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Transatlantic & Mediterranean Cruise
on the Seabourn Sojourn

(Please scroll down to read my report)

Date:	Port:	Flag:	Escort:	Comment:
08/03/2012	Port Everglades		-	Taxi from Miami Holiday Inn
11/03/2012	Bermuda		-	Medical evacuation via Rescue boat
18/03/2012	Funchal Madeira		-	Toured town in morning
20/03/2012	Malaga Spain		-	Toured town in morning & afternoon
21/03/2012	Cartagena Spain		Murcia	Church, Cathedral & Casino
23/03/2012	Monte Carlo Monaco		-	Asian Art Museum at Nice Airport

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Seabourn Sojourn

   This was a fantastic cruise, my first time on one of the Yachts of Seabourn - all suites and all inclusive! I had my very own suite on deck four with a large marble bathroom with separate shower, bath and two belfast sinks! The walk-in closet was big enough to use as a dressing room. The main room had twin beds, a sofa and two arm chairs with a dining table by the picture window.

   When I had got back from my previous cruise, I had received an email from the Seabourn office asking for three more lectures, so I had just four days in which to research and write them up in spite of being jet lagged! My laptop crashed ten minutes before my first lecture, thank God for my backup and their laptop! In the event I gave four enrichment lectures and three destination lectures which were all well received. They were shown live on the suite TVs and then could also be watched later via the interactive system.

   I got up at 6 am and left home at 7 am for the drive up to Ealing where I parked on Brian's drive. The American Airlines flight was an hour late taking off because of the air traffic controllers at Heathrow, so I didn't get to the Holiday Inn at Miami International Airport until 9 pm that evening after a very long day, but I did get to see the excellent Kenneth Branagh in the film "My week with Marilyn". At 10 am the next morning I took an $80 taxi ride to Port Everglades to join the Seabourn Sojourn. Later the Purser reimbursed me and signed off my Bahamas Seaman's Book.

   I hosted a different table in the main restaurant most evenings before watching the show in the Grand Salon. Unfortunately before and after the shows, the orchestra only ever played in the (Night) Club, so very little dancing for me! I did however attend all the dance classes given by the professional Ukrainian dance couple. By the second Argentine Tango class only the Chief Engineer's wife and I remained! I breakfasted and lunched in the Colonnade buffet most days, ocassionally al fresco when the weather allowed. Unfortunately the weather was not very good with strong trade winds and choppy water most days until we got to the ports of call where the weather was lovely!

   In the Bermuda Triangle we rendezvoused with an abandoned yacht. It had been in a race from Newport, RI to Bermuda last November. The wife had been swept off by a wave and the husband had been rescued by a merchant ship. We were the first ship to have spotted it since then, so now the Bermudan authorities have a location and can either tow it in or sink it! The next day we had a medical evacuation by rescue boat off Bermuda, but it looked more like some crew members being repatriated!

Madeira

   In Funchal, Madeira I took the first shuttle bus into town and caught the 9 am changing of the guard. I used the free wi-fi outside the not-yet-open McDonalds before touring the town taking photos, but being a Sunday most places were closed. That afternoon I led my one and only line dance class on board.

   In Malaga in Andalucia, I walked into town in the morning but took the shuttle bus in the afternoon. Again I used the free wi-fi outside of McDonalds!

Cartagena

   In Cartagena, I was tour escort on the trip to the provincial capital of Murcia for the first time. We visited the BVM spring and church overlooking the city, before touring the Cathedral and Casino downtown. After a late lunch back on the ship, I went into Cartagena and found the free wi-fi in the main square.

   In Monte Carlo we left the quayside at 10 am and got to Nice airport just after 11. My BMI flight wasn't until the evening so I dumped my suitcase in the left luggage and went walkabout. I discovered the interesting and free Asiatic Art museum opposite Terminal one. I investigated the local railway station, so I could have travelled into Nice or Cannes if I had known about it earlier. Thankfully the airport had free wi-fi available, so all I spent on the internet was £25 on the ship crossing the Atlantic. I drove home from Heathrow finally getting back at 1:30 am!

For the record ...

• Food: Michelin standard throughout!
• Tours: only in Cartagena.
• Weather: Windy and choppy in the Atlantic but glorious in the ports of call.
• New ports: None.
• Sailaways: Several, one with Champagne and Caviar!
• Sail-ins: None.
• Tea dance: No.
• Masonics: No
• Service clubs: No.
• Dinner host: Yes, three official nights and most other nights as well.
• Line dancing: Yes, only one class led by me.
• Sequence dancing: No.
• Ballroom dancing: Very little.
• Western night: No.
• Tropical night: No.
• British (Red, White & Blue) night: No.
• Singles party: No.
• Singles lunch: No.
• Formal nights: Only two.
• Cocktail parties: Only one.

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• Captain: Hamish Elliott from Norfolk, not Scotland!
• Cruise Director: Bobby Broughton from Texas and Florida.
• Assistant Cruise Director: Ashley Edwards from Mass.
• Social Hostess: Diana Lee Rivas from Texas.
• Stage Manager(s): James Thompson & Liam Wilson.
• Dance couple: Sergiy Bondarenko & Iryna Kosareva from the Ukraine.
• Lecturer(s): Nigel West (spy writer) aka Rupert Allason (ex Tory MP) and myself!
• Musician(s): (Kathy) Kaitlyn Carr, Jason Ridgeway, Andy & Carl Pemberton (Journey South), Pierre Eugene.
• Comedian(s): (Richard) Rikki Jay.
• Magician(s): Jamie Alan Nicklin.
• Singer(s): Paul Mollitt (aka Paul Christopher), Tanya Edwards, Chris Harley & Dawn Spence.
• Shorex: Claudio.
• Song of the cruise: The Lion Sleeps the Night.
• Cabin: Suite 419!
• Dancers: Barbara & Linda the Chief Engineer's wife.
• Passengers: Sheila from Blandford, Eamonn & Louise from San Francisco, Joan & Dick from Atlanta, Bob & Anne from Houston, Bill & Georgiana from Florida, Charles from Sydney, Al & Yvonne from New York, Paul from Guernsey & France, Dick & Linda from LA, Bill & Sylvia from Hull, Jack & Irene from Palm Desert, (Urs)Ula from Germany, Wayne & José from Mass., Walter from Belgium, Cathy from Florida, Sheri from Tennessee, Dorothy from Pasadena, Bill & Sandy from Toronto, Edward from Illinois, Paul from Minnesota, Len from Tampa, Joan from Holland, Ben & Linda from North Carolina, Nigel & Teresa from Northwich.