My first cruise out into the water!
I have been very fortunate as a travel agent to have visited many ships, to see their layout and the standards of staterooms (cabins). I have always visited for lunch so that I have sampled the type of cuisine they offer, and I always get a great feel for the ship and meet many passengers as they embark ( get on) and disembark ( get off) . This varies throughout the different cruise operators so it has paid to know my stuff, so that I book my clients to sail with other passengers that enjoy the same atmosphere and standards as they do! I have always gathered as much information as possible, so that I am a wealth of knowledge for those that I book. Once, I even stayed overnight on a cruise ship! and so I sampled the bed, bathroom, balcony, restaurant and all of the entertainment (Well as much as one can in one night!) But I had never actually moved out of dock... Until this Saturday just passed, I had never ventured out into the open water. This was my very first actual, proper cruise! Well, sort of! ~ I cheated a little. I booked a 3 night cruise from Southampton, perfect as a taster, I thought.
We had a balcony stateroom on Lido deck (Deck 15) and it was perfect. The White Company toiletries, good size bathroom, plenty of hanging space (I can still pack it in for 3 nights!) very comfy bed, good TV channels and plenty of information. The balcony was worth it to me as I appreciated sitting out and watching the waves, catching a little sun and relaxing. We woke one morning for sunrise which was beautiful. (We went back to sleep after)
Now it has to be said, and I think long time cruisers forget this, that the first part of your cruise is spent map reading and cursing, walking forwards and backwards, up and down stairs and lifts and scratching your head. We were on the P&O Azura which is no small ship and it took a while to get our bearings. Soon enough though you get the hang of it and wonder how you ever got lost!
I was a little daunted by the fact that not long after boarding, we had to grab our life jackets from our rooms and head for our nearest ‘Muster station’ for a safety drill, … But it was all done in such good humour which made it fun and I was impressed that the staff ensured that each and every passenger were happy with fitting their own life jacket! I also discovered that sitting in a seat with a life jacket on is actually rather comfortable… But maybe that is another story …
So to the bar on the top deck for a champagne sail away party … where under sunny skies we said goodbye to Southampton in a party like atmosphere along with most of the other passengers. ‘Away we go!’ We were happy to play along for a while, but soon we headed for one of the quieter more sophisticated bars, to sip a glass of wine and watch the sunset through floor to ceiling windows, as we moved out into the open sea.
We had chosen to dine at the second sitting. Our table details had been left in our room, however we preferred a different table so that we could sit with our friends. The restaurant manager organised this for us with no problem, and that evening we enjoyed a lovely meal, with good wine. We took a wander around after dinner and sat for a while enjoying the band in one of the lounges before retiring to a comfy bed and falling asleep to the sounds of the sea.
It seems that there are different types of cruisers; Ones that are up and out at it with breakfasts full in their tummies by 8am and ready to embark on their pre booked full day excursion ashore (We had docked at Zeebrugge, Belgium) And those that begrudgingly leave their pillows, lazily get ready, saunter to breakfast, and then think about what they will do for the day. Luckily for us (Being of the latter description) cruising caters for both types. A great day was had enjoying the canals and pretty streets of Bruges, tasting the local beer with mussels and chips followed by beautiful Belgian chocolate! We were back in time to grab a sunbed around the pool and enjoy the last of the sun, as we set sail for the Channel Islands.
A formal night for our second night, a chance to dress up and see the men in their finest suits and black ties! We made the very best of this night and found a fantastic wine bar, very contemporary that suited us perfectly for our pre-dinner drinks. Another great menu to choose from at dinner, and after we enjoyed a Neil Diamond Tribute act, followed by dancing until the small hours in the disco bar. We popped in to see the Casino, and had a short listen to those giving it a good try at the Karaoke bar along the way.
So as you can imagine, Guernsey by tender (A boat that takes you to shore from the ship anchored rather than being docked) was a mid-morning departure after our busy night, and we enjoyed a fabulous day at Castle Cornet, well worth a visit with great views and museums of the history of the Guernsey Militia, as well as the treat of the blast of the noon gun! (That cleared away the cobwebs!!) We enjoyed some shopping and a walk around the town then returned to our ship for a rest before dinner. The sun was blazing and my reclining chair on my balcony was my best friend for the next hour!
Our last night aboard was a quieter affair and we wrestled with going to see the comedian after dinner or grabbing a blanket and watching a film out on deck under the stars. In the end the comedian won and it was good to retire with a smile on our face and memories of a lovely weekend!
Disembarkation the next morning after breakfast was extremely well organised and parking at Southampton had been straight forward and easy, collection was just as good… Before long we were heading home and the Azura would be welcoming more passengers on board to enjoy all that she has to offer.
Would I cruise again? Most definitely! .. A longer cruise will give me more time to explore and enjoy the ship.. You never know I may even become one of those ‘up early and ashore ‘type of cruisers! After all, there’s a whole world out there to see …. And what a great way to see it!