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Trans-Atlantic Cruise

March - April 2023
From Bridgetown, Barbados, to Southampton, UK! Read more
  • 14footprints
  • 5countries
  • 14days
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  • 7.3kkilometers
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  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 1

    Bridgetown, Barbados 🇧🇧

    March 25, 2023 in Barbados ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    An 8 1/2 flight from Birmingham saw us to Barbados...on a flight full on people with a pathological inability to sit still. The food was really quite good throughout the flight. Having promised myself I'd use this holiday to read, I used the time to finish Blood Traitor, and get 40% of the way through the Sinister Booksellers of Bath.

    Into Barbados was really smooth. We didn't see our luggage from the time we dropped it at Birmingham until we got to our cabin, we didn't have to go through airport immigration instead getting a bus straight to the port, and we didn't have to queue for ages to board having done all the pre-boarding stuff at home (thanks Ben!)

    We wandered the Britannia to get our bearings. Our cabin on deck 12 is halfway between all the amenities, with pools and buffet above us, and bars and restaurants below. The balcony offered fabulous views over the Barbardian sea...we though we paid for a restricted view, which our balcony certainly isn't!

    After a lovely dinner, we retired to the balcony to admire the night sky and watch the sail away. On to St Lucia!    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 2

    Castries, St Lucia 🇱🇨

    March 26, 2023 in Saint Lucia ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Having visited St Lucia before, we toyed with what to do in port, deciding against a shore excursion and planning a walk instead. The ship had docked by about 8am but we had a leisurely breakfast in hopes of the town actually being open when we got in - the last time we were here was Christmas Day and it was unsurprisingly decidedly not open!

    We walked around the harbour and into the main town under an already oppressive morning sun. On our way to see the church, it was clear the Sunday service has just finished as we passed myriad well-dressed people despite the heat. The central town is sea-battered and geared towards an eclectic mix of cruise tourists, resort tourists and locals, like most Caribbean islands we've visited.

    Wanting to see something a bit different, we walked out towards La Toc battery along the industrial harbour front. Evident from the car horns, walking was not the normal mode of transport here! Just minutes outside the main town, the difference is a world away. Under the colonial-looking mansions on the hillside are more makeshift wooden houses and cluttered together communities. We walked as far as a small inlet to see some sunken wrecks, before deciding to turn back in the heat and heading for the ship.

    On the way back, Ben spotted the Parliament of St Lucia. Not open, as it was a Sunday, but one more parliament visited nonetheless.

    As we were back before midday, we had lunch on the ship and then went to our balcony to read (and cross stitch!) For the afternoon, Ben failed in his first mission which was to not let us get sunburnt - despite factor 50 sunscreen, the morning sun was so strong we both got caught on our necks. An early night after dinner, still recovering from the flight and the term, meaning I only got to about 54% in the Sinister Booksellers of Bath, whilst Ben moved on to Carl Sagan's Contact having finished ACOTAR on the plane.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 3

    Basseterre, St Kitts 🇰🇳

    March 27, 2023 in Saint Kitts and Nevis ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    We arrived into St Kitts early in the morning. We'd visited before so we booked a shore excursion for the afternoon, but still got off in the morning for a wander into the local town of Basseterre. The port is basically a duty free village with bars touting free WiFi and people trying to sell you island tours. Beyond, we walked the colourful local streets to the main church, and around through Independence Square to the Catholic Church. We began to venture along the sea front to the war memorial before both the distance and heat got the better of us and we instead returned to the ship. Ben spent the morning reading Contact whilst I finished the Sinister Booksellers of Bath (which was excellent!).Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 3

    Rainforest Hike, Basseterre 🇰🇳

    March 27, 2023 in Saint Kitts and Nevis ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    In the afternoon, we joined a shore excursion for a rainforest hike. A rather ominous start saw us hop into an open sided rather well-loved bus! We travelled along the coast out of Basseterre to some volcanic stones and their folklore legends (a very strange stop with 70 odd passengers visiting rocks in an area less than the size of out garden!).

    From there we travelled to the start of the hike, at the Wingfield Estate, a former sugar plantation now batik workshop (where we spent 40 minutes *not* browsing the gift shop for souvenirs). The initial part of the hike tool us through the remnant buildings of the sugar plantation with our excellent guide explaining what each thing did. He also showed us the local plant life and the properties each one was believed to hold. From the plantation, we walked into the rainforest proper, filled with tangled vines hanging from incredibly tall trees. The area he showed us is where most of the islands water comes from, and so we saw the dams and relatively new pipework within the rainforest that carried the water to the island. On the way back, we were joined by four monkeys on the path! Back at the bus, the guides provided a lovely snack of banana bread and banana fritters before returning to port just in time for departure! We sailed away from St Kitts with a glass of cider on the balcony, before heading away for dinner, and then a game of Carcasonne in Brodie's Bar (a far-too-large-bar in the mid-ship that's rather like a naff Wetherspoons!)    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 4

    A rescue at sea, and Antigua 🇦🇬

    March 28, 2023 in Antigua and Barbuda

    Possibly the strangest, and saddest, day aboard a cruise ship.

    At 2.15am, the captain came on the tannoy directly into our cabins (most announcements don't), to say that there had been an accident in the local area not far from St Kitts, and the Britannia had been requested to attend the scene, and that we'd be there in about 30 minutes. We were told a vessel had gone over with 31 people on board and local vessels were all being tasked to help with the search.

    When we arrived, the searchlight scanned the waves in on the starboard side, our side, as we watched from the balcony of our cabin. Other smaller ships patrolled too, along with a helicopter overhead, and the ships crew kept watch from the decks. At about 3.30am, what looked like an upturned hull was spotted by the search light and tracked to the position of one of the smaller ships (a coast guard vessel, we think).

    After several hours on our balcony we returned to bed, woken around 6.30am with the captain announcing that the Britannia had been requested to stay at the scene until French fixed wing air support arrived, expected to be about 9am when he thought we'd be stood down. As Britannia was the lead vessel, we couldnt leave until released by the Maritime Rescue and Search Centre in Martinque. He also said that 15 people had been found.

    Air support was clearly rather later arriving that expected, and we finally left our balcony for some food about 10am. As we sat overlooking the sea from a window seat at breakfast, a man overboard call was put over the tannoy. From where we sat, we could see a neon yellow speck in the middle distance, and it became apparent that both a lifeboat from us and the coast guard were going to investigate. We hadn't realised that right next to our ship, another person had been spotted, and ultimately the coastguard pulled what looked to be two bodies from the water.

    Returning to our balcony, our ship continued its search grid along with the coast guard boat and a Seabourn cruise ship. We later spotted a life ring in the water, and could see through our binoculars it was attached to something. The coast guard intercepted that too, appearing to pull a third body from the water. It was a surreal and sad scene to watch unfold.

    By the time the Britannia was stood down, the captain announced we would not make Antigua until at least 5pm. Therefore, instead were going to head to Antigua and hold just outside the port where we would collect critical spares and change some personal before sailing on to Ponta Delgada. Throughout the day, the captain's words were sensitive, measured and professional, and he and his crew must have been exhausted by the time we reached Antigua.

    When we did arrive, we took a quick photo of the island from the balcony, before grabbing a drink in the Crow's Nest, and talking about the events of the day and then going for dinner.

    The day brought into sharp relief the perils for those who spend their lives at sea. Rest in peace any who did not make it home.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 5

    At sea 🌊 - day 1 🚢

    March 29, 2023, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Our first full day at sea proper today...and we spent it relaxing! I started a new book - What Lies Beyond the Veil - and read about half of it by the end of the day. I also finished two more kings on my cross-stitch! Ben went to a talk by a former Beefeater about the Tower of London (passing, he says, a rather dicey looking line-dancing class on the way back...which we did not attend!). We had a lovely lunch of a sharing platter of jerk pulled pork, spending the afternoon reading on the balcony with a glass of cider. Both of us were rather red-faced, having burnt our foreheads yesterday in all the time spent on the balcony.

    The evening was the first of four black tie nights. So we enjoyed a glass of wine in the Crow's nest bar before heading to the Meridian for dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 6

    At sea 🌊 - day 2 🚢

    March 30, 2023, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Another relaxing day at sea today, and when we woke up, the sea was like a millpond under the sun. It's still quite strange to see absolutely nothing off the horizon from our balcony, and until this afternoon we hadn't even seen any ships. The captain had said as we left Antigua that they have a friendly bet on the bridge of how many ships they'll see in the coming five days at sea, and that it is never more than 100...today we saw just two!

    We had breakfast under the sun this morning, which was delightful. The breakfast buffet is very good with a huge selection, so we do have to try and be sensible!

    I finished What Lies Beyond the Veil (which was excellent, albeit a bit predictable) and read half of Gilt, also managing to cross-stitch Richard III. Ben went to the second talk about the Tower of London in the morning, and spent some time in the gym in the afternoon, finished reading Contact, and started reading Ben Aaronovitch's Amongst Our Weapons (Rivers of London). The 'at sea' entertainments are not the most comprehensive we have ever experienced, with a distinct lack of quizzes!

    We made an early dinner tonight, still having the light as we ate a lovely meal of duck, before a glass of wine and a game of crib in the Crow's Nest. We also realised tonight that it is not one more day at sea until our next port, but three! So lots of reading to be done!

    I now sit on our balcony catching up on a few days of Find Penguins writing...and despite being nearly 10pm, it is still most definitely t-shirt and shorts temperature out here.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 7

    At sea 🌊 - day 3 🚢

    March 31, 2023, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    A time change again today as we continue northeast...genuinely have no idea what time it is anymore as my phone, watch and cabin TV all display different times! 🤣

    After breakfast outside under the sun, I cross-stitched Henry VII whilst Ben went to a talk on the crown jewels. We had a now traditional afternoon cider on the balcony and read, Ben continuing to read Amongst our Weapons whilst I finished Gilt. We joined an afternoon quiz for the first time today, coming a respectable joint third by two points, tripped up by our own doubt (I couldn't decide whether the second stamp was the Penny Red or Blue, and wrongly picked Red; Ben couldn't decide on the year of the Beatles break-up - which he tried to work out by remembering the year of Apollo 13, and wrongly plumped for 1971 over 1970). The weather closed in through the afternoon, becoming more overcast with the Captain warning of 4m swells in the coming days.

    I started to cross-stitch Henry VIII before getting ready for the second black tie night. Heading up to the Crow's Nest before dinner, I discovered they'll happily make me a frozen margarita...that might prove to be a terrible discovery! Dinner was a deliciously rare beef wellington, before enjoying another drink in the Crow's Nest listening to the pianist playing an A-Z of songs, before we retired for the evening as the heavens opened out on deck.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 8

    At sea 🌊 - day 4 🚢

    April 1, 2023, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Up earlyish for breakfast today...another clock change overnight, so what time it actually is is anyone's guess. We decided to take part in the ships activities today, and turned up to learn the waltz. In the morning class, we fared quite well. We learnt the basic steps, the whisk and the syncopated whisk. After lunch and a beer, the afternoon class was less impressive (on our part...the instructor James was superb!) but much fun and hilarity was had nonetheless.

    For dinner, Ben wanted to go to the Glass House , where we had tapas and tried three wine flights - fizz, white and red. Both food and wine were delicious.

    I began A Court of Honey and Ash (to about 22%) whilst Ben continued Amongst Our Weapons.    Read more

  • TravelerTrans-Atlantic Cruise
    Day 9

    At sea 🌊 - day 5 🚢

    April 2, 2023, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Quite a lazy day today. The sea overnight had been notably rougher, with a lot of roll on the ship.

    We missed breakfast so grabbed food from the Lido Deck before I stitched Edward VI and Lady Jane Grey whilst we watched Mare of Easttown in our cabin.

    A late afternoon game of crib in the Crow's Nest (which Ben won by miles) before getting ready for the third black tie night. Dinner of guineafowl and lamb was delicious and we watched a passable entertaining P&O version of The Chase before retiring for the evening.

    Ponta Delgada tomorrow before three more days at sea!    Read more

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