Day 6 - Gibraltar

Thursday 30th November 2023

This morning it’s Gibraltar, already been raining here and it’s pretty cloudy.  Let’s hope for an improvement.

Rather slow again today, just the buffet left for breakfast again, a nice enough option but it would be nice to have a choice of venue if they didn’t stop serving so early, well early for us, we are on holiday!

Only a short stay here so as it’s already late no point in walking into town.  So after coffee the promenade will suffice for a walk round especially as the weather has improved with a watery sun and a quite pleasant temperature.  

All aboard should be 2pm, but at 2pm there was still a very, very long queue of returning passengers waiting to board.  In fact the queue ran all the way from the ship through the port building and up the street at least to the port gate, looks like we’ll be late away.

The Queue

At least it gave us some entertainment on our perambulations as the queue dwindled until about 3pm, when the Captain announced we’ll be off soon and thanks to everyone getting back promptly!

The Rock

After departure settled down to a bit of dolphin watching as we sailed out through the narrows and into the Atlantic , nothing, not one, most disappointing.

Spot of afternoon tea to keep us going until this evenings theatre show.

Tonight it’s the Headliners with “Digital”.  A themed show with lots of songs and medleys with plenty of dancing and some very smart outfits with lights showing very well in reduced background lighting.

Dinner tonight in the Quays with a little cheese and digestives in the cabin to close the day.

Day 5 - at Sea

Wednesday 29th November 2023

Another early start in the pitch dark, a red sky sunrise while enjoying our morning drinks, sailor take warning?

Up so early we made it to the Aqua Restaurant for breakfast, all very civilised and a good selection all served very nicely.

Morning trivia, no prize, then a few turns of the prom, weather pretty good now getting further south.

Sun eventually got round to our balcony so took advantage to enjoy with a cuppa and a spot of cake.

Just can’t get used to the ship being so stable, whatever the sea’s doing you just don't notice any movement and sailaways are not noticeable even with thrusters going full blast, all very disconcerting, you wouldn’t know you are at sea without a view of the sea gliding by.

Just a light afternoon snack today, need to leave plenty of space for dinner in the Beach House tonight.

Beach House menu very little changed and prices only risen a little from previous cruises.

Nachos starter still delicious.

Steaks on Lava Rock quite fantastic.  Only drawback being there is just the 10oz steak on offer, no 7oz now.

Wow! that’s one huge steak, Lava sizzling well. Superbly tender, enough meat in each steak for us to do two Sunday roasts for two!  Made it through the steak with the help of a glass of wine to wash it down.

Squeezed in a half share in a banana split to follow.

Recovery and digest back in cabin, perhaps a bit less noisy in the cabin tonight, or are we just getting used to it, thump, thump, thump.

Day 4 - Vigo, Spain

Tuesday 28th November 2023

Breakfast in the buffet, coffee in the Vista.

Misty and dull weather, though a mild 15 degC, had a walk round the prom, not nice enough to venture ashore, so stayed on board.

A wet day in Vigo

Late lunch in The Olive Grove, mediterranean fare, lasagne particularly good.

Back to the cabin to watch “Death on the Nile”, Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot.

Short intermission to nip to the theatre to see ”Classical Graphitti”, four musicians, three violins and one cello, playing and singing various classical pieces with a strong comic overtone, very good, well appreciated by the audience.

Up to the Skydome for a hot dog and to watch tonights aerial show, “Sparks”.

Then it’s back for part two of Hercule.

Day 3 - at Sea

Monday 27th November 2023

Managed a bit of a earlier start today, even though it’s still pitch dark.

Breakfast in the Quays, tried the American pancakes, pancakes tiny, not too bad and proper maple syrup!  Needed the full English to follow.

Tried the morning quiz in Brodies, transport theme, sadly no golden stickers today.

Time for coffee in the Vista Lounge, very busy still, all these sea days!

Afternoon walk on the prom, still no full circuits, high winds, not really, over cautious?

Bit of a snack in the buffet, sandwiches, scones, jam and cream, pretty good.

Canapés arrived in cabin ready for tonight’s Celebration Night.  Canapés went down very well with some Champers, before on with the suit and finery ready for tonight’s visit to the theatre.  It’s “The Greatest Days”, the official Take That Musical.

Performance well presented though storyline a bit confusing and sadly we didn’t recognise many songs.

The Quays  for dinner again, Katsu Curry this time.

Back to cabin to watch “A Man Called Otto”, starring Tom Hanks, very good, a real tear jerker.

Already berthed in Vigo, fast passage necessitated by medical emergency.

Base beat stopped at midnight!

Day 2 - at Sea

 

Sunday 26th November 2023

Rather late waking, so breakfast has closed in most venues, luckily the buffet still serving.  Pretty busy, perhaps it’s just the first day and the clock change, here’s hoping.

Outside overcast, wet and windy, just a few hardy souls doing their laps, inside consequently busy everywhere.  So it’s takeaway Costa coffees to drink in the peace and quiet of our conservatory, proving it’s value already.

Lazy day, not much going on, afternoon snacks in the buffet, day continued very dull and grey.

This evening went to the aerial show in the Skydome.  Tonight it’s Taboo, a battle between the Sun and the Moon, all good stuff.

Late dinner from the Quays, tonight burgers, this is proving a great addition to P&O’s dining options, could be using a few times more.

Time to relax before bed, noisy base beat again, I guess this is going to be the norm!

Day 1 - Southampton

 

Saturday 25th November 2023

Off to the Ocean Terminal today to Join P&O Iona.

Priority boarding for us, so, channel A, straight past the huddled masses waiting outside in the cold for their designated time.  Up to check-in, no wait, and it’s off to security, soon dealt with and so onto the ship.  

Perhaps this timed boarding system does work.

As seems to be becoming usual now the first job is to check at our muster station (ours is in the Atrium), just in case?

Atrium

Christmas Already!

Lunch next, a special welcome lunch, for guests on Caribbean loyalty level, in the Pearl Restaurant.  Small selection on the menu but it does include champers, wine, etc!

Announcement of cabins ready prompted a move to the cabin, ours being a conservatory balcony.  All very smart and plenty of space.  On the shady side of the ship today so too cold to sit out today.

Time for an explore of the ship, all looks good, looks like our cabin pretty convenient for most facilities we will need.

Lots of Balconies

Skydome

Got a cuppa from the Quays and took back to our cabin to enjoy it al-fresco on the sunny side of the ship.

Back to cabin to relax before unpacking.  Sailaway completely undetectable!

Light dinner, fish and chips from the Quays (really good), spot of fresh air on the promenade, only partly open, because of high winds even though there didn’t seem to be any wind.

Back to cabin to relax and to succumb to our usual early night.  Cabin rather noisy, some from others TVs, but much more irritating some heavy base music from some venue, sound proofing seems not up to standard.  Clocks forward tonight.

Day minus 5 20th November 2023

 

Building up or is that counting down to our next cruise. 

This one on another newish and very large ship, P&O Iona, this is also one we have never sailed on before.  Back on P&O for the first time for a good few years and a first time sailing since we upgraded to a higher loyalty level.

The itinerary is mainly for stops at Atlantic and Mediterranean Spanish ports, plus the obligatory stop in Gibraltar, with just one additional stop in Lisbon, Portugal.  Hopefully, after a benign crossing of the Bay of Biscay, unlike several recent cruise ship crossings, we will be enjoying warmer and sunnier weather than we would expect at this time of year at home.

Looking forward to sampling all the wide range of dining options such new ships have on offer, together with all the old favourites of course.

Day 8 Southampton

20th October 2023

Up early as we sailed up Southampton Water.

Breakfast and final packing, double double check of cabin and off we go to disembark.

Easy process, picked up luggage and out to find the car in the carpark.

Quick stop at Sainsbury’s to get milk and bananas, morning coffee and then away up the M3 and home again

Day 7 Le Havre, France

19th October 2023

Le Havre (translates as “the harbour”) is a major port in the Seine maritime department of the Normandy Region of France.  Founded in 1517 by King Francis the First.  Requiring major reconstruction after WWII it is now the second largest port in France. 

This morning woke at sea just approaching the French coast.  Sunrise over the town of Le Havre as we approached.  A quick 180 degree turn and then we backed into the harbour to berth for the day.

Weather not too bad, must have been raining but now broken cloud and light winds.  

Whilst in port a great many very fancy racing yachts and trimarans came into port.

Today the day to catch up on all the bits and pieces we haven’t got round to yet.  Notably gelatos, hot chocolates and cocktails, seems to be a bit of a theme here.

The afternoon weather gone right off, heavy rain, glad we’re not  wandering round the town.

Packing this evening, double check not missed anything then an early night, alarm set for the morning.