Adonia Cruise Part 2

Thursday 3 May 2012

It was a very calm night. We were then just off Brest  and had two days at sea before we reach Lisbon. The weather was amazing – calm seas since we left and blue sky with occasional clouds. After the weather at home for the last month this was wonderful. We passed Aurora earlier heading homewards. I found the service excellent so far. A lady asked where the water was for example and was asked where she was sitting and it was brought for her. The travelling alone meeting had about a dozen ladies – one of whom was on my table on Artemis on one cruise – 2008 I think. I also went to the Battle of the Sexes quiz in the Crow’s Nest.  Again many more ladies than gentlemen! The Crow’s Nest is beautiful with a striking tartan carpet. All long the front windows are low padded leather benches which make excellent foot stools if you position the chairs correctly. You can then recline with a fabulous view forward. There are also two binoculars on stands at each side, in case you spot something you need a better view of.

Friday 4 May 2012
Another calm night and we are through the BoB. The sun was shining through the cabin, although there are some black clouds on the horizon to port. Last night's Welcome Party was good, with plentiful drink and canapes. We chatted to the doctor for most of the time - hopefully the previous night's Code Alpha (which came through to all cabins at around 1am) was not too serious if he could attend the party. The dinner was the usual good offering - lobster for me but there was a good variety including chicken, sea bass and beef.

As Adonia is WiFi, I was able to type up my journal and reports in the cabin.

We headed up to breakfast in the Conservatory, where we ate it throughout the cruise – and until the last two days in the BoB again, we ate it outside on the aft teak deck with a fabulous view of the wake. Since breakfast is served until noon, it means fruit juice is available free until then as well, which is good. We were by then in dolphin waters and there was an announcement earlier from the bridge that there was a large pod on the port side - I leapt to our window, but I suppose, as usual, they had dived under the ship by then. As the sun was shining, I sat on the prom deck but there was a chilly wind and the spray was being blown up. The nice thing about Adonia's prom deck is its closeness to the water, but conversely, it mean you get wetter! The not so nice thing is that it is not wrap-around and has a nasty composite surface, although if you sit with your feet on the rails the chair doesn’t slide backwards!  The other downside is that it is not that long and when the tenders are in use, is closed.

There are lots of 175 Celebration touches about the ship such as special badges worn by the crew, a large 175 flag flying from the mast and gratifyingly, our book prominently on sale in the shop.

Although I do like the ship, she is not a replacement for Artemis and I have a few reservations. The main sun deck has plenty of sun beds (quite close together though) and teak tables and chairs, but if you want a reclining chair (as I do), you are restricted to the promenade deck only, unless of course you resort to my tactics of learning how to fold up one of the teak prom-deck chairs and carry it up in the lift to Deck 10!  Trouble is, it disappeared every night back down again! The service is definitely a star up on the other ships, as are other touches such as linen napkins everywhere, not paper ones, and a waiter was in the Conservatory to make your tea and coffee etc.

After dinner we went to the syndicate quiz up in the Conservatory. We joined a table with some of the previous night's winners so we had to start with -1! Despite our handicap we managed to win a bottle of Olly Smith specially selected wine – which we put to chill in our fridge.