All Aboard Columbus...Antwerp & Amsterdam here we come

Kate Matthews on 29 September 2017
I was very fortunate enough recently to win a weekend mini cruise onboard Columbus with Cruise & Maritime Voyages. I was very excited as this was to be my first cruising experience! We set sail from the London cruise terminal in Essex, so ideal if you are a Londoner like me, a nice stress free 35-minute drive from SE London and there I was at Tilbury Docks. On arrival I pulled up alongside the ship where I dropped my bags with the concierge then headed off to park my car.

Once I boarded, I headed off to find my cabin with my case already waiting for me outside the door. My cabin was lovely and compact, perfect for a couple, with all the facilities you'd need, including tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer, mini fridge, TV (although there was no time to watch this) and a picture window which was great to look out of first thing in the morning to see where I had just docked.

Once all settled in I met up with my fellow Travel Counsellors on the sundeck, we had an ice cold drink, sat around the pool with music playing. The weather was amazing, we were so lucky. What a great start to the trip! Once we were acquainted we then headed around the ship to explore. Columbus has recently been upgraded and is now the proud new flagship of the CMV fleet. She is a medium sized cruise ship which is great as you can navigate your way round fairly easily. I was really impressed with the facilities she had to offer.

• Five dining options including three fine dining options including two speciality coffee shops. • A wellbeing centre with a fully equipped gym. • 2 heated swimming pools with expansive deck areas including a large screen for outdoor movies and sporting events • Library and dedicated bridge and card room and a separate crafters studio • Fabulous tiered main show lounge spanning two decks • 8 lounge bars plus 2 deck bars and 6 entertainment venues • 2 large public launderette and ironing rooms • British themed Taverner pubs and Casino

At 6pm we had a Sailaway cocktail reception at the Dome (by night this turns into a disco/nightclub where you can dance the night away!) We waved goodbye to England and headed out towards the North Sea. Pre-dinner drinks were in Tavernas then we had a 7-course dinner in the Waterfront restaurant. We were the second sitting at 2030. The food was gorgeous and had lots good vegetarian options. You certainly won’t go hungry on this ship!

On Saturday morning I awoke to us sailing gently through the Netherlands towards Amsterdam. There is a fairy-tale quality to Amsterdam. It's the largest city in the Netherlands, a charming mixture of sedate canals, gabled patrician houses, ornate churches, soaring clock towers and excellent museums. Much of this intriguing city can be covered on foot allowing you to savour sights. Shops offering antiques or avant-garde art beckon everywhere. Masses of blooms can be found on the famous floating flower market whilst the throng of outside markets sell everything from postage stamps to parakeets. It’s easy to get lost crossing and re crossing canals, so I would definitely recommend a canal cruise which is what we did. It’s so relaxing and a lovely way to get your bearings and view the elegant buildings.

There’s so much to explore if you get the time such as the Royal Palace, a onetime city hall built in the mid-17th century or the Rijks museum which in English means “The State museum” that was built over 200 years ago and houses collections of Flemish and Dutch painting from the 16-19th Century. The Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank’s House, The Hermitage Museum. The infamous region of the Red Light district is also worth a visit during the day to get a feel for the culture and history of Amsterdam. I love this city and will certainly be back soon but I for now I headed back to the ship to depart.

Once back on board we had time to relax, so I had another little explore and found a hidden oasis at the front of the ship, this space is usually only available to certain paying room types on other ships but on Columbus the area is free for all to use. It used to be the kids’ area but now it’s an adult only ship (except for the month of August) it has been converted into a lovely decked area of sunbeds, a hot tub and bar.

It was then time for pre-show drinks in Connextions bar, a lovely modern airy bar, then a show at the Palladium lounge which was great entertainment. We sang along to 80’s tunes, then went for dinner at the speciality Indian Fusion restaurant, the food was amazing! To work off some of our dinner we went to the Dome and danced the night away!

The next morning when I awoke, I opened my curtains to see the beautiful city of Antwerp, Belguim’s second largest city and Europe’s second largest port. Antwerp lies right on the bank of the River Scheldt at the gateway to the North Sea so from the minute you arrive you are already amongst it all. Antwerp is a stunning city, it has an eclectic mix of modern and gothic style buildings. We stopped for coffee and people watched in one of the many cafes in Grote Markt, the main square of the city. It’s beautiful, framed on two sides by tall gilded renaissance style historical buildings and dominated by the majestic Italian influenced stadhuis (town hall). We hopped on a tram and took a 30-minute city tour which cost 7euros which was a great way to see lots in a short space of time. We also took part in the Antwerp beer trail (rude not to) which was a great way to see the city and quench your thirst all in one go. I stocked up on Belgian chocolates and truffles for the family before heading back to the ship.

What an fantastic trip - so stress free from start to finish, waking up in a different place each morning , experiencing two stunning cities and seeing unforgettable sights. It’s amazing how much you can see and do in just one weekend and it’s so affordable too. I can’t wait to do it all over again and next time I should probably bring the husband!

This would make a lovely birthday weekend treat or a fantastic Christmas present for a loved one. Go on treat yourself. If you’d like some more info or would like to experience this mini cruise for yourself please get in touch today, I’d love to help.