I have been to ... Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Portugal aboard MV Ventura

We had originally booked to go on a cruise in August, but when the possibility of me having radiotherapy arose, we were able to rearrange it and go on a cruise over Christmas … and this is a blog post about that cruise.

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Sunday, 17th December: Southampton

During Saturday, Sue received a text from P&O that informed her that the ship we were going to sail on – the MV Ventura – on Sunday was going to be late arriving in Southampton, and that our arrival time had been put back from 12.15pm to 2.15pm. The reason for its delayed arrival was due to a diversion it had made on the way back from its previous cruise to Spain and Portugal to evacuate a casualty who required urgent treatment ashore.

After some discussion we decided to leave home at roughly our normal time on Sunday as for many parts of the country, this was the first weekend of the school Christmas holidays and the traffic might be heavier than normal.

On this Sunday, Sue and I woke up at 6.30am and by 9.00pm we were on our way to Southampton. The traffic on the A2 was relatively light, and we reached the junction with the M25 in about 25 minutes. They was less traffic on the M25 than usual and we reached the M3 turnoff by 10.15am.

Traffic on the M3 was less than expected and just before 11.am we had reached Winchester Services., where we were able to stop for breakfast and to restore our personal comforts. We stayed there about 30 minutes and by 11.30am we were back on our way to Southampton. We reached the Ocean Cruise Terminal in Southampton Docks just before midday and joined the queue for the valet parking service. We had to wait there for about half an hour before we could be booked in and unload our luggage, which we then dropped off with the porters at the appropriate gate. There was already quite a large queue of passengers outside the terminal waiting to be booked in, but because we had a suite and were Baltic tier passengers, we were ushered straight through and up to the book in desk.

Because of the delay in boarding, Sue and I had to sit in a separate part of the seating area until the ship was ready to allow passengers to go aboard. This was rather tedious, and it wasn’t until nearly 2.00pm that the security checks began, and we finally boarded Ventura just before 2.30pm.

Usually priority passengers are directed to go to their muster station to check in before going to one of the restaurants for a complimentary drink and lunch, but due to the delay this did not take place. Sue and I did book in at our muster station – the Tamarind Club (Deck 7 Midships) – before going up to the Poolside Grill (Deck 15 Midships) for a cheeseburger and chips and a drink from the Poolside Bar (Deck 15 Midships).

This was possible because our boarding passes had the same barcode and number as the cruise cards that awaited collection in our suite.

Having had something to eat and drink, we then set off to find somewhere to sit and wait for our suite to be ready. When we got there, there was plenty of room in the seating area between the Glass House Bar (Deck 7 Midships) and the Arena Theatre (Decks 6 and 7 Forward), but by 4.00pm it was standing room only. At 4.10pm there was an announcement that all cabins were ready for occupation and passengers began to surge towards the lifts and stairs. Sue and I decided to let the initial rush to die down, and by 4.30pm we had made our way up to our suite – the Canberra Suite – on Deck 14. All our luggage had already been delivered, and we began the process of unpacking as soon as we had taken our coats off.

This took until about 5.30pm, and during that time we were visited by our Cabin Steward (Krishan) and our Butler (Sayed).

By the time the unpacking had been done, Sue and I were in desperate need for a drink, and after a short walk around the various bars on Deck 7, we ended up in the Glass House. We then took a short walk outside along the Promenade Deck (Deck 7) before returning to our suite to get ready for dinner.

Sue and I had a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar (Deck 7 Midships) before making our way along the Promenade Deck towards the restaurant we had been allocated a table in. This was the Bay Tree Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) and we got there at about 8.15pm. There was already a bit of a queue, and this had grown considerably by the time the restaurant’s doors were opened at 8.30pm. We were shown to our table – No.51 – and by 9.00pm we had ordered our meal and were eating our starters. Although the service was friendly and unhurried, we had finished eating by 9.45pm, and then went up to the Promenade Deck for a breath of fresh air before returning to our suite.

By the time we had returned to our suite, the effects of the travel and the waiting around for things to happen had taken its toll, and both Sue and were in bed by 10.15pm and although I managed to read the first couple of pages of Al Murray’s latest book COMMAND: HOW THE ALLIES LEARNED TO WIN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, I was asleep soon afterwards.

Monday, 18th December: At sea

During the night, Ventura sailed down the English Channel and was coming up to Ushant when Sue and I woke up at 7.30am.

The weather was very typical for the time of year, and the ship had a very distinct roll and pitch which was very noticeable at times as you tried to walk around our suite.

By 9.00am, Sue and I were in the Epicurean Restaurant (Deck 17 Aft) eating a light breakfast.

This was because we had received an invitation from Loyalty and Future Cruise Department to a special lunch in the Cinnamon Restaurant (Deck 6 Midships). The lunch had been arranged as a replacement for the one we should have had on embarkation.

After breakfast and before the lunch, Sue and I had the opportunity to take a short walk around the shops of Deck 6 Midships before going forward to the Arena Theatre to listen to a talk by one of the two guest speakers. In this instance, the speaker was former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown of the Birmingham City and West Midlands Police, …

… and he gave a very interesting lecture about how he became a police officer and how he learned the basic questioning and Interview skills that were used before the introduction of the Police And Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) in 1984.

The lecture started at 10.00am and finished 45 minutes later, which gave us just enough time to send 10 minutes on the Promenade Deck …

… before going to out suite to get ready for lunch. We joined the queue for lunch at 11.30am, and by midday we were seated and eating our first course. The menu included:

Starters

Oak-smoked Duck Breast, with Pickled Carrots, Coriander and Cherries. (Both of us)

Main Courses

Pan-roasted Barramundi Fillet, with Tarragon Crushed New Potatoes, Fine Beans, and a Sauce Vierge. (Sue)

Carved Sirloin of Beef, with Tomato and Bacon Jam, Sweet Potato Fondant, Tobacco Onions, and a Béarnaise Sauce. (Me)

Desserts

Selection of British and International Cheeses, Banana Bread, Black Grapes, Mulled Apple Jelly, with Fine Cheese Biscuits. (Sue)

Sticky Muscovado Sponge Pudding, with Candied Orange and Mascarpone Cheese. (Me)

We had an enjoyable chat with the couple seated at the adjoining table until just after 1.15pm, at which point Sue and I went up to the Promenade Deck (Deck 7) for some fresh air.

We then returned to our suite, where we spent the next couple of hours reading and dozing until it was time for an afternoon drink. We had tea and a mince pie each in our suite at about 4.30pm, and then watched a film on the suite’s TV until it was time to get ready for dinner. (It was SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT and starred Eddie Izzard). It was during the early evening that the captain – Captain James Brown – made an announcement about the ship needing to increased speed to avoid a weather system that was behind the ship and heading in roughly the same direction.

Sue and I had our pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar at 7.45pm before taking a stroll along the somewhat windy Promenade Deck towards the aft of the ship. By 8.30pm we were waiting outside the Bay Tree Restaurant, and by 9.00pm we were eating our starter. We finished dinner just before 9.50pm, and after a further stroll along the still windy Promenade Deck, we made our way back to our suite to get ready for bed.

Tuesday, 19th December: At sea … via La Coruña

We were somewhat surprised to see land when we woke up at 7.30am as we had expected that the ship would be well out to sea and on her way towards our first port-of-call, Madeira. However, the navigation channel of the ship’s TV system showed that Ventura had turned southwards toward the coast of Spain during the night.

By 8.30am the ship was close to land and had obviously headed into a river estuary … and by 8.45am we had entered the harbour at La Coruña!

As the ship approached the dockside, the reason why she had been diverted seemed to become obvious. The presence of an ambulance indicated that there was a casualty aboard who required medical treatment ashore …

… and this was confirmed by an announcement at 9.00am, just as Sue and I were going into breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant.

Ventura’s stay in La Coruña lasted long enough for the casualty to be evacuated, and by 9.45am she was sailing out towards the open sea. By this time Sue and I had finished breakfast and were taking a stroll along the Promenade Deck towards the Arena Theatre in order to listen to former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown deliver the second of his lectures.

Once the first lecture was over, we remained in the theatre to listen to the second guest lecturer – Viviane Rowan – talk about the history of the Canary Islands … and soon realised that we had made a monumental mistake. Whereas the former police officer’s talk was lively, funny, and very informative, hers was rambling, incoherent, and totally without structure. It was neither chronological nor thematic, and besides the awful mispronunciation of some of the names of people and places she mentioned, she included some real historical howlers and used different dates for the same events in consecutive sentences. She was – without doubt – the worst guest speaker we have ever listened to during one of our many cruises!

By 11.45am Sue and I had left the theatre, and after walking the length of the Deck 7 both inside the ship and outside on the Promenade Deck, we found a table and seats in the Glass House Bar where we could sit and have a much-needed drink.

At midday the Officer-of-the-Watch made the usual navigational and weather announcement, and by 12.45pm Sue and I had returned to our suite. We decided to give lunch a miss and to go to the buffet or restaurant for afternoon tea at about 3.00pm if we were feeling hungry by then. In the interim, we read, wrote our respective cruise log or blogs, and generally relaxed.

In the end Sue and I went up to the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant (Deck 15 Midships) at 2.45pm and had a snack lunch and a drink.

We then went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air, but the gale-force winds and spray drove us back inside after about 5 minutes in the open, and by a little before 4.00pm were we back in our suite.

After our butler visited us at about 5.15pm with some canapes (it was the first formal night of the cruise and suite passengers are always served canapes in their suites on formal nights) we began to get ready for dinner. At 7.30pm Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck, where we discovered that although there was some spray in the air, the air temperature made it quite pleasant to be out in the open.

Before dinner we had a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar, and we were able to have a chat with two other couples whilst we were there. We then took another walk along the Promenade Deck before going down to the Bay Tree Restaurant for what turned out to be an excellent formal dinner. Afterwards, Sue and I returned to the Promenade Deck for a final breath of fresh air before going up to our suite to sleep.

Wednesday, 20th December: At sea

Overnight the Ventura had continued to sail towards Madeira, and when Sue and I awoke at 7.40am she was many miles from land.

After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant and a short spell on the Promenade Deck, Sue and I went to the Arena Theatre to listen to former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown give his third lecture. He was very entertaining and the hour we spent listening to him seemed to fly by.

We left the theatre at just after 11.00am and returned to our suite – via the Promenade Deck – to get ready for the Peninsular Club Baltic and Ligurian tier lunch. The was held in the Bay Tree Restaurant, and we were lucky in that we shared a table with three other very interesting couples.

The lunch started at midday and we did not leave until 2.30pm. The menu included:

Starters

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

Pulled Chicken Terrine, with Caesar Salad and Streaky Bacon Wafer. (Me)

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

Vanilla Bean Fudge.

The only problem that we had was at the end of the meal when one of the tiny screws holding the right lens of my glasses fell out, followed by the lens itself. I was able to recover the lens but not the screw. Luckily Sue had packed a glasses repair kit in her luggage, and we were able to repair them when we got back to our suite.

After such a big meal, both of us were feeling tired and rather full, and as a result we read and dozed in our suite for several hours that afternoon. Our butler paid us his daily visit at 5.10pm, and after he had gone, Sue and I had a drink in our suite before getting ready of the evening meal.

As usual, we had a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar, followed by a walk along the Promenade Deck before dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant. After dinner, Sue and I took another stroll along the Promenade Deck before going up to our suite to read for a time prior to us going to bed.

Thursday, 21st December: Funchal, Madeira

By the time we awoke at 7.30am, Ventura was already in Funchal harbour and moored alongside.

The sun had risen by the time we went up to the Epicurean Restaurant for breakfast, and we had a panoramic view of the city’s seafront from our balcony.

After breakfast Sue and I sat on the Promenade Deck for nearly 30 minutes. The ship was having a crew drill which started at 10.00am and we felt that the best thing was to try to keep out of the way whilst the crew practiced their emergency procedures. This finished at 11.00am, and we then went down to the coffee shop – Tazzine on Deck 5 Midships – for a café latte.

Suitably refreshed, we returned to our suite to get ready to go on a trip to Reid’s Hotel for afternoon tea. Whilst we were getting ready, a very unusual rainbow appeared at the edge of the clouds on the hills behind Funchal.

Sue and I went ashore in plenty of time to join the queue for our trip to Reid’s Hotel. It left slightly later than the time published on the tickets, and after a diversion to a viewpoint that overlooked Funchal, we eventually arrived at the hotel at 2.00pm.

Whilst Sue set off to explore the gardens and swimming pools that surround the hotel …

… I decided to go inside and explore what the hotel had to offer. Both Sue and I agreed that the nativity scene inside the hotel was magnificent …

… and that the old-world charm of the hotel had been maintained by its new owners, Louis Vuitton.

Sue and I met up again in the hotel’s main dining room …

… where we ate a very impressive afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones (with cream and jam), and assorted cakes.

We left Reid’s a little after 4.00pm and were back aboard the ship less than 20 minutes later. The last passengers boarded well before the 4.45pm deadline, and by 5.30pm Ventura had slipped her moorings and was well out to sea and on her way to her next port-of-call.

Sue and I stayed in our suite until it was time to go to dinner. We took our usual walk along the Promenade Deck, which was more crowded than normal because it was so warm! (It was 20°C!). For a change, we had our pre-dinner drink in the Glass House Bar, and after dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant we returned to the Promenade Deck. It was less crowded than earlier as the air temperature had dropped, but it was still warm enough to sit there without the need to wear a jacket or coat.

By 10.00pm Sue and I were back in our suite, and after watching the latest news on the ship’s TV system, we got ready for bed and read until it was time to go to sleep.

Friday, 22nd December: Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canary Islands

Sue and I were awake by 7.45am, and the Ventura had already moved alongside the dock and was in the process of mooring.

It appeared that we were slightly later docking than expected because the AIDAStella – another cruise ship – had arrived earlier than scheduled and our ship had had to wait for the pilot to make his way from the AIDAStella to Ventura before she could enter the harbour.

By the time we were dressed and ready to go to breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, we were able to see the town of Santa Cruz de La Palma very clearly from our suite’s balcony.

Sue and I went ashore just after 10.30am …

… and began the walk towards the dock gates. Our route took us past the AIDAStella …

… which was about the same size as Ventura. When we exited the docks, Sue and I were able to see some of the Christmas decorations that the local municipality had put up. In some ways they were rather understated …

… although the scene showing the three Magi and their camels, which was in the centre of a roundabout …

… seemed a bit more festive that the two nutcracker figures that had been placed at the entrance to the main pedestrianised shopping street, the Calle O’Daly.

Sue and I walked up this street and past the local cathedral …

… before turning down one of the side streets to walk back towards the ship along the Avenida Maritima. We decided to do this because it had started to rain, and we were looking for somewhere to get under cover. Luckily this part of the town is famous for its balconied houses, and we were able to find shelter under one of them until the rain stopped.

As we walked back along the Avenida Maritima, we did a bit of shopping in one of the numerous small tourist shops as well managing to get a drink in a small café. Sue had a glass of excellent local white wine whilst I drank a can of Coke Zero.

Suitably refreshed, we walked back through the dock gates and discovered that the locally-provided shuttlebus was about to leave. We climbed aboard, and within ten minutes we were queuing to get back aboard Ventura. By this time it was almost 1.00pm and the weather looked as if it was about to take another turn for the worse.

As we were going to dine in the Epicurean Restaurant that evening, Sue and I decided not to eat anything until it was time for the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant to start serving afternoon tea at 3.00pm. We filled in the time between getting back to our suite and going up to the restaurant with reading as well as writing up our respective cruise log and blog.

After our afternoon tea, I went back to our suite to finish reading Al Murray’s very interesting book and to begin reading the latest instalment in the DAWLISH CHRONICLES series, BRITANNIA’S INTERESTS: JULY – NOVEMBER 1866. I have read all the eleven preceding books written by Antoine Vanner and have little doubt that I will enjoy this one as well.

Because we were eating at 8.00pm in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I were ready for our pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar some 30 minutes earlier than normal. As a result we had no problem find a seat, unlike normal.

Once our drink was finished, we took a stroll along the Promenade \deck towards the back of the ship and then took the lift up to the Epicurean Restaurant. Somewhat surprisingly, the restaurant was not very full, and there were only about 20 other guests in there when we arrived, and only another 4 joined after we had been seated.

The food was excellent, and we ate the following dishes:

Starters

Duo of Cured Smoked Salmon: Aged 21-year-old Malt Whisky Loch Fyne and H. Forman & Son’s Famous London Cure Oak Smoked Salmon. (Both of us)

Main Courses

Whole Dover Sole a la Meunière, with Maître d’Hôtel Butter Sauce, Ball Potatoes, and Mixed Vegetables. (Sue)

Redman Limousin Irish Beef Fillet ad Ox Cheek, with Smoked Potato Croquettes, Cabernet Sauvignon Glazed Grelot Onions, and Salt-Baked Heirloom Carrots. (Me)

Desserts

Elements of Summer Trifle, including Blackberry Jelly, Tarragon Meringue, Raspberry Roulade, Clotted Cream, and Fried Custard. (Sue)

Banana and Peanut Butter Cannelloni, with Muscovado Sugar Ice Cream, Rum Jelly, and Key Lime Gel. (Me)

Petit Four

Chocolate Truffles.

We finished eating just after 10.00pm, and after a short walk along the Promenade Deck to get some fresh air and to aid our digestion, we returned to our suite to read for a while before getting ready for bed.

Saturday 23rd December: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands

The short journey from one island to the other was done at a leisurely pace of about 9 knots, and by the time we woke up, the ship was already moored alongside the dock.

As the sun rose, we were able to look across the harbour, which was dominated by Ventura’s sister ship, MV Azura!

The Azura was based in Tenerife for the season and was being used for fly-cruises around the Atlantic Islands.

Whilst we were watching the Azura, two local fast ferries sailed past Ventura. They were the Volcan de Tagoro …

… and the Fred Olsen Bajamar Express

The latter was escorted out by a local pilot boat.

Sue and I waited until nearly 11.00am before we went ashore. Rather than walk the nearly 1,200m from the ship to the dock gates, we took the shuttlebus. This took us to a spot near the main cruise terminal, from where we could see both the Azura and the Ventura

We could also see the very small Belgian cruise ship La Belle des Oceans which was moored between the Ventura and the road leading to the dock gates.

Sue and I opted to walk along the seafront until we reached the monument to those who took part in the Spanish Civil War.

We then crossed the road and went up one of the wide pedestrianised streets leading inland and uphill.

Along the way we passed a huge model that depicted Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.

We continued walking for another 15 or so minutes before deciding to return to the seafront. Sue and walked back along a pedestrianised street, …

… at the end of which we found a café – the Atlantis Café – where there was an empty table.

Whilst we were sitting there, we were entertained by a small group of musicians who were slowly walking along the pavement, playing Christmas songs.

Once we had finished and paid for our drinks, Sue and I walked back to the shuttlebus pickup point via the seafront park, in which was situated an artisan's market.

The shuttlebus got us back to the ship by 2.00pm, and after dropping off our bags and cameras in our suite, we went up to the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant for a snack lunch. Sue and I then spent some time on the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite to rest and recuperate.

Ventura was due to set sail at 6.00pm, but at 6.10pm the captain announced that our sailing was delayed as a passenger had become ill and needed to be evacuated ashore to receive treatment.

Our departure was delayed by just over 50 minutes, and by 7.00pm the Ventura had moved away from her mooring and was moving slowly towards the harbour entrance.

Sue and I had our usual pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar, which was both preceded and followed by a stroll along the Promenade Deck. At 8.30pm we went down to the Bay Tree Restaurant, where we decided to try the optional ‘Signature Selection’ menu which has an additional charge of £12.95 each if you order all the dishes. The menu was as follows:

Starter

Dressed Lobster Claw on a Gruyère Sable Biscuit, with Lobster Crème Anglais and Cornish Crab Rillettes on Toasted Brioche, garnished with Bloody May Cream, Soused Cucumber, and a Tomato and Fennel Tuile. (This was available separately for £2.95.)

Main Course

Pan-Roasted Fillet of Dry Aged Foyle Beef, with a Rich Madeira Jus, Truffled Savoyard Potatoes, Caramelised Onion and a Medley of Asparagus, Baby Carrot and Spinach, served on a bed of Pickled Exotic Mushrooms. (This was available separately for £9.50.)

Dessert

Vairhona Tarte au Chocolat, with Milk Chocolate Crème Chantilly Crown and Banana Gelato, finished with Caramelised Cocoa nibs and a Banana and Lime Purée. (This was available separately for £2.50.)

This optional menu was excellent, and almost as good as that on offer in the Epicurean Restaurant. As it had to be cooked specially, our meal took slightly longer than normal, but even so we were finished by just after 10.00pm.

After strolling on the Promenade Deck after dinner, Sue and I then returned to our suite where we read for a short time before getting ready for bed.

Sunday 24th December: Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Despite her delayed departure from Tenerife, Ventura arrive in Arrecife on schedule, and by the time Sue and I woke up at 7.45am, she was already moored alongside the quay.

Moored across the harbour was another of P&O’s ships, the MV Iona.

By 10.30am We had dressed, eaten breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, and were in the queue for the shuttlebus that we expected would take us into the centre of Arrecife. As it was, it dropped us off at the marina …

… which was some way away from the centre of the town. We had a quick look around the Sunday artisan’s market that was being held there …

… before beginning our walk into town. Along the way we stopped for a rest near the large lagoon that is situated to one side of Arrecife. (It was quite hot, and was easily well over the predicted 22°C.)

Whilst we were sitting there, and number of local motorcyclists – who were all wearing Christmas costumes – paraded past us.

Once we were rested, Sue and I continued our walk, and when we were level with the Castello San Gabriel – the local historical museum – we turned inland up one of the main pedestrianised streets.

We had hoped to stop at a café that we had previously visited, but as it was Sunday and Christmas Eve, we were not surprised to find that it was shut. We did do a shopping as we walked through the centre of the town, and then turned towards the lagoon, …

…where we knew there were plenty of cafés. We soon found one – Papa Miguel – and had a much-needed rest and a refreshing drink

Sue and I then resumed our walk back to the shuttlebus pickup point, … and along the way we saw both of P&O’s ship in the distance.

By 1.30pm we were back in our suite and cooling off. We decided not to go up to the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant for lunch and opted to go to the Saffron Restaurant (Deck 6 Midships) instead. This was much quieter and more relaxed than the self-service restaurant would have been.

After lunch, Sue and I went up to the Promenade Deck and spent some time there soaking up the sun before returning to our suite to relax for the rest of the afternoon. Whilst we were there, the Armas ferry Volcan de Tinamar set sail, with much tooting of her ship’s horn.

Ventura set sail for Lisbon at just after 5.00pm and passed close to Iona as she did so. Both ships saluted each other in the usual manner, which involved much blowing of ships’ horns.

As Ventura manoeuvred out of the harbour, for the first time we were able to see the third cruise ship that had been in Arrecife that day, the Celebrity Infinity.

Our evening followed its usual pattern, with a stroll along the Promenade Deck, followed by a drink in the Red Bar, another spell on the Promenade, Deck, and then dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant. Because we were eating Christmas Dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I gave the small presents we had brought with us for the two waiters – Leroy and Mac – who had been serving us. We also gave a small gift each to the wine stewardess – Arbie – and her assistant. These were not hugely expensive gifts but small tokens to remind them that we valued the fact that they had had to work over a Christmas whilst many thousands of miles from their families.

Before going to bed, Sue and I made one last visit to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air. Despite a stiff breeze, the air temperature was still 20°C at 10.30pm … not something that we are used to in the middle of December!

Monday 25th December (Christmas Day): At sea

Ventura had maintained a steady 19 to 20 knots overnight and was off the western coast of Morocco when we woke up at 7.45am.

Whilst we were getting ready for breakfast, another cruise liner – Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas – passed Ventura on a reciprocal course.

The Icon of the Seas had only recently been completed and has yet to enter service. She is currently the largest cruise ship in the world and represents the sort of resort ship that seems to be beloved by American cruisers. It is about twice the width of Ventura and has an unusual design that has a cut-out in the rear section of the superstructure so that she has an open deck area with shops, restaurants, and gardens that is inside the ship and that is overlooked by balcony cabins! She also has massive waterslides and a huge pool at the stern where performances of diving and water acrobatics can take place.

Once we had eaten breakfast, Sue and I went to the Havana Show Lounge (Deck 7 Aft) to listen to former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown deliver the fourth of his lectures. He overran by over 15 minutes and finished at just after 11.00am … but nobody seemed upset by this as he was a spellbinding and extremely entertaining speaker.

Sue and I decided to go for a walk around the ship’s shops and bought a few things. We then spent some time on the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite, where I watched a film of the ship’s TV system. It was entitled PERCY VS. GOLIATH and starred Christopher Walken as a Canadian farmer who fought a series of legal cases against Monsanto. The company claimed that he had ‘stolen’ genetically-modified seeds for which they held the patent.

The film finished just before 1.30pm, and after looking at the various alternatives, we decided to see if we could eat lunch in the Glass House Bar. We had expected it to be crowded, but it was almost empty. As a result, we were able to eat a very peaceful lunch in quiet surroundings.

Lunch took about an hour, and after a short spell on the Promenade Deck, Sue and I went back to our suite in time to watch the King’s Christmas Speech. I then watched a recording of the Big Bash cricket match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Melbourne Renegades on the ship’s TV system.

During a break in the match I looked outside … and was amazed to see how clam the sea was!

Not quite what one expects in the North Atlantic in December!

As we were eating our Christmas Dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant at 8.15pm, Sue and I got ready somewhat earlier than usual and at 7.15pm we were dressed in our formal clothes and on the Promenade Deck.

We then went to the Red Bar for a pre-dinner drink, and by 8.15pm Sue and I were in the Epicurean Restaurant looking at the special Christmas Day menu. We chose the following dishes:

Starters

Gin-cured Salmon Fillet, with Wasabi Bavarois, Pickled Ginger Jelly, and a Seaweed Tapioca Cracker. (Sue)

Pressed York Ham Hock and Sun-dried Apricot Terrine, with Pickled Beets, Heirloom Tomato Chutney, and Smoked Oatcakes. (Me)

Soup

Roasted Carrot and Carraway, with Toasted Carrot Crips and Wholemeal Seeded Croûtons. (Both of us)

Main Courses

Line-caught Sea Bass with Hand-dived King Scallops, with Parsley Mousseline, Tenderstem Sprouting Broccoli, Fino Sherry and Saffron Golden Raisins. (Sue)

Norfolk Turkey and Pheasant Ballotine, with Marple-glazed Chestnuts, Château Potatoes, Poached Kumquats, Stir-fried Brussel Sprouts, and a Cranberry and Apple Port Relish. (Me)

Dessert

Mrs Beeton’s Old Fashioned Christmas Pudding steeped in Ginger Wine, with Brandy Fruitcake Ice Cream, Clotted Cream, and Cognac Sauce. (Both of us)

Petit Fours

Warm Miniature Chocolate Mince Pies and Hand-rolled Sherry Trifle Custard Bonbons. (Both of us)

We finally finished eating at just before 10.30pm, and once we had paid a short visit to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air, we retired to our suite to read and rest until it was time to get ready for bed.

Tuesday 26th December (Boxing Day): Lisbon, Portugal

During the night the Ventura sailed roughly northward until she reached the estuary of the River Tagus, where she picked up a local pilot. By 7.30am she had reached her mooring point next to the old Tobacco Dock and was safely moored alongside,

It was very overcast when we awoke, and Sue and I decided not to rush ashore but to wait to see if the weather would improve. After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant we went down to the Promenade Deck … but soon returned inside as it was appreciably colder than we had expected!

By 11.00am the weather had improved somewhat, and we went ashore. The walk to the shuttlebus took us nearly 10 minutes, and the roundabout route it took to get us to Praça Restadores (Restadores Square) added another 30 minutes.

Sue and I alighted from the shuttlebus at 11.40pm, and almost the first thing we saw was the monument to the pavers who laid Lisbon’s pavements … which are notorious for being very uneven!

Sue and I walked toward the river, passing the Estacão do Rossio (Rossio Station) …

… as we made our way into Praça Pedro IV (Pedro IV Square). This was full of the Lisbon Christmas Market’s wooden huts …

… nonw of which were open. On the side of the square closest to the River Tagus was the Lisbon branch of Sue’s favourite Portuguese fabric shops …

… but despite looking as hard as we could, they had nothing on sale that she wanted. From Praça Pedro IV we walked downhill towards the River Tagus …

… passing the famous elevator to the upper part of the city as we did.

On reaching what we know as ‘Black Horse Square’ …

… Sue and I found somewhere to have a café latte and a local custard tart (Pastella de Nata) before we walked the rest of the way back to the ship. The only place we could find that had any free tables was the Café Can the Can …

… where we sat in the sun, eating and drinking.

It took some time for us to walk along the riverside to reach the cruise terminal, and both Ventura and the Ambassador Cruise’s MV Ambition were clearly visible as we did so ...

Having passed through the shore side security checks and the Duty-Free shop, Sue and I walked back to the Ventura along the elevated walkway to the air bridge. This gave use the opportunity to compare the smaller Ambition …

… with the Ventura.

We were back aboard by 2.30pm, and after resting for an hour in our suite, we went up to the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant for a snack. We stayed there for about 45 minutes, and then went down to the Promenade Deck … where we discovered that the warm weather had passed, and it had turned cold.

We stayed in our suite for the rest of the afternoon and early evening, and besides having a short chat with our butler just before 6.00pm, we didn’t see anyone else until we went to the Promenade Deck for a short stroll before going to the Red Bar for our pre-dinner drink.

After dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant, we returned to the Promenade Deck for a short time and the returned to our suite to read and watch the ship’s TV system until it was time to go to bed.

Wednesday 27th December (Boxing Day): At sea

Overnight the weather changed, and as the Ventura made her way up to coast of Portugal, the seas got rougher, and the wind grew stronger.

Luckily, Sue and I are quite good sailors and were not too affected by the increased movement, although getting around the ship was somewhat more difficult than normal.

Once we had eaten breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, we went to the Promenade Deck to see how bad the weather was. It was certainly a lot colder, spray was making parts of the deck wet, and the wind was stronger that any that we had experienced so far on this cruise.

By 9.45am we were seated in the Arena Theatre to listen to former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown’s fifth lecture of the cruise. He started at 10.00am and spoke for over an hour, and once he had finished Sue and I set off to try to find somewhere to sit and get a drink. Every seat in the bars that we visited was occupied, and in the end, we returned to our suite until it was midday.

Just after the Officer-of-the-Watch made the midday announcement, Sue and I went down to Deck 7 and after a short trip to the ship’s shops, we eventually found two unoccupied seats in the Glass House Bar. The service was much slower than usual, but after waiting quite some time to be served, we were finally able to order some drinks.

Sue and I returned to our suite by 1.45pm and spent some time sorting out stuff that we would need to pack on the next day. We then read and watched a couple of programmes on the ship’s TV system until it was time to go to get something to eat.

We decided to wait until 3.00pm, by which time the lunch service in the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant was over and afternoon tea and light snacks would be available. Suitably fed and watered, we ventured down to the Promenade Deck, which was windy but not unpleasant. Sue and I then returned to our suite and remained there until it was time to get ready for the third and final formal dinner of the cruise.

By the time we went down to the Promenade Deck at 7.30pm, the sea had become noticeably rougher, but the air temperature remained the same. After our pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar and an excellent dinner in the Bay Tree Restaurant, Sue and I returned to the Promenade Deck to find that it had become windier but not any colder. We were back in our suite by 10.45pm, and asleep by midnight.

Thursday 28th December: At sea

The weather got worse overnight, and by the time we woke up at 7.45am, the ship was noticeably rolling, which made walking around difficult at times.

Ventura was about three-quarters of the way across the Bay of Biscay when we went to breakfast …

… and was maintaining a speed of 16 to 18 knots.

After breakfast Sue and I went to the Arena Theatre to listen to former Detective Chief Inspector Terry Brown’s sixth and final lecture of the cruise. Both Sue and I agreed that he has been one of the best guest speakers we had heard on our numerous cruises, and we would certainly go to listen to him again.

As we still had some on-board credit left, Sue and I went around the ship’s shops and bought several items to use up some the money that remained. We did venture out onto the Promenade Deck but did not stay there very long as the wind and the spray – coupled with the lower air temperature – made it uncomfortable and unpleasant to be there.

Before returning to our suite to begin the process of packing, we had a drink in the Glass House Bar. Whilst we were there, the Officer-of-the-Watch made the noonday announcement, during which he said that we could expect the weather to get somewhat worse once the ship rounded Ushant and entered the English Channel. This spurred us into action, and by the time Ventura had passed through the Ushant traffic separation system and sailed into the English Channel, Sue and I had packed all three of our suitcases and two of our large holdall bags.

We decided to have a rest before going up to the Waterside Self-Service Restaurant for something to eat, and did not make our way there until just after 3.00pm. Once we had eaten, Sue and I went down to the Promenade Deck for some fresh air but did not stay there long as it was windy and cold. Instead, we went for a walk around the ship’s shops and bought a couple of small items.

When we got back to our suite, I was somewhat surprised to see that Ventura was not sailing eastwards along the English Channel but almost directly north.

The reason why became apparent just before 5.00pm when the captain announced that due to bad weather, the Southampton pilot station at the Nab Tower was closed and that the ship was going towards Falmouth. Once in Falmouth Bay – which is the largest natural harbour in the world – a Southampton pilot would come aboard and be able to guide the ship through the tricky waters of the Solent and River Test so that Ventura would be able to be alongside the Ocean Terminal in Southampton at the scheduled time. It was also hoped that by hugging the south coast of England, the weather might be somewhat better and the ship’s movement would be reduced.

Our butler paid us one last visit at 5.30pm, after which Sue and I began to get ready for our last dinner of the cruise. Our evening followed its usual pattern, beginning with a walk along the Promenade Deck, followed by a pre-dinner drink in the Red Bar. Whilst we were there, we had a chat with two fellow cruisers who had been sitting near to us in the dining room and with whom we had exchanged nightly pleasantries. Sue and I then another short stroll along the Promenade Deck before going down to the Bay Tree Restaurant to eat.

It was a very good meal, and afterwards we were able to thank our waiters – Leroy and Mac – as well as our wine steward, Arbie for the excellent service they had provided. Sue and I then took our final stroll along the Promenade Deck before returning to our suite to get ready for our last night aboard Ventura.

Friday 29th December: Southampton

Despite having problems with one of our suite’s light, which refused to switch off, we had a reasonably good night’s sleep, and when we awoke at 6.15am, Ventura was already moored alongside the Ocean Terminal.

Sue and I were in the Epicurean Restaurant by 7.00am, and by 8.00am we had eaten breakfast, thanked the staff who had served us every morning, and had collected our hand luggage from our suite. We then tried to make our way down to the priority disembarkation point – the Red Bar – but found it very difficult as two of the six lifts that served our part of the ship were out of order. Those lifts that stopped at our deck were full, mainly with other passengers who were in wheelchairs or who had mobility problems. We finally found space on a lift at 8.30pm and were off the ship and in the baggage reclaim hall by 8.45pm.

Thanks to the fact that Sue and I had bought Apple Airtags before going on this cruise and fitting them to our luggage, by 9.05am we had found all our bags, passed through border control and customs, found our car in the valet car park, and were on our way out of Southampton Docks.

(The Airtags are linked to the ‘Find Me’ app on our iPhones and emit a bleeping sound and give distance and direction information when activated. We did not need to use them to find five of our bags, which were all placed together in the baggage reclaim hall, but without them finding our sixth bag would have been very difficult as it had been placed in the wrong part of the hall and it would have taken us a lot of time to find.)

Our journey home took about three hours, and that included a couple of comfort breaks at Winchester and at Clacket Lane Services. The traffic was a little congested in places, particularly at the junctions between the M3 and M25 and between the M25 and A2, but most of the time I was able to drive at a steady 60mph to 70mph.

We arrived home just after midday feeling physically tired but mentally refreshed from our cruise … and we are already thinking about the next one that we have booked!