Farewell Cruise BP924
on the Black Prince
to the Canaries
(Please scroll down to see my photographs and report)
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Escort: |
Comment: |
| 02/10/2009 |
Southampton
England |
 |
- |
- |
| 06/10/2009 |
Funchal
Madeira |
 |
Porto
Moniz |
Black Scabbard
fish lunch |
| 07/10/2009 |
Santa Cruz
de la
Palma |
 |
Caldera de
Taburiente |
Scenic |
| 08/10/2009 |
San Sebastian
de la
Gomera |
|
- |
Visited
Parador |
| 09/10/2009 |
Santa Cruz
de la
Tenerife |
|
- |
Tram to
La Laguna |
| 10/10/2009 |
Las Palmas
de la
Gran Canaria |
|
- |
Walked to
old town |
| 11/10/2009 |
Arrecife
Lanzarote |
|
- |
Town |
| 13/10/2009 |
Lisbon
Portugal |
|
River
cruise
(again!) |
Art Gallery
in afternoon |
| 16/10/2009 |
Southampton
UK |
| - |
Home by
9:30 am! |
John, Joan and Martin on British (red, white & blue) night
Eve, Don & Pat
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Here is my latest cruise report...
This was the farewell cruise of the Black Prince
which has been sold to Venezuela.
She has a lovely double height ballroom
and tiered seating around the deep outside pool.
The ship's floating water sports deck was deployed in two harbours:
San Sebatian de la Gomera and Arrecife, Lanzarote.
The first time I went for speedboat and pedalo rides.
On the second I went for a very wet ride on a giant inflated banana!
The new owners want to use this with their yuppie customers in the Caribbean.
The pedalos and inflatable banana boat alongside the floating water sports deck in San Sebastian de la Gomera
Fred. Olsen senior from La Gomera was on Easter Island and
Fred. Olsen junior from Tenerife was in Switzerland
so they didn't come to say goodbye to her as anticipated!
Their representative on board was Nigel Lingard
the Marketing director from the Ipswich head office.
He said that Black Prince has been losing money for some years
and that Braemar's fly-cruise winter season in the Caribbean is a loss-leader!
We had one tug firing it's water cannon as we left Funchal
and two tugs as we left Lisbon.
However the other departures were all low-key with no fireworks.
We have all been given a limited edition porcelain plate to commemorate the voyage.
There was an Officers Dance Date which I've never seen before!
This was the first time that I'd taken an Apple iPod Touch computer with me.
At the first fishing village in Madeira (Riviera Brava)
I got a free Wi-Fi signal and I was able to view my emails.
In Santa Cruz de la Palma I found a strong signal outside the Sputnik bar,
so I went back there for a beer during the first evening show.
I was able to pop into town in the evening on 4 of the islands,
when we were due to sail away at midnight.
Whereas we pronounce Wi-fi as 'Why-Fie' they say 'Wiffy'!
Black Prince in Santa Cruz de la Palma
I was a tour escort in 3 out of 7 ports.
On Madeira I was on the all day tour to Port Moniz
which included a Black Scabbard fish lunch and unlimited wine.
On my first ever visit to La Palma
I was a tour escort to the Caldera de Taburiente.
The walk through the pine woods to the central viewpoint was stunning.
In Lisbon I escorted the enjoyable river cruise yet again.
Tram in Lisbon
To summarise -
- Food: Very good in the first class dining room,
but half the time I didn't get my dessert
and I never got my coffee!
- Tours: Three out of seven ports.
- Weather: Very good, no rain, highest temperature 85 degrees F.
No dancing possible on the penultimate night
whilst crossing the Bay of Biscay.
- Sailaway/deck parties: Five - Complimentary BBQ, Sangria, Rum punch and bubbly (twice).
- Tea dances: Two.
- Masonics: Hosted by Don Reid.
- Service clubs: Hosted by me.
- Dinner host: Yes, with a Liverpudlian family.
- Line dancing: Yes, taught by Kayleigh Young.
- Sequence dancing: Yes, mainly the Square Tango
and several Olde Tyme Dances.
- Ballroom dancing: Yes, usually three sessions per evening.
- Western night: Two line dancing sessions,
one led by Kayleigh and one by me.
- Tropical night: Yes - Superman, Agadoo, Birdie song, Music man, Conga etc.
- British (Red, White & Blue) night: Yes.
- Singles party: Yes.
- Singles lunch: No.
- Formal nights: Three (Black tie, Cream & Red, Black & Red)
- Cocktail parties: Five - dancing at two of them.
- Cruise Director: Ronnie Finch.
- Assistant Cruise Director: Ashley Bolton-Burrows.
- Host/ess: Peter Sherrin-Jones, who did the dance instruction.
- Cabin mate: John Molloy, who I've worked with before.
- Dance couple: No.
- Other dance hosts: No.
- Lecturer(s): Anthony Cooke on maritime history.
- Musician(s): Harpist.
- Singer(s): Several crew members.
- Cabin: 618, high up but pokey.
- Passengers: Joan from New Milton,
Eve Lee (no relation) from Swindon.
