Day 45 - Southampton

Monday 5th November 2018

Early start, packed up last of our luggage and off to breakfast.

Weather trying to cheer up, some breaks in the cloud, quite mild though.

After breakfast time to leave, disembarked and found our driver to get  us home.  Fairly quick run, arrived home in time for late elevenses.

Everything looking Ok  but lawn in serious need of a good mow.

Day 44 - at sea in the Bay of Biscay

Sunday 4th November 2018

Fast run overnight across most the Bay of Biscay to get in front of the weather.  Woke passing the coastline near Brest.  Eased up after passing Ushant and getting into the English Channel.

Weather still looking good, some cloud but still sun breaking though.

Sea had quite a swell 4-5m and still a bit windy but it's mild enough.

Rather late to breakfast, so rushed off to trivia half way through.  Good job too, couple more stamps, then bank to Lido for coffee and fruit to complete our repast, one of the great pleasures of cruising is the fresh fruit every day.

Back to stateroom to get the bulk of the packing done, to leave just the few bits for today’s and tomorrow’s use.

Couple of pods of dolphins passing by, one actually on our side of the ship and not too far away this time.

This evening off to the theatre for tonights show, the Cunard Singers in concert with the Cunard Combined Orchestra, an excellent show.

Then up to the buffet for a late dinner.

Finished off the packing and cases out.

Day 43 - at Sea in the Atlantic

Saturday 3rd November 2018

Dull morning, late sunrise, not that the Sun made an appearance.

Day of catching up. Busy morning, lots to fit in, Officer cocktails this morning, bit early for alcohol!

So a quick breakfast and off to passport control, fortunately very quick, and then morning trivia before coffee and then it’s time to change to go and see the captain.

Made a start on the packing, first go at sorting out that particular chore.

Afternoon trivia today very popular, close run thing but no prize.

Late afternoon just rounding Cape Finisterre, pods of dolphins passing by the ship, sadly not very near.

Dinner in the buffet and back to relax, time is running out.

Day 42 - Gibraltar

Friday 2nd November 2018

A little piece of Britain in the Mediterranean - with its helmeted bobbies, pillar boxes and pubs, you will find Gibraltar a fascinating place to visit.  From the caves and batteries tunnelled into the mountain, to the apes that sit on its slopes, your visit to the Rock will be filled with interesting sights and sounds.

Berthed early this morning in Gibraltar. Looks to be a lovely morning nice clear skies and just a few scattered clouds as the sun comes up.

Clear airs making for good views.  Algeciras in Spain just across the bay and Algeria just across the strait look nearer than they usually do in murkier weather.

Steady start, usual morning tasks.

Then ashore for a walk round the town. Walked around by the old fortifications and the Trafalgar Cemetery. Town quite busy even though only one ship in.  Good views of the rock.

Back on board.

Early sailaway, should have been 2 pm, some delay due to missing passengers.

Out though the straits and into the Atlantic.

That's the last port before Southampton and the last of the Mediterranean.  Lets hope its not the last of the good weather.  Winter is coming soon enough.

Dinner in the main restaurant and then the show in the theatre. Cunard singer and Dancers with "Hollywood Rocks", performances improving all the time, practice makes perfect.

Day 41 - at Sea

Thursday 1st November 2018

Cloudy first thing but soon cleared to leave a lovely day of sun and light winds.

Moving steadily westwards toward Gibraltar.  All day not too far off the Spanish coast.

Just one spotting of dolphins in a group feeding with attendant large flock of seagulls.

Quite a few ships around as we all concentrate to get through the strait.

More good results in the trivia today.

Moving in to the Sea of Alboran.

The day just disappeared, So nothing much achieved, couldn't quite get up the enthusiasm to get out the dress suit so it's up to the buffet for dinner tonight.

Day 40 - Valencia, Spain

Wednesday 31st October 2018

An incredibly exciting place to visit, Valencia is an international city with excellent cultural, architectural and entertaining delights. Situated on the east coast of Spain, it is bathed by the magnificent Mediterranean Sea and rich agricultural lands. Its history, extending back over 2000 years, has been deeply marked by the Roman and Arab cultures.

Happy Halloween.

Today berthed in Valencia, another berth a long way from town.

Weather looking good, scattered clouds, warm air but a bit windy still.  Once more allowed the rush to clear by joining our new trivia team to collect a couple more stamps before going ashore to catch the shuttle bus into town.  Long drive to the drop off at just near the Torres de Serrano.

Then a easy stroll through town, surprisingly enough we decided not to have an ice cream, the weather is just not nice enough.

Not much else going on in town so circled round and caught the bus back to the ship.

Arrived in nice time to have the pub lunch, fish and chips our choice for today.

Then time to relax the afternoon away before a light dinner in the buffet.

Day 39 - Barcelona, Spain

Tuesday 30th October 2018

Capital of Catalonia and Spain’s second largest city.  Everywhere you will see the ornately wrought works of Antonio Gaudi, a local architect, culminating in the surrealistic spires of the yet to be finished Sagrada Familia.  Take a stroll down Las Ramblas, sample local wines and authentic tapas, or visit the home of Barcelona FC.

Just coming into port as we woke this morning, weather much better again.  Light airs, scattered clouds and mild.

Berthed about as far from town as possible, four other ships beat us in.

So breakfast morning trivia and onto the shuttle bus to town.  Usual drop off near the world trade centre.  Lots of greened ringed parakeets in the trees, they seem to have spread everywhere now.

Then we bought ourselves tickets for the harbour boat tour and hung around till time to board. Weather now nice and sunny and temperature in the 20’s.

Boat took us around the harbour up by three of the cruise liners, turned a bit short of the end, and our ship, sadly. Then cruised out into the sea to loop round and then into the inner harbour to view the super yachts.

All in all a nice little ride round.

Then back on the shuttle to return to the ship for a coffee.

Time to sit in the sun, might not get too much more, so made the most of it.

Looks like we have missed the worst of the weather, high wind, heavy rain and tornado's in Italy.

Dinner in the buffet tonight.

Day 38 - Marseille, France

Monday 29th October 2018

The graceful Vieux Port sits guarded by the 12th century Fort St John on the north bank, and the later Fort St Nicholas on the south. Marseille is the second largest city in France and has drawn its lifeblood from the sea for two and a half millennia. Further afield is the city of Avignon, where you can imagine how the popes lived in style and see the famous ‘Pont’, or visit the old capital of Aix and be charmed by its 18th century elegance.

Wet and windy overnight. Still wet and windy here in Marseilles, not exactly warm and very misty.  Where did that Summer go?

Berthed about 9 am alongside the cruise terminal with at least 2 other ships.

Not much chance of a going ashore if the weather doesn't improve.  Spent the morning pretty much an usual, weather eventually dried up though still on the cool side and windy.

The few who ventured into town were not impressed, sadly the weather doesn’t help.  Later the weather deteriorated again so we gave up any thought of going into town.

Those who went further afield were worse off as they didn't get any dry weather, not much fun walking around in the rain.

Figured this to be about the only day this year when we have had such poor weather.

Consolation with dinner in the alternative dining,”Smokehouse" tonight. Delicious American diner menu.

Sailing slightly delayed and much windier outside the breakwater.  The Captain diverted slightly in our overnight route to follow the coast of the Gulf of Lions to find the best condition.

Lots of bangs and rattles, luckily didn't keep us awake.

Hope for better tomorrow.