Sue and Garry's circumnavigation of South America

[Suekersh]

Here is the first instalment from Sue and Garry onboard Aurora's circumnavigation of South America.


First 3 days

Friday, 6 January 2023 - Aurora Boarding Day

We drove down yesterday for an overnight stay at Elizabeth House Hotel in Southampton. It was a much easier journey than we had anticipated once we had got past Manchester.
Our room was ready and we opened a bottle of wine and chilled for the rest of the afternoon. We had dinner in the the hotel and a relaxing evening.
Usually we park our car here for the duration of the cruise and get a taxi to the port. A few weeks before the cruise CPS the parking company at the port offered parking for the winter cruises at £100 for the duration of the cruise. A bargain not to be missed.

We arrived at the port just before 11 am and there was a few cars waiting for the CPS staff to start. It was at this point friends who were on board from the previous cruise rang me. I had left some cabin essentials with them in December when we disembarked and they were staying on board. They rang to say they had taken the bags down to our allocated cabin but the cabin steward told them we had been moved to a different cabin. I phoned our travel agent and asked her if she could try to find out where we had been moved to.

I left Garry with the car and I went to join the queue which was already forming outside the Mayflower terminal. CPS and the porters started at the same time and with the luggage gone and the Car photographed and signed off he joined me in the queue just minutes before the doors opened at 11:30 a.m. our travel agent rang to confirm that according to P & O we were in the same cabin.

There had been a lot of paperwork needed for this cruise. Yellow fever certificates, Covid test, Covid vaccinations, along with passports, boarding passes etc. it took quite a while for everything to be checked especially as the lady checking our paperwork was a novice. We were given the green sticker and had to show this precious green sticker to get through to the check in desk.
A very smooth process and finally photos taken and our boarding pass with the green sticker stamped as okay to board.
We then had a short wait in the seating area waiting for security to open which was around 12:30.
The first problem was as we walked onto the ship and it flashed up boarding denied. We were then sent to reception who told us our cabin had been changed to A deck and to see the cabin steward but we needed to go to muster first to have boarding pass scanned. Same problem there as it wouldn’t accept the bar code.
There was no one around to help so we went to the loyalty lunch for a few glasses of bubbles and the buffet.

Eventually after insisting at reception that we needed cards to get into the cabin as there were no stewards around they found an envelope with our name on with the cabin cards. Finally we had our cabin but had to collect all of the luggage from outside our old cabin. It was worth the hassle as our new cabin is much better than our original cabin.
It didn’t take long to unpack and get sorted out. We had time to shower and get changed for dinner before going outside to see the sailaway and the fireworks display to wish us Bon Voyage. The weather wasn’t kind but at least we were under cover.

Captain Love spoke over the tannoy system welcoming everyone on board. The forecast for the first two days was not good and would be quite rough. He advised that due to the increase in Covid mask wearing for the first five days was highly recommended.
Despite this only around 10% of the passengers we saw around the ship had heeded his warning.
We heard from our friends who had stayed on board that those staying on after the Christmas cruise had to have an observed test and six of those tested positive. They were allowed to continue the cruise but are in isolation until they have negative tests. A further seven passengers had not got their yellow fever certificates and were not allowed to continue on the cruise and were instead transferred to Arvia which also departs today to go to the Caribbean.

We also heard on the Aurora grapevine that approx 100 passengers turned up at the port without yellow fever certificates and were denied boarding. Next to us in the queue was a couple who had forgotten theirs and were telephoning their son to pick the certificates up and drive to the port with them. Luckily they only lived an hour away so they should have been okay. We then heard from another source that the passengers without their yellow fever certificate were allowed to board but would not be allowed off in any of the Brazilian ports.

Dinner was excellent and we had been allocated a table for two by the window which we had requested whilst on board in December. We knew it was only a request and not guaranteed so another really good start to the cruise for us.

After dinner we returned to the cabin just to relax after a long two days. We have 65 nights on board returning to the UK on 12 March when hopefully winter will be over and Spring will have sprung.

During the night I woke up with the ship moving around and doors banging. I took a tablet and phoned reception about the banging doors. This was resolved very quickly.


Saturday, 7 January 2023 - 1 st Sea Day to Tenerife

It was a very rough night with waves hitting the ship and doors banging.
The sun came out and by lunchtime even though it was still rough it was pleasant enough to spend some time outside.

We noticed that vouchers to purchase a litre of alcohol each from the duty free shop had been delivered to cabins but we didn’t have any due to the last minute change of cabin. I finally tracked it down by speaking to the cabin steward on C deck who had been saving them for us. The shop had very limited stock but Garry managed to get a bottle of Whisky which is my Covid prevention medicine and a bottle of Whitley & Neill Gin.

The weather conditions worsened during the afternoon and the only safe place was led on the bed watching the drawers open by themselves and the items on the dressing table fling themselves across the room or maybe we had a poltergeist who had fancied a trip to South America.
Garry made sure our stash of cabin supplies was secure.
In all of our years of cruising I think this must be the worst crossing of the Bay of Biscay. I kept up with the Stugeron which helped.

When the Horizon for tomorrow arrived it showed that the planned Formal night had been changed to Casual and can only presume that the Captain is expecting these conditions to continue as we cross the Atlantic.

Showering was a challenge and I nearly came a cropper when the ship suddenly lurched but I managed to grab hold of the rail.

Garry made me a G & T but that got a mind of its own and flew off the table.
We made it into dinner which was very quiet and the conditions were just as bad. Cagé our diet waiter nearly landed in my lap and there were regular crashes and bangs from the galley. At least all we had to think about was staying in one place, the poor crew were working in these dreadful conditions and a wonderful job they all did.

The plan had been to go into Carmens to listen to the comedian Rudi West but we both decided that the cabin even with the poltergeist throwing items around was the safest place to be. When we returned he had certainly been busy with drawers open and the dressing table completely clear of its usual lotions and potions. Tomorrow we will have to find where they have been hidden.

The storm continued throughout the night and I woke regularly but slept through the worst of it.

Sunday, 8 January 2023 - 2 nd Sea Day to Tenerife

The TV screen was showing that we had reached the other side of the Bay of Biscay and the sea state did seen to have calmed slightly with with the wind now force 7. The ship was still moving around and care needed.
We walked past the shops and the poltergeist had been busy in there as a lot of the shelves were half empty and goods scattered all over the floor

It was supposed to be the first formal night but this has been changed to tomorrow when hopefully the sea will be much calmer.

The outside temperature had reached 16 degrees and it was quite pleasant to be outside for short periods of time.

The evening entertainment was a Trumpeter in the theatre and the fabulous Blue Jays in Carmens. A great Rock & Roll band.

We just have one more sea day before we arrive in Tenerife .

[towny44]

Thank you Sue, we now have some hot weather reports to look forward to as winter progresses in the UK.

[MaureenB]

I'm so pleased you are keeping us all updated on your adventures.

Have a wonderful time.

Best wishes

Maureen

[CaroleF]

We had a bad four days when our first stop was in Madeira back in 2018 but not quite as bad as you're describing. I remember having to hold on when in the cabin and walking down the corridors but I don't think we had a visit from the poltergeist! I hope if there are any first time cruisers on board they are not being put off. I do remember meeting one couple who were on their first cruise and I couldn't decide if they were brave or mad.

Carole

[Onelife]

You can’t beat a good ‘Bay of Biscay. storm to bring a review alive…wishing you calmer seas from now on Sue.

[Suekersh]

Good morning all from a very wet Swansea. Here is todays cruise report from Sue and Garry.



Monday, 9 January 2023 - Final day to Tenerife

I woke up this morning realising that I am now officially an OAP.
Garry is more excited about this than I am as it means a boost to our cruise funds.

I opened the cards from family and friends that Garry had brought with him and had champagne breakfast before we went outside to test the temperatures. Not swimwear weather but warm enough to sit out in the fresh air and be comfortable.

It was the first Formal Night of the cruise which had been postponed due to the weather. It was also the Captains Welcome on board cocktail party. A great way to celebrate my birthday with more bubbles and everyone dressed in formal wear.

We ate in Sindhu which was fabulous as usual. We had bought the Jam Shed Shiraz from the glass house and took that in with us.

Part way through Gordon the HGM visited us to say hello and goodbye as he leaves Aurora tomorrow.

We never have desert in Sindhu and instead went to the Glass House for the Cheese board and port.

We finished the evening in Carmens as the comedian Rudi West was performing his final show. We had missed his first one due to the weather. The venue was less than half full which was a surprise. We didn’t stay long as he wasn’t our type of comedian.

I was in bed before I realised that we hadn’t taken any photos.

[Suekersh]

Afternoon everyone here are the lateat updates from Sue and Garry.

Lindsey


Tuesday, 10 January 2023 - Tenerife
4 ships in port, Arvia, Aurora, Bolette and Marella Explorer.
Arvia was docked by the main terminal. The rest of the ships had shuttle buses which dropped us close to the Plaza España.

We got the first shuttle into town and headed for the supermarket to stock up on cabin essentials, returned to the ship to drop everything off and then went back into the city.
The weather was mixed with lots of cloud cover and some strong gusts of wind. When the sun fought its way through it felt like the promised 20 degrees but when the cloud took over it was more like 16 degrees.
We looked around the area and found the Ale Hop which as usual was very busy. I purchased a portable charger then as it was almost midday we found a bar we had used last year and had a couple of drinks and some tapas.

I had arranged to meet Bev, a friend who was cruising on Arvia at 1pm by the statue on the Plaza España. When we got there another Facebook friend Bridget and her husband were there. We found another bar and more drinks. A great catch up as I haven’t seen Bev since 2016 on Acadia.

When we returned to Aurora I received a phone call from a friend who I had met on Arcadia world cruise in 2017. Chris was on the Fred Olsen ship Bolette and we arranged to meet on the Quayside for a quick catch up. Shame there were no bars on the Quayside.
We caught up on the last six years and it was like it was yesterday.
When we parted I had an invite to visit him on the Island. We had always planned to go down to Southampton a few days early before a cruise and get the ferry over to the Isle of Wight. We have other friends there as well. The difficulty will be sorting out dates when they aren’t cruising and Chris isn’t cruising.

We departed Tenerife at just after 6 p.m. and we were the first of the four ships to leave. It had been a great day despite the weather in Santa Cruz being a disappointment.

We now have 2 sea days to Mindelo In the Cape Verde Islands.

[Suekersh]

Wednesday, 11 January 2023 - 1 st Sea day to Cape Verde
We were up and around very early. Garry went for his usual trek around the deck but I was feeling lazy. When he returned it was still dark outside but the sun was due to rise. I wanted to see the sunrise which is usually spectacular and it didn’t disappoint.
It was a beautiful sunny day with a nice sea breeze to keep the temperatures bearable

There were plenty of sunbeds available and the upper aft decks gradually filled up as the morning progressed.

At dinner we were given the menu for tomorrow to pre order and was surprised to see it was a Marcos formal night menu, but it was in the Horizon as a casual night. We asked our waiter if it had been changed to Formal but it hadn’t it was just a formal night menu but the dress code is casual. Very odd I can’t remember that happening before.

There was a paragraph in the Horizon advising that on Friday when we call in Mindelo there is a Bank Holiday and only bars and restaurants will be open. I was looking forward to the African market but a least we should be able to find a bar open.

[Suekersh]

Thursday, 12 January 2023 - Final Sea Day to Mindelo Cape Verde Islands.

Another early morning and it was still dark when I went on deck for fresh air. Sun rise wasn’t until 8am as we still haven’t lost an hour as we are cruising mainly Southwards unlike when we are going to the Caribbean when it is more Westerly. The clocks go back an hour tomorrow for our arrival in Cape Verde .

It was very windy on the decks so quite cool when the sun behind a cloud and scorching hot when it wasn’t. This is when you don’t realise you are burning. It took until after lunch for the clouds to fully disappear. When I returned to the cabin my nose and forehead was bright red. As I tan easily it will probably not be as red tomorrow. But concealer will be required for tonight.

The Captains 6 pm announcement informed us of a change of port. We are now not docking in Salvador on the 18 th January due to being allocated a berth not deep enough to accommodate Aurora.
Instead on 17th January we are now docking in the city of Recife which is often referred to as the Brazilian Venice. As we have visited Salvador previously we know it is no loss and are looking forward to visiting Recife.

The new Headliner troupe perform their first show of this cruise in the theatre - On the Horizon and Pulse are in Carmens.
Mask wearing is still recommended but very few passengers are complying with this.
After a fabulous formal night dinner menu we went to Carmens to listen to Pulse.

[Ray B]

Another six months before we join the good ship Aurora, but I would definitely like to be on board now after the weather forecast for the start of the week showing the possibility of snow.

[Suekersh]

Good morning all from another wet and dark Swansea.
Here is todays update from Sue and Garry.


Friday, 13 January 2023 - Mindelo, Cape Verde

We were on deck to watch the sail into the Mindelo. It was extremely windy and the Captain had a fight on to get us alongside. Captain Love won the day without the aid of the tugs which lay idle in the port.

The scenery around this area is stunning. Very mountainous. There was one large lump of rock jutting out of the sea with a flashing light on top. Only when we passed it did we see a small white structure built into the rock side with steep white steps leading up to the flashing light. What a solitary life this must be.

Having been here before and also told by the port agent that it was a Holiday day we decided to have a lazy morning on deck before catching the shuttle into town.

The shuttle passed what looked like an amazing beach with clear turquoise water but I couldn’t see any other facilities on there. It was quite busy as it was a local National holiday.

Once in the town we were amazed about how much was open, we browsed the African market but nothing jumped out screaming buy me. Across the road was a supermarket and we stocked up on soft drinks for the cabin. The supermarket would only accept Euro notes and did not take credit cards. Change was given in their local currency escudos. Everything is very inexpensive and it is a very poor rundown town. Ladies were cleaning fish on the dock side and many of the children we saw were barefooted.

Our next stop was Café Mindelo where we got excellent Wi-Fi in 2018. Word had got round and not only was it heaving the Wi-Fi was overloaded. At least having bought drinks we had used the escudos we had been given in change at the supermarket.

We gave up trying to get the wi fi and headed back towards the shuttle bus pick up point. We found another bar/ restaurant called Nautilus and the wi fi worked brilliantly for a while then completely cut out again.

We returned to the ship and stayed on the aft deck. It was still very windy much more so than in town where it was hot and dusty with a slight breeze. I stayed there until I went to the Crows Nest where I had arranged to meet a friend for a drink and catch up.

At dinner we had a lovely surprise when an officer friend joined us. He has transferred to Aurora for a few weeks of this cruise. We haven’t seen him since June last year so had lots to catch up on.

We finished the night in Carmens with Pulse. Jimmy Tamley (Ventriloquist) was in the the theatre.
The verdict from passengers we spoke to about the Headliners first show last night was very positive.

We now have three relaxing sea days before we arrive in Recife. This city is very close the equator and we will cross into the Southern Hemisphere before we dock there.

[Suekersh]

Afternoon all from a very cold Swansea. Here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.

Saturday, 14 January 2023 Sea days to Recife Brazil.
It is getting hotter every day and we are 8 degrees North of the equator.
I was up early to see sun rise but the cloud prevented the vivid orange skies lighting up.

Garry went to the laundry at 8 am and I made the most of the sun as at 11 am I would have to return to the cabin to get ready for the
Ligurian Lunch event. I enjoy the event but would prefer it to be on a cloudy day.

The lunch was enjoyable. We had requested a table for 2 as in past experience I find that on a bigger table I end up drinking more.
Captain Simon Love visited every table to chat to the passengers.

As soon as lunch was finished I went straight back to the cabin to change and back onto the aft deck in the sun.

Cream of Clapton (Paul Ruck ) was the after dinner entertainment in Carmens and the Headliners in the theatre performing their New Romantics show.

We opted for Carmens and it was extremely busy. We have seen this show on previous cruises and it was another excellent performance. The musicians from Pulse backed Paul and looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

We finished the evening sat outside on the aft deck. It was very hot and muggy.

Sunday, 15 January 2023 2nd Sea day to Recife

The Clocks changed in the early hours of the morning and we are now 2 hours behind UK time. We will have another hour to lose before we dock in Recife.

I was out early hoping to see the sunrise which was supposed to be just after 6am. It was still very muggy. I didn’t see the sun rise as it was covered in thick cloud. By 8 am it was raining hard. Hot muggy and raining a typical tropical storm. We moved our chairs under cover hoping it would soon pass by. It didn’t it fact it got worse the aft deck was flooded.
There was a break in the rain at around 10 am. We got rid of the sodden towels and replaced them with clean ones and settled down for what we hoped was the rest of the day. Well that was wishful thinking as 15 minutes later we were back under cover watching the rain bounce off the deck. The positive was it was very warm.

We went into the main dining room for lunch but it was still raining when we returned. I decided it was a good day for Garry to don his hairdressers hat and colour my hair. There was a football match on the cabin TV so he was happy.

The after dinner entertainment was not to our taste with a magician in the theatre and a violinist in Carmens. Luckily the rain had stopped and we had a pleasant evening outside chatting to friends.

Monday , 16 January 2023 - Final Sea Day to Recife.

We crossed the equator at 00:57 this morning. I didn’t feel the bump and slept through it. There will be a crossing the line ceremony this afternoon weather permitting.

It was light before 6a.m. I went outside and the weather looked promising with the night clouds clearing and being replaced with light blue skies and whispy clouds. Very hot but not as muggy as yesterday.

The lower aft deck where the pool is had all been cordoned off in readiness for the Crossing the line ceremony.
The forecast was for showers but these stayed away.
By the time the ceremony started the tiered aft decks were completely full. 90 % of the passengers must have been crammed into this area.
Captain Simon was dressed as Neptune and the Loyalty manager Richard was Aphrodite wearing 6 inch stiletto heels.
The missing elements were the nymphs who are usually played by the headliner dancers. They had a rehearsal today as they are a new troupe they were not permitted to attend the ceremony. Hopefully they will be allowed to participate when we cross the equator again next month.
The wet and messy games were played by the Pirates (entertainment team) and the Officers. The Pirates won the day with a bit of gamesmanship cheered on by the crowd. King Neptune granted the crossing into the Southern Hemisphere Aurora was allowed to continue.

It was the 2 nd formal night but we opted instead for a meal in the Glass House. On our previous cruises this year the Glass house had been closed for food and we had missed it as an alternative to the main restaurant. We had arranged to meet our friend there, the food was excellent as was the company. It is much quieter than the main restaurant and easier to relax and chat.

After dinner we went to Carmens to see Paul Rucks final show as Cream of Clapton. Once again he was backed by Pulse and it was another fabulous show.

Tomorrow we arrive in our first Brazilian port of call Recife.

[barney]

Paul Ruck is exceptional for cruising entertainment.
When we saw him on Ventura, he did one show as Clapton and the second as himself.
Both were brilliant.
He did a duet with a Lady GaGa tribute which made the hair on your neck stand up.
Thanks Sue

[Suekersh]

Good evening all, here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.

Tuesday, 17 January 2023 - Recife

I missed the sunrise this morning as it was daylight at 5 am.

We are now 8 degrees South of the equator. Warnings were given regarding the very high UV levels and to wear high sun screen protection and hats.

According to the Horizon Newspaper Recife is capital of Brazil’s North Eastern state of Pernambuco and is often known as the Venice of Brazil. The well known Brazilian Carnival started in Recife and still holds the record of 12 million people attending the first night of the Carnival.

None of the trips on offer were very exciting so having done some research we opted to DIY. Firstly there was a shuttle from the ship to the terminal. At the terminal there were lots of tour guides giving information and directing everyone to the ‘safe areas’ but with warnings to take care. The wi fi here was excellent and we caught up on emails and messages before getting another shuttle into the city.
We passed lots of rundown derelict buildings which once would have been highly decorated mansions, and buildings. Now the sky line is all high rise apartment blocks. There were parks and shopping areas rivers and highly decorated bridges but the shuttle went past all of these and dropped us at an old prison or as they called it the Cultural Centre.

It really was the absolute pits. The stalls were full of tourist tat, the atmosphere was dark dank and sticky as it was virtually underground. We walked through and were pleased to get to the otherside and outside for fresh air. The only reason we can think of is that the local tourist board wanted to try to put some money into the locals pockets.

The area wasn’t the greatest and we were considering going back to the ship and picking up a tour from the dockside.
We were approached by taxi drivers and took pot luck with a driver who wasn’t pushy, spoke some but little English and appeared genuine. His car was registered with the city, it was comfy and air conditioned. Carlos took us around Recife and pointed out the buildings, bridges and parks we had read about. He told us the history of some of the buildings in his pigeon English.
We mentioned that we would like to do some shopping and he took us to a huge mall that we would never have found without him.
Here we changed some US dollars at the Cambio he recommended. He said the banks were Robbers. Carlos took me into the shops I wanted to visit and translated for us. Havaianas here are so inexpensive less than £7. I was in my element. Carlos carried my purchases. We stopped for a beer and he had a coke.

Our final stop was the hyper market where we stocked up on cabin supplies. Carlos pushed the trolly round and everything I asked for he found.
He dropped us back at the port where we said our goodbyes. Such a lovely man. He actually thanked us as he had had the best day as well.

Recife would not be at the top of my list to visit again but Carlos made the day special. He wanted to take us to the nearby town of Olinda and show us the beach. We declined as we were both hot and sticky and wanted to get back on Aurora but if we do call here again then that is where we would head for.

The sailaway party was at the front pool so we had our own at the aft. The rain tried to spoil it but the views of Recife at night were 100% better than during the day..

[Ray B]

Lovely report and very interesting made all the better by finding Carlos, sounds like a genuine nice chap

[Whynd1]

What an absolute star Carlos was.


Lindsey

[Suekersh]

Afternoon everyone.
Here is todays update from Sue and Garry.



Wednesday, 18 January 2023 - Sea Days to Cabo Frio
I awoke very early and was surprised that at 5 am it was already daylight and once again I had missed the sun rise.
I went out on deck and already it was hot but very breezy which takes the stickiness and humidity away.
We met our friend for breakfast and when we returned the beds and towels were soaked as they had just been a huge shower which didn’t last long but managed to saturate everything.

There were a few passing showers during the day which is expected in the tropics. The sun soon dried everything off again. Blue towels for the chairs are readily available by the pools so the wet towels were dumped in the towel bin and new ones on the beds.

Mid morning we had a meeting with our Rio tour group in the Crows Nest to finalise the meeting point and collect the tour money to hand over to Patcha who will be our guide for the day. Having organised this small group tour over 12 months ago I am hoping it all goes smoothly.

It was a fabulous lazy sunny afternoon on deck doing nothing except chatting, reading, drinking and soaking up the rays.

Garry attended to the laundry as it seems quieter in the afternoon than the morning and even quieter in the evenings.

The evening entertainment was the Headliners again in the theatre performing Astonishing and in Carmens there was a Hoe Down. Various musicians in the smaller venues but we opted again for a night under the stars. There will be plenty of time to see the entertainment on offer when we leave Uruguay and the colder weather starts as we sail further South towards the Falklands and round the Cape.

Thursday, 19 January 2023

Another fabulous hot sunny lazy sea day. No showers today to spoil the party. A few birds around and the officer on watch had spotted some Dolphins following the ship. There has been a lot less sightings of both marine animals and sea birds on this cruise than when we did the same cruise in 2018. Then Nigel Marvin was on board and on the aft deck every day watching out for any sightings.

After dinner we had a look in Carmens as there was a vocalist on but didn’t stay long. We finished the night as usual under the stars on the aft deck.

I am looking forward to arriving in Cabo Frio tomorrow. A new port for us. The down side is it’s a tender port but hopefully the seas will be calm.

Friday, 20 January 2023 - Cabo Frio

I was outside early to watch our arrival. The beach looked absolutely Awesome. 7 miles of almost white sand and even at 7 a.m. it looked quite busy. The sea was calm and just light whispy clouds but over the mountains in the distance there were some darker threatening clouds. I just hope they stay over the mountains.

We got the first tender off and only had 3 minutes wait after collecting our ticket to being called to tender. It was a 25 minute tender ride. We passed a lot of smaller beaches which were busy with families. It may have been a bank holiday as there were so many smaller boats and kayaks around the ship.

We walked towards the centre of town following directions from the tour guides at the tender dock. We hadn’t realised just how far out it was and wished we had taken a taxi especially as it was over 30 degrees. Very few of the locals spoke any English, but some did have a little Spanish so we got by. We finally reached where the small boat went from to take us across the water to the Bikini street. It cost 2 Rials each return about 30p. A bargain.
Bikini Street is exactly as it says. Over 100 shops selling swim wear, Havaianas, beach wear, beach bags, beach dresses etc etc. there were a few bars and restaurants dotted around.
We returned to the tender port and attempted to get on the wi fi but there were so many others doing the same that we gave up.

We never made it to the beach which was a wise move as just after 2 p.m. the rain started and it went quite cool.

Next port is Rio de Janeiro where we have two full days.

[Suekersh]

Good afternoon all, here is todays cruise report from Sue and Garry.


Saturday, 21 January 2023 - Rio de Janeiro
I didn’t need the alarm and was awake at 05:15 to see Sugar loaf mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue coming into view. It looked tiny as it stands on top of Corcovado Mountain 2310 ft above sea level. The statue is 125 ft high and weighs 1145 tons. I wonder who weighed it? It was built in 1931.

The sun hadn’t risen but the lights of Rio highlighted the city. I was up on deck to see the sail into this iconic city. It was cloudier than last time we called here but the forecast is good and as the sun rose the clouds were gradually burnt off.

The Buffet was rammed from 6 am even though there was only continental breakfast on offer until 7:am. When the cooked breakfast may open up. They were hoping to open at 6:30 am as so many passengers were around.

We met the other four couples from our group in reception and as soon as the announcement was made that Aurora had been cleared by the Brazilian authorities we joined the queue to disembark and walk through the terminal where Patcha was waiting for us. It was so good to see her again and looking so well. Covid had decimated Brazil and the tourism industry was hit very hard.

Patcha phoned our driver Marcus and he promptly arrived to take us to our first stop the station to board the train up to the Corcovado mountain which is where the huge statue of Christ the Redeemer lives. The tickets were booked for 09:20 am to ensure we had enough time to disembark as if we had arrived late we would have lost our timed tickets. We were nearly 45 minutes early and Patcha worked her magic and got us on the next train. Last time we drove through National Park Tijaca in a mini bus.

The train took us through the National Park forest in the middle of all the flora and fauna climbing steadily for the 25 minute train journey.
There was still some cloud around but it was lower than the mountain.
Once we had disembarked the train we got into a lift and then an escalator before we reached the base of Christ the Redeemer.

It was 5 years since we last visited and I was still in awe of the vastness of this beautiful marble statue overlooking Rio and the amazing views from it. We could see for miles around us.
Patcha led us to the best view points for photographs and took photos for us. This is just one of the many benefits of small group tours. She was so knowledgeable about everything Rio and thoroughly enjoyed passing on the information.

There is a small chapel behind the statue which last time we went into. This time there were 3 baptisms being performed the doors were open so that we could watch.
We bought a statue of the monument for a friend who had to stay on ship today.

Our next stop should have been Sugar loaf but Patcha had inside information that because of a football match at the Macarena stadium the roads down town would closed off and as wouldn’t be able to see that area in the afternoon the itinerary was changed around.

Our first stop downtown was the stadium where we had our photos taken with the World Cup. One couple in our group are avid football fans and her dream came true to visit this stadium. I felt emotional just watching her face light up. There were copies of shirts on sale with Pele’s name on as well as other Rio souvenirs.

Our next stop was a drive past the Sambadome and it was here that Isabelle, Patchas daughter joined us.

This is where the fabulous Rio Carnival would be held in mid February. We drove past the huge Sambadrome which was divided by a road and parked up by the gates. This just looked like a wide road with concrete stadium seats at each side. No colours at all, but will be unrecognisable as the same place in 3 weeks time as it will be highly decorated for the Rio carnival. It runs for 4 nights and there are six schools displaying their talents each night. Every school parade has to be exactly 1 hour 5 minutes with points deducted for bad timekeeping. The parade starts at 10 pm at night and goes on until approx 5 a.m. the following morning.There are tickets priced to suit everyone’s pocket from around 30 dollars rising to over 1000 US dollars per person for a seat in a box. It must be an amazing spectacle and seats are always sold out. Tonight there would be a dress rehearsal and it was completely free to go and watch the teams perform their dances they have practiced all year in halls onto the Sambadome. Patcha was keen to make the point that the Carnival is not just a huge party but also an important competition which is taken very seriously by the city. Large sums of prize money is available to win and as most of the schools are situated in the favelas the competition is fierce. There can be as many as 5000 people in each dance school. The Top six schools each year get to dance again in the parade of the Champions.
This is the only time each year that the Sambadome is used. The rest of the time the gates remain locked.

The next stop was the fabulous Catholic Cathedral of San Sebastián. It was a holiday weekend named after this Saint. Last time we were in Rio the church closed just before we arrived. The outside looks like a concrete pyramid but inside it is absolutely amazing. Stained glass floor to ceiling windows. The Cathedral is very modern only finished in 1976 and looks nothing from the outside but the windows inside were awesome. It is shaped like a pyramid and can hold 20,000 worshippers. We saw the statue of San Sebastián being returned to the Cathedral carried very reverently by a priest. Patcha once again took photos for us.

The Selaron steps are very close by and we’re exceptionally busy.
These are in the Lepa area, and were named after the man who dedicated his life to tiling these steps. He bought, begged and was donated tiles for his life’s work. Sadly he died five years ago under suspicious circumstances and after working the steps all of his adult life they are no longer repaired. First we were directed into a little shop selling the local liquor and we sampled a few of the different flavours. There were toilet facilities here as well.
We managed a few photos here but it was very congested and had deteriorated since we were last there. The huge Caprihana I had though was just as good as I remembered.

We headed for Pao de Acucar or Sugar loaf mountain which is located by the entrance to the bay. At its highest point it is 1293 ft. It was still very busy. Patcha had contacted us pre cruise to suggest that we booked the tickets prior to arriving in Rio. We sent her the money and she booked us senior tickets which are discounted at 50%. This was a very good move and we skipped the huge queues and were in the first cable car within minutes of arriving there.
There are two cable cars to reach the top of Sugar loaf where once again we skipped the long queues both up and back down again.
We had some food up there and an ice cream. The views are awesome of the beaches that we would soon be heading to.

On our way back down to sea level Patcha explained about the Favelas where the poorest people of Brazil live in what would be normally be a Prime Real Estate area. There are hundreds of thousands of people but nobody knows how many as not all are registered.

We started our Beach tour at Le Blanc which is the very upmarket area of Rio. Onto Ipanema, and Copacabana. Patcha pointed out the shuttle bus stop from the port for the following day.
The beaches all lead onto each other and were vast. All had different numbered areas and Patcha pointed out the Rainbow beach, the beautiful peoples beach and the family beach.

The beaches were absolutely packed as it was a Bank Holiday. Patcha said it would be even busier tomorrow which is when we had plans for a beach day. There were some sights, the men in the party enjoyed the scantily clad ladies whilst the ladies were ogling the Brazillian men. Some sights were not so good but Patcha explained that no one worried about what they look like. They are just happy with themselves.
We finally reached Lenny Beach and had a drink a local beer beach bar. We didn’t realise when we ordered that each beer was 600ml. We were thirst and hot so it went down easily.

Back at the port we said our goodbyes to Patcha, her daughter Isabelle and Marcos our driver.

The total cost of the trip per person was approx £80 compared to the £129 being charged by P & O, although the P & O trip included a meal in a restaurant. Our private trip did not include food but we saw more of the sites of Rio and did not experience the huge queues some of the P & O passengers endured.

There were no queues to get back on the ship and we were soon in the cabin showered and we stayed there. We had arranged for room service dinner, opened a bottle of wine and were asleep by 9 p.m.

Sunday, 22 January 2022 - 2nd day in Rio de Janiero.

We had planned a beach day today but after Patchas warning yesterday of how crowded the area would be we opted to stay closer to the port. The huge terminal building had good free Wi-Fi and we caught up with emails and messages before having a walk around the port area.
The huge MSC Sea View docked behind us and yesterday MSC Magnifica arrived and docked in front of Aurora. Despite the size and capacity of these ships it was change around day and although there were huge queues for the terminal the sea view was using for embarkation our terminal was relatively quiet.

I purchased a couple of T shirts from one of the stalls but the heat soon had us scurrying back into the air-conditioned port buildings and the shops in there.
I spent the afternoon alternating between the sun and shade whilst Garry watched the football and did the laundry.

We had booked the Beach House for dinner which meant that we had the final views of Rio as we sailed away from this amazing city.
PJ the Beech House manager was on the ball and kept the the non diners out of the area to keep the rails clear so that the diners had a view. I had the sea food hanging kebab which as usual was delicious.

We now have 2 sea days to Montevideo in Uruguay.

[Ray B]

That was a very good day, very well described in lots of detail, and could almost think I was there with you. Lovely post and on to the next destination.
(never been to S America)

[Jan Rosser]

I wholeheartedly agree with Ray - Sue’s account of her time in Rio was amazing. She gives lots of facts and figures but makes them so interesting - she and Gary certainly packed a lot into their days in Rio - looking forward to the next port - thanks Sue

[Suekersh]

Good afternoon all.
Here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.



Monday, 23 January 2023- 1 st Sea day to Montevideo.
I was up early and witnessed the best sun rise so far this cruise. The sun was a huge fireball in the morning sky. Lazy day in the sun recovering from the Rio experience. Garry spotted a lonely Dolphin whilst gazing out at sea. They have been very few sightings so far this cruise.

Captain Simons lunchtime announcement included the distance travelled since leaving Southampton which was 5552 miles. The temperature was 27 degrees and sea temp 26 degrees.

Garry is always very careful of the sun as his skin is very pale. He never goes out without factor 50 on but today he forgot to apply it.
When we returned to the cabin to get ready for the evening his legs were extremely red and hot.

Our third formal night of the cruise and it is an early Burns Night menu. We are in Montevideo overnight on the 25 January so the celebration was brought forward.
There was the usual ode to the Haggis a bagpipe player and the ceremony.

The first Formal Night Ball in Carmens but as Garry wasn’t up to dancing we headed up to the Crows Nest for a cocktail. Kool Blue were playing in there.

Tuesday, 24 January 2023 - 2 nd sea day to Montevideo
Another hot sunny day we met our friend for breakfast then settled on the aft deck. Garry in the shade and me in the sun.

As we travel further South away from the equator every day from now on will be a little cooler.

We had arranged to have dinner in the Glass House with our friend who was disembarking tomorrow. First Garry went down to the dining room to say our Goodbyes to our waiter who was also going home tomorrow. There is a big crew changeover tomorrow in Montevideo.

We had a great dinner and said our Goodbyes to our friend who we won’t see until the end of May on Ventura.

[Suekersh]

Wednesday, 25 January 2023 - Montevideo, Uruguay
We docked early and in exactly the same place as 5 years ago. Looking out on the ships graveyard. There was a ship anchored in exactly the same place as it was 5 years ago. This looks like the sea but we were told it is the River Plate but it is salty water.

I noticed that the Azamara Pursuit was in a dock further down. This used to be our favourite P & O ship the little Adonia.

Uruguay is a very small country surrounded by Brazil and Argentina.

The weather was glorious but early on there was a chill in the air. The mugginess had gone and until the sun came up fully I needed a cardigan.
We had a trip booked to tour the city then visit the Juanico vineyard for wine tasting. The guide was informative but a little dry. Facts only without any elaboration. We had some photo stops on the way and enough time to disembark the coach to take them rather than through the windows. There should have been wi fi on the bus but it wasn’t working.
When we arrived at the vineyard an employee of the vineyard boarded the coach to explain about the grape varieties. We were driven around the vineyard then another photo stop and we could taste the grapes that were ready for picking. It is a beautiful place with lots of history.
We were shown the cellars with many casks of wine and a huge display of Amethyst.
There was a fabulous old bar dating back to the 1800’s with stained glass. It is no longer used but is being preserved.

The main house where the tasting took place was very elegant and the tables set. Local home made food was brought out with bread, olive oil and mayonnaise and sparkling water. We sampled 4 different wines and a white port. There was a raffle where one lucky winner won 3 bottles of wine.

The journey back to the port was quiet except for the gentle snoring of the passengers sleeping off the wine.

Garry stayed on board and did some laundry whilst I went out for a walk around and to get my bearings again. There were lots of little stalls around selling local jewellery, cafes and bars were busy.
I found a small supermarket and picked up some soft drinks but tomorrow we will go out looking for a larger store.

We got a surprise at dinner when our friend who we had said goodbye to last night appeared at our table. He had been asked to stay on board for a few more days.

For the first time this cruise we went into the theatre last night to watch a Uruguayan Tango show. 2 Musicians, 1 vocalist and 6 dancers. The dancers were fabulous.
The theatre was packed out which surprised me as normally on an overnight port stay many passengers take the opportunity to go out into the city in the evenings.

Another day in Montevideo tomorrow.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm starting to feel sorry for Garry. Poor chap is never out of the laundry!

[Suekersh]

Hi all from me at Warners in Cheshire, far from Uruguay.

Here is today's cruise report from Sue and Garry.
Thursday, 26 January 2023 - 2 nd day in Montevideo.

I hadn’t expected the weather to change so dramatically overnight.
The wind was blowing across the decks and although not particularly cold it wasn’t certainly wasn’t sunbathing weather.

It did get warmer once we were in the city and I discarded layers. We had a wander around looking at the stalls and shops. Lots of empty derelict buildings here and it had an unloved feeling which I hadn’t felt 5 years ago.

It is still a lovely city with many beautiful buildings both modern and old. There were a lot of beggars around which again we hadn’t been aware of last time we were here.

We bought some cabin essentials then stopped for a drink and used the bars free Wi-Fi. It was excellent and we got everything up to date.

There was an artisan shop which was like a Co op. Lots of different stalls within a shop. I bought some earrings before we moved on to see what other shops there were around. A few market stalls had set up and I looked at an Amethyst ring but decided to wait until we got to Chile for that purchase.

It was was very hot and we returned to the ship but once there the wind was still ripping across the aft deck making it uncomfortable to sit out. A couple of hours later it had dropped and by mid afternoon it was very hot.
There was a sailaway on the aft deck with busker Jake which was well attended but many had expected a party sailaway.

After dinner we went to see Billy Connolly jnr in Carmens. He was fabulous. A real mix of different songs from the ‘Sweet’ era.
Bay City Rollers, T. rex etc. a great night in Carmens.

It was a warm night and probably the last one for 2 weeks.

[Suekersh]

Good evening everyone.
Here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.


Friday 27 January 2023 Two sea days to the Falkland Islands.
It was very cool and windy to start off the day but the sun gradually burned off the cloud and it was a lovely afternoon on deck.

Sea life was spotted off the aft deck and these were confirmed by the bridge as Southern Sea Lions.

More Vouchers to purchase alcohol from the shop on board had been delivered to the cabin and Garry went to collect a bottle of gin.

The evening menu included an Indian theme as Chefs choice which was a welcome addition to the menu. It was excellent . After dinner we went for a look around the jewellers shop and then caught the last few minutes of the Headliners show in Carmens ‘Up all night.’ It was the first time we have seen this new troupe and made the decision to go back for the later show. They are a very young troupe and very talented.

Saturday 28 January final sea day to the Falklands.

Another sunny day and by the time we came out of breakfast it was just about warm enough to sit out. Within 30 minutes it was hot enough to lie on a sunbed in swim wear. Amazing weather for this part of the world.

This time five years ago the weather wasn’t anything like this and the main conversations around the ship were about will we or won’t we be able to tender into the Falklands. Only 1 in 3 ships scheduled to tender there actually manage to get in.
The Captains noon announcement was positive with a hint of caution.

The good news was that the wind speeds forecast for tomorrow at present around the Falklands were within the limits of Aurora being able to tender and the forecast was that they were due to lessen during the afternoon. The caution was that this forecast could change but he was hopeful that all would be okay.

In the Horizon there was a warning that No food items are permitted ashore in Port Stanley and that we will have to walk through a foot disinfection mat and that bags would be inspected.

Dinner wasn’t a great success as I had ordered the Paella which was a big mistake as no one makes paella like my Mum did and my Dad has carried on the tradition. I did offer to let them have the family recipe. The food so far this cruise has been mainly excellent so one meal below par after 22 nights on board is not the end of the world.

We went to see the fabulous Pulse in Carmens with viva their Latin Music show.

In the theatre was Gaucho Del Plata a Comedy Act. We will await other passengers verdict and if positive will see their second show in a few nights time.

Sunday, 29 January 2023 - The Falklands
This small Rock in the remote South Atlantic was one of the Highlight’s for many of the passengers. Some were Veterans of the war, some were war widows.

The forecast had been good and indeed the day dawned bright and sunny but the cold wind was swirling around the aft deck. I dressed accordingly with thermal everything plus jeans fleece, hat quilted coat and boots.
Captain Simon advised that the wind speed at present was not within the safety limits for the tenders but that it was due to drop within 30 minutes. It didn’t but again another announcement was made to keep everyone informed and another 30 minutes was added onto the timings.

We didn’t have a trip booked as I had seen the penguins and some of the battlefields five years ago. We had breakfast and then collected our tender tickets. Still unsure of how long it would take to disembark as tendering still hadn’t started although we had seen the first boat go out to test the waters and set up the landing area.

We sat in Carmens for a while as Masquerades was rammed, then heard the first independents called to tender. We then moved towards Carmens and could hear Captain Simon speaking in Masquerades keeping all the passengers informed and entertained whilst they waited for their turn.

The passengers doing organised trips were in the Curzon theatre.

We were in the second boat for independent passengers. It was very cold on the 12 minute crossing and I was glad of the layers and my fur hat and pashmina scarf. Everything was so bleak but very peaceful.
One lady on our tender was visiting to see her baby grandchild who was waiting for her at the port in her parents arms. So very emotional.

We were in Port Stanley by 09:45 and the first thing I did was to take photos for a friend who had requested them, then discard my layers. It was beautiful and the sun so hot. Unbelievable after the cold windy day we had here 5 years ago.

We called into the visitor centre to buy post cards and stamps plus a souvenir shot glass to take home. There are excellent clean facilities here as well as having a wealth of information.

We walked along the front passing the most Southerly Cathedral and met John the Security Officer in full military dress and Paul the entertainment manager who had also served in the Falklands. They had just been to lay a wreath for P & O at the monument where the names of those who died in action are engraved into the marble.

We continued walking along the front to the Marble figure of Margaret Thatcher, who is still highly thought of as the Liberator of the Falklands people. Then onto the monument to view the wreath.

We stopped for a coffee at the local supermarket where everything is imported from Waitrose. Garry managed to buy some wash tablets and some cabin supplies. There is no free wi fi on the island and at £10 for 300 mg we decided that the 24 hour package for £18 wasn’t outrageous after all.

Having seen the sites of Port Stanley we headed towards the Victory Pub to sample the local award winning beer and the amazing fresh Fish & Chips.

Back on ship it was swim wear weather but occasionally there was an Arctic blast across the aft deck.

Garry took advantage of the quiet ship and did some laundry.