Cruise M1019
on the M.S. Braemar
to Iberia
(Please scroll down to see my photographs and report)
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Escort: |
Comment: |
19/08/2010 |
Dover
UK |
 |
- |
|
| 20/08/2010 |
Fowey
England |
 |
(Lost gardens
of Heligan) |
Too rough
to land! |
| 22/08/2010 |
Oporto
Portugal |
 |
On your
own transfer |
Tram ride |
| 23/08/2010 |
La Coruna
Spain |
 |
Gardens tour |
Pretty |
| 24/08/2010 |
Bilbao
Spain |
|
|
Free shuttle
into wet city |
| 25/08/2010 |
La Rochelle
France |
 |
City &
Ile de Ré |
Sunny |
| 27/08/2010 |
Dover
UK |
|
|
Off the ship
at 7:30 am! |
Adrian, Caroline, Len & me
Braemar
Here is my cruise report...
This was a cruise that started badly but ended well.
It was too rough to land at Fowey in Cornwall,
the only new port on the itinerary for me.
So I missed out as a tour escort to the lost gardens of Heligan,
but I did get the gardens tour at La Coruna.
Sumo wrestler in La Coruna
Then we were fog bound outside Oporto only getting in a couple of hours late.
I was escort to the "on your own" transfer into the city
and took the metro out to Le Corte Ingles department store.
Port barges in Oporto
In Bilbao I took the free shuttle into a wet city
and finally got to the Cathedral in the old quarter.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
Guggenheim museum, Bilbao
I was a tour escort in La Rochelle which included the beautiful and sunny Ile de Ré.
St. Martin de Ré
The Cruise Director wrote:
"Martin was great, volunteered to lead Dance Classes and additional Line Dancing sessions,
different compared with the Cruise Staff sessions.
Steady and reliable throughout and always willing to do more."
For the record ...
- Ship: Braemar.
- Captain: Tom Hansen.
- Food: The best in the fleet!
- Tours: Three out of four ports.
- Weather: Unsettled but lovely in La Rochelle.
- Sailaways: Two.
- Tea dance: One.
- Masonics: Hosted by Len Pye.
- Service clubs: Hosted by me, but no-one turned up!
- Dinner host: No.
- Line dancing: Shared with Sarah the hostess.
- Sequence dancing: Little.
- Ballroom dancing: Lots.
- Western night: Line dancing led by Sarah and me.
- Tropical night: No.
- British (Red, White & Blue) night: Yes.
- Singles party: Yes.
- Singles lunch: No.
- Formal nights: Two - Cream with red and Black tie.
- Cocktail parties: Five.
- Cruise Director: the very young Ricky Jermy.
- Assistant Cruise Director: the even younger Nancy Thaddeus.
- Host/ess: Sarah & Ivana.
- Cabin mate: Len Pye the former night porter at King's College Cambridge.
- Dance couple: Caroline Thurston & Adrian Forward.
- Other dance hosts: No.
- Lecturer(s): Sir Bernard Ingham & Hazel Griffiths.
- Comedian: Andy Rudge.
- Magician: Andrew Green.
- Musician(s): Pat Shannon, Rosario trio & Glen Padin.
- Singer(s): Justine Balmer & Rey Carinan.
- Cabin: 2023 - Outside twin.
- Passenger(s): Mike Rodwell FOCL MD and family, Elaine Balmer, Angela & Maisie.
- Good, free wi-fi: The main square in Oporto,
the Carlton Hotel in Bilbao and the park in St. Martin de Ré.
