Monday 20th October 2014
As we were sailing from Avonmouth (Bristol) , my friend had to come to me for a change. She arrived on the 4pm train from Southampton
and I collected her up after work. We picked up some fish
& chips and had a relaxed evening - initially. Checking where Funchal was
on www.marinetraffic.com, we suddenly noticed her destination was listed as
Liverpool! Errr – what happened to Avonmouth?? Starting to panic now as it was 7.30pm, I
phoned Cruise & Maritime Voyages to ask what was happening and was told we had to turn up
at Avonmouth as planned but that we would be taken by coach to
Liverpool. The reason was that severe winds (tail end of Hurricane
Gonzalo) were preventing the ship from reaching Bristol in time but she was listed to
dock at Liverpool at 9pm the Tuesday evening. Ok - well I hate long coach journeys but if that was what we had to do ....
Tuesday 21 October 2014
We duly boarded our booked car to go to
Bristol and were met by a representative from CMV who asked us all to wait for a bit in
the terminal café until there was a full coach load. At around noon we boarded our coach only to be given a
letter saying we would be put up in a hotel that evening ,
and hopefully board Funchal the next day – Wednesday. The letter went on to say
that the lost day would mean dropping La Coruna and Madeira from the cruise! At
this news, many people got up and walked off the coach saying that if they
weren’t going to Madeira they didn’t want to continue to travel. Those wishing to go home were offered a full refund but if we travelled
to Liverpool before cancelling we would have to make our own way home. After
some discussion we decided to carry on and have an adventure – little
did we know then quite what an adventure it would be become!
It was a three-hour journey to Liverpool with a short break
at Sandbach services to buy a sandwich. The coach was comfortable and I had
room to stretch my legs – my biggest fear of a long coach trip is squashed
knees! Fortunately for us – although not
for them - there was a couple on the coach who had travelled down from
Liverpool the previous day and were able to direct the driver to the cruise
berth as some roads had been closed due to the high winds causing damage to buildings.
Once at the cruise terminal someone from
CMV came on board and asked us all what kind of accommodation we required –
double, twin, single etc. – before we were taken just across the road – the one that was
closed! - to the Atlantic Tower Thistle Hotel and allotted a room on the ninth-floor.
It was a nice twin room with a view of the Liver Building from our window. At
least we thought it was a good view until we heard a sound like thunder and saw
a panel ripped off the block behind us and literally fly across the road and
land on a roof! Somewhat alarming!! Still we were in Liverpool – we later
discovered many passengers had been put up for the night in Chester, not that I had been to either city before.
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| View from room |
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| Hotel and building behind with missing panels ripped off by winds |
Dinner was obviously hastily prepared for the CMV influx – a
choice of chicken, chicken or chicken, after which we retired to bed and
hopefully good news in the morning.
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