Oceana to Caribbean 2014 - final days

Monday 27 January – at sea

13°C

NW Force 5/6

A pretty lazy day – I  read out on the prom deck, well wrapped up in heavy winter coat now. After lunch in the Plaza I went down at 2pm to interview Fenella Fay, art consultant for the Cunard book. Then we browsed the shops but there was nothing new to buy. The captain came on to say the weather was deteriorating though and by tomorrow would be heavy seas again. Semi-formal night so changed and had cocktails before dinner, Crew Show and bed at 1pm as clocks went forward for last time.

 

Tuesday 28 January – At Sea

It started to get bouncy again last night and we had to ensure everything was well secured. We didn’t brave the Plaza, preferring breakfast in Café Jardin before going back to the cabin to pack a few more things and rest. It was getting worse and worse.

We had lunch in the Ligurian Restaurant as we didn’t want to go any higher in the ship. At one point there was a huge lurch/wave and crockery smashed all around us, Caryll and I getting wet from a water glass. I went to the art sale but nothing took my fancy and then back to the cabin until the talk between Nigel Travis CD and Captain Simon Terry. That lasted half an hour. There was a show by a Freddie Mercury tribute at 7pm so we changed and got ready and went back to Starlights before our final Gala Dinner and Baked Alaska parade. Pleased that the baked Alaska is now flambéed at the table too!

Several times we had to clutch at our food and glasses as the ship ploughed on through the heavy seas. On the next table a man in a white dinner jacket got soaked with red wine! Am thoroughly fed up with the heavy seas now as although not seasick it is hard work walking and even harder work packing!

Wednesday 29^th – At Sea

Our final day – I cannot believe the cruise is nearly over after looking forward to it for so long. After a light breakfast in the Plaza – now just about manageable – we got our cases out from under the bed and started to pack properly. We attended the final Travelling Alone meet and had a light lunch – again in the Plaza – of a cheese roll. At teatime however we succumbed to afternoon tea in the restaurant – as it was our last day! I got all but one of my cases out before dinner. Final Syndicate Quiz – we were joint second. Then bed.

Thursday 30 January – Southampton

Despite the weather issues, we arrived on time. We had priority disembarkation so could leave whenever we liked. Caryll and I had breakfast separately and then met in the cabin at 8am to check everything and go to the Adriatic Restaurant - our disembarkation lounge until 9.30 when our cab was due. After a while we decided to disembark and wait for our car in the terminal. I was home by 1pm.

 

Summary

A great cruise, despite the awful weather at times. although not my favourite ship, I have always enjoyed my cruises on Oceana and would not hesitate to sail on her again given teh right itinerary and price.

Before I considered the Caribbean as a cruise destination, I always thought it "wasn't me". I am not a swimmer or beach person and thought every island would be the same as the next. Having been twice now, I am as amazed as anyone by how much I love it - the scenery, the wildlife, the relaxed chilled people (on the whole) and the very varied islands. I would happily return but there is still so much world I haven't seen at all yet, so - next on the horizon - a cruise to northern Norway in March in the hope of seeing the Aurora Borealis.

Oceana to Caribbean 2014 - Ponta Delgada

Sunday 26 January – Ponta Delgada

16°C

NW Force 4

Caryll and I were up on deck at 6.30 as we approached the island of San Miguel and the bridge announced a school of dolphins. I opened the deck door just as a dolphin leaped out of the water in front of me. There were many others too but too quick for me to get my camera out - as usual! We went up to the forward observation deck in time to watch the pilot climb on board. The weather was bright and promised a nice day. There was an eerie musical sound – presumably the wind whistling through the mooring deck via the anchor hause pipes!

Our tour didn’t leave till 1pm so after breakfast we went ashore to explore Ponta Delaga for a short time. It is a typical Portuguese town of white and dark brown/grey buildings. There was a pretty square with a beautiful church at one corner. 

 

We found a craft/antique shop and bought a couple of souvenirs and tried for free Wi-Fi, before heading back towards the ship. At midday I went back leaving Caryll to explore another church. On the ship I grabbed my mac  as some clouds were rolling in and went back ashore to board our coach. Caryll joined me soon after.  Our tour took us through the lush green pasture land and small villages to the Crater Lakes – two blue and green lakes in the crater of an extinct volcano. The views were stunning but unfortunately the light wasn't good enough to show the difference in colour between the lakes.

Then we drove to a spot where you could see both north and south shores of the island of San Miguel and some very volcanic-looking mounds and hollows. 

Next was a Pineapple Plantation where the fruit are grown in glass houses. This method makes them very sweet apparently. 

And lastly a botanic garden. The guide was very hard to understand however, with heavy accent and not a lot of information - not even telling us times to be back at the coach for example! 

 

Back at the terminal we headed to a café for free Wi-Fi and then hit some souvenir shops.

 

 

We were on deck for our final sailaway after which we changed for casual night. Dinner – singer Ben Makisi - bed.

Oceana to Caribbean 2014 - North Atlantic

Tuesday 21 January- At Sea

24°C

SE Force 5

Bliss – a long lie-in and leisurely day. I really needed this to recharge my batteries. We now have five days at sea until we reach Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The weather was still hot and sunny so I stayed on deck all day – eating at the deck barbeque and watching the flying fish. Some people saw a whale breach close to the ship – but I missed it. We did the Syndicate Quiz after dinner – then bed as clocks went forward an hour – we are certainly now homeward bound!

Wednesday 22 January – At Sea

24°C

SE Force 5

After a showery start to the day the sun came out and once again it was sitting- (and dozing-) on-deck weather. We had lunch in the Plaza where I spotted the captain, so asked him about Mein Schiff 2 – he explained that the German captain wasn't happy about his assigned berth so siled elsewhere.  We headed to the deck again after lunch, where we spent ages photographing flying fish.

 

Then the sun went and there were some heavy showers again so went to cabin to get ready for our first formal night for ages and the Peninsular Party. I looked up at the bridgecam at one point to see a fabulous rainbow.

At the Peninsular Party and chatted with junior purser Andy. He explained part of the thinking behind changing the colour of the funnels was that we might be confused with Costa! Dinner, quiz, bed

Thursday 23 January – at sea

21°C

SE Force 4

A lie-in again and then to the Macmillan coffee morning. The Macmillan Nurses are P&O Cruises' chosen charity for the year and all fund-raising in for their benefit. We had much better coffee and a delicious cup cake for a donation to the fund. The Captain and new Executive Purser were there as were a few other officers and all the Entertainment Staff.

Afterwards I sat on deck in the sun but it kept disappearing and eventually there was a heavy rain shower so had lunch and went to the cabin. Sorted out some washing and spent a miserable hour and a half in launderette. The wash was OK as I could leave it and just go back in 35 minutes, but I couldn’t get a dryer. Abandoning the one on my deck I tried the ones above and eventually got one and put laundry in. However, it was still damp after 40 minutes so I ended up draping it all over the cabin. Eventually had another go at 5pm and got it dry enough to iron but my t-shirts still had suncream marks on though so the whole exercise was pointless!.

Got ready for the early show at 7pm – Fogwell Flax.

Friday 24 January – at sea

19°C

E Force 5

Yet another lazy day. It was still hot enough to sunbathe as long as you found a spot out of the wind. It is definitely getting colder though and preparing us for our return on 30^th January. Pretty sure I saw two whale spouts in the distance.

 

Saturday 25 January – at sea

17°C

SE Force 4

Weather now preparing us for going home as colder by around 2 degrees a day – it was dry all day though apart from a few short showers. I still managed to sit out wearing a fleece and watching for whales. The sea was incredibly calm but no whales. It was Burns Night so I changed for our formal night and special dinner where the haggis was duly piped in and addressed.

After dinner we watched the Burns Night Ball for a bit before heading to the Quiz!

Oceana to Caribbean 2014 - Antigua

Monday 22^nd January – Antigua

26°C

E Force 3

This was our final port in the Caribbean itself, with only the Azores to come on the way home. Caryll and I had booked different trips here as it was my second time in Antigua. My tour to Nelson’s Dockyard didn’t leave until 10am so I was able to enjoy another leisurely breakfast out on deck However - I still had to get up early just to watch the other ships arrive – Mein Schiff 2 and Celebrity Eclipse. MSC Musica, wasn't due to arrive until 2pm. Mein Schiff was already in the harbour as we neared St John at dawn.

 

She seemed stationary as we slowly advanced and then passed her, berthing at the best spot next to the main dock gate. Mein Schiff 2 then sailed out of the harbour and away again! A mystery! It later turned out that she wanted our berth with the big bouncy fenders and not the tyre-lined commercial berth where apparently the captain felt the depth under the keel was insufficient!  The local newspapers covered the event in depth in the days following. http://www.antiguaobserver.com/money-lost-as-ship-pulls-out/
Celebrity Eclipse was next to arrive and berthed on our starboard side.

As the time for the tour approached I headed down onto the dockside where we were made to stand two by two and then walked to our small coach. We drove out through St John’s to Nelson’s Dockyard where after a short guided tour we had two hours free time and a free rum punch - 150% proof! I had visited here before but only as a brief stop on a longer tour and wanted to spend more time exploring the old buildings.

 
I bought a delicious coconut cake in the Bakery for a bargain $1.55 considering the size and style of the yachts in the harbour! It helped soak up some of the rum! The crumbs attached some of the local wildlife - Bananaquits and a Lesser Antilliean Bullfinch (below).

We returned at 1pm and arrived back at the port to see MSC Musica had arrived and berthed next to us.

 Caryll met me at the bus and we roamed the port area, both Duty Free and outside a little. I got some free Wi-Fi with a beer and posted on Facebook but that was all. We went back to Oceana at 4.30 – it was a 5pm back on board time – in my head it was 6pm so just as well I was with Caryll!

After sailaway we stayed on deck for a while savouring our last Caribbean port and the lovely sunset – then to wash and change for first semi-formal night for days!

 

 

A small postscript to that day. When I was back home and looking at my photos in detail, I noticed that this Frigate Bird was tagged. It didn't take too much time on Google to discover the person who had conducted research on Frigate Birds and email her. Apparently this female was tagged in Barbuda in November 2009! The power of the internet - magic!

http://www.eagantigua.org/page565.html

Oceana to Caribbean 2014 - St Barts

Sunday 21 January – St Barts

26°C

E Force 4

This was our only anchor port and as we were doing our own thing, there was no rush to disembark. We had breakfast and then picked up boat tickets – No 19. We headed down to deck 5 to drop off our mid-cruise questionnaire and then our boat was called so went down to the tender platform on Deck 4.  It was quite a long ride - about 20 mins – to the shore where we set off round the pretty harbour.

 

 

The harbour, or marina, was lined with very expensive yachts! The few shops, closed as it was Sunday, matched the yachts – Bulgari, Dior, Cartier etc. Perhaps it was as well it was Sunday !! After a stroll round to the end, pausing to peer in the Anglican Church, we walked down a narrow road to Shell Beach. This was small but very pretty, with turquoise water and waves crashing on what were literally thousands of shells. Obviously a “young” beach where the shells had not yet been ground down into sand.

Declining to pay 40 Euros for two sunbeds and one umbrella, we headed for some rocks at the end where we were able to sit and paddle as each wave came in. It was hot, sunny and perfect. After a while, we went to the beach café/bar and I had a Carib Beer. Drying our feet and getting rid of as much sand as possible, we strolled back round the harbour, pausing to watch and photograph some Brown Pelicans diving for fish.

 

 

Back at the jetty there was a queue so we wandered up a bit further to take photos of Oceana at anchor, then caught the tender back to the ship.

We stayed on deck in the afternoon and evening sunshine until we sailed at around 7pm (last tender was 6pm).  Back in the cabin we showered and changed for dinner and pre-dinner cocktails in Magnums. Anthony remembered we didn’t much like the hot nibbles and dashed to Tiffanys to get us some nicer ones! Definitely worth a Cruise Award Nomination!