| Vigo and it was like the Mary Celeste at 10.30am when I got up due to the crew drill. It was hot outside but nice. I decided to try a cheeseburger from the Trident Grill. There was an awful racket coming from the dock and thankfully, fountain practice drowned it out periodically! Afterwards I went outside for photos. I asked the security guard if I could go to the end to take pictures of her bow and was told no, it's too dangerous with the ropes. Was he related to that twat in Bilbao in 2012 who said I couldn't of Constellation or Hobart when he said about ropes of Radiance of the Seas? I pointed out they let you on QM2, Independence of the Seas and others to which he replied, "Not the same company." Cunard is, you pillock, and once upon a time Princess used to manage them! Pity I didn't remember Grand up our bum on Mary in 2011 but he was such a jobsworth I just left. Outside, the racket turned out to be a government protest due to them capping withdrawals from banks or something, as Cyprus had done. Here's a radical idea - stop throwing endless money down the toilet to prop this failing currency up, get out of it and regain control of your own finances. Air horns and Vuvuzelas made such a tuneless noise. I went back on after bumping into Matt and Mark. Had a chicken sandwich at the International Cafe in the Atrium and Dot found me there. Later I spotted Ron in Horizon Court and we joined Dot on deck for a natter. A quick pop back to the cabin before sailaway. At least the info channel was working, even though it still insisted we were at sea, but the weather was still the same. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| I joined Dot and Hazel for the quiz in Club 6, which is a lovely room wasted as a nightclub. The Elite two hour thing was also held here although I didn't go. It's like Royal Caribbean and Celebrity's daily one with canapes but unlike their free drinks, you had to pay for these, albeit at reduced prices. We and the American lady who sat with us, got a reasonable 13/20 then I went on deck to try and find a good spot away from the deafening din called sailaway music and also where to get some reasonably decent pictures from. I saw Geoff, a lovely old bloke who I'd last met on Oriana when he was at the table with Jeff Newsway during our Zeebrugge sailaway party. We had a natter then he left. Due to late passengers, we ended up going nearly twenty minutes later than scheduled. Despite the rubbish location for photos, it was much quieter up there. A shame the Retreat was the centre of attention in any forward photos. The Love Boat horn was played just once. I chatted to Matt Sudders as we were leaving then stayed out a while longer, heading in just as they began to practice the fountain again. Before dinner in the Vista Lounge were Arrival, an Abba tribute band. A Kiwi contingent were along the front row both sides and I was next to a 70 year old travel agent who remembered Canberra's first arrival into Auckland during her maiden voyage in 1961 and used to deliver mail to the old P&O and Orient Line ships in the late 1950s. He was so fascinating to talk to it was a shame the show started really! They were good but didn't really sound like the real thing. Dinner and unsurprisingly the Mexican ladies had moved to another table where they spent most of the night looking at their phones rather than talking to each other. I ordered the chicken for dinner and it was nice tasting but again, like the first night and curry in the Wheelhouse, contained pink bits. I went to get my boarding photo and took the free album or scrapbook voucher, only to be told everyone was getting one. Was this all we would be getting from Princess for the maiden voyage, a free album and crappy photo of the ship to go in it? Back to the cabin afterwards so I could be up early for our Lisbon arrival but around 1.30am, I checked the AIS on my phone and saw Carnival Legend heading the opposite direction. On deck, they were practicing the fountain again and it looked good in the dark. Then back to bed. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lisboa! I hadn't been able to do much due to my back during my previous calls, but I just love sailing into this beautiful port. Unusually, instead of turning just after the bridge, we continued along the Tagus and I saw cargo ships where we would have been. Instead we were docking at the other terminal, where I had seen Columbus 2 in 2012 from Independence of the Seas. It certainly offered better scenery, although I missed being right by the bridge. A bit further along were two ships, the recently renamed Porto and Lisboa (which still had Princess Danae on the bow). Funchal, which had been there since 2010, was currently in dry dock. After breakfast I decided to go went for some photos and walked through Club 6, which is such a lovely room during the day and one of few with windows. Outside, no jobsworth security guard stopped anyone. It is a really nice dock though strange after being used to the other. Then back on as I was awaiting a phone call from author, Luis Miguel Correia, who was visiting the ship that day. My Facebook friend, Vitor Francisco, had known Luis a long time, mentioned I would he on the Royal Princess and hadn't seen Funchal during my previous calls to the city. Luis offered to take me to see her. As it turned out, I was say on deck 16 talking to Ron from my table when a small group of visitors appeared. I wasn't sure if Luis was among them but he came back (as ship nuts do if they get the chance) so I guessed and he came over. We arranged to meet on the dock at 2pm then off he went back on his tour. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| After lunch I went to wait for Luis. As the ship was due to sail at 4pm instead of later like other times I've been there, we didn't have a lot of time. After a short walk to Luis' car, we set off to visit the easiest couple first. It was sad seeing the condition of Danae but at least she was due to receive the same love Arion had to turn her into Porto. Royal Princess in the background made an interesting contrast. Then it was to the other end of town for Funchal. My dream came true thanks to Vitor and Luis, and I saw her at last! Luis persuaded me to do things I never would to get photos and it was worth the extra pain to my back and knee. I'd do it again like a shot! All aboard was 3.30pm and I was glad there was a queue when I arrived about 3.25pm so said goodbye to Luis and joined it. I went up for sailaway and we were late due to one passenger then left almost half an hour late, blasting the Love Boat horn but not as we went under the bridge. Even back there you couldn't escape the sailaway band. As with Vigo, there was no fire tug or anything for our maiden call. This is where that bloody MUTS screen came into its own as a major pain in the arse. I wanted to get a panoramic shot of us sailing away from the bridge but ended up with bloody Beyonce in my pictures because they decided to deafen us with one of her concerts once the sailaway band shut up instead of saving power by turning the sodding thing off. It would be better if it didn't dominate the landscape. General cruisers probably don't care but this ship is photograph unfriendly for the rest of us like Norwegian Epic. I had been invited to join Matt and Mark for dinner in the Crown Grill for 8pm so headed to the Wheelhouse where Mark was waiting. Matt turned up just before the hour. We all had a delightful meal for $25 each and they even made my salad. At another table, the waiters sang "Happy Honeymoon" to a couple who then buggered off. As we were back on UK time, the fountain would be in the dark instead of daylight so I headed up to watch for 11pm, as I hadn't fancied the show, and met them up there. Well the music started and as soon as the song sung at the naming reached the "Escape completely" bit, it all did! Screen went off, fountain lights too, PA system went down and water was spurting from the cleaners cage by the funnel. After ten minutes we just about her "sorry" and "unfortunately" so guessed it was cancelled. We went down and an English member of the cruise staff said it would be on the following night with the singers and dancers in the fountain, implying they would be getting wet. Better hope it worked then! So we went our separate ways and I headed to bed. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |