Advertisement
Published: June 26th 2017
To adapt an old and much used adage:
No cruise for 6 months then 3 come along together!!' After the bad storms and palaver we experienced on the last cruise 2 weeks ago, some of us (not me!!) said
: 'I am never cruising again' and here we are once more about to embark on an 11 night cruise around the Canary Islands. In the words of the great Sean Connery:
‘Never say Never Again!!' In the week between cruises, Roisin has spent most of her time studying the meteorological charts. She has become so proficient in understanding the weather and translating the isobars and air pressure into real weather, I feel I'm married to my very own weather girl!! The bad news is that there is a massive depression in the North Atlantic moving east. It is going to bring some rather rough weather our way and there doesn't seem any way to skirt around it. Ever the optimist I've been trying to appease Roisin with the certainty that the storm will blow itself out or settle down before Tuesday. However, having seen the weather charts for this week I haven't convinced myself yet so what chance do I
have of alleviating the stress of others?
Booking 2 cruises so close together was bad planning. However, on the contrary, most people we have spoken to say this is good planning!! Our good friends Kaye and Charlie from Kansas with whom we last sailed on the Royal Princess told us they were sailing on the Emerald Princess around the Canaries. The ship then sails Trans-Atlantic to the States to start the winter season. Kaye and Charlie are staying on for this leg but invited us to join them for 11 nights around the Canaries. After checking our leave entitlement we researched the prices and managed to get a decent deal. It was only when we checked our diary we realised how close it was to the Black Sea cruise.
This cruise, our 13
th, is with Princess Cruises (6
th with Princess) on the Emerald. We start in Southampton, UK and then after 3 days at sea (where we hope the storm has decided to change direction!!) we arrive in Funchal, Madeira. We then call in to the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote. After another day at sea we visit Vigo in Northern Spain before our final day
at sea then back to Southampton.
It is a well-known fact that it is not too difficult to
put on the pounds during a typical cruise due to the abundance of food and drink on offer. After the recent Black Sea trip (where we never actually made it to the Black Sea due to a storm in one part and a war in another!!) I was adamant I had gained 7lbs over the 2 weeks. When I weighed myself on returning last week, I was surprised to see I had only gained 2 lbs (as did Roisin) so in my (warped?) reckoning I still have 5lbs to play with!! I now address the Peanut Butter and Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies from the International Café and the Pecan Pie from the restaurant..Do your worst!!!
A well-known and well used web site for likeminded individuals who enjoy cruise holidays is called ‘Cruise Critic'. On this web site you can find a plethora of information on destinations, reviews of cruises and there are also forums that deal with many issues. Within the forum ‘universe', anyone can set up what is known as a roll call. This is a great way to
meet others who are travelling on the same cruise…before you board. There are also those who take time to arrange activities to be enjoyed during the cruise. Anyone can sign up. These
extra curricular activities may be a private tour that works out cheaper than taking the ships excursion or just a meet and greet on board. In this case, Roisin had signed us up for a pre cruise meal at George's, a Greek restaurant in the heart of Southampton.
40 attended this gathering. We were both excited to learn that as well as Kaye (K from Kansas) Pia, a lady we met last year on the Royal Princess (usually heard before she is seen) had also booked this trip. Pia was a useful member of the Scrambled-Egg Heads, our trivia team, on that voyage and had signed up to attend this soiree. On entering the restaurant, a friendly man by the name of Dennis from Livonia, MI ushered us to 2 empty seats. There were 3 long tables set for our party so before too long we both found ourselves engaged in conversation from all sides. I found myself next to the only other 2 Brits at this
welcome party, Barry and Anita who now live in Gibraltar. Barry asked if I had been approached by Princess as the cruise seemed to have been overbooked. Many Brits had been offered a handsome compensation package to step down AND the offer of a free cruise. Would WE accept this package if we were approached? Well, we were approached by Princess who offered us a package. Unfortunately it was a drinks package or wellbeing treatment package which, if taken would ultimately result in us paying them a shed load of money!!
I was sat opposite Tommy and Linda, a couple from Fort Lauderdale and Roisin was sat opposite a couple from just outside Toronto, Canada and next to a Henry and Julie from Scottsdale, Arizona.
After the main course when we were idly chatting, I was aware of a man standing up across from Roisin generally conversing with other guests. This was Lance from Connecticut, U.S.A. He seemed to want to get around as many guests as possible. We introduced ourselves and he immediately said that he recognised us. Then the Canadians said the same, then another elderly couple from one of the other tables turned around and
said that he has seen us before. It was like a scene from Spartacus:
‘I've seen them before'. Then another stands up proclaiming:
‘No, I've seen them before'. Followed by another:
‘I've seen them before!!' I felt like a reality star celebrity for about 5 minutes which strangely enough is about the same time reality star celebrities remain the spotlight!!
I learned that Barry and Anita from
the Rock were staying on after this 11 night cruise and taking the Trans-Atlantic voyage across to Fort Lauderdale. THEN they are staying 2 months in Orlando before starting a 101 day world cruise with the Queen Elizabeth before ending back in Southampton. All because Anita doesn't do flying! I asked Barry if he had ever sailed with Cunard. Not surprisingly they used to do a world cruise every year with them. This instantly brought back memories of John and Marina who we met during our South American cruise in 2013. They had amassed 1500 sailing days in only 15 years. Marina said, quite nonchantly that it was only like the average person doing a world cruise every year!! In Barry and Anita I have finally found the ‘average person!!
The
evening was a great success, good food and excellent company. The only slight disappointment was that Pia and her husband Mike didn't turn up. It was a wet night, they are from Florida….you do the maths!!
Check in was at 12 noon. We dropped the car off, followed the well organised ushers and within 20 minutes we had received our cruise cards. We even decided to pose for the customary embarkation photo that we are unlikely to buy! One last security check and we were on board the Magnificent Emerald Princess, home for the next 11 nights.
After checking out cabin C525, we headed down to the International café for lunch were we bumped in to Tommy and Linda from yesterday's meal. Blimey! That didn't take long. There are 3000 guests (give or take any overbookings) and within 5 minutes you bump in to someone you have met on a previous day. Sometimes you can meet someone on day 1 and not see them again until the end of the cruise. However, where I'm concerned that may be due to not wanting to be seen!!
I forgot how much entertainment is organised on Princess Cruises. Not saying its decent entertainment but there is lots to choose from!! I will write more about the entertainment as the cruise progresses. Hopefully without the sarcasm but that will depend on the entertainment!! There was one name that jumped out when I looked at the names of the Entertainers. Do you remember
Berni Flint?! He holds the record for the most number of wins of the 1970s talent show: Opportunity Knocks. Who can forget his more memorable one and only hit:
I don't want to put a hold on you'? He is advertised as a comedy vocalist. To be honest, I didn't think his singing was that bad!!
On Princess there is a choice of 3 dining options: Early (from 6:00pm) or Late (from 8:15pm), these are both fixed dining or you can select Anytime from 6pm. We have chosen the
anytime option. There is only a limited number of seating for 2 so by choosing anytime the likelihood is that you will be asked to share a table. However, if you are adamant you would like a table for 2, Princess operate a pager system and you are notified when a table becomes free. Despite scabby donkeys not being on the menu we were both rather famished so weren't prepared to wait for a table to become free therefore we were quite happy to share a table with other guests. At our table for 8 Calgary in Canada, Wales, Litchfield and Widnes were represented.
Mr Welshperson (from Merthyr he was!) had heard that the wind is likely to hit force 8. The Beaufort scale converts force 8 to gale force wind. That's not so bad. When I was a child my mother used to tell me to wrap up warm before going out as it's blowing a gale out there!! I don't remember it being more than a little bit of a stiff wind! Nothing a scarf and pair of mitts wouldn't remedy!!
We met Kaye for the evening trivia where we were a little off the pace scoring 15/21. The winners scored 19. As already mentioned this is our 6
th cruise with Princess. I have just realised we have sailed with Kaye on 4 of them!!
Safety muster, which everyone must attend by maritime law was at 3:30pm. No-one actually put their lifejacket on before they were told to do so! The Captain, Marco Fortezze, explained the weather position ahead for the next few days as unfavourable. I love his diplomatic choice of words. He would have been a real estate agent!!
We departed at 4pm. We should have turned right in to the Solent with the Isle of Wight on the Port (left hand) side. However, we turned left and sailed around the IOW then proceeded to head west along the busy shipping Lane of the English Channel. I asked around to ascertain why we took the scenic route. Apparently it is due to the West Solent Sound being silted with sandbanks dotted between the narrow and shallow channels.
Our cabin is what Captain Fortezze, the part time estate agent, would call cosy! There are, however, plenty of hangers and within 10 minutes our cabin steward, Karen from the Philippines introduced herself. A hyperactive talking machine; she is very bubbly, very friendly but very polite.
There was slight movement during the night. This however, may have been due to a combination of me and the chilli con carne I'd had for dinner!! The TV stated Force 7 wind ‘near gale' and sea state moderate (up to 5.5ft waves.) Roisin crossed everything crossable hoping that this is as bad as it'll get. Feeling that this is going to get worse before it gets better, a knot tightened in my stomach. The only knots I want to hear about tomorrow is the Captain announcing the wind speed reducing. Somehow I think the Captain will be addressing the ship tomorrow but for completely different reasons!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.107s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 10; qc: 30; dbt: 0.0463s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Anne and Philip
non-member comment
Glad to read that you are on your travels again. Bernie Flint is well worth watching - very funny and a great voice - He does a fine rendition of the old favourite 'Nessum Dorma', but with new English words by Neil Sedaka, calling the song
'Turn Back the Hands of Time'.