Day 1 - Southampton

Thursday 20th April 2017

Caribbean Princess Cruise, European Capitals, 11 Days starting 20th April 2017

Just off on our latest cruise, a very late booking, one we had looked at a few times and eventually the price was just too good to miss, so here we are.  Travelled from our usual pre-cruise overnight stop (just in case motorway holdups cause the dreaded delayed arrival) on the No1 Blue Star bus, then a short walk to the Ocean Terminal. 

Our ports of call

Note – doesn’t seem likely we will pass north of Scotland, we should return up the English Channel

The Caribbean Princess is a new ship for us, though of a class of ship we have sailed before, hence as we wander about the ship it all feels familiar, should mean not getting lost too often!

Caribbean Princess – including new Sea Witch paint job

Congratulations to Princess for a quick and easy process to get us booked in, on board and to our stateroom.  We had been allocated a really nice stateroom on Deck 10 Caribe with an extra large balcony.
After a quick look round time for lunch at the Salty Dog, burgers and hot dogs, excellent.
Before you know it it’s time for lifeboat drill, hopefully never to be needed.
Sailaway into a nice sunny evening, after a rather cloudy day, kept trying to brighten and eventually did.
Enjoyed pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres for us Elite passengers.  Mexican Salsa and Tortillas, along with Mojito cocktails.  This was in the Skywalkers Nightclub, also known as the Shopping Trolley Handle, see the pictures. 
Dinner in the World Fresh Marketplace buffet, just a light snack needed.
Back to stateroom for an early night, seems the first day is just too tiring, can’t manage much more today.

Days 11 and 12, at Sea en-route Southampton

Friday 2nd December and Saturday 3rd December 2016

Today, Friday, decided to try out the Britannia restaurant for breakfast, OK but still not as good as the buffet even if there a waiters serving everything.
 

All ready to take advantage of weather and take a few turns round the promenade deck when the Captain closed all the outside decks for helicopter operations.  Someone needed to be evacuated from the ship to a shoreside hospital in Spain.  Helicopter hovered above rear deck to winch patient and partner aboard.

This afternoon we spent on the “behind the scenes” ship tour.  Visited many areas of the ship not normally accessible by the passengers.  Backstage in the theatre, the mooring deck, the medical centre, the fire control room, the engine control room, garbage disposal, food storage and preparation areas, the galley and the bridge.  A vast amount of information given about so many aspects of running the ship and providing for the passengers, mind boggling.  Expected a couple of hours duration but over four hours by the time we were ‘released’.  No pictures allowed, security!

 Formal dinner tonight, including the ‘march of the chefs’ and the famous baked alaska dessert, no longer flaming!

Then to the theatre for tonight's show with the singers and dancers, “Palladium Nights”.

Today, Saturday, not much on today, will need to start packing soon!

Nice sunny day, though definitely much cooler, and sea a bit choppy.

Morning trivia, no luck, running out of chances for more stamps, 16 so far, will need to redeem this afternoon.  Bit of shopping and morning coffee.

Our Wake

Finished the day with a couple of trivia's one final win, in the wipeout trivia, a bottle of 'fizzy pop' as the prize.  

Enjoyed all the quizzes we attended and met a great group of fellow quiz buffs.  A couple from Scotland living in Portsmouth and a couple from St Albans! Small world.

Day 10, Lisbon, Portugal

Thursday, 1st December 2016

Berthed in Lisbon, not too far from centre of city. 

After breakfast weather clearing up nicely, so went to the morning trivia, then got ready to go ashore.

There appears to be a lot of work being done at the port so we exited from a new ‘building/terminal’ and came out just by the railway station, quite a bit further along from the old exit.  Took a new route into the town, went past the military museum and then up the hill through very narrow streets, up by the Roman? walls, up to the Cathedral.  Lots of little shops and cafes some of which were closed due to a public holiday.  A lot of the buildings have tiled fronts, in all sorts of colours and patterns, some of the buildings are very dilapidated.

Typical street scene.

 

Checked out a souvenir shop to purchase a new tea pot stand and called in to a café to buy one of the famous Lisbon ‘custard tarts’, very tasty. 

Walked past the Cathedral but didn’t go in, but the road outside was very busy with trams going up and down the hill, one of which appears to be a tourist tram which we need to checkout for next time we come to Lisbon to see where it goes.

Trams and tiled buildings.
 

Then down again to the main street and the main seafront square with their large Christmas Tree, and time to return to the ship as it had  started to rain, luckily it didn’t last long but we decided to call it a day for our shore excursion.

Back on board took advantage of a sunny spell to share a burger and hotdog out on the rear deck.

Time for some blogging, new plan to get the emails working, hopeful.
Sailaway down the river in the dark, very pretty, including the Christmas Tree! in the square.

Commercial  Square and Triumphal Arch with Christmas Tree
 

Time for a picture quiz, two more stamps, on the way to a buffet dinner.

Day 9, Gibraltar

Wednesday 30th November 2016

Here we go again, another mild but overcast day with the treat of rain.  Wondered about a walk into town, but delayed going until weather decides what it’s doing.  So fitted in another quiz, just to keep our hand in, and gained another couple of stamps!

After morning coffee got all ready to venture out and the Captain decided that the ship movement was too much and halted shore access, so that was that!

Early afternoon sailaway, weather quite windy but not too rough.  As usual in the Straits of Gibraltar on the look out for dolphins, not a one, but did spot a sun fish.

Sun Fish

 

Relaxing afternoon trying not to do too much.

Dinner, not formal this time, in the main restaurant.  Nice bit of roast turkey with trimmings.

Theatre this evening presented a pair of acrobat/dancers with a show of balance, strength and aerial work.

Clocks back one hour tonight, back to UK time now.

Day 8, Cartagena, Spain

Tuesday 29th November 2016

Wow, there is some strange golden ball up in a blue sky.

So, to give the crowds time to clear, we had breakfast and quick quiz and got ready to venture ashore.

Cartagena
 

Started in the Naval Museum just along the harbour front from the ship’s berth.  Very interesting collection, lots of model ships, bits of ship, weapons, navigational instruments, paintings and photos etc.

Naval Museum
 

Followed this up with a visit to the Roman Theatre and Museum.  A well preserved, if somewhat, though sympathetically, restored, example of a Roman Theatre.  Located right in the town centre, hidden for most of its history under various developments of commercial and residential buildings until “discovered” and brought back to life as a historical attraction.

Roman Theatre
 

Strolled back to the ship via the town nicely in time for afternoon tea.

After sailaway and another unsuccessful quiz we had a little dinner in the buffet’

The evenings entertainment was “La Danza” with the Cunard Singers and Dancers.

Day 7, Valencia, Spain

Monday 29th November 2016

Today berthed in Valencia, seems we have berthed in a new location about as far from the town as possible.  Couldn't even see the skyline of all the architectural gems of the science and cultural part of town.  Weather overcast with threat of rain.  Thought we would delay deciding our plan for the day and start with a couple of quizzes and get some washing into the launderette.  A good start, picked up a couple of stamps at each of the morning quizzes and the washing all clean and dry.  While we were at it decided on a pub lunch in the Golden Lion.  Weather still dubious, couple of showers and still cloudy so decided to forego the pleasure of a trip into town.

The afternoon just seemed to disappear, one unsuccessful quiz and not much else.

Sail away followed by dinner in the buffet, nice piece of sea trout for me and a Hawaiian pizza for Yvonne.

..........and so off to Cartagena.

Day 6, at Sea, en-route Valencia

Sunday 27th November 2016

Another day at sea so not much to do to disturb us.  Weather quite pleasant if not really summery, well it is the end of November.

In the afternoon we we entertained by Martin Vishnik on the classical guitar, everything from Bach to Hendrix.  Excellent, quite inspiring.  Interesting that he taught in St Albans at one time.

Martin Vishnik
 

Today attended the Gold/Platinum cocktail party, on with the glad rags again!  Announcement of the most travelled passengers, 916 nights on Cunard, some total, makes us real beginners.

Dodged the formal dinner and snuck up to the buffet for a delicious plate of pasta bolognaise.

Went to 7 o’clock trivia, invited to join another team, and won another two stamps in our passport, up to six now, equalling our last cruise.

Then off to the Theatre for tonight’s show, “Hollywood Nights” with the Cunard Singers and Dancers, such energy!

Back to our stateroom to watch the lightning lighting up the sky, no thunder or rain though.  The ship seemed to divert to near Alicante for a brief stop in the bay, not sure why, perhaps to avoid the storm?