24th October.
Too big for one photo! It is like a shopping centre. 8300 humans on board. Cobar had 4000!
Palma is resort city on the island of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean. Now days tourism is the thing with around 20 million visitors a year!!!
Palma was founded by the Romans is around 120 BC. Then it was colonised by the Moors in around 900 BC and, in the 13th century, by James 1 of Aragon.
A massive gothic cathedral, Santa María Cathedral dominates the city. It was built on top of a mosque – a common practice.
Next to it is a Moorish-style Arab fortress that became a royal residence.
There is also the circular Bellver Castle up on a hill. The first circular castle in Europe.
I went into town and walked around Old Town then did loop on the hop on bus.
The old city around the cathedral was lovely with the classic twisting alleys.
Sections of the old town wall and rampart were spread around.
Ancient grain mills.
And heaps more.
Was a lovely day. A bit warm for my liking….but that is’t hard.
Then back to the ship.
I went to the ice show tonight. Called 1887 – A Journey in Time. it started in Paris with the River Seine frozen, the went back in time – Romeo and Juliet, Gladiators etc. They did a light effect to show the ice braking up in the river. Amazing.
Sword fights, rap dancing, kipping (bouncing off their backs). Spinning, throwing, leaping
The cast was full of National champions for all around the world. The choreography and costumes were fantastic. There was a ‘Bubble Artist’ who was amazing. They they continued to skate around on the soapy ice.
Fantastic.
25th October – Sea day.
Started with breakfast with the gang. Good fun. Went to my first breakfast at Johnny Rockets. It was great. Basically the same menu as the dining room but on such a smaller scale so great food.
Then the Meet and Greet. It was held in the Ice Rink with a floor over the top. Some very funny parts from the cruise directors staff during the meet and greet. They made the raffle into a comedy routine with the activities manager running around like a clown.
The Captain – Captain Gus came in —- on his Segway! That he uses to zip around the ship. He is the new captain and made lots of jokes about everyone wanting Captain Johnny back.
Caught up with Clint and Zandra and with Rose the Tony (Nan’s friends).
Today I saw some of the infamous birds that live in Central Park. A mob of Sparrows. Very cute.
Then went on a ‘cabin crawl’ and saw many of the different rooms in the ship. Walked over 2 ks doing it. The rooms on this ship are great. So many features.
The door locks are just done through tapping – you don’t put your card in …just tap. The power outlets have USB plugs and the TV in the room is gigantic. At least 100cm. So much better to see your on board account. There are two wardrobes, one on each side of the bed – perfect for two people. There are even full length mirrors. The room is a bit tight around the end of the bed…but apart from that they are great.
The bench for your ice bucket is not next to the power points. So you get two good sized bench tops.
There is a power point next to the bed. HOORAY!!!!
The bathrooms are great. Big showers with curved glass screens. The shower heads are hand held and adjustable, with great water pressure. The hand basin also has great water pressure – gone are the days of catching handfuls of water to wash your toothpaste spit away! And the Crown and Anchor potions and lotions are lovely – in really pretty bottles!
To open your door you just tap your key. You don’t stick it int he stop and don’t have to take it off your lanyard.
Then went to see the stage production of Grease the Musical. Absolutely brilliant. The quality of shows here is amazing. As good as anything I have paid to see. The production of the show was so good. The sets and the props were fantastic.
Costumes etc. And some of the singer were so good. And the choreography of the dances and the prob changes was brilliant. In “Beauty School dropout” the Guardian Angle came floating down from the sky. Of course Rizo stole the show with “Worst things I could do”. The whole thing was amazing and almost the whole audience gave them a standing ovation.
Then I went and watcher the “Bionic Bar” – a robot barman. You swipe your card and order your drink. Then the robot makes the drink. It selects a cup, adds ice if required, then goes up to all the bottles of spirits. it then does a very cool shaking routine and pours the drink into the cup. When you tap your card again it pushes the drink out to your. I didn’t see it mess up….but sometimes it flips things all over the place.
I went down to the Diamond Lounge and met up with Ruth and Michael. The lounges were mad with no seats available. Apart from when you are on your own and can always get a seat. Hahah.
Then met the gang for drinks. We are drinking up on the deck and using our free drinks on our cards. We all had lots and were very funny! Just ask us. And very loud.
We marched down to the dinning room, via a bar for more drinks, in a long line of very noisy people. Some luck people got to travel in the lift with us. Then to the main dinning room to out table of 15! It was 8 then a few more have been added , then a few more until tonight it was 15. The waiters are fantastic but I feel sorry for them trying to organise 15 of us.
Then bed. So I will catch up here tomorrow!
Great day.
This ship is amazing.
Next Malaga – click below to go there