Sue and Garry's circumnavigation of South America

[CaroleF]

Brings back memories of five years ago. I remember the tender back to Aurora. It was very windy and when I returned there weren't many people on the tender which was just as well. If it had been full anyone sitting anywhere near the exit would have been drowned. I sat as far away from it as possible and escaped unscathed but by the time we got back to the ship the floor was waterlogged. The poor crewman was trying to soak up the water with some towels. The guide on my trip was a teacher who had been teaching at home in England and fancying something different answered an advertisement for a teacher on the Falklands. I think it was a two year contract but while she was there she met and married a local man. She and her family are now settled on the islands. It's certainly a different way of life. She said that everyone knows everyone and any entertainment is what they make themselves. Certainly not a way of life for everyone. Visiting the Falklands certainly leaves an impression on most people.

[Suekersh]

Good morning.
Here is todays cruise report from Sue and Garry.


Monday, 30 January 2023 - Sea Day before rounding Cape Horn.

Cold, Wet and Windy start. The rain stopped the wind lessened for a while and the sun came through. It still wasn’t warm enough for me to enjoy sitting out.
I walked the prom deck to get some fresh air but spent most of the day inside.

4 th formal night and with 6 more to go my dresses are already feeling tight. After dinner we visited the Crows Nest where they make the best Salted Caramel espresso Martini cocktail.

Tuesday, 31 January, Sea Day sailing around Cape Horn.

Aurora picked up the Pilots at 6 a.m.The weather was grim. Cold windy and raining although the visibility was good.

Just after 09:30 there was a commentary from the Bridge by guest speaker Alex Alley, Round the World yachtsman. It was a short commentary but all the interesting points were identified. The Coast guard hut where a Chilean family live in isolation for 1 year. The radio mast and the funicular track which allows supplies to be delivered. The memorial to the 10,000 sailors who had lost their lives sailing around Cape Horn which is shaped so that in the middle of the steel you can see the Albatross shape. The Captain sailed right around the Cape which took all morning. For a short while we were in the Pacific Ocean before sailing back into the Atlantic Ocean. There were a lot of passengers out on deck to witness this despite the inclement weather. We reached the furthest Southerly point of South America at 11:22 am. Captain Love recorded this as 55degrees 59.6 S. Only the Antarctic is further South than this point.

Aurora returned the pilots to their station and continued to Port William for the Chilean immigration officials to board to check all the passports were stamped and in order.

After dinner there was a Gaucho show in the theatre which was very entertaining but different. The passenger chosen to go up on the stage did very well.

We went back out on the aft deck as it was a lovely calm evening with lovely views in the Beagle Channel. Our cabin steward was out there and looked frozen but determined to make the most of his break time.

Tomorrow is the Beagle Channel and Glacier Alley.

[Ray B]

Another absolutely enjoyable read, thank you Sue and Gary. They certainly are having a great cruise, what wonderful sights and places that they have seen and visited. Now it's going to get warmer as they start heading back up North.

[Meg 50]

did they notice the bump when they changed oceans?

[Suekersh]

Here is today's cruise report from Sue and Garry.

Wednesday, 1 February 2023 - Beagle Channel and Glacier Alley.

We were up and out before 6 am as Aurora started the transit through Glacier Alley. Not great weather but at least no wind. Last time we came through in 2018 the sun was shining which made the glaciers sparkle.

The scenery was stunning and the aft decks full even though the weather wasn’t the best. The mist kept coming down then clearing again and it kept raining although not heavy.

The five Glaciers are named after different Countries. Holland, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

Some of the Glaciers cascaded right down into the Beagle Channel. It was cold and at some rain. Gradually the decks started filling up.

My day was spent watching the scenery on the aft deck, then back to the cabin to thaw out before going back out again. The coffee with a tot of whisky helped considerably.
The glaciers were finished before noon and the scenery although spectacular couldn’t match the glaciers. The rain got harder and didn’t stop.

Once we left the channel the wind strengthened and the seas were very rough. We went up into dinner but then went straight back to the cabin as Aurora was rocking and rolling.
Garry decided to utilise the time to catch up on the laundry. It is usually quiet in the evening but because of Chiles environmental rules
the laundries are closing tonight for 4 days.

Tomorrow we arrive in our first Chilean port of Punta Arenas.

[Suekersh]

Good evening everyone, here is todays cruise report from Sue and Garry.


Thursday, 2 February 2023- Punta Arenas
Tuesday 30 January - Punta Arenas, Chile

Punta Arenas translates as Sandy Point and is the Southernmost City on the South American mainland. The region is known as Magallanes and Antarctica Chilean. Due to its location it is the coldest coastal city in Latin America and serves as the gateway to Antarctica.

Another bright sunny day but with a cool breeze. The Seabourne Quest ship was already docked when we arrived 8 a.m.
Aurora was to long to dock and the tenders were being prepared whilst we were eating breakfast.

There wasn’t the mad rush for tenders that there had been in the Falklands and we caught the first tender across to the port buildings at 08:45. There was free wi fi there and because we were early it was a fast connection, we managed to catch up with e mails and messages before it got too busy and it slowed to a snails pace.

The first place we reached was the plaza with trees lining the pathways which led to a huge bronze statue of Ferdinand Magellan the first European to set foot on these shores. The myth is if you kiss the statues big toe you will return to the city. I didn’t want to kiss the toe but also didn’t want to risk not doing so. Instead I kissed my fingers and touched the toe then sanitised my hands.

On the other side of the plaza was a small craft market with locally made goods for sale. Lots of wool garments, more penguin souvenirs, and lots of jewellery made with the local lapis Lazuli stone. The town was well laid out and easy to walk around with lots of pelican crossings, it seemed quite prosperous and we were pleasantly surprised with how clean and tidy it was. It had a ‘looked after’ feel to it.

We wandered around enjoying the warm sunshine and I had to take layers off as the sun rose higher and it became hotter.

We stopped off for coffee and used the free wi fi to check our next watering hole.
Last time we were here we had found a bar called Lunaticos which had Rock music playing and many different local beers on sale.
We were both disappointed that it had closed down indefinitely.

We wandered back around the little market stalls as more had opened up but I didn’t see anything I wanted to buy.

The supermarket was on our way back to the ship and as we now have 4 sea days to our next port of call we stocked up on a few cabin supplies.

The closer we got back to the sea the colder and windier it got and the layers I had discarded earlier were swiftly put back on. The tender had a tricky job docking and it was a bouncy ride back to the ship.

The sun stayed with us all day and was hot but the cold breeze meant it wasn’t comfortable for me to sit outside for long although many people were making the most of it.

The Captains 6 p.m. announcement included information about our call into Callao the nearest port to visit Lima in Peru. We had an inkling before the cruise set sail from Southampton that there was a less than 50% chance of visiting this port. The Riots and government warnings about violence in the cities, Macchu Pichu being closed to visitors meant that the risk was just too great. Captain Simon explained that we still had to call there to take stores on and also some crew were due to leave the ship there and new crew would be arriving. We will now just stay for one day instead of the two day planned call but no passengers will be allowed to disembark.
Our payment for the tours booked was refunded immediately.
Captain also mentioned that he was hoping that another port could be added in Ecuador but that wasn’t guaranteed.

We ate dinner in Sindhu which as usual was excellent and we made the decision to change our next speciality dining booked at the Beach House to Sindhu. We enjoy the Beach House but Sindhu is extra special. The soft shell crab is amazing and the steaks there are superior to those served in the Beach House.
We didn’t have a desert but instead moved into the Glass House for the cheese board and a glass of port.

The evening entertainment was The Beatles Experience in Carmens. They were fabulous and the Paul McCartney was an authentic left handed guitarist. The Fab Four had been travelling for 17 hours today and didn’t board the ship until 5 p.m,. Their first show was at 19:30, we watched their second show at 21:00 and then they had a late show at 22:30. They have a few days rest before there next appearance.

Tomorrow we have a sea day where we will pass some stunning scenery as we cruise the Chilean Fjords to the Amalia Glacier.

[Suekersh]

Good evening all. Here is today's cruise report from Sue and Garry.

Friday, 3 February 2023, Amalia Glacier

I woke to the ship lurching around and the poltergeists had returned to our cabin. I tried to get up but soon realised that it was more sensible to take a tablet and stay in bed. The Captain assured us that by 10:30 am we would be sailing back into the shelter of the fjords.
He was virtually spot on with his timings although the severe winds and one gust which registered as a hurricane at 90 miles per hour meant that our arrival at the Amalia Glacier would be delayed by an hour and the arrival time would now be at 16:30.

We were out on deck which wasn’t as cold as I had anticipated. The Captain slowly pivoted the ship around so that everyone got the chance to see this huge glacier. I compared photos from 5 years ago and realised that the glacier looked much dirtier than last time. It wasn’t dirt it was the rocks below the ice showing more which meant that the glacier had decreased in size over the five years.

Our cabin steward delivered an invite to a Ligurian event in Carmens on Monday afternoon for a glass of champagne and a special announcement, keeping us in suspense for three days.

It was the 5 th formal night of the cruise and a lovely meal in the dining room. Another steak cooked to perfection with large juicy prawns on top.

We spent the evening in the Crows Nest chatting to other passengers and officers. Captain Simon walked around and spoke with many of the passengers in there as did Colin the Hotel General Manager. Richard the loyalty manager also arrived but he wasn’t giving anything away about the ‘Special Announcement’.

Saturday, 4 February 2023 - PIO X glacier

It was another early start as we arrived at the glacier at 07:30 but it could be seen 30 minutes prior to that.
Lots of passengers and crew were out and about waiting to take a photograph. It is a stunning sight. Absolutely huge but we passed many small and large chunks of ice that had broken away.
Like the Amalia glacier yesterday there were signs of the rocks under the ice showing through. In places it was extremely thick and the ice a blue colour.
The Captain slowly turned the ship round so that everyone had a view of this magnificent glacier. It was extremely cold on deck but worth it for the views.

We went into the dining room for breakfast as we were sailing away and had the view from the window again.

We continued to sail through the stunning Chilean fjords. The scenery is spectacular. The deck crew had put the sun beds out which was very optimistic of them or they know something we don’t.

I spent the morning between the cabin to get warm and being outside for the scenery.
Around lunch time we were out of the sheltered fjords and felt the full force of the Pacific. It was rough with strong gale force winds. I took some tablets and slept much of the afternoon away.
It stayed rough but I managed to make it into dinner.

The entertainment in the theatre was supposed to be Acrobatics but this was cancelled due to the weather. I really just wanted to be safely back in my cabin on my bed and as we have drinks in the cabin that is where we spent the evening. The seas are supposed to lessen by tomorrow morning.

[Suekersh]

Good afternoon all.
Am posting the latest update from Sue and Garry.


Sunday, 5 February 2023 - Sea day to San Antonio- Chile

The seas had reduced significantly over night .
A much brighter day which was cool to start off but soon warmed up as the day went on. Finally a lazy warm sea day spent on the sun loungers.

There were many Albatross around following ship and the passengers with their huge cameras were out in force. Dolphins and Tuna fish were spotted around the ship.

Our Head waiter Leo who takes our pre orders every night gave us the weather forecast for tomorrow as sunny and 28 degrees.

Monday 6 February 2023 2 nd Sea Day to San Antonio, Chile.

I think it is called Chile for a reason as it started off very chilly on deck. I wanted to tell Leo that he is a far better head waiter than a weather forecaster but he was no where to be seen at breakfast.

It did warm up considerably as the sun got higher but a long way off 28 degrees.

We have now been on board for 31 days and today is a muster drill for the crew. The passengers are requested to go to their muster station to check in but it is not mandatory.

A BBQ had been arranged in the Crystal Pool area at lunch time. We went up to have a look and it was heaving. Queues from both sides of the serving areas. Everyone appeared to be enjoying it and a great success for the F & B time. This is the first BBQ on Aurora since the ship restarted in February 2022.

At 4 p.m. we made our way down to Carmens for the exclusive Ligurian event with champagne.

The event was to invite all Ligurians to an exclusive day out in Cartagena at Casa 1537. This will include lunch, Colombian dancing show and a free bar. Richard the loyalty manager had downloaded photos and promotional material for the Casa. It all looks fabulous and a perfect day to hold the event.

At dinner we said goodbye to our friend who finally departs the ship tomorrow to fly home for well earned leave. We will miss him.

It was the final show of the Beatles experience in Carmens and it was heaving in there. A brilliant show. They disembark tomorrow along with other entertainers and a new batch will arrive.

Tuesday, 27 February 2023, San Antonio, Chile

San Antonio Port is a commercial port with little or nothing going for it.
Lots of cranes and containers stacked up blocking any view of the city that there might have been. Valparaiso is a much nicer port and used to be used by the cruise ships until the Unions decided that San Antonio needed the cruise ship money and the locals boycotted Valparaiso port and caused problems for cruise ships. There were riots in the city and now San Antonio is where the cruise ships dock.

This is a working port and no one was allowed off the ship until the shuttles were in place.

We had planned to get off earlier than our 9 am meeting time to get on the wi fi. This didn’t happen as the port was so disorganised. No shuttles in place ready and when they did arrive they only took 38 passengers so only 38 passengers were allowed off the ship at any one time. The queues were around the ship. There was nothing the officers could do. The Captain, Hotel General manger and
Customer service manager were trying their best but the Unions rule this port. It didn’t help that Oceania passengers were disembarking at the same time with their suitcases.

Everything had to be scanned and documents checked. Finally we were through but we had a wait for the tour coach as all the earlier tours were delayed as passengers couldn’t get off and our coach couldn’t pull in to the area until there was room. Fred Carnos circus had nothing on this but it was all down to the disorganisation and incorrect information given by the port authorities.

The coach was quite modern and had toilet facilities but no wi fi on board. Our guide was called Julie who spoke excellent English.

Our first stop was at the vineyard Casa del Bosque in the area called Casablanca. It is a is a real gem and our guide Maria very informative. She explained how they were not using chemicals but Sheep to eat the weeds and as they don’t like grapes the vines were safe, their poo is used as manure, they have a problem with rabbits but they also have foxes which sort that issue out for them.

There were flowers everywhere and everything was immaculate.
After the tour came the tasting of 3 different wines. A white and two red. The white Sauvignon Blanc was excellent, the reds were okay but we still prefer the Jam Shed Shiraz. At the end we could buy bottles of wine. Last time I was here I bought some fabulous rosé but today there wasn’t any. We bought some of the Sauv Blanc we had tasted.

Next we had a drive through Valparaiso where Julie pointed out the highlights. There were some stunning buildings and parks but it mainly gave the impression of poverty. Similar to Rio the locals lived high up above the city although probably slightly better accommodation than at Rio but some of the houses looked very precarious perching on ledges of the hills. The town centre was all commercial property many of which were very run down, full of street art and looked unloved. We drove on to Vina del Mar which is a more upmarket area with a nice beach front. We had an hour here to wander around the local park or beach front or get some lunch and a drink.
Not really long enough but we managed a drink and some empanada’s and it had good wi fi.

It was a 75 minute coach journey back. I was hoping to get some shut eye after the wine and lunch but two ladies behind us had obviously not had enough to drink to make them sleepy.

We had made the decision yesterday that we would go to the Glass House for dinner as I didn’t want to rush to get ready for dinner. It was fabulous as always but once again I had missed menu 2 and we were back to menu 1. They are both excellent but it is nice to have a change. The menu changes every 7 days.

During the evening a letter explaining the early morning issues with the shuttle buses and apologising to passengers arrived from the Hotel General Manager. The port authorities had assured P & O that they would have the necessary amount of shuttle buses required but had sent less than half the amount promised. They have once again promised that tomorrow there will be plenty of shuttles available as
we have another day in San Antonio tomorrow.

[Suekersh]

Good evening everyone.
Here is another cruise update from Sue and Garry.


Wednesday, 8 February 2023 - 2nd day in San Antonio - Chile
Garry caught up on the laundry and the gossip was about mugging and pickpockets in the city. I haven’t heard it from anyone else so could just be rumour.

It was a doddle disembarking But we let all the trips get out of the way and didn’t go out until 9 a.m.

The Wi fi in the terminal was fast to start then slowed down considerably as it got busier.

We caught the Shuttle bus into the city as didn’t want to risk walking which was around 15 minutes in a rough area. Oceania Insignia was in port today and another change over day for them. They had been allocated the best berth but as they call here often it is as it should be.

I have been trying to think of something positive to say about San Antonio but I am failing. I can’t even say the weather was good because it was very misty although by 2 p.m. it was warm enough to sit on deck although not pleasant as the view was of huge containers cranes and other machinery. It was very noisy . The misty weather has been partly caused by the large fires in central Chile causing smog. There has been a slight smell of burning during our stay here. It may get worse tomorrow as we head further North to Coquimbo.

The city itself is a ‘hell hole’ Noisy and Dirty. I found the fish market and remembered that if I walked through there was a pier where the seals could be seen. Last time they were sunbathing on the rocks but as there wasn’t any sun they were playing in the water waiting for the fishermen to throw the fish waste into the water. Lots of birds around picking up the tasty fish from the catch that was left unattended and leaving their mess around.
We left after a a particularly large bird decided to poo on Garry. Luckily I was prepared and had wet wipes with me. I know it is supposed to be lucky but he wasn’t impressed at all.

We looked at a few of the stalls and bought a couple of polished Amethyst stones for a few dollars, then went into the shopping centre and picked up some cabin supplies. The supermarket was very busy with Aurora passengers.

The plan had been to eat a fishy lunch in the city but having seen the flies swarming around the uncovered fish in the market, and not having seen anywhere I would even buy a drink from let alone eat we caught the shuttle back to the ship.

Our departure was delayed slightly due to some missing passengers but the Captain announced that we had to leave. He managed to wait for around 30 minutes but the workers at the port were ready to finish and he eventually had to set sail.

The evening entertainment in the Curzon was Jay McGee from the Rockin Berries. Billed as an ‘All round entertainer.’ He was and although I usually give comedians a wide berth he was so funny. He referred to San Antonio as Beirut. His 45 minute slot stretched to an hour and every minute of it was entertaining. I haven’t laughed until my sides ached for a long time.

Tomorrow we are in Coquimbo.

[Meg 50]

so were some stragglers left behind?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sounds a wonderful place to be standing on the quayside as the ship sails without you! There's a lesson there.

[barney]

Sue !
Get Garry back in that launderette to find out what happened to the missing passengers.
I’m on tenterhooks.
Did they make it ?
Are they stuck in that hell hole for ever ?

[Suekersh]

Good morning all.
Here is the latest cruise report from Sue and Garry.


Thursday, 9 February 2023 - Coquimbo.

Although this is another commercial port it had far more going for it than San Antonio. It is a third world country and the majority of the people are very poor. The Cross of the Third Millennium could be seen on the hill overlooking the bay. At 93 meters high it is the largest in South America. I visited this and other sights in Coquimbo 5 years ago.

Our plan here was to find a taxi to La Serena the up market tourist area as wanted to visit the Japanese Gardens.
Once through the small terminal building it was a short walk to where the taxis, tour buses and coaches were parked.

We struck lucky with our taxi driver Ernesto. He had worked on the cruise ships in his younger days and could speak excellent English. He was registered with the tourist board and we felt completely at ease with him.
He drove along the coastal road pointing out the interesting sights on the way including the Pan American highway.
It was around a 25 minute journey to La Serena and once there the traffic was really busy. Ernesto explained that approx 40,000 people lived in this area but during the holiday season from December to March this increases 10 fold to 400,000.

We arrived at the Japanese Gardens and Ernesto waited for us.
As we are pensioners the fee to get in was only 500 pesos (50p) I was a little insulted that she didn’t ask to see any proof of my age.

The gardens are a tranquil green oasis in the midst of this busy seaside resort. It’s original name was Garden of the Heart. Absolutely beautifully manicured with waterfalls, streams and a lake with fresh water turtles and huge koi carp. Many different birds live here including the endangered black swans and black neck swans? The trees were manicured to shape them into the Japanese style.
It took around an hour to walk around and Ernesto was there waiting for us to return.
During the return journey Ernesto showed us the magnificent houses and hotels in La Serena. He explained that planning was very strict and no high rise structures.

We had asked him to drop us at a supermarket in town but instead he took us to a hyper market. He said it was the largest in Chile and I believe him. It was huge. We only wanted Pepsi and tonic to see us through to the Caribbean sector. It took so long to pay as the queues were long and the trolleys full. Ernesto was patiently waiting for us with the taxi. I was glad we had agreed a price with him so we were not on the meter.
It took a long time to return us to the port area as it was so busy.
He stuck to the agreed price even though we had been at least an hour longer than we expected so we gave him a good tip and he left us very happy.

Once back on the ship the sun was on the aft deck so after a quick change and something to eat that is where I spent the afternoon. It wasn’t particularly peaceful as there were three colourful but noisy pirate boats doing tours and appeared to be competing against each other for the noisiest passengers on the boats. Every person on the boats which must have held around 50 or more seated passengers all wearing bright orange life jackets. The kids were all having a great time and learning about Francis Drake who berthed near here in the bay of La Herradura.

We watched the sailaway sat in the sun on the aft deck.

A sea day tomorrow to our final Chilean port of Arica.

[Suekersh]

Good evening all we have had a lovely sunny day here in Swansea.
Here is Sue and Garry's latest cruise update.

Friday 10, February 2023 - sea day and Arica- Chile

It took a while for the sun to burn off the cloud but by 10:30 it was scorching hot. Showers were forecast but no sign of them yet.

We have now been on board for 5 weeks with 4 more still to come.
6 th Formal night.

I stayed on deck soaking up the rays until mid afternoon as it was my hair was in desperate need of attention and it was a formal night.

There was a Captains Quiz in Masquerades at 19:30. Not great timing as half the passengers would be in dinner and the other half getting ready for formal night dinner. It was around 8 p.m. before we had finished dinner so went up to the Crows Nest as the musicians from Pulse were playing up there. It was the busiest I had seen it at that time.

We finished the evening outside on the aft deck. It was a fabulous sky as the sun slowly went down.

Saturday, 11 February 2023 - Arica, Chile


It was still dark when we went outside but nice and warm. We were eating breakfast outside when there was an awful noise which sounded like someone was in great pain. We had a look round but couldn’t see anyone. The noise stopped then started again. Once it was light we realised it was the many sea lions around the ship making the awful noises. They may have been disgruntled at being disturbed so early in the morning or it was their mating cry.
There were hundreds of birds just sat on the rocks and port side waiting for the fish to wake up.

Arica is the most Northern port in Chile being situated only 12 miles from the Peruvian border. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains and the Atacama Desert.

We docked in a Commercial Port and could see the desert close by. It was extremely hot as we are now at latitude 18 degrees South.

The town is overlooked by El Moro which is a huge rock and is a national monument. The only way to the top is by walking. The panoramic views are apparently stunning of the port and coast as well as the desert and surrounding hills.

The sea lions were swimming around the ship all day, others were on the rocks, hundreds of birds around all joining in the dawn chorus. There were jelly fish everywhere of all different colours and sizes. I just wish that they were on the sea lions breakfast menu but they seemed to ignore them completely.

We let the trips get off first then caught the shuttle to the small terminal area. There was free wi fi which didn’t work, some stalls with local crafts and one selling wine which we decided to investigate later.

The town was very close and more stalls were set up close to the cathedral. There was a small craft market close by in the plaza and the Cathedral overlooked the tree lined plaza. Most of the town was pedestrianised. It had a typical Spanish feel to it and the locals were friendly.

The market area was very typical with brightly coloured clothing and oversized fruit and vegetables. It was very hot, we stopped for a drink and the waitress put the wi fi code in for me. After we had ordered we were told the wi fi wasn’t working. The beer was good though.

We had £70 worth of Chilean money left to spend.
I tried hard to work up any enthusiasm for the jewellery, handbags and shoes in the shops but nothing appealed.

We reached the huge supermarket and stocked up on cabin supplies. We have a sea day to Peru where we cannot disembark, then 2 sea days to Manta where we are now overnighting instead of Peru. These will be very hot days as we sail closer to the equator. We managed to spend a chunk of our pesos and we gave our change to a very helpful local and his young son.

On our way to the terminal we bought some of the Chilean semi precious stone Lapis Lazuli shaped into penguins. That got rid of £25 of our Pesos.
At the terminal we revisited the wine store. The white wine was 4000 pesos around £4 and we had 7500 pesos left. She sold us 2 bottles for the money we had left. No idea what it tastes like but Chilean wine is usually very good. The wi fi still wasn’t working.

I spent the afternoon on the aft deck in the scorching sun. Some sea lions around but the majority were basking on the rocks.
At sailaway we could see them all. They blend into the rocks but there were hundreds of them.

Another excellent dinner. Our table waiters Rudolph and PJ are superb and work well together. Our head waiter Leo is amazing. He reads my mind and knows instinctively what I will order or he will tweak the menu to ensure I am happy.
Dinner is always a pleasure where sometimes on long cruises it becomes a chore. We do mix it up a bit with Sindhu, Glass house and Beach House evenings.

The evening entertainment was Jay McGee with his second show. This wasn’t as good as his first show although still entertaining his jokes were not new or topical. He sang Elvis hits and that part of his show was excellent.
Sent from my iPad

[Suekersh]

Sunday, 12 February 2023 Sea Day to Peru and Peru

The clocks had gone back another hour putting us 4 hours behind UK time.
We had a champagne breakfast out side watching the sunrise. A fabulous start to our Wedding Anniversary.

Another hot day with some cloud to break up the intense heat and a nice sea breeze.

There were a few Dolphins around and some fishing boats. Lots of fishing around here with 50 different types caught including Tuna and sword fish.

The captains lunchtime announcement was interesting. We had sailed 294 miles from Arica with 289 to go to Peru and are15 degrees South of the equator.
The good news was that although for our day stay in Peru, the country is still too unstable for passengers to be allowed shore time, but that the agent had informed him that stalls selling local goods would be set up alongside the ship and we would be allowed off the ship into this small secure area.

I remember the stalls from our previous visit here and I had bought some silver chains.

We had booked dinner in Sindhu and were welcomed like friends by the staff in there. Elvis looked after us and took photos for us to remember the evening.

It was still very warm outside and we sat out chatting to other passengers we had got to know.

Monday, 13 February 2023 - Peru

The clocks went back another hour and will stay at 5 hours behind the UK until we reach the Caribbean.
When we arrived at the docks it was extremely foggy. The mountains looked like ghost mountains and the fishing boats like they were floating on air. Hundreds of sea birds welcomed us flying vey close to the ship.

I was out on deck very early because of the time change again. Once the sun got its hat on the fog was burned off and we could see that we were at another unattractive commercial port.

The Azamara Journey was already docked when we arrived and they must work under different safety rules and regulations to P & O as their passengers were off on trips to Lima.
The market stalls were setting up on the dock side which was as far as we were allowed to go.

We were quite happy with the decision made by head office as after reading the warnings about Peru on the Gov.UK site I wasn’t looking forward to our tour here into Lima with free time. We probably would have cancelled it and lost our 10% but as P & O cancelled we got a full refund.

The passengers who had booked the Galapagos Island tour and the crew who were due to fly home were allowed off onto coaches and taken to the nearby airport. Crew that were due to join Aurora were already on the dockside waiting to board.

Aurora needed refuelling which was another reason for todays stop here.

Around 9 a.m. the announcement came that we could disembark onto the dockside and visit the stalls. There were 10 stalls selling items ranging from touristy tat to silver jewellery and Alpaca wool garments. The stall Holders were explaining that the Alpaca wool was from adult Alpacas and not baby ones.
They were soon very busy with Aurora guests and appeared to be doing good business with their captive audience. Garry haggled for some silver chains for me and an Alpaca shawl. Their English was very good and the currency was dollars.

I spent the rest of the day on the aft deck in the hot sun. The fuel barge didn’t arrive until 3 p.m. which meant a late stay here.

At 6 p.m. the Captain confirmed that departure time would be around 11 p.m.

It was such a lovely evening that we skipped the entertainment and stayed outside.

We are now at sea for 2 days before our 2 day stay in Manta, Ecuador.

[CaroleF]

Reading this last post has brought back memories of my trip there, the one Sue and Garry were on five years ago when we were allowed ashore in Lima. The port was Callao and there were trips into Lima. It was also where those who had opted to go on the trip to Machu Picchu left the ship - my husband John among them. It doesn't seem to have been offered on this cruise, maybe because of the unrest in Peru. I do remember receiving a text from John while at Lima airport saying there was a problem because for some peculiar reason his ticket, which he was given after boarding the bus to the airport was in my name. Previously when he received an invite to the pre-trip meeting about the excursion it was sent to me, not him. He obviously pointed out that this was wrong - the booking had been in his name so why that error happened I don't know. Apparently there was a mighty row at the airport and at one time it looked as if he might have to catch a later flight but the P&O rep with the group purchased another ticket

I went on a trip to Lima which stopped at a very old traditional house in the city. Unfortunately several other coaches, not all P&O, had the same idea and there were so many coaches that the traffic was blocked and the local police were not happy. It was an interesting house with many statues and paintings and a central courtyard where we were given drinks. I'm not sure what mine was. It was very dark and tasted like a liquid Christmas pudding. After this it was a coach trip round the city which seemed to be a mixture of sparkling new buildings and old faded grandeur, lots and lots of traffic! One street we drove down amazed me. The shops had shutters which when raised was an open entrance where the goods were almost on the street. One shop sold musical instruments and there was everything including a grand piano. The shop which made everyone stare sold everything one might see in an operating theatre - the table, the over head arc lamps, anaesthetic trolley and in the shop next door all instruments laid out for sale. Those of us on the trip couldn't believe what we saw. The passengers on the Machu Pichu trip returned when we docked at Mantra. John thoroughly enjoyed the trip which included travelling on a train like the Orient Express, also owned by the Belmond group and staying in a 5* hotel so it was certainly seeing Machu Pichu with amazing travel and accommodation. It was somewhere John had always wanted to go so I'm very pleased he was able to do this before he became ill. Certainly a trip of a lifetime.

[Suekersh]

Here is today's cruise report from Sue and Garry.

Tuesday, 14 February 2023 Sea days to Manta

Valentines Day and the sun was shining. Blue sky with some light cloud.
Cards arrived from the Loyalty staff which was a lovely touch especially if anyone is travelling on their own. No rose from P & O this year but a fabulous Valentines menu for tonight.

I had hoped they would change it to Formal night as it was a sea day but that is still tomorrow night.

The Captains announcement at noon included the miles travelled so far at 11,439 miles. We are 10 degrees South of the equator and have spent 1.3 million on fuel plus £440.000 on diesel.

A fantastic sunset the best we have seen ever and I forgot to take my camera out. A friend has given me permission to copy her photos which are fabulous.

Wednesday 15 February 2023 - 2nd Sea Day to Manta

Hot hot hot as we reach closer to the equator. At midday we were on Lyn 5 degrees from it.
The whales, Dolphins and Tuna were around all day as the sea was so calm.

Another perfect lazy sea day followed by a Formal night.
Great menu in the dining room, followed by cocktails in the Crows Nest. It was very warm on deck for our nightcap.

[Suekersh]

Good afternoon all.

Here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.

Thursday, 16 February - Manta, Ecuador

It took a while for the Captain to dock the ship as we crept into port avoiding the many fishing vessels. We saw lots of Tuna jumping around in the sea.

This is the Tuna Capital of the world with many canning factories located here. It is called Ecuador as it is located less than 0.5 of a degree South of the equator. It was steaming hot just fabulous weather for me.

Since we called here in 2018 the port has been renovated with a new terminal building. It is still a large fishing port with many boats either in dock or out in the bay waiting for their turn to be unloaded. A much nicer port than the ones in Chile.

There was a shuttle bus to the terminal building were there were many stalls set up selling local produce and crafts. Free wi fi but we didn’t try to get on as knew we would get it at the mall.

The port had laid on a shuttle bus to a Mall close by, which was also opposite the huge beach with many bars and cafés.
We spent some time in the mall and got some decent wi fi to catch up on e mails etc.
We have another day here tomorrow so will probably come back to stock up on cabin supplies. It isn’t far from the ship.

Last time we were here we had to take our life in our hands to cross the road to the beach but there are now lights and a crossing.
It is a lovely area with a huge paved walking area and many bars and cafés. We visited the Restaurant Alcatraz and the owner joined us to practice his English and I got chance to practice my limited Spanish.
Huge Bottles of Pilsner beer for $2.50 and an extensive seafood menu and wi fi as well. My ideal venue. All the food was freshly cooked and delicious.

I fancied a dip in the sea but the surf was up so stayed away. I will have plenty of sea time once we reach the Caribbean.

We had a look around the local stalls in the Terminal building and bought some coffee beans. Lots of Alpaca garments around and silver jewellery all highly colourful and many hand made. A stall was making and selling the Panama hats. The locals were pointing out that although called Panama hats they have always been made Ecuador.

We didn’t bother with any of the evening entertainment and instead sat outside under the stars with a bottle of Chilean Rosé wine.

We have another day in Manta tomorrow,

[Suekersh]

Good evening everyone.
Here is todays cruise report from Sue and Garry.

Friday, 17 February 2023 - Manta Ecuador
Our second day here and early morning on deck it was steaming hot.

Our hottest day so far and many were scurrying to get beds in the shade.

We got off early as a lady I met had told me about a hairdressers in the mall where they were doing wet trims for 10 dollars. After a friend being quoted £35 on the ship and her hair is short this sounded a real bargain and the lady was very pleased with her cut.

We had a coffee in the mall then went to find the hairdressers. Garry spotted a barbers and had the ‘works’ in there for $12 hair, brows, nose, ears, beard and tash.

It took me longer to find the ladies hairdresser and I just asked for a small amount off. There were quite a few ladies from the ship already in there. She did a really good job but I wouldn’t know how good until after I had washed and styled it tonight.

The supermarket was once again very busy with ships passengers clearing the shelves of tonic. We got a few cabin supplies but didn’t need much.

It was too hot to spend any time at the beach and we headed back to the airconditioned ship. I did go back on the aft deck for a short while but even I needed to find the shade.

We had booked dinner in the Beach House and a perfect evening to eat outside with another fabulous sunset. The Beech House menu hasn’t changed but the recipes have definitely been tinkered with. We both commented that the mushroom starters were lacking in something, the steak was perfect as usual as not much can be tinkered with there except for the side dishes of sauce which I don’t use.
The biggest disappointment for me was the Key Lime Sundae. Where as it used to be refreshing and light now it is thick and ‘claggy’.

The price has been increased and the quality reduced.

Just after 10 p.m, we crossed the equator and back into the Northern
Hemisphere. We were hoping for another crossing the equator ceremony tomorrow but there was nothing in the Horizon about it.

[melsea]

Hello Sue & Garry
What a fabulous travel log of your cruise. It has brought many a memory to me of the times we have sailed this route. Had I read these earlier I could have told you what the pit town that is Recife. The only good thing there was the old prison building where we were dropped off that was worth anything. So enjoyed your version of your day in Rio. The first time we went was in 2007. That time we had gone with friends and we opted to get a taxi from the port gates. Alas I hadn’t taken my camera or much cash which I put into my trainers. Turns out he was well respected by other taxi drivers and he too took us to the avenue of where the Carnival goes through. One place he did take us and I so wish I had my camera was the heliport near to Sugar loaf. All that you said we had too. On the same cruise we too visited the Falklands. We were there when it was the 25th Anniversary, again quite a number of soldiers there too. I came across a website yesterday and saw Aurora transiting the Panama Canal. Looks like you had a good sunny day. Bet it was hot too. Look forward to hearing more. Give my regards to Aurora our favourite P&O ship. Melsea

[CaroleF]

I remember going through the Panama Canal in 2018. It wasn't the first time we'd been through but it was the first time that the new Canal had been open. We went through the original Canal and as far as we could see the ships going through the new one were, in the main, huge and I mean huge container ships. I remember the heat. It was so hot that I watched mainly from our balcony whereas John kept going up top and then having to have a respite in the air conditioning. We had a good commentary which I think is the norm going through the canal, but that heat!

Carole

[Ray B]

That was one of the things on my wish list. We picked up the end of a world cruise at San Francisco on Aurora. The ship had developed a problem when calling at Australia and was a day late arriving at San Francisco having missed ports to make up time. Lots of moans on board, but delighted over the delay which gave us another extra day in San Fran bring our pre cruise to four days. Arriving a day late at the pacific end of the canal we had a short wait for our new allocated time to start the transit.
We had a cabin on the back deck, so set up camp by the rails and had a truly wonderfully day making the transit to the Caribbean.

[Suekersh]

Morning all. Here are the latest cruise reports from Sue and Garry.


Hi all, just arrived in Aruba. Not had internet for a few days. Going on a snorkel trip this morning.


Saturday, 18 February 2023 - Sea Day to Fuerte Amador, Panama.

Early morning it was overcast and a few spots of rain which lasted about 10 seconds. The low cloud lingered for a little longer but by 9 am we were in full sun and getting hotter by the minute.
We were 0.5 degrees North of the equator at midday.

I spent the day on the sunbed whilst Garry stayed in the shade or inside watching the football.

After dinner we had an evening under the stars on the aft deck. Typically the sky was totally clear whereas last night when there was a star gazing event organised by the officers the sky was too cloudy and the event cancelled.

Tomorrow we are in Fuerte Amador the final Pacific Port of this cruise.
Sunday, 19 February 2023 - Fuerte Amador, Panama.
This is a new port for us and very close to Panama City which we could clearly see the city skyscrapers although it looked quite smoggy over the water.

Lots of shipping around coming and going and many more anchored up.
The pilot arrived at 06:30 and we were docked for around 8 am ish.

We were told that passports would be stamped in a tent like structure on the way out and on the way back to the ship. We decided to let the tours disembark first and when I looked out at 8:30 ish there was a queue. One problem was that because of the tide there was only one gangway in operation.

Soon afterwards we noticed there was no queue and passengers were walking straight off, shortly followed by an announcement that there was a technical issue in the tents and passports were no longer being stamped but still mandatory to take with you.

We decided to go for it and we were lucky as no queue to get off, short queue for shuttle bus then a 10 minute wait on the bus for the shuttle to fill up. We were at Perico island by 9 a.m and surrounded by taxi drivers looking for business.

They were very insistent and pestering.
They told us nothing was open as it was a Sunday and Carnival day. Then they said the mall was open and charging 10 US each to go there, they also told us that the Ho Ho bus was not working because of the Carnival. By this time I didn’t trust any of them and walked away.

As we did we saw what we thought must be an optical illusion in the form of the Hop on, Hop off Bus.
It cost $20 for the two hour trip and well worth it. We had no intention of hopping off but just wanted to see the sights of Panama City.

The view from the ship of the Panama skyline hides the many slum areas of Panama which the locals call the Red zones. They were dreadful and for such a wealthy city an embarrassment.

We saw the colourful Bio museum with the Bridge of Americas behind it and called at the visitor centre at the Miraflores locks. There were 14 stops in total.
We were ready for a couple of beers when we returned to our starting point and found a bar/restaurant with great Wi-Fi and finally our Apps got upgraded and we stayed for a tapas lunch and more Panama beer.

On our way back to the shuttle I spotted the local supermarket and our luck was in as the tonic gulping locusts hadn’t cleared the shelves. We just bought 12 cans and left the rest for any other passengers who were running low.

When we returned to the ship it was mega hot on deck and it even sent me a sun worshipper scurrying for the shade.

The Captains evening announcement was to outline the timetable for Auroras Panama Canal transit. It’s going to be an early start as the ship leaves the berth at 4 a.m. and we reach the first lock at 07:45.

We had dinner in the Main dining room then headed back to the aft deck for another evening under the stars.

[Suekersh]

Monday, 20 February 2023 - Panama Canal Transit.
As the final sector of this cruise started we received vouchers to purchase from the Duty free shop a bottle each of spirits for in cabin drinks. We checked our supply and we didn’t need anything. Garry went to check if they had any of my fav gin but they didn’t so we didn’t bother.

I was awake early probably due to the ship engines and we sailed away from our berth at Fuerte Amador around 4 a.m.
We were on deck by 5 a.m. and had set up for the day. We were not the only early birds and many others had the same idea.
This will be our 3 rd transit of the canal from West to East, our first was in January 2007, then again in 2018.
In 2017 we went East to West and in 2019 a partial transit into the Gatun Lake.

The pilot boarded around 6 a.m. and we sailed under the Bridge Of the Americas at 7:20 a.m

Soon after we entered the canal a crocodile was spotted. It had managed to catch an unfortunate Pelican for its breakfast which could be seen in its huge mouth.

There was a commentary from the Bridge throughout the transit It was a beautiful sunny day with a sea breeze to keep the temperatures bearable. We could see the larger ships transmitting the new part of the Panama Canal which opened in 2015. The original canal opened in August 1914.
The 1 st set of locks were the Miraflores which has two chambers and is near the port of Balboa where Aurora was raised 54 ft to allow us to sail into the Miraflores man made lake, followed by the lock Pedro Miguel lock where Aurora was raised 31 ft the height of the Gatun Lake. We passed under the Centennial Bridge then onwards through the Galliard Cut to the massive Gatun Lake just in time for lunch.
There was a BBQ on deck which was well attended.

Aurora sailed through the Gatun lake and into the final Gatun locks
which lowered Aurora 85 ft to the level of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The pilot departed Aurora around 4p.m. As we sailed into the Caribbean Sea.

It had been a long hot but very interesting and exciting day.

An interesting fact is the Panama Palindrome.

A MAN A PLAN A CANAL PANAMA

During dinner the sea got quite rough just as the Captain had warned it would. Luckily I had anticipated this and took a tablet before going down to dinner.

We have a sea day tomorrow which is strange as 5 years ago we went straight from transmitting the Panama Canal to Cartagena overnight.

[Suekersh]

Wednesday, 22 February 2023 - Cartagena
Cartagena has the most unusual port terminal. It has huge green spaces filled with Parrots, flamingoes, peacocks and peahens, and other birds and a few small animals. It is bliss to walk around but today it had to wait as it was the exclusive Ligurian Grand Tour event.

We all met in Carmens at 10:15 where Paige and James from the loyalty team met us, Ricard had sped ahead to the venue to ensure all was ready for our arrival. .
Garry had pulled a muscle in his leg and decided not to attend as it would be a long day. Luckily we had arranged with friends to have a table together so I wasn’t alone.

It was very well organised and the minibuses were on the quayside waiting for us. A lovely surprise was that we would be having a short tour of the old city on the way to our venue Casa 1537.
Most of us had been here before and the journey seemed to take forever because of the traffic and we were all so eager to get to the venue. I realised as soon as we arrived that the drivers and guides had been given precise instructions what time to arrive as the road the venue was on was very narrow and room for only one van at a time.

We were greeted with music dancing and a cocktail as soon as we walked in. Girls in local dress with baskets of fruit placed precariously on their head were walking around and posing with guests and Captain Love was waiting to greet everyone and have photos taken.

The venue was absolutely stunning and the attention to detail organisation and effort put into this event from everyone involved was just astounding .
Drinks flowed all day and anything and everything was available.
Each table was assigned a waitress/ waiter to look after our every need.

Bethany Bond who is the Director of Guest Acquisition and Retention or in her words head of the Loyalty team, gave a short speech about her role in the company and welcomed everyone to the venue.

The food was buffet but definitely not ‘smash & grab’. Tables were invited up individually and the amount and choice of food was mind boggling. Meat, fish, vegetables salads, seafood soup all absolutely delicious. All were local dishes and all different tastes and diets were catered for. All through the meal the guitarist played and sang discreetly in the background and Isa our lovely waitress ensured our wine and water glasses were kept filled and any other drink requests were attended to.

After lunch the Colombian dance show started and guests were encouraged to join in. Richard our loyalty manager could finally let his hair down as the event was a total success. He joined in the dancing and looked like a pro. It was great fun and he must be so proud as well as relieved to stage such a wonderful event.
We have been to a few of these Ligurian events and this is the one that will be remembered for all the right reasons.

All too soon we were called to board the mini buses back to the terminal building. This gave us time to wander around and see all the different species of birds and animals. It was just a fantastic day out from start to finish.

Garry hadn’t had such a good day but it was a wise decision for him not to attend and rest up for the day.

Our very proactive Head waiter Leo had arranged for me to have another Key lime sundae from the Beach House to sample. This was a definite improvement to the the one I was served in the Beach House last week.
We are eating there again soon and we were considering cancelling our booking but will now keep it. Leo was happy and relieved that he had resolved our dissatisfaction with the desert.