So today is Tuesday 22nd December. Peter and I have travelled from our home in
Richmond, Yorkshire all the way down to Bristol to board the Marco Polo and set
off on a cruise to the Canaries.
We had a good clear trip and made good time. The only problem we encountered was the wind,
which buffeted the van around good n proper on the way down. O oh I thought, looks like I'll be taking me travel sickness
tablets and spending a day or so in the cabin, until I find me sea legs.
We arrived early and offloaded our bags before Peter parked
up. Then, it was time to make our way
through the embarkation process. As soon
as we arrived Peter was recognised.
First Olga, the Customer Services Manager, and then by Susan, the Shorex
Mgr. As a result, we were whisked passed
the queues and more or less straight on board.
It was brilliant. So many of the crew recognised Peter (and sometimes
me), it was quite heartwarming.
We've got one of the cabins in the bottom deck again, which
has it's good points and it's bad points.
The good point is that it is lovely and spacious with loads of room for
our stuff. It's nice and clean, but with
the standard "twin beds that cannot be moved together". The
bad point is that it's in the bowels, and the deck where they close all the
port holes at the first sign of trouble.
And guess what? Yep! The port holes were covered, and the
deadlights are battened down. Humph!
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| Nureyev looks different - he's been sprayed gold. He used to be a dull grey green colour |
I unpacked, Peter slept. Then we decided we were hungry, so went for a quick lunch in the Bistro. The chef and a couple more of the waiting staff recognised Peter, so more greetings, smiles and handshakes before food. My position on the table looked out at the miserable weather on the back deck. I thought Nureyev looked a little different and then I realised why? He's been refurbished!
A wander around the ship after lunch proved that many other
areas of the ship have been given a bit of a brush up. Peter hadn't really
noticed, but then he doesn't. The
Captains Club and the Columbus Lounge have been refurbished they look the same,
but different with new chair covers and carpets. There are new covers on the soft chairs in
the Bistro, and new carpet along the connecting halls. It's all really quite nice. I did try to get a couple of photo's for
those that are interested, but there were too many people about. I'll try again later perhaps.
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| Peter "demonstrating" the shop area of the Marco Polo |
We tried to go out on
deck, but hurriedly ran back inside. It
was blowing a gale out there, and hurling drizzly rain at us. Completely miserable. If that's a taster of what it's like here in
port, I'm dreading what it'll be like out at sea. Peter and I discussed me going to bed as soon
as we left Bristol, dosed up with travel sickness pills.
Fire drill was due at 3pm, the ship was due to set sail at
4pm and Peter had a meeting with Cruise Director planned at the same time. 3pm came and went, passengers were still
boarding at 3.30pm, and it became obvious that things weren't going to
plan. At 3.45ish - the captain's voice
came over the tannoy system and we knew there was trouble coming. (It's always the same, whenever there's bad
news, they stick the captain on, cos people will accept it from him). My comment about the weather out of port was
spot on it seems. Aapparently it is flamin' 'orrible out there. So bad in fact that CMV had decided to delay
the ships sail time until 2.30 am tomorrow morning in an effort to avoid an
Atlantic storm. And because we are
leaving late, it will change our itinerary, ports are being moved around and it
looks like we will end up with an extra sea day. But hey, if we miss the bad
weather I am very happy with
that. (If you look back at our blogs for
this cruise two years ago, you'll understand why).
So we've done our fire drill and been to see the Cruise
Director, (a new guy called Ross, he seems cool), Peter's sorted out his
classes and we've drunk several cups of tea.
Now we're downstairs in our roomy cabin, just chillin'. We'll change for dinner in bit, and maybe go
and see the evenings show later. All
very relaxed.
Tomorrow is a sea day and Peter will be running two art
classes, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Depending on whether the captain has indeed
avoided the storm, I will either be helping him or in bed feeling ill lying
prone in bed moaning about bad weather and ships. Eventually I will find my sea
legs, but it always takes at least a day.
(Why I can't keep them between one cruise and the next baffles me).
So, our little Canaries adventure begins......... Or it will do in a few hours time.
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