Sue Kershaw Live from Oriana in the Med.

[Suekersh]

Good Morning all,

Well not quite live yet as still in the Elizabeth House Hotel almost ready for breakfast. It is a beautiful morning in Southampton and The lovely Oriana is docked at the Mayflower and waiting for us.

Dennis the Menace has kindly agreed to tender my reports across as and when I get chance to e mail them to him.

Hoping for plenty of Sun.

Sue

[Jan Rosser]

Bon voyage Sue - have a great time - look forward to reading about your trip

[allatc]

Nice itinerary.

Wish I was there.

[Dancing Queen]

Bon Voyage Sue have a great time

[Dennis The Menace]

Afternoon all. Hot from my email inbox, here's Sue's first updates :

Boarding Day June 6

A very quick and easy embarkation. Taxi from the Hotel to the Mayflower where we arrived at 11 am. A porter took our luggage and we were shown to the priority waiting area. Free tea, coffee and cakes for those who wanted it. Check in opened at 11:30 and then we were directed to security and then to board the ship.
We were directed to the Oriental Restaurant for the Priority Boarding Buffet lunch and took the opportunity to book the select dining venues.

The champagne flowed well and at 1 pm our cabin was ready.

We met Rupesh our cabin steward who brought ice and extra coat hangers. He had only joined the ship last cruise. Our friends had been delayed by an accident on the M25 and only arrived just before the priority restaurant closed.

We caught up with them in our cabin after their lunch and it was lovely to see them again after 12 months. We have all booked freedom dining and so far all bodes well for another great cruise.

Muster drill was at 4 pm and we set sail soon afterwards. The sailaway (non party) was on the aft deck. I went out but there was no sign of any entertainment officers. Just CD s playing and waiters carrying trays of champagne.

There must have been a problem with the luggage distribution as it was after 6 pm before our first case arrived. Not sure what the problem was but we have never waited that long before. We opened the case and managed to shower and change before meeting our friends at 18:30. The remaining cases arrived just before we left the cabin.

We had dinner in the Peninsular restaurant and met recognised many of the waiters and restaurant manager from previous cruises. Wine waiters were still there in the Peninsular restaurant so not yet phased out. We had met our table waiter Marc on Arcadia and he immediately recognised us and remembered where we had met previously.

The wine list has changed and the prices increased. Unfortunately the House Rosé which was our usual easy drinking choice has been changed to to a French wine which looks and tastes like Rose Hip Syrup. Another of our choices was a Spanish Syrrah Rosé is also not on the line list. On the up side it means we will have fun trying the different wines to find new favourites. The change in the wine menu is down to Olly Smith and generally we enjoy his choices so I very much doubt he has actually tasted the new House Rosé. We jokingly told the wine waiter exactly what we thought of the wine and he is going to check the stores to see if there is any of the Spanish Rosé left on the ship.

Other than the wine the food was fine and we all enjoyed our first meal together, the conversation flowed with lots to catch up on after 12 months.

After dinner our friends went to sort out their trips and we went to Harlequins for a dance. We didn't stay long as we still had the majority of unpacking to do which I didn't want to leave overnight.

Tomorrow is a Sea Day before we reach Oporto.

[Dennis The Menace]

June 7

Sea Day.

Great nights sleep gently being rocked by the motion of the Ocean. We woke just before room service was delivered at 7 am. The sun was already up and the weather looked promising.

Lots going on around the ship and I was having difficulty deciding between line dancing beginners Bridge or deck quoits all on at 10 am. In the end I didn't do anything. I got back from breakfast just as Garry was arriving back from his walk and we decided to get beds on the aft deck ready for a days sun bathing. I hadn't expected it to be so warm at 09:30 but it was. By 10 am I had returned to the cabin to discard the trousers and top for more summery gear. The Bay of Biscay was being very kind and although not a millpond the Oriana coped well and by noon the aft swimming pool was open although I didn't see anyone using it.

I hardly moved from my sun bed and kindle until 15:30. A real bonus sunny day.

First Formal night and the Captains Welcome onboard party. We ate in the MDR where it was Marcos Menu and lobster was the favourite choice on our table.

After dinner we went to the Captains welcome on board party where the drinks flowed freely.

In the theatre it was four male singers called the Octaves. They were excellent and already looking forward to their second show.

We finished the night in Harlequins and as we have an early start tomorrow in Oporto decided against the syndicate quiz.

The only irritation so far is that there are still plumbing problems on Oriana which show no sign of being sorted out. We have not been affected but the cabins close to ours have not had any toilet facilities since boarding. The smell in the passage way is pretty ripe and the pax affected are getting very vocal.

[oldbluefox]

Thanks for the reviews Sue.
There were plumbing problems on Oriana when we were on her a couple of years ago. It must be awful for those whose cabins are affected. I suppose Oriana still has that awful judder in the restaurant at the stern, the noisy one with the dancing cutlery.

[Onelife]

Hi Sue....having just returned from a B&B which also had plumbing problems l can appreciate what those guests must be going through.....l mean they just can't pop behind a hedge like l did can they?

Here's hoping you have continued need for plenty of suntan lotion.

Enjoy!

Regards

Keith

[Dennis The Menace]

More from Sue :

8 June

Oporto
Monday and as it is Eggs Benedict day in the Main Dining Room, well it be rude not to.

We docked at the new cruise terminal at 9 am. The disembarkation was chaotic due to the computer systems going down and everyone having to be signed off by hand.
Two shuttle busses were laid on. One going into Lexios to what looks like a beautiful beach. I had never noticed it on the occasions we had called here previously. The other which we boarded for the long drive into the city of Porto. It was rush hour and took approximately 45 minutes.

We had contacted a specialist port shop on line to place an order to collect. Our first stop was there to ensure it was ready. It was and after a 10 am port tasting of a white, Tawny and LBV we paid for the order but left it there to collect later in the day. Great friendly service. This shop is tiny but stocked floor to ceiling with hundreds of different types, ages and colours of port. The smell is just wonderful.

The sun was high and reached the promised 27 degrees. We walked down to the old Riberia quarter by the river where there was some breeze. By this time we were ready to try the local beer and found a traditional restaurant where as the facilities passed muster we ate lunch. The menu was typical for the area, and they brought out a selection of local bread, cheese, olives and Tuna pate as starters. Grilled Sardines were the speciality and delicious. There was another speciality which the waiter described as a hot sandwich. It was ham, sausage and cheese served between two thick slices of bread served in a bowl of soup with a Cheese sauce poured over the top. Maybe worth trying next time but I do love my freshly caught fish dishes.

After lunch none of us felt like the walk back up the hill into the city so asked the waiter to order a taxi which could accommodate the 5 of us. When it arrived the 5 th seat was tiny and next to the spare wheel. Luckily it was only a short ride but as the taxi driver got lost a little longer than it should have been. He didn't speak English and the only Portuguese we know is Obrigada we showed him our tourist map with a church circled and asked him to take us there. What we didn't realise is how many churches there were that looked very similar. Eventually he gave in and used his Sat Nav, no idea why he didn't do that in the first place.

We collected our port and made our way back to the Shuttle bus. We were all hot and sticky and Oriana was a welcome sight. Unfortunately there was still a computer problem and everyone was signed in by hand which was causing long queues. They have 2 sea days now to sort the problem out before we reach Barcelona.

Casual Dress Code and after dinner in the MDR it was the Abba show in the Pacific lounge. We were amazed that it was the same Headliners troupe that had been onboard at Christmas. This must be the last cruise of their contract. A very energetic show which they performed 3 times during the evening.

The clocks go forward an hour tonight putting us on Spanish time.

26° Mostly Sunny
Rua do Carmo 6–12, Porto, Porto, Portugal

[Dennis The Menace]

Sea Days to Barcelona.

Tuesday 9 June

Eventually it was a hot sunny day but the hour going forward certainly delayed the sun and it was after 10 am before it started to get really hot.

Once again a very lazy day spent reading and doing the crossword and sudoku. The sea was very calm so a perfect cruising day.

A celebration was held in the passageway as all the toilets are now working. The awful smell which has pervaded D deck since the start of the cruise has finally disappeared so we can all breathe again.

We had a Grab and Go sandwich for lunch but won't be doing so again. Room service was much nicer and doesn't take as much effort either. It was worth a try but they were very bland rolls with a choice of cheese and pickle or bacon and tomato. Not worth the calories.

We met our friends for a pre dinner drink and as it was still warm and sunny outside we sat on the aft deck. Other pax had the same idea and it was just a perfect evening.

We ate in the Ocean grill for our evening meal. I was a little concerned as just before we left I had read a terrible review. We all had a wonderful meal. 3 of us ate identical soft shell crab, duck, then Sherry Trifle Wally Ladd. Garry had prawn cocktail and fillet steak followed by Sherry Trifle Wally Ladd . The review I had read was that no vegetables were served with the food. These are listed on the menu to order with the meal, a choice of roasted veg, beans, salad and new potatoes. In September this restaurant changes to Sindhu and as much as I enjoy the food served in Sindhu on Azura I do feel that Ocean Grill is extra special and will be sorry to see it go.

Tomorrow is another sea day and another special meal at lunchtime as it is the Ligurian Peninsular lunch.

[Dennis The Menace]

10 June

2nd Sea Day to Barcelona.

We cruised through the Gut into the Mediterranean Sea at approx 11 pm last night and when we awoke we had made good progress along the Costa Del Sol.
Oriana is a great sailor and although we are aft where the vibration is supposed to be at its worst we don't feel it in our cabin. I do occasionally notice it when I am sunbathing at the Terrace Pool but it is nowhere near as bad as some of the reviews I have read.

We had a couple of hours sunbathing then it was time to prepare for the Ligurian lunch. A change of menu for this cruise. There are so many Ligurian / Baltic tier peninsular members on this cruise that there was a lunch yesterday as well. We were seated at the Captains table but unfortunately his wife had to go home the previous cruise due to a family bereavement. A great meal and as usual the wine flowed well. I started with the scallops then unusually for me I chose the Filet steak. I very rarely eat red meat and it was delicious. We returned to the cabin to change into swim wear but when we got out there it was cloudy and windy so decided to return to the cabin to sleep off the effects of lunch before our 2nd formal night tonight.

To say it was a formal night the menu in the MDR wasn't anything special but after such a superb lunch I was happy with something light.

The Octaves gave their final performance in the theatre and once again they were excellent. They performed different genres and switched easily between modern and traditional.

We went to Harlequins for the ball and our friends to the quiz. We were paying for our indulgences during the day and had an earliyish night ready for Barcelona tomorrow.

50.8928° N, 1.39912° W

[Dancing Queen]

All sounding good Sue.

[Dennis The Menace]

Just had another email from Sue folks :

11 June

Barcelona

Oops we both overslept and were wakened by room service delivering our breakfast. We are meeting up with friends at 9:45. There is a shuttle bus to the start of the Ramblas (£4 charge each way if you are booked on a saver fare). Cheaper by taxi if you share. We are booked select fare so no charge for us.

We rambled up the Ramblas taking in the smells and sounds of this busy Spanish City. Half way up we went into the square for an iced coffee and free WI fi and soaked up the sun for half an hour. We went into the huge market hall to buy done local produce then found a little further up the Carrefour supermarket in which we met every off duty crew member from Oriana.

Our stomachs were crying out for food as it was at least 4 hours since breakfast and our favourite tapas bar was only about 750 metres away. We succeeded in commandeering the last outside table to seat the five of us. The tapas menu here is extensive and the food typically Spanish. We started with a plate of Serrano ham with tomato and garlic Brushette, the small plates then began arriving, Huge prawns on skewers, Deep fried Camembert rolled in chopped nuts, Patatas Bravas, Russian Salad, and Spanish Omelette. All delicious and washed down with Tinto Verana for the ladies and local beer for the men. The only downside to this bar is that there is no Wifi.

We then moved to the next bar for more drinks and the free wifi. I was going to have a coffee but for some reason the words Tinto Verano came out of my mouth.

We taxied it back to the ship as we had made quite a lot of purchases and staggering down the Ramblas in the afternoon sun didn't really appeal.

Once at the port the Duty free shop was open so we made even more purchases. (No Benedictine yet Dad it looks like that may have to wait for Gibraltar).

Back on the ship and the sun was beating down on the aft deck and a sun bed had my name on it.

The Captains 6 pm announcement did not bode well for the weather in Toulon tomorrow with heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for most of the day.

The entertainment tonight is Rachel Russell in the Pacific lounge or our cruise stalker the Marvellous (not) Manuel Martinez in the theatre. He has been on every cruise we have been on for a number of years. He must work full time for P & O just flitting from ship to ship. The first time I saw him I thought him very odd and I realise he appeals to many but there can't be many cruisers left who have not seen him at least once. We will definitely be giving this a miss.

Tomorrow is Toulon a new port of call for us.

[Dennis The Menace]

Toulon Friday 12 June

We were wakened very early by the notorious Oriana vibration. The ship was docking very early not sure if this is due to the storms which are forecast or the time that the ferries start operating around this area.

The forecast has changed slightly with the morning weather being okay and the storms now in the afternoon. It certainly looks bright outside at the moment.

Apparently this is the best harbour in the South of France and it is certainly huge and occupies 4 miles of Dock area. We were not berthed where planned so it meant a 20 minute shuttle boat ride to the town. It was like having a trip round Portsmouth's naval port, there were so many French naval vessels in dock.

We disembarked at about 9:30 and caught the boat shuttle into the centre of Toulon. This was our first visit and it is a typical French town. There was a large street market with virtually every stall selling fruit and vegetables at high prices. We sampled some local produce at one of the stalls and purchased some olives.

We found the large shopping mall and used the facilities at a cost of 20 centimos each but it still didn't have a toilet seat although there was a cleaner on duty. It was probably the cleanest French toilet we had found. There was nothing different or of any interest in the mall. Lots of ships pax shopping in Zara and C & A and the crew in Carrefour. We went in there hunting for Benedictine but came out empty handed.

After wandering around we made our way back to the marina. The tourist train was doing good business at 14 Euros each for a 45 minute ride around the town. A good earner as there were 3 trains which appeared to be full for each trip. 750 euros total per 45 minutes. We found a nice bar overlooking the marina and sampled the local beer whilst watching the world go by.

The weather forecasters had got it wrong yet again. The rain very early in the morning had cleared leaving blue sky and hot sunshine. We made our way back to the ship and spent the afternoon on the aft deck soaking up the Rays.

After dinner we went to the Crows Nest as Amethyst were playing. This is the first time for them on Oriana as their usual haunt is Arcadia. We chatted for a while after their set then had to rush down to the Pacific Lounge for the Orchestra and their Glen Miller Tribute. A full house with many pax standing at the back.

Tomorrow is Santa Margherita and a tender ride into the marina. We are planning a beach day here as we have been to Portofino previously and although a beautiful spot there is not much there other than people watching.

[oldbluefox]

There's not a great deal to do in Toulon and, oddly enough, when we were there we also docked well away from the town. I must say the tapas in Barcelona sounded good!!
Thanks for your reports Sue.

[Suekersh]

Hi all in Isle of Capri. What a beautiful place. Report to follow.

[Dennis The Menace]

More from Capri Sue (had her down as a Cortina girl myself) :

Santa Margherita
Saturday 13 June

Our first tender of the cruise today and although the weather was good the sea had quite a swell. It was either get off early as soon as tendering began which was about 08:30 or wait and get delayed by the trips getting off. We decided to wait and went for a ticket at 9 am expecting to have about an hours wait.
It was virtually spot on 10am when we got on the tender and I was do glad I had followed the captains advice and took a sea sickness tablet. We bounced along but the worst was at the other end when we had to wait for the tender before us to disembark their pax before we could pull in. I was pleased to touch solid ground after half an hour of being thrown around.

Once we got our bearings we wandered around this lovely quaint port and stopped for coffee and free WI fi before heading off to the beach. Not a sandy beach at all but shingle and well set up with different regimented areas each section with a different coloured sun shade, clean toilets, bar, and changing rooms. The cost was 30 Euros for the day for 2 beds and a brolly, a bit steep for the few hours we would be there but better than the dirty public beach. It was very hot and lots of the locals were in the sea. I was not tempted to do any more than paddle as it did not look very clean with lots of rubbish floating around.

We were back on board just in time for a very late lunch. The first time in the piggery this cruise and it impressed about as much as usual. Dire is too kind a word. A very kind waiter did find me some smoked salmon when he realised I was about to choose the salmon as it was whisked away and replaced by some scraps of ham. I was just going to eat lettuce leaves tomatoes and cucumber when he brought me a plate of smoked salmon.

It is the Indian buffet tonight so unfortunately my 2nd visit to the Piggery in one day. The Indian buffet is usually very good on this ship so fingers crossed.

[Dennis The Menace]

Livorno Italy

Sunday June 14

Early start with breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled egg to set me up for our trip to Lucca. The meet up was 08:50 on the dock side for the 40 minute drive to Lucca which is a small medieval town. The weather was overcast but warm and dry.

The usual Italian organisational skills shone through. We were head counted but she lost her place half way through the count. Then she decided her microphone wasn't working and we would have to change coaches. Some pax insisted that we did not need the mike working but she insisted she did. Some pax disembarked only to be told that no we couldn't use the other coach because it would be needed for an afternoon trip. The Pax who had disembarked got back on. Then we had a 15 minute wait for individual packs to be distributed with headphones. Although lots of pax had insisted they didn't want or need them it took ages to explain how they worked to those that did.

We set off, but kept being interrupted by pax who couldn't hear her, then she dropped her mike so no one could hear anything other than it clattering down the coach steps. She retrieved it and continued but we had past Pisa before she realised she had not pointed out the leaning tower of Pisa.

Lucca was a lovely town when we got there but we really needed longer than the 2 ½ hours . Our guide pointed out the tourist office and told us there were facilities there. There was a charge of 60 cents to use the loo. I did then held the door open for another pax who hadn't any change. Another of our lovely fellow passengers insisted on someone giving her 30 cents or she would close the door. The lady didn't have change so this 'nice tight fisted ' passenger took 50 cents off her. It took me a few seconds to realise what had happened. This was a fellow passenger on the same trip on the same coach and she would have seen this lady struggle to get change to use the loo for the sake of 30 cents. Thankfully she is not typical of the passengers I have met onboard but I will certainly avoid her in future.

We wandered around the narrow streets of Lucca where every 100 yards there was another beautiful church or building. The majority of shops were open even though it was a Sunday.

The dark clouds started gathering so we chose one of the many bars in the ampi theatre and sampled the local brew and food, at least whilst the weather worsened we were sheltered. Eventually we decided we were just going to have to make a dash for the coach meeting point. The buildings are so tall that even though it was raining quite hard it was easy to find some protection. We made some purchases of local produce and arrived at our meeting point with time to visit the facilities. Once back in Livorno the sun was shining and very hot.

We got to the cabin to find the power was off. No lights no toilet nothing. I reported it to reception who said it would be off until at least 6 pm and that we should have had a letter explaining that the emergency lighting was being tested. We hadn't. We had lunch then called at the spa to see if I could shower there and use my hairdryer before we went to dinner that evening. They agreed so problem solved I went off to have a couple of hours sun but when we got back to the cabin the leccy was back on. It was still only 2 pm so no idea why they said it would be 6 pm. Can't blame that fiasco on the Italians.

As it was a late night call at Livorno we had booked to eat outside at the Beach House. This is the first cruise that this menu has been available on Oriana as previously this area was the Sorrento restaurant. The menu is very American but everyone was happy with their choices of starter and main course. We chose banana Bread and Butter pudding as desert but it was a cold desert rather than the usual. Not one I would choose again.

Lots of other passengers and officers had the same idea of eating outside and the deck was full. The inside eating area only had about 5 tables being used. It was very well staffed and all of the waiters were very friendly. We are eating here again in a couple of nights.

Tomorrow is a sea day before we arrive at Sorrento.

[Dennis The Menace]

Sea Day
Monday 15 June

A typical sea day but not much sun around. Very pleasant on the open decks with temperatures hot enough to sit out and read but the sun hiding behind the cloud. Occasionally it made an appearance and when it did it was extremely hot.

It was the Caribbean tier lunch today and our friends turn for a posh lunch with the officers.

Our 3rd if 5 formal nights Formal nights and Gareth Oliver's 2nd show in the theatre. Followed by the Ball in Harlequins

Sorrento tomorrow and another tender port. We will have to be off ship early as we intend on getting the ferry across to the Isle of Capri. Another first port of call for us.



Sent from my iPad

[Dennis The Menace]

Sorrento

Isle of Capri

What a beautiful island Capri is. It is known as the 'Jewel of Italy' and certainly deserves the title. It is an 8 mile ferry trip from Sorrento and although it was a lot of hassle getting there it was certainly worth it for the fabulous views. The island is 4 miles long and 2 miles wide and over 1000 ft high in some places.

We told that if we wanted to get off the ship early to collect tender tickets at 07:30. We did and had ticket numbers 15 - 19 but no independent pax were called to disembark until 9:15am. It was a short tender ride into Sorrento then we had to queue for the hydrofoil ticket to The Isle of Capri. I am learning how to deal with the ignorant Italians and had sharpened my elbows in readiness for them. We got tickets for the 09:50 hydrofoil and 20 minutes later we arrived in the picturesque bay of Capri. Another queue to purchase the Funicular tickets then yet another queue to get on the Funicular. The 10 minute funicular ride for the cost of 1 Euro 80 saves a 45 minute up hill walk. By the time we got to the top it was beer time before we set off to explore the narrow twisting steep streets of Capri. The prices here are outrageously expensive at 7 euros for a very small beer and 6 euros for a can of coke.

We ate in a Pizza restaurant then wandered around to find a gelato. It was very hot and we were all ready to return on the 15:15 Hydrofoil. As we arrived at the tender P & O had iced cold water and iced flannels ready for us. They were very welcome. A short journey back and straight into the shower.

P & O were charging £54 each for the Capri on your own trip. The pax who had booked it were on the same hydro foil there and back as we were. Our round trip cost 34 Euros each. Some profit P & O are making there. The only difference was we had to queue to purchase our hydrofoil tickets.

We had booked a table outside at the Beach House restaurant to celebrate our friends Birthday albeit a month late. We started with a bottle of champagne on the aft deck. It was a fabulous evening with stunning views of the Amalfi coast line. The food was very good but the best thing about this restaurant are the views when leaving a port. The food menu and wine menu is limited but the service is excellent.

After dinner we were all so tired that we decided to skip the entertainment and we opened the bottle of liquor we had purchased in Spain and just sat on the aft deck enjoying the balmy summer evening. After a bottle champagne, red wine and the liquor we were all ready for an earlyish night.

Tomorrow is Messina and we have another trip booked to Taormina.

Piazza Umberto I, Capri, Campania, Italy

[cornmillgirl]

Hi Sue

Loving your reports, really enjoyable reading.......wish I was on a cruise

Anyway carry on cruising as they say and me & Popeye the Sailorman will see you in September

CMG

[Dennis The Menace]

Apologies for delay folks, this one arrived yesterday :

Messina
Wednesday 17 June.

As we have called at Messina many times on previous cruises we decided to venture further afield to Taormina which is 30 miles South.

We visited Taormina on a P & O organised coach trip. Normally we wouldn't book these and do our own thing but the return taxi fare was more expensive than the cost of the trip and we have a huge amount of on board credit to use. The tour guide was very informative and talked the whole journey there about Taormina and what there is to see there.

Taormina is a lovely medieval town 700 feet above sea level. Beautiful views, gardens and quaint little streets and shops. The views from the Piazza 9 Aprile are stunning, right down to the the clear sea which was inviting as it was so hot.

It should have had fabulous views of Mount Etna but it was difficult to see as it was covered in mist but we could make out the shape and size of it. It towers 11,000 feet above sea level and is still very active. It erupted only 3 weeks ago but the farmers still live on its lower slopes as the volcanic ash has made the soil so rich.

Taormina was busier than normal as the film festival is on and Richard Gere was there. The area around the Greek Theatre was very crowded which is where he was expected to be seen.

We only had 2 ½ hours before we met the coach so we wanted to see as much as possible. I got accosted by a beggar wearing designer clothes and carrying an I phone asking for money for food. I told her to sell her phone if she was hungry. We wandered around taking photos and purchased some fresh bright red cherries from a local vendor selling from a cart, then headed for a bar close to the coach meeting point to sample the local brew. There was a gelato across the street so after the beer an ice cream to put us on until we arrived back at the ship.

It was an early afternoon departure so I spent the afternoon reading on the Aft deck in the sun.

When I returned to the cabin to prepare for the evening it was like a sauna. The air conditioning had stopped working. We decided to delay reporting it until we were showered and changed expecting it to be a priority to get it prepared. Not so. We reported it at 5:30 pm then not being able to stand the heat any longer we went outside until dinner time. After dinner, checked back at the cabin and not fixed, so a trip to reception to report it again. We went to the show, a very talented young guitarist called Byron Johnstone and when we returned to the cabin again were relieved to find that it was lovely and cool. Panic over we continued the evening in the Crows Nest.

It has certainly been an eventful cruise with Toilet problems, electricity problems, our friends had woken to their cabin flooded, and now air conditioning problems. Poor Oriana, P & O really need to take her out of service for a couple of weeks and blitz these issues. We still love the ship despite the inconveniences but do wish they would get them sorted out.

Tomorrow we are in Cagliari another new port of call for us. We have a beach day planned.

[gfwgfw]

Hi Sue

Excellent report - thank you so much

Graham x

[CaroleF]

I loved our excursion to Taorminia. We were lucky, it was a clear day and standing near the top of the seats in the theatre we could see, looking through the arches of the theatre, Etna in front of us with snow on the top and then to the left the Mediterranean Sea glittering in the sun. Loved the town, lots of designer shops if you have the money, but some lovely wine shops and delicatessens. We were at the square in the middle of the town which overlooks the sea and there was a fashion shoot going on with some very elegant models, John had a wonderful time!

Carole

[Dennis The Menace]

Oops, posted out or order so deleted post and reposted later.