Canaries Christmas Cruise

23^rd December 2022 - 6^th January 2023

Itinerary: Southampton - Madeira - Tenerife - Gran Canaria - Lanzarote - Cádiz - Lisbon - Southampton

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23 December. Southampton. It took me about 40 minutes to get rid of the car, check in and get on board. Once I'd been to my muster station, I went to the cabin, met my steward and went off to the Peninsular Club lunch. After that, I explored the ship, failed miserably at a quiz and then did a little more exploration. After dinner, I tried out a couple of different venues. I was a bit miffed that I couldn't get a dry Martini anywhere on board. The Martini menu has just disappeared. After dinner I just mooched about but I did go to the 710 club just after midnight.

Christmas Eve. At sea. Woke up at 9. Saw a lecture about the History of Motown in the theatre. After lunch, I helped one of my table companions to sort out her My Cruise app before seeing Father Christmas arrive in the Sky Dome. Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Grommit also made an appearance.

Christmas Day. At sea. A day earlier than I expected, deck chairs on the deck above my cabin started to be dragged about. I thought it was just before nine, but on my way to breakfast, I realised it was just before eight! I spent the day sitting in the Sky Dome. I didn't win the Christmas songs bingo. Tonight was formal night. My allocated time slot was 19:45 - 20:15. The previous sitting hadn't actually finished and so I didn't get in until almost 21:00. The service was glacially slow and when I left at 23:00 the couple next to me had just got their mains! Not good and nothing like as slick as the Christmas meal on Ventura. The corridor to all three restaurants was just completely full, before the meal. Appalling.

Boxing Day. At sea. Didn't do an awful lot today. Laid out in the Sky Dome again. They were rehearsing for a show in the Sky Dome for later. I had an early dinner in Olive Grove. Then realised that the show they'd been rehearsing was on, a soppy space thing. It was all right..

27 December. Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Another mess up today. I'd booked a trip with an external company. I wandered up and down the dockside and saw no one. I rang the number on the ticket and the voicemail said to call after 9am. I did and eventually found my driver. We bounced around the island, visited a rum distillery and various sights. It was alright. The first stop was Ponta Do Rosto. I could see the south and north of Madeira. Then we went to Pico Facho for more sightseeing . Portella was next with a rum distillery. Then it was back to the ship, where, a day late, the captain apologised for the Christmas Day fiasco, but didn't spread my palm with gold. I went to bed after lunch and slept for a couple of hours. I went upstairs for the sail away party and saw the fire tug spraying us farewell. Ate in Beach House tonight. I wasn't really in the mood. Not feeling well, I went back to the room and went to bed at 9:30!

28 December. Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain. Woke up late but feeling better. Today's trip was tapas and wine tasting. We went to a small wine house where we tried three types of wine, white, rose, red. Then we drove to another place for tapas (batatas bravas, ham, salami and the like) and more wine tasting as above, plus a sweet red, similar to sherry and a very nice honey rum. In the evening in the theatre I watched Tesni Jones, a girl I'd never heard of. She was ok. Not many photo's today, as one glass of wine looks much like another!

29 December. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain. This morning's excursion was Aruca and rum tasting. Hmm, I see a pattern emerging here! First we drove to Firgas, the smallest village on the island. There's a steep walkway in the centre and on one side there are tiled representations of the coats of arms of each of the municipalities on the island. Underneath each is an ornate tiled seat. Down the centre are models of each of the seven islands. Then we drove to the Aruhecas rum distillery. It was much the same as any other similar place I've been to. We tried 17 year old rum, very smooth and easily sippable. Then another honey rum, a passion fruit gin (don't ask) and a white rum. Off to the church next (Parroquia de San Juan Bautista de Arucas) for a swift visit inside as it was due to close in 5 minutes. That left time for a quick stroll and coffee, then back to the ship.

30 December. Arrecife, Lanzarote, Spain. No excursion today. Just a leisurely breakfast and then the shuttle into town. I just ambled around for a bit, had a cup of coffee and was back on board just after midday. I'd pre-booked Epicurean for tonight. The best meal by far that I've had on this ship. Then I saw Josh Henderson, a Freddie Mercury tribute act, in the Skydome, before hotfooting it down 8 decks and along to the Club House at the rear of the ship, to see Emmanuel Sonubi, a comedian. A clock change tonight, for the first time this cruise.

31 December. A standard sea day. When I returned from breakfast, my half bottle of champagne was in the fridge. I drank this after tying my bow tie for tonight's second formal night of the cruise. Everything worked liked clockwork tonight! No long queues like on Christmas Day. I was given a voucher for a free drink, which I tried to use for the meal, but instead was given (like everyone else) a free bottle of wine. I guess this was in apology for the previous cock up. After dinner I saw Ronan Keating in the theatre and then went upstairs to the opened Sky Dome for a New Years Eve party under the stars. I used my voucher here! A good night.

01 January. At sea. Nothing to report, Sir!

02 January. Cádiz, Spain. Peeing down today. All day! My trip was to Cádiz and Jerez de La Frontera. We had a quick panoramic tour of Cádiz, before having a brief guided tour round the town. A coffee (or glass of red, for me!) and then we piled on to the bus to Jerez. A point to note here, 2nd January is a bank holiday in Spain. On arrival in Jerez, we looked at both the Alcázar and Cathedral, in the deluge. Of course, neither were open. We were then given free time for lunch, and of course, it would have been rude not to have had a sherry whilst there. Then back on the bus, over the 'new' bridge and back to the ship. The second part of the trip was pointless, given the weather and bank holiday. When I got back to the cabin after dinner, there was a note saying that because of all the teething problems, every adult would be given £150 extra on board spend. Very nice, but a week late. I have no idea how I'll spend that in 3 days!

03 January. Lisbon, Portugal. A weird little trip today. I was supposed to go up pillar 7 on the April 25 Bridge. When we got on the bus, we were told that the lift wasn't working, so instead we would cross the bridge and look at the Christ the King statue, instead. Which we did. Then we stopped off at the pillar, because the lift was now working. It wasn't! Then a brief stop at Factory LX, which is an old industrial site transformed into a 'trendy' retail and eating complex. It reminded me a bit of Granville Island in Vancouver. In the evening I ate in Sindhu. Last time I ate in one of these, was on Oriana with Lorraine. It was awful. I'm pleased to say it was back up to its original high standards.

04 January. The Christmas decorations started to disappear overnight. Today was the Baltic/Ligurian lunch. It was OK. Around 2:30 the captain came on to say that Iona was sailing past us in the opposite direction. We all went up to see. They did the dirty on us today! Before we came, only 2 formal nights had been announced. Tonight turn out to be the third. But it was Beef Wellington and Cherries Jubilee, so that was OK.

05 January. At Sea. We were given a small picture to commemorate that this was Arvia's maiden voyage. Apart from the Christmas Day fiasco, it mostly went well. Lot's of new crew, so maybe not as slick as expected, but overall no complaints. A quick footnote about the OBC. On the last night I still had £39 left. So I spent £32 on a bottle of wine for dinner. I never got charged, so I've taken a screenshot of my account, in case they try to charge me later!