The tale of two cities...and dancing!

Collette Howse on 31 August 2017
I was lucky enough to be chosen to go on a mini cruise with some colleagues this month on the Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) Columbus ship. It sails from Tilbury docks rather than Southampton so I was interested to see how easy it would be for me based in Bicester to get there without having to drive. My journey started on the Bicester – Marylebone train service fast and efficient and then I hopped in a taxi to Victoria bus station but you could just as easily get the tube. From there I picked up the CMV direct coach and off we went. Arrived at the ship for 4 pm and after security was on board. The ship itself has recently had a refit so all the public areas were looking very smart indeed. I was allocated an outside cabin so had a large picture window. My cabin was compact but perfectly fitted with everything I needed. Tea and coffee and a hairdryer were supplied even had a TV though I had no time to watch anything! Once I unpacked it was off to drinks for the “Sail Away Party” at 6 pm where we waved goodbye to England and headed out towards the North Sea. Dinner was seven courses with choices (including vegetarian). The dress code was smart informal and everyone was very smart. There are two dinner sittings in the Waterfront restaurant I was on the later one at 8.30pm which meant I had time to explore the ship a bit and have a pre dinner drink in one of the bars. I was pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices £5 for a large glass of wine, the same as I pay here in Bicester. After a rather lovely meal, I chose to head to bed, but some of my colleagues carried on partying on in the Dome nightclub until 2 am. After a very comfortable sleep, I awoke to us sailing gently through the Netherlands towards Amsterdam. The good thing about the Columbus ship is that it is smaller than some of other cruise ships (775 cabins) which means it can get into smaller ports. It felt like a cross between an ocean cruise and a river cruise best of both worlds! After a nice breakfast back in the Waterfront restaurant – there is the large buffet restaurant Plantation, if you prefer – we headed off on an optional guided coach trip around Amsterdam, followed by an hour long canal cruise which I would thoroughly recommend as it is so peaceful and relaxing to just float along looking at the sites. But of course, you can just as easily head off on your own to wander around Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands. Often called the 'Venice of the North' as some 7000 historic buildings remain located along canals laid out in six crescents radiating from the harbor and encompassing the Amstel River. All connected by over 1000 bridges. With its mixture of gabled houses, churches, clock towers, canals, trams, and bicycles...watch out for them they have right of way! For shoppers there are plenty of familiar and not so familiar shops as well to spend your Euros in from designer boutiques to the little traditional shops …just remember to be back at the ship before it sails!

I explored the ship a little more once back on board and looked in at the small casino and some other bars. Connexions had a modern airy feel to it. Taverner’s a more traditional pub feel, both have entertainment on in the evening as well. The library had plenty of books to choose from. The spa was stunning with plenty of treatments available to book. There is also a well equipped gym. We went to the Palladium show lounge which was a surprise as it had a waiter service for drinks which you do not get on other cruise ships normally. We all joined in with singing along to an 80s show that was on.

After dinner in the specialty restaurant, Indian Fusion, I had to work off some of those calories, so went dancing in the Dome nightclub and kept going until gone 2 am. The music was a real mixture, so something to suit everyone’s taste. The next morning, we arrived early in the gem of a city Antwerp which is just lovely. I took breakfast in the buffet sat outside looking at the city in the sunshine. Antwerp is Belgium’s second largest city and a mixture of medieval and modern buildings. It has a beautiful cathedral which is the largest Gothic church in Belgium. The main square Grote Markt, framed on both sides by tall gilded Renaissance-style historical buildings. After a day wandering the little streets and taking in the sites as well as a beer tour…well when in Belgium. We headed back on board to get ready for the formal night, where some gents were in black tie but also some were in lounge suits and the ladies wore cocktail dresses. After another seven course meal and more dancing, I headed to bed ready for an early departure from the ship when we docked back in the UK. After breakfast in the buffet, I left the ship at 8.45 and was back home in Bicester by 11 am using their coach and the train as before, surprisingly quick!

Would I do it again? Most definitely! It is an excellent way to see two cities in one weekend trip. It makes for a very relaxed way of traveling you only unpack once.

If you would like to plan a visit to one of these cities or a cruise elsewhere do get in touch.