Day 14 - At Sea

It's our last full day on the cruise and already we're making arrangements to get home.  Suitcases need to be packed and left outside the cabin door by 2030 tonight.  These will be whisked away by our cabin steward later this evening and will unloaded onto the quayside in Southampton tomorrow, ready for us to reclaim when we get off the ship.    We need to vacate the cabin by 0800 tomorrow and have arranged to disembark at 0900.

 

Like many of our fellow passengers however, we've been squeezing every last minute out of the holiday, and we spent some time out on deck this afternoon enjoying the last of the sunshine.  It's still pleasant in the sun, but the temperatures have dropped now and it's a rather chilly 15 degrees. This morning, we also visited the Oasis Spa on Deck 5 and for the first time ever, took advantage of the relaxation therapies offered on the cruise. I opted for the 50 minute full body massage and Christine chose the 50 minute facial treatment - this will make us suitable relaxed for the long road home! There is a great selection of treatments available including acupuncture, body scrubs, manicures and pedicures, and a hydrotherapy pool. The staff are very friendly, professional and knowledgeable and put you at ease instantly, especially if you're first timers like us!

 

At 1500, Britannia was approaching the Brest peninsula with the French island of Ouessant on the starboard side.    There are less than 300 miles to run before reaching Southampton.  We'll enter the English Channel this evening and reduce our ship in the busy shipping lanes before picking up the Solent pilots on the eastern end of the Isle of Wight.  Arrival in Southampton is expected to be around 0630 on Friday morning.

 

Britannia is a fantastic addition to the P&O fleet and we've enjoyed every minute of our time on board.  This was our first time with P&O, and we perhaps didn't quite appreciate how much the cruise and the ship itself were aimed at the British cruise market.  In the past, we've been accustomed to sharing our cruise ship with many more international guests!    P&O's 'family friendly' ships, of which Britannia is one, are ideal however for families and those with small children, and the ability to depart from Southampton is a very convenient and appealing option.   P&O is certainly a consideration for the future, although we would probably not repeat this particular type of itinerary, preferring instead to explore new places.

 

As we start to get our belongings packed away, this will be our last blog post and we hope you have enjoyed reading about the holiday, the ship and the many destinations we've visited.   In the meantime, thanks for reading.

 

Andrew & Christine

Scotland

Day 13 - Vigo

The last port of call on our cruise was the Spanish port of Vigo, in the north west autonomous community of Galicia. 

 

This is not the same Spain as many British people dream of, when thinking about their forthcoming summer holidays.  Here in Galicia, the hills are lush and green with trees, and the coastline is rugged and rocky and resembles something more likely to be seen in Ireland or the west coast of Scotland. The temperature is much, much cooler than we have experienced so far on the cruise, and on arrival into port this morning, it was only 13 degrees Celsius.

 

Vigo has the largest fishing port in Europe, and fishing is not surprisingly a major player in the economy of this region.  In addition, the port also facilitates the import of many goods into northern Spain including construction materials and motor vehicles.

 

After leaving the ship this morning, we headed out into the city and explored the central area close to the cruise terminal.  Even though it is a weekday morning, the city has a calming, peaceful atmosphere and its very pleasant to walk around without experiencing the usual characteristics of noise, congestion and pollution which afflict many cities.   Vigo is a modest city without the brash exuberance of some of its much larger counterparts such as Barcelona, Madrid and Seville.  But nevertheless, this is a city that knows how to enjoy itself as the streets are lined with sophisticated restaurants and more casual taparias and cervecerias.

 

We did some shopping close to the port, before returning to the ship for some lunch.  By mid-afternoon, the temperature had risen and the sun was starting to shine, making for a pleasant departure at 1600 back down the Vigo River and out into the Atlantic Ocean.

 

A final day at sea tomorrow, and possibly time for one last update, before signing off as we approach the United Kingdom.   Our journey overnight and tomorrow takes us up the Iberian coast, round Cape Finesterre, and then diagonally across the Bay of Biscay towards the English Channel.

Day 12 - Lisbon

We're nearing the end of our cruise now, and this morning we arrived in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.   Almost 500 miles have passed since we left Lanzarote, and the temperature is noticeably cooler and it was only 18 degrees this morning on arrival.  

 

Overnight, a swell had developed in the Atlantic and there was some movement in the ship in the early hours of the morning.  Whilst the pitching and rolling was clearly noticeable, it didn't disrupt our sleep  and wasn't comparable to the Force 10 storm we encountered a few years earlier in the Pacific Ocean.   The waters calmed as we entered the River Tagus and approached Lisbon, being all fast and alongside by 0800.

 

Our excursion was scheduled to depart at 1030 and this allowed us to enjoy a relaxing breakfast before alighting the ship.  Such was the popularity of this particular excursion, that even when booked in July, the tour departures earlier in the morning had already been fully booked.

 

Lisbon is reputed to be one of the oldest European capitals, established during Roman times, but evidence seems to suggest it was actually occupied by settlers long before that.  The city lies at the mouth of the River Tagus on the western coast of the Iberian peninsula.  With around three million people living in the city and its surrounds, Lisbon accounts for over a quarter of Portugal's entire population. The city is divided into a number of districts or bairros, each with its own architectural style, living standards and sub-culture.  

 

We begin our tour of the city and pass by the impressive Praça do Comércio, one of the city's main squares which historically marked the main access point to the River Tagus for seagoing vessels.  We're not on the coach for long however, and quickly transfer to our little tramcar, which had been specially reserved for us.  Lisbon's tramway system is a pleasing blend of heritage, vintage vehicles combined with a modern light rail operation, all sharing the same track network within the city.   Accompanied with a local guide we set off and headed back towards the Baixa district, which is the heart of the city centre. Most of the buildings in this area date from the 18th century, having been constructed after a large earthquake hit the city in 1755 destroying much of the infrastructure. 

 

The tram moved into the historic Alfama district, the oldest in Lisbon, and began to climb up towards the Castle of São Jorge. Unfortunately, on the climb through the narrow, steep and winding streets to the castle, we encountered a lorry which had blown one of its tyres, and was completely blocking the road.  The narrowness of the streets meant there was no way for other vehicles to pass, and within a few minutes, it became a scene of traffic chaos.  There was virtually no hope of the situation being resolved quickly, and the tram tour had to be abandoned.

 

On foot, we made our way back to the centre where our coach picked us up, and arrangements were made to salvage the rest of the tour.  With the itinerary now being somewhat impromptu, our guide and driver took us around the city and back to the Belém district to view the Torre de Belém – an impressive 16th century tower built on the Tagus to guard the entrance to the city's port.  There was short stop for refreshments and photographs before it was time to head back to the ship. 

 

Lisbon is a very beautiful city and we saw many of its impressive and attractive buildings during the tour – too many to mention here!  I first visited Lisbon back in 2001, and it's actually much prettier than I remembered it.  It's definitely a city we'd return to in future, perhaps for a weekend break.

 

Departure from Lisbon came shortly after 1630 and Britannia slowly made her west along the River Tagus towards the ocean.  The journey takes us under the city's distinctive '25 de Abril' road bridge, and past the statue of Christ the King which resembles the Corcovado monument in Rio de Janeiro. The ship follows the Lisbon coast past the towns of Estoril and Cascais before turning northwards.

 

Tomorrow, will be our last port of call, in the Spanish city of Vigo, and the ship is expected to dock around 0800.

Day 11 - At Sea

Another quiet day at sea today as the ship begins to head back north towards the UK.   At lunchtime we were about 200 miles west of the Moroccan coast and the city of Casablanca, so it was still very hot and many passengers were out on deck and enjoying the pools.

 

Dinner last night for us was in the Horizon buffet again, which was our fourth visit.  An interesting point to note is that the restaurant does close at 2130 and after 2100, the service starts to tail off considerably.  The servery starts to close and many of the food choice are withdrawn.  The last servings in the main dining rooms are also 2130 but on previous cruises, the buffets remain open much later to cater for those who choose to eat late.  Later diners really seem to have very limited options on this particular ship.

 

Tomorrow, we arrive in Lisbon, and are booked on a short sightseeing excursion of the city, including a ride on one of the city's historic trams.

Day 10 - Arrecife

It's Day 10 and today marked the last of the visits to the Canary Islands with our call in Arrecife, capital of Lanzarote.  During the night, the ship sailed north-easterly, and through the seven mile wide straight between the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. We arrived at the cruise terminal in Arrecife around 0900.

 

Initial impressions of Lanzarote are of a rugged, relatively low-lying volcanic landscape.  Along with the rest of the Canary archipelago, the island was formed around 15 million years ago, although volcanic activity was recorded as recently as the year 1730.  Today, everything is quiet from a geological perspective although several volcanic peaks can clearly be seen on arrival in Arrecife.  Lanzarote has a desert climate, which when combined with the volcanic landscape, gives the whole island a parched and arid appearance.  There is virtually no plant life visible at first glance, although cacti, olive and date palm trees can all be found.

 

We took the shuttle bus from the cruise terminal into the centre of Arrecife – it's about a three kilometre walk which at times traverses busy main roads that aren't really suitable for pedestrians.  Shuttle buses have been a feature of several previous cruise calls – they are simply a fleet of locally chartered coaches which run at 15-20 minute internals from the ship to the town or city centre.  The price is £4 each way per person, and this simply charged to your on-board account if you want to use the service.

 

Arrecife is not a big city with only 55,000 inhabitants, and it's quite easy to walk round the old town and harbour area.  The harbour area is particularly attractive, lined with its many white-washed buildings. It is Sunday so almost all of the shops are closed, with only cafes and restaurants, and the occasional souvenir shop remaining open for business.  We stayed in the town for about two hours before returning back to the ship.

 

Departure was delayed tonight due to a technical fault on the ship.  Moisture had been detected in one of Britannia's electrical switchboards, and her electrical team spent several hours investigating the cause and removing any condensation from the equipment.  There was no disruption to any on-board facilities although an early evening bingo session, originally planned to take place at sea, had to be cancelled to comply with local gambling regulations!  Britannia eventually set sail shortly after 2300, and despite the late departure, the delay is not expected to affect our arrival into Lisbon on Tuesday.

Day 9 - Las Palmas

We were awoken this morning by the usual vibration from the ship's bow thrusters as we manoeuvred into the tight harbour in Las Palmas, capital of Gran Canaria.  It was a muggy start to the day with a moderate blanket of cloud partially obscuring the strong morning sunshine.  The humidity and haze didn't really help create a good first impression of the city, and the surroundings seemed rather uninspiring with the ship sandwiched between the commercial docks on one side and a Spanish Navy military quay on the other.

 

There was no rush for us to go ashore this morning as we'd planned a quiet day.  None of the advertised excursions appealed to us and we wanted to go ashore independently.  Excursions offered by P&O today included simple transfers to the beach and sand dunes at Maspalomas, sightseeing tours of the city and island, and also speciality tours including a submarine dive, 4x4 adventure and wine tasting.

 

We walked out of the cruise terminal and along the redeveloped quayside to stretch our legs.  Having no major plans for the day, nor indeed any great expectations of Las Palmas, we were happy just to walk along the waterfront.  I'm sure the city does have lots to offer, but for today, we were content with just a quick overview and we headed back to the ship and the air conditioned coolness of our cabin. 

 

A quick word on Britannia's cabins which we haven't mentioned until now.  Our cabin is a standard balcony cabin on Deck 12 – there are there are no outside cabins on this ship and the choice is simply between an inside cabin or a balcony.  There are of course suites which provide more spacious accommodation and the luxury of a bath instead of a shower.  The cabin itself is of an adequate size and contains all the essential items, with contemporary decor and attractive back-lighting behind the bed.  It does feel a little cramped at times, but we recognise that this is because we have a travel cot in the cabin which takes up most of the free space beside the balcony doors. The toilet and shower room is of the standard 'wet room' design and offers enough space to move around when entering or leaving the shower cubicle.  Outside the bathroom, we have a storage area for clothes and other belongings, although we feel this is slightly smaller than on previous ships. 

 

Back in the main cabin, a large flatscreen TV adorns the the wall facing the bed.  There is a choice of a number of live TV news channels and a range of films which are either free or can be viewed on payment of a small fee.  The TV also includes digital signage offering safety information, weather forecasts and current conditions, details of excursions and destinations, plus the usual moving map display showing the ship's present position and track.  We didn't measure the TV but estimate it to be around 40" screen size. By comparison, we looked at photos of our first cruise, back in 2008, on Ocean Village Two and noted the small 15" portable TV perched on a table in the corner of the cabin – how times have changed! 

 

Much has also been said on internet cruise forums about the compact size of Britannia's balconies. To be honest, we can't see what all the criticism is about since our balcony offers more than enough space to sit and move around.  Again, comparing with other cruise ships that we have sailed on, the balcony is at least the same size and very possibly larger than what we have experienced previously.

 

We set sail for the port of Arrecife on Lanzarote at 1800 and the overnight sailing will take us at a leisurely pace past the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.  Arrival in Arrecife is scheduled for around 0800 tomorrow.

Day 8 - Tenerife

We arrived in Tenerife at 0800 this morning, which is now Day 8 of the cruise.   Tenerife is the first and largest of three Spanish Canary Islands to be visited on the cruise – the others being Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.  We are now past the half-way point of the voyage, and are flirting with the most southerly latitudes visited on the cruise, before turning back north in the next few days towards the United Kingdom. The weather is warm now – 28 degrees Celsius was forecasted for today and this reflects both our latitude and proximity to the north African coast.

 

Today, we were scheduled to take a coach excursion to Mount Teide, the highest mountain in the Canary Islands, the top of which is reached by cable car.  After a somewhat rushed breakfast in the cabin, we made our way to the Meridian restaurant on Deck 5, which was the designated assembly point for all excursions leaving the ship today. Because of the large volume of passengers leaving the ship, everyone was asked to meet in the Meridian first, for pre-allocation into tour groups, to ensure a swift and orderly departure when disembarking.  We've seen this being done badly on previous cruises, but are pleased to report that our tour was dispatched promptly on or around the time published last night in the ship's newsletter.

 

Once onto the coach, departure was within minutes of boarding, and we headed out of the port and onto the motorway towards the north of Tenerife island.  It's instantly noticeable that the motorway is constantly climbing (for several miles) as it makes its way out of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife towards the island's former capital of La Laguna.  We pass by the island's northern airport at Los Rodeos, before heading upwards on the road towards the Teide National Park, which is home to several active but 'sleeping' volcanoes.

 

Progress is slow on the 35 mile journey as the coach powers its way up the twisting single carriageway road. The road is initially through lush forests, but shortly after entering the Teide National Park zone, we emerge above the tree line around 6000 feet and the landscape suddenly changes.  The terrain begins to resemble the lunar or Martian surfaces and indeed our tour guide informs us that the area has actually been used as the movie set for Clash of the Titans (2010).  The landscape becomes increasingly barren, with minimal plant life, and the remnants of lava flows can be seen from earlier volcanic activity.  Lava rocks which cools quickly, result in the formation of a glassy, black mineral known as obsidian, and this can be seen forming the top layer on many large rocks and boulders on either side of the road.  The most recent volcanic eruption on the island was El Chinyero in 1909, and we pass close to the distinctive cinder cone on the way to Teide.  The last eruption of Teide itself is not known exactly but is believed to be sometime around 850 AD. 

 

Eventually, we reach the cable car station around 7730 feet.   Unfortunately, our daughter was ill on the coach journey up to the cable car station and my wife decided that it was best they didn't attempt the ascent on the cable car.  So I made the journey alone to the top of the mountain.   The cable car can be notoriously busy during the summer season but fortunately, queues this morning were very light and once on the cable car, the top station was reached in less than 10 minutes.  The top station is at an altitude of 11,663 feet and is approximately 500 feet below the actual summit itself which stands at 12,198 feet.   It's noticeably cooler at the top and initially the area is shrouded in a cold, damp fog.  But within minutes, the fog clears revealing the summit and views of the National Park below.  There isn't a massive amount to do on reaching the top, although a couple of designated pathways lead away from the cable car station allowing people to explore the geology of the mountain.  The paths are narrow and rocky and care must be exercised.  Any attempts to quickly climb stairs or ascend steep slopes on the pathway result in a slight dizziness due to the altitude and reduced oxygen in the air.

 

Having spent around 45 minutes on the mountain, it was time to head back down on the cable car.  Once at the bottom, there is a small restaurant and also a gift shop allowing the opportunity to purchase some local souvenirs. Then it was back to Santa Cruz to re-join the ship. The return journey by coach didn't seem quite as long as the outward trip, although it still took over an hour to descend back down to the coast.

 

After dining in the Peninsular restaurant (devilled whitebait followed by venison),  Britannia was almost ready to sail again, and we let slip at exactly 2300 for the relatively short crossing to Gran Canaria.  The ship is scheduled to arrive in the island capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at around 0800 tomorrow.

Day 7 - Funchal

A quiet morning and afternoon in Funchal, on the second day of our visit to the Madeiran island capital.  We did our exploring yesterday and chose to have a relaxing day mostly spent on board the ship.  I took the opportunity to have a stroll around Funchal at lunchtime, mainly because we needed to find an ATM to top up on Euros for spending money during the day.  It will be a busy day again tomorrow when we reach the first of the Canary Islands, Tenerife.   We are planning on visiting Mount Teide, the highest mountain on the island and indeed the whole of Spain, which stands at over 12,000 feet.

 

Departure was at 1600, and after a short test of one of the lifeboats, the ship was turned to the south and we headed in the direction of Tenerife.

Day 6 - Funchal

We decided to be healthy and walk into the city centre rather than taking the shuttle bus.  It's actually a pleasant walk along the sea front, and the original 40 minute estimate was slightly over inflated.  It's perhaps true if heading for the old town but you can reach the city centre in less time.   Britannia was joined by MSC's Splendida, also in port for the day, and it was quite evident that several thousand cruise passengers had descended upon the city – the promenade was quite congested at times with a constant flow of passengers making their way to and from the ships.  We were in no rush anyway and made our way past the marina and along the recently redeveloped promenade. 

 

Eventually we reached the old town and decided to stop in one of the local restaurants for lunch.  The old town, or zona velha as it's known locally, dates from the 15th century and contains many historic buildings in a series of quaint narrow cobbled streets.  There is a dense concentration of cafes and restaurants in this area and it's heavily frequented by tourists seeking a more authentic and aesthetic part of the city.

 

From the edge of the old town, the cable car station for Monte can also be found.  The queues were quite lengthy today and although we gave it brief consideration, we decided against making the trip.  Having done the trip before on previous holidays to Madeira, the cable car is a great way to see Funchal from above.  It's not for the faint hearted though and at times, the land drops away more than 100 feet beneath the cars as they ascend the steep slopes of Madeira's hillsides.  After about 15 minutes, the cars reach Monte, a suburb of Funchal which stands over 2000 feet above the city.  On reaching the top, most people head to the botanical gardens of the former Monte Palace Hotel, although walkers may choose to explore some of the levadas which pass through this area.

 

So after lunch, we took the city bus tour around Funchal.  Using open-top double deckers, the tour initially makes its way around the traffic congested streets of the university and cathedral area, before climbing up through the western suburbs of the city.  It takes around an hour in total, and eventually the bus returns through the hotel zone to the west of the city centre.  There's nothing particularly attractive or interesting about this part of Funchal, which is entirely devoted to tourism, and unless your accommodation happens to be in this area, it's best avoided.

 

After returning to the ship in the afternoon, we headed out again in the evening as planned, and dined in one of the seafront restaurants close to the marina. To return back to the old town again was just a little too far, hence our decision to find something closer to the port. No trip to Madeira would be complete without sampling the local speciality, scabbard fish with banana.  The fish is almost entirely boneless and the white flesh is very tender. It's an unusual dish, but it goes well with the sweetness of the fried, caramelised banana, and is served with boiled potatoes and salad.  And so after a nice meal and bottle of wine, it was time to head back to the ship again.  Tomorrow, we have another day in Funchal – not a full day though as we set sail for Tenerife in the Canary Islands at 1630.

Day 6 - Funchal

A problem with the ship's WiFi yesterday evening meant a short delay in posting the last blog update.  Fortunately, the problem was resolved overnight and we are back in business again.

 

We have now arrived in Funchal after approaching Madeira from the west and sailing along the south coast early this morning.  It's a beautiful day already and passengers are streaming off the ship, many choosing to go ashore independently.  Although the city is a stone's throw away, we are berthed at the cruise terminal on the harbour breakwater which means a 35-40 minute walk to reach the city centre.  Fortunately, there are transfer buses operating every 15 minutes at a cost of £4 (which is simply charged to your on-board account) and we will taking advantage of these later when we head into the city.