A new continent, Christmas and New Year at sea and one of our most unusual itineraries to date, accompanied by our friends, Anny, Joyce & Anne.
Redundancy or Retirement?
At the time of travelling, I was under Notice of Redundancy from the Prudential, for whom I had worked more than 15yrs since August 1987. It wasn't as bad as it sounds though,
as I was going to be able to take my Pension and I was more-or-less prepared and ready to go; just perhaps not quite so early! So with a welcome future in "retirement",
I wasn't at all phased by my impending unemployment. Quite the opposite in fact!
Photos of the ship and ports visited on this Cruise can be viewed on my account at Captain Martini >>
Otherwise, for the full Blog/diary and the same photos, read on......
Thursday 19th December 2002 A Nightmare Flight to Santiago, Chile!
Our travel agents, Page & Moy, had given us use of the Executive Lounge at Gatwick Airport, which was just as well because "delays moving the plane from a remote stand" resulted in our P&O charter flight taking-off more than an hour late, around 6pm.
The seating was cramped and even though I managed to get a window seat, I was claustraphobic. The food was ok but there was no seat-back screen and only one film, The Bourne Identity, during the 9hr flight to Barbados,
where we made a refuelling stop in the dead of night. The only refreshment stand closed shortly after we got there!
Three other flights came in during the next 90 minutes and it got very crowded. Here we met up with Joyce, who arrived on the later flight from Manchester. When we were eventually called (after it seemed everyone else had gone),
we realised we were in the wrong place; apparently, our flight had a technical fault and spare seating on one of the (larger) Manchester planes had to be used.
So after 3 hours on the ground, we had another 7-hr flight to Santiago. On this plane, our seats were scattered all over the place and I was on my own in an aisle seat and the volume control on my headset was fixed on maximum and broken!
We finally arrived at Santiago Airport at 10.30am local time (1.30pm by our watches) and were transferred to coaches. Our luggage was handled for us but while we got to Valparaiso and were aboard Arcadia by 1.15pm,
our luggage didn't turn up until 5pm!
Absolutely exhausted, not helped by a week of 'flu beforehand, plus John looking very grey at one stage. I was really glad I hadn't pressed my Dad into coming too; he would have hated it!
Friday 20th December 2002 Valparaiso, Chile
I felt a bit cheated because after an arduous 24-hr journey, we had seen nothing of Santiago and then virtually nothing of Valparaiso but with the ship sailing at 6pm, we were too late and
too tired to go ashore. So our only view of the city was from the ship!
Having sailed at 6pm, our first evening dinner, with pre-dinner drinks in the Horizon Lounge, went quite well, all things considered but we were all to bed by 10.30pm.
Saturday 21st December 2002 A Day at Sea
Slept deeply until 7am. Nice to have our own tea-making equipment in the cabins now.
Sunny but a cool wind; clouded over later. Went for a back massage in the Spa (Jane) which was painful but good. She knows her stuff!
Dance class in the afternoon, a bit crowded and busy, with lots of people watching.
Then discovered that our shore-tour for tomorrow (which had been wait-listed) will not now be confirmed and all the alternatives were fully booked.
Complained at the desk but the girl was a bit unresponsive.
Meanwhile, weather deteriorating. I couldn't go for a swim because there was no way of getting to and from the cabin, especially when there's a cocktail party on, because our cabin
is too close to the main Atrium and tonight was the first formal evening - which did not go well. Andrew nearly disgraced himself, getting aggressive; Anne was sick in the ladies' and the show was
aweful. On top of that, the sea was now quite "bumpy", which bodes well, especially as there were now sick-bags in the lifts and on the the stairs!
And there was still no message from the Tours Office by the time we went to bed, so we had nothing organised for the next day in Puerto Montt....
Sunday 22nd December 2002 Puerto Montt, Chile
Weather chilly but sunny, with occasional showers. As still no word from the Tours Office, John, Anne & Joyce went on their tour ok, while
Andrew, Anny & I took the tender and shuttle-bus into the town. A bit unexciting.
(left & below left) Arcadia at anchor and tendering
Arcadia from the Pier
Puerto Varas Cathedral
Mt Osorno Volcano
Debated whether or not to risk a taxi but decided to wait until the others returned. When they did, we learned that the tour buses all had spare seats, so there was no reason why
we couldn't have been allocated tickets. However, at John's suggestion, he, Andrew & I took a $60 taxi trip to Puerto Varas and it proved well worth it for the lovely views.
Felt a bit better after that.
Arcadia at anchor
Arcadia's tenders
Los Lagos The Lake District
The ship upped-anchor around 6pm and proceeded south down the "inland" waterway. We all enjoyed a lovely dinner and then the syndicate quiz afterwards.
While the day had begun looking like it was going to be a disappointment, I ended up feeling much better about it, especially thanks to John's little taxi-tour idea.
Monday 23rd December 2002 A Day at Sea
Weather closed-in, wet and windy. Transitted the Darwin Channel out to sea around 8-9.30am to gale-force winds gusting to 60 knots. Very bumpy and unsteady; put my new motion wrist-bands
on to try them out.
Anne (who was sick last night before dinner) went to bed early last night and today says she is still feeling unwell, so is seeing the ship's doctor. All this is against the backdrop of
Norwalk Virus hitting so many ships lately and a rumour that P&O's Oceana has been quarantined in Ft Lauderdale. The result was that she was "confined to her cabin for 24hrs"
as a precaution, although she probably doesn't have a viral infection at all; it's more likely to be a mixture of nerves, motion sickness and acclimating to the ship's chlorinated tap-water.
John & I then went to see the Passenger Relations Manager to express our views regarding the Tours Office. She was sympathetic, suitably apologetic and promised to follow it up.
Otherwise, it was Port Talks and Quizzes all day, with a light lunch only. The open decks were closed-off, as it was quite rough, with bangings and crashings everywhere and lots of people being sick!
I felt a bit queezy after spending more than 2hrs watching the sea and filming. I was fascinated by it but it didn't do me any good. I still kept my new wrist-bands on but also took a tablet around 6.30pm and felt much better by Dinner.
Tonight was the French Dinner - Snails, Onion Soup, Coq-au-Vin and Grand-Marnier Soufflee - all very nice!
Meanwhile, Anne remained confined in her cabin all day and was fine. The rest of us agreed, "It serves her right for going to the doctor in the first place!"
All was quiet about the ship by 11pm, so to bed...
Tuesday 24th December 2002 Cruising Seno Eyre Fjord, Chile
Up sharp for breakfast at 8am and we were already entering the Seno Eyre Fjord. Weather cold and showery but snatches of sun kept breaking through
to illuminate the spectacular scenery.
Meanwhile, Andrew was watching TV! Anne was released from her cabin "on parole", but could only have her meals in the main restaurant and not in the self-service Conservatory!
Iceberg
Keeping a Distance - Pios XI Glacier 2.5 miles wide & 80-100m high at the face!
By late morning, we were esconced in the Horizon Lounge up forward, drinking mulled wine and viewing bits of ice, the Patagonian Icefield and eventually
the Pios XI Glacier. At 2.5 miles wide and 80-100m high at the face, it is one of the few glaciers that is advancing rather than retreating.
There were also lots of "growlers" or "propeller-inspectors", as the Captain calls them, most striking by their colours, ranging from white to blue to turquoise
and even black.
Icebergs & Growlers
Icebergs
Pizza for lunch in the Pizzaria with Anny & Andrew. John went to the restaurant but there was no sign of Joyce or Anne all afternoon, as the ship retraced its way
back down the fjords, keeping to the inter-island passages to keep us away from the open sea as long as possible.
However, everyone was together again for pre-dinner drinks and dinner, followed by the syndicate quiz - at which we did not excel but neither did we come last!
There were Christmas gifts on the bed tonight - a rather nice leather travel tidy and a travel alarm clock. It was a shame we already had two but a nice gesture nonetheless.
The ship eventually exited to the open sea before midnight via the Canal Smyth and the sea was getting rough again....
Wednesday 25th December 2002 The Strait of Magellan on Christmas Day
Sea conditions improved again by breakfast, having already entered the more sheltered waters of the Magellan Strait, the weather overcast, showery and a chilly 7°C.
Seno de las Nieves Isla Santa Ines
Canal Jeronimo The Brunswick Peninsula
Having agreed between us "no presents" (because of our restricted luggage allowances), had a generally quiet day reading my Dad's book No Less a Hero. Had curry for lunch
and turkey for evening dinner, another Formal night but with Bollinger Champagne to celebrate. Andrew seemed to fall very sleepy (either I should order good champagne more often or he is sickening for something!)
Did a little dancing after dinner but it was very crowded. Left "the girls" dancing in the Horizon Lounge at midnight to go to bed!
(right) Joyce, Anne & Me in the Atrium
Thursday 26th December 2002 Punta Arenas, Chile
On the Strait of Magellan, the short-cut around Cape Horn, and the most southerly city on the South American mainland, this is "Frontier Country"!
Up to 30 ships once passed through here daily but since the
Panama Canal, it's 30 a month.
Plaza Armas Statue of Ferdinand Magellan
Plaza Armas Bust of Jose Menendez
Plaza Armas The Cathedral
Mirador Cerro de la Cruz The Strait of Magellan - Local Street Vendor
Lupins everywhere!
Pioneer Cemetery
Shepherd Sculpture Monumento al Ovejero (1962)
Cold winds but broken cloud and lovely sunny intervals. Morning tour with John to the Agricultural Museum, the Silesian Priests Museum
and the Pioneer Cemetery.
In the afternoon, all of us (except John) took the excursion to the Magellanic Penguin Colony at Otway Bay. Delightful but not as engaging
as the Puffins in Scotland! Still, the weather remained sunny and it was lovely.
Arcadia
Penguin Colony at Otway Bay
The Magellanic Penguin Colony at Otway Bay
Mirador Cerro de la Cruz Andrew & Anny - The Strait of Magellan
Arcadia
Back to sea via the Cockburn Channel. Meanwhile, another very nice dinner followed by a show (a decent Tenor) and a little late dancing in the Atrium.
Unfortunately, Andrew still won't dance 'in public' and Anne is always reduced to giggles when I dance with her - I didn't think my dancing was that bad!
Friday (morning) 27th December 2002 The Beagle Channel (Glacier Alley)
Up really early for the best bit of the Beagle Channel. Absolutely spectacular!
The Beagle Channel at Dawn
The Romanche Glacier
The Beagle Channel and the top of the Italia Glacier
In quick succession, we passed 5 glaciers; Romanche, Alemania, Francia, Italia and Holanda. Brilliant light and blue skies - wonderful!
The Italia Glacier
The Darwin Mountains
But it was all over by 8am - when Andrew appeared!
Friday (afternoon) 27th December 2002 Ushuaia, Argentina
We arrived early, around 10.30am, as the Captain had said there was a passenger the doctor wanted to put ashore.
However, strong winds of up to 22knots beam-on gave us a lot of trouble, losing the first pair of lines and having to back-off to
try coming alongside again. We were eventually secured and cleared just before noon.
The Darwin Mountains and the approach to Ushuaia.
Arcadia & the Darwin Mountains
Wild Poppies and Lupins
Ashore, the weather was kind but cold and I went for a short walk through the town.
Our afternoon trip into the National Park took us on the "Train at the End of the World". A narrow-guage railway originally built to serve the penal colony
established here in the 1880's, it was abandoned in 1947 but rebuilt in the 1990's for tourists. It was all a bit twee and theme-parkish.
The End of the World Train (Southern Fuegian Railway)
Across the Beagle Channel from Ensenada Bay
After dinner, joined Anne & Joyce in the Cinema; Road to Perdition, an excellent film but not one you could describe as 'enjoyable'. Joyce just thought it boring.
Saturday 28th December 2002 Cruising off Cape Horn
Others having been chastised for missing all the scenery yesterday (!), everyone was up early today to see Cape Horn from 7-8am. Quite calm sea but cold, windy and overcast. 450ft cliffs to the sea but no crashing waves or mountainous seas!
The Captain brought Arcadia to within 3 miles south of the Cape itself, at which point, the ship turned around and set course for the Falkland Islands tomorrow.
Joyce, Andrew, Anny, Anne & John
John
Joyce, Andrew, Me, Anne & John
Captain Martini
Then a leisurely day at sea, reading and coffee in the Horizon Lounge - the Art Auction produced not a sigle bid for any of the paintings (all prints).
British passengers really don't seem interested in this sort of thing!
Enjoyed a really good pre-dinner show by Cruise Director Bruce Morrison in the Theatre doing a lot of Noel Coward & Ivor Novello material.
The others loved it too. However, we had turnips and sprouts at dinner (again!) and it was the first dinner I found disappointing. Still, not bad going really!
Then after-dinner Dancing in the Horizon Lounge. John danced with Anne and won a bottle of Champagne! Andrew (eventually) danced with Joyce and made her day!
(right) Our Group Formal in the Century Bar/Lounge
Sunday 29th December 2002 Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
Dropped anchor about 8am. Weather cold, overcast and windy - gusting to 40 knots. The tenders took a long time to get set up
but went ashore about 9.30 and spent 4hrs up and down the Main Street (left) as far as the Museum. Loads to see but a cold wind and very bleak.
The 1982 Memorial
Government House
The Mast of the S.S. Great Britain
The 1914 War Memorial
The Cathedral Interior
Came back about 2pm and had a baked potato for lunch, talking to one of the other gay couples on board. They seemed proud that this was their 8th cruise,
so I didn't tell them this was my 26th!
Then took the tender ashore again with John to see the wreck of the Lady Elizabeth and the minefields by taxi ($6).
Ripe for Development!
Arcadia at anchor off Port Stanley
Minefields!
The Lady Elizabeth (Iron Barque built 1875) Carrying lumber from Vancouver, struck rocks in 1913. Broke moorings in a gale and now rests in Whalebone Cove.
As the weather was now much brighter - even sunny and warm - walked all the way back as far as Government House, taking all my photos again! Got 'buzzed' by a
Tornado fighter but it was too fast to catch on camera! Got back to the ship at 6pm, exhausted.
The Cathedral & Whalebone Arch
The Charles Cooper Wrecked 1929
The Upland Goose The main hotel
The Post Office
Government House
The 1982 Memorial
The after-dinner show tonight was "Hurray for Hollywood!". Andrew & I both thought it pretty poor but the the Full Monty finish won-over
all the women and they all enjoyed it! Why am I so difficult to please?
Monday 30th - Tuesday 31st December 2002 2 Days at Sea & New Year's Eve
Weather warming up a bit now. Still windy but more sun and the sea was very mild. No sign of any of the ladies all morning!
Worked-out the ship's mileage for the daily Tote and bet on 326-335 miles. At noon, it came in at 327 and I was pleased but late returning to the Oval Bar to collect my winnings,
as I was in the Music Quiz at the time! By the time I got there, they had packed-up and I had to go to main Reception and leave a message for the Cruise Director, with a copy of my (winning) ticket!
Even so, I had to wait until the next day to get my winnings - all of £8.75 (there was another winner!)
After dinner, watched the film "Changing Lanes" with Anne. I don't think she liked it and I found it a bit slow; a cynical story but "right" conquers in the end - hmm. Not for a true cynic!
The Mast
Boat Deck Port side
Relaxing on the Promenade Deck
Boat Deck Starboard side
Much better weather next day; sunny, with a cool breeze. 64°F by noon and sunbathers out at last. Anny & Andrew in their 'usual' spot above the Lido.
Had another bet on the ship's mileage Tote; bet on 419-428 and it came in at 433! Otherwise, a quiet
afternoon finishing Dad's book No Less a Hero. Then the New Year "festivities" began at dinner, a raucous din that rather spoiled an otherwise nice dinner, including Haggis and Lobster Thermidor.
(right) Me & Anny - A Raucous Dinner!
Cruise Director Bruce Morrison's Hogmanay Show was reasonable but it ended at 11.30pm. Then there was chaos. John went to bed; so did Anne. Then Andrew left, sunburnt and poorly! So Joyce, Anny and I
went to the Horizon Lounge, where it was a real mess, everyone a bit confused by the 8 bells marking midnight. All a bit of a let-down in the end!
Wednesday 1st January 2003 Montevideo, Uruguay
Picked-up the pilot at 6.30am and were alongside by 7.30am, the outside temperature touching 70°F already.
(left) Approaching Montevideo
Had an excellent morning tour of all the city highlights with a good guide.
Entering the Harbour
Statue of Jose Artigas (1764-1850) Independence Square
Fortaleza del Cerro
Fortaleza del Cerro (1839) The German Pocket-Battelship Graf Spee was scuttled within site of here in 1939
La Diligencia (Stage Coach) Prado Park (1952)
The President's Private Home
National Congress Building
Telecom Tower by Carlos Ott (2002)
La Carreta (Ox-Cart) Batlle Park 1919
Hotel Casino Carrasco
Carrasco Beach
Fallen Heroes Monument Plaza de la Armada
John Graf Spee Anchor
Mark Graf Spee Anchor
The Cathedral
City Gate (1740) Independence Square
Palacio Salvo Independence Square
After lunch, went back out with John to photograph the Graf Spee Memorial at the port entrance. Then I went off on one of my
"yomps". The back streets of the old town were full of atmosphere; kids playing in the street, old men sitting on the pavement, music drifting from open shutters - wonderful!
However, I think I may have overdone it a bit; I came back exhausted!
El Gaucho Monument
Harbour wrecks
Telecom Tower Tallest in Uruguay
Departure from Montevideo harbour
We left Montevideo at 5pm, although we only have a short way to go across the estuary of the River Plata to Buenos Aires.
Dinner was a subdued affair, with me tired and Andrew suffering from sunburn. Tried the film in the cinema with Joyce & Anne,
The Importance of Being Ernest but kept falling asleep, so I turned in at 11pm.
Thursday 2nd January 2003 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Arrived early (again) and by 7.45am the temperature was already 70°F and predicting 84°F.
Enjoyed a morning tour of the city highlights with Joyce, who was already glum because it was our last day, although she said it was because she hadn't slept well.
However, by contrast to yesterday, there weren't many photo-stops in this much busier city, European in size.
Plaza de Mayo
General Belgrano Statue Plaza de Mayo
Casa Rosada The Presidential Palace - Plaza de Mayo
Ceremonial Guard Casa Rosada
Metropolitan Cathedral - Plaza de Mayo
Unfinished Flyover
Modern Office Quarter
Nuestra Senora del Pilar La Recoleta Cemetery
Eva Peron's Tomb La Recoleta Cemetery
Christ Statue La Recoleta Cemetery
Tango Show at the Carlos Gardel Theatre/Restaurant
But our tour included a lunch and Tango Show at the Carlos Gardel Theatre/Restaurant; an an elaborately ornate establishment and an excellent show with amazing dancing and music.
I then left the bus-tour in town to do more "yomping" and photos. Met John in Plaza San Martin briefly, during his 'highlights' tour. It was rather hot by this time.
Cloakroom Carlos Gardel Restaurant
English Clock Tower (1916) 75.5m (247ft)
Malvinas Memorial to the Falklands War 1982
San Martin Statue Plaza San Martin
Teatro Colon The Opera House (1908)
Avenida 9 de Julio & the Obelisk (1936) 67.7m tall (221ft) Celebrating the Country's 400th Anniversary
Silver Shadow (2000: 28,258grt, 388pax)
I returned to the ship in time for tea and packing for the flight home tomorrow. Meanwhile, Andrew, Anne & Anny returned later from their afternoon Tigre River Cruise.
Activity on board after dinner reduced to low-key "go to bed" music. Joyce didn't want the party to end but was thwarted! At 2.45am, I was awoken by raucous noise, bangings and crashings
from the deck below our cabin, where the luggage was being off-loaded. It stopped around 3.30am and I drifted-off again....
Friday 3rd January 2003 Flight to the UK
Up at 6.45am. Joyce departed at 8.15am, on the verge of tears for her seperate flight to Manchester. No changes of planes this time but, as was the case on the outward flights,
we returned via a tedious refuelling-stop at Barbados.
This had been our third and last cruise on Arcadia because later that year, P&O transferred the ship to its new casual cruising brand, Ocean Village, "the cruise
for people who don't do cruises".
Arcadia provided us with many happy cruising memories, at a time when P&O Cruises' service was probably at its best. But it was the influence of
Anny and our meeting Joyce in 1999 that began the expansion of our circle of cruising friends and although we sadly lost Anny to leukemia in 2006, Arcadia marked
a major change in the nature of our enjoyment of cruising over the years to come. (right) "Party Anny"
= ports at anchor
Fly overnight from UK to
account at Captain Martini >>
