If you think cruises are all boring buffets, basic bingo and blaring announcements, Virgin Voyages is here to change your mind. From the moment you step aboard, it’s clear that things here are a little different. Virgin Voyages is adults-only, delightfully stylish and just a little bit cheeky. I’m hooked and here are 10 things I adore, and that I think you will love about Virgin Voyages.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
1.) You Can’t Beat All the Included Dining
Virgin Voyages is a foodies dream. It has some of the best pizza at sea, delicious gelato and breakfast tacos….and none of those even come from the speciality spots.
The food is a la carte throughout the ship. There is no traditional buffet so your dinner is always fresh and tasty. Instead of the buffet, there is a food court style space called The Galley. In here you’ll find eight different counters, including Noodle Around with surprisingly great ramen noodles, Diner and Dash serving all day (and all night) breakfast, and Bento Baby’s grab and devour sushi.
Elsewhere, you are going to find some extra eateries (as they are known on Virgin Voyages). Highlights include the utterly divine octopus and prawns at The Dock & Dockhouse, the tasty buffalo chicken wings at The Social Club and easily overlooked bao buns and poke bowls at the Sun Club Cafe.
Finally, you have the six “speciality” spots. Unlike on nearly every other crucial one in the world, every restaurant is included in your fare, and they are all chefs kiss!
Pink Agave – Described as elevated Mexican, this is not your standard Tex-Mex fare. There’s duck, prawns, steak (famously slathered in mole and cheese) and street corn that people go crazy for.
The Wake – A classic steak and seafood restaurant. Start with the creamy clam chowder, presented with flair and then have a perfectly cooked steak or salt baked dorade served table side.
Extra Virgin – The Italian onboard is full of flavour bombs. The charcuterie board gets better and better and the chicken parfait is light as air. Then you can pick from plenty of pasta, another delicious steak and finish it all up with the iconic affogato cart.
Test Kitchen – Using unusual ingredients or unusual cooking methods, the food here is interesting and delicious. The tasting menu doesn’t give much away but the staff will guide you through as you go. Some may find the dishes challenging, but as it’s included, it’s worth a go!
Razzle Dazzle – When first launched, Razzle Dazzle was a vegetarian forward spot with utterly instagrammable dishes. They have added more and more meat as time has passed, so now you can get a delicious chicken burger, chicken wings and their stupidly delicious candied bacon with a bit of spice.
Gunbae – Korean food is the star of Gunbae. After an exciting selection of started and medium dishes, the BBQZ is fired up and loaded with protein. Seating is shared and the ice is broken with a fun drinking game.
2.) There Are No Kiddos
Now, don’t get me wrong, I like kids, but not everywhere, all the time. Personally, I don’t have children, so going on an adults-only cruise is an easy decision, but hear me out. There are three main reasons I think it is a brilliant way to cruise
It’s nice that Virgin devotes all its effort to entertaining us grown-ups. Without kids’ clubs or family-friendly shows, every consideration is taken for the adults’ amusement. It weirdly gives the more mature amongst us the chance to play and act a little childlike. When was the last time you got to colour in a picture or get on swings and a seesaw?
Everyone is old enough to be a little naughty. Whether that’s a swear or three in a show, or a drink or three at the bar, everyone can relax knowing that we are all allowed.
The only people throwing crying fits are grown ups, and they tend to do it a little less frequently. This really adds to the relaxation and general noise level.
Virgin Voyages doesn’t have standard drink packages. Instead, they offer the chance to prepay for a bar tab, which they will sometimes add a little bonus to. This means nobody is counting drinks to ensure they get the most out of the package, people tend to be slightly more mindful about day drinking, and the drinks served onboard aren’t terribly sweet and watered down. Rather, they are nicely crafted cocktails or generous pours of wine.
Paying per drink rather than per day means if we want a boozy day, we can have one. If we want a dry day, we haven’t “wasted” anything. Plus, water, fizzy drinks, tea and coffee are all included in the fare so you can stay hydrated without a pesky drinks package.
4.) There’s a Running Track in the Sky
The running/walking tracks on the Virgin Voyages’ ships are right up at the top of the ship. On many other ships, you will find them on the promenade deck, littered with sunbeds, benches and loungers. Deck 17’s track has no obstacles (besides the odd annoying Instagrammer taking this photo…yes, I know I am part of the problem). Everyone goes anticlockwise whether they are running, jogging or strolling to top up to those magical 10,000 steps. It just takes away the low-level irritation of sharing the deck with people who aren’t on the move.
5.) The Delicious Double Entendres
When Virgin Voyages first launched, they gained a reputation for being a little risqué. There was definitely an adult vibe, but it was always based on humour, and they have definitely pulled back since those early days. The jokes on board are just a touch naughty. I’m not talking super dirty, just a healthy level of Carry On tongue in cheek. For example, the ice cream spot is called “Like Me Til Ice Cream”. If that makes you smil,e then Virgin may just be for you.
6.) You Don’t Have to Carry a Purse
By this, I mean a British purse. In American English it would be a wallet, billfold or coin purse. Tips are either included in your cruise fare. prepaid, or paid onboard directly to Sailor Services, so you don’t have to stress about getting cash out for every drink and every meal.
It is well known that Virgin Voyages pays its staff well and so tipping for service during your sailing isn’t required. Instead, it’s great to name excellent staff in the daily surveys you receive at the end of the day. When they get mentioned, they gain perks.
7.) Virgin Voyages Make You WANT to Exercise
Wellness is a big deal on Virgin Voyages. You are going to find a lot of the ships real estate dedicated to working out. There is a large gym with two sides, one dedicated to weights and yoga, the other all about cardio. There’s even a studio space upstairs with boxing facilities!
I have spent a little time on the running machines but you can do that anywhere and that’s not what makes Virgin special. It is the unusual classes on offer. Guided yoga, bungee classes (so much fun) and HIIT are all available to book. Better than that, they are all included. As spots are limited, you will be charged if you miss the class but turn up and it won’t cost you a penny. In particular, the boy band dance classes and VHS workout make me grin like an idiot whilst I work up a sweat. They are presented by the talented Happrnings Cast and are all about enjoying yourself.
8.) There’s No Stuffy Formal Night
Long gowns and tuxedos are purely optional on Virgin Voyages’ special evening. The only dress code requirement (and even that is optional) is that you wear a hint of red. For some that means a nice red hat, for some a waistcoat of red sparkles and for some, a full on crimson costume.
After hearing the tale of Scarlet Night m, and the song that will be in your head all jgiht, everyone breaks out to explore the pop ups through the ship. We have sung karaoke, parties to a DJ, learned a pirate shanty, found circus performances and jammed to some great guitar. Then, sailors come back together for an epic party around (and sometimes in) the pool. Dancing, secrets and a big ol’ pool party all in a splash of scarlet. What’s not to love?
9.) Each Bar Has its Own Personality
Every bar on the ship has a different vibe and more than that, a different drinks menu so you can find ”your local” or try new things throughout the cruise. For example, Mr Fluskey is a rum fiend. Imagine his delight when he discovered the speciality rums at The Loose Cannon. For high end bubbles, make a beeline for Sip Lounge. Speaking of bees, the Bees Knees at the Dock is a real winner, as are their sangrias. The Red Bar in Razzle Dazzle and Gunbae’s menu both have novelty drinks which still pack a yummy punch. The pool bars have your frozen drinks and Pink Agave is STACKED with tequilas and mezcals. Whatever your tipple, there is a place for you. I’ve also heard that the bartenders at On the Rocks and Draft House love to create new cocktails for sailors based on their preferences so have fun!
10.) Virgin Voyages Likes a Late Sleeper
If you are not an early riser, you will love Virgin Voyages. From day one of your cruise, you don’t need to set a horrible alarm. Boarding times are later, starting at 13:30 (1:30pm) so you can enjoy your hotel’s full check out time.
Boarding later also means disembarking on your last day is later too. They don’t turf you off at 06:00 with nothing to do until anything opens or your flight leaves. Instead, you can wait right up until 10:00 to get off.
Breakfast is served in the Galley until 11:00 and there is brunch at The Wake and Razzle Dazzle until even later. If you are really sleeping in, but need a breakfast fox, Diner and Dash does cooked breakfast all day! You are allowed to take the grab and go boxes from the fridges around the shop and put them in your fridge room too, so you wouldn’t even have to go upstairs to get brekkie.
Final Thoughts on the Things You’ll Love About Virgin Voyages
From the food to the fun, there are definitely more than just these 10 things you’ll love about Virgin Voyages. We have taken three cruises with Virgin and I know we will be back onboard again soon. Just like us, once you experience the Virgin way to sail, you’ll never look at cruising the same way again.
Windstar Cruises is a boutique cruise line with a stellar reputation. Great food, intriguing itineraries and small ships set them apart. We have now done two super sailings with Windstar and when people ask why we returned (and why we would again in a heartbeat) we have a few things we want to share. Read on for our reasons to cruise with Windstar Cruises.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
1.) The Small Ships
On both occasions we have sailed with Windstar, we have been aboard the Windstar Pride. There are three ships that are the same size, the Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend as well as some smaller sailing ships (with actual sails). None of the ships carry more than 312 passengers, even after a program of refurbishment which involved stretching them and inserting more suites. So why are smaller ships better?
Fewer rooms mean fewer passengers and this has some wonderful advantages. With only a couple of hundred people, you will find that boarding the ship is much quicker. Waiting for tenders is nearly unheard of as it only takes two boats to take everybody. You will not be queueing for the buffet and getting a drink is never a struggle. Then there is the relationship with the crew.
Now, I like living in a city. Anonymity is something I treasure day to day., However, on my holiday, it is really nice to be on first name terms with the staff. The crew of Windstar are amazing at getting to know you and your preferences in just a day. Then, when the crew do their fabulous talent show, you know them already and it feels like a brilliant (yet extravagant) family Christmas party or something.
Despite the ships’ smaller size, there always seems to be plenty of room for you to have your own space. You can find little nooks in the Yacht Club, during the day and in Compass Rose at night. Even as a couple, we always had our own space. You will also be surprised how often you can claim one of the two hot tubs, or the pool, to yourself.
2.) The Splendid Suites
Every room on Windstar is a suite. They may call them cabins but at 277 sq ft |(just under 26m²), they are bigger than most. Theres loads of room to relax in the seating area as well as space around the big bed. There is a walk-in wardrobe, the dream. You will have a huge side board and a bar too. The bathrooms are distinctly sizable with his and hers sinks as well as a surprisingly large shower. (Not that this is about size,m but it is worth mentioning that the showers are excellent, stronger than mine at home). It is worth noting that the smallest thing in the room is the balcony in the balcony suites which is more of an extended Juliet situation.
The sailing ships are due for a room refurbishment in the next two years so you can expect more of the same soon there too.
3.) The Foodie Fervour
The food onboard the Windstar ships is top notch. There is no stodgy pasta, the buffets aren’tstuffed with cheap ingredients and there are no half-arsed main restaurant offerings. Everything is prepared with great, fresh ingredients and you can tell!
James Beard
James Beard was a US chef who wrote books, helped pioneer cooking shows in TV and taught in his own cooking school. The foundation that bears his name funds culinary education through scholarships and celebrates great food, restaurateurs and food-related media through the USA. It gives awards annually to the best of the best. Well, with all that said, it is with pride that Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation. On each menu, you will find a James Beard dish, created by a chef who has been part of the James Beard family. They are exciting dishes that tickle the tastebuds of any enquiring foodie.
Variety
Even though the ships are small, you won’t find the same food from one day to the next. You may eat in Veranda for lunch every day for a week and find a different theme every day. This isn’t a couple of token dishes amongst a sea of repeats, but the whole buffet. The Thai day was a particular favourite on our last trip.
4.) The Casual Luxury Vibe
Dress Code – During the day, guests can wear whatever they fancy, with the exception of swimwear in the veranda. If you are in your swimmers, you can grab lunch at Star Grill. In the evening, the restaurants encourage a casual but elegant dress code. Men need trousers and t-shirts are frowned upon.
Dining – Speaking of Star Grill. If you want a really chilled out grab and go lunch then you can head to Star Grill where the food is high end BBQ with some fun sides, slads and a self-serve soft-serve icecream machine.
Activities – You do need to sign up for shore excursions but for most things on board you can just drop in. Trivia, workshops and more are all open to all. It makes such a nice change from having to book everything in advance, fighting against the masses on an app or website. One amazing example of this is their open bridge policy. If the ship isn’t in the middle of maouvering then you can pop in and have a look around and chat with the officers on duty.
5.) The Inclusions
Included in the cruise fare is all the food onboard (minus a couple of upsell giant steaks) and all the soft drinks as well.
Water Sports – Something that we still haven’t experienced ourselves in the Water Sports Platform. From here, passengers can jump into the water, snoarkel or play on the floating mats or trampoline. Windstar also has kayaks and stand up paddleboards that you can borrow and use.. This is all very much weather permitting of course but it is so cool that its all included.
Speciality Dining – There are no costly dining options on Windstar. Instead, the two speciality options are included. Veranda, where you’ll find breakfast and lunch transforms into a speciality restaurant in the evening called Candles. This is the steak and seafood spot and their cooking is spot on! Cuadro 44 is a Spanish dining concept with flavours of Barcelona at the forefront. The Iberico ham is divine and octopus is wonderfully cooked. Best of all? I doesn’t cost a penny more! Cuadro 44 is due to be replaced with a Mediterranean and Asian fusion spot which sounds rather intriguing.
The World Spa – Booking a massage or beauty treatment is going to garner an additional cost, and its pretty pricy so if you love a shiatsu then budget accordingly. However, the thermal suite is free to use and open all day. In here you will find four fabulous heated beds, a sauna, steam room and exciting shower with lots of jets. Considering spa passes usually cost, this is a really lovely addition.
Windstar takes their destinations seriously. They love to give their guests a sense of place, unlike plenty of other lines that just travel the world without paying much attention to their stops at all.
Food
On most sailings, you will find a similar selection of food options during the week. However, there is also often a chance to join the chefs as they venture ashore and head to a local market. where they see whats good and fresh. You can give some input too! Then, that evening, it is very likely you’ll find the purchases on the menu.
Entertainment
As well as the local food, they like to find local entertainment or specialities and invite people to share their gifts. For example, on a stop in la Gomera, Spain, the locals use a whistle language to communicate between valleys and we had a demonstration from three amazing ladies in the lounge. In Colombia, a dance troupe gave an amazing performance of traditioal dances, more modern (well, 1950s ) variations and an old African dance which was fantastic. Finally, in Madeira, Portugal, we were treated to a gorgeous fado singing show. It is so lovely to have a sense of the spot you are docked in. The whistling demonstration in particular was not something we could just book for ourselves.
Excursions
Having a smaller number of guests means they can offer several small group tours in a way a larger ship couldn’t…or wouldn’t. As such, they can make local connections, allowing the tours into their homes. The cooking lessons are in people’s kitchens and cultural exchanges don’t just happen in poorly disguised shops. Even on beach days or other seemingly standard trips, they try and find a way to include the local area and people. In San Blas, Panama, a local tribe comes to visit the island where they sell traditional textiles and perform a dance that goes back generations.
7.) The Amazing Itineraries
Many of the sailors that you’ll meet on Windstar are pretty well travelled. They are keen to see more of the world in a relaxed and luxurious way. Thus, the majority of the cruise plans offered by Windstar are port-focused. This allows guests to get out and explore. This is especially true of the itineraries that include an overnight stop. This, combined with the ships’ ability to squeeze in closer to towns means they can be a great place to explore from. Staying in Madeira, Portugal, it was just a fifteen minute walk into the centre of the city.
Comparing the itineraries that Windstar offers, you are going to find some delightfully unique offerings. For example, their home is in French Polynesia so they have some amazing port visits around Tahiti and the surrounding area. The best way to discover what in offer is to scour the website and start dreaming of your adventure.
Final Thoughts on Our 7 Reasons to Cruise with Windstar Cruises
In summary, cruising with Windstar Cruises feels like pretty darn fancy pants. The ships are big and busy enough that you won’t get bored, but small and quiet enough that you don’t feel swamped or stressed. It is the most divine balance. Maybe one day we will join them for a third sailing but until then, we hope you have the chance and the best time!
Cruising through Paris, on the mighty river Seine is both a delightfully touristy thing to do, and at the same time, is a must do whether you are local or not. But what lies beyond the city limits? Where does the Seine wind its stately way through? Travelling on the Viva Cruises Gloria, you have the chance to find out. Join us on our Seine to Atlantic, Viva Cruises itinerary.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Paris Part One
The Seine to Atlantic itinerary begins and ends in the City of Light…or is that the City of Love….or the City of A Thousand Instagrammers? The absolutely iconic French capital is one of those travel destinations that will lure me back time and time again.
I am the first to admit that I have done a fair amount of Instagramming here (including the clock in Musee d’Orsay during this trip) and loads of touristing but even just wandering the city as a “Flaneur” is real delight.
Did We Book a Tour?
No, we decided to tick off another bucket list Parisian moment.
What We Did Instead
Despite this being my fifth trip to Paris, and the third with Mr Fluskey, neither of us had ever seen Sainte Chappelle. As the trip was rather last minute, we didn’t book tickets tickets in advance which is definitely not the way to start a visit. We joined the walk-in queue and stood outside in the rain for about 45 minutes. It was only when we got to the front that we saw there was a priority access queue for disability and we could’ve skipped a lot. Oh well, you live and learn. It may have been a long old wait, but it was still definitely worth it. The stained glass in the Sainte Chappelle breathtaking.
Les Andelys
Les Andelys is very quaint. From an abundance of wood-timbered houses to a proper medieval castle, it screams Normandy!
Did We Book a Tour?
Not for this one as it all looked within walking distance.
What We Did Instead
Disembarking as soon as we could, we made a beeline for the fort atop the hill. This took us through the gorgeous Petit Andelys which was just seconds from the Viva Gloria. It is full of original timber-frame residences that are just absurdly picturesque. From here it was about 20 minutes through the village and up the hill to Chateau Gaillard. This is the quintessential Normal fort (well, kind of English as it was built by Richard the Lionheart in 1196). It has stone walls that are meters thick, archers windows, a proper garderobe (long drop toilet that sticks out over the walls) and perfect views down the river in both directions.
From here, we took the 30 minute stroll away from the river, into the centre of town to see the cathedral. The Collegiale Notre Dame is a surprisingly huge church for such an adorable town. It was built in the 1200s on the site of an Abbey that was already 700 years old. It has some beautiful sand glass from the 17th and 18th centuries.
That evening there was a piano concert in the church, and the pianist was practising adding dramatic atmosphere to the interior. The event manager scraping chairs across the floor in preparation for the audience, rather ruined the effect though.
The only place on our river cruise I had actually heard of, other than Paris obviously, was the capital of Normandy, Rouen.
Our boat docked in the evening we were excited to hear that there was a sound and light at the cathedral. We thought we would make the most of our time and disembarked earlier in the evening to grab a drink first. We found a bar right by the astrological clock (more on that later) that had some proper Normandy cidre. It was a very lively spot and we enjoyed our drinks before making our way to the square in front of the cathedral.
The show was not your normal bombastic historical epic to through sound and light but more to something you might see in the Tate Modern. “Star and Stone : A kind of love…some say” was created by an artist called Bab Wilson. Famous poems by Maya Angelou were read in both French and English over a Phillip Glass score whilst mesmerising projections played across the front of the magnificent facade.
Did We Book a Tour?
We sure did.
Rouen: Back to the Middle Ages with Chocolate & Cheese Tasting
Now, I know that Viva Cruise was all inclusive, but I’m never going to turn down chocolate or cheese.
This city tour with a foodie flair was a short walk taking in the sights, with a tasty treat twice along the way. Our bubbly tour guide took us from the boat, back up to the Cathedral square and through the rainy Rue de Gros Horloge. We learned all about the beautiful old astrological clock which shows the time, date and phases of the moon. Then, a short way along the next street we are most into the main town Square. In the middle was the most unusual church, the church of St Joan of Arc,  as this is where the unfortunate leader was burnt alive. The wooden church has an interesting structure designed to represent flames. Then inside, you can see the modern stand glass.
It was at the market nestled at the heart of the square that we had our cheese tasting. There was a cheese counter there stuffed with the most delectable looking cheese. We drooled over some of the more unusual types before everyone was presented with two trays. One was a camembert and it was funny to see the faces of the people that thought it was strong. I wish i could introduce them to some of the beautieis ripening away in my mum’s fridge. The other was a …..
Our next stop was a chocolatier called Hautot. They have three shops in Rouen but are still small producers focusing heavily on local ingredients. We we got to try two of their signature caramels. The pear was an unusual and light treat whilst the salted caramel seemed to be class favourite. Even more impressive was the lflurry of translation that was happening throughout the tasting. Our host was speaking in French and then our tour guide had to translate into German and English. Impressive stuff.
Finally, it was back to where we started at the Notre Dame. We had inside to hear the stories told with them, bringing the statuary and windows to life.
After the tour we popped back to the clock to see the day change with the sliding of one god to another. So cool! Then we dashed around, taking off the last few sites I spotted on Google Maps. There was an old prison tower which I’m quite sad. We didn’t have time to go around, gorgeous roads lined with ancient wooden buildings, and an old courtyard of delightfully macabre details. we could have spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city but it was time to leave and actually we had a lovely afternoon in the hot tub and the brief window of sunshine that we were treated to.
Le Havre Part 1
Le Havre is a port city, that receives a fair few cruise ships. Bombed heavily in World War II, much was rebuilt and so it has a bit of a reputation as a concrete jungle. As ever, we were determined to form our own opinion.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes.
Le Havre: On the road in Le Havre & Étretat
Our tour only had one stop in Le Havre, but as this was the furthest from our dock and it was the main site I was keen to see, this was perfect.
Le Havre has a superbly unique church due in large part to the time of its construction. It was designed by architect Auguste Perret and constructed in the 1950s as the city rose from the rubble of WWII. The almost Brutalist concrete naive of Elsie’s Saint Joseph is topped with a huge grey tower more akin to a power station than a palace of worship. It is said to resemble a lantern or a lighthouse but I think it gives Empire a state vibes. Head inside and you’ll see the hundreds of coloured glass dots that fill the interior with beads of colour. It’s a very unusual take on stained glass by artist Marguerite Huré which is subtly stunning.
From here our coach continued on to the seaside town of Etrotat. This pretty spot is most famous the stunning coast it sits within. Artists, including Monet and many a watercolour king, have come here to capture it both in glorious sun and dramatic stormy moods. We arrived on a distinctly dull day that you would only need greyscale to recreate.
After walking everyone to the beach, our guide gave us two suggestions of routes to take for a stellar view. We could take a right and hike up to the church, or to the left to hike up and see the natural rock arch. Rock arch for the win. It was a steep climb up but well worth it. On one side the sea was a beautiful blue under the arch, and on the other, the dramatic rock stack formation made for a very cool visit.
Coming back down, we noticed people gathering around some cool cars and a cherry picker which was now up in the sky. It turns out it was a special emergency services day and as we were admiring the cars, we heard a helicopter flying in from around the coast. They did a whole demonstration of a helicopter sea rescue which was very, very cool to see.
From here, we popped into the wooden market, grabbed the obligatory sneaky cidre and and walked back to the coach.
After the Tour
With a cloudy but dry sky, we decided to take a walk around the city and see the last few sights. It was a fifteen minute stroll around to our first stop, the … This big sculpture, a rainbow of shopping containers was strangely fabulous and makes a great welcome to arriving ships. From here we popped into the art museum for a quick warm up before meandering through to the cathedral.
Straight up the road from the Cathedral is The Volcano , a modernist arts venue with giant swooping white walls and … Opposite, the sobering war memorial is overflowing with the names of those lost fighting in the wars or defending the city. We crossed the giant arched …. Bridge and head back to the boat for a nice boozy Mexican coffee,
Le Havre Part 2
Our day started with a dash to Primark for tights (my legs were all kinds of chilly) which isn’t very cultural but needs must.
Did We Book a Tour?
No
What We Did Instead
So, Viva Cruises were running a tour to Honfleur, the town across the delta which is beloved by artists. I thought I wasn’t bothered…until it had already left. Suddenly flooded with FOMO, I declared that we too would head for Honfleur. We made our way to the bus and train station and hopped on a local bus.
The main harbour of Honfleur, Le Vieux-Bassin, is disgustingly picturesque. You cannot help but be charmed by it.
The rain and cold drove us to find shelter…and cidre. The aptly named Le Cidrerie serves proper Normandie cider and tasty buckwheat galleries, amongst other things…but why would you order anything else? We shared a …. pancake and had a couple of drinks each to warm up from the inside out. Fed and watered, it was time to return to Le Havre and the waiting boat.
Vernon
Again, we were up early for a quick extra something. We took a walk along the Seine and across the bridge to see the old mill.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes we did.
Vernon: Monet’s House & Garden
Claude Monet’s house is the reason the small. village of Giverny is famous. The artist’s iconic water lily pond and water garden are here, along with his flower garden and actual house.
It is quite the tourist operation with tour after tour heading through in single file but, you know what? It was still a nice visit. We joined the throngs as we slowly wound our way through the paths, admiring the glorious gardens, which apparently he ensured was always in bloom by planting different seasonal flowers.
Then into the house to see how such an icon does interior decorating. It was mostly quite simple but we adored the tiled rooms downstairs.
Everyone was given some free time so we made a dash for the church, Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny, at the top of the village. The church is home to both Monet’s resting place and a lovely memorial to airmen that were killed here. Of course I grabbed a sneaky cider and that plus the gmagnificently red foliage gave me all the autumnal feels.
Paris Part 2
My Paris bucket list seems to grow longer with each visit, and so I need to hit as much as possible on every trip. That is why we were up and out nice and early on our return to the capital. The Musee d’Orsay was calling. We dashed in from the rain and made our way to the fifth floor, and that Insta-famous clock. After our snaps we enjoyed browsing the impressionist galleries and seeking out the Toulouse Latrec pieces.
After a morning hiding from the drizzle at Musee d’Orsay, we hopped on the RER back to grab a light lunch.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes, we had something rather exciting lined up for the afternoon.
Paris: Vintage Citroën 2CV ‘Ente’ Tour to Montmartre
Puttering through the streets of Paris in an old 2CV gives serious main character energy. Add to that a roof that you can roll up and some banging tunes and you have an excellent way to spend a couple of hours in the capital.
We set off from the boat in a convoy of three cars, ready to take the drive all the way up to Montmatre. Our first drive by was of course, the Eiffel Tower. Magnificent as always. Then we crossed the Seine and started winding our way past some more iconic sights. The Opera Garnier, the Grand Palais and more.
Our delightful driver had a Bluetooth speaker and said we could put on our music. I bust out an 80s playlist and it turned out to be a good choice. He said he loved 80s tunes, and so do we! The cars were all drawing attention as they chugged past people, and ours, with our mini disco was the most ostentatious of all.
After the Tour
We simply couldn’t leave Paris without going to see the Eiffel Tower one more time. Remarkably, the sun came blazing through in 45 minutes of blue sky just as we reached its giant feet. We spent some time taking photos and then decided to walk back from here to the boat. It was a very pleasant stroll with the clouds only closing in just as we reached the Viva Gloria.
Final Thoughts on Our Seine to Atlantic Viva Cruises Itinerary
As an introduction to Normandy, our Seine to Atlantic Viva Cruises itinerary was ideal. Pretty cities, cute villages and some fun food along the way is just what we were after.
Checking into a hotel with an ever-changing view, and a new location every night has got to be the coolest thing about cruising. However, gigantic ships, dodgy buffets and faraway ports all take from the experience somewhat. Well, that is all solved on a river cruise, and we are so excited to share ours with you. Join us for 8 days on the Viva Gloria, cruising the mighty Seine from Paris to the Atlantic in France. This is our Viva Gloria & Viva Cruises review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
The Seine to Atlantic Cruise
We were originally booked to sail on the Rhone on the south of France, but when Viva Cruises suggested we swap to Seine to Atlantic itinerary, we jumped at the chance. I’ll take any excuse to visit Paris, a city that will forever enthral me. During the sailing, we visited:
Paris – The stunning French capital with more sights than a shooting gallery. We had the chance to tick off a few more things from our Parisian bucketlist, on this occasion we hit the Musee d’Orsay, Sainte Chappelle and did a food tour too!
Les Andelys – This pretty Norman town has a striking medieval castle and Le Petit Andely is awash with pretty timbered houses. We didn’t book a tour here, but just strolled around.
Rouen – The main city of Normandy is crowned with a mighty cathedral on which we caught a very cool light show which run on summer nights. The next day, we hit the streets, exploring the pretty buildings, unique Joan of Arc church and got to try some local chocolate and cheese.
Le Havre – Le Havre is a port town connecting The Seine River to The Atlantic Sea. We did spend a little time in the city but spent most of our time in two neighbouring villages. Honfleur is full of intriguing wooden buildings, including a double-naived church whilst Etrotat is all about the stunning natural coastline.
Vernon – Beyond its cute timber mill, this is the base to head to Monet’s house in nearby Giverny. It was lovely to see his gardens and adorable tiled kitchen before grabbing a cider.
Viva Cruises is part of parent company Scylla. They launched straight into a pandemic world and stayed afloat (pun intended) serving the German domestic market until the world reopened. Now they can be found on all the major rivers of Europe,
Our boat, the Viva Gloria has been cruising since 2005 so it isn’t super new but you wouldn’t know it. Viva Cruises has renovated and maintained it beautifully. The interiors are kept spick and span, polished to perfection every single day. All the decor was classy with no horrendous carpets. The room decor was grey and navy which was very city chic, while this entrance lobby had a Mediterranean vibe.
The boat is 100m long, allowing it to travel through many important locks. There are-76 cabins and suites, spread across 3 decks. She can carry 152 passengers and they are looked after by 36 staff. That’s one member of staff for every 4 2 passengers. To be honest, it feels like there are more than that as service was never lacking.
Our Diamond Deck Room
Our stateroom was a 14m² twin, the most common room on the Viva Gloria. Every room on the Diamond and Ruby decks have a french balcony (how apt). If you are staying on the Emerald deck (the bottom deck) you are going to have two windows that are just above the water line. I thought these would be too high for me but they were just right and it was so fun to see the swell from other vessels lapping the glass, or a duck paddling past.
But back to our room…
On the left side as you enter were two wardrobes. The first had a higher hanging rail and a couple of shelves. I don’t think this would take a full length maxiso bear that in mind before you being something that crumples easily. The wardrobe next door had more shelves, one houseing the lockable sfae. Below wasanother rail, ideal for tops or shorter skirts etc.
Along the wall from here is a desk with a large mirror above. In lieu of a kettle, there is a Nespresso machine. I made good use of it and despite having the choice of regular or decaffeinated coffee pods, it was the hard stuff all the way.
Every room gets a bottle of sparkling wine in their room and this also sits up on the desk when you check in. Below the desk is a fridge that is unbelievably, included in the cost of the cruise. We had some water, soft drinks and even a couple of beers. We found anything we drank replaced whenever the next room service was (twice per day).
The Bed
Our bed was really wide and so comfortable. The covers were nice and warm but if you are a very cold sleeper, there are two more blankets in the wardrobe. I struggled with the pillow options as they were very soft. I ended up using the display cushion in a pillow case, stuffing the unwanted ones under the bed. Speaking of…there was plenty of room for our two backpacks, a hand luggage suitcase and the pillows so it would comfortably hide a normal sixed case.
Every evening there was a turn down service with a little chocolate on th pillow so make sure you leave room at dinner! I had to save mine up as I forgot nearly every single night and was always full to the brim.
The Bathroom
The bathrooms were quite small but managed to squeeze in the toilet, shower and sink. This is just one of those bathrooms that is for function, not for dancing about in a towel. I am pretty sure this standard on river cruise boats as everything is that little bit smaller. Saying that, there was a nice big cupboard under the sink for storage, but I think it would be better if it was divided into two shelves.
The amenities are made by Rituals so they smell great and are fantastic quality. Strangely, the Emerald deck room we checked out had a body lotion and something else that I forget, but our room didn’t. Maybe it is compensation for the smaller windows? Being the backpackers we are, we brought everything with us anyway so it didn’t matter but I am still curious.
The shower was surprisingly powerful for a boat but the space was limited so fine for washing your hair but the contortions of a leg shave were a bit of a struggle. I didn’t have any problems with the temperature but Mr Fluskey seemed to. Maybe he got unlucky with a popular shower time.
Viva Gloria’s Facilities
The Boutique
We are not into shopping so didn’t make use of the gift shop on board. They did have some very cute scarves and cardigans though, a requirement in the chilly French autumn days we caught. Everyday they rotated the stock that was on show at the front and there did seem to be some nice jewellery options but I didn’t investigate further.
The Sun Deck
Up on the top deck was a large collection of seats and sun loungers, ready and waiting for a little sightseeing or sunbathing. Guests could lounge up here and catch a tan, or bring up some drinks to enjoy at the tables. The L-shaped sofas at the front were particularly nice for sightseeing. on sunny days. Alternatively, the seats with the wind protection were better for a chillier sailing like ours. As we sailed, Viva Cruises played interesting facts and tidbits from the speakers up here.
I was hoping to spend a little more time up on sun deck but we were a little unlucky with the September weather. No Indian summers here. There was one nice, sunny afternoon as we sailed from Rouen and of course, we hopped straight in the hot tub. It was so lush to enjoy a glass of bubbles, in the bubbles, with the green river banks sliding past.
One cool and crazy thing about river cruise boats is that they are all designed to fit under the bridges spanning the water. However, to do this they sometimes have to collapse everything. If there are people on the deck, they either have to move them away completely, or ask everyone to sit down until the bridge is cleared.
The Spa
Down on the Emerald deck is the spa. This was an excellent alternative to hanging out on the sun deck as it was nice and warm on a rainy and rather dreary day.
You can book the spa for an hour and you’ll have it all to yourself, or between your group if that’s what you would prefer. Inside there is a sauna, a steam room, a shower and a Jacuzzi bath. Bear in mind that there is only really room for three in the sauna and the steam room at a time so if you are a larger group, you’ll have to swap. We hired the spa for a lazy morning that we would be sailing rather than docked. It was a very nice way to spend a lazy morning. The steam room was so steamy that we couldn’t see each other about a meter away, but the sauna wasn’t that hot. It was an infrared sauna so if you’re looking for the full Finnish experience, you may be disappointed. Neither of us like to be fully roasted, so it was very comfortable for us. I ended our time with a very happy 10 minutes in the bubbly bath.
There are towels in the spa so you do not need to bring any from your room. Oh, and if you need bathroom robes but you aren’t staying in a suite, you can request these from housekeeping and they will be with you within 10 minutes.
Dining Aboard Viva Gloria
Panorama Lounge
The bar in the Panorama Lounge is at the front of the room with a nice wraparound view. Here you can order a few wines, beers or pick from a cocktail list that we worked our way through far too quickly. They also had a cocktail of the day, along with a matching mocktail, which wasn’t on the menu. It was a fun touch. Not on the cocktail list per se, the Mexican Coffee was one of my favourites. I was not alone, mid afternoon there were plenty of these on the go around the lounge.
At lunchtime, a light lunch is served in the Panorama Lounge. There is a soup (the same on that is served on the main lunch). Then, you can usually choose from a salad bar, a pasta dish and something carby (a sandwich, a toasted croissant or a baguette). Finally, there will be one dessert. This is great if you aren’t that hungry, are in a rush or just don’t fancy the formality of a served multicourse lunch.
More food? Oh go on then!
All the special food offerings were up here too. During our sailing we had an ice cream party, a gorgeous afternoon tea and a delicous “taste of Normandy”. This comprised a huge selection of meats and cheeses served along with a splendid Normandy cidre. I expressed my love of cider to the staff and they very kindly made sure a couple of bottles were left so that i could enjoy it for the last couple of days. This is definitely the advantage of a smaller river cruise. We knew the lovely staff by the end of day one and they took such good care of us.
The Riverside Restaurant
Down on the Emerald deck is the Riverside Restaurant. Viva Cruises has open seating which means you can choose the table you fancy and you can arrive at any time during the opening hours. It is worth noting that people tended to pick a table and stick with it but we liked to switch it up, hunting out the nicest view on the day. For lunch and dinner Riverside Restaurant is open for about two hours. It was really nice to dine with friends we had made during the week and to chop and change our plans.
Breakfast
The only time you will find a proper buffet on Viva Cruises is at breakfast. There is a large continental slection of meats, cheeses, salad, fruit and lashings of smoked salmon. Then, as you would hope,, the pastries are top notch and varied.
Even with all this, there is an a la carte menu that you can choose from as well. the omelettes in particular were a highlight. They are made french-style (rather than the chopped-up version you find in the USA). The portion is just right for one person when added to a bit or two from the buffet.
Oh, and if you are feeling really frivolous, there is a bottle of sparkling wine sitting ready for a bubbly brekkie.
Lunch
In the Riverside restaurant, lunch is a semi a la carte affair. You can grab some starters bits and bobs with a salad bar in the centre of the room. Then you are given the option of a soup, the choice of a few main courses and finally two or so dessert options.
Fair warning, if you indulge in everything, you may struggle to eat another four courses at dinner even though these are a little lighter than those served later.
It is worth noting that the cooking of everything for both lunch and dinner was excellent. The only thing we would change is the viscosity of the soups on offer. We both thought they were a little thin, but that is my personal preference.
Dinner
Dinner was usually four courses. A starter, soup, main dish (entree) and dessert. Both the selection of ingredients, and the cookery were restaurant quality. We had blushing pink duck, a fancy champagne sauce, and all manner of perfectly prepared potatoes. I suppose that in France, we wouldn’t accept any less.
This is going to sound crazy, but it was the source of several dinner time conversations. The chef on Viva Gloria, despite cooking for 100 people, somehow managed to get perfectly crispy fish skin every time. Every fish we had, was delightful. We both adore seafood. I think you can trust us on this one.
Gala Dinner
During our sailing they had one gala night. I didn’t know it was happening but happily, we had a collared shirt for Karl and a pair of little heels for me so we could slightly upgrade our dinner look. The tables too had a glow up. The napkins had little bow ties (too cute) and the menu was served as a scroll.
On this evening, dinner was six courses including an amouse bouche and pralines. The fillet mignon was perfect, as was the chocolate fondant cake. I was very impressed that they managed a flowing centre with so many people to serve at once. Oh how my heart sank when I realised the two chocolates meant one each and I had just demolished mine thinking there was another to come.
Vino Vino
At the back of the Diamond deck is Vino Vino. This was used as a bistro during our sailing and we booked to eat there on the second to last night. In Vino Vino (as the name would suggest) there was a wider selection of wines on offer. It was nice to have more to pick from after having the same drink menu for the week. (More on the drinks next). The starter for everyone was a salad which was crispy but very simple. Then I opted for a Chateaubriand and Mr Fluskey chose the burger.
Now, I was particularly excited about my steak. It is not often you see Chateaubriand on a menu for just one person so this was going to be a real treat. We also never “go for steak” at home as Mr Fluskey isn’t a fan of beef. I kept waiting for the waiter to ask me how I liked it but instead, I was presented with a plate. ofmeat that was well done. Personally, I like my steak barely past rare and was not keen on chewing my way through this beautiful steak that I felt was ruined. I have genuinely never sent a plate of food back in my life but considering the rarity of my special steak dinner, I did on this occasion. Well, the staff did some epic service recovery. Within five minutes a perfectly blushing Chateaubriand was in front of me with freshly cooked chips too. I felt so embarrassed that I had complained but they dealt with it with grace, kindness and excellent cooking skills. Amazing work!
The Drinks
Viva Cruises has, what they called, their “all-inclusiveconcept“. This allows guests to choose from house wines, beers, spirits, champagne and cocktails, along with soft drinks and hot drinks. These are all included in the price of the cruise and you only pay extra if you want to pick from the wider wine list anywhere other than Vino Vino. This is one of those inclusions that really allows you to relax and enjoy the cruise. I hate stressing about drink prices on holiday. It is so much nicer to just think about what you really want and pick that.
Entertainment
There was only one main entertainer on the boat, a pianist who also sang. She had a very laid-back lounge style of piano , which I found a little soporific. I did enjoy the blend of the great American songbook, popular songs from the 70s and 80s, and musical theatre. ‘s greatest hits, however.
Our last night we were treated to a cabaret show performed by a group called Lipstick Productions. They were so talented and it was so nice to see the crowd slowly perk up. Mr Fluskey was roped into one of the skits and he wasn’t alone. Crowd participation was encouraged and they were so kind to the willing, or unwilling, volunteers.I thorouhgly enjoyed the hour long show which eneded in a full French can-can, the perfect Parisian performance.
Final Thoughts for Our Viva Cruises Review
Honestly, I wasn’t sure that river cruising would be our thing. It is weirdly both quite slow, and an opportunity to see loads in a short time. I think the compatibility of any traveller with this kind of trip is the itinerary. Exploring somewhere new, stopping vibrant cities, chasing art trails, taking a foodie adventure or travelling on different rivers, there is the perfect itinerary for everyone.
I do know that I would be thrilled to sell with Viva Cruises again and would love to see the new ships, exploring more of Europe’s waterways in style.
Virgin Voyages entered the cruise market in 2020 with one aim: to shake up the cruise industry. Determined to do things differently, even experienced salty dogs had to learn a few new tricks . If you are taking a Virgin cruise, here are our top tips for your first Virgin Voyages cruise.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Cruising uses a plethora of nautical terms but also has a few terms of its own. Assuming you already know these, here are the Virgin Voyages translations.
A – Port.
Z – Starboard.
Ship Eats – Room service.
First Mates – Travel agents.
Sailors – Passengers.
Sailor Loot – On board credit.
Bar Tab – This is the closest thing Virgin has to a drinks package. More on this later.
Shore Things – Shore excursions.
The Galley – The main dining/buffet area.
Happenings Cast – On a cruise line with no cruise directors, these are the entertainment coordinators.
The Band – The smart wearable that acts as your key card, charge card and cruise card.
With Virgin Voyages, if you want, it really can be “The price you see is the price you pay”. You won’t end the cruise with an unexpectedly brutal bill. So what is included on a Virgin Voyages Cruise?
Food – Nearly every morsel of food on board is included in the fare. There are a few upcharge items on each menu, but the food is so good, you really don’t need them.
Essential Beverages – This includes water (both in your cabin and throughout the ship), Coke products/fizzy drinks/sodas and simple tea and coffee hot drinks.
Shows – Nearly every single entertainment activity is free. A couple of exceptions are Another Rose as but it includes drinks. If you want to join Bingo with the Diva, you need to buy tickets.
Group Fitness Classes – Not only is the gym free, but they also have some really cool classes that are included. More on these later.
Gratuities – Tips are included, and Virgin Voyages pays well. Some people still like to tip as they come from a country where tipping in a way of life but don’t feel obliged, you have already paid.
Taxes – You won’t end up with a random percentage of the fare left to pay after the cruise. You have paid the tax.
Port Fees – There are no stings here.
WiFi – Free WIFI is available to everyone. Download speeds are good, but uploads leave a lot to be desired. You can pay to upgrade it, but for most people’s purposes, it is more than adequate. Bear in mind that you cannot stream videos on the basic wifi, so get your YouTube favourites downloaded before you sail.
3.) Virgin Voyages Dining
Virgin Voyages has 20 eateries across the ship, and if you can, you should hit all of them at some point. Let’s take a look at them:
The Galley
More of a hipster food hall than a buffet, there are several stations or kiosks here. There are tacos, some excellent ramen, burgers, paninis, diner classics and tasty desserts. You take a seat, and someone will come to take your order here. The only exception to this is the grab-and-go options in boxes that you can pick up. The sushi was particularly good for this.
BONUS PRO TIP: Diner and Dash is open all night for breakfast items. Nothing hits like a 03:30 hash brown!
The Main Restaurants
Gunbae – To start your meal, you will get the chance to play a game with your tablemates and try some soju (tasty Korean booze). Then, for dinner, you have Korean BBQ plus a few other Korean favourites like fried chicken and bibimbap.
Extra Virgin – Virgin’s Italian restaurant offering delicious antipasti, pasta and excellent affogato. You can order small portions of the pasta if you want to try a few.
Test Kitchen – Love it or hate it, the menu at Test Kitchen is experimental, molecular gastronomy. We loved it and think it a unique experience.
Pink Agave – This is NOT your typical Tex-Mex! The food here is all delicious, if not photogenic. Try a little of everything if you can. The corn and steak are firm favourites.
The Wake – Virgin Voyages’ traditional steak and seafood restaurant is at the back of the boat, with a cool view of the ship’s wake (hence the name). Try The Wake twice, once for dinner and once for brunch.
Razzle Dazzle – The other spot that you should visit twice is Razzle Dazzle. This was pitched as a vegetarian-forward restaurant, but this did put a few people off. Trust me, there are still lots of meaty options and they are adding them all the time.
The Extra Offerings
Grounds Club (2) – This is a remote location of the coffee shop. Speciality coffees here do cost but all the food is included. The cheese and jalapeno croissant that I first tried from here was quickly a firm favourite.
Lick Me Til Ice Scream – You can grab an ice cream or gelato from here for free. With new flavours daily, this is great pitstop for your late afternoon slump.
The Dock/Dock House – This is one of Virgin’s hidden gems. Located at the back of deck 6, it has a small menu of tasty bites including insanely good octopus.
Sun Club Cafe – The other hidden gem is high above it. The opening hours for the Sun Club Cafe are a little spotty but if you catch it for lunch you will find some healthy, California-coded optins like poke and carrot hummus.
The Social Club – Goodies galore! Sweets, popcorn, hot dogs…all the things that you crave when you are feeling naughty snacks.
Ship Eats – There is an impressive selection of options for room service, and everything comes in a cool zipped bag. You can tuck it all away after you are done eating and not be left with yucky trays all over the ship.
Pizza Place – A small spot cooking fresh pizzas in a real pizza oven. You can order personal (9 inch or so) pizzas to eat in or to go. This makes an excellent late night snack as it is open until 01:00 or 02:00 depending on your sailing.
BONUS PRO TIP – If you are ordering pizza, grab your buzzer and take a seat in a nearby venue rather than sitting in the hot and noisy Pizza Place. The buzzer will reach quite far and once it goes off, pop back to grab your pizza.
4.) Virgin Voyages Bar Tab
Most cruise lines have some sort of drinks package that you can buy. You pay a set amount and then you get unlimited soft drinks, wine or cocktails. Well, with Virgin Voyages including soft drinks as standard, and their joy in doing things differently, they have what they call Bar Tab instead.
You are able to pay as you go when it comes to drinks, you just pay the bill at the end of the cruise. However, if you think you will want a few drinks a day, purchasing a Bar Tab ahead of time is the way to go. This is on board credit used exclusively for alcoholic drinks, speciality coffees and drink-based activities.
The advantage of buying a Bar Tab, is that Virgin usually has some sort of offer running which means they will add a bit extra on your tab (an extra $100 when you spend $200 when we sailed on our first voyage). The other nice thing is that you can get it for just one person in the cabin so if one of you loves cocktails and the other loves Diet Coke instead, you aren’t stuck paying for two packages.
Virgin Voyages is an adult only cruise line, and it is dripping with Virgin’s typical double entendre. All of Richard Branson’s Virgin companies appreciate a good bit of naughty wordplay. Don’t let this put you off, this isn’t a swingers cruise. That being said, if you are particularly conservative, there are a few things to consider.
Virgin Voyages is extremely LGBTQIA+ friendly. They have a resident drag queen who presents shows and bingo. Let’s face it, much of the offering is as camp as Christmas.
Some of the shows have more adult themes, but it is all in good fun (not intended to be overtly sexual). You don’t have to get involved in the games if you don’t want.
Don’t let early reviews scare you. Virgin Voyages toned down some of its naughty room offerings after the first round of cruises following some feedback. You are no longer going to find condoms or sex toys in your room.
The whole thing is very tongue in cheek and honestly, there is no more illicit activity than on any other ship. Virgin is just revelling in its chance to curate adult-only entertainment.
6.) Virgin Voyages Theme Nights
Virgin Voyages Pyjama Party
On your first night, it is time to party like 1999 sleepover. Everyone dons sleepwear and dances to some awesome music, whilst munching on warm cookies. For our PJ Party, some people wore full on fluffy onesies, in Miami’s September humidity(!), whilst we opted for traditional style “satin” two piece sets, and there was the odd nightie. On our most recent sailing, there was even a couple in full Scrooge nightgown attire…with matching candles.
Virgin Voyages Theme Nights
These are hit or miss. I have heard tell of the “We Fancy” night, where lots of people wear gold. I have also heard of 70s and 90s nights. These are not official dress-up parties but just themed nights in The Manor that people like to get involved in. You may not know which of these is going to be on your sailing so I would suggest, if you want to bust out at an outfit, pack something that is vaguely 70s, in gold!
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Night
This is the one you may have heard about. Virgin Voyages doesn’t have a formal night; instead, they turn the whole ship red. You are encouraged to wear a splash of red too, so whether it is a dress, a shirt or just some shoes, make sure a bit of ruby is somewhere on you. The whole evening starts at the Roundabout, and then everyone splits off to explore the intriguing activities going on throughout the ship. Then, it all culminates with a kick ass party on the pool deck, followed by more dancing in The Manor (the ship’s nightclub) for the biggest party-goers.
The Virgin Voyages app may feel like your worst enemy at times but you need to be its best friend. Nearly everything is booked through the app. Dining reservations go live 45 days before the sailing and you need to get straight on it to secure your ideal times. Once on board, reservations for fitness classes, shows and more will open up so you need to get booking once again.
BONUS PRO TIP: Try to log on to the ship’s WIFI as soon as you reach the cruise port. This could will give you a head start on booking your on board facilities.
Throughout the sailing, you will find the daily schedule on here and you can pop things onto your own diary for it to send you handy reminders. You will also get important messages this way. Virgin does try to avoid loud speaker messages, instead relaying info on the app. (This was not the case when we had a retouring as the Captain wanted to make the announcement personally to explain why).
Finally, the sooner you download the app and register your details for your sailing, the sooner you can book your embarkation slots. This means you can bag an earlier one and enjoy your time on board even quicker.
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8.) Make Friends
The Happenings Cast
In lieu of a Cruise Director, the Happenings Cast is the entertainment team. They run classes, organise games, create magical moments and they have the key to all of these secret events you have thought about.
Rockstars
This one isn’t guaranteed either, but worth a shot. Mega Rockstars are allowed two free drinks at a tie at the bars, so they may bestow one upon you if you can charm them.
9.) Consider Your Itinerary
If you are here to experience the most of your Lady Ship and see what Virgin has to offer as a unique cruise line, then try and find an itinerary with a few more sea days. It is especially good if you can book one with the first day at sea (easier with Miami departures). European itineraries are very port heavy and you might not have time to do everything you want to on board. There will still be activates etc on board during port days so you can stay on and have a nice time. The only exception to this is Bimini. As we learned the hard way, many things shut and there are no arranged activities on the ship as the crew is all at the Beach Club, running the catering, bars and activities there.
10.) Don’t Miss Brunch
Many people don’t know about the epic brunches available at both The Wake and Razzle Dazzle. This is the most fantastic way to start a lazy day. You can also make your brunch bottomless for only $25 which is pretty decent. You can choose from sparkling wine, regular wine, beer, mimosas or a signature cocktail depending on which brunch you take. It is great for sea days! The Wake is also an excellent place to go on your last morning before disembarking as it is open for early brunch. It ends your sailing on a fantastic note!
BONUS PRO TIP: You used to have to wait to be on board to book brunch but now, these bookings open 45 days in advance with all the dinner reservations.
11.) Rock the Free Activities
There are a few things on board which cost you nothing. You might forget this if you are used to sailing with other cruise lines. Some free activities you will want to indulge in are:
Arcade Games at The Social Club – As well as table football and shuffle board, there is an arcade full of your childhood favourites here and they are all free to use. I lost an hour to Tapper!
The Fitness Classes – From the unusual aerial bungee, to hardcore spin classes, all the group classes on Virgin Voyages are included. (Personal training sessions cost). Of course we couldn’t talk about fitness without mentioning the iconic VHS Workout. Lots of fun, all to 80s classic tunes and with a shake weight? Its the best!
90s Dance Class – Unlike most cruise lines where line dancing and salsa are the dances of choice, Virgin opts for 90s boy band moves.
Have a Movie Night – There are loads of films that are free to watch in your room from classics to some quite new releases. Grab free film snacks from the Social Club, or order them on Ship Eats and snuggle in for a cosy night.
Try Some Trivia – Taking part in Salty Trivia and Risky Quizzness is free and can win you free drinks too. (For the British people out there, its a pub quiz).
Play a Board Game – Gamers Lab has loads of board games that are free to use. Borrow your favourite and find a spot in The Dock House for a chilled out (or highly competitive) hour.
Karaoke at the Groupie – There are three private karaoke rooms for hire which are free to use. You need to sign up on the day so come early to put your name down for a slot.
Unexpected Activities – There are lots of cute pop-up activities that you can dive into. I helped colour in a huge bit of art on the way to breakfast one day. Such a nice mindful start to the morning.
BONUS PRO TIP: Remember, there is a charge for missing some of the bookable activities, especially the fitness classes. Virgin Voyages will donate the charge to charity so at least your hungover lie in will benefit someone.
12.) Book With Extras
First Mates
Virgin Voyages works with travel agents and likes to refer to them as First Mates. Normally, I am a very independent traveller, planning my own trips. However, when it comes to to VV, I would absolutely book through a First Mate. Not only should they be able to match the best offer you can find, but can often add lots of fun extras (Sailor Loot or bar tab credit for example).
Sailing Club
If you hold status with another cruise line, or even with certain hotel chains, check out whether Virgin Voyages will status match you. You may well be eligible for a small collection of perks known as Blue or Deep Blue Extras. Some of those include:
Free laundry
Free speciality coffees
Premium WiFi
Dedicated phone support
A cocktail party
Expedited boarding
Bar tab credit
The higher your level, the more you’ll get.
13.) Bimini Top Tips
Most of the itineraries that Virgin Voyages runs from Florida, will make a stop at their private beach club n the Bahamian island of Bimini. Here are a few Bimini Beach Club top tips to make your day there as enjoyable as possible.
Connection – Don’t worry about getting data for the Bahamas, free WiFI is available around the Bimini Beach Club.
Arrive Early – For a calmer experience, head to Bimini in the morning. The afternoon is louder and busier. The other thing is that if you arrive later on, you will struggle to find anywhere left in the shade.
Pool Party – At around 13:00 the mood shifts and the party starts. The Happenings Crew will bust out some tunes, some dance moves and a whole load of floaties!
Take the Tram – The Beach Club is a decent walk from the port and it can be very hot. I know you want your steps but just hop on the tram.
Drinks – Your bar tab and included drinks (coke machines and water) are all transferred over to the Bimini Beach Club. You can fill up cups/bottles with Coke freestyle machines just as you can on board. We advise bringing your own container as cups can run short. We also advise grabbing a soft drink on your way to the bar as the staff are slammed and getting a drink can take a long time
Towels – These are provided at the Beach Club so you don’t need to bring your own from your room.
14.) Enjoy Some Sunbathing
If you want to soak up some sun whilst on board, you have more options than just the pool:
The Pool – To bag a decent spot by the pool, you need to get up early. Then, bear in mind, that the crew can clear your belongings if you leave the area for more than 40 minutes.
Deck 16 – On the deck that runs around above the pool there are loads of individual sun loungers.
The Dock – Back at The Dock there are a couple of day beds. These are especially nice as they usually have some chilled out music and you have ready access to food and drink, served to you.
The Net – At the back of deck 16 is the net, the insta-famous spot where you can look down on the Dock and the sea below. Around it, there are loads of day beds and even the whole edge is lined with places to tan.
The Perch – On deck 17 aft, this is the spot that you can let it all hang out. Well, not all…but you can go topless.
Cabanas – If you are feeling flush, you can book a private cabana. These have sea view and can be as open or shaded as you like (as long they are facing the sun). Honestly, these are pretty expensive considering they don’t include any drinks and with so many other options, they aren’t worth it unless you are really keen for some privacy.
BONUS PRO TIP: The sun beds are all plastic/pleather, and the darker purple and blue ones in particular, get really hot. Make sure you bring towels to avoid getting a burnet bottom.
15.) Don’t Skip Sail Away
Virgin Voyages turns their sail away into a proper party. This is the perfect chance to enjoy some free bubbly and meet the Happenings Cast that will make your sailing that much more exciting. It is a fun start to the cruise, with plenty of hype to give you a boost. If you are jetlagged then this is the perfect wake up! You will get the chance to have a free drink and if you are in the right spot, you could turn that into two or three. Of course, it is also the time to watch the ship leave port, especially fun from Miami and it would be a shame not to see that.
BONUS PRO TIP: When you are making your dining reservations, make sure your first night’s dinner is after 19:00 (7pm) so you can enjoy the whole sail away party.
16.) Add a Splash of Romance
Once you are booked, you can add on a fun upgrade called “A Splash of Romance” for $250. 75 rooms on every sailing can book this so if you think it’s for you, book it early.
Now, it may be called romance but actually, you would enjoy it just as much with a friend in my opinion.
So, what does $250 get you?
Early boarding on embarkation day. This gives you some extra time to visit sailor services, explore the ship or bag a sunbed at the pool.
One “Shake for Champagne”. Using the app, you can shake your phone and a lovely, cold bottle of Moet and Chandon will be delivered to you. Top marks for novelty but it can take a while so order it before you are desperate for a drink.
nSome cute snacks in your room a couple of times during the cruise.
Freshly squeezed juice every day.
An exclusive sail away party.
Two 3-Hour thermal spa passes so you can have a nice chill session once during your sailing.
17.) Don’t Miss Your Hidden Storage
One of the main complaints that people have with the cabin on Virgin Voyages is the lack of storage space. This is definitely true in the bathrooms but in the bedroom, you have a couple of hidden spots. The area that would be the twin bed or sea couch (the white wooden section) actually has quite a large drawer. The newer ships now have a handle on here so you can spot it, but if you are on one of the OG ladies, you’ll have to hunt it out yourself.
BONUS PRO TIP: On the subject of storage. There is no desk drawer for sunglasses, and other little bits and bobs. If you want them around here, nice and handy then bring a little collapsible box or similar to pop these things into and stop them cluttering up the desktop.
18.) Prepare for The Net
One of the most iconic spots on the ship is the triple net at the back. From here, you can see all the way down to the Dock below and it makes the coolest photo. There are two things you need to know.The first is to leave your phone on the side. In fact, that goes for any loose items, make sure they aren’t plummeting metres and metres to a hard deck, on someone’s head or to a watery grave.The other thing, is that it is painful! You aren’t allowed to wear your shoes but you can wear thick socks or grippy socks which will help.
19.) Book a Sea Terrace
If you can afford it, the upgrade to the Sea Terrace is well worth it. The balcony has a hammock. I know, this might not seem that great but trust me when I say, sitting out in the warm breeze, the movement of the ship gently swaying the hammock….you can’t beat it.
The plug availability in the cabins is really, pretty good. On the desk you will have 1 European, 1 US , and 2 USB-A sockets. By the the bed, you’ll find 2 USB-A & 1 US socket on each side. The plugs on the chair side of the room are really quite far away from the bed though so if you want to use your phone in bed, bring a 3m cable. If you plan to bring a lot of things that require charging then bring adaptors for both USA and European plug sockets.
Final Thoughts on These Pro Tips for Your First Virgin Voyages Cruise
It can’t be denied that Virgin Voyages does things differently but with these tips, you will be sailing like a pro even if it is your first cruise with Virgin Voyages. We hope to take another few Virgin cruises so see you on board!
Did you know that not only can you take a bag on board with you when you embark on a cruise, but you should. Just like a plane, you can pack a cruise hand luggage bag full of important and helpful things for your first day (plus bring a handbag too). Read on to make sure you don’t forget and of these 12 essentials for your cruise carry on bag.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Picture this: it’s the first day of your cruise. You arrive at the port, excited to board. Staff guide you to the luggage drop off point, your bag is tagged & off it goes. You board the ship & then, that bag doesn’t arrive at your stateroom for 8 hours. It happens and it is maddening when your important bits and bobs are elsewhere.
See you later luggage!
To ensure a smooth first day, bring a cruise carry on bag & here’s everything you need to pack into it:
1.) Important Documents
It is all too easy to pop your passport/ID & cruise papers into your checked bag and only realise when someone asks for them. Instead, carry a small pouch or dedicate a pocket in your cruise carry on bag for these important things. In my bag, the front zippy pocket is where everything important and imminently required goes. Then, once they are finished with, they go in a little clear folder in the main pocket.
Travelling with someone else? Show each other the spot you are using and watch each other put the docs in there!
Don’t forget to take your passports off the ship with you (if the cruise line doesn’t hang on to them). This makes getting home or to the next port if anything goes awry much, much easier.
2.) Your Medication
Wherever you are travelling, ensure that all of your important medication should be with you at all times. Anything lifesaving should never leave your side; blood pressure, insulin and other important meds can all go in your hand luggage and you will have much greater piece of mind. Also, bring plenty spare (that goes for any time your travel anywhere).
Remember, it doesn’t have to be medication per se, even if it is just helpful in your daily life, consider what would happen if it didn’t reappear. Will you be a sleepy person without your Vitamin C? Do you need a dose of B6?
After a long travel day, or just a hectic, sweaty morning you’ll probably want to freshen up. You will more than likely have shower gel etc in your room but if you have a firm favourite that you want to bring with you. In terms of skin or hair care, you might have specific requirements (sensitive skin, special shampoo etc) so pack some of that. You can decant a little into a small bottle so you aren’t lugging the full size one around.
Bring everything you need to feel presentable (deodorant, make up, a comb etc). Even if it’s just a quick glam up for the sail away, you will want these items handy. (A slick of lippy, a swipe of deodorant and a refresh of mascara can work wonders)
On a cruise, the first day is usually the least crowded time at the pool. Everyone heads to the buffet & you can lay out for a relaxing afternoon. Of course you might want to pop down after a trip to buffet yourself and you might lost the best spot but it will still be far less busy. Either way ensure you have your swimming gear, some flip flops/sandals/sliders/jellies to wear poolside & of course, your sunglasses.
(Don’t get too chilled and miss the muster though).
The pool on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady on day one
5.) An Extra Outfit
Whether you want to feel fresh after embarkation, or need something a little more fancy for dinner, make sure you have a change of clothes. Some people love to hit the gym and so they need their workout gear. Some like to hit the bar so they need their drinking shirt. You don’t know when your case will arrive at your room so think ahead. A dress is a really easy thing to pack and requires little to no styling.
6.) Permitted Drinks
Some cruise lines allow passengers to bring on a little wine or champagne. Often it’s one per person (two per cabin). Others allow a twelve pack of soda/fizzy drinks/pop. Although they are a little heavy, make sure these are with you in your carry on bag. Leaving them in your big bags can delay your luggage being delivered as security sometimes wants to check what’s in the bottles/cans.
7.) A Charger
There can be so many fun photos and exciting videos to take on your first day! It would be so sad for your phone or camera to die. If you have been travelling and navigating, or watching videos in the queue you might be lacking battery before you even board. Personally, I bring a power bank as it means I can charge my phone as it goes around the ship with me. You could also bring a plug and cable which you can have as a back up but that does rely on you having a plug socket to plug it into.
The number one rule for travelling with your belongings: If you love it, don’t leave it!
Laptops, tablets, jewellery, and family heirlooms should all be with you as you board. You know exactly where they are and you can make sure nothing is damaged. Once you are given access access to your room, you can put it all straight in the safe and rest easy.
Some people want to run around the ship and do ev-ve-ry-thing! If you are after a much more relaxed cruise then you don’t need to spend your first day hurtling around to see where everything is. (This is especially true if you have sailed on the same ship before). Bring a book, some headphones, a deck of cards or a jigsaw puzzle. If you want a relaxed cruise full of the things you love to do then bring it with you and you can get straight down to chilling out.
10.) Sanitisers
Be buffet ready with a squeeze of hand sanitiser. Most ships have some sort of hand sanitiser these days (a good thing that came out of the pandemic) but it is still a good idea to have a little of your own in your cruise carry on. You can’t guarantee there will be any sanitiser in their dispensers, and you may not like it. We sailed with one line that had really sticky sanitiser so we used our own the whole time.
Some people also like to bring antibacterial wipes to clean down their stateroom. Hot spots that may be missed by housekeeping include the remote control, handles, and flat surfaces (especially those with your glassware on, or where you will pop your phone). Staying free of nasties is a good idea for everyone on a cruise!
11.) Reef Safe Sun Cream
Heading to the pool deck on your first day is a lovely, relaxing way to start your cruise. Obviously if you are planning to enjoy the sun then sun cream is a must. Alternatively, if you are planning to run around the ship, or head outside for sailaway then you will be exposed to the sun too. Sun cream can be very expensive on board so safe some pennies and bring it with you.
And why reef safe?
You may not think you need it to be reef safe if you aren’t diving in the Caribbean or snorkelling in Australia, but even a paddle in the chilly Mediterranean can affect the sea life there. It is an investment in the future if the sea.
12.) A Lanyard or Card Holder
This is a very personal choice. I love having my cruise card around my neck. This is especially true when sailing with a cruise line that needs to scan your cruise card with every drink you order. My wardrobe consists mostly of dresses and very few have pockets. It’s such a pain to dig it out of a bag every time so just having it right there is easier.
Mr Fluskey has plenty of pockets in his shorts and trousers, and prefers to have it in a little protective holder.
Either way, having these to hand as you are given your cruise card is a good idea.
Final Thoughts on These 12 First Day Cruise Carry On Bag Essentials
It may feel like a real drag to bring all of this on board with you, but it is totally worth it. To make carrying it easier, use a cabin-sized wheelie for your cruise carry on. You can park it up as you have lunch or chill by the pool and won’t knacker your shoulders carrying it all in a tote or backpack. You can always stash it in your room as soon as it is ready for you.
Of course, if it is a shorter cruise, you could always go hand luggage only. You don’t have to check a bag in, tip a porter and you literally have everything with you from minute one. No dramas!
As divine as being on the water is, a real highlight of cruising is the amazing destinations you can visit. Over the course of our eight day Captivating Canary Islands cruise with Windstar, we had five stops. We chose to do a mix of self-guided adventures and two official tours. Join us as we hop off the Windstar Star Pride on our Captivating Canary Islands shore excursions.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Arrecife, Lanzarote (Spain)
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – I fancied having a relaxing wander by ourselves to really get into the holiday mood. Turns out, it was a bit too relaxing.
What Did We Do Instead?
Walking from the ship to town took around 30 minutes, first through the port with lots of shops and restaurants and then around the Charco San Gines lagoon. Apart from a church was passed, it slowly dawned on us that everything was shut. Sunday in Spain…the day of rest. The shopping street was shut, most of the restaurants were shut and the Castillo de San Gabriel museum…well, you get it. We walked up to the museum to look at the cannons but with it being shut, things seemed a little sad. I was just thinking that doing our own thing may have been a mistake but luckily, we found two lovely spots to sit and have a drink.
Islote de la Fermina
The first, where I enjoyed a freshly squeezed juice, was the Cafetería Islote de la Fermina. Located on a island/pier that extends into the sea, this strange venue is home to a nice cafe and a bright white salt water pool. This was the brain child of architect César Manrique. He designed it in the 1970s and at the time, you could swim in the pool. Sadly, it is now just for looks. I hope that changes again.
Blue 17
Overlooking the island is the Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa, our second spot. Up on the 17th floor is a rather lovely bar called Blue 17 with views across the lovely beach and to the hills behind. I know that 17 floors may not sound that impressive but it was this skyscraper, the first on the island, that convinced Lanzarote it didn’t want any more. It was left up as an ugly reminder to any wannabe skyscraper designers not to bother. Taking the glass lift up, we grabbed a window table and ordered a couple of cocktails. We also tried a couple of local dishes, “Wrinkly potatoes with mojo sauce” and croquettes. The potatoes were very nice and seemed easy enough to cook so I may give that a go one day.
After a quick walk through the main squares and pedestrianised hopping street (all shut of course), we made our way back to the port.
San Sebastian, La Gomera (Spain)
Did We Book an Excursion?
Yes – There were a few Captivating Canary Islands shore excursions on offer and after some deliberation, we opted to take the Short Island Tour.
The Short Island Tour
A coach trip around the island of La Gomera is the best way to see it. The rugged terrain, terraced farms and winding roads are not good for strolling. That is why we made sure we had a spot on one of the tours. The group, despite probably fitting on one coach was split onto two. This was nice, making it feel like a smaller tour but it did mean two coaches idling when there could have just been one. It wasn’t a hot day so we didn’t need the air conditioning running continuously. I was a little let down for a cruise line that prides itself on being more sustainable than most.
Our Stops
The short island tour stopped at some gorgeous viewpoints. The greenery was apparently less lush than most years as they had experienced a really dry winter (in comparison to our record-breakingly wet one). I thought it added to the dramatic vistas. The tour lasted four hours and most of it was great. There visitor centre stop had a lovely lookout point, two small museum rooms (one about the flora and fauna and one about wild fires) and a shop selling weird and wonderful cookies.
The Lagoon
There was one spot, however, that I was a little disappointed in. The final spot was “The Lagoon”. The entire coach thought we were going to a lake. Turns out, it was a field high up in the hills, known as the Lagoon as it used to flood in high rains. The surrounding forest was ancient and intriguing but we didn’t have long to explore. The more adventurous of the guests made their way down the first section of a long walk but most just hung around at the cafe looking awkward. It was only five minutes before we left that I found a sign for twenty minute round trip walk. We could have all done this and I was so confused that the guide didn’t mention it.
All in all, I am so glad we did the tour but it could use a few tweaks. Windstar Cruises is going to start cruising here regularly so I am sure this can be done.
One of the things I was sad to miss on the longer tour was a demonstration of the totally unique whistling language used on La Gomera. It is UNESCO protected and fascinating. Happily, there was a presentation of it back on the Windstar Pride itself so it was win-win.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain)
Did We Book an Excursion?
Yes – One of the most popular Captivating Canary Islands shore excursions gives passengers the chance to visit the Teide National Park and then do some star-gazing. We were on the waiting list and luckily, some people changed their minds and we jumped straight into their spots.
Teide National Park with Dinner and Stargazing
The Cloud Sea
Moisture forms on the north side of the island and creates clouds. These drift south and collect against the mountains, remaining there in a duvet of fluffy white clouds. This cloud sea is unlike anything we had seen before and it was so stunning. We got a chance to stop and snap for a while as we drove up the winding hill roads. I was far too excited!
Parque Nacional del Teide
The main attraction of the tour was the chance to visit the Teide National Park. In the centre lies the Teide Volcano, rising up to 3,718m. As we drove through the rugged landscape we could see different lava flows that had hardened and changed colour throughout the centuries. We pulled up to the head of a big valley with a collection of crazy rocks. It was a gorgeous viewpoint from which we could see the volcano above us. There, in the distance, was the cable car that ascended to the peak (available as a different tour Windstar offered). It was stark and stunning.
Dinner
We were taken back to the restaurant for dinner. Turns out, there was a HUGE room in the back and the whole thing was full of tour groups. It was a little overwhelming. We were offered wine, beer or soft drinks and then the food started to appear. The soup starter was very good, butternut I think. The breaded chicken main was tender but the veg seemed quite cheap. Clearly I had been spoiled by the superior cuisine of the Windstar Pride’s chefs. I didn’t really like the chocolate mousse dessert but did my bit to prevent food waste, scoffing it down with gusto.
Sunset
Back on the coach, we drove a little bit to a layby just below the observatory in Teide National Park. They have a proper dark sky area here, and with the nice, high elevation, it is perfect for stargazing. Everyone was poured a glass of bubbly and we enjoyed the sunset. The clouds really started to roll in over the hour, and it didn’t look great for our stargazing experience.
Star Gazing
I’m not going to lie, I definitely thought Windstar had organised a session at the observatory. Turns out, it was back at the restaurant which at first, we were a bit disappointed about. However, when we got a look at the very cool telescopes we were going to use, that totally left us. These programmable, powerful scopes were so cool and we managed to see a few things before the clouds really obscured the sky. It was really cool to see a cluster of stars all together (something I can never see with my terrible eyesight). We then had an interesting talk (usually accompanied by spotting stars but of course, the clouds made that impossible). It was a lovely end to the evening.
This was a great tour and it was a shame that mother nature decided she didn’t fancy showing off at the end. Our tour guide was still super interesting and engagin for that portion though so it was still totally worth it.
What Else Did We Do?
Santa Cruz Wanderings
On our first day, before our tour, we wanted to pop into Santa Cruz and have a look around. Some of favourite spots were:
The tourist office right by the port is housed in a lovely old mansion that is worth a quick look.
The Nuestra Señora de África Market (Market of Our Lady of Africa) is located in a Moorish-style buuilding. Downstairs is a fish market room which has loads of sit and sip bar/restaurants with all kinds of fresh seafood. We were sad that it wasn’t lunch time or champagne and sardines would have been on the menu.
The pedestrianised Castillo street shopping area was an excellent place to enjoy the passeggiata (a nice pre-dinner walk). A the top was the pretty little park, Fountain Square Weyler, that was sadly fenced up when we visited.
Close by, the Plaza de los Patos with its tiled benches and Fountain of the Frogs is a visual feast. Covered in traditional Seville-style benches it takes a minute to realise they are advertising modern companies.
Parque García Sanabria is a large green space with some nice fountains and large statues.
On the way back to the port we stopped into the dark but beautiful interior of the Parish of St. Francisco de Asís.
Castillo de San Cristobal
Under the lake just next to the port entrance (the green bridge) is a buried fort. The San Cristobel Castle has a free museum so we thought we would pop in and have a look. It was pretty good but much of it was only in Spanish. The most unexpected artifact was a large cannon called “El Tigre”. It shot the arm off Admiral Nelson (the guy on the column in Trafalgar Square, London). Apparently, the British tried to take the Canary Islands from the Spanish and it didn’t go well. Always fun to learn new history when we are away.
Santa Cruz Icons
Having another morning to play with, we walked south along the road. We passed the striking Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, a concert hall that is often reffered to as a mini Sydney Opera House. Next, we gazed over the Parque Marítimo César Manrique which seemed half closed. I think it was too early in the season as only one main pool was open. The architect of the distinctive swimming pools has his stamp across the Canary Islands (remember the island in Arrecife?)
The Palmetun
After about half an hour, we reached the Palmetun. This botanical garden is dedicated to palms in all their many forms. That is unusual enough as it is, but the coolest thing is the location. It is all perched atop a hill with great views over the town and across the sea. More than that, the hill is manmade created by a huge rubbish dump. It was so great to see it developing and having transformed into such a nice place for a walk.
I finally remembered to buy a Barraquito. I got to try one of these at Walt Disney World Resort of all places and it was so good that I was super excited for a second round. Well, it didn’t disappoint. The layers of espresso, condensed milk, Licor 43 and frothy milk, topped with cinnamon a squeeze of lemon is at once comforting and a really naughty treat.
A Quick Trip
On the way back, we realised we had an hour to kill so we popped into the pretty Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción church on the edge of the old town. We were sad we hadn’t been into more of the area but it was time to go!
Interestingly, it looks like most of the cruises offered now start or end in Santa Cruz de Tenerife so I am not sure if they will offer the tour we did, but you will have the chance to see some of the other things we did if you get there early or stay on for a bit.
Funchal, Madeira (Portugal)
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – This was our second trip to Madeira, and we had unfinished business!
What Did We Do Instead?
The Cable Car
As soon as we docked, we were off and speed-walking along the coastal walk to the cable car. The teleferico whisks people up to the high suburb of Monte at just over 1000m. Each gondola hold 6 people so we shared with some strangers and we all went our separate ways at the top. We had a quick wander around and popped into the simple church up there. I had wanted to go into the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens but at €20 each, we decided to just hang over the edge and see what we could see for free.
The Toboggans
Joining a long queue, we settled in to wait for the main reason we made our way up here. The wicker toboggans that are controlled by the gentlemen in white suits (Carreiros) are a unique Madeiran experience. Originally used as way to transport wealthy locals into town, the baskets with wooden sliders on the bottom have been hurtling through these streets for over 100 years. There is no motor just the power of gravity. It was a crazy experience , especially knowing we were on the roads with actual traffic, but so fun. The run is only about 2km and so we made our way down the rest of the steep hills on foot. Finding a little pastel de nata cafe at the bottom was a delight. It had a custard tart and little coffee for just €1.50 so we indulged.
Drinks (1)
Back in town and I wanted to go on a poncha crawl. Poncha is a rum-based drink which is a local speciality. We hopped from bar to bar, trying the original (lemon and orange), strawberry and passionfruit varieties. It used to be made with local sugarcane rum but uses an import these day…they are still distinctly delicious. We also popped to The Ritz for another drink. The Ritz in Funchal is actually a fancy cafe rather than a branch of the famous hotels. They made a decent passionfruit majito but it was a bit too sweet to stay for a second.
Full of rum and with the temperature dropping with the sunset, we decided to head back to the ship for dinner.
What Else Did We Do?
Drinks (2)
Our itinerary had us staying overnight in Funchal so we could get back out, bright and early for some more time in town. We had a tour booked for some rathe rearly drinking. Blandy’s Wine Lodge is an iconic Madeiran institution, producing table wines and the fortified Madeira wine that is drunk the world over.
The tour of the lodge took around 45 minutes and was packed full of information. There was a glimpse of huge barrels full of aging vino, and a museum that all about the family and company. They did so much over the centuries that we didn’t get through it all before it was time for the tasting. The kind folks at Blandy’s had us signed up for a different tasting than the free one that normally comes with the tour. We got to try four different ages of Madeira with some paired nibbles, all served in their tasting room. It was lined with bottles and very atmospheric. We sipped slowly through the four different options, comparing the sweetness and acidity levels. Strangely, I like the oldest and youngest most…go figure?
With time marching on, we bought four tasty chocolates to take with us and wobbled slightly back to the boat.
Lisbon (Portugal)
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – We had an idea to stay in Lisbon but a work shift popped up so we had to dash straight through. We have been to Lisbon before tough and loved it.
We caught a taxi straight t the airport. It didn’t take very long, and was very cheap when compared with most airport transfers. Having not pre-arranged an Uber, it took a few failed attempts to find one but it was so much cheaper that it was worth the faff.
Final Thoughts on Our Captivating Canary Islands Shore Excursions
The Canary Islands is often referred to as the Hawaii of Europe and it was so magical to get a chance to see why. There was no way we would have been able to visit those incredible views travelling independently so I am really glad we did the tour that we did. If we had a chance to pick the Canary Islands shore excursions again, I would have included seeing some of Lanzarote with them too. I do love being an independent traveller but with the short time frames of a cruise, taking these tours was a must. That being said, doing Funchal by ourselves was absolutely the right move! We are intrigued to see what it would be like to sail with them through Tahiti where there aren’t cities to storm around so taking the arranghed tours is probably the only way to go….one day!
Do you get fear of missing out when you travel? Me too! This is likely to be heightened on a cruise and that isn’t for everyone. The limited time frame, abundance of options and tight schedule mean it can be hard to relax. The fear of not fitting everything in can leave you running from pillar to post (or is that from bow to stern) which is fun but boy, do I need a nap afterwards. Here are my tips to avoid FOMO when you’re cruising.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
On Board Activities
The Problems: Both a blessing and a curse, there is so much to see and do. Everyday, an action-packed itinerary will appear in your stateroom and it can feel so overwhelming. The need to try everything is strong! Then, big ships not only have a full list of entertainments throughout the day (exercise classes, bingo, trivia, deck game etc, etc) but many of them also have crazy facilities. Rock climbing walls, rope courses, water parks, hot tubs, pools and the spa are all vying for your attention.
Our Solutions:
1.) Look at the itinerary for the day and pick three things that you are really interested in doing. Then don’t look at it again! It is so tempting to keep glancing at this list and stuffing your hours full of every little thing. You will be running through the ship trying to make the start of your next activity and it can be maddening.
2.) Fit other things in when you feel like you have the energy. The waterslides and pool will be there for the whole time so save those for days you aren’t so bothered by the other entertainment options or you are feeling particularly bouncy.
3.) Build in time to head back to your room and just relax. I have only managed this on a couple of cruises and snatching dearly needed naps. The early mornings of port visits combined with the late nights of shows and parties (if it’s that kind of cruise) can leave you wiped out. Having some quiet time in the middle of the day, or before dinner is so valuable.
On Board Dining
The Problems: So much food, so little time. Over ordering and over eating is chronic problem…over ordering and wasting food is even worse. This is especially bad when you are paying for speciality dining & the whole menu looks good. It is no fun feeling like you are depriving yourself of delicious things but there are ways around it.
Our Solutions:
1.) Convince your travel buddy to order the other dish you want to try & split them. This can take some serious haggling skills, and of course it only works if you have the same dietary requirements. The nice thing is, the more people you are travelling with, the more you can try.
2.) You can also ask for small portions of several dishes so you aren’t wasting anything. Just ask the crew nicely and they can normally bring some little tasters. Virgin Voyages was particularly good at this.
3.) Don’t feel like you have to have four courses just because there are four courses on the menu. If dessert looks amazing and you might get too full then skip the starters or soups that you are less bothered about.
4.) A quick note (whinge) on buffets – Take tiny bits of everything that looks good, you can always return and get more of your favourite bits. It blows my mind how much abandoned food I see piled on people’s plates in buffets, only for that same person to return with even more.
Check out our full Virgin
Shore Excursions
The Problems: My toxic trait is that when it comes to travel, I want to do it all! If our ship is docked in a beautiful city for a day, I am going to have an online map covered in pins and hurtle round them at speed. It is great fun but exhausting. It is also slightly stressful with the need to constantly clock watch. We have all seen the videos of people running down cruise piers (go and fall down the pier runners rabbit hole if you haven’t) and I live in fear of being one of them.
Our Solutions:
1.) Book a tour run by the cruise line that covers the main sights and you can relax knowing the ship will wait for your group. You can let them do the work, doing a tour means you don’t have to do any navigation.
2.) Try and focus on one area if you are visiting a city independently. If you avoid having to take any public transport between spots then you will have a much nicer time. Try and organise a nice loop and make sure you have the number of a local taxi, or Uber/Lyft etc on your phone if you have to cut your loop short and dash back to the ship.
Departure Times
The Problems: My favourite time of a holiday day is the “sundowner” where you enjoy a drink and people watch as the sun sets. It is one of those things you don’t really get a chance to enjoy at home all that often and just screams “relaxing vacation”. I really don’t like leaving before the sun is gone but it is one of those things that happens all too often on a cruise.
Our Solutions:
1.) Compare cruise lines and their itineraries to find options that stay in nice ports overnight or depart much later in the evening. We had two overnight stops when we sailed with Windstar Cruises and it was so nice and chilled. Enjoying your sunset in port and then having the option to eat in the town or head back on board is really nice. Of course, if you are cruising in summer, this is going to be much later at night.
2.) Learn to embrace the joys of a sunset at sea. The reflections on the water can be so beautiful. Developing the joy of grabbing a cocktail at the bar and heading up on deck for the show in the sky is a new routine to love.
Final Thoughts on How to Avoid FOMO When You’re Cruising
Do you find time to relax on a cruise? Or are you like me, desperate to squeeze out every last drop of everything? I really hope these tips will help avoid FOMO when you’re cruising and to relax. Hopefully, you can return rested and relaxed (not frazzled and knackered). Happy sailing!
Setting sail on Star Pride, a week of adventure before us, the excitement was brimming. Normally, all the planning is down to me and our trips can be pretty hectic. On this trip, Windstar Cruises literally took the wheel and our only job was to have a lovely time. Join us, and the president of Windstar (Christopher Prelog) as we pinball across the Canary Islands and up to Portugal in our full Windstar Cruises review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
The Captivating Canary Islands Cruise
Our 8 day adventure began in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria and took us through the Spanish Canary Islands before turning north and navigating Portuguese waters. Having never been to the Canary Islands, I was very excited to see four new destinations. Plus, I had unfinished business in Madeira so that was a brilliant stop as well.
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – We had a real whistle stop visit to Las Palmas. Reaching our hotel at around 20:00, we had just enough time to grab some dinner at a nearby restaurant and enjoy a relaxed morning at the hotel….and what a hotel. We booked a room at the swankiest place in town, the Santa Catalina. As we were checking out, we heard lots of other people mentioning Windstar and it turned out, it was the partner/preferred hotel.
Arrecife, Lanzarote – The capital of Lanzarote, Arrecife was our next stop. We decided to do our own thing here and just explore the city. Arrecife is the capital of Lanzarote and made a nice place to wander. Being a Sunday., nearly everything was shut but the legendary Gran Hotel was open and grabbing a drink on the 17th floor was a highlight.
San Sebastián, La Gomera – Lesser visited La Gomera is the least developed of the Canary Islands in terms of tourism. It’s still very agricultural and natural. Its steep ravines and high passes make travelling around tricky. We decided to take a tour here to see some of the island and we will share details of that in a seperate post.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife – With 28 hours to play with in Tenerife, we managed to combine a bit of independent sightseeing around Santa Cruz with an organised Windstar tour. We wandered Santa Cruz, popping into churches and strolling the parks. The Africa Market had a fish section downstairs with lots of eating counters and it was very tempting to grab a second breakfast. The palmetun is a botanical garden that focuses on a palms. It is built on a huge rubbish dump on the Santa Cruz shore.
Funchal, Madeira – This was our second trip to Funchal and it was the perfect opportunity to tick off a major bucket list item. We took the cable car up to Monte and the crazy wicker toboggans back down. We attempted a small Rosie-created drinks tour but as it was Portugal’s independence day, many of the bars were shut. We did manage a few ponchas and a visit to the iconic Blandy’s Wine Lodge though.
Lisbon, Portugal – Our final port of call. Originally, we were going to meet a friend in Lisbon but sadly, he had to work. We made the decision head straight tot airport rather than find luggage storage etc and caught an earlier flight.
Windstar is a luxury cruise line with six (soon to be eight) small ships. The experience is akin to having a superyacht with a large group of friends, boutique indeed! Extended by a third during Covid, the Windstar Pride holds a maximum of 312 passengers. Our sailing had 272 people, with every suite occupied. However, it never felt crowded, nor were we rushed out of dinner reservations or anywhere actually. Having such a small ship definitely made it feel luxury.
The decor throughout the ship was reminiscent of a yacht with plenty of blue hues, very aquatic. In the two entertainment lounges, the colour scheme was more warm and neutral. We got our first taste of the lounge during the check in process. This was above and beyond our previous cruise check ins. Everyone passed through security and then we were greeted on board with a glass of sparkling wine. The whole check in was in the lounge with the health questionnaire, key allocation and package offerings (spa and drinks). It was so much more relaxed than the normal terminal experience.
Our Star Ocean View Suite
For the duration of the cruise, we were on deck 4 in Star Ocean View Suite 445. With 277 sq ft (25.5 sq meters) of room, this was more than half the size of our London flat. There was plenty of room to sleep, dress, prepare beverages and chill. The colour scheme was light and airy with cream, light wood and grey. It felt classy and modern. It’s no wonder as it one of the newer suites with the seating by the door and the bed by the window. I was so happy that we had it this way around as it makes so much more sense to me, and it is so lush to sit in the bed and look out on the water, sparkling in the moon or the sun.
The “Living Room”
The minibar was completely stacked with drinks. Above was a drinks station with space for wine, an ice bucket and above that, a cupboard with several kinds of glasses. As part of my drinks package, the mini bar was included (which is insanely generous for a package). Mr Fluskey, without the package could enjoy the soft drinks and the two bottles of wine that we were entitled to bring on board with us. We needed to clear out some room for the wine so we ditched the beer and whiskey, neither of which I like. We also had bottles of filtered water every day and at night, these were popped by the bed at turn down (such a sweet touch).
The Windstar Pride is an all suite ship so everyone has a seating area in their stateroom. We had a lovely comfortable sofa, two chairs for if we decided to entertain and a large coffee table (with a stunning flower arrangement). we enjoyed sitting and having a rest here, and had quite the breakfast set up here when we ordered room service…more on that later.
The “Bedroom”
The double bed was two singles pushed together (pretty normal for cruise rooms). I love how big this made it. The mattresses were marshmallow soft, Mr Fluskey’s actually softer than mine which always caught me off guard when I sat on it to use the TV.
As a standard there are two types of pillow provided, a feather pillow and a microfibre one. They are both very soft and that doesn’t suit me. I like a pillow with a bit of resistance because I sleep weirdly. Well, our wonderful room steward Tri somehow sourced a memory foam pillow and it was a game changer! After two nights of strange sleep, I rejoiced when my head didn’t sink into it. I am aware that I am strange in my pillow preference and I really didn’t mean to cause a fuss but this is a great example of how the amazing Windstar staff will go the extra mile.
We each had a couple of US plug sockets and a couple of USB-A sockets next to the bed and a reading light. Each bedside table had three proper drawers, no scrimping here.
Across from the bed was a long, granite vanity/desk. There were four plugs here, two American and two European. We had a nice big mirror here so it was the perfect spot to do hair and make up. Did you notice the rose? ow lovely to have these fresh flowers! To the side were three large drawers and Wi star obviously agrees with me as this is where the hairdryer was kept. The TV was perfectly placed for a night in, watching a film from the bed. There was a very good selection of preloaded movies and we finally got to watch Oppenhaimer. There were also TV channels that were live streamed but we ended up listening to music rather than having the TV on for background noise. We also used the TV to watch the safety video, check the daily schedule, the restaurant menus and the live cameras. It was fun to spot if the whirlpool was empty before dashing down.
The Wardrobe
To the back of the suite was a walk in wardrobe, a luxury we have never had before. It was so nice to shut a proper door and keep the noise of the hangars at bay (my least favourite thing about cruises). It was also at the far end from the bed so this really helped with this too. we had plenty of room for all my dresses and all of Mr Fluskey’s too. We used the small drawers for our undies and gym gear. The top cupboard was the safe but as Windstar was holding our passports, we didn’t really need to use it. On the left were some triangular shelves and I popped my bags here but we didn’t really use them other than that.
The Bathroom
The bathrooms have all been redone recently and you can tell. I was so surprised at the size of the bathroom. Everyone always said the bathrooms on Virgin were tiny but I don’t think I knew any better. I could stand in here and swing my arms at wide ins. Big circle without touching anything.
We had huge his and hers sinks which was such a treat as we didn’t get in each others way at all. There were large cubbies under each side of the vanity and some shelves to the left. I’m not sure how anyone would fill all of this space?!
The products provided were all L’Occitane, a rather fancy brand. The soap, hand cream, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel all smelled delicious and I didn’t end up using my own toiletries as they were all so lovely.
Windstar Star Pride Facilities
The Pool
The pool deck, complete with teak decking sits on the 7th floor. The small pool is raised above the level of the floor and has a nice glass front, and little cascade which was a nice touch. There were shaded sun loungers on deck 7 and a row on each side of the partial deck above. We enjoyed the four clam shell day beds which meant we could hide in the shade whilst also feeling like we were sunbathing. Once we were cooked up nicely, the pool was a cooling relief. I think in summer it will feel nice and warm but slightly off season it was still a bit chilly. Not cool enough to keep us out though!
The Whirlpools
There were two hot tubs available. The first sat directly above the pool and it was really lush to go between the cool pool and hot bubbles. (Quick note – This was perfect for me but too hot for Mr Fluskey. Lots of people were sat with just their legs in). The kind staff came and took drink orders as we sat in the soothing heat and brought drinks back to the hot tub. Bubbles and a mojito? Now it’s a holiday!
The second was at the front of the ship on deck five. I remembered watching a YouTube video which called this a secret that hardly anyone knew about but the secret is well and truly out. It was very popular. This was definitely a whirlpool rather than a jacuzzi with gentle jets rather than bubbles. We did manage to catch it all to ourselves once by using that bow camera. Sneaky!
The Gym
For such a small ship, the gym was quite impressive. They had four running machines, three ellipticals, a rowing machine and plenty of weights. The whole thing is as Technogym so it is all rather swish. The running machines had videos and workouts to follow. You can even scan QRs on the weight machines for workouts and guidance on how they work. So cool, Next door was the workout studio but we never made it to a class.
I had great plans to use the gym but actually we only ended up going on the sea day. The ship was rocking badly so we just used the running machines to power walk as we hung onto the heart rate monitoring bars. I also hopped onto the chest press and arm curl machines as these involved staying sitting upright and we were trying to ensure we didn’t succumb to sea sickness at all.
The Compass Rose
The enclosed bar at the back of deck 6 was a nice place to relax before and after dinner. There was live music from some very talented performers. The Top Society Band in particular were brilliant. The lead singers voice was gorgeous! Cocktails were served at the bar or with table service so you could really chill out. In was really nice to have the view here as well as the entertainment and at night, the dance floor did get some use!
The Lounge
This was the other spot for presentations and entertainment. The slightly racked seating all looked down at the stage area and there was a proper place for a band set up or a screen for port talks. It wasn’t somewhere we chose to sit unless something was going on as it wasn’t designed as a social space. It made me giggle when I realised the columns were padded. I wonder how many people bump into them when it is rocking.
The Yacht Club
At the front of the ship, on deck 8 is a gorgeous lounge called the Yacht Club. Decked out in royal blue and lined with books and curios it is just how I imagine a private yacht. There are 180 degree views and you can stroll outside as well. We took in the views from out here and even spied on the crew from the bridge as they took us out of port one day which was really fun.
The seating in The Yacht Club was all really comfortable with a mix of chairs and sofas, but the best seta in the house was a big cream armchair and footrest that was someone’s favourite spot. We never got there first! In one corner there was a large board game section. Many of these involved more than two people or were so far beyond our skill level that we played Connect Four on one chilled out evening. They also had jigsaw puzzles out periodically that anyone could have a crack at. For the true gamers, official Mahjong and Bridge tournaments were scheduled. I don’t think they would have appreciated our amateur efforts and the regular exclamations of “Go Fish!”.
In the other corner was the coffee spot. There was a little counter serving good barista coffee and snacks. Arriving back from a tour at an awkward time, we grabbed some coffee, sandwiches and cakes before relaxing on a sofa with them.
The World Spa
We decided not to have any treatments during our cruise but we did make two visits to the spa. The thermal suite was open everyday and included in the cruise. Our first visit was very spontanious and we didn’t bring our robes but we were in swimwear so 50% appropriate. The changing rooms were nice and spcacious for the size of the area, with lockers that used our room keys. Inside the spa area there was:
A sauna – I had this all to myself and stretched out across one of the benches. I think you could fit four people in here if everyone was sat or but it might be a bit awkward.
A steam room – The small steam room wasn’t too hot which was nice but it was very small. Being in here on the rougher sea day was a little unpleasant but when the ship was steady, it was lovely. I might add some sort of essential oil to make it smell nicer but that is a very personal thing.
Heated relaxation beds – We spent most of our time on these. They were so pretty with their mosaics and the heat was divine.
An experience shower – From a waterfall setting to side jets and a cool mist effect, this was fun to mess about in and had lovely L’Occitane again.
The World Spa was an excellent idea and a brilliant place to reatreat to for some alone time or just to lose an hour before getting ready for dinner.
Star Boutique
Shopping isn’t really a priority for us on cruises but we know other people enjoy it so we took some snaps. There was a decent selection of high end watches, jewellery and sunnies. I was tempted by the cool sail material bags but they were a little above my price range. I dpotted plenty of Windstar branded clothing items and I tried to convince Mr Fluskey that he needed a polo shirt but he wasn’t having it.
Dining
Windstar Cruises loves food and knows that it is a huge part of the trip. If you are stuck with a mediocre buffet, you aren’t going to have a good time. If, however, you are excited about every meal on the sahip, it is another story. Windstar have partnered with the James Beard foundation which really makes them the foodies cruise line! If, like Mr Fluskey, you don’t watch far too many American cooking shows you may not have heard of it. The James Beard foundation awards people in food and hospitality that not only promote or crete amazing food, but also do so in a sustainable away that celebrates diversity, the cultures the food is from and their community.
We took an awful lot of pictures of the food so I have popped them into slideshows. Have a scroll through and check out what we ate if you fancy it.
Breakfast – The Veranda
Although you can grab quick bites in the Yacht Club and Star Grill, the main breakfast takes place in The Veranda. Seating was in four sections, two side areas with big windows straight out, the inside tables that were quite tight and not my fave, and those outdoors which I loved. This is at the back of deck 7 and it was lovely to start the day with some fresh sea air with views of our next port or of the open sea.
The Veranda had a nice big buffest selection as well as an a la carte menu that changed every day. We could pick from hot breakfast, freshly made omelettes, cold cuts, fresh fruits and yogurts, smoothies and carbs. There was also a section with American style biscuits and gravy every day so I finally got to try those. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the combo but the hash browns that made an appearance nearly every day were top notch and I had far too many over the course of the cruise. The best food was the fresh omelette and the a la carte options for sure. The French toast was chef’s kiss!
Parfair
Maple bacon rench toast
Juices
A nice toast selection including bagels
Make your own grnaola
The butter criosant was so so but the almond was great!
Cereal for Mr Fluskey
Taste testing the mini pastries – Cranberry twist for the win
My ham, cheese, tomato and chilli omelette
The omelettes were great with around 12 different fillings
More hot breakfast bits
Biscuits and gravy
Continental goodies
The smoothies were different every day
The healthy option
The hot brekkie selection
Eggs royale with one of those super hash browns
Cereal for Mr Fluskey
An example of the breakfast menu
Breakfast – Room Service
On one occasion (our lazy morning) we opted for room service. This is included in the price of the cruise and incurs no extra charge which is a real treat. It also means you can order right up until 11:00 so you can have a lie in. We ordered over the hone and then realised there is an order form that you can fill out the night before but either way, it was really easy. Of course we ordered too much; pancakes, a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, a parfait, and cereal, and coffee…and juice…and pastries. You know what? We munched our way through it, knowing that this was definitely brunch and we wouldn’t eat again until the evening. We should have made mimosas with our fridge wine but that only occurred me as I was writing this.
Created with Lens Buddy
Lunch – The Veranda
The Veranda is open again for lunch and is themed every day with a different cuisine. Particularly noteworthy were the Indian dishes (well flavoured and with a reasonable spice) and the sushi. Did we stuff ourselves silly on raw fish and pickled ginger? You know it!
We could also order a cocktail, some wine or the Windstar burgers and hotdogs from the Star Grill.
Round One
Just look at that piece of tuna
Some of the prepared sushi
The charcuterie “board” I made myself
Lunch with a cocktail
Delicious Spanish bits
An example of the lunch menu
Cute lunch desserts (the raspberry mousse for me)
A gorgeous little apple crumble
Karl’s “make your own” Caesar salad
Speaking of the Star Grill…
Lunch – The Star Grill
At the back of deck 8 is the open air Star Grill. There are proper tables, high tops and comfortable low tables too so it can be as fancy or as casual as you like.
A haven for carnivores, the Star Grill serves two different kinds of meat everyday. Generally, this was one was slow roasted and one rotisserie. There was also the burgers and hot dogs on offer, as well as a nice selection of sides.
After lunch shuts down officially, there is a build you own burger bar which Mr Fluskey took advantage of as we were running a little late on our day. I just stole his sweet potato fries (of course). To the side, there was a soft serve, self-serve ice cream machine. On one occasion, I made myself a small bowl of vanilla ice cream and asked the bar to slosh a shot of amaretto it. It was a childhood treat that went down very nicely.
The Star Grill is open again for dinner but it was quite chilly in the evenings so we opted for indoor options. We didn’t get here as much as we would have liked so we will have to sail with Windstar again! That being said, we had the most delicious ribs here on the way to another dinner. I just couldn’t resist so we had one each and they were perfect.
Perfect ribs
The hot dog served so elegantly
The final product
An example of the lunch menu
Sides
So simple and so delicious
Dinner – Amphora
The main dining room for dinner is Amphora. The room is dark and elegant with a huge wine wall at the back (very appropriate given the name is a vessel that was often used for storing wine). On our first night, we arrived at peak dinner time and were seated with another couple but our next two dinners here we had our own tables. The service was impeccable and our drinks were topped up regularly. The food is a la carte and it is in the Amphora menu that will discover the James Beard chef’s dishes.
The menu at Amphora was an interesting blend of traditional and intriguing. Every night there was the option of steak, salmon or chicken and the same sides. Around that was a changing menu of dishes with influences from Asia, France, Greece, Spain and beyond. It was hard to choose what to have because so many things sounded so good. The presentation was so pretty, especially of the starters and desserts. Particularly noteworthy dishes were the snails which were absolutely swimming in garlic butter (in a good way), a very cute cheese tart, the parmesan truffle fries and anything at all that had apple in.
We were also given a full wine list and the rose prosecco served here was too yummy!
Dinner – Cuadro 44
Speciality dining is included with Windstar, another brilliant addition. We wewre so exctied to eat at the Spanish restaurnt, Cuadro 44. Strange name you are thinking. Well, nice restaurants around the world often have their address as the restaurants name. Ships are divided into sections and you will find this spot in frame 44 so it is the street address on the ship. Cute right?! The decor in here is warm and inviting with pretty tiles and big mirrors. They have an open kitchen and we had two stool at the bar here so we could watch the service.
Now to the food. The glorious, glorious food. I loved every dish we had from the intensely fresh tomato-topped bread to the incredible Iberico ham with intensely favoured marbling. The sear on the tuna was perfection and we swapped dishes halfway trhough so enjoy both. We actually preffered each tohers so it was a good shout. The desserts were both delightful and I was so happy as Spanish desserts aren’t always my bag.
Pan con tomate, olives and anchovies
Iberico ham, paella croquettes and octopus
Chicken chorizo and mussels pasta
Red peppers with goat cheese and garlic
Tuna with fennel, artichoke and
Orange creme brulee
Tarte de Santiago (boozy almond cake)
The menu
I wanted to finish on the pulpo (both in this paragraph and during the meal, I wanted to order it again as a dessert). The cooking of octopus is a notoriously difficult thing. Low and slow or quick and dangerous are your two options. We saw the tentacles on the planchette across the kitchen and prayed as they sizzled. What resulted was the best octopus I have ever had and I have been thinking about it ever since. Honestly, I would sail again and try and blag my way into Cuatro 44 every day for that starter.
Dinner – Candles
The Veranda is not open as a buffet in the evening. Instead, the area is converted into a high end steak and seafood restaurant called Candles. Sadly, our dinner was during the cold, rainy and rough sea day so we were not able to sit outside but we did still have a nice view through the large wraparound windows of the setting sun.
We sat down and the internal debate began. I adore seafood BUT we never go out for steak at home. This was my chance to have a good one and the dilemma of sea vs land was a toughie. We spend a long time debating what to eat and decided to share starters, fixed firmly on seafood, and then I would opt for meat whilst Mr Fluskey kept going with the fish. Let me say that the steak, requested rare was perfectly cooked. The small number of diners in Candles meant every care could be taken and this was evident in both the food and the service. My dress was so slippery and I couldn’t keep my napkin on my lap. The poor wait staff offered me a new one every time another fell to the floor. I insisted that I didn’t need a new one and totally gave up on the napkins so that they could relax. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the salt. We had three kinds of salt!
Black Hawaiian salt
Pink Himalayan salt
Smoked applewood salt
That is when you know this is a classy place. It was reminiscent of one of our favourite meals out when we got three kinds of butter.
Perfect steak with black garlic and chimichurri sauce
Addictive cheese and sundried tomato bread
Three kinds of salt!
Our sides
Butter poached prawnwith smoked salmon
Clam chowder
Seafood skewers
Creme brulee
Lemon tart
The menu
Namesake candle
Dinner – Room Service
Knowing that room service was included, and feeling very tired after a long day tour, I convinced Mr Fluskey that needed a night in. Room service is available 24 hours a day and the menu has some favourites on it (quesadillas, sandwiches and popcorn or sweets for movie nights…another cute touch). However, during the opening hours of Amphora (usually 19:30 – 21:30) you can order from that menu. We checked out the options on the TV and decided that we would opt for those.
We set up a little dining station and popped on a film. When placing our order they said 30 minutes or so, but it was all there are piping hot within 18. I ordered beef wellington. I am trying to bring mushrooms into my world after years of avoiding them and the mushroom duxelle layer between the beef and pastry had always put me off it. However, trying in the privacy of our suite meant if I wasn’t keen, I could peel it off away from the gaze of anybody else. Turns out, it was delicious and I ate the lot. Mr Fluskey demolished his duck a l’orange and apple pie with gusto so i believe it was top marks all round. When we finished we gave room service another call and they were there within two miutes to pick up the tray. It was so impressive.
Dinner – The Signature BBQ
Once on every Windstar Cruise, there is a huge BBQ up on deck 7. It was so fun to see everyone out in the same spot, ready and raring to eat too much. We dashed up to secure a sunny table before making our way to the food tables. We couldn’t believe how much food there was, the variety of that food and when we sat down to eat, the incredible cooking of that food.
Starting at the salad and charcuterie sections, I loaded up on cured sausage and many prawns. In terms of hot food, There were two whole pigs which were so tender and the crackling was divine. It was another of those, “I could never cook this at home” moments that I have dreamed of. Along with this, there was a grill with lamb, squid, prawns and more. There was also a giant paella and fresh fried local fish which I fully inteded to go back to but couldn’t squeeze in. The prawn skewers were lush and we went back for seconds before we even made it back to the table. It was so fun to be out in the sun, sharing a table with some new friends and enjoying food together.
BBQ fun in the sun
My feast
…there are no words
So here are my prawns…what are you having?
Pork perfection
Salad station
Apple pie
Veggie art
The Bars
The Star Bar (next to Star Grill) and the Compass Rose both had the same full menu. There was lots of wine on offer but you know me, I am a cocktail girly. I didn’t make it through the menu, not even a fraction of it in fact, but that was probably because Mr Fluskey didn’t have the drink package and as he was on the soft stuff, I reduced my boozy in take a bit. There was an impressive range of spirits on offer, especially for the price of the drinks package. I had about 10 cocktails over the week and can highly recommend the Espresso Martinis, Twisted Mules, Strawberry Pimms (yes, I did get some Americans onto Pimms) and the French 75. I don’t think the rose prosecco at the bars was the same as it didn’t taste as nice, but maybe it was all about the surroundings?
Windstar’s Entertainment
It’s such a small ship you won’t find big Broadway style performances or an entertainment team. Instead, the incomparable entertainment director Renata organised many of the daytime activities and compared to most of the evening shows.
Here were some of our favourite ways to stay occupied during our sailing:
The Open Bridge – Incredibly, cruisers are welcome to visit the bridge at most times. Ofcourse, if they are at a point they need to concentrate, this shuts. We popped by when we had half an hour to spare before dinner and had a really nice nose around. We saw the plotted course, including where they had steered out of the wind to give the cocktail party an easier time. It was lovely chatting travel and career paths with the officers.
Local Artists – Something fun that you will see on Windstar and not many other cruise lines, is the chance to see local performances. The two that we were treated to were very memorable. After a day exploring the island of La Gomera we learned all about the island’s unique language. Many residents speak Spanish as a first language and whistling as a second. The terrain of the island meant villages were isolated and whistles carried well on the wind. So cool. The second was an eevening of fado music, the traditional Portuguese music that developed in Lisbon in the 1920s. The performers played guitar and sang of love, loss and wine.
The Deck Party – After the signature BBQ, the staff took to the deck to bust out some moves. Apparently, earlier in the day there was a linedancing class that we had missed. However, I cannot resist the lure of group dance that you can learn on the fly so we watched a few dances and then joined the growing number of passengers on the floor for the Macarena, Gangnam Style and YMCA. Such fun!
Sail Away / The Flag -As the ship departs port, a flag raising ceremony takes place. Orignally, the Windstar fleet only had sail ships and this was the unfurling of the sails. It is a nice adaptation. As the flag goes up, the very stirring Conquest of Paradise by composer Vangelis plays. Even if you are just sunbathing nearby on the open decks, you are immediately transfixed.
Yoga – Bright and early, stretching classes and yoga sessions were offered. I never got up to do these because I have no willpower in the morning but I think it would have been a lovely start to the day.
Market Visits – One of the activities that we meant to take part in that sort of forgot about until it was too late, is shopping with the chef. Windstar likes to buy local ingredients in the courts that it stops at and as such, the chef needs to go and find them. Guests are allowed to join them for the adventure. The amazing octopus that we ate was picked up just at morning by the chef and some of our fellow cruises… And I must commend them on the excellent choice.
The Crew Show – On our last evening, it was time for the crew to show us the other side of themselves in a talent show. I was ready to cringe but oh my goodness, this was a talented bunch. We had amazing singers, fun bands, a girl group (the Spice girls could never), traditonal dances and a synchronised swimming team…don’t ask. The whole evening was such fun and I wish we could all do karaoke in the screening room afterwards!
The Windstar Pride Crew
Finally, a word about the crew. I cannot tell yo u what an absolute delight the entire staff were. Every person we interacted with was friendly, engaging and they knew our names on day one! It was next level customer service. Tre, our room attendant was super smiley and he added such gorgeous touches. He secured my long phone cables with Windstar loops. The bar staff greeted us by name the whole time and were experts at making the whole cocktail menu (rather extensive) from memory. Renata the Entertainment Engagement Officer was gorgeous inside and out and Andreas the Hotel Manager was so much fun! We loved seeing Nicole winning the employee of the month as she and her fellow breakfast crew gave us the best welcome every morning. I know they were all over the ship all day but this was our first interaction everyday and we were given such huge smiles every day! All in all, top marks for everybody in the Windstar family.
Final Thoughts for Our Full Windstar Cruises Review
Small ship cruising is another world. No fights at the buffet, no queueing to get on and off and the staff know your name. It feels so special and like you are all VIPs. With their smaller ships able to explore more unusual destinations, combined with excellent food and stellar customer service, Windstar Cruises offers that exclusivity that really speaks to us. They are planning to have a ship in the Canary Islands so run don’t walk to book your spot. We would love to sail with them again, this time in their home of French Polynesia. Maybe you can join us there too!
Six ports in five days? Sounds a bit crazy doesn’t it? ..almost impossible! However, Celestyal Cruise’s Iconic Aegean itinerary does just that, and in style too! We wanted to share our experience of each port along the way. Read on for our full Iconic Aegean cruise review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Our trip took place in November, the very last sailing of the season. We were watching the weather intently and feeling our hearts drop as we saw the temperature doing the same. However, apart from the chilly and rainy Athens, the weather was still rather lovely. Rhodes in particular was really warm. So warm in fact, that we spent an afternoon by the pool. This was the only port where we didn’t spend every second possible on land. The Iconic Aegean cruise itinerary takes passengers to a variety of interesting and historical destinations through the Greek Isles and we would love to share some of the highlights of each spot with you.
Athens
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – We did have the pre-cruise transfer and hotel package but no tours were on offer.
What Did We Do in Athens Instead?
With just one evening in Athens, I decided to satisfy my Instagram cravings and visit the crazy Little Kook Cafe. This spot, with a fair few locations all around Karaiskaki, takes theming to a whole new level. As few years ago they realised that decorating is a good pull for people and it now dresses its rooms and facade up for every season. We have seen Alice in Wonderland, London, Halloween and when we visited, Christmas. It was still early in the season so they were still putting up the lights and only one venue was open but it was amazing. (Amazing or intense?).
Then we popped up to the roof of our hotel for a little savoury snack, a cocktail and a nice view of the Acropolis. Honestly, when we booked the pre-cruise package, we assumed we would be put up somewhere simple, near the port (on the other side of the city and then a little further). It was such a nice surprise to find out we were in a great location, close to the sights of Athens and with the chance to have a small look around. The view was even more exciting!
The camera wasn’t coping but it was so nice to see it lit upDolmades!
Mykonos
Mykonos sits in the Cyclades Islands and is traditionally known as, “The Island of the Winds”. These days it is known as, “The Island of the Rich Instagrammers”. Its other nickname is very apt, “The Queen of the Cyclades”, as it is a fun, LGBTQIA+ spot with plenty of nightlife in the season. The capital, Chora or Mykonos Town is where the majority of residents live, and where the boat docks.
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – There was such a short time in port and it was due to get dark that I just wanted to run to my desired locations.
What Did We Do in Mykonos Instead?
The most iconic image of Mykonos has to be Little Venice backed by windmills. Both of these spots are within easy walking distance of where our coach dropped us. We stormed through the cute, white-washed streets in hopes of having this area to ourselves as storm clouds rolled in. The sun set shortly after we arrived and very quickly the photo opportunities went. After it got really dark, we had a wander around the small streets of Little Venice, wondering what to do with ourselves.
Mykonos is one of those destinations that I cannot afford. With the best will in the world, something inside me refuses to pay €26 for a simple bowl of pasta. That is why it was so exciting to see Mykonos on our cruise itinerary. I am all for putting some money into the local economy but also quite glad that I could eat and drink on the ship. We did have a vague idea to go to a bar and grab a drink with a nice view but actually, most of them were shut for the season. The one bar that we found open had “winter pricing” which was even more expensive than that of summer. €22 for a simple glass of wine was more than I could stomach. We decided to head back to the port and our waiting ship, complete with a drinks package.
Kuşadası
Kuşadası is in Turkey. This is the only destination outside of Greece on the Iconic Aegean cruise itinerary. The port used to be a major cargo transit point, sending wares across the sea since the 17th century. Now, it mostly caters to the cruise ships that pour tourists towards Ephesus, a nearby historical city. There are several beaches nearby so this is a nice port to relax in, and a huge waterpark if you like your water vertical. Ephesus is an 18km drive away and is the star attraction. It is a well-preserved ancient Greek city that dates back to the 10th century BC.
Did We Book an Excursion?
Yes – Despite this being our second time to Ephesus, we couldn’t resist seeing it again.
Which Excursion Did We Do?
Ancient Ephesus and the Terrace Houses – As mentioned, this was our second trip to Ephesus. We travelled here by ourselves in 2020 (remember that bit where we could travel before it all went back into lockdown?) However, when we came, we did it by ourselves with just a guidebook for info. It was exciting to have a professional guide provided so we could learn a little more. We also opted for the terrace houses as we hadn’t paid the extra to see them last time, and it was a smaller group size.
The group caught a small bus to the entrance and after a quick bathroom stop, headed inside the site. We were surrounded by huge groups, so our 10 visitor gaggle seemed rather personal. We walked around the side street rather than past the small theatre and felt like we had it to ourselves for a small while. This is hard to achieve in Ephesus as it is a very, very popular sight but at the end of the season, it never felt all that busy.
The terrace houses are not the terrace-style that you imagine coming from the UK, but a collection of six beautifully preserved villas. You can see the gorgeous frescoes and marble on the walls. Mosaics cover the floors and our tour wound through the houses with our passionate tour guide sharing all the secrets. It was so great to see beneath the covering roof.
After emerging into the stream of tourists outside, we hit the main attraction, Celsus Library. If you have seen any photos of Ephesus I can almost guarantee it was of this stunning facade. It was renovated in the 1970s and is due for another one soon. Go quickly or in a few years! We took a few photos here, despite already having some, and then strolled along and passed the amphitheatre. We didn’t feel rushed as we had been before but it would have been a bit of a rush for a first time visit.
Next came the bit of the tour that I was dreading. A visit to a rug workshop was promised. Having traipsed around many a shop disguised as a factory, I knew how uncomfortable it made me. I should have had a more open mind.
We saw two workers making tight knots of fabric, flying through the weaving and it was so impressive. It is always astonishing to find out these things are still created by hand and it takes them months Next, we saw how silk thread is extracted from cocoons. I got to hold one as it unwound in my hand, rating and jiggling. Everyone was offered a drink of tea, coffee, juice or wine and then we took a seat as the show began. A variety of beautiful rugs were unfurled in front of us with a flourish. We enjoyed the experience but as soon as the salesmen split between the groups, we dashed for the exit. There was a small table of nibbles to snack on before we hopped back into the van and sat back for the drive to the ship.
Patmos
Did We Book an Excursion?
No – The island looked small and the sights looked close. There was nothing that was an absolute must-see so we thought we would take it a little easy. We regretted this decision. Given the chance again, we would have joined a tour to the monasteries.
What Did We Do in Patmos Instead?
Patmos is a small island with a small port. Thus, we took our first tender boat ever. We all queued in the Muses Lounge for a number and that indicated our tender boat number. When called, we made our way down to the bottom public deck and down a few more steps onto a small boat. It whizzed across the waves and dropped us in the heart of Skala.
We had a speedy look around town but decided that the monastery didn’t look too far…it was. The worst thing about Google Maps is the lack of contour lines. We didn’t realise that the walk was quite steep in places so took a while longer than expected.
I hadn’t really done my research for Patmos beyond learning, the name of the monastery. The church of the apocalypse sounded so dramatic that I was expecting vaulted ceilings with licks of flame scalding the stone, tortured, monks in a flagellating, fugue state, and semi-regular earthquakes. Turns out the monastery of the apocalypse is a tiny whitewashed visitor centre and a smaller rock chapel. The monastery is dedicated to St John. It was on this spot that he had his visions, marked down in “Book of |Revelations”.
After a quick look around, we determined that we would not make the next monastery up the hill before it shut. It looked like the timing would be tight as it was. Then, at the end of the walk was, what we like to call, “The Google Line of Death”. These tricky little guidance, notations can dictate either a couple of stairs or an extra 10 minutes of hiking up the wrong side of a hill. Instead, we chose to walk down the hill to the west on the hunt for a beach and a sunset beverage. we found a beach but everything that backed it was closed for the winter. However, there was a beach and a friendly kitty with which to enjoy the sunset so we settled in. It was gorgeous.
Once the sun was well and truly gone, we walked the short distance back into town. Feeling a little disappointed at our lack of sunset, we found a bar from the handful open and settled in for a quick drink. I opted for a pink grapefruit spritz, which was divine, whilst Mr Fluskey had a snifter of dessert wine. We had some breadsticks provided too, which we nibbled away at far too quickly. Cravings satisfied, and with the temperature falling a little, we caught the tender back to the Olympia.
Rhodes
Did We Book an Excursion?
Yes – The sight we were most interested in seeing was a fair distance away so we thought it best to join a tour. We didn’t trust local transport out of season for that distance.
Which Excursion Did We Do?
Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights – Leaning over the rail, we saw a fleet of coaches ready and waiting to take daytrippers across Rodes. We boarded ours and were handed a small plastic box attached to a lanyard. these are the famous “whispers”. These allow tour guides to wear a mic and talk to their group without shouting. We all popped our headphones in and tested them, ensuring they were ready to go.
I am a little conflicted by the whispers. I am such a wanderer so it is amazing to listen to essentially a live podcast and have a nice wander around. However, I do feel rude to the guide as I am off doing my own thing. They can’t see my appreciative nods and gentle chuckles though!
Passing the Church of Panagia, the group made its way up the hill. It was a mix of steps and slopes, some with precipitous drops. This almost gave me wobbly knees, worried I was just going to stop paying attention and wander off into oblivion. At the top, we passed a cool carving depicting a Trireme (a war ship) and took one last steep staircase up into the fortress. We had seen the temple from the bus but when we stopped right up at 116m for some more information, it was nowhere to be seen.
Our guide suggested everyone go in one direction, avoiding the slippery and steeper way up to the temple. Well, I wanted a clear photo so we stormed up the rocky slope and emerged by the Acropolis of Lindos in just two minutes. It was clearly reconstructed but it was just gorgeous. The striking columns against the seascape were just Greek perfection. It was so cool to imagine it back in the 4th century BC with its giant golden statue of Athena, sadly lost to time.
We took some time to work our way back down through these amazing collonaded steps and stopping to watch a lone butterfly. Realising we were the only people from our coach around, we hurried back down the stairs and slopes to the coach. We were the last and arrived slightly out of puff. Mr Fluskey had a little nap when we took our seats.
The group were driven to Gate d’Amboise on the north of the old town. We made our way slowly through the UNESCO World Heritage site, starting at fortifications and unpeeling the layers of history. It took around half an hour to walk the Street of the Knights. Our guide pointed out the cool old marks of knight’s orders from around Europe. This was the home of The Order of the Knights of St. John and they helped protect the island from pirates and other invading forces for hundreds of years.
After the tour, everyone was given the choice to join the guide back to the ship or to do our thing. We ran straight back up to the top of the route to snap some Instagram photos in places we spotted along the way. Then we spent an hour meandering the empty back streets. We couldn’t help but wonder if this was normal. Was it a quiet day because it was off-season or are 90% of people taken through on tours and then never go for a stroll
Santorini
Did We Book an Excursion?
Yes – Again, not keen to rely on local buses, and with the cable car price included, this seemed like the smarter thing to do.
Which Excursion Did We Do?
Santorini is another quite expensive spot to visit. We spent three days on the islands in March 2022 and I have a blog post all about how to do it on a budget. Returning, we decided that it would be nice to revisit Oia as it was due to be quite a nice sunny day.
Everyone was assigned a guide at random, and ours seemed a little slapdash. Once the group had gathered, he turned around and silently walked away. Somebody realised we all scrambled to follow him. We were all given entry to the cable car up the hill. Our gondola was in fits of giggles as someone in the car below was making rather hilarious noises. I felt bad though as it turned out that the lady howling was actually very freaked out. We made a few jokes with her and she seemed to perk up a little.
Note: The daily planner advises against taking the donkeys up the hill due to safety concerns for the passengers. We strongly insist you don’t as they are treated terribly and they don’t need to drag you up an unshaded path in the heat.
From the top of the cable car, we were all paraded through Fira, past the main bus station, and down to waiting coaches. The coaches then separated for their different tours. Most head down to the south of the island and a small village. This seemed a bit confusing with Oia in the opposite direction until we realised that usually the boat docks on the southeast coast of the island so you would be driving through it anyway. It was a very cute village. I wonder what the residents think about daytrippers hoofing through every morning without time to stop and spend any money. After a 15-minute wander, we all bundled back onto the coach to drive to Santorini’s most famous Instagram spot, Oia.
We opted to separate from the group as there was a long port day in Santorini. We were not ready to return to the ship after just an hour and a half in Oia, so we asked our tour guide if we could hand on to our own return cable car tickets. With these in hand, we wandered off to do our own thing…after playing with kittens for a good, long while.
Yes, we spent an hour or so taking Instagram photos. See a photo dump below:
On our first visit to Oia, we did not make the walk down to Ammoudi Bay to see the seafood restaurants, and I regretted it. This was the time! After revisiting the most popular photo spots, we took the long winding steps down towards the water. The snowy white buildings that topped the cliff soon gave way to crumbling red stone and ended in turquoise water. Unfortunately, the famous seafood restaurants were all shuttered for winter. We had missed the octopi again. It was hard going climbing back up the stairs. The internet will tell you there are 287 stairs but they fail to mention how deep and steep they are. It was like 2 stairs for every 1 advertised.
We decided that we needed a reward so we grabbed a bargain souvlaki before catching the local bus back to Fira for a sunset cocktail at PK Cocktail Bar. With a little more wobble in our step, we caught the cable car back down with no problems and boarded the tender boat back to the waiting ship.
No – As this was our last day, we weren’t due back on the ship and so didn’t need a tour. Some cruisers start and end in Turkey.
What Did We Do in Athens Instead?
On our return to Athens, we were ready to do some hardcore sightseeing. We had two days to play with and managed to cover an awful lot of ground. Athens is surprisingly compact and you can see most of the major sights on foot in a day. I am planning to write a separate blog post all about our time in Athens so stay tuned!
On our second day, we took a brilliant food tour with Alternative Athens. If you have some time in Athens before the cruise, this is a wonderful way to learn about the city and lots of delicious food you can find along the way.
Final Thoughts for Our Iconic Aegean Cruise Review
The destinations visited on our cruise were a nice selection. There were a couple of islands that were so pricy that we were glad to return to the ship. The blend of quiet gems and popular historical sights kept us guessing and I bet in the summer, the opportunity for beach days helps the variety further. It was incredible to squeeze everything in over just four nights! We still prefer small tours to the large groups that cruises inevitably produce but we did love that we could take the tour and then do our own thing. For the price and the sheer volume of things to see, we think the Iconic Aegean cruise is well worth a go!
Celestyal Cruises is a small, homegrown Greek cruise line. They celebrate all things Greek through their food, onboard activities, shows and cruise itineraries. I had never heard of Celestyal before last year but was so intrigued by their impossible sounding Iconic Aegean cruises. Four nights and seven posts? This must be a truly unique offering. Read on for our full Celestyal Cruises review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Arriving in Athens
Athens
It is possible to book a cruise package with Celestyal that includes transfers and a 4*+ hotel. This was such a nice way to start the trip. We arrived at the airport to find a driver waiting to whisk us into Athens. Our package included just one night before our sailing but you can choose more. I was expecting a small hotel somewhere near the port but we were actually in a nice spot right in the heart of Athens. We had a lovely afternoon and evening exploring near the hotel.
We weren’t worried about getting to the port in the morning as once again, someone was there bang on time to get us there. Our Celestyal Cruise was operating out of Lavrio which isn’t the easiest to reach by public transport so this was a very chilled way to get there in comparison.
Checking in
Lavrio Port
Check-in was so easy. We dropped our two small bags off outside the port building and then waited no more than five minutes to check in at the desk. This probably took us three minutes, obviously the people in front of us were a bit slow, and then we went to security. The security line was a bit mixed up with two lines merging into one, but I think as this was a smaller sailing with only 500 people due to be on board, they had changed things to try to streamline them, and just not got their queue control perfected.
We were shown to a bus which we hopped on, soon realising that the ship was a hilariously short distance away and lots of people were walking. We boarded quickly, with no fuss, just scanning our cruise cards and hopped in the lift up to deck number 7 to find our cabin.
Welcome Aboard Celestyal Olympia
The Celestyal Olympia was built in1982 in Finland but she looks rather good for her age we must say! The gorgeous teak deck that surrounds deck 7 is a particularly lovely vintage feature (Is it vintage…maybe for a cruise ship?) She was originally owned by Royal Caribbean, named Song of America before passing through a couple more hands and ending up with Celestyal Cruises. She is 179m long, 29m wide and can hold around 1500 passengers. For our sailing, we found out that there were only 500 or so of us and so we never queued for a drink, struggled to find a seat or book any of the excursions we preferenced. Honestly, I think that, even at capacity, it wouldn’t feel too crowded at all.
A Look Around Our Cabin
The Space
Our cabin was a junior suite, and we had so much room! It was 23 square metres (more than half the size of our flat in London). We were not in each other’s way at any point.
The storage was copious. I can almost imagine filling it on a two week cruise, maybe not with the way we pack, but it was chemically empty for our four night Iconic Aegean.
There were two large wardrobes, one for full length garments, and one with two shallow rails. Next to these was a cupboard with slightly awkward triangular shelves and a half size, one with the same kind of shelves on the other side of the TV.
The junior suite has a large seating area. The three seater sofa can be converted into an extra bed if you are using the cabin for three people. Then there are two chairs and a coffee table by the window. Being such a busy itinerary we didn’t use this at all but it would be nice on a longer sailing or for a quiet night. Mind you, the TV is opposite the bed so if you want a movie night the sofa is not an option. My only disappointment with the room was the view. Our room was on deck seven, tucked behind a lifeboat so the view was partially obscured.
Opposite the sofa was a large desk/vanity, backed by two large mirrors which was fab. There were more shelves and this is where you find the electric safe. Under the desk, the hairdryer was stashed. It wasn’t very strong. Luckily, there were some plugs here, so I was able to use my own. There is also a minibar. It’s worth noting that even with the full premium plus drinks package (more on that later), this is NOT included. The prices aren’t bad. You can get a half bottle of bubbly for around £12, but unless you want to incur extra costs, it’s best to forget that this store exists. The water bottles in the room are also chargeable so don’t forget to grab one from the bar before you head to bed.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was really quite big with plenty of room between the toilet, sink and bath. Yes, you read that correctly, we had an actual bath! Of course, it wasn’t quite full length, but still big enough for me to relax in. Actually, I fully intended to have a bath (I wanted to see if the water would slash with the waves) but never felt like I had time because there was so much to do. Luckily, the shower was good with decent pressure.
There was a large counter and a shallow three door cabinet on the wall. We had plenty of room for all our bathroom bits. The only weird thing was the cabinet doors, which were all hung in the opposite manner to that which common sense would indicate
The bathroom products provided were all olive oil-based with a herby, unisex fragrance. We got shampoo but no conditioner, soap and body milk. These were all available to buy in the shop if you fall in love with them.
The Bed
Our bed was large and the mattress was quite firm, which I love. The pillows in contrast were far too soft for my taste. I am aware that my predilection for bouncy pillows isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Every evening we returned to our room to see a nice turn down service with a little snack (sesame crackers or nougat) which was a nice goodnight nibble. We were also treated to some adorable towel art. (Yes, I know this is passé but it delights me every time).
We each had a reading light, but there were no plugs by the bed, probably the worst thing about this old cruise ship. We all have so much to charge these days. This is especially true when you are disembarking every day as you can’t leave things charging in your room during the day.
Dining on The Olympia
During our trip, all meals were served in the main Aegean restaurant. There are no set dining times, just opening times and seating is at shared tables on a first come, first served basis. Well, that is almost true. We were lucky enough to be able to use the Galileo Room. This is a quieter dining room tucked in the corner of the main room and is open to those with suites/staterooms. All the food is the same here but the service isn’t spread as thinly and we had a private table that was ours for the whole trip.
If the weather was warmer, and the ship busier, there would have also been the Leda self-serve buffet (more about that in a bit) and the Aura Grill. This is open on days that the ship is at sea during lunch and serves international fare like burgers and fries. Finally, there is usually a poolside grill in summer once a cruise, where great quantities of meat are prepared poolside.
Aegean Restaurant
Breakfast
Breakfast was a big buffet. You could pick from a selection of six spreads, copious, fruits, thick, Moorish, Greek yoghurt, and even salad. In the hot area, there were sausages, eggs, bacon, hash browns (yum) and plenty of other naughty breakfast delights. There was a section with crispy croissants (good, but not great) and thick American pancakes. Oh and don’t forget the cake selection. Breakfast desert? Why not?
Finally, there was an omelette station with two chefs, whipping up, fresh, French-style omelettes. I wanted to try one but ate so much at dinner every day that I just wasn’t hungry by the next morning.
Lunch
At lunch, you could choose from the buffet or go à la cart. The buffet was brilliant. The food was fresh and there were loads of healthy options. not that we preferred these. The feta was the creamiest I’d ever had, and I took every opportunity to add it to my plate.
As well as a substantial European buffet, there was an Asian section 2. This had mainly Chinese dishes. I saw noodles on our first day, but had already filled my plate to overflowing. Then, they never reappeared over the next three lunches and boy, was I craving noodles. Note to self (and you) if you see something delicious, grab it, because the buffet changes every day.
Dinner
Dinner was always à la la carte, really good food, cooked beautifully and with some interesting combinations. On the whole. I was particularly impressed with the cooking of the meat I tried. I had beef one evening and I asked for it, “Medium rare, more rare than medium” and it was exactly what I got. That is so hard to achieve in a dining room full of people all ordering at the same time. I did have moussaka on one occasion and it was very dry and very bland, so it wasn’t hit after hit, but the majority of food was excellent.
The desserts were the weakest of the courses. I very much enjoyed my ice cream with blue Curaçao. However, the Panna cotta had too much gelatin, so it was a bit solid and the chocolate Heart was clearly made with quite a cheap chocolate. We did enjoy trying the different Greek pastries, it was a lovely way to try something new.
Leda Buffet
The other option for breakfast was the continental breakfast up in the Leda restaurant. This is a restaurant that looks out over the back of the ship and in summer it has all its windows open and has a buffet lunch too. On our quiet, winter sailing it was only open for pastries and boy, were the staff confused that we actually came up. Couldn’t miss that sunrise though!
Drinks
There were six bars, each with their own vibe, but with mostly the same menu. Our favourite bar was quite hard to find. Tucked through a door on deck seven, the lift whisked guests up to the bar that ran around the funnel called the Horizons Bar. This had lovely views out across the water and the pool deck. It was always quiet so it was easy to get a drink and really relaxing.
In general, most of the drinks are excellent. Particularly noticeable were the Miami Vice (a blend of frozen piña colada and strawberry daiquiri), the Hugo, and something Mr Fluskey loved; the Mudslide. He had one on the last night. Too late in the crusie to find your favourite!
The Celestyal Cruises Drinks Packages
Celestyal’s menu was surprisingly extensive. Included with every cruise are soft drinks, selected drinks with meals, and some hot drinks. Of course, anyone can purchase drinks at any time and with wine at something something and most cocktails between £7 and £10. This isn’t a terrible way to go if you don’t drink a lot or you plan to be in port most of the time. There were a couple of soft drink packages that allowed the extra special milkshakes and coffees, but for the price, it’s probably best to do pay-as-you-go. The coffee in the bars was good but quite small, so I began to order two at once. Maybe the drinks package is worth it?
However, if you enjoy a few bevvies with breakfast, libations at lunch, and drinks at dinner, then the packages are pretty good value. There is a premium package that allows cocktails up to £7. The premium plus package gets you cocktails up to £10, which is most of them. There is a list of drinks that are £30 also but if you really want one, you can pay the extra. We didn’t try any of these, but they better be blooming good!
Drinks at Dinner
Selected drinks with dinner are included with everyone’s cruise. This presumably meant sodas, wine and beer. We had a wine waiter who very much enjoyed helping us to taste different wines. We brought different options and taught us how to taste them which was fun. (mind you, I am not sure i needed to compare the Barefoot White Zinfandel to know it is really rather sweet. He looked slightly bemused when we ordered cocktails at dinner. I don’t think many people are as uncouth as us.
Entertainment
The Activities
Considering how much time we were in port, I was impressed at the variety and availability of activities on board. I imagine these would be vital when the ship was busier and there were less free spots to just laze about. We saw exercise classes like Zumba, Greek language lessons, bingo, quizzes and sporting tournaments. We did pop to the back of deck eight to play mini golf but nobody else had turned up. I mean, it was windy and a bit rainy so I guess we were the weird ones.
Throughout the day, there was quite a bit of live music, which we loved. The Argo Bar in particular often had someone tinkling on the piano or singing to backing tracks. There was a super violinist on our cruise who could be found performing on most evenings, which was a real treat. Plus, there was karaoke in the Selene Bar on most nights….which wasn’t so much.
Finally, Casino Royale next to the Argo Bar allowed people to try and win back the cost of their cruise. We didn’t venture in as casinos aren’t really our scene but people looked to be having fun.
Wellness
Sana Wellness Spa
The Sena Spa offers all kinds of treatments, from hair to nails, to facials, to massage. We decided that with such a busy week, a 30 minute head, neck and back massage would be just the ticket. I ticked medium and Mr Fluskey chose soft but they both seemed quite intense. I was a sore lady the next day but he was OK so even though they were both stronger than we expected, they obviously listened to the request which was lovely to know. The treatment rooms were quite bare and I must admit, I wasn’t a fan of the lime green towels. (I know this is super nit-picky but it just seemed to clash with the relaxing vibe I was after). For the best experience, go for a manicure as the treatment room looks out over the sea, a beautiful spot for some pampering.
The Gym
Now we all know that I didn’t use the gym. Actually, that being said, if we had been on a cruise with sea days, we probably would have. This can be a little tricky to find as it has to be entered from the outside deck on level 8. Inside, the gym is quite small with four running machines, some ellipticals and a handful of bikes. There are some weight machines and a set of free weights too. When we popped in, there were three people in here but I guess with so much walking in port, most people don’t feel the need. There are also saunas here, separated by gender.
The Pool and Sundeck
On deck nine you will find two pools. We thought they were identical but apparently, one is adults only (the one to the aft of the ship). They are a reasonable size for an exercise swim and have some railings to hang on to if you are just having a float about. We spent an afternoon here whilst in port at Rhodes as the sun was warm enough and the wind dropped. The water is not heated and was just about warm enough for quick few lengths. Bear in mind that they will be much colder at the beginning of the season (MArch/April). Then we steamed dry in the winter sun on a couple of sunbeds. There is loads of seating around the pool so finding a spot shouldn’t be too tricky.
There are also loads of sunbeds up on deck 10, the walkway that runs around the pools, one deck above. As the sun began to set, we decamped up here and as other people appeared, the staff began to bring more and more beds for people to relax upon. I am sure that in warmer months, they would stay out but nobody was expecting it to actually be warm enough to sun(set)bathe.
The Shows
We watched the show in the Muses Lounge every night, no matter how tired we were. The set up is more of a cocktail lounge than a proscenium style theatre. There is a bar to the back of the room but staff don’t take orders during the performance. So make sure you grab something before you settle in for the show. The shows have to cater for an international audience, so there wasn’t a lot of speech, focusing more on singing, dancing and acrobatics. Each offering is performed by Canadian troupe Cirque Fantastique, The cast was quite small but they are very talented. We enjoyed the musical theatre show with some favourite songs and really allowed the dancers to show off their skills.
Excursions
At every port, there are several excursions on offer. One of the lovely things about Celestyal is that all cruises include excursion credit. We enjoyed a mixture of organised excursions and independent travel during our port visits.
The excursions we took with Celestyal were:
Rhodes, Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights – Although it was possible to reach Lindos by ourselves, we decided it would be quicker and easier to join a tour. Usually we arrive before tour groups, but as the tour groups disembark first, this wasn’t going to happen. We really loved the views from the hill top temple at Lindos and following our guide through Rhodes Old Town gave us a nice overview. We dashed back through the streets to take photos afterwards with nobody else there. (That is probably not possible in high season).
Santorini, Spectacular Oia Village Perched on the Caldera Rim – This was our second visit to Santorini. We spent three days here in 2021 and so knew how to get around but decided to join the tour as it included both the cable car and bus transfer. We wanted to spend a bit longer in Oia than the group was allocated. We asked our guide to hang onto the cable car tickets and caught the bus back to Thira before grabbing a sunset cocktail by ourselves.
Kusadasi, Ancient Ephesus and the Terrace Houses – Again, this was our second visit to Ephesus. On our first visit, we had been by ourselves, armed only with a guidebook. It was great to revisit with someone who was really passionate about it and explore new areas of the site.
Information and Top Tips for Celestyal Cruises
If you are considering a cruise with Celestyal, here a few things you might like to know:
Our phones picked up Turkish phone service when we sailed between Ephesus and Rhodes as it dropped off the wifi. A top tip is to leave your phone on airplane mode as you sail close to the border.
Many of the cruises start from Greece but a few board from Turkey so you have pre and post-cruise options.
There will be a gala night on every cruise so don’t forget to pack one fancier outfit so you can join in the fun. You may also have a Greek night on longer cruises where guests are encouraged to wear white and blue (the colours of the Greek flag). We didn’t have one but I did bring a white and blue dress just in case!
The Celestyal itineraries are very port intensive so make sure you have comfortable walking shoes and a bag you don’t mind carrying a lot for excursions.
Dinging times are flexible so you can arrive during the opening hours of the dining rooms rather than at a set seating. The Gala Night is an exception, with two seatings for dinner.
Gratuities are included on Celestyal Cruises so you do not need to offer any extra. If you do decide to tip specific crew then bring euros that you have picked up ahead of time. Finding free ATMs in many of the destinations isn’t that easy. (This is especially true in winter when many ATMS are emptied and closed).
Celestyal is very family friendly, with a kid’s club and small kid’s area available. To be honest, you will be on land so much of the time that this isn’t as vital as those cruises with sea days but it is nice to know that it’s there.
Final Thoughts for Our Celestyal Cruises Review
We had a blast on our Iconic Aegean cruise. There is no doubt that it is an intense itinerary but it isn’t so crazy that you can’t enjoy it. We disembarked at every stop but still had plenty of time to explore the ship, relax and even spend some time at the pool. Now, it is worth noting that the Celestyal Olympia is meant to be retired any minute now. You may not find exactly what we experienced, but the itinerary and vibes should be the same so get booking!
MSC Cruises is Italy’s foremost cruise company, running its first cruise in 1988 and growing every year. They offer some amazing value cruises around the world with lots of great extras included in the price. In January 2023 my friend (Caz) and I were lucky enough to bag a spot on MSC Grandiosa for a week-long Mediterranean cruise. Read on for our full MSC Grandiosa review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
A quick note: I am not going to review every last spot on the ship, but those that are worth a mention.
The Ports
Our Mediterranean cruise was due to visit six ports over seven days:
Barcelona, Spain (where we embarked and disembarked) – A fun city full of amazing tapas, plenty of culture, art and history. Add to that a generous helping of Gaudi architecture and you have a wonderful city for a short break at either end of the cruise.
Marseille, France – Marseille gets a bad rap but it has some lovely areas. Head up to the pretty Notre Dame de la Garde for beautiful views over the city or take a seat by the port full of little boats and slurp down some iconic bouillabaisse chased with some anise-flavoured pastis.
Genoa, Italy – Walk quickly around the port and up to Genoa‘s old town for a nice relaxing stroll through cafe-lined streets. Grab some pesto-smothered pasta and an Aperol Spritz or a prosecco for a taste of local life.
Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy – The most popular thing to do from this port is a long day trip into the city of Rome. You can check out the most famous sights (Trevi Fountain, The Colosseum etc) or visit Vatican City. It is wise to take one of the prearranged trips as the boat will wait for them at the end of the day and it can be a long journey independently.
Palermo, Sicily – The capital of Sicily has two beautiful concert venues, plenty of pretty churches, delicious markets and beaches nearby. We organised a food tour with Palermo Street Food during our stop here which was a brilliant way to explore the city.
Valletta, Malta – Probably the most gorgeous of the stops in this itinerary, Valletta is a wonderful walking city. There is a wonderful blend of cuisines to savour, churches to explore (the cathedral is incredible) and world war two tunnels to take you back in time. We love Malta, and here is our Malta content for you to have a nosy!
The Weather
Due to some inclement weather, our journey took longer than expected and some changes were made. The entry to Civitavecchia took a very long time so day trips to Rome became unviable. Instead, we checked out the spa. The visit to Valletta was also cancelled to allow the ship a chance to get back to Barcelona and back on track. Unusually, passengers could embark at many of the stops, a nice way to ensure people don’t have to travel too far to cruise. I wonder what happened to the people who were meant to travel to/from Valletta?
Let’s head back on board and have a look at the ship.
Our Interior Stateroom
Firstly, let me apologise for the quality of most of these pictures, they were screen grabs from a quick room tour.
We had an interior stateroom which is the smallest and darkest of the rooms on board. I missed the window massively, having no sense of the weather or time when I woke up. We had an unexpected day at sea due to the weather and we spent much of the day in the dark as the ship rolled. It was nice to doze but so weird without the daylight.
When we boarded, the beds were set as a double but our steward assured us that he would redress the room for my friend and I to have twin beds.
How it started……how it’s going
By each of our beds, we had a little table, a wall light and a plug which was great.
Over to one side of the room was a dressing table/desk. There were some plugs here so it became both our hair station and charging station. There was a shelf with clever glass inserts, keeping our in room glasses safe.
Under this was a strange electronic device. This was called Zoe and it was meant to be the MSC version of Alexa. We couldn’t really get it to work (turns out, she speak Italian…and we don’t) but we could use it as a Bluetooth speaker, which we enjoyed. It was nice to listen to music out of a reasonable speaker whilst getting ready for dinner.
To one side of the wardrobe was the TV which we only used for the safety video as we preferred to be out of the room where we could see the outside world.
The bathroom was small on one hand but very roomy on the other. The sink was in the corner, with a double mirror, making this area feel much bigger. The toilet and shower were both on the same side, giving a large space to walk in and out of the bathroom. Finally, as there was a towel rack and a reasonably large shelving unit, the countertop could be kept clear, again giving the illusion of space.
The Ship – A Look Around MSC Grandiosa
The Food and Beverage
Buffet Breakfast
Breakfast on MSC Grandiosa is spread over 5 hours, which really puts less of a strain on the room. This isn’t the case on popular port days where everyone is there at the same time and it is quite hard to find a table.
The buffet itsaelf had a lovely, large variety of options. A big, bread selection sat next to two delectable cake selections. Italians do very good breakfast cakes! There is lots of fresh fruit and two stations for hot items like sausages (frankfurter style), egg and tomatoes. Then of course, there was loads of cold meats and excellent cheeses from all across Europe. It was nice to see a section with chilled fish too, including rollmops and other Scandi options.
Yes, we did make sandwiches to take off the ship with us using the cream cheese and cucumbers.
A La Carte Breakfast
I can’t believe we didn’t know about this until our very last morning. We thought that the Purple Carb, another dining room, was serving another buffet but it was actually a la carte! I chose a ham and cheese omelette with smoked salmon on the side. Paired with some more of that excellent coffee and I suddenly wanted another week on board!
Buffet Lumch
The lunch buffet was a little lack lustre in my opinion. There was plenty of pasta dishes, Asian noodles and pre-made burgers. It was all pretty stodgy. That being said, I loved watching them prepare mozzarella in the glass-fronted area as we walked into the buffet. This cheese was readily available, fresh on the buffet and used on the pizzas that were coming out every few minutes next door.
The Main Dining Room
The main dining room we were in was called La Perla Grigia. It had a cool central area, lined with bottles of wine which was very stylish. Guests are assigned a table for the length of their cruise. It was nice not to share but we were in a corner, in close quarters with the same English couple next to us the whole time. It would have been nice to meet some new friends every day…or not be so close as to have to make friends.
The food options were wide enough that we found something we wanted to try every day. Caz is gluten-free and our waiter was brilliant, bringing her a different menu every night, and her own bread too. I felt the food was presented reasonably, with a few stand out dishes which looked great. However, many of the dishes felt cheap. I ordered a prawn risotto and it had a grand total of three prawns. The meat and two options seemed a bit like they came from a fancy school canteen. There was a marked improvement in quality on the formal night so obviously, the food got a glow up too.
Speciality Dining
MSC Grandiosa has four specialty restaurants. For an extra cost, you can add a dining package which allows you a set selection to choose from. Doing this in advance saves up to 40%. There are lots of upcharge options in each restaurant but you can have a delicious dinner with no extra, extra cost if you want.
L’Atelier Bistrot – The French bistro-style spot was our first speciality meal and it was alo of fun. Sadly, the restaurant was nearly empty so it was lacking a lot of atmosphere. However, the food was fantastic. The snails were not too tough and didn’t look too scary. Then the chips were really crispy and fluffy, and the roast chicken super tender. Top marks!
Keito Sushi and Teppanyaki – Seafood is my happy place, so of course I jumped at the chance to try the ship’s sushi spot. The grilled prawn were perfectly cooked, shame there was only one each. The sushi was pretty good, but it was a shame not to be able to pick our own dishes. I got lucky, as the selection included some of my favourites.
Hola! Tapas Bar – Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the tapas bar. We were planning to but the gluten-free otions were almost non-existant so we made our way to Butcher’s Cut instead.
Butcher’s Cut – Mr Fluskey doesn’t love a steak so I don’t get the chance to go for a fancy slab of meat very often. We started with some egg-cellent (yes, I had to) devilled eggs. It was so fun to finally try these after years of seeing them on TV for years. Caz opted for tartare and said it was perfection. Then it was time for steak! I was a bit disappointed in the size when it first arrived but it was tender, juicy and just the right amount…so what do I know. To finish I had a skillet cookie and it filled me to the brim so it was lucky the steak wasn’t any bigger.
The Drinks
We decided to buy the drinks package for the duration of our trip. This just meant we could relax and not worry about prices throughout the trip. I am so glad we did as we ended up with an extra sea day and having a few cocktails throughout the day eased the disappointment. It also meant we could try some silly things. This flaming shot for example, supplied by the brilliant guys in the Masters of the Sea pub. I worked my way through a fair few strawberry bellinis.
You can pay as you go, or get a package with MSC Cruises. If you plan to have a package buy it before you board, it is 15% cheaper. You must have the same package as those you share a room with so it may take some negotiation. We opted for the Easy Package which is the cheapest of the alcoholic options. We had a selection of wines, sparkling and still, and about 12 cocktails to pick from. It was plenty.
The Entertainment
The Main Theatre de Comedie
There was a show in the main theatre every night. It houses just under 1000 people so you need to be there and ready to go when it opens. This was not a big blockbuster musical or a headliner comedian. Instead, these were jukebox type shows with lots of singing and dancing. They were clearly catering for the vast array of languages on board, making sure the maximum number of people could enjoy them. I had fun singing along…not sure those around me enjoyed my singing but hey ho. The singers were talented, and I loved some of the sections in the shows but it would have been nice to see somehting more narrative on a couple of nights.
The Circus Shows
For an added fee (I think it was around £25), you can see a show at the other end of the ship, in the Carousel bar. This involves a lot of circus performers and makes a nice change from the other shows. Again, it is a series of acts but the physical prowess and upgrade of production values made it feel like it was worth it. Plus, the tickets price included a welcome drink…so that was nice.
Parties and Live Music
MSC knows how to throw a party. The main thoroughfare was turned into a crazy disco on more than one occasion. Worthy of note were the silent disco (always hilarious from both inside and outside of the party). We also got involved in the white party with lots of singing along to Italian songs we didn’t know, copying dance moves from the crew and jumping up and down. We were so happy to see not one, not two, but three conga line moments on evening as we sipped our drinks and watched from the balcony of the Masters of the Sea pub.
Earlier in the day, and dotted around the ship, live bands entertained the crowd, and dance lessons kept people limber. On our cruise there was one particular couple that strut their ballroom stuff at every chance they could get. They were ship celebs. We never joined in with the dancing but on an itinerary with more sea days, I would absolutely have been up and wiggling too.
The Recreation Areas
Galleria Grandiosa and The Infinity Atrium
Referred to as “the main thoroughfare” earlier in the post is the Galleria Grandiosa. This area runs through the centre of the ship on two levels and is home to the shops and speciality restaurants. Along the roof was a huge, curved screen….at least, I think it was a screen. This had beautiful scenes throughout the day from sunny skies to stained glass windows, pretending to be an art gallery to displaying abstract art itself. In the early evenings, they had cool animated projection shows that lasted 10-15 minutes. It was nice to grab a drink and watch, or just to be surprised by one that you didn’t know was coming. At one end was the theatre, and at the other the space opened up and down into the Infinity Atrium. This housed some impressive décor, including the iconic Swarovski stairs. These glitter with crystals and it is so hard to capture just how pretty they are on camera.
The shops, known in an enclave called Piazza del Lusso didn’t hold anything for me. Designer brands aren’t my cup of tea and to be honest, a week long cruise with hand luggage meant absolutely no shopping anywhere. For those who are into retail therapy, there was a nice selection of jewellery, watch, clothing and beauty shops to play in.
The Best Bars
Given a drinks package, and week to try it out, we made it to many of the bars….maybe all of them. As all the bars served the same menu, this is all based on the bar, not the beverages. These were our favourites:
Edge Cocktail Bar – This bar seemed almost tucked in the corner of the Infinity Atrium but it is a very handy to grab a walking drink. Some people were propping up the bar here every time we passed but it was a little dark to make it our best spot.
Masters of the Sea Pub – Our most frequented bar. This nautical themed pub area was a great spot for watching the Galleria Grandiosa shows and parties. The air con inside was a bit chilly so we grabbed a table by the railing and settled in. The bar staff were so funny and friendly and even got us to try flaming shooters one night which was madness.
TV & Studio Bar – Across from Masters of the Sea but enclosed, TV & Studio Bar was the place to be late at night. They played host to karaoke a lot but we didn’t fancy joining in so we only popped in here for a quick one. If you love to sing, or to see other people attempt to sing, then its worth an evening.
Champagne Bar – This was a nice, bright bar at the top of the Infinity Atrium. It had nice views to the outside and who doesn’t love a champagne!? Despite not being on our package, we had to buy a glass here and indulge. I would say that the carpet stopped it from being truly classy but that is just a nitpick.
Sky Lounge – Our best spot for a late night cocktail, or an early morning coffee was th Sky Lounge. This was above the buffet and gym, and had a nice view across the pool deck and wrapping around the sides to the horizon. The mid-century colour scheme seemed a little dull and I thought it a little strange that there were sofas with their backs to the window, not allowing you the view, but the staff here were great.
Horizons Bar – The bar that overlooks the back of the ship isn’t much itself, but it is surrounded by chairs and tables with lovely outside views of the wake.
Masters of the SeaInfinity AtriumChampagne BarHorizons BarSky Lounge
The Attic Club
We made our way here one night and it was a weird atmosphere. The club was split across two rooms dark, shiny rooms. One was full of the young people (teenagers) and one with older cruisers (40s-50s). We felt like we had slightly slipped through the cracks and didn’t fit in anywhere. The bar was really crowded and people were happily pushing in front of others and pushing in general. It all felt a bit hostile and awkward so we danced for about half an hour before deciding to go back to a nice quiet cocktail bar. We found out later that the teens club was held in one of the rooms so it makes total sense that they all gravitated there in the evening.
Sportplex and the Kid’s Areas
Let’s be real, we didn’t use most of these. We don’t have kids to use the kid’s clubs so can’t comment on them. However, I love that this is an option, allowing their parents some true relaxation time.
Being a big kind, I was interested in the games arcade but sad to see this cost extra. I was also tempted to use the ropes course, including the Himalayan Bridge and the Aquaforest Waterpark. Sadly,. due to winds and chilly temperatures, these were closed. I saw someone up on the ropes on our first day but thuoght “I have a whole week to try it”…and it was never open again.
The Aurea Spa
One of our planned excursions was a day trip from Civitavecchia port to Rome. Due to bad weather delaying our docking by three hours, there wasn’t time to take the tour. The very kind tours people and travel agent gave us our onboard credit back and so we used it for a spa session instead. There was enough for one massage and we decided Caz needed it more than me so she head off for a massage, leaving me to explore the thermal suite. I had a blast in the hot tub. The rocking of the ship sloshed it around and I was giggling away when she came back thoroughly blissed out. Sounds like it was perfect, a great antidote for the locked-in feeling we had after missing out on the excursion.
The spa was spotlessly clean, with big lockers and shower facilities. Inside the Thermal Area was an array of rooms offering a sauna, a steam room, salt relaxation, warm relaxation, an ice room and hot tubs. We left after three hours so happy.
The Pools
There were three pools available for use (with another in the separate MSC Yacht Club area.) As well as this, there were three whirlpools too. As the weather wasn’t ideal, we had these to ourselves. We head up for one sunrise and it felt pretty special watching the sky change as the warm water bubbled our sleep away.
The outdoor pool is on deck 16 is the Atmospheric Pool. This is split into two and was definitely in “winter mode”. Usually, the water is a little higher so the first row of sunbeds is actually in the water. Plus, the sculptures in between the two halves are fountains. Clearly, It was too cold to use the pool in January but I did it for the ‘gram! It was a lovely large pool and I think there was plenty of room around to relaxation. At one end was a huge screen. On our sailing just had ship messages etc but I think it is used for movies in warmer weather. I’d love to watch a film from the water. At the other end was the Atmosphere Bar. In summer, this may have been our go to but it was shut for much of the time and too cold to be a nice spot.
It is worth noting that the covered seating was very popular with smokers as it reduced the win greatly so if you are hanging by the pool and don’t like smoke, try and work out where the wind will whip it away from you.
There is a small infinity pool at the back of the ship, called The Horizon Pool. I think this could be a nice place to take in the sailaway but the statue here, aimed at the kiddos, took away from the class of the spot.
The Safari Pool is inside and also has some more whirlpools. This pool is quite small and crowded with children in the day but does have the advantage of not being in the chilly air if it’s winter. The whirlpools were packed with groups but I guess this wouldn’t be the case if there were more outdoor areas accessible.
The Gym
Oh come on, you don’t think I actually used the gym!? No, but honestly, it was well-equipped and had a great view of the pool. There were plenty of people in there making use of the facilities…I just wasn’t one of them.
Final Thoughts for this MSC Grandiosa Review
My mood and opinion when I originally sat to write this MSC Grandiosa review were obviously coloured by the bad weather we experienced. Looking back, it was actually a great week.
Pros
Being with a friend was a lot of fun. She is both silly when I am feeling wound up (in the best way) and the most amazing cheerleader.
The ship was big enough that everyone could find their own space to relax or have fun. 19 decks really spreads people out.
We got to see beautiful places which Europe is just loaded with!
Cons
I do hate the drinks package nonsense on cruise lines. It would be much nicer to just have reasonably priced drinks available for when the desire strikes rather than paying out a big whack at once. This leads to feeling like you have to make the most of it every single day of the cruise. This is hard-going when you need to have six drinks a day to break even!
I think the food and evening shows could do with some improvement as they’re the weakest part of the experience.
I think that cruising the Med has its advantages, if you are short on time then you can see a lot but I found the clock-watching a little stressful. I think I could get used to it but it might take a few more cruises!
Overall, I really enjoyed the time I spent on MSC Grandiosa and I would love to see some of their newer ships…or just sail in the warmth as I think it would be a very different experience.
Rosie xx
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