I have been to … Spain and France

Sue and I have – over the years – found that going on cruises suits us very well indeed. Once we are aboard, we don’t have to worry about anything. Food is available for twenty-four hours per day, someone comes in and cleans our cabin every day, and we go ashore somewhere different on days that we aren’t at sea. What’s not to like?

---

Sunday 22nd June 2025: Southampton

Although we both woke up at 6.30am, it seemed to take us longer than usual to get ready to get going. By 8.45am we had got washed and dressed, eaten a snack breakfast, and packed our luggage into our car … and by just before 9.00am we had driven off our driveway and were on our way to Southampton. Our usual route takes us along the A2 until the interchange with the M25, and then clockwise around the motorway to Junction 12, where we join the M3. This time we went via Eltham, where we took the A20 to its junction with the M25 and then southwards along the motorway. This was slightly quicker and enabled us to avoid the very crowded interchange between the A2 and M25.

We were on the M3 heading to Southampton by 10.10am, and other than a short stop for a comfort break at Winchester Services we made good time until we reached the roadworks at the junction between the M3 and the main road to Winchester. We crawled along in heavy traffic until we were able to turn off at the junction with the A35 towards Southampton Docks. Once we had escaped from the traffic jam, we made steady progress towards the Ocean Terminal in the docks, and by 11.45am we had joined the valet parking queue.

We were processed very quickly, and once we had handed our luggage over to a porter, we made our way inside the terminal. We used the lift to go up to the first floor, where I met the wheelchair attendant who was to assist me with the boarding procedure. He took Sue and I to the front of the booking-in queue and then into the security checking area. Once I had been frisked by a security guard and my hand luggage had been X-rayed, I was pushed up the ramp and onto the ship. I was then taken to my muster station by the Headliner’s Theatre (Deck 6 Forward) to book in before going to the Meridian Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) for lunch. I then parted company with my attendant, and Sue and I ate a very filling buffet lunch.

By 2.00pm our suite was ready for us to occupy, and we made our way there. Half of our luggage had been delivered to our door, and we began the process of unpacking. The rest of our bags did not arrive until almost three hours later, by which time both our butler – Karma – and our cabin steward – Annuncio – had both searched along our deck to see if they had been misdelivered.

Whilst we were waiting for our ‘missing’ bags to arrive, we spend some time exploring our suite …

… and looking across the docks at some of the other ships that were moored alongside.

We also went for a drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar (Deck 17 Forward) and for a short walk along the outside deck on Deck 18.

Whilst we had been away, our last three bags had been delivered, and we finally managed to complete our unpacking just before our ship – MV Arvia set sail just before 6.00pm.

By this time Sue and I were both feeling exhausted, and we both had a short doze before getting ready for dinner. We had a pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar …

… before going to the Epicurean Restaurant (Deck 17 Forward) for our evening meal.

We usually try to have our first dinner aboard in one of the select dining venues – usually Epicurean or its equivalent – and by 9.00pm we had ordered our respective meals from that day’s menu.

Although we both had different starters (Sue had Crab, Langoustine, and Salmon Caviar Cocktail) and I had the Jamón Pata Negra Ibérico) we both had the same main course, the 14-ounce Beef Ribeye Steak …

… and dessert, the Crêpe Suzette.

The meal took two hours to eat, and by the time we left at 10.30pm, we were both feeling very full and rather tired. We therefore returned to our cabin, got ready for bed, and read for a short time before going to sleep.

Monday 23rd June: At sea

Overnight, the Arvia had sailed down the English Channel and when we awoke she was on the point of turning south-westerly around Ushant.

Luckily, before going to sleep on the previous night, Sue and had both reset our watches to local time (GMT +2) as the ship was going to operate on local Spanish and French time for almost the entirety of our cruise. Even so, we only just made it into breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant before it stopped serving breakfast … unlike some of our fellow passengers who turned up late because they had not reset their watches.

After breakfast, Sue and I went down to the Future Cruises and Loyalty Desk on Deck 6 Forward to book a couple of cruises for 2026. We had to wait for about ten minutes until it was our turn to see one of the staff, but by 11.00am we had made our bookings and paid our deposits. Sue and I then went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar to sit and read until after the midday announcement by the Officer-of-the-Watch.

Once he had finished, we set off in search of a drink (the Crow’s Nest Bar wasn’t open whilst we were there) and ended up in the Crystal Bar (Deck 16 Midships). We found seats looking out across the sea, and within a couple of minutes of sitting down, we had been served our drinks and were able to relax looking out at the very calm sea. (It is worth noting that we were – by this time – well into the northern part of the notorious Bay of Biscay, but that the sea was almost like a millpond.)

As neither of us was feeling very hungry, we decided to go back to our suite to read and rest until just after 2.20pm, at which point we went down to The Quays (Deck 8 Aft) …

… where we could get a snack lunch. Once that was over, we returned to our suite to read and rest until it was time to get ready for a pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar followed by dinner in the Keel and Cow bar/restaurant (Deck 8 Midships).Sue and I were back in our suite by 10.45pm, and after having what seemed to be a somewhat tiring day, we were asleep well before midnight.

Tuesday 24th June: La Coruna, Spain

Overnight, Arvia had sailed across the Bay of Biscay, and when we woke up at just before 7.30am, she was off the coast of northern Spain.

The ship moored alongside in the centre of the harbour, where we had wonderful views across the old city …

… and towards the small park where Sir John Moore is buried.

As we were booked on a tour – Galician Estuaries and Tapas – we made sure that we had eaten breakfast by 10.00am and were ashore and aboard the coach by 10.20am. We set off at 10.50am and the coach made its way across country to Pontedeume on the Ria de Ares, where we stopped to look at the famous medieval bridge …

… across the Ria de Ares.

We had time look around the area and to have a café con leche in a nearby hotel

Once we had boarded the coach again, it drove to Bergondo, where we have a snack lunch of tapas and local wine.

The final stop of the tour was in Santa Christina, a small town on the opposite side to the Ria Coruna. Besides giving excellent views across the river, the town has a very well preserved medieval fortress …

… and a monument that commemorates the large number of Galicians who emigrated to the Americas.

The coach returned to the ship just before 2.00pm, and after a short visit to the dockside giftshop, Sue and I went back aboard the Arvia. By this time, we were both feeling rather hot and tired (the temperature was in the region of 28°C and the humidity was over 80%), and after a quick visit to our suite, we went up to Deck 18 where a breeze soon cooled us down. Once we were feeling somewhat fresher and less fatigued, Sue and I went to the Horizon Self-Service restaurant (Deck 16 Aft) for a small snack. Once that had been consumed, we returned to our suite to rest and read before it was time to get ready for dinner.

We were able to book a table at the very popular Olive Grove Restaurant (Deck 6 Aft) using the ship’s passenger app and went to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a pre-dinner drink and to await our table becoming vacant. The app told us that the table was free at just after 8.00pm, and that we had fifteen minutes to get to the restaurant otherwise our reservation would be cancelled. We managed it in less than ten minutes despite having to travel from one of the ship to the other and to descend ten decks!

The food in the Olive Grove Restaurant was an interesting mix. Besides offering the standard menu available in the main restaurants, it had a number of Mediterranean dishes on its special menu, and both Sue and I chose a mixture from both menus. The service was excellent, and the food was everything we hoped it might be. As a result, we left feeling well fed but not full.

After dinner we went up to Deck 18 for some fresh air before returning to our suite to read and watch an episode from one of the TV boxed sets that were available on the ship’s TV system. We finally went to bed at about 11.30pm and had a surprisingly good night’s sleep.

Wednesday 25th June: At sea

Overnight, Arvia had rounded Finisterre and sailed southward along the coast of Portugal. By the time we awoke and began to get ready, she had reached a point that was approximately to the westward of Porto.

The weather was not very good. The sky was overcast, and whilst we were eating breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, it began to rain. This set the pattern for the morning, and at times the visibility was so bad that Arvia sounded her foghorn every minute.

The weather began to change not long after the noonday announcement from the bridge. After spending most of our post-breakfast morning either walking around the ship’s internal spaces window shopping and delivering a reply to an invitation to the Caribbean Lunch for members of the Peninsular Club Loyalty Scheme or siting in our suite, this encouraged us to go up to the Crow’s Nest Bar in the hope that it was open and serving drinks.

It wasn’t ... but we stayed there reading until it was time for lunch, which we ate in The Quays.

After lunch we spent some time up on the open deck area of Deck 18 before returning to our suite to rest before it was time to get ready for the first formal dinner of the cruise. We had booked to eat at 8.30pm in the Chef’s Table – which was set up in part of the Beach House Restaurant (Deck 16 Midships) – and we chose to go the Crow’s Nest Bar for a pre-dinner drink begore going down to dinner.

The menu for the dinner had been devised by Marco Pierre White, and Sue and I had different starters (Sue had Cannelloni of Poached and Oak Smoked Salmon with Avocado Mousseline and Caviar Pearls and I had French Onion Soup Gratinée with Gruyère Cheese Croûte) but the same main course (Classic Beef Wellington with Mushroom Duxelles, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Honey-Roast Root Vegetables, Broccoli, and Maderia Sauce) and dessert (Trifle Wally Lad with Sweet Black Cherry Jam, Aged Sherry, Vanilla Infused Custard, Crème Chantilly, Toasted Almonds, and Pistachio Financier).

We had eaten our meal and left the restaurant by 9.45pm and decided to go up to Deck 18 for some fresh air. It was still very warm on deck, and sitting there helped us to digest our meal and relax before it was time to return to our suite to get ready to sleep.

Thursday 26th June: At sea

During the night, Arvia had continued sailing along the coast of Portugal and was well on her way towards the Straits of Gibraltar.

As we were in no rush to do anything, we took our time getting ready for breakfast, which we ate in the Epicurean Restaurant. By 10.00am we had finished and had made our way the short distance to the Crow’s Nest Bar, where we sat reading (and dozing) until 11.15am. At this point, Sue and I went up to Deck 18, which – due to the wonderful weather – was rather crowded with sunbathers on sunbeds. We did – however – manage to find somewhere to sit, and were able to have a long chat with another seasoned cruiser.

Sue and I returned to our suite in time for the midday announcement, having first bought an iced coffee each from a popup drink and ice cream bar on Deck 18. (We had never seen this before on any of the other P&O cruise ships we have travelled on, and both thought that it was and excellent innovation.)

We spent the next couple of hours trying to complete the daily crossword puzzle ... and getting increasingly frustrated as it seemed to have been complied by an American who used a Thesaurus to produce the clues!

We decided to forgo lunch (we both agreed that we were eating far too much and need to exercise a bit of self-control when it came to dining) and opted to have afternoon tea instead. We ate this in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant ... which was surprisingly busy considering that most of our fellow passengers seemed to be on sunbeds on whatever part of the open deck that could be placed.

Once we had eaten, Sue and I returned to our suite, where we stayed until it was time for dinner. Having enjoyed our visit to the Olive Grove Restaurant earlier in the cruise, we used the ship’s passenger app to book a table and waited in the Crow’s Nest Bar until it was free. This was just after 8.00pm, and as we made our way to the restaurant, there was an announcement that there was a medical emergency in the Meridian Restaurant. As a result, we were slightly later getting to the Olvie Grove Restaurant as members of the ship’s crew had to clear a route through the corridors on Deck 6 to move the patient (a small child who had been taken ill) to the ship’s medical centre.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, and after eating yet another excellent meal, Sue and I returned to our suite after paying a short visit to Deck 18 for some fresh air.

Friday 27th June: Malaga, Spain

Arvia passed through the Straits of Gibraltar during the night, and by 6.30am she was making her way into Malaga’s harbour.

Once it was light enough to see the surroundings clearly, we saw a Portuguese four-masted sailing ship entering harbour, escorted by a Pilot Boat ...

... and that a Virgin Cruises ship was moored ahead of Arvia.

The harbour is a commercial port as well as having a large marina for pleasure craft and yachts ...

... and even warrants its own Spanish Navy patrol boat.

After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I spent some time on the open deck and in our suite before going ashore just after 11.00am. We walked to the cruise terminal – a distance of some hundreds of metres – where we boarded a shuttle-bus that took us to the main entrance to the docks. From there it was a short walk to the local cathedral ...

... by which time both Sue and I were feeling in desperate need of a drink. Luckily, there were several bar/restaurants in a small square near to the cathedral, and we were able to get a glass of local vino blanco for Sue and one of freshly pressed orange juice for me in a bar/restaurant named L’experience.

In the centre of the square there was a fountain ...

... that seemed to attract a lot of attention from tourists.

Once we had had our drinks, we made our way to a nearby shop that we had visited before. It specialises in selling religious and military souvenirs, and I was able to buy an embroidered key fob bearing the arms of the Legion Espanola (Spanish Foreign Legion).

By this time we were beginning to feel the affects of the heat (it was 32°C in the shade) and decided to return to the ship. This took very little time on the shuttle-bus, and once we had passed through the shoreside security checks, we boarded Arvia soon after 1.30pm.

Once back aboard, Sue and I went back to our suite to cool down and have a rest, and it was not until after 3.00pm that we made our way up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for something to eat. It was serving afternoon tea, and we both had a couple of filled rolls and cakes, washed down with tea (Sue) and milk (Me).

After eating, Sue and I went back to our suite and stayed there reading and resting until it was time to get ready for dinner. We went to the Crow’s Nest Bar for our pre-dinner drink and then – at 8.00pm – down to the Olvie Grove Restaurant to eat.

We had finished eating by 9.30pm and went up to Deck 18 to sit in to open deck. It was still quite light and – despite the breeze – the air was warm. We stayed there until just after 10.00pm, at which point Sue and I went back to our suite to get ready for bed after what had been quite a hot and tiring day.

Saturday 28th June: Alicante, Spain

During the night, Arvia sailed westerly, then north-westerly, and finally northward towards Alicante.

She reached Alicante just after 7.00pm ...

... and moored behind two Spanish Navy ships ...

... the SNS Santa Maria (F81), a Santa Maria-class frigate whose design was based on that of the long-hulled version of the United States’ Oliver Hazard Perry-class ...

... and the Galicia-class landing platform dock, SNS Castilla (L52).

Just across the harbour was a Spanish Customs (or Aduanas) cutter ...

... and several craft belonging to the Guardia Civil and the Coast Guard.

After eating breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, Sue and I returned to our suite to prepare to go ashore. We waited until the length of the queue for the shuttle-bus service was much reduced, and we did not board a shuttle-bus until just before 11.00am. Although the distance from the cruise terminal to the drop-off point was relatively short, it took us nearly thirty minutes to get there due to congestion on the service road from the dock gates to the drop-off point.

After walking inland from the drop-off point to the main road running along Alicante’s seafront, Sue and I decided to cross it and walk along the tree-lined promenade. By this time, the air temperature had risen considerably (a nearby sign reported that it was 38°C, and we later discovered that it had reached 40°C on parts of the ship’s open decks by 2.00pm) and we decided to find a café/bar where we could get into the shade and have a cooling drink. We finally chose the Vandi as it had several tables that were unoccupied and in the shade.

Although the service was rather slow – the sheer number of people doing what Sue and I had done seemed to have rather swamped the staff – the drink was very refreshing once it arrived.

Suitably refreshed, we carried on walking along the promenade before turning inland and walking back towards the shuttle-bus pick-up point. This took us longer than expected, but we were able to get aboard a shuttle-bus almost as soon as we got to the pick-up point and were back aboard Arvia by just after 2.00pm.

After cooling off for a time in our suite, we went up to the open deck area on Deck 18 for some fresh air ... only to discover that it had got even hotter! As a result, we only stayed there for a few minutes before going down to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for a snack lunch.

Once we had eaten, Sue and I returned to our suite, where we stayed reading, resting, and dozing until it was time to get ready for our celebratory dinner in the Epicurean Restaurant at 8.30pm. We had our usual pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar before walking the dozen or so steps to the entrance to the Epicurean Restaurant.

Sue ate Seared Scallops and Scallop Tatare with Charred Cucumber and Kohlrabi and Cucumber Ketchup for her starter, and I ate 24-hour Slow-Cooked Ox Cheek in a Bone Canoe with Parsley Sponge and Beef-Flavoured Mayonnaise.

We shared a main course of Torchon of Wilde Atlantic Halibut Grenobloise with Saffron-Poached Fennel and Petit Salad and a side order of Wilted Spinach and new Potatoes.

For dessert Sue and I chose the Crêpe Suzette... which is one of our favourites!

We finished our meal just before 10.30pm and went up to the open deck area on Deck 18 ... where the air temperature was still very warm! We stayed there for about fifteen minutes before returning to our suite and – after a brief period sitting and resting – we got ready for bed.

Sunday 29th June: At sea

By the time we awoke at 7.30am, Arvia was off the north-west coast of Majorca en route to the next port-of-call, La Seyne-sur-Mer near Toulon.

As we were going to attend the Peninsular Club luncheon at midday, Sue and I decided to have a smaller breakfast than usual in the Epicurean Restaurant. We then spent a short time on the open deck area of Deck 18, but by 10.45am we had gone back to our suite to cool off and prepare for lunch.

It took us just under fifteen minutes to get from our suite to the Zenith Restaurant (Deck 7 Aft), and we arrived just as the officer-of-the-watch was completing the midday announcement. We were swiftly shown to our table, and by 12.15pm we were eating our respective starter.

Whilst I had the Pulled-Beef Croquette with Pickled Vegetables, Horseradish Mayonnaise, and Rocket Granola, Sue chose Torched Salmon Fillet with Soused Cucumber, Apple Salad, and Sauce Vierge. This was followed by a Green Apple Sorbet.

We also chose different main courses, with Sue opting for Pan-Fried Hake Loin with Olive Oil Mash, Pea and Broad been Fricassee, Lemon Butter Sauce, and Chive Oil, whilst I ordered the Corn-fed Chicken Breast stuffed with Roasted Garlic and Apricot Mousseline with Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms, Garlic Spinach, and Madeira Café Au Lait Sauce.

Sue and I chose the same dessert, Bakewell-inspired Trifle with Jammie Raspberry, Almond Financier, Almond Custard, Cherry Chantilly Cream, Semi-confit Cherries, and Crystallised Almond.

Over lunch, we had an interesting chat with the couple on the next table, and we exchanged quite a few cruise stories during our meal. We parted company from them just before 1.50pm, and after walking from one end of the ship to the other, we took ourselves up to Deck 18 for a short stroll and a chance for our meal to begin the process of digestion.

It was hot in the open air, even if you were in the shade, and by 2.15pm Sue and I were back in our suite trying to cool down. The combination of the warm day and the excellent food and drink we had consumed at lunchtime guaranteed that we would both need a relaxing afternoon ... and as well as doing a bit of reading, Sue and I both had extended dozes!

Our evening followed what has become our usual routine. A pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar followed by dinner in the Olive Grove Restaurant. Its menu – which includes everything that is on offer in the main restaurants plus a selection of Mediterranean dishes – is ideally suited to the sort of hot weather we were enjoying.

As usual, our evening finished with a spell in the open air on Deck 18 ... where, even at past 10.00pm, it was warmer than most days in the UK.

Monday 30th June: La Seyne-sue-Mer (Toulon), France

Both Sue and I were woken up at 6.30am by the sound of Arvia manoeuvring as she entered the entrance to the inlet on which Toulon and La Seyne-sur-Mer are located.

As the sun rose, we had a very good view of the military harbour of Toulon and the ships that were moored alongside.

The ship was finally secured at her mooring by 7.30am, and soon afterwards passengers began to disembark to use the local ferries/shuttle-boats that would take them across the harbour to Toulon. This option was not available to Sue or I as I am unable to step securely from the loading pontoon onto the ferry/shuttle-boat. As a result, we decided to wait until later to decide what we would do.

From 10.00am until 11.00am, the ship’s crew took part in several crew drills that are designed to train them to cope with any emergencies – such as evacuating the ship – should the need ever arise. These drills are a regular occurrence and usually take place at least once during each cruise.

During these drills, Sue and I sat in a shaded part of Deck 18 and attempted to use the internet to find out what La Seyne-sur-Mer had to offer. Unfortunately, the local maritime museum was shut as it was Monday and this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it was quite some distance from the ship and we would have to have walked there and back ... and by 11.00am the air temperature was over 30°C and climbing!

In the end, Sue and I decided that it was too far to walk on what was turning out to be a very hot and somewhat humid day, and instead, we chose to have a relaxing day on board. It transpired that we were not alone in making such a decision, and the ship was by no means deserted.

After spending most of what remained of the morning and the early afternoon in our suite, we ate a light lunch in The Quays, followed by a spell on Deck 18. We then returned to our suite and rested, read, and dozed until it was time to get ready for dinner.

As has become our custom on this cruise, Sue and I had a pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar and dinner in the Olive Grove Restaurant. The latter serves a small selection of Mediterranean dishes, including Antipasti, Greek Meze, Spaghetti Carbonara, Beef Lasagne, Greek Lamb Flatbread, and Lamb Shank Tagine. These seem to be far more digestible than the more traditional food served in the main restaurants, although the latter are available in the Olive Grove Restaurant if one wants to order them.

We were back in our cabin by 11.00pm, having first spent some time after dinner on Deck 18, where it was still warm despite the stiff breeze caused by the ship’s movement.

Tuesday 1st July: Barcelona, Spain

During the night Arvia sailed south-west from La Seyne-sur-Mer, and arrived off Barcelona by 7,00am. She was slightly delayed entering harbour as a very large container ship was being shepherded to a berth in the container port which temporarily closed the entrance to the docks.

By the time Sue and I went to breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant at 8.45am, two other cruise ships had also moored alongside the quay. These were the Costa Toscana , which was just ahead of Arvia and an MSC Cruises mega cruise ship that was moored somewhat further away.

Because we expected it to be hot during our time ashore, Sue and I disembarked just before 11.00am and were dropped off by the World Trade Centre about twenty minutes later. From there we walked to the Maritime Museum, where we were able to sit in the gardens drinking freshly squeezed orange juice.

Whilst we were at the museum, we were able to log on to our email accounts ... something that had proved impossible onboard ship. (We could have bought an internet package for £14.00 per day, but this seemed rather an excessive amount to pay for something that our iPhones should have been able to do when we were in port.)

We did look at the possibility of walking around the southern part of Las Ramblas to do some shopping, but the crowds were so dense that we decided to return to the ship, especially as the air temperature was well over 30°C and rising.

We were back in our suite by 2.30pm, by which time the air temperature was over 35°C. After cooling down for nearly an hour, Sue and I went up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for a light snack. We then went up to Deck 18, where we sheltered in a shady part of the open deck area until it was time to return to our suite.

We stayed there until just before 7.00pm, when we went up to Deck 18 in time for Arvia to set sail from Barcelona to the next port-of-call, Cadiz. In actual fact, the ship’s departure was delayed as the pilots were busy moving other ships – mainly ferries – in and out of port, and at approximately 7.15pm the ship’s captain – Captain Paul Brown – made the first of two announcements. The first was to apologise for the delay and the second was to tell us that the cruise itinerary had been changed.

Apparently, there had been considerable unrest in Cadiz due to a strike by shipworkers (the shipbuilder Avantia has a large shipyard in Cadiz) which had resulted in the main roads in and out of the city being blocked. As there was a risk of what the captain termed ‘civil unrest’, it had been decided not to stop in Cadiz but to sail on the Vigo in Galicia instead.

This decision was no great surprise to Sue and I as we had read about the recent decision by P&O to divert MV Briatannia to Gibraltar instead of her visiting Cadiz ... and we had expected that something similar might happen to Arvia

Our only regret was that our ship had diverted to Vigo rather than Gibraltar.

By 7.45pm we were having a drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar, and at 8.30pm Sue and I made our way to the Epicurean Restaurant for a meal. The menu was different from that on offer during our previous meals there, and Sue and I both started with Hand-Carved Duo of Cured Smoke Salmon. Sue had Whole Dover Sole á la Meunière with Maître D’hôtel Butter Sauce and I ate Beef Fillet and Ox Cheek with Smoked Potato Croquettes, and Cabernet Sauvignon Glazed Shallots, For dessert Sue ate Elements of Summer Trifle with Blackberry Jelly, Tarragon Meringue, Raspberry Roulade, Cream, and Fried Custard and I chose Banana and Peanut Butter Cannelloni with Muscovado Sugar Ice Cream, Rum Jelly, and Key Lime Gel.

During our time in the Epicurean Restaurant, we saw a number of schools of dolphins or porpoises swimming past Ariva. (It is sometime difficult to tell the difference from a distance if they don’t raise their heads above the water.)

After a truly memorable meal, Sue and I went up to Deck 18 to sit in the open air for a time before returning to our suite for the night.

Wednesday 2nd July: At sea

Overnight, Arvia had sailed on a south-westerly course from Barcelona, and by 8.00am she was to the west of Alicante and moving at a speed of 19 knots.

By the time Sue and I went to breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, the outside air temperature was already 27°C, and it was expected to rise to over 30°C by midday. As there was a talk taking place in the Headliner’s Theatre at 10.00am, we went straight down from the restaurant once breakfast was over so that we could get seats well before the talk started.

The talk was given by a guest speaker – Phil Holt – and was about the RAF’s Display team, the Red Arrows.

The talk turned out to be even more interesting than we expected, and the speaker used lots of short video clips to illustrate the story of the display team, how it is organised, how it selects the pilots who serve with the team for three years, and the basic manoeuvres they train for and include in their displays.

The talk finished at approximately 10.50am, and afterwards Sue and I went up to the open deck area on Deck 18 ... which was more crowded than we had ever seen it before, mainly due to the clear skies, very warm air temperature, and the number of sunbeds available for those who wanted to sunbath.

Sue and I stayed on deck until it began to become uncomfortable, at which point we bought a couple of iced coffees and returned to our suite. We stayed there until 2.00pm when we went up to the Crow’s Nest Bar to sit and watch the world go by until it was time to go for afternoon tea in the Epicurean Restaurant at 3.00pm.

The afternoon tea was magnificent! It comprised 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, Raspberry & Raw Cacao and Traditional Scones with Clotted Cream and Jam, and Golden Chocolate Sphere with Dark Chocolate Mousse, Framboise Raspberries, and Chocolate Genoese.

Sue and I ate until we were full ... and then struggled up to Deck 18 for some much-needed fresh air. We returned to our suite at 4.30pm ... and both of us fell asleep soon afterwards.

We awoke in plenty of time to get ready for dinner. Sue and I followed our usual routine of going up to Deck 18 for some fresh air before having a pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar. We then went to the Olive Grove Restaurant for dinner and then spent some more time up on Deck 18 before returning to our suite to read until it was time to go to bed.

Thursday 3rd July: At sea

According to the original itinerary for this cruise, we should have been in Cadiz today ... but overnight Arivia had passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, and when we awoke at 7.30am, she was off the south coast of Portugal.

The weather had also changed dramatically, and whereas on previous days we had pulled back our curtains and seen a flat sea, clear skies, and sun, today we saw grey skies, low cloud, and heard a stiff wind blowing outside.

As a result, Sue and I decided that after breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant we would go to the Headliner’s Theatre to listen to another talk by Phil Holt. This one was entitled ‘Keep Calm: I am an Air Traffic Controller’ ...

... and described how the UK’s air traffic control system had evolved since the 1920s, the various task performed by members of NATS (the National Air Traffic System) and the training they undertake. This was a very informative talk and included several video clips and animations.

Once the talk had ended, Sue and I ventured up to Deck 18 ... and whereas on the previous day almost every sunbed and chair had been full, today the whole area was almost deserted. In fact, the air temperature was not that cold (it was around 20°C) and the wind was not too strong (around 20 knots) on the open deck. However, the change from the previous day was such that most passengers preferred to stay indoors.

After buying an iced coffee each from a small pop-up bar on Deck 18, Sue and I returned to our suite to drink our coffees, to read, to do the daily crossword, and to begin watching a film, ‘The Monuments Men’.

At midday the daily announcement by the officer-of-the-watch informed us that we were about twenty miles to the southwest of Cape St Vincent, the most south-westerly point in Europe, and that the ship would be turning onto a northward course during the afternoon, and that it was anticipated that Arvia would be alongside in Vigo by 8.00am on the following morning.

By 2.30pm the sun had begun to break through the cloud, and it looked much sunnier outside. However, the air temperature remained the same and the change of course seemed to bring the ship into the wind with the result that the speed of the air over the deck increased to nearly 20 knots.

Just after 3.00pm, Sue and I went up to the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant for a snack, after which we went up to Deck 18. By this time the wind had begun to moderate and although it was not hot out on deck, it was not unpleasant, and we spent some time sitting there.

Sue and I had returned to our suite by 4.45pm and spent the time until dinner reading and resting. The evening then followed its usual pattern, with a spell on Deck 18, followed by a drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar and dinner in the Olive Grove Restaurant. We then returned to Deck 18 – which was still pleasantly warm – before going back

to our suite to watch the end of the film ‘The Monuments Men’ before going to bed.

Friday 4th July: Vigo, Spain

Arvia was already coming alongside the dock in Vigo when Sue and I woke up at 6.30am.

Our balcony gave us an excellent view across the harbour and central part of the city as the ship moved towards her berth.

Vigo is Spain’s busiest fishing port, and this was evident from the number of fishing vessels that we saw entering and leaving the part of the docks dedicated to supporting the fishing industry.

Photo 089

The local economy is very dependent upon the sea, and this is commemorated by the fact that several old vessels are preserved near the cruise terminal.

After breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, we decided to go ashore after the initial rush of passengers disembarking was over ... and after a spell on Deck 18, we returned to our suite to get ready to go ashore.

The weather forecast was that it was likely to rain during the day and that the air temperature would be around 23°C. As a result, Sue and I dressed in the sort of clothes that we wear at home at this time of year.

This tuned out to be a big mistake!

Sue and I had disembarked by just before 11.00am, and after walking along the seafront, we decided to go inland. This proved problematic for me, as all the roads going inland also went uphill. Vigo is built on the side of the valley and the last time we visited I had no mobility problems ... but this time I had to be careful to choose roads that were not too steep for me to climb safely using my walking sticks to aid me.

This walk coincided with the weather quickly getting warmer as the sun burned away the low clouds, and by the time I had climbed up towards the top of the valley side, I was feeling worn out and very, very hot and tired. Luckily, we found a somewhat easier route down and ended up in a small park where we could sit in the shade and cool down.

Once we were rested, we set off back to the ship. By this time, we were feeling very thirsty, and after passing a local Galician pipe and drum group who were playing outside the dockside shopping mall ...

... we found an empty table in the shade at a nearby café.

Suitably refreshed, we returned aboard Arvia, and by just after 2.00pm we were back in our suite. We immediately washed and changed into lighter clothes ... and then had a much-needed doze! We were awake again by 3.15pm, and soon afterwards we were in the Horizon Self-Service Restaurant eating a snack lunch. We then went up to Deck 18 and discovered that the sunbeds that had been totally empty earlier in the day were now full.

Sue and I then spent the rest of the afternoon in our suite before getting ready for the second formal dinner of the cruise.

Before attending the Chef’s Table in Sue and I decided to go up to Deck 18 for some fresh air and then to the Crow’s Nest Bar for a pre-dinner drink. However, during the afternoon and early evening the weather had changed and there was a very strong wind out on the deck. Once I opened the door to go outside and felt how strong the wind was (it was well in excess of 30mph and gusting to higher speeds), I decided that I felt unsafe and went straight to the Crow’s Nest Bar. Sue preserved and went outside ... and when she joined me some minutes later, her glasses had gone! A gust of wind had snatched them off her face, and after the assistance of some other passengers, all she could find of them was one arm!

This rather put a dampener on the evening, but luckily, she had a spare pair in our suite and after collecting them, we went down to the Beach House Restaurant for dinner.

The menu for the dinner was the same as for the previous Chef’s Table. Again, Sue and I had different starters (Sue had Cannelloni of Poached and Oak Smoked Salmon with Avocado Mousseline and Caviar Pearls and I had Crispy Braised Lamb Bonbon with Rich Bhuna Sauce, Coriander Mayonnaise, and Pink Pickled Onions) but the same main course (Classic Beef Wellington with Mushroom Duxelles, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Honey-Roast Root Vegetables, Broccoli, and Maderia Sauce). We did choose different desserts this time (Sue had Rum Savarin of Raspberries with Fresh Raspberry Coulis and Vanilla Sabayon and I ate the Trifle Wally Lad with Sweet Black Cherry Jam, Aged Sherry, Vanilla Infused Custard, Crème Chantilly, Toasted Almonds, and Pistachio Financier).

We sat next a very interesting couple who were from North Wales and who were only on their second cruise and had a chat with them between courses about a variety of topics.

After dinner we ventured up to Deck 18 again, and discovered that the wind speed had dropped considerable, thus making it a lot safer to be out on the open deck. We stayed there for about fifteen minutes before returning to our suite to read for a while before getting ready for bed.

Saturday 5th July: At sea

By the time we woke up at 7.30am, Arvia had sailed almost halfway across the Bay of Biscay.

As this was the last full day of the cruise, Sue and I knew that we would have to do the packing but decided to leave it until the afternoon. We therefore chose to go to the Headliner’s Theatre after breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant, firstly to see the wine expert Ollie Smith interviewed by the Entertainment manager, Neil Oliver ...

... followed by Phil Holt’s final talk of the cruise entitled ‘Concorde – Legend of the Skies’.

We emerged from the theatre at just after midday and returned to our suite to begin our packing. Sue and I had completed most of it in about an hour, and afterwards we had a drink in our suite and did the daily crossword.

At just after 2.30pm, Sue and I went down to The Quays for lunch and a drink and returned to our suite in time to see that Arvia was just about to round Ushant and begin sailing up the English Channel.

By this time, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, and for a time rain lashed our suite’s windows. Even when it wasn’t raining, the high windspeed made it very unpleasant to be out on the open deck.

By 4.30pm, Sue and I had put five of our six bags outside our suite door for collection and spent the rest of the afternoon reading and watching a film on one of our suite’s TVs before getting ready for our last dinner of the cruise. We had our usual pre-dinner drink in the Crow’s Nest Bar and ate our meal in the Olive Grove Restaurant. However, because the weather was still atrocious, we did not go up to Deck 18 for some fresh air.

By the time we returned to our suite, Ariva was to the northwest of the Channel Islands …

... and maintaining a speed of 20 knots.

We packed our last piece of luggage and put it outside our suite door for collection just before we went to bed at 11.00pm.

Sunday 6th July: Southampton

Overnight the ship’s clocks were turned back to British Summer Time which gave us an extra hour of sleep time ... although we didn’t get much benefit from it as we were both woken up just after 5.30am by the sound of the ship mooring alongside the Ocean Terminal in Southampton.

As the sun came up, it was apparent that the weather was going to be much cooler than it had been whilst we had been in the Mediterranean and that we could look forward to driving home under an overcast sky and with the possibility of rain.

We said goodbye to our cabin steward before going up for our last breakfast in the Epicurean Restaurant at 7.30am. Due to the large number of people who had decided to disembark carrying off all their own luggage – thus speeding the whole process of getting off the ship for them – the lifts were very crowded, and it took up fifteen minutes to travel up the six decks from our suite to the restaurant.

We had eaten breakfast and said our goodbyes to the staff of the restaurant by 8.15am and had managed to get a lift down to Deck 6 to the rendezvous point for passengers who – like me – had assisted disembarkation. Once we had booked in, we had to wait for our turn to be called for disembarkation ... and our wait was over an hour! This was because passengers who were travelling home by coach got priority as their coaches had to leave Southampton at specific times.

Although the wait was quite boring, when we were finally called the process of getting off the ships was fast and very efficient. The person pushing me in a wheelchair managed to find us a porter, and he was able to find our luggage in a matter of minutes. They then took us through to the car valet parking area and even helped us to load the luggage into the car.

We finally drove our of the car park at just before 10.00am, and by 10.45am we had reached Winchester Services, where we had a comfort break and bought enough food to ensure that we had something to eat until we could go shopping on the following day.

The journey home was punctuated with several holdups due to roadworks and just sheer volume of traffic on the M3 and M25, and we therefore had a second comfort break at Clacket Lane Services on the M25. We finally got home just after 1.00pm feeling rather tired but also relieved that the drive was over.