Cruise
SIR230410
Western Mediterranean
10-Apr-23 to 20-Apr-23
on the M.S. Sirena

Flag: Date: Port: Comment:
10th
April
2023		 Barcelona
Catalonia
Spain		 LHR
-->
BCN
11th
April
2023		 Alicante
Spain		 am Castle
pm Museum
12th
April
2023		 Palma
de Mallorca
Spain		 Soller
Vintage
Train
13th
April
2023		 Mahon
Menorca
Spain		 Archaeology
Tour
14th
April
2023		 Marseille
Provence
France		 Aix-en-
Provence
Tour
15th
April
2023		 Monte Carlo
Monaco		 St Paul
de Vence
Tour
16th
April
2023		 Livorno
Tuscany
Italy		 Volterra &
Tuscan Sheep
Farming
17th
April
2023		 Civita-
vecchia
Italy		 Rome
On Your Own
(OYO)
18th
April
2023		 Ajaccio
Corsica
France		 Imperial
Town
Tour
19th
April
2023		 Port-
Vendres
France		 am Port-
Vendres
pm Collioure
20th
April
2023		 Barcelona
Catalonia
Spain		 BCN ->
LHR ->
BoMoH
Flag: Date: Port: Comment:

Easter Sunday
9th of April 2023
BoMoH --> LonDon

   I left home at ten to ten, stopping for a forty five minute nap at the Winchester services. I got to Bedfont Lakes at one o'clock for my picnic lunch and to the Skylark Motel just after two. After settling in, I walked into Hounslow, which was surprisingly busy with all the big shops closed for Easter Sunday. I walked back via Lampton park to my digs.

   I then had my afternoon red bush tea in the conservatory. I spent the evening watching television in my room: firstly the "Mamma Mia" sequel film "Here We Go Again" and then the Paul O'Grady biopic. I went to sleep at ten o'clock, having done over thirteen thousand steps, equal to over five miles of walking during the day.

Easter Bank Holiday Monday
10th of April 2023
LHR --> BCN

   My alarms woke me at 6:30 ready for a continental breakfast at seven o'clock. I had chocolate ricicles with a banana, followed by a croissant with ham and cheese. I had to brave the drizzle walking to the tube station.

   At terminal five, I waited a bit before checking in at the machine. This issued me with a blank boarding card, so I had to traipse along to section F to join the naughty queue. I was here for forty minutes as the people in front of me, at the few check-in desks actually open, were having arguments. When I finally got to the desk, there was no problem for me and I sailed through.

   Security was quick, so I settled down in a seat with a view of terminal 5B from 5A. We boarded quickly and pulled back on time, but had to queue for 25 minutes on the runway. I did have a good view of the Concorde at the end of the runway.

   After take-off, I updated this blog and enjoyed a small bag of pretzels with a complimentary bottle of water. I then dozed for three quarters of an hour. Immigration and baggage reclaim were both fast, but my driver was not outside. I had to make two phone calls and wait nearly half an hour for him to arrive. He whisked me to the World Trade Centre and I gave him a ten euro tip as I didn't have anything smaller.

   I was the only guest at the cruise terminal, so I whizzed through getting on board at three o'clock (CET), two o'clock (BST). I found I had a lovely double state room with a restricted view blocked by a lifeboat. I explored the ship and had a double scoop of white chocolate ice cream in a large waffle cone in lieu of lunch. I then did six lengths of the small, cool pool and spent fifteen minutes in one of the jacuzzis in the hot sun.

   At 5:15 I went to the solo travellers meet up in the Horizon lounge hosted by dancer Maddie. We were joined by Handan from Houston, Texas and Marilyn from Norfolk, Virginia. I escorted the former down to the Grand Dining Room. Here I had the lobster bisque, the Caesar salad, the sirloin steak and the sugar-free raspberry ice cream. We were sat with Gary and Kathy, a Presbyterian couple from Wisconsin.

   At 9:30 I went to the show time in the Sirena Lounge. This began with the six singers and dancers performing their Shimmy mini-show. I particularly enjoyed their version of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Next came the classical trio playing just one piece and the jazz pianist singing Tom Jones's "Delilah". Then Cruise Director Gary introduced the six performers with one of them acting as his assistant and one, Maddie, as the social hostess, who I had already met. He mentioned me, but thankfully didn't elaborate on my lecture topics. Next the five piece show band did an up tempo piece and the production team did a closing version of "I just wanna dance with somebody".

   Finally I went up to the top deck to reach my ten thousand step quota and see the stars, including the constellation Orion, before sleeping at 11 o'clock (CET), but only 10:00 on BST.

Tuesday
11th of April 2023
Alicante, Spain

   I slept for nine hours, after my long day travelling, until eight o'clock in the morning. I had two eggs Benedict with two slices of brown toast to eat and one glass of tomato juice and one cup of decaff coffee to drink for breakfast in the Grand Dining Room.

   At nine o'clock, I touched base with Cruise Director (CD) Gary from Vancouver. He only wanted three lectures: Med, Michelangelo & Leonardo, but not Architecture. I volunteered to host the solo travellers meet up when social hostess Maddie was busy rehearsing as a dancer in the production shows. However, she forgot to invite me to the subsequent unlisted singles events!

   At ten o'clock, I was one of the first guests off the ship, catching the free shuttle bus to the Ocean Race museum drop off point. I walked into the old quarter visiting the Fine Art Gallery (MUBAG) and the Contemporary Art Gallery (MACA) both of which had free admission. I avoided paying €2.70 for the castle elevator as senior citizens (majores) go free. I hadn't been up to the castle in eight years, so I was surprised how fabulous it was. I took the lift back down and visited the cathedral and the central market.

   Back at the ship at one o'clock, I had my first cheeseburger and fries with no bun of the cruise. I finished with a waffle cone with plombiere (tutti frutti) and potato crisp (sic) ice cream. I loved the former, but didn't go for the latter! I then slept for 45 minutes.

   Back in the city again, I walked along the beach promenade to the huge shopping mall (Centro Comercial Plaza Mar 2) on the hill. I then found the archaeological museum (MARQ), which charged just €3 (£2.64) for seniors entry. It had a fantastic Chinese terracotta warriors exhibition, which I had never seen before, but I think that they were reproductions, not the real thing.

   Back at the ship at 4:30, I did six lengths of the small, cool pool and spent just five minutes in one of the jacuzzis with two Flemish gay guys. At 5:15 I went to the solo travellers meet up, but it hadn't been in the programme and so no one else turned up! At 5:45 I went to the Captain's cocktail party, where I had TWO glasses of complimentary champagne and LOTS of canapes, both hot and cold. At the end I chatted to CD Gary.

   I then adjourned to the Grand Dining Room, where I was sat with Marilyn from Norfolk Virginia for a second time and Gary & Kathy from Wisconsin again. I had the (not so) moltern cheese souffle, the Marseillaise fish soup (which was suspiciously like last night's lobster bisque), the prime rib of beef and the fat Elvis ice cream. The latter consisted of bananas, peanut butter and toffee pieces, a lot like our rocky road ice cream, but not strawberry jelly! I then picked up my first escorting job ready for the next day.

   At 9:30 I went to hear the excellent Valencian flautist Andrea Amat. It was only when she did her fast "Flight of the Bumble Bee", that I remembered hearing her before. She again made good use of the screen, but didn't do her clever costume change this time. I went to sleep at 10:30, having done over twenty six thousand steps, equal to over ten miles of walking during the day!

Wednesday
12th of April 2023
Palma de Mallorca, Spain

   I awoke to my alarms at 6:30 and enjoyed a full English breakfast in the buffet. At 7:40 I was on duty in the Sirena lounge ready to escort my second choice Soller Vintage Train tour ($189). At eight o'clock, I led 32 guests out to meet guide Malika and driver Toni. We drove north to get to the outskirts of Soller, before walking half a mile downhill to the town centre. Here we had an hour of free time.

   I again failed to find the Botanic Garden, at my second attempt here. I used the free wi-fi in the magnificent Gran(d) Hotel. We then caught the 10:50 train back to Palma. I spent most of the journey on the outside platforms at the ends of each carriage. We then drove back, via the shuttle bus drop off point, to the ship.

   Here I had the halibut soup, the salmon en croute and two exotic ice cream flavours. I then slept for an hour and a quarter. At three o'clock, I walked to the Castle of Saint Charles (Castillo de San Carlos), but it had closed at two o'clock.

Bellver Castle, Palma, Mallorca, Spain

Bellver Castle, Palma, Mallorca, Spain

   Back at the ship again, I did six lengths of the cool pool and spent just five minutes in the jacuzzi in the burning hot sun. At 4:30 I went to the Sirena lounge to set up for my first enrichment lecture on the Story of the Mediterranean. I had a good turn out for my 43 minute lecture, interrupted by the Captain's departure announcement! I skipped over the cuisine section at the end, not wanting to over-run. At 6:45 I dined on the leek soup, the Boston salad, steak au poivre and pina colada souffle. I was sat with Josie from Fort Lauderdale, Celine from Cocoa Beach and Brian the Red Head with his wife Mary from Charleston.

   At 9:30 I went to the Acoustic Sessions production show, where the five musicians were joined on the dance floor by the classical trio. The six singers and dancers did some great medleys by Elvis Presley, Elton John, Billy Joel and Michael Jackson. At 10:30 I went up to the Horizon lounge, where the band reconvened, but no one was dancing. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock, having done over fourteen thousand steps, equal to nearly six miles of walking, during the day.

Thursday
13th of April 2023
Mahon/Mao, Menorca, Spain

   I awoke just before my alarm at 6:30 ready for my first freshly made cheese omelette with crispy bacon and grilled tomatoes. We were sailing up the historic harbour in the dawn twilight. I was one of the first off the ship just after eight o'clock, but it was overcast and threatening to rain. I used the new elevator to ascend to the Cloister (Claustre) market with the supermarket underneath. I went in the church next door, the church on the opposite side of the town centre and the monastery as well. Back at the elevator, I bumped into Josie & Celine who were just going walkabout as I finished.

   Back at the ship, I got ready to escort my second choice Archaeology tour ($99). At 9:30 I met guide Luis, who had an English mother, and driver Juan outside the Estacion Maritima with nineteen guests to look after. We began at Bull Mountain (Monte Toro), where we had rather too long free time. We then visited two impressive bronze age (not stone age) megalithic sites at Reins Tower (Torre d'en Galmes) and Dawn Tower (Torralba).

The old harbour at Ciutadella, Menorca

Ciutadella: the Old Capital of Menorca

   We didn't get back to the ship until 2:15, so we all had to lunch in the Waves Grill by the pool. I had my second cheeseburger & fries with no bun, but forewent the ice cream. I then slept for an hour.

   At 4:30 I did six lengths of the cool pool as the sun came out, but only spent five minutes in the jacuzzi, as the Captain announced we were leaving fifteen minutes early. I stayed in my wet cozzie and dressing gown on the top deck for the magnificent sailaway down the long harbour to the sea. We passed the four great buildings of the Port Mahon Royal Naval Dockyard: the Careenage Wharf, the Royal Naval Hospital Island, the Quarantine Island and the Mola Fortress. I then updated this blog and back-upped my photographs of the first few days of this cruise.

   At 6:45 I adjourned to the Grand Dining Room, where I had the asparagus soup, the Caesar salad, the rack of lamb and just one scoop of pistachio ice cream. I was sat with Marilyn from Virginia for a third time, with Cuban American Maria with her Italian American husband Richard from Chattanooga and with Nicole from Louisiana with her 95 year old grandfather! The latter had been a biology professor at Northwestern University near Chicago, and still lives there in Evanston.

   At 9:30 I went to Martin Beaumont's forty minute comedy showtime. He told a lot of jokes I hadn't heard before. Although English, he Americanized his words and jokes successfully. I went to bed at 10:30, having done nearly sixteen thousand steps, equal to over six miles of walking, during the day.

Friday
14th of April 2023
Marseille, Provence, France

   I awoke just after six o'clock ready for a freshly made cheese omelette with crisy bacon and grilled tomato. It was too breezy out on deck, so I sat in the Horizon observation lounge as we sailed in past the corniche coastal railway line. At nine o'clock, I went ashore to take pictures of the cruise terminals. Back on the ship, I updated this blog.

   At ten o'clock, I was on duty in the Sirena lounge ready to escort my third choice tour to Aix-en-Provence ($129) with Corsican guide Dominique and driver Laurent. We had a forty minute run out on the motorway, before beginning our guided walking tour of the old city. One lady with mobility issues didn't want to use her walker and stayed on the coach. Then one couple went off to a bar for the toilets. The rest of us went into the Cathedral, which had romanesque, gothic and baroque architecture. When we emerged, I popped back to the bar to find the errant couple, but they had wandered off. As we moved past the city hall, yet more guests wandered off.

   When we got to the main street we were finally given free time. Dominique invited to me to have lunch with him and his partner, but I declined wanting to explore further. I snuck into the modern pissoir, but that set the alarm off, so I hightailed it out of there to the tourist information office. I retraced our steps right from the starting point to the finishing point, but without finding the errant couple. Back at the coach, eventually everyone turned up and we returned to Marseille on the motorway. We had a half hour wait to get through the port gates as the doormen were working to rule over the national pensions crisis in France. No wonder I hate touring in France!

   Finally back at the ship, I had the cajun chicken with fries in the Waves Grill by the pool. I then slept for three quarters of an hour. No time for swimming, as I had to go to the Sirena lounge to set up my next enrichment talk as CD Gary finished the trivia contest.

   At 5:30 I gave my 38 minute talk on Michelangelo. The screen started flashing towards the end, so I had to pull out the troublesome mains lead and rely on the battery instead to complete the talk. At 6:30 I dined on the sweet potato soup, the Caesar salad, the tournedos fillet steak and THREE chocolate profiteroles stuffed with vanilla ice cream! I was sat with Marilyn the Texan from Virginia for a fourth time and with two ladies from Palm Springs, one of which was born in Munich.

   At 9:30 I went to Welsh singer Stephanie Webber's excellent show time. She began with musical theatre, continued with country music and pop, bravely finishing with Della Fantasia (?) sung in Italian. I went to sleep at eleven o'clock, having done twelve and a half thousand steps, equal to five miles of walking during the day!

Saturday
15th April 2023
Monte Carlo, Monaco

   I awoke at 6:40 ready for my usual breakfast in the buffet as we sailed into Port Hercule. Back in my state room, I updated this blog and got ready for clearance to be announced at eight o'clock sharp. I was one of the first guests off the ship, walking all the way to the French border at Cap Martin on the eastern side of Monaco. On the way, I used the toilets in the Book Fair taking place in the Grimaldi Conference Centre, as those in the Metropole Shopping Centre were locked up from the night before. I enjoyed the Japanese garden and the views of the Larvotto beach from the promenade. I found one of the New Monaco National Museum (NMNM) sites in an old villa, but it was closed. I then caught the free Rolex Tennis Tournament electric bus back to the railway station and walked back around Port Hercule again to the ship. The electric boat bus across the harbour had reinstated the €2 charge for the summer months.

Martin P. Lee in Monaco

Martin P. Lee in Monaco

   At 11:30 I had the grilled panini with chips and coleslaw for lunch, before sleeping for an hour. At two o'clock I was on duty on the quayside with French guide Pascal and Italian driver Rocco for my second choice Scenic St Paul de Vence tour ($149). Pascal sometimes spoke with her eyes closed! It was overcast and chilly as we set off with just ten guests on board. En route along the Nice bypass autoroute it began to rain, which was heavy as we trudged through the fortified hilltop village from shelter to shelter. Eventually we got to the warm, dry church, before having an hour's free time. I walked to the far end of the village to overlook the cemetery beyond, but didn't have time to seek out Marc Chagall's simple tombstone. He was the Jewish Belarussian painter who painted Christian pictures! I had visited his art gallery in Nice on a previous cruise.

   I walked along the narrow ramparts on the north side of the walled village with views across Provence. I crossed over to the south side for views south almost to the sea. On the way out of the village, I went in the tourist information office to collect their maps and leaflets. They had a warm, dry lounge upstairs, so I made myself comfortable by their fan heater to warm up and dry out whilst using their free wi-fi. We gathered in the Cafe de la Place, before walking back to the coach in the cool, wet wind. Back in Monaco, we had a short coach tour of the principality, which was only possible because we were in a Monegasque licence plated coach.

   Back at the ship after six o'clock, I spent five minutes in one of the jacuzzis as the sun came out again. At 6:40 I dined on the sweet corn soup, the Cretan salad, the roast leg of lamb and the chocolate Charlotte. I was sat with American nurse Paul & his Vietnamese nurse wife Fee (?) and Richard & his wife Gary (?) from Boca Raton. They said that Sir Freddie and Lady Laker's former home on the Royal Palm estate, which I had stayed at in Boca Raton, was very posh!

   At nine o'clock I went to the deck party "Dancing Under the Stars", which had to be brought into the Horizon lounge because of the wet deck. It began with each of the professional singers singing one song. We then did the Electric Slide, YMCA & Conga on the small dance floor, as well as another simple line dance instructed by the song's lyrics. When it degenerated into a disco, I adjourned to my stateroom and updated this blog, going to bed at eleven o'clock. During the day I had done over twenty two and a half thousand steps, equal to over nine miles of walking!

Sunday
16th April 2023
Livorno/Leghorn, Tuscany, Italy

   I got up just before my alarms at six o'clock. At 6:40 I was the only person having the continental breakfast in the Waves Grill by the pool in the morning sunshine. I had one croissant with ham & cheese, followed by one Danish pastry to eat. I had one cup of decaff coffee, one glass of orange juice and one glass of sparkling water to drink. I then adjourned to the Horizon observation lounge to watch the sail-in to Livorno/Leghorn.

   At eight o'clock I was on duty in the Sirena lounge to escort my fourth choice tour to Volterra and a Tuscan Sheep Farm ($159). I led just nine guests out to the bus to meet guide Nicoletta. We had a ninety minute run out through the picturesque Tuscan countryside, bereft of traffic on a Sunday.

   At Volterra we met local guide Riccardo who gave us a one hour guided tour, where we looked down from the ramparts on to the ancient Roman theatre below. During the 35 minute free time, I went in the cathedral and walked down to the Etruscan gateway. We then drove a few miles to a Tuscan sheep farm. Here we had a huge lunch, which began with generous portions of four local cheeses, including ricotta. I had two servings of tagliatelli in bolognese sauce with the local red wine. I made the mistake of having an expresso coffee, so I was hyper all afternoon!

   We finished the meal with sweet cheese cake, like Sicilian Canoli spelt with a final I. The fields were edged with yellow rape seed flowers, which the Americans call Canola spelt with a final A! We saw the local sheep, pigs and white retriever dogs with puppies. The latter were not sheep dogs, but do protect the flocks from wolves during the night out on the Tuscan hills! We then drove back to Livorno.

   Back on the ship, I was unable to sleep, so I walked into town to see the classic car rally. The British MGs nearly out numbered the Italian Fiats! Back at the ship again, I had afternoon tea for the first and only time this cruise, consisting of three small sandwiches to eat and two cups of English breakfast tea to drink, so I continued to be hyper all evening as well!

   At 5:30 I gave my 41 minute talk on Leonardo da Vinci, to a reduced audience as the tours from Florence hadn't yet returned to the ship. At 6:30 I dined on the lobster bisque (for a second time), the Caesar salad, the Argentinian flank steak and the rum & raisin ice cream. I was sat with the three New Jersey girls, who live at the southern tip of the east coast state. They had been on my tour to Aix-en-Provence a few days earlier. Cheryl later wrote: "It was so delightful to have you join us for dinner!"

   Back in my state room I updated this blog and backupped my photographs. At 9:30 I went to the Showdown production show, where we had the vote for the four singers in a singing contest. They sang lots of old pop songs which I knew well. I went to bed at 10:30, having done over twelve thousand steps, nearly equal to five miles of walking during the day.

Monday
17th April 2023
Civitavecchia, Italy

   I got up at 5:45, fifteen minutes before my alarm. At 6:30 I had one croissant with ham & cheese and one Danish pastry to eat, together with one glass of orange juice to drink. I stayed clear of the coffee, having to spend the day in Rome on my own! I then went into the Horizon observatory to watch the pilot arrive and our approach to Civitavecchia.

   At 8:15 I was on duty in the Sirena lounge to escort my fourth choice Rome On Your Own (OYO) tour ($159). We had an hour and a half's run to Piazza del Popolo / Flaminio on the north side of the city centre. I took the €1.50 (£1.33) underground railway seven stops to St John's Catherdal (San Giovanni Laterano), which I had not visited before. This was a very impressive church, almost as big as St. Peter's itself. I followed the Aurelian wall through the outdoor market, doubling back to St. John's Place (Piazza San Giovanni Laterano). The second church I went in was St John's & St Paul's (Santi Giovanni e Paolo). The church of St George the Major (San Gregorio Magno) was closed, as was it's ecumenical garden.

The gate on the Appian Way, Rome

The gate in the Aurelian Wall, Rome

   I photographed the outside of the Caracalla Baths and the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo). The crowds were heaving outside the Colosseum (Colosseo) and the Arch of Constantine (Arco di Constantino). I walked up to the Arch of Titus (Arco di Tito) and found two free routes up to churches on the Palatine Hill (Palatino). I went into the great, white Victor Emmanuel Rei D'Italy (VERDI) memorial for the first time, known as the wedding cake or the typewriter! I climbed up Michelangelo's famous staircase to see his well proportioned piazza on the top of the Capitoline hill. I found the side door of the church there, thus avoiding the even longer staircase to the front door. Along the banks of the Tiber, I was surprised to see white water rapids. The Field of Flowers (Campo de Fiori) market was still going strong.

   When I got to the Pantheon the queue to get in was very long, so I gave it a miss, despite our guide saying that they may be charging for admission from next year! I climbed the Spanish Steps (Spagna) and explored the park on the top of the Twisted Walls (Muro Torto). Back at the Piazza del Popolo, I went in the church to see the two famous paintings by Caravaggio. The traffic was heavy in the evening rush hour, so it took ninety minutes to drive back to the ship.

   I immediately went in to dinner, where I was sat with Susan & Stuart from Atlanta, Georgia. He was a Vietnam war veteran suffering from diabetes, which may have been caused by the notorious agent orange defoliant. I had the lobster bisque, the Boston lettuce salad, the teriyaki sirloin steak and the sugar-free strawberry ice cream to eat. At 9:30 I went to Martin Beaumont's second comedy show time. Some guests kept thinking that I was him during the cruise! I went to bed soon after 10:30, having done over thirty three thousand steps, equal to over thirteen miles of walking during the day, of which, eleven miles were across central Rome. I had taken 164 photographs that day!

Tuesday
18th April 2023
Ajaccio, Corsica, France

   I awoke at 6:40 to the dawn on my TV showing the bridge camera. At 7:40 I had TWO eggs Benedict and TWO slices of brown toast to eat, together with ONE tomato juice, ONE glass of sparkling water and ONE cup of decaff coffee to drink. I was one of the first guests ashore at nine o'clock. I went in the market and cathedral, as well as photographing Napoleon's birthplace and the citadel (Chateau).

   At ten o'clock I was on duty in the Sirena lounge to escort the Imperial Town walking tour ($69) with guide Catrine and a dozen guests. We had seventy five minutes in Napoleon's birthplace, which was a first visit for me. We then went in the cathedral and the market.

   Back at the ship, I lunched on the bean & noodle consomme, the roast lamb with green beans, but NO potatoes and the mixed ice creams with three sprinklings! I was sat out on the aft terrace al fresco for the first time this cruise, but it was a bit breezy. I then slept for two hours, getting over my exertions the previous day. I updated this blog and backupped my photographs. At 5:20 as we were sailing away from Corsica, I did six lengths of the cool pool and spent twelve minutes in one of the hot tubs until the sun went in.

   At 6:30 I dined on the prawn cocktail, the blue cheese salad, the proper beef Wellington and the blueberry trifle. I was sat with Linda from both Juneau, Alaska and Arizona with her daughter Andrea from Seattle. The latter works for the Pacific Halibut Fisheries Administration. Also present were Lyn & Jim from South Carolina.

   At 8:30 I went to pick up my next day's assignment, but there was nothing available. They said to turn up at dispatch in the morning in the case of a no-show. They did however arrange my transfer to Barcelona airport with blue tag 2 at 8:15 ready for my 12:05 flight in two day's time. At 9:30 I went to the Broadway in Concert show time with the four singers and the five band members. I didn't know some of the latest songs, but did enjoy the Les Mis finale. I went to bed at 10:30, having done over eleven thousand steps, equal to over four miles of walking during the day. I had my old Honor 10 phone switched off, so I had to rely on my newer Nokia G50 pedometer app for this figure!

Wednesday
19th April 2023
Port-Vendres, France

   I got up at 7:05 and had a freshly made cheese omelette with crispy bacon at 7:40. I then sat in the Horizon observation lounge watching the sail-in to Port-Vendres. At 9:40 I went to the Sirena lounge in case of any no-shows by the guests. At 10:10 I snuck on to the last morning tour tender away.

   I walked around Port-Vendres taking lots of photographs. I went in the tourist information office to pick up their maps and leaflets. At 12:20 I caught the tender back to the ship, where I had a quick lunch of cauliflower soup and BBQ pork ribs with stuffed tomatoes & cauliflower cheese. Normally cauliflower soup appears on the menu on the day after cauliflower cheese! I had just one glass of real lemonade to drink. I was sat out on the aft terrace al fresco for only the second time this cruise in the warm sun with the electric heaters switched on! Having rushed my lunch I thought that I would get heartburn in the afternoon, but my bottle of soda water did the trick.

   At one o'clock I was back in the Sirena lounge, but there was still no tour for me, so I took the next tender ashore. I then walked two and a half miles along the Vermillion coast to Collioure. This was older and prettier than Port-Vendres, so I took even more photographs. I had last been here FIFTY years ago on a King's College London (KCL) geography field trip!

   I then walked back, going in the Micro-Folie children's multimedia centre in the Dome building. Here I found a map showing the Charles Mackintosh Interpretation Centre, which wasn't on the official town plan. He was the famous Art Nouveau architect from Glasgow, who lived in Port Vendres in the twenties, where he painted many famous watercolours. The lady in the centre was pleased to see me and gave me a personal tour of the small gallery with prints of his paintings. Most of the originals are in the Hunterian Art Gallery in Glasgow.

   I caught the 4:20 tender back to the ship, where I did six lengths of the cool pool in the hot sunshine. I then spent twenty minutes in one of the jacuzzis, chatting to a Canadian lady and her husband, who now live on Long Island in New York State. Back in my state room, I changed into my going home outfit and started packing. At 6:30 I dined on Serrano ham, Thai curry soup, Chateaubriand beef and pistachio ice cream. I was sat with a couple from Lethbridge, the third city of Alberta, and a couple from the Atlantic coast of New Jersey.

   At 9:30 I went to Stephanie Webber's second show time. She covered songs by Dolly, Dusty, Sarah and Adele, no need for surnames here! I was pleasantly surprised to hear Lady Ante Bellum's "Quarter After One". She finished with a West Side Story medley. I went to bed at 10:45, having done over twenty five thousand steps, equal to over ten miles of walking during the day.

Thursday
20th April 2023
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

   My alarms woke me at six o'clock. At 6:30 I had a freshly made cheese omelette with crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes and a hash brown sat with Turkish American Handan from Houston, Texas. Just as I finished eating, and not having drunk anything, tag number one was called over an hour early, so I rushed back to my state room to finish packing, in case my tag number two was called early! Tag blue two was finally called at eight o'clock, which was just fifteen minutes before the stated time. Trailing my own large case off the ship, I was the first person on the bus and nabbed a front seat. When the bus was half full, a disabled lady stumbled on board, so I withdrew to the back of the coach.

   We left at 8:25, taking just twenty minutes to get to the airport. There were NO queues at the BA check-in deck, so I had my boarding card within a minute! I then went walkabout, including checking out the Metro station and the arrivals tourist information office. Security took just ten minutes, so I was able to settle down by a charging station to update this blog. I had two almond biscuits for elevenses. I had forgotten that you have a circuitous route around Barcelona airport to get to passport control and the international gates.

   Boarding began early, but we were a little late taking off. I had a window seat near the front of the economy section, with an empty seat beside me. We got given a small bottle of water and a small bag of pretzels. I got my laptop out and updated this blog.

   We passed over the famous serrated mountain (Montserrat) and the snow draped Pyrenees. We landed on time, but had to wait half an hour on the taxiway until our berth became free. I whizzed through immigration, but had to wait for my bag to re-appear. I caught the tube to Hounslow West and picked up my car. I had a easy drive home, getting back by five o'clock, after another fabulous cruise, on which I actually lost weight!

   A lady later wrote:

   "This is one of your "Jersey Girls" checking in with you, and enjoying your blog. Through you, I was able to revisit the cruise sites and tours, and all the steps I didn't take in a day. Somehow, I lost two pounds! Happy we both ate correctly, and maintained our stylish figures."

   "Know you are off again since I remember you only have a two day window before your next trip. Now, we are working through our jet lag, and getting back to our normal schedules. Back to work for me on Monday! It was so delightful to have you join us for dinner - added you to my daily diary of the cruise! Hope we can meet up once again on another trip! Will continue to check your blog - great information! Safe travels! Cheryl AKA- the Blonde Jersey Girl."

Lectures Given
on the Oceania Sirena Cruise
SIR230410 Barcelona to Barcelona

    1) "The Story of the Mediterranean Sea"
  Martin, who has degrees in geography, geology and theology,
  will cover the natural history and human history of this great sea.
  (He has given this lecture on the Seabourn Odyssey, the Seabourn Sojourn and five other cruise ships,
  the most recent being on the Celebrity Edge)

    2) "Michelangelo: Greatest Artist of the Italian Renaissance?"
  Come and hear about the man who was both sculptor (David) and painter (Sistine Chapel).
  (Martin gave this talk on recent cruise T2224)

    3) "Leonardo da Vinci: Greatest Artist of the Italian Renaissance?"
  Come and hear about the polymath Renaissance man.
  (Martin gave this talk on recent cruise T2224)

Score card:

10 Night Cruise

 9 Old Ports (B, A, PdM, M, M, MC, L/L, C, A)

 8 Beef Dinners
 8 Towels 

 7 Tours Escorted (Not Alicante or Port-Vendres)

 6 Seat Sharing Dining Tables

 5 Items Laundered
 5 Cheese Omelettes
 5 Production Shows

 4 Face Flannels
 4 New Berths (WTC, PdM, M & L/L)
 4 New Towns (AeP, SPdV, V & C)

 3 Enrichment Lectures
 3 Jacuzzis

 2 Eggs Benedict Breakfasts
 2 Complimentary Transfers
 2 Continental Breakfasts
 2 Art Lectures (Michelangelo & Leonardo)
 2 Flights (BA $517 & $166)
 2 Old Towns (Soller & Rome)
 2 Lamb Dinners

 1 Full English Breakfast
 1 History Lecture (Med)
 1 New Port (Port-Vendres)
 1 Salt Water Pool
 1 Tender Port (Port-Vendres)

 0 Sea Days

Good points:

  1. Fly / Cruise (no Bay of Biscuits!)
  2. Complimentary transfers
  3. Four New Towns (Aix-en-Provence, St Paul de Vence, Volterra & Collioure)
  4. Four New Berths (Barcelona-WTC, Palma, Marseille & Livorno/Leghorn)
  5. Two Old Towns (Soller & Rome)
  6. Eating in the Grand Dining Room
  7. New ship for me
  8. New cruise company for me
  9. Real Lemonade
  10. Sparkling water
  11. Complimentary Soft Drinks
  12. Cheap Laundry ($1.75)
  13. Open seating dining
  14. HDMI connector
  15. Fancy ice cream flavours
  16. Luxury dressing gown / bath robe
  17. Free launderette
  18. Omelette stations
  19. Efficient stewards (Milos/Meelosh & his lady assistant, €10 tip each)
  20. Recorded lectures under Events
  21. Free soap
  22. Free wi-fi

For the record ...

Twelve Cruise Lines:
* Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
* Saga Shipping Company
* Voyages of Discovery
* Seabourn (Carnival)
* Princess (Carnival)
* Cunard (Carnival)
* P&O (Carnival)
* Celebrity (RCCL)
* Silversea (RCCL)
* Oceania (NCL)
* Ambassador
* Crystal

Forty Cruise Ships:
Silver Whisper
Silver Spirit
Silver Wind
Silver Muse
Silver Moon
Silver Dawn

Black Prince
Black Watch
Boudicca
Balmoral
Braemar
Bolette

Celebrity Silhouette
Celebrity Solstice
Celebrity Eclipse
Celebrity Edge
Celebrity Apex

Saga Rose
Saga Ruby
Saga Sapphire
Saga Pearl II

Quest for Adventure
Spirit of Adventure (Old SofA)
Spirit of Adventure (New SofA)
Spirit of Discovery

Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2)
Queen Elizabeth (QE)
Queen Victoria (QV)
Queen Mary 2 (QM2)

P&O Arcadia
P&O Oriana
P&O Iona

Crystal Symphony
Crystal Serenity

Seabourn Odyssey
Seabourn Sojourn

Oceania Sirena

Ambassador Ambience

Sapphire Princess

VoD Discovery