I have been to … Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, and Morocco aboard MV Ventura

Until very recently, Sue and I were unsure if the treatment I would need to undertake to deal with my prostate cancer would make it impossible for us to go on a cruise, but the recent news that the Erleada that I have been taking for three months has reduced my antigen level to less than 0.1 meant that we could … so rather than cancel this cruise – which had been booked last year – we decided to give it a go!

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Saturday 29th October: Southampton

We set the alarm for 6.00am, and by 8.50am we were on our way to Southampton. There was far less traffic than we had expected, and by 10.35am we had driven around the M25 and along the M3 as far as Winchester Services. We stopped there for a comfort break and a snack breakfast and reached Dock Gate 20 of Southampton Docks by 11.30am. We had to queue for a short time before our car could be processed and handed over to the valet parking service, at which point we were allowed to unload our luggage and take it to the relevant baggage handling collection point for our deck.

Once that had been done, Sue and I entered the cruise terminal and began the process of being booked in. After reaffirming the questions we had already answered online as part of our Health Declaration, we were allowed to go to the registration desk for our passports to be checked, our photographs taken, and our boarding cards stamped ‘Priority’ and ‘Safe to Board’.

Normally, we have to wait to pass through the security checks, but on this occasion Sue and I were directed to go straight there, and by 1.00pm we were aboard Ventura, had registered with the crew at our muster station (the Havana Show Lounge Deck 7 Aft), and had dropped our hand luggage off in our suite and I had a quick look at the docks …

… and our position on the ship’s navigation channel.

We then went for lunch in the Cinnamon Restaurant (Deck 5 Midships). Sue and I shared a table with two other couples who – like us – had travelled on many P&O cruises. We had a very enjoyable time chatting whilst we ate and did not finish eating until after 2.00pm. When we parted company, Sue and I went up to our suite (the Oceana Suite) on Deck 8 Aft via the Promenade Deck (Deck 7).

Not long after we returned to our suite, our cabin steward – Ryan – and our butler – Sam – arrived at the door of our suite and introduced themselves. Not long afterward, Ryan returned with our luggage and Sue, and I were able to unpack.

We had finished unpacking some time before the ship set sail and went for a much-needed drink in the Red Bar (Deck 7 Midships). We then returned to our suite, and I was able to go out onto our balcony and take photographs of the other vessels that were in Southampton as we sailed downriver towards the Isle of Wight.

We had booked a table in the Epicurean Restaurant (Deck 17 Aft) for 8.30pm and had a pre-dinner drink in the Metropolis Bar (Deck 18 Aft). We finished our meal just before 10.00pm, and we then went down to the Promenade Deck for a breath of fresh air. Sue and I then returned to our suite to get ready for bed.

Sunday 30th October: At sea

Overnight the weather was quite calm for the time of year, and when we got up at 8.00am, Ventura was sailing at 15 knots down the English Channel and towards Ushant.

After eating breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I paid a visit to Explorers – the shore excursions desk (Deck 7 Midships) – where we booked a guided coach trip for the day Ventura was going to visit Tangier. We then went for a walk around the ship’s shops and had a stroll along the Promenade Deck before going to the ship’s theatre – the Arena Theatre (Decks 6 and 7 Forward) – to listen to a talk by the guest speaker.

According to the ship’s daily ‘what’s on’ newssheet ‘Horizon’, the speaker should have been Don Wales, but for some reason a last-minute substitute had been arranged. He was called Geoff Peters, and he was a former member of the Royal Australian Navy.

He gave a very interesting talk about the lost Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest Passage and during the other sea days, he was due to deliver further talks about his naval heroes.

The talk finished just after midday, so Sue and I went to get a drink in the Glass House Bar (Deck 7 Midships). Once we had finished our drink, we returned to our suite to read and rest for a while. At about 2.30am we went up to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant (Deck 15 Aft), where we ate a snack lunch. We then went down to Deck 7 and out onto the Promenade Deck for some fresh air, but we only stayed out there for ten minutes as it was colder than we had expected.

Sue and I returned to our suite and remained there until it was time to go to the first formal dinner of the cruise. We had a pre-dinner drink in the Glass House Bar before going down to the Bay Tree Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) for dinner. After dinner we went out onto the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before returning to our suite to get ready for bed.

Monday 31st October: Coruna, Spain

Overnight Ventura continued to cross the Bay of Biscay, and when we woke up at 8.00am she was coming alongside in Coruna.

Sue and I ate breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant and then went down to the Promenade Deck. It was quite cold and wet up there, and black clouds were scudding across the sky. We decided to wait until the weather looked as if it was going to improved, so we went back to our suite so that could do so in comfort.

We finally decided to risk it at 10.30am, and by just before 10.50am we had walked from the ship to the Arenas bookshop, which we have visited on previous cruises.

I bought a copy of LA GUERRA CIVIL ESPANOLA 1936 – 1939 by Carlos J Medina, after which Sue and I went and sat in the small park on the opposite side of the road.

We walked through the park and past the old and new casinos. We then crossed back across the road and made our way along the pedestrianised Calle Real. Sue and I did a bit of window shopping, paid a short visit to a pharmacy to buy something that I had forgotten to pack, and finally reached one of the city’s main squares.

We continued to walk towards the gardens where Sir John Moore is buried, and at one point we stopped for a rest on a part of the seafront that gave us a view of the ship.

We had only been sitting there for a few minutes when it began to rain very heavily. Luckily, we were able to shelter in the entrance of an underground car park until it stopped.

The gates to the garden were locked, so we were not able to stop at Sir John Moore’s grave, but as the local military museum is on the opposite side of the road, our walk had not been wasted!

The museum is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary and had been reorganised since our last visit. We spent a very interesting hour there before we began our walk back to the ship. Along the way, we stopped at one of the many seafront cafés – the Café Gasthof – where we ate a light lunch and had a drink.

Sue and I were back aboard Ventura by just after 2.30pm, and other than making a short visit to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant for tea and cake at 4.30pm, we stayed there until it was time to go for a pre-dinner drink.

We had a pre-dinner drink in the Glass House Bar before taking a stroll along the Promenade Deck. At 8.30pm we went down to the Bay Tree Restaurant for dinner, after which we returned to our suite for the night. There was a card on our bed that reminded us that we had to reset our clocks and watches to local time as we were going to Portugal on the following day.

(Due to the fact that we had left the UK on the day before the end of British Summer Time, the ship had not set its clocks back by one hour on Sunday as our first port-of-call – Coruna – was in Spain, which is in a time zone that is one hour ahead of the UK’s. As we were now going to be visiting Porto in Portugal – which is in the same time zone as the UK – were had to reset our clocks and watches a day later than we would have done so at home.)

Tuesday 1st November: Porto, Portugal

During the night Ventura had rounded Cape Finisterre in northern Spain and sailed southwards along the coast of Portugal, and when we woke up just before 8.00am, she was turning towards the port that serves the city of Porto, Leixões in the part of the Porto area that is known as Matosinhos.

As usual, we had breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, followed by a brief spell on the Promenade Deck, where we were able to watch the comings and goings of those passengers who were going ashore on organised tours. After a short visit to our suite to pick up our coats, bags, and cameras, Sue and I went ashore just before 10.30am.

As it was All Saints Day, we expected that many shops and other attractions would be shut, so rather than take the shuttle bus all the way into Porto, we took one to the dock gates of the port and went for a walk around the seaside part of Leixões. We started our walk by going left through the small park that adjoins the dock gates …

… and out onto the main road running through that part of the town.

This was lined with cafés and restaurants that were preparing to open for the lunchtime trade. Almost every one of them had a big barbeque that had just been lit, and their menus almost universally advertised that sardines were the main dish that was going to be served.

Sue and I returned the way that we had come and within less than ten minutes we had reached the seafront and beach. Before continuing our walk, we stopped for a café latte and pastéis de nata each in a very busy seafront café.

(The pastéis de nata is probably Portugal’s best-known pastry. It is a baked custard tart that is served in puff pastry case. The top of the custard has had fine sugar sprinkled on it before is caramelised under a grill or with a blowtorch)

Sue and I then strolled along the wide esplanade …

… and watched people enjoying themselves on the beach in the autumn sunshine.

Sue and I then decided to return to the ship. Along the way we passed a monument to the 1947 disaster that struck the local area on 1st and 2nd December.

A tempest struck the area of sea off Leixões, and as a result, 152 local fishermen were drowned, leaving a total of 74 widows and 152 fatherless children. The monument was erected in 2005 and was sculpted by José João Brito, who based it on a painting – ‘Tragédia no Mar’/’Tragedy at sea’ – by Augusto Gomes. Gomes was a famous Portuguese artist who came from Matosinhos.

By this time it was well past midday, and Sue and I returned to the ship. After a very brief stop at our cabin to drop off our coast etc., we went up to Breakers Bar (Deck 16 Forward) for a drink and a chance to sit in the sun. We remained there until it was time for lunch, which we got from the Poolside Grill (Deck 15 forward). Sue and I were back in our suite by 2.30pm, where we rested until it was time for a pre-dinner drink.

For a change, we had a stroll along the Promenade Deck before our pre-dinner drink in the Blue Bar … and another after it. We were in the Bay Tree Restaurant by 8.30pm and finished dinner by 10.00pm. Sue and I then had yet another stroll on the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite to go to sleep. Before we did so, we had to reset our clocks and watches to local time (i.e. GMT+1) as our next port-of-call is Cadiz, Spain, whose time zone is one hour ahead of the UK’s.

Wednesday 2nd November: At sea

During the night Ventura sailed southward down the coast of Portugal, and by 8.00an she was off the coast to the west of Lisbon.

Sue and I had breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, after which we went for a short stroll along the Promenade Deck. At 9.45am, we made our way to the Arena Theatre to listen to Geoff Peters deliver his second talk of the cruise. This was entitled ‘Forgotten Heroes’, which covered two topics, the life story of Sir Thomas Cochrane and the loss of the Penlee lifeboat.

His talk was very interesting, and after it ended at 10.55am I made my way up to the Ivory Suite (Deck 16 Forward) to take part in a Masonic get together. In total there were seven of us at the meeting, and we spent an hour chatting about various general topics of interest. The meeting ended at midday, and we agreed to meet again on one of the sea days of our returned journey.

Whilst I had been to my Masonic meeting, Sue spent her time looking at what the ship’s shops had for sale before returning to our suite. I joined her at just after midday and heard loud banging coming from the next-door cabin. I could hear someone shouting for help and went out onto the balcony to see if I could be of assistance. It transpired that the couple in the next cabin had both gone out onto their balcony some time before … and the door had slammed shut, automatically locking them on the balcony. I went and found our cabin steward, and he was able to open their cabin door then their balcony door. They were very obviously upset by their ordeal and thanked me for coming to their aid.

Sue and I were both feeling rather thirsty and went up to Breakers Bar for a cooling drink. The sun was shining, and it was very pleasant being able to sit in the open air in November and not have to wear a coat whilst doing so. We remained there until 1.30pm, at which point we went down to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, Sue and I went for a short walk along the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite. We remained there for most of the afternoon, reading and resting.

At about 7.45pm, we went down to the Promenade Deck for a short stroll before having a pre-dinner dink in the Red Bar. Sue and I then went to the Bay Tree Restaurant for the second formal dinner of the cruise. The menu had been specially devised by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White and comprised several of his signature dishes. After dinner we returned to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before returning to our suite.

Thursday 3rd November: Cadiz, Spain

Ventura reached Cadiz well before 7.00am, and both Sue and I were woken by the sound and vibration of the thrusters that were used to turn her through 180° before pushing her alongside.

Neither of us was able to get back to sleep, and so we saw the sun gradually rise and illuminate the view of the city from our balcony.

After eating a light breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck, where we were able to watch members of the crew practicing the launching and recovery of one of the ship’s tenders.

We were also able to watch one of the ship’s crash boats exercising in the dock next to the ship.

Whilst they were doing so, one of the local pilot boats (or practicos as they are known) passed Ventura and moored just behind her.

At 10.00am, the officer-of-the-watch announced that at 10.30am the ship would be turning around so that some its safety equipment could be tested, and that for at least an hour passengers and crew would be unable to leave or board Ventura. We had been expecting this, although we had thought that the exercise was not going to take place until 11.00am. Sue and I therefore returned to our suite, picked up the stuff we needed to take ashore with us, and by 10.20am we were walking towards the centre of the city.

Along the way we stopped off for a short while in a small seafront park. We sat near to a statue dedicated to the memory of Blas de Lezo, a local hero who defended Cartagena from a British attack during the 1770s.

Having rested ourselves, we resumed our walk. This took us past the town hall (ayuntamiento) …

… and through the narrow pedestrianised streets to the cathedral.

In a nearby jewellery shop that we had visited during our last visit to Cadiz, Sue bought some silver earrings. We continued our walk until we reached the local market …

… which is modelled on the sort of market found in Roman towns.

Having walked around the market, we turned inland with the intention of visiting one of Cadiz’s two games shops, but once we reached it we found nothing that I wanted to buy. By this time we had been walking around for over an hour and were beginning to feel tired and thirsty. Sue and I therefore stopped at a local café – Abuela Elfrides – for a café con leche.

We could see the main road that runs past the dock where the ship was moored from the café, and on our we came across a bookshop named Librería Jamie. Sue and I went in … and I was able to buy a copy of the Spanish-language edition of KING OTTOKAR’S SCEPTRE (EL CETRO DE OTTOKAR). Some of the noticeable differences are that Snowy is called Milú (as in the original French books … and supposedly named after Herge’s first and somewhat well-endowed girlfriend) and the detectives are known as Hernández and Fernández.

It was after 1.00pm by the time we had returned to Ventura. As the officer-of-the-watch had informed us, she had turned through 180°whilst we had been ashore, and the view from our balcony was very different from the one we had when we had docked.

Sue and I decided to have a drink in Breakers Bar before going for lunch in the Waterside Self Service Restaurant.

It was relatively empty there, and we were able to sit in the sun and enjoy our drinks as the air temperature hovered just above the 22°C level.

Once we had eaten lunch, Sue and returned to our suite to have a much-needed rest, and other than taking a short visit to the Promenade Deck, we stayed there until it was time to go for our pre-dinner drink.

We went to the Red Bar for our pre-dinner drink, having first had a short stroll along the Promenade Deck. At 8.30pm Sue and I went up to the Epicurean Restaurant for dinner, which lasted until 10.15pm. We then returned to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before going back to our suite to get ready for bed.

Friday 4th November: Gibraltar

Unlike our visit to Gibraltar in November 2021, when the Ventura managed to get alongside but could not securely tie up due to the very high wind, this time we arrived in good weather and the ship was moored alongside by 8.00am.

The Ventura was followed into harbour by a large motor yacht, the Lady E, which moored on the opposite side of the quay from Ventura.

I also saw two Royal Navy warships in the harbour. They were HMS Scott …

… the Royal Navy’s largest survey ship (She is scheduled to be withdrawn from service during 2022) and a River-class patrol ship, HMS Trent.

Sue and I ate breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, and by 10.30am we were sitting on the Promenade Deck waiting for the number of people streaming ashore to diminish. By 11.00am the initial rush was over, and we went ashore.

We took the shuttle bus to the centre of the town (Casemates Square) …

… which we reached by 11.30am. Sue and I then walked up Main Street and by just after midday we had arrived at the Angry Friar public house, where we had a much-needed drink and a sit down.

The pub is just across the road from the Governor’s residence (The Old Convent) …

… and next to the present Guardhouse.

By 1.00pm, Sue and I had begun to slowly walk back down Main Street, indulging in some retail therapy along the way. We reached Casemates Square by 1.45pm, and then had a rather leisurely lunch in Latino’s one of the numerous restaurants in the square.

We then returned up Main Street, and eventually arrived at the Gibraltar Heritage Centre, which is situated near the parliament building. It is housed in the former Grand Guard House, …

… and amongst other things it has a shop, where I was able to buy a copy of WELLINGTON’S PENINSULAR ARMY which was written by Lieutenant Colonel James Lawford (of CHARGE fame) and illustrated by Michael Roffe. The was originally published by Osprey Publishing in 1973, and mine was a 4th impression of the book.

Sue and I then returned to Casemates Squares and took the shuttle bus back to Ventura. The queue for this service was quite long, and we had to wait some time before it was our turn to get on one of the eight-seater shuttle buses. We eventually got back aboard just after 3.30pm, and went straight to Breakers Bar for a long, cool drink. Suitably refreshed, Sue and I returned to our suite to take a much-needed rest before getting ready for dinner.

The outside air temperature was still over 22°C when we went for a stroll along the Promenade Deck at 7.45pm on our way to the Red Bar for a pre-dinner drink. As it was such a pleasant evening, Sue and I returned to the Promenade Deck and walked back along it until we reached the doors leading to the stairs down to the Bay Tree Restaurant.

We had ordered our meal when – at just after 8.45pm – Ventura began the process of undocking, and by 9.00pm she had turned and was making her way out of Gibraltar. We had finished eating by 10.15pm, and after yet another turn along the Promenade Deck, Sue and I returned to our suite to get ready for bed.

Saturday 5th November; At sea

When we woke up at 8.00am, Ventura was off the coast of southern Spain and sailing eastwards into the Mediterranean.

As the Peninsular Club lunch was taking place at midday, both Sue and I had a light breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant. This ended at 9.45am, at which point Sue went up to Breakers Bar and I went to the Ivory Suite for another Masonic get together. This was not as well attended as the previous meeting, mainly because it clashed with the guest speaker’s third talk of the cruise.

The meeting ended at 10.45am, and I returned to our suite, where Sue and I began to get ready for the lunch. By just after midday we were dressed and waiting in the queue outside the Bay Tree Restaurant, where we were greeted by the ship’s captain and the ship’s heads of department. We were seated at a table with three other couples, and after brief introductions the conversation flowed freely backwards and forwards across the table as we ate.

The menu was somewhat different from that at the last Peninsular Club lunch that we had attended, and included the following dishes:

Starters

Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon, with Deep Fried Nori, Crispy Capers, Citrus and Red Onion Salad. (Both of us)

Sorbet

Champagne Sorbet (Both of us)

Main Courses

Pine Nut-Crusted Fillet of Sea Bass, with Crushed New Potatoes, Toasted Parsnip Purée, and Samphire Shoots (Sue)

Porcini-Crusted Tournedos of Beef, with Pommes Anna, Creamed Celeriac, Courgette Ribbons, and Grain Mustard Jus (Me)

Desserts

Cheeseboard, with a selection of Regional, British, and Continental Cheese with Biscuits (Sue)

Dark Chocolate Mousse, with Amarula Cherry Compote and Caramelised White Chocolate (Me)

Petit Four

Chocolate Truffle

The lunch ended at 2.00pm, and Sue and I left the restaurant feeling rather full. To stop ourselves just going back to our suite and falling asleep after such a wonderful meal, Sue and I went up to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. Whilst we were there, we had a very pleasant chat with a lady who had also been at the lunch, and we were able to exchange fond and funny memories of cruises we had been on and places we had visited.

Sue and I were back in our suite by 2.45pm and we spent the rest of the afternoon in our suite or on our balcony – where it was over 22°C – reading and resting until it was time for the third formal dinner of the cruise.

Whilst we were getting ready for dinner of the cruise, the sun went down behind the ship, with the sky taking on the colours of the rainbow from red to indigo.

We spent the evening doing much the same as we have on the other evenings aboard Ventura. We had a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar, followed by a short spell on the Promenade Deck, then dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant. We ended the evening with another spell on the open deck for some fresh air and we were back in our suite by 10.30pm, and asleep before midnight.

Sunday 6th November: Valencia, Spain

Both Sue and I were awoken by the vibration o the thrusters as Ventura manouevred alongside the dock in Valencia.

Soon afterwards, another cruise ship, the MV Spirit of Discovery, moored behind Ventura.

Sue and I had breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant as usual, and after a spell on the Promenade Deck watching other passengers stream ashore, we decided to join them. We boarded the shuttle bus at a little after 10.45am, and some twenty-five minutes we arrived at the bridge (the Pont de Serrans) …

… that leads to the Towers of Serrans (Torres de Serrans), one of the ancient entrances to the old city.

From there, Sue and I walked to the Plaza de la Virgen …

… where a festival of local folk music and dancing was taking place.

We made our way behind the cathedral to a square (the Plaza de la Reine) that used to be filled with trees and grass, but which has now been covered over with paving slabs.

Close to the wall of the cathedral is a bronze model of the cathedral …

… which has Braille labels.

Our walk then took us down the street between the cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace, over which is a bridge so that clergy can move from one to the other without having to get wet.

A similar bridge connects the cathedral with the Real Basilica de Nostra Señora de Los Desamparados.

Our walk had gone around in complete circle, and we ended up back in the Plaza de la Virgen, near to the Turia fountain and reclining statue. Sue and I then made our way back to the shuttle bus pickup point, and after a thirty-minute drive, we were back at the dockside where the ship was moored.

After we had passed through the shoreside security checks and reboarded Ventura, Sue and I paid a quick visit to our suite before going to Breakers Bar for a long, cold drink. (It was much-needed as the air temperature had reached over 25°C during our time in the centre of Valencia.) We then ate lunch in the Waterside Self Service Restaurant before going back to our suite to rest.

At 3.30pm, I went to a third Masonic get together. This time it took place in the Metropolis Bar and three of us managed to meet up and have a chat. I got back to our suite just after 4.30pm, and Sue and I stayed there until it was time to go for our pre-dinner drink.

Our evening followed its normal routine; a stroll along the Promenade Deck, followed by a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar, then another walk along the Promenade Deck, dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant, and ending in a final spell out on the Promenade Deck. Sue and I were back in our suite a little after 10.00pm, and after watching Sky and BBC World News for a while, we read for a time before going to bed.

Monday 7th November: Cartagena, Spain

Sue and I were awoken by the sounds and movement caused by the ship’s thrusters as she manoeuvred her way through the harbour entrance and alongside the quay in Cartagena.

Ventura moored behind another cruise ship – the Brilliance of the Seas – and across the harbour from the Norwegian Dawn.

As a result, the ship was much closer to the area where the local fishing fleet is moored and maintained and further away from the naval base than the place that she usually docks.

Once we had eaten breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck. We spent some time on the starboard side (which was in the shade) before going over to the port side (which was in the sun). Part of the deck was closed off as members of the crew were testing one of the ship’s tenders …

… and a lifeboat.

Sue and I went ashore at about 10.45am, and as we walked towards the exit from the quay, we passed a rather unusual monument.

Rather than follow the route taken by most of the other passengers, who turned left and headed towards the main pedestrianised street leading inland, Sue and I went to the right and followed the road through a short tunnel that had been cut into the city’s Medieval walls.

From there is was a twenty-minute walk to Cartagena’s Military Museum (Museo Historico Militar) which is situated – along with the city’s archives – in the old artillery barracks.

We stayed in the museum until just after midday, by which time we were both feeling very hot and thirsty. We made our way back towards the seafront, stopping at the Café Cavite for a drink.

On our walk back along the pedestrianised main street, Sue and I bought some Cava and soft drinks in a small supermarket that was located in one of the side streets.

By the time we arrived at the walkway from the main promenade towards the quay where Ventura was moored, Sue and I were in need of another drink, and we decided to stop at the nearby Mare Nostrum Restaurant.

It looked rather crowded, and we sat in the shade outside the main entrance. One of the staff asked us if we would like to sit on the sun terrace, which was being vacated by a tour group from the Brilliance of the Seas. We accepted this kind offer … and in the end we decided to eat lunch there!

Sue ate Sea Bream that was served with a polenta cake and tomatoes, and I ordered lamb cutlets. Unfortunately, the chef had used up all the lamb he had in his pantry feeding the tour party, and I was offered an entrecote steak instead. I agreed … and it turned out to be enormous!

(A short aside: What is it about people who visit foreign countries and refuse to eat the local food? Whilst we were eating in the Mare Nostrum Restaurant, three groups of people – two American and one British – sat down at the table next to us and asked to see the menu. After some quite animated conversations that included statements like ‘They don’t do hamburgers’, ‘Why don’t they sell hotdogs?’, and ‘There aren’t any pizzas on the menu’, none of the groups stayed to eat. The food was what I would have termed international in nature, but with Spanish influences, hence my steak was locally sourced and served with grilled peppers and potatoes fried in olive oil … and was excellent!)

We finally finished our meal at 2.30pm and made our way slowly back to the ship. We were back in our suite by just before 3.00pm …and once inside, we spent the next hour and a half resting and cooling down.

Ventura set sail for her last port-of-call (Tangier) at just after 4.30pm. On her way out of harbour, she passed the Brilliance of the Seas …

… and was followed by one of the local pilot (or practicos) boats.

It was still 22°C when we went for our usual pre-dinner stroll along the Promenade Deck at 7.45pm, and although the air temperature had dropped a little by the time we had had a drink in the Red Bar, taken another walk along the Promenade Deck and eaten dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant. In fact, it was stll over 20°C when we returned to our suite to sleep.

Tuesday 8th November: November: Tangier, Morocco

The Ventura had already sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic Ocean when Sue and I woke up at 7.30am.

As we were booked on a tour (‘Panoramic Tangier’) that was leaving at 10.30am and we had to be in the assembly point in the Arena Theatre by 10.00am, Sue and I had a somewhat earlier breakfast than normal in the Epicurean Restaurant.

Our tour left pretty well on the dot of 10.30am, and after driving along the Corniche and past several royal palaces, our first stop was the lighthouse at Cap Serat.

From there we drove to the English Church in Tangier. This was built to serve the needs of the small Church of England population of the city and was constructed in a rather eclectic style that betrays a mixture of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish influences.

Amongst the people buried or memorialised in the church are Squadron Leader Thomas Kirby Green, who was killed after taking part in the so-called ‘Great Escape’.

The church also contains the Roll of Honour that names all the Moroccan-born or residents who died during the Great War.

In the churchyard there are thirteen Commonwealth War Graves, …

… including four aircrew from one crash …

… and five from another.

Of the remaining four graves, three were also members of the Royal Air Force and one was a member of the Gibraltar Security Police.

We then walked the short distance to the Villa De France Hotel …

… where we were able to have some light refreshments (English tea, mint tea, Turkish coffee, orange juice, and various cakes) …

… and restore our personal comforts.

Our coach tour then resumed, and we arrived back alongside the Ventura just before 1.30pm. We were greeted by a local drumming group, whose enthusiasm wasn’t diminished by the fact that it was at least 24°C in the shade!

Sue and I were so thirsty that rather than go back to our suite, we went straight up to Breakers Bar for a long, cold drink. We sat there chatting to another couple who had travelled from Darlington to Southampton to go on the cruise, a journey that was made more difficult by having to travel across Central London from King’s Cross to Waterloo with all their luggage!

After returning to our suite to drop off our bags and cameras, Sue and I went back to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant for a light lunch. We then returned to our suite, where we stayed for the rest of the afternoon.

As Ventura wasn’t leaving Tangier until 10.00pm, Sue and I were able to have our pre-dinner walk along the Promenade Deck and have a drink in the Red Bar without the feel of the ship’s engines gently vibrating under our feet. In fact, the engines had not started until we had finished eating dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant and we were back out on the Promenade Deck.

We were able to watch the whole undocking process from our position on the Promenade Deck and did not return to our suite until the ship was moving towards the harbour entrance.

Wednesday 9th November: At sea

Overnight the Ventura sailed westward out into the Atlantic, and by the time we woke up at 8.00am, she was off the southern coast of Portugal.

The sea was not particularly rough, but there was a very distinct swell that – along with the wind that was hitting the ship from astern – was causing her to roll as well as pitch.

After having breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I went out onto the Promenade Deck for a walk before going to the Arena Theatre to hear the next talk by Geoff Peters. This was entitled ‘The World’s Greatest Living Adventurer’ …

… and was about the exploits of the Russian record-holding adventurer, explorer, climber, yachtsman, long-distance rower, balloonist, and priest, Fedor Konyukhov.

The talk lasted until just before 11.00am, and before going back to our suite, Sue and I paid a visit to the ship’s shops, followed by a spell on the Promenade Deck.

Whilst the sea was not as rough as it has been on previous voyages we have taken, the affect of the wind and the waves on the ship was more pronounced than one would have expected, and she was rolling from side to side as well as pitching up and down quite violently at times ... as the following photographs of the horizon, taken seconds apart, show.

We were back in our suite by 11.30am, and we stayed there until it was time for lunch. I spent my time doing some text editing, and Sue read. We went to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant at 1.20pm, and then went down to the Promenade Deck to sit in the sun. At 2.20pm we parted company, with Sue ging up to our suite whilst I attended another Masonic get together in the Metropolis Bar.

I returned to our suite at 3.40pm, and finished my editing whilst Sue wrote her daily cruise log. Our butler arrived with some canapés at 5.05pm, and after eating them Sue and I rested for a while before getting ready for our fourth dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant.

Our booking was for 8.45pm, so after a stroll along the Promenade Deck we went for a drink in the Red Bar. We then had another walk along the Promenade Deck before taking the lift up to Deck 17, the location of the restaurant.

Once our excellent meal was over, we returned to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air before going back to our suite to sleep.

Thursday 10th November: At sea

During the night the ship had continued to sail northwards, and when Sue and I woke up at 8.00am, Ventura was off the coast of northern Portugal/north-western Spain.

The captain obviously expected the ship to experience some bad weather, and the in-cabin TV system displayed the following message on the Navigation Channel:

After eating breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, we went straight to the Arena Theatre to listen to Geoff Peters’ last talk of the cruise. It was about La Perouse, the French naval officer and explorer.

The talk ended at 10.50am, and Sue and I decided to go back to our suite for a drink via the Promenade Deck. We sat there for a time and could see the coast of northwest Spain on the horizon.

At midday Ventura was off Cape Finisterre and just about to enter the Bay of Biscay. As we had booked afternoon tea in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I decided not to have lunch. We did, however, go for a drink in the Glass House Bar at 1.30pm before going out on the Promenade Deck to sit in the sun. (I must admit that I would not have expected to be able to sit outside in early November wearing a polo shirt and no coat or pullover, but it was 18°C out on deck at 2.00pm.)

It was quite pleasant sitting there, but at 2.45pm, Sue and I went up to the Epicurean Restaurant for our afternoon tea.

The restaurant opened its doors at 3.00pm, and we were allocated one of the tables near to the windows.

The menu for the tea was included:

Herb Lobster Roll, with Celery, Chives, and Dill in a Brown Butter Brioche

Corn-fed Paprika Chicken Ciabattina, with Heirloom Mushrooms

Beetroot and Vanilla Smoked Salmon Shortcrust Pastry Tart, with Dill and Caper Cream and a Beetroot Wafer

Pistachio Financiers, with Rose-scented Cream Cheese and Persian Rose Petals

Golden Chocolate Sphere, with Dark Chocolate Mousse, Framboise Macerated Raspberries, and Chocolate Genoese

Blueberry Yoghurt Cheesecake, with Blackcurrant Jam Centre and a Graham Cracker Base

Verrine Mont Blanc, with Crunchy Meringue, Blackcurrant Conserve, Dark Rum, and Sweet Crème de Marron

Raspberry and Raw Cacao Scones and Traditional Scones, with Cotted Cream and Jam

Sue and I managed to eat most of the food and were very full when we left the restaurant at 3.50pm. We went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air … only to see the MV Iona – another of the ships in P&O’s fleet – coming up on the Ventura’s starboard quarter.

Sue and I spent the rest of the afternoon resting, reading, and doing some preliminary sorting out prior to doing our packing on the following day. We then got ready for the last formal dinner of the cruise.

When we went out onto the Promenade Deck at 7.45pm, the moon was shining very brightly, and the lights of the Iona could be seen as she sailed ahead of Ventura.

Sue and I then went to the Red Bar for our pre-dinner drink …

… before going to the Bay Tree Restaurant to eat.

However, when we returned to the Promenade Deck after dinner, Iona was no longer visible as she surged ahead to get to Southampton first.

Friday 11th November: At sea

Despite the seas being somewhat rougher overnight, the ship made excellent progress across the Bay of Biscay.

Once Sue and I had eaten breakfast and had a post-breakfast walk along the Promenade Deck, we paid a visit to the ship’s shops to buy some small presents for the staff who had served us, especially those in the Epicurean Restaurant. (The other staff, such as our waiters in the Bay Tree Restaurant, our cabin steward, and our butler all generally receive tips.)

The shops are located on several of the decks (Decks 5, 6, and 7) of the ship’s atrium.

After our trip to the shops, Sue and I went out onto the Promenade Deck, where – despite it being early November – the air temperature was 18°C. We sat there until just before 10.30am, when we went back to our suite to begin the preparations to pack our luggage (i.e., sorting and folding clothes, selecting what could be packed now and what would be needed for the following day).

As it was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the whole ship fell silent for two minutes at 11.00am as a sign of respect for the fallen of both World Wars and all subsequent conflicts.

Once the two-minute silence was over, Sue and I resumed our preparations, and by 11.30am, we were in a position to beginning packing. By midday we had finished packing two suitcases and two large holdalls, and after the midday announcement from the bridge, we took a break and went for a drink in the Glass House Bar.

Once we had finished our drinks, Sue and I went out onto the Promenade Deck for some fresh air.

Sue and I were back in our suite by 1.00pm, and by 2.00pm we had done as much packing as was possible and decided that it was time for lunch. We went up to the Waterside Self Service Restaurant to eat …

… and afterwards went up to Breakers Bar to sit in the sun and have a drink.

By 4.00pm we were back in our suite and – as requested – left our three suitcases and two large holdalls outside our cabin for collection. We retained one large holdall, which we would put out just before we went to bed.

At 5.15pm, our butler – Sam – paid us his last visit of the cruise, and we had a chance to thank him for everything he has done for us. By 7.30pm, Sue and I were ready for our pre-dinner stroll along the Promenade Deck and a drink in the Red Bar. Just before the Bay Tree Restaurant opened at 8.30pm, we returned to the Promenade Deck … which was almost empty.

We ate a splendid last dinner, after which we thanked the two waiters and the wine waiter who had served us during our cruise. We had yet another stroll along the Promenade Deck before going back to our suite, which we reached just before 10.00pm. The Navigation Channel on our cabin TV showed that the ship was well on her way up the English Channel and was likely to get into Southampton on schedule.

Saturday 12th November: Southampton

The alarm went off at 6.30am, just as the Ventura was mooring alongside in Southampton.

By just after 7.20am, Sue and I were eating our last breakfast of the cruise in the Epicurean Restaurant. We were back in our suite by 7.45am, and at 8.00am we had reached the Red Bar, which was designated as the gathering point for those passengers who had Priority disembarkation. Within five minutes we were sent to the gangway, which was located on Deck 6.

By 8.10am Sue and I were in the baggage collection hall, and within couple of minutes we had found all of our luggage and were on our way to the exit. As we passed through the Customs checkpoint, a Border Force officer stopped us and asked us a number of questions. Once that he was satisfied that we were UK citizens and were not carrying any contraband, Sue and I were allowed to continue of our way.

Sue and I collected our car from the valet parking service, and after loading all our luggage into the boot and on the backseat, we set off for home.

We drove out of the car park at 8.45am, and other than a short stop at Winchester Services for a coffee, a comfort break, and to buy enough food to last us until we could go shopping next day, our journey home was pretty uneventful until we reached the M23 junction with the M25. A matrix sign indicated that the A2 – the link road we normally use to get to and from the M25 – was closed due to multiple accidents. As a result, we had to take a different route from the M25 that took us home via Sidcup, Blackfen, and Welling. Despite this, we were home before midday.

Our Autumn cruise to Iberia and North Africa was over … and our next cruise is already booked!