Last Ashore Day

This morning we arrived in Vigo, on the northwest coast of Spain. Interestingly, Spain is one hour ahead of the UK, but we've already changed our clocks (because Portugal shares the same timezone as the UK). Therefore, we were encouraged to remain on ship time whilst here, to avoid any confusion. Talk about docking in the centre of town!! Literally leave the dock, and the shops are there!! We walked around for a while, whilst there was some cloud cover, and this afternoon, we reboarded.
This is our final stop.
Tomorrow is a 'sea' day, before arriving in Southampton early Saturday.
I have admit to not looking forward to this leg of the journey, as last night was extremely rocky, and I suspect the Bay of Biscay will be even less forgiving!!
The suitcases have already been brought out of hiding, and things have been packed away.
I hope you've enjoyed reading about our adventures as virgin cruisers.
When we get home, I'll do one final update so pop back soon.

Lisbon

Yesterday morning we glided under the bridge to dock in Lisbon. At 10am we disembarked and found taxis to take us to the Placa de Comercio. The decision to take a bus tour was abandoned due to the length of the queue.
Instead, we took the Elevator Santa Justa to view the city from above.
We then took taxis to Belem, to see the Monastery of Jeronimo; a very impressive place.
A taxi ride later and we arrived back at Alcantra Mar, and re-boarded the ship.
After a brief rest, it was time to get ready for dinner and entertainment.
Have you noticed the theme that ran generally throughout our holiday? Eat and be entertained.
Tonight it was a Beatles tribute band, and later on was adults only with Graham Seymour - the Cruise Director. He's been very funny and tonight he took his opportunity to shine!! Very rude. Very funny.

Malaga

Ola! Our day at sea was pretty uneventful, unless you count my entry in the belly-flop competition!! It stung a little, but at least I should be on the official DVD of the cruise!!
We are now in Malaga and set sail at 3pm on course for Lisbon.
We decided not to disembark today and take advantage of a quiet morning by the pool.
Last night the headline entertainment was provided by Zoe Tyler (from Loose Women). By all accounts, it was a good show, but Jamie only made it past the first song before he got bored, and I took him to bed.
Tonight it's the turn of the house performers, with a circus theme. Hope it will be good.
Not much else to report. More soon. The picture today is of one of the towel animals that are made by the stateroom attendants.

Cannes and Barcelona

The home of the premiere film festival is a special place, with the sun glinting off the sea, the posh people and fancy shops.
We stayed Cannes, and took a road train tour around the sights and 'old parts' of this famous area of the Riviera.
Farrel, Jane, David and boys all went to Monaco for the day.
A rich persons paradise, with the casino, palace and parts of the famous grand prix circuit experienced by all. Not to mention all the top car marques, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini.
It was a long day, and no-one could be bothered to get dressed for dinner in the dining room, so it was buffet, buffet in the Windjammer.
On Sunday morning we stepped out in Barcelona. A city filled with culture.
We took the official tour bus, which went all around the port area, to the home of Gaudi and across to the home of FC Barcelona. We completed our tour wandering down La Rambla, absorbing the sights and sounds along the way.
Farrel, Jane, Ben and Zach did it slightly differently and discovered the shul in the Gothic area of the city. No longer in general use (just Bar-Mitzvahs and weddings) it is has only recently been discovered following the repeal of the law that banned Jews from Spain.
Dinner in the dining room was followed by family karaoke, in which Jamie was the star of the show, when he ended with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Andrea to Ethan and Theo to the midnight buffet, at which ice sculptures were on display.
We leave Barcelona at 1am, for a day at sea (for which read "lazing around the pool"!)

Livorno

Day 7. After a day at sea yesterday, we arrived in Livorno at about 7am. The Igielmans, Blumenows and Coskys (well, 2 of them) departed the ship at 8.20 to go on a pre-arranged tour to Pisa and Florence.
The coach took them first to see Pisa with its leaning tower, followed by a coach journey to Florence, with the Duomo, Uffizi Palace and Ponte Vecchio.
It has been a very hot day, and not easy to schlepp from place to place.
Back on board the ship, Katy remained in club, and Julian stayed with Theo and Jamie, with most of the afternoon by the pool.
By early evening, everyone had returned and showered, ready for dinner and entertainment; this evening provided by Pete Matthews, a comedy juggler.
It has to be said that, on the whole, the entertainment has been first class.
Next stop is Cannes, on the South of France.

All At Sea

Today was a 'sea' day. We awoke about 40 miles off the coast of Africa and headed to Deck 11 to bag a sun lounger or 5!! It was very breezy, which belied the strength of the sun. Suntan lotion was being applied most liberally.
Following lunch, Ben, Zach, Ethan and Theo did the wall-climbing, and then everyone did their own thing before dinner.
It was formal night tonight, and everyone was looking very smart.
More entertainment followed with a song and dance show, before a drink or two in a bar.
Tomorrow - Sardinia.

Cruise Update

Today was Gibraltar. It was hot but The Rock was there for exploring. Each family did their own thing, with personal tours to learn about the history and see the sights, including the famous apes. A stroll through town and then back to the ship.
The amazing thing about Gibraltar is their patriotic pride towards Great Britain. Everywhere there are symbols and statues, not to mention the currency is sterling. Even the Queens birthday is a national holiday.
On returning to the ship, it was almost impossible to find a sun lounger; since this was the first full day of blue skies and very high temperatures.
The boys all dipped into the pool for a while, before Daniel, Josh and Ethan went skating. Ben, Zach and Theo did mini-golf and then we all met for dinner.
Tonight's entertainment, in the Alhambra Theatre, was provided by the comedian David Copperfield. A very funny act, which was totally unexpected.
A full day indeed. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is at sea. I'll post some photos soon, so keep checking back.

Day 2

The first night was event free. We took in the Welcome Aboard show and then wandered through the Royal Promenade before venturing on deck. It was a little breezy, but that didn't deter the boys from helping themselves to frozen yoghurt!! We awoke bright and, too, early and breakfasted in the Windjammer Cafe. Ethan and Theo then tried out the clubs, and seemed to enjoy them, and all the children then stripped and jumped into the H2O Zone... It was formal night, and everyone looked resplendent in dinner dress. After dinner we went to see the show; a musical evening with Darren Day. Another busy day over.

We Are Sailing

I write this as the ship sets sail from Southampton. Having boarded at 11.45, we've tentatively explored, taken part in the muster drill and unpacked most of our luggage. The staterooms are perfect for our needs; hopefully we won't spend too much time in them. I'll report more later, but here's a photo of the ship as we arrived today.

2 Days Until Embarkation

Goodness me, just 2 days to go. Today is the last day of work for me, before heading to Bournemouth for an overnight, prior to the cruise.

The packing is almost complete, just got fingers crossed nothing has been forgotten.

The next time I update we will be on board the Independence of the Seas - can't wait.

The Final Countdown...

It's nearly time - 4 Days To Embarkation.

It's Tuesday morning. Tomorrow, Ethan and Theo are going to Bournemouth for the last few days before we leave. They're excited to be spending some time with their grandparents, and we're excited we get a few days to concentrate on packing!!

Oh the packing. I have a whole suitcase just for me! I'm beside myself!! And it's full - ha! ha!

Anyway - there's little to report now.

Just 4 more sleeps....

8 Days Until Embarkation

It's Friday evening, and I'm sitting in front of the TV, with three suitcases looking at me. We have just 8 days until we get our sea legs. Actually, it's more like 7, as it's the evening!!

The Euros have arrived, as have the EHIC cards. What cards? EHIC - European Health Insurance Cards. They replaced the old E111, reciprical health agreement. I didn't know about them until last week, but I applied on Sunday night, and they arrived here on Thursday.

No plans for the weekend - except, we need to start packing the cases.

10 Days Until Embarkation

It's Wednesday 5th August. In just 10 days time, we'll be boarding the worlds biggest cruise ship (well, one of them!)

That includes 7 days at work - oh, I feel those days will drag!!

I think the countdown will really begin on Saturday, when there is just a week to go; you know the thing - "Just imagine, this time next week...."

Anyway, last night I booked an excursion for Andrea and Ethan. "Florence & Pisa On Your Own" - it's a coach journey to both places, but when there, they can do as they please. They're not the sort of places for Jamie (or a buggy, come to think of it) and so I'll remain on board.

We are planning on the beach in Cannes and Malaga, and definitely getting off in Barcelona. We're still undecided on the other destinations.

I've also purchased one adult and one child soda package. As much coke as we can drink for about £4 / day (slightly less for children)!! We get a souvenir mug as well!!

Our Euros should arrive today, from the bank, and my new dinner jacket was delivered yesterday; it's a perfect fit, and a steal at just £30 from M&S.

I think that's all for now. Stay tuned, and there'll be more soon.

Something For The Children

It was great to meet everyone over the weekend, and, as thought, much of the conversation was cruise oriented.

Who's doing what, where and when. What's being packed. Excursions. How much cash to take. One topic of conversation was what the children will be up to.

We chose, as our first foray into cruising, the Independence of the Seas. Currently the largest cruise ship in the world (along with its sister The Freedom of the Seas).

Importantly, the ship is very family friendly, with entertainment to suit all ages. For the older boys, there is the Voyager programme.

Adventure Science by High Touch High Tech
Conducted by specially trained Adventure Scientists, this programme combines fun and hands-on science experiments. Featured programmes include: Fossil Fever, Volcanoes, Space Mud, The Power of the Sun Meteorology Madness, Buccaneers Bounty and The Mystery of the Motion of the Ocean.

Adventure Art by Crayola®
These activities acquaint children with diverse cultures through art. Voyagers are introduced to the fine art of mask making, pottery, fish kites and porthole dioramas. This is available for the younger kids too.

Adventure Theatre by Camp Broadway
Blending educational activities with on-your-feet fun, Adventure Theatre participants get a first taste of the actor's craft, in which entire worlds are created with just their bodies, voices and imaginations. Using structured theatre games, vocal and physical exercises, and creativity-freeing activities, instructors guide groups through an exploration of the theatre arts.

Other Voyager Games and Theme Activities
The X Games, Rockin' Through the Decades, Reggae Beach Party, Scavenger Hunts, List-O-Rama, Backstage Tour, The Art Walk, Win, Cruise or Draw, Talent Show and Sports Tournaments.

To be quite honest, I don't expect to see much of the boys.

For the younger ones (there are 2 toddlers in our party) there is also an extensive range of activities in the Aquanauts programme. I hope that they'll have as much fun as the older ones.

Adventure Science by High Touch High Tech
Conducted by our specially trained Adventure Scientists, this programme combines fun and hands-on science experiments. Featured programmes include: Wacky Water Workshop, Magnetic Mayhem, Jurassic Jr., Sea Creature Treasures, Gummy Candies and Bubbling Potions.

Sail into Story time
These theme-related story time sessions bring each story to life with activities, discussions on each story and hands-on activities for the children to participate in following each reading.

Other Games and Theme Activities
Nutty Nicknames, Un-Birthday Party, Camp Aquanauts, Ice-Cream Party, Super Hero Afternoon, Face Painting, Pirate Night, Talent Show, Under The Sea Night and Pyjama Rama Movie Night.

So, I have no doubt the kids will enjoy this as much as the grown-ups, and I hope this will be one holiday they'll never forget.