WG’s Christmas Cruise 2025 – Part Four

Monday 29th December, Lanzarote

I woke up about 05:30 and we were moving very slowly off the coast of Lanzarote. It is still dark and the lights along the coast were twinkling. Much too early to get up, so I turned over and went back to sleep. Next time I woke, it was nearly seven and still dark, and we were still moving very slowly off the coast. A quick wash and dress, and out for breakfast. Bumped into my cabin steward and reported the dead light. He promised to report it to Housekeeping.

Breakfast on the table I was on yesterday morning, with several of the same people. However, a new couple joined us, and it emerged they had been on the same long Christmas cruise as me to the Caribbean four Christmases ago. I had my usual breakfast, OJ, Rice Krispies, a mushroom omelette, square toast and tea. As we ate, we saw the pilot come aboard, the sun come up, and we turned on the spot to back into port for a quick getaway.

My cabin steward popped out of a cabin as I passed by to tell me that he had reported the problem with the light, and it would be added to the ‘Technician’s to-do list’. I don’t expect them to be in any hurry to fix it; nothing seems to get done quickly on this ship.

It is a beautiful, warm, sunny morning. When the excursion rush is over, I will get the free shuttle bus into town and have a wander. I found a bar where I could sit in the sun and have a bottle of the local beer and watch the world go by. I could get a snack lunch out, but all the food in the world awaits me back on board, so I got the shuttle back to the ship in time for lunch. Only a hot dog and a beer for lunch today; it’s a late lunch and I mustn’t spoil my appetite.

Only six down to dinner this evening, as I mentioned earlier. Helen has jumped ship and Elizabeth is eating in a specialist restaurant this evening. I looked at the menu and decided on my good old standby starter, tomato soup; next choice was a gammon steak, with pineapple and peas. It was like being back in the sixties and eating at a Bernie Inn. For dessert tonight my choice was ice cream. I must say I enjoyed my retro meal. Of course, I then made for the Crow’s Nest for my regular vodka and lemonade nightcap. I am definitely a man of habit.

Tuesday 30th December, Gran Canaria

A slow overnight crossing the 70-odd miles to Gran Canaria, where we were the first of four ships in port today: Fred Olsen’s Borealis, which seems to be following us around; Saga’s Spirit of Discovery; and Ambassador Cruises’ Ambiance. There are going to be a lot of British in town today. Ambiance has a long history. It was being built for Sitmar Cruises when they were bought by Princess Cruises and hence started cruising in 1991 as Regal Princess. It was then transferred to P&O Australia as Pacific Dawn. It was then supposed to join CMT and was named MV Amy Johnson, but they went bust before it sailed under that name. It was then sold to a Far Eastern company and became MV Sotashi and was supposed to become a luxury residential ship in the Arabian Gulf, but the company never got the necessary licences. So, in 2022, it was sold to Ambassador Cruises, a company built on the ashes of CMT, and became MV Ambiance.

It was still dark at just after 7 this morning when the Staff Captain came on the Tannoy to announce we could go ashore. That was much too early for me; the Main Dining Room doesn’t open for breakfast until 07:30, so I was only just getting out of bed! Another morning on a shared table with some people who I have breakfasted with before, and no rush as today’s excursion doesn’t go until 10:15. So it was OJ, Rice Krispies, scrambled egg and bacon, square toast, and several cups of tea and lots of chatting.

Looking out from the balcony I see we have divers preparing to go down below the waterline, and there is a bit of a scrap and a dent in the port side. I suspect we hit something a couple of days back, as there was a huge thump an hour or so before we docked in Tenerife. I suspect it would take a few days to organise divers to inspect the hull.

I left the cabin early for my trip out this morning, as it was a long walk to the coach. Everyone must have had the same idea, as we were onboard by 10:05 and left early. First stop was the old town of Arucas and a wander through the cobbled streets to view a most magnificent church, that really could have been a cathedral but wasn’t. Then on to a public park that was better than the Botanic Gardens in Tenerife. Then it was back on the coach and to the hill town of Firgas. A very pretty place with magnificent views back to the sea.

The final stop was a rum distillery where they make and sell 3,500,000 bottles of rum a year in about 40 different sorts. Only 20% is for export, the rest is drunk on the island and in mainland Spain. You name it, they made it: vanilla flavoured, lemon, chocolate, toffee, 25-year-old, 45-year-old and the 50-year-old ‘Captain Kidd’ that cost €110 a bottle. We got to taste four sorts, not the expensive ones, and I can’t say I was very partial to the first 3 I tried, but the fourth, honey rum, was quite pleasant. Quite a few people bought bottles to take home. Not me, I much prefer vodka.

Back to the ship about 14:20, and that gives me a bit of a problem: should I go and get something to eat or leave it until dinner? In the end I just had a beer to put something in my stomach and add a bit of liquid, as it’s a bit warm. Down to the MDR on Deck 3 for dinner, and after I read the menu I decided on minestrone soup, roast leg of lamb – Moroccan style, and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. It was all superb.

Tonight, it was off to the Rising Sun for a couple of vodka and lemonades while watching the football on the giant TVs. And so, to bed.

Wednesday 31st December – New Year’s Eve, at sea

We are on our way north again, heading to Funchal, Madeira for the midnight fireworks. We were supposed to anchor off for the fireworks and then go into port to spend New Year’s Day in Funchal. But the weather forecast is bad, with strong winds making it difficult to dock. So, the Captain has announced that after the fireworks we are to head to Lisbon. We should arrive mid-afternoon a day early. So, we will have an overnight there and a full day on Friday. Unfortunately, the forecast is for heavy rain on both days.

As it’s a sea day, breakfast in the MDR is not until 08:00, and I arrived at about 2 minutes past eight and was led to a table for eight with four people I have breakfasted with before already seated. The complement was made up to seven by the arrival of a couple, and the waiter decided that was enough to start taking the orders. Today it is back to my standard breakfast – OJ, Rice Krispies, a mushroom omelette, square toast and at least 3 cups of tea. The teacups are rather small and I am used to drinking my tea out of a Going Postal mug. The only news I picked up over breakfast was that the couple came from somewhere up north and their family had been complaining that it had turned very cold.

The Captain, or whoever is in charge on the Bridge at that time, always makes a positional announcement at 12 noon and it usually includes the local weather. At that time we had about 100 miles to go to our anchorage of Madeira, the current sea state is slight with a long, slow swell and an air temperature of 19°C, and sunny spells. In fact, it is rather pleasant, and the retractable roof over the Neptune pool was open when I had my snack lunch. Today I had a chicken mayonnaise bap and a bottle of Doom Bar, and jolly nice it was too.

I think I might have a nap this afternoon, as I have nothing special to do other than get ready for my New Year’s Eve black tie dinner. It’s early again in the evening, 17:30, as there are extra courses. There is rack of lamb on the menu tonight and I shall be having it, as it was superb last year in the Caribbean.

I awoke from my nap quite refreshed and to a little bit more movement from the ship, but not a huge amount as I was expecting. Anyway, I had a nice shave and shower and prepared for an early dinner. There are photos of the menu, so you can all decide if you think I made the right choices. I started with the amuse-bouche and then had the mushroom velouté (soup in case you don’t know).

Of course, it was the gin and tonic sorbet palate cleanser and then the rack of lamb. For dessert I had the mango and coconut delice, which came with a pineapple sorbet. All in all, a fabulous meal, which was even better than Christmas Day. Now it is time for a couple of drinks to while away the time until the fireworks. I only hope the rain stays away, as I understand I am on the wrong side of the ship to see them from my cabin and will have to go on the open deck.

Thursday 1st January – New Year’s Day, at sea

After sitting off Madeira for the spectacular fireworks last night, we are now headed for Lisbon and running ahead of the worst of the storm. Last night we took our place in a line of 11 cruise ships to see the fireworks, holding our station using the engines and thrusters. The sound of 11 cruise ships at sea (and two more in port), all sounding their hooters at midnight and again at ten past, when the display finished, was incredible. We broke away at about 12:30, along with several other ships.

The official reason for cancelling the port day in Madeira today is that very strong winds are expected in the port today, making it almost impossible to leave the dockside and navigate the tight turn through the harbour entrance. Still, I had no excursions booked, so I don’t mind a day at sea today and extra time in Lisbon, even if the forecast is for it to be wet.

I arrived in the MDR for breakfast shortly after it opened at 08:00 and it was very quiet. I was shown to a table for six right by the windows in the stern, where I could see the ship’s wake. Surprisingly, we are moving far less than I anticipated. No rain yet, but it is very grey and the forecast is for the sea state to get worse as the day goes on.

Once again breakfast was with some of the same crowd and, not to disappoint, I had my usual OJ, Rice Krispies, square toast and tea, but for a change I had two soft-boiled eggs. The waiter even asked if I wanted a slice of bread. I suppose I could have said yes, and made soldiers, but I didn’t. When I left the dining room, at just before nine, it was getting crowded and there was a queue of people waiting to be seated. Should have got up earlier.

A very quick lunch up on the Lido Deck from the burger place. The ship is rolling and they have closed the pool to swimmers and lowered the water level. Unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten the hot tubs and the water is slopping out of them and causing a river across the deck. At least it is warm water. A hamburger with loads of fried onions and a bottle of London Pride today.

Back to my comfy seat in the Crow’s Nest to finish the third Jack Reacher book of the cruise. I have run out of unread Jack Reacher books on my Kindle; to get any more I will have to connect to the internet, and my Kindle is reluctant to talk to the ship’s internet. It probably is because it’s a sort of pseudo-internet, really an app, that the ship controls access to; that way they can charge for access and restrict what you can access. It is OK for GP and the BBC, but bans music and video downloads unless you pay for the expensive service, and bans porn completely (or so I’m told).

So, it is a matter of finding something I have already downloaded because it was free, or cheap. I have quite a few in those categories to choose from. I have selected a Harry Virdee story; it is quite promising. Someone had blown up the centre of Bradford and is threatening to blow up a mosque with loads of Muslims inside.

Down to dinner and only five ladies and me. It seems Elizabeth has met someone she knows on the ship, and they have gone to the ‘posh’ Ocean Grill with them tonight. I started with a sort of deconstructed prawn and crab cocktail with a smear of Marie Rose sauce across the plate. It looked very modern, tasted OK, but was eaten in about three mouthfuls. Sirloin steak to follow, served with chunky chips and garlic mushrooms. Now this was a perfect bit of steak, tender, juicy and tasty, much better than the fillet I had the other night.

Ice cream to finish, as it is about the only thing on the dessert menu I liked or could eat. The cheese and biscuits always looks good, but I know if I eat cheese it will give me migraine, so I avoid it. Straight to the front of the ship for the show in the theatre. Not wonderful, but OK, too much singing for me. Then up to the Crow’s Nest on Deck 10 for a vodka and lemonade, or two, before remembering that Sunderland and Man City was on the cabin TV. A very satisfying 0–0 draw, leaving my team four points clear at the top of the league.

In Part 5 – The journey home
 

© WorthingGooner 2026