Mediterranean Cruise
Friday 24th July – Saturday 2nd July 2022
Just over 3 years since our first cruise we headed off for our second one, this time with Celebrity Cruises. Better weather and more ports this time round and we couldn’t wait.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 0
A combination of Vikki’s mum staying at hers and a stupidly early flight meant we started the holiday early with a night in a hotel airport. However, it wasn’t a relaxing start to the holiday as around 5pm we discovered our return flight had been cancelled so we headed off not knowing when or how we would be getting home!
We did the twilight bag drop, leaving our bags at the airport before heading to the hotel where we discovered we had our standard car park view! We had dinner and a few drinks in the bar then got an early night before the 3am alarm!!
Day 1 – Barcelona
3am alarm wasn’t particularly welcome and there was only crappy instant Nescafe coffee in the room, quick shower and we headed off to the car park to drop the car. A combination of bad signage and Vikki being grumpy and sleepy meant we went in to the wrong entrance of the car park and had to pay £5.30 to get out to be able to go to the right part!
Twilight check in didn’t seem such a time saving idea after all as we arrived in a very quiet airport and headed straight to security to discover it wasn’t open until 4.30am! Bonus was that we got through quickly and out the other side when it did open, only none of the coffee shops / restaurants were open yet!
Eventually we Starbucks opened and we got decent coffee. The flight was all on time and apart from a seat change to the row in front as a family needed to switch rows the flight was fairly uneventful. Vikki slept a bit and got annoyed with her AirPods which kept making white noise but it was an improvement on listening to the lady in the aisle seat coughing – at least as it was an Iberia flight we were wearing masks.
The queue for passport control was bonkers, took hours and the line just seemed to go on forever. Annoyingly just after we returned Spain altered their rules to allow UK passports through EU line to help prevent these crazy queues!
Got through eventually and after a quick bus ride we went through the ship’s security and we are aboard! We found our room and it was absolutely amazing! So much space, huge bed, sofa, dressing table, loads of cupboard and drawer storage, good size bathroom and more importantly a fantastic balcony with lounger, chairs and a table!
Had some lunch (very manky gin and tonic for Vikki!), went for an explore and Vikki discovered frozen peach daiquiris!! We then headed to guest relations to try and sort out our return flight. After a long wait in a queue, then about 30mins on hold we left them to it and they got back to us later saying the flight wasn’t cancelled (but it definitely was!)
We found our suitcase waaaay up the hall from our room but collected them and got unpacked for the week. Vikki had a bit of a strop when she discovered she’d forgotten to pack contact lenses (despite buying more especially) but soon got over it.
Swimming costumes on and off to the pool for some cocktails, sun and swimming where Steve discovered he should have brought flip flops to avoid burnt feet en route to the pool!
Hotdog and chips for a snack before back to the room for a rest before setting sail towards Ibiza at 5pm, enjoying the view from our balcony. Both of us had a bit of a snooze on the balcony before getting ready for the evening.
Vikki got the days mixed up and we dressed for ‘chic’ night when it was actually the following night so we both looked super smart as we headed to the martinis bar for a drink before dinner. Passionfruit for Vikki and Espresso for Steve.
Dinner at the Steakhouse which was good but way too much food. Part way through it there was a cocktail show by the waiters in the martini bar and we got a great view from our table. After dinner we went to the theatre to see a comedian who unfortunately wasn’t particularly great, too American.
Swift change into swim stuff and we enjoyed a late night hot tub on deck 14, very relaxing. When we got back to the room the bed had been turned down and we had chocolates on the pillows so we ended the day with chocolates and star gazing on the balcony.
Day 2 – Ibiza
We were up early on our first morning for our shore excursion so had coffee delivered to the room which we enjoyed on the balcony with the sunrise. Quick shower, breakfast at Cosmopolitan – super attentive service with water, juice, coffee and pastries delivered to our table by four different waiters literally within a couple of minutes of being seated!
We had quite the adventure of a bike tour before heading back to the ship for lunch, some chill out time in the pool followed by bubbles on the edge, dinner and a beautiful sunset.
Day 3 – Valencia
With no excursions booked we had had a leisurely start to the day with coffee and fruit on the balcony, followed by breakfast and trying to arrange a flight home!
Bus trip in to Valencia and we had a lovely walk through the city and an afternoon at the aquarium. With an evening of windy quirkle, yummy food, late night liars comedy show and some terrible dancing at The Club.
Day 4 – Sea day
This was our one and only sea day, with no port. After looking forward to a nice lay in and easy start to the day we woke early with the ship really swaying and rocking due to the weather. The balcony was shaded and a little cooler than other mornings so Vikki was rocking the hoodie over the robe look!
We had nice views and breakfast delivered to the room, a mix of cooked, fruit (nearly no melon!), Danish pastries and coffee. The entertainment during breakfast was that the ship was swaying so much the balcony door kept sliding open / closed by itself!!
Steve was feeling a little queasy and Vikki very queasy so a walk high up on level 14 deck I the fresh air helped, followed by a jacuzzi and some sunbathing before lunch. Steve spent some time in the roof garden watching Wimbledon while Vikki sunbathed in the pool and then we watched a very energetic looking few games of crew vs guests volleyball (guests won!), followed by ice cream.
After some quirkle in the roof top garden we headed out for dinner at the Cyprus restaurant, where we finally got a window seat! After dinner we had a quick drink at the Sunset bar (where the lovely, lovely barman had sourced Fevertree tonic, before heading to the Theatre to see Magic Bones, which was a really good show.
And then came the pride party out on the deck. So much fun, lots of music, dancing, rainbow colours and waaaaaay, waaaaay too many drinks!!
Day 5 – Portifino
A very late (and drunken) night made for a tired start. Up early for a walking tour of Portofino where we saw some amazing views but not exactly value for money!
Back to the ship for lunch and some chill out time, quirkle and cocktails and then dinner at Eden restaurant with a view of the sunset.
Day 6 – Corsica
Lazy start to the day before heading out at lunchtime for our snorkelling excursion. Tight wet suits, fast speedboats, clear waters and not many fish! Followed by cocktails in the pool, dinner at Tuscan restaurant, winning the pub quiz and having a hot tub to ourselves!
Day 7 – Pisa
A very early start for our excursion to Pisa meeting at the excursion point at 7.45. A long bus trip (with masks), a very pleasant boat trip, a bumpy trolley ride and a short walk and we arrived at the leaning tower of Pisa.
A speedy ice cream, a gulp of beer and wine, 15mins of wandering time and it was time to leave again for a bumpy trolley ride and a long of bus trip back to the ship!
The rest of the day was pool time, bubbles on the balcony, packing (booooo), dinner, sunset drinks and a brilliant late night magic show.
Day 8 – Rome & Home!
After the flight cancellation and reschedule we ended up with a lot longer day in Rome than anticipated. 5.45am start, bus to the airport, bag drop, train into Rome, very hot scoot around the Coliseum followed by hours and hours in Rome airport due to more delays.
Finally back in Heathrow and the long day ended with a wait of over 1.5hours for our cases, finally getting to Vikki’s around 1am!
An absolutely amazing week, filled with fun and sun (and a lot of food and alcohol!). 7 destinations in 8 days was tiring in some ways but definitely worth it and we will certainly not cruise again without a room with a balcony as that was amazing.
So many memories and a rather unwelcome souvenir in that Steve brought Covid home with him!
