Cruising - A Way of Living Life to the Full

Life is Good at Sea

Just 3 weeks ago I was disembarking this very ship and now I am here again living this wonderful life, seeing the world and enjoying the luxuries of this beautiful vessel. I will, as always, be visiting some amazing destinations too. My last working cruise sailed to the Western Mediterranean and Italy and it was magical for me. I escorted some incredible excursions in all of the ports and had so much fun with the passengers. This cruise has a similar itinerary as we are sailing to enjoy the highlights of Italy and the Mediterranean . There are some new ports that I have not visited before so I am really excited and feeling energised for new sights and experiences.

Sometimes I am allocated a Passenger cabin with a balcony, depending on whether the ship is full. For this cruise I have an Entertainers cabin at the forward of the ship. I actually love these cabins as they have the most amazing picture window and the view is quite breathtaking. I have a full view of the sail in and sail out and all the sunrises and sunsets. There is ample storage in these cabins too. I bring a lot of equipment with me, plus all my dresses, and fitness wear. This is the compromise to make if there is no balcony cabin available. I am always very happy when I am allocated one of these beautiful cabins.

I watched the sail away from my cabin window as we departed from the port of Portsmouth and this is really quite spectacular as you sail out through the Solent and into the English Channel. The ship sails quite close to the city and there are many people ashore waving us goodbye.

There is always an Entertainments meeting at the start of the cruise to attend. This is a great way to meet all the other instructors and guest entertainers before the start of the cruise. When the meeting is over, the rest of the evening is checking through the enrichment programme and preparing my classes and equipment. I usually have room service on the first night whilst I am prepping. 

The first sea day is the busiest with sign ups and meeting and greeting the passengers. I was so happy as the morning walk was well attended with 7 passenger up and ready to walk with me at 8am and my chair class was full 10 minutes before the start time. I have an afternoon walk at 2pm for those that like to walk off their lunch. The weather was lovely and the sea calm. To my amazement there was approximately 30 passengers at the meeting point all enthusiastic for a mile walk around the decks. I think that is the most I have ever had. The first yoga class had 7 yogi's attend out of 10 available spaces. So all in all a very good first day at sea. I then go back to my cabin to have a shower and get ready for dining with passengers. These are my daily duties whilst we are at sea. 

I like to stay busy in my activities and meeting passengers for pre-dinner drinks and dining. There are days when I will lunch with the passengers instead so that I can watch the early evening entertainment such as the Classical Duo or the Jazz Pianist. This makes a lovely evening listening to these amazing musicians and enjoying a glass of wine.

Just 5 days into the cruise with the clocks moving forward to central European time, the stunning sunrises start to appear. The rising of the sun on the ocean brings hues of yellow, orange, lilac and reds to the horizon where sea meets sky. The slowness of nature and the gentle rhythm of the sea brings gratitude and beauty together. My huge picture window is like a cinema screen and I can watch the sun setting from start to finish before I even start work. Sunrises, sunsets and the ocean are very healing and even if I feel tired in the morning, just being so close to nature can make me feel energised.

Highlights of the Cruise

We arrived into Palma, Majorca on a Wednesday morning to temperatures of around 32 degrees. There was a gentle breeze so it felt a little cooler. I was escorting an afternoon tour to Valldemossa, a quaint little village elevated in the mountain area with beautiful vista views. There were two stops along the way. One at Bellver Castle with a superb view of the city of Palma

The other at Mirador Sa Foradada. This view was so breathtaking. You could feel an increase in your wellbeing just by looking at the beautiful blues and turquoise hues of the Mediterranean Sea.

We then visited Valldemossa Village and had time to wander the narrow cobbled streets and gaze at the mountain vistas and lush greenery that surrounds this delightful village.

Another city I have longed to visit is Florence - the birthplace of the Renaissance. We arrived into Livorno, Italy on a very warm morning. At 8am I was boarding the coach for the hour and a half journey to Florence. The coaches are unable to enter the city so we stopped on the outskirts and took a 30 minute walk to see the famous Duomo, the largest cathedral in Florence

We then went to Signoria Square and Palazzo Borghese where we stopped for some Italian pasta and wine for our lunch followed by some free time to explore this historic and beautiful city

The following day we arrived at the port of Civitavecchia for Rome.....another magnificent city steeped in history with amazing architecture and cobbled streets adorned with restaurants, coffee shops and cafes. My love for Rome never dies. It is a city I would love to visit for 3 or 4 days and explore the streets at my own pace. Perhaps spend the evenings at a local cafe sitting at an outside table for one and watching the world go by with a glass of wine in hand and a plate of pasta. 

 

We walked to some of the sites such as the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We had time at these amazing places to take photos and to wander around the squares. It is quite a lot to take in on such a short visit but it does give you a taster of the city and what there is to see.

This amazing cruise keeps on giving. The scenery has been quite stunning and the beautiful coastal roads have been breathtaking. These moments will stay with me forever.

I have ticked so many places off of my "want to experience" list, just on this cruise alone. I have longed to travel on the Amalfi Coastal road and gaze at the vibrant colours and hues of the Mediterranean sea and it really didn't disappoint. The drive from Sorrento to Amalfi village was undeniably every bit as pretty as the images and photographs I have seen.

The last port of call was Gibraltar. I have been on the Rock several times but never had a ride on the cable car to the top of the Rock. I built up the courage to opt for escort duty on the tour. I still have a fear of cable car rides but I wanted to see the view. I can't say I enjoyed the ride but I can tell you I enjoyed every minute on top of the Rock of Gibraltar 

Once again, another cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean that has been magical for me, especially with the amazing coastal roads and breathtaking sea views I have seen in each port that the ship has visited. I consider myself very blessed with the life I live. The travelling, the luxurious cruise ships and the countries I have visited bring many moments of gratitude and wonderful memories to share.

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