Bar drinking a café latte (Sue) and salted caramel frappé (Me) whilst we read. We stayed there until it was time to go to lunch in the Peninsular Restaurant, after which we returned to our suite to read, answer our emails, and generally relax. The fact that by 3.00pm the air temperature had reached 39°C/102°F seemed to vindicate our decision not to go ashore and suffer the dangers of heatstroke or exhaustion. (It is worth noting that by 3.00pm there had been several medical alerts due to returning passengers being unwell.)
At 4.30pm Sue and I went up to the Sunset Bar (Deck 16 Aft) to take part in an event that was called ‘Sip and Sail’. This was organised by the Food and Beverage Department and was an opportunity for passengers to enjoy cold drinks and canapes whilst the ship sailed out of Palma de Mallorca’s harbour.
On our way our of harbour, Britannia sailed past the city cathedral …
… and part of the main seafront.
This ended at 5.45pm, by which time Britannia was some distance off the coast of Mallorca. Sue and I made our way back to our suite via the open deck area on Deck 7, and we stayed there until we went to the Java Bar for our pre-dinner drink.
After dinner in the Oriental Restaurant, we returned to the open deck area on Deck 7 for some fresh air … and discovered that it was still very warm outside, despite the breeze caused by the ship moving at 15 knots. We were back in our suite by 10.30pm, and in bed reading by 11.00pm.
Monday 10th August: Cartagena: Spain
Cartagena is one of my favourite places to visit as it has so much of interest to see and do. Britannia was already well on her way to being moored alongside the main jetty near the seafront …
… and when I went out onto our suite’s balcony to take some photographs, it was already feeling hot … and it was predicted that it would rise to 33°C/92°F by midday.
Sue and I decided to take things easy and to see how high the air temperature was likely to get before making any decisions about where we would go and what we would see. Museums – and there are both a military and naval ones in Cartagena – are great to visit … but not if they are not air-conditioned!
Sue and I ate a light breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant before going out onto the open deck to see how hot (and humid) it was. As we were sitting there, an announcement was made that the ship would be conducting crew drills from 10.00am onwards and that during them the lifts would be out of action.
Sue and I decided that there was not enough time to get back to our suite and get ready to go ashore before the lifts would stop working. We therefore returned to our suite – where we noted that the air temperature outside was now 31°C/88°F – and stayed there until the drills were over.
We went ashore just after 11.00am, and made our way down the jetty and onto the main seafront, We walked towards the Naval Museum and then inland … by which time we were both feeling very hot and in need of a drink. Sue and I stopped in the first bar we came to and stayed there for nearly thirty minutes drink cold drinks and talking to two other people from the cruise ship.
We then walked a bit further inland up the main pedestrianised street until we found a small supermarket that was located up a side street. Sue purchased several items – including some Coke Zero for me – and then we began to make our way back towards the ship.
During our previous visits to Cartagena, Sue and I have always tried to have lunch in the seafront restaurant, Mare Nostrum. When we got there, we were put off by the stairs from the pavement up to the restaurant … but then we were directed to the small lift that was next to the entrance et voila, we were able to have a snack lunch in our favourite Cartagenan restaurant!
After lunch, we strolled back to the ship past some artisan craft stalls, and Sue bought a solid silver pendant necklace and earrings that featured a starfish design.
We were back aboard Britannia by 2.30pm, and after a break in our cabin to rest and refresh ourselves, Sue and I went down to the Java Bar for a cold drink. By then the exertions of the day were catching up on us, and we returned to our suite to rest … and doze! We were awoken by the captain’s announcement that the ship was about to get underway. And this gave me the opportunity to take some photographs of the Spanish Naval base …
… and some of the ships – including three submarines and what looked like two minesweepers– that were under repair.
We also passed the Spanish Navy RO-RO supply vessel, the Ysabel.
On the way out of the outer reached of the harbour, we experienced something that we have not seen for some time … rain! The squall only lasted a few minutes, but it was a pleasant reminder that such a phenomenon still exists.
Sue and I stayed in our suite until it was time to go to the Java Bar for a pre-dinner drink and a short spell on the nearby open deck. It was still very warm outside, and it was a relief to go into the air-conditioned Oriental Restaurant for dinner. We returned outside after we had eaten, and thanks to a stiff breeze, it was comfortable to sit outside.
Sue and were back in our suite by 10.30pm and in bed not long after, although we did read for some time before turning the lights out and going to sleep.
Tuesday 11th August: Gibraltar
Sue and I were both woken up at just after 7.10am as the Britannia began her final manoeuvres to dock alongside in Gibraltar.
The air temperature was 21°C/70°F at 8.15am but it felt as if it was going to rise significantly as the day progressed. (It eventually rose to 28°C/82°F by the time we returned to the ship.)
Because the ship was going to depart from Gibraltar at 2.30pm, Sue and I decided to go ashore as early as we could. We had breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, returned to our suite to collect our bags etc., and by 10.00am we were ashore and walking through the terminal building.
We walked past Britannia’s bows …
… to the location of the queue for the local shuttle-taxis service into the centre of the town.
We took one of the shuttle-taxis to Casemates Square, and once there, we found a bar – The Little Rock – where we could sit and have a cold drink.
After we had finished our drink, we went for a walk around Casemates Square before returning to the main entrance to the square, where we joined queue for the shuttle-taxis. We did not have to wait long (about ten minutes) before we climbed into a shuttle-taxis, and by midday were had passed through the terminal and we back aboard Britannia.
Sue and I went back to our suite and stayed there until it was time to go up to the Sunset Bar where a second ‘Sip and Sail’ event was taking place. There we were give and selection of cocktails …
… and canapes.
Our table in the Sunset Bar gave us an excellent view of the Rock and the surrounding area…
… including the Moorish Castle, …
… and a magnificent private motor yacht.
The event ended at 3.00pm, and Sue and I returned to our suite … where we both had a very long doze. After all, it had been quite a busy day!
We stayed there until it was time to get ready for dinner … but first we attended the Peninsular Club Party, which was held in the Live Lounge at 7.45pm.
After the usual introductions, the ship’s captain made a short speech where he made special mention of the work done behind the scenes by ship’s crew.
The party ended at about 8.15pm, and Sue and I went out onto the open deck area for some fresh air before going down to the Oriental Restaurant for dinner. We returned there after we had eaten, and after sitting there for about fifteen minutes, we returned to our suite to get ready for bed.
At 4.00am I was awoken by the sound of our air-conditioning straining to keep the suite’s air temperature at the level we had set. On getting up, the reason why this was happening soon became apparent … the latch on the door to our balcony had come undone and the door had opened very slightly. This was enough to cause the air temperature inside the cabin to rise, and for the air-conditioning to go into maximum output mode. I managed to shut and relatch the door, and within a few minutes the air-conditioner became quieter, and it was possible to go back to sleep.
Wednesday 12th August: At sea … and a solar eclipse!
During the night, Britannia had sailed round the southern end of Portugal and by the time we awoke, she was off the coast near Lisbon.
For the first time during the cruise, the air temperature was close to what would normally expect at this time of year, and by midday it had reached 23°C/73°F and the sky was very cloudy.
Once we had eaten breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and spent the morning in the Crow’s Nest Bar before going down to the Java Bar for a café latte (Sue) and salted caramel frappé (Me). Whilst we were sitting there, an old Masonic friend happened to walk past, and we had a brief chat about the Holy Royal Arch chapter that we are both members of.
We had returned to our suite by just after 11.00am, and after completing the daily crossword, we sat and read until it was time to go for lunch in the Peninsular Restaurant.
After lunch, Sue went back to the suite whilst I attended an informal Masonic get-together. This ended at 2.30pm, and by 3.00pm I had returned to the suite and them accompanied Sue to the Headliners Theatre to listen to a talk about solar eclipses by Professor Alan Fitzsimmons.
The talk was very informative and included instructions on how to see the eclipse safely using the special glasses that all the passengers had been given.
After the talk had ended, Sue and I went to the Java bar for a drink before returning to our suite to rest and read before it was time to get ready for the fourth and final formal dinner of the cruise.
At 7.30pm, we returned to the Java Bar for a drink. Most of the passengers seemed to have gone out onto the open deck areas on Decks 16 and 17, and the bar was almost empty. We had a chat with one of the staff about the solar eclipse … and at 8.15pm we made our way to the open deck area on the portside of Deck 7, where we found quite a few passengers and several members of the ship’s staff – including officers – watching the eclipse. As it was almost at its height, we also watched for a few minutes through the special glasses we had been given. Sue and I then handed them on to two members of the crew who did not have any so that they could also enjoy the experience of seeing the solar eclipse.
We were in entrance of the Oriental Restaurant when it opened at 8.30pm, and we remained there until 9.45pm, when we went up to the open deck area of Deck 7 for some fresh air. We had a chat with another passenger until just after 10.00pm, at which point Sue and I returned to our suite. Once there, we watched a special TV programme produced by NASA about the eclipse before getting ready for bed.
Thursday 13th August: At sea
Our alarm went off at 7.30am, and when we looked at the navigation channel on our suite’s TV, the ship was already well on her way across the Bay of Biscay.
After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I spent a pleasant hour in the Crow’s Nest Bar reading and watching the sea. We the returned to our suite and began the process of packing.
We had finished packing the suitcases by midday and decided to have a break. On reaching the Java Bar, we discovered that the ship’s choir – which was recruited from passengers and conducted by a member of the entertainments staff – was performing in the atrium. It was quite crowded around the atrium, but luckily we were able to find an empty table and a couple of chairs and managed to order some drinks. Once the choir had finished, the place emptied out and we were able to consume our drinks in relative peace and quiet.
Sue and I were back in our suite by 1.00pm and began packing one of the two travel bags that we use. This did not take long, and once we had done all that we could for the time being, we sat and tried to complete the daily crossword.
At 2.45pm, Sue and I went up to the Epicurean Restaurant for afternoon tea. (We have been doing this on the last sea day of a cruise for some years and view it as a reward to ourselves for doing the packing.) Sue and I had deliberately missed lunch as we knew that it would be quite a substantial meal.
The doors opened at 3.00pm and Sue and I were soon seated by the windows. Our tea order was then taken, and our food was delivered soon afterwards.
It included:
Herb Lobster Rolls with Celery, Chives and Dill in a Brown Butter Brioche
Corn-fed Paprika Chicken with Heirloom Tomatoes
Beetroot and Vanilla Smoked Salmon Shortcrust Pastry Tart with Dill and Caper Cream and Beetroot Water
Pistachio Financiers with Rose-scented Cream Cheese Frosting and Persian Rose Petals
Blueberry Yoghurt Cheesecake with Blackcurrant Jam Centre and a Graham Cracker Base
Verine Mont Blanc with Crunch Meringue, Blackcurrant Conserve, Dark Rum, and Sweet Crème de Marron
Golden Chocolate Sphere with Dark Chocolate Mousse, Framboise Raspberries, and Chocolate Genoese.
Raspberry & Raw Cacao and Traditional Scones with Clotted Cream and Jam
Just after 5.30pm, Britannia passed Ushant, which marked her leaving the Bay of Biscay and entering the English Channel, and soon afterwards we saw our butler for the last time, thanks him for everything that he had done, and said our goodbyes.
We went for our last drink in the Java Bar at 7.30pm, and at 8.30pm we went down to the Oriental Restaurant for our last dinner aboard Britannia. the service and food were – as usual – excellent, and we regrated having to say goodbye to the two waiters who had served us during our cruise.
Sue and I did venture out onto the open deck area on Deck 7 for some fresh air before going back to our suite of Deck 10. Once back, we packed the last remaining bag for collection and then had a short rest before going to bed. Before going to sleep, we adjusted our clocks and watches to UK time, thus regaining the hour that we ‘lost’ on Saturday 2nd August.
Friday 14th August: Southampton
At around 3.00am, Britannia picked up a Southampton pilot at the Nab Tower and by 6.00am she was moored alongside the Ocean Cruise Terminal.
Sue and I were already awake as the ship moved alongside the dock, and by 7.15am we were dressed and sitting in the Epicurean Restaurant eating breakfast. Once we had finished, we thanked all the staff for their wonderful service before taking our hand luggage towards the lifts. Surprisingly, we only had to wait for a couple of minutes before we were able to get in a lift going down to Deck 5.
As I was registered for assisted disembarkation, Sue and I had to go to the Limelights Bar (Deck 5 Midships) to get registered and to join the queue to be taken ashore. We arrived at the bar at 8.10am and were told that there would be an approximately forty-five minute wait.
That estimate proved to be reasonably accurate, and by 9.00am I had been wheeled ashore in a wheelchair and we were in the baggage reclaim hall with a porter was helping us to collect our luggage. The wheelchair pusher and the porter helped us to get everything to the valet parking area and even helped us to load our luggage into our car.
We drove out of the car park soon after 9.15am, and the drive home was reasonably uneventful, although there were holdups at the junction of the M3 and M25 and the junction of the M25 and A2 because of the amount of traffic on and joining the motorway.
Sue and I stopped at Winchester Services and Clackett Lane Services for comfort breaks and – in the case of Winchester – for a drink in Costa Coffee and some much-needed food shopping. These stops did not delay us very much and we arrived home at 12.50pm.
