Souvenirs from a Western Mediterranean Cruise

A bright and cheerful souvenir shop at Olbia, Sardinia

What do you bring back from your travels? I tend to buy small things like earrings or a book or something relevant to the places I've been that won't contribute to any baggage overload! On this last cruise we visited ports in France, Spain and Italy. Here are some suggestions for unique souvenirs I found.

Beautifully packaged lavender products from St Tropez

St Tropez, France:  the lavender of Provence is famous and at the market in St Tropez, I bought several lavender sachets and drawer liners, all beautifully packaged.

Hand-painted ceramic tiles from Palma

Palma de Mallorca, Spain:  Hand-painted ceramics and tiles are beautiful. I bought these for our letterbox from the cathedral shop. Also ceramics (dinner sets, platters and vases) painted with a design of red coral for a fresh, modern look. And pearls - necklaces and earrings - are famous from this part of the Med.

Local delicacies at Mahon

Mao (Mahon), Minorca, Spain: Flat leather sandals are locally made and hard-wearing. Pastries made into coils called ensaimada are delicious. Other beautifully packaged foodstuffs make nice gifts.

Distinctive ceramics and cork are souvenirs of Olbia

Olbia, Sardinia, Italy:  Cork, cork and more cork, the best in the world (so I was told!) made into various souvenirs such as coasters and bookmarks. These are great as they are extremely light and unusual to give to folks at home. Also ceramics in this distinctive colour and artisanal cheeses are locally produced.

Citrus from the Amalfi coast at Pompeii

Pompeii, Italy: Lemons in limoncello liqueur, or ices, or gelato or fresh juice in the forecourt of Pompeii. Cameo jewellery carved from shell is also a popular souvenir. And red coral necklaces, earrings and bracelets are prevalent in the souvenir stalls here too.

Aprons and tea towels make lightweight souvenirs

Genoa, Italy:  For an interesting, lightweight souvenir that won't add to your excess luggage, there are a variety of aprons and tea towel sets for sale in Genoa that make nice gifts for friends back home.

I hope these examples have given you a few ideas of what you'd like to buy on a Western Mediterranean cruise.

About MSC Sinfonia

Swimming Pool on Deck 11 of MSC Sinfonia

First impressions on boarding MSC Sinfonia? How spotless it is, both inside and out. Gleaming white paintwork, shiny brass and chrome, and sparkling mirrors really impressed us!
  Throughout the ship the clever placement of mirrors, along with the shine of chrome fittings make the interior spaces seem much larger than they are. For example, in this photo the library seems to stretch the width of the ship - it doesn't!

The library

The decor throughout is pale woodwork with burgundy and green upholstery and carpet. All pleasant enough, but without the 'wow' factor that some other ships I've been on have with their art work in public spaces.
  Sinfonia can carry 2087 cruisers over 9 passenger decks. Our captain is Pietro Scarpato and over the course of the 7 night cruise, round trip Genoa, we'll have 6 ports of call in the Western Mediterranean.
  So it's all aboard for the cruise!

About Norwegian Spirit

Cruising with NCL

I was already familiar with the layout of Norwegian Spirit as I had cruised before in Asia on her sister ship, Superstar Virgo. The things I liked best on the ship were the extremely spacious public areas. The foyer on Deck 7 is a very large open space with a grand staircase leading up to a mezzanine floor of shops, restaurants and the Champagne Charlie's bar.

The foyer on Norwegian Spirit

The Grand Staircase with 3 elevators

Another favourite place of mine was the library with its comfortable chairs and large picture windows. There was a good selection of books in several languages.

Library on Norwegian Spirit

Some facts and figures about Norwegian Spirit:

• Passengers - 2,018
• Crew - 949
• Cruising speed - 24 knots
• Bars & lounges - 10
• Swimming pools - 2 & 4 hot tubs. On Deck 10 there is Buccaneer's Wet & Wild, a pirate themed swimming pool & play area for children.
• Dining options - 14. 

I'll write more about these in my next blog post. There were lots to choose from.

Cruising the Mediterranean with Norwegian Cruise line

On an NCL cruise

Last month we went on a wonderful cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. We hadn't cruised with them before and the itinerary took us to some places we hadn't been. Our ship was Norwegian Spirit.
  It was called the '12-Day Grand Mediterranean Cruise', captained by Vanja Litovic, and over the course of the days we travelled  3,100 kilometres. We visited 5 countries ( Italy, Greece, Turkey, France, Spain) and 10 ports of call with 2 sea days.
  Here's where we went:

• Venice (embarkation)
• Piraeus (for Athens)
• Izmir (for Ephesus)
• Istanbul
• Mykonos
• Naples
• Civitavecchia (for Rome)
• Livorno ( for Pisa and Florence)
• Toulon
• Barcelona (disembark)

And what port did I like best? All of them! Each was special and interesting in its own way. We had a great time!

Cruising on the Danube with the Crystal Ship

The Kristallschiff (Crystal Ship) at Passau

I have been in Europe for two months so have been far away from 'Cruising the Pacific'. But I have been on some interesting cruises and some interesting ships so I will tell you about those in this blog over the next few weeks.
  We were in Passau, a river cruise port on the Danube, and saw this ship that intrigued us. The Kristallschiff ( Crystal Ship) is part of the river cruise fleet of ships of Wurm & Kock that do short scenic cruises out of Passau. But the ship was not your typical river cruise ship; this one was special.
  It was designed in partnership with Swarovski crystals.
  There are crystals on the staircase, on the walls, and hanging in great glittering ropes from the ceiling. There are even displays of crystals in the toilets! And there's a statue of Isa, the mermaid of the Danube, with large crystals embedded in her tail.

The two level dining room of the Crystal Ship

I had wondered before boarding if it might be rather tacky. But it is all decorated tastefully, with beautifully upholstered furniture in soft shades, and a spacious interior layout.

à la carte dining in the Gallery of the Crystal Ship

The Crystal Ship has 388 interior seats, 208 on the deck where you enter and another 180 on the mezzanine gallery. Upstairs on the roof-top deck there is seating for another 350 people.

  On the day we took the morning two hour cruise it was very hot and, after spending some time on the top deck in the full sun, I went indoors and sat at a dining table in the Gallery. Of course, I just had to look at the menu. The range of ice cream sundaes looked delectable, and yes, I had one. In fact it was so big I couldn't eat it all. I left it to my husband to scrape the bowl clean!

  Next time I'll tell you about where and when the Crystal Ship went. If you've always wanted to do a European river cruise, but haven't had the time or the money, this short scenic trip on the Danube River will give you a taste of what a full cruise would be like.

Where Cruise Ships Dock in New Zealand's South Island

Cruise ship docked at Picton, New Zealand

Here's a round-up of the South Island ports where cruise ships visit on around New Zealand itineraries.

Picton: This small port at the head of the Marlborough Sounds is the terminal for inter-island ferries and is becoming increasingly popular as a port of call for cruise ships. The ships dock at Waitohi Wharf. As you can see from this photo, it is very close to town. A paved walkway leads from the port into the township or you can take the free shuttle bus that runs all day.

Cruise ship at anchor in Akaroa Harbour

Akaroa: Since the big earthquakes that devastated Christchurch and its port of Lyttelton, cruise ships have been visiting Akaroa. They anchor out in the harbour and passengers are taken ashore by tender. The wharf where you'll disembark is right in the little township. The ride in the tender takes between five and ten minutes.

Two cruise ships at the commercial port, Port Chalmers, near Dunedin

Port Chalmers (for Dunedin): Situated on the shores of Otago Harbour, Port Chalmers, which is a working commercial operation, is the nearest port to the city of Dunedin. There is a bus transfer (charged for) from the wharves into the Octagon, the heart of Dunedin city. The bus stops right outside the information centre. The scenic journey along the harbour shoreline takes about 20 minutes.

If you'd like more details about each port of call in New Zealand, search this blog and you'll find accounts of what we did and where we went at each stop on our round New Zealand cruise. It was great!

Where do Cruise Ships Dock in New Zealand?

Holland America's Volendam docked at Mount Maunganui, Tauranga

If you're like me, you'll like to have some idea of where you'll be docked when going to a port, especially if you haven't been there before. Here's a round-up of information that will be helpful on your Round New Zealand cruise. Today I'll write about the North Island ports of call.

Bay of Islands: The cruise ship anchors in the bay and passengers go ashore by tender to Russell or Waitangi. This takes about 5 minutes.

Cruise Ship at Anchor in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Auckland: Ships dock at Princes Wharf or Queens Wharf. As the wharves are at the foot of Auckland's CBD, the location is very convenient.
Tauranga: Here the ships dock at Mount Maunganui, a seaside suburb. To get into Tauranga city, local buses leave from the port for the 20 minute, 9 kilometre drive.
Napier: Cruise ships dock at the wharf near Ahuriri, the oldest part of Napier that was once a whaling station. It is a one kilometre flat walk round the shoreline to Napier's CBD.
Gisborne: This is another tender port. The ships anchor in Poverty Bay and passengers go in tenders to the marina. This takes about 20 minutes. It is a flat walk of a couple of blocks to Gisborne's main street and shopping district.

Two Ships in Port at Wellington

Wellington: Aotea Quay is where the cruise ships dock. From there a shuttle bus transports passengers to the main shopping street, Lambton Quay. Or you could walk - it takes about 10 minutes.

Well, that's the North Island ports of call sorted! Next post I'll talk about the South Island ports of call on a New Zealand cruise itinerary.

Cruise Ships to Auckland in January 2013

Dawn Princess at dock in Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland city is the port of call for many cruise ships this month, the most that have ever visited the port in one season. Most of them will be on round New Zealand itineraries that include ending or beginning in an Australian city.
  This month in the City of Sails we will see these larger ships with 1900 plus passengers:

• Dawn Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Diamond Princess (Princess Cruises)
• Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
• Celebrity Solstice (Celebrity Cruises)
• Oosterdam (Holland America Line)

The smaller luxury cruise ships cater for a niche market. The ones visiting here range from one carrying only 72 guests to one with 700 passengers. Most have under 500 passengers.

• Seven Seas Voyager (Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
• Oceanic Discoverer (an expedition type vessel)
• Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper (Silversea Cruises)
• Seabourn Odyssey (Seabourn Cruise Line)
• Crystal Symphony ( Crystal Cruises)
• Caledonian Sky

The thing that has struck me the most when sorting out this list was what wonderful names the ships have! All, no doubt, designed to seduce you into buying a cruise ticket!

Navigation at Sea

On a Princess Cruise

When on a Princess cruise recently I went to a lecture about navigation at sea. Taken by the First Officer, it was an interesting look at what goes on on the bridge. He explained to us about the different navigational aids that are used, the regulations governing cruise ships and the procedures that are followed to safely navigate the ocean waves and get in and out ports.
   There are at least four officers on the bridge at all times. As well as using sophisticated electronic equipment, there are two helmsmen, stationed one on each side of the bridge, constantly taking visual bearings using binoculars. 
   The officers work on a rotation of four hours on, eight hours off, every day during their two or three month contracts. Then they go home for two or three months for a break before returning to sea.
   The ship's watches are of four hours duration, starting at midnight. Often the busiest time is the 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. shift, the time a cruise ship usually comes into dock at a port of call.
   Usually a ship's arrival and departure from a port is taken by a local pilot although the captain is still officially in command. There are only two places in the whole world where captains completely hand over command of the ships to local pilots - the Panama and Kiel Canals.
  I like going to lectures on a cruise, finding out about what goes on behind the scenes while we passengers are lolling about in deck chairs!

About Sea Princess

Sea Princess anchored off Dravuni Island, Fiji

I enjoyed cruising on the 'Sea Princess'. It has an elegant 4-storey atrium, the scene of the Captain's cocktail party and end-of-cruise celebrations, the champagne waterfall and the renewal of vows service.
   My other favourite part of the ship was the Horizon Court Buffet restaurant. This was on Deck 14, at the front of the ship. It was always bright and light because of the curving windows on three sides. Of course, the food had something to do with its attraction too!
   The circular area in the centre was often the scene for special foodie events such as the Chocolate Extravaganza and the Japanese themed lunch.
   Captain Mario Ciruzzi took us 4132 nautical miles on this South Pacific Islands cruise. 'Sea Princess' is registered in Bermuda and went into service in 1998. Its sister ships are 'Dawn Princess' and 'Sun Princess'. It carries 2,270 passengers and 854 crew.
   Some of the crew were new to cruising, and had been on board only 2 weeks. Others were new to the ship but had been working on other Princess ships before. Our stateroom steward loved life at sea and was on his 12th contract!

Sapphire Princess Refit on Now

Sapphire Princess atrium before the refit

'Sapphire Princess' is in dry dock at the moment in Victoria, British Columbia. The work is scheduled for the refit from January 9th to February 4th, 2012.

  This photo is of the three storey atrium as it was when we were on the ship in 2008. It was a beautiful space with sweeping staircases, elevators behind elaborate cut-out brass screens, and comfortable chairs where you could sit and listen to musicians playing. It was also a great place for party nights and the famous 'champagne waterfall'!

   Now the atrium is being transformed into a Piazza with an International Café, Vines Wine Bar and Alfredo's Pizzeria. I'll be very interested to see the end result.

  

Sail Away with Pacific Pearl

Pacific Pearl leaving Auckland

Five minutes ago I had this close-up view of 'Pacific Pearl' as she cruised out of Auckland. I'm staying at Devonport this week and from my vantage point on the waterfront I could even hear her band playing at the sail away party.There will be 1850 excited passengers on board, starting their partying for an eight night cruise to some Pacific Islands.

 'Pacific Pearl' was built in 1987. She was refurbished and brought down to New Zealand by P&O as the newest addition to their fleet in December 2010. In the year and a bit since then she has cruised the South Pacific.

  Today's cruise is called the Petit Escape. Its itinerary takes it around New Caledonia with days in port at  Noumea, Lifou and the Isle of Pines. (I have written about each of those places on this blog if you'd like to do a search for them.)

  'Pacific Pearl' is popular with families and groups of friends as a high percentage of the cabins are quad share. If you are an older couple looking for a quiet time aboard this is probably not the ship for you. But if you are with your family or friends, wanting lots of entertainment and parties, with days ashore to swim and snorkel, then a reasonably priced cruise to the islands on 'Pacific Pearl' could be fun.

Cruise Ship Disaster

My sympathy and thoughts are with the passengers and crew who were on the 'Costa Concordia' when it went aground on Friday night. What a terrifying situation to be in!
   It's a wake-up call to all of us to pay close attention to the safety briefings before we sail.

About the MV Orion Expedition Cruise Ship

mv Orion

Lynn and Brien loved their time aboard the Orion which was built in 2003. They liked the smaller size of the ship. The five star Orion carries 106 passengers in 53 exterior suites and staterooms on three decks, with 75 crew. This high crew to passenger ratio ensured the excellent service that so impressed Lynn.

   The top deck of the Orion has an observation lounge with wraparound deck. This is the prime viewing site on board. On deck six there are the Galaxy Lounge, health spa, lecture theatre and sundeck with jacuzzi pool. On deck four are the hairdresser, boutique, reception, library, Leda lounge and outdoor cafe. Deck three has the Constellation Restaurant.

   Because it is an expedition ship, Orion has a specially strengthened hull for cruises that go into Antarctic waters, and the latest technology in communications and onboard engineering systems. Safety features exceed international standard requirements.

   Two tender boats, 10 inflatable Zodiac craft and several kayaks are carried on the Orion. These allow passengers to explore further afield, away from the ship, up rivers, in shallow waters, and to land on otherwise inaccessible shorelines. It's all part of the service on an Orion expedition cruise adventure!
   Many thanks to Lynn and Brien for answering my questions about the cruise, and for their photographs. They had a great time.

  

About ms Volendam

Volendam docked in Sydney

Our cruise came to an end in Sydney, Australia. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable, relaxing, interesting, calm seas and blue skies voyage, our second cruise on the 'Volendam'. Previously we had sailed on her from Sydney to Singapore.
  Over the 14 days on the New Zealand and Australia itinerary, we travelled 3,214 nautical miles at an average cruising speed of 16.7 knots. We visited 10 ports of call and had 5 sea days. On this cruise she carried 1342 guests and 598 crew.
   'MS Volendam' is registered in the Netherlands. Her maiden voyage was in 1999 with a refurbishment carried out in 2005. After our cruise the 'Volendam' was sailing on to Singapore to go into dry dock for 2 weeks. All staterooms would be redecorated during this time and cabin furniture reupholstered.

Porcelain tulip vase on Volendam

Italian artwork on Volendam

    A feature of the ship is its floral theme. Huge flower arrangements brighten the public areas. There are paintings and sculptures of flowers as well as floral-themed fabrics.
    The 'Volendam' also has an million dollar-plus art collection. Ranging from Inca statues to Oriental jade sculptures to enormous Italian 'head' wall plaques, the art adds a great element of interest to the decor of the ship. I enjoyed doing an audio tour of the collection.
    The ship is elegant and, being mid-size with extra large public areas, it never feels crowded. Just the thing for a relaxing holiday.
    

About the Pacific Sun

  

Pacific Sun in Auckland

P&O's 'Pacific Sun' now operates on South Pacific Island and Australian itineraries year round. Embarkation ports are Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle, and Fremantle, at various times of the year. With an abundance of four berth cabins, she is popular with families and groups of friends who wish to cruise together.
    Built in 1986, she underwent an extensive refit in October 2008. She has a cruising speed of 21 knots and carries 1950 passengers and 670 crew.
   Crew members come from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and India. We found them to be very friendly, cheerful and helpful.
   In the restaurants alone, there are 4 head waiters, 50 waiters, 50 assistant waiters, and 22 buffet staff.
   We particularly enjoyed the variety of evening entertainment. Some nights, the main shows in the Atlantis Show Lounge were preceded by a spectacular laser light show. The special lighting effects were co-ordinated with music to create fascinating, colourful light patterns.
   After formerly cruising on four and five star ships, we were not quite sure what to expect on the 'Pacific Sun' which has a three star rating. We were pleasantly surprised. The stateroom was a reasonable size, there was a great variety of food and we enjoyed the activities on offer.

Touring the Ship's Galley

A display in the ship's galley

If you get a chance when you are on board a cruise ship, go on a galley tour. You will get a look behind the scenes at what goes on in the kitchens that cater for thousands of meals each day.

   The statistics are mind blowing! When I thought that there were more people on board ship on this cruise than there are in my small home town, I realised just how many plates, glasses and cutlery there were to wash. A team of 30 dish washers deal to them.
   A huge staff  led by the Executive Chef prepares all the food. Four bakers work all night so we would have fresh bread and rolls for breakfast. Three Sous Chefs, 10 First Cooks, 17 Second Cooks, nine Third Cooks, 15 Assistant Cooks, and six Pastry Chefs make all the delicious food that is so much a part of shipboard life. Six other cooks prepare food for the crew.
   On the galley tour for this cruise we were given a fact sheet that told some amazing statistics of food consumed in the 10 day cruise. Here are just a few examples of what 'buying in bulk' really means!

* 3,750 dozen eggs, 437 kg pasta, 2,812 kg chicken, 1,625 kg beef, 1,125 kg cheese, 2,500 kg rice

* 662 kg oranges, 1500 kg pineapples, 875 kg cucumber, 1,250 kg tomatoes

* 7,500 tea bags, 375 kg coffee, 5,000 litres milk

I couldn't even comprehend the vast amount of food needed to prepare the wide array of dishes passengers and crew ate every day. I will never complain about shopping and cooking for two people again!