Off We Go... Back to London!
One last look at Valletta on our way to catch an early BOLT. Such a convenient way to travel. With a 7:45am flight, we had to make our way to the airport early. Initially, we thought we would walk to the tram and take it straight into the airport but considering the pre-dawn hour, more sleep, faster transport seemed best. We landed in LHR, picked up our stored luggage and headed for the National Express bus station in the airport.
With a bit of time to wait, we searched out a little place for coffee. Our nonstop flight was on time. Customs was a breeze. Picking up our luggage was so easy. I had allowed a safe buffer to allow for any delays or complications before our bus. Also, thinking that it could be early or late, I paid a few euro extra to get the flexible tickets. Unfortunately, the earlier bus ride was sold out so we enjoyed our coffee…
Checking into our hotel, The Ennios Boutique Hotel in Southampton, was so simple. The “desk” was inside a restaurant, and the rooms were above. Without an elevator, the management was nice enough to store our cruise clothes, so we didn’t have to take them up the stairs! Immediately upon entering, the bathroom was to our right. It was huge! Not quite sure why there was a couch in it, the shower was strong and the room comfortable. We could see the ships outside the window, that’s how close we were.
Realizing we really hadn’t eaten all day, we headed out for a bite. Down the street, we could see a newly set up Christmas market. If it wasn’t raining, we would have walked down there but we only had one umbrella so… straight to the pub we went! We ducked into a cute little place that was clearly a local’s favorite.
Handed a menu by the bartender, we found a private table near the fireplace. American classic rock played on the stereo. Occasionally interrupted by a patron playing on the jukebox, it was always another US classic. One guy floated around the bar to the music… we had selected a lively, little spot.
Highly recommended by my longtime friend, Andy (originally from Bristol), we had the bartender pour us each a pint of Thatcher’s. It was so delicious, we had two. Actually, I surprised myself because that was quite a lot to drink. After eating and drinking, we headed back to our hotel. The rain was coming down, but it wasn’t too bad.
Our long day had finally come to an end… as we began to climb into bed, I looked out the window and loved the view. Simple but colorful. Lights reflected off the rainy streets and the building in the background was a beautiful color of purple. The rain provided perfect sleeping weather…
With our land travel ended, it was now time to do “the walk”! My favorite thing… there is a sense of excitement walking up the gangway. It’s like my body knows that rest and recouperation is about to occur. No responsibilities… just pure pampering. This trip will be 16 nights from Southampton to Portland/Weymouth, UK to Cherbourg, France, to Vigo, Spain to Ponta Delgada, Azores with our last port stop being Bermuda and finally ending in Port Canaveral. Lots of sea days, lots of port days. It’s a nice mixture.
True to my usual routine, we skipped all the initial boarding fanfare on the lower floors. Straight up to the Lido deck… this was our first boarding in the rain. We’ve departed in the rain, but I can’t recall boarding in the bad weather. It was actually kind of special to see the buildup of water and the reflections. We started with a coffee since we didn’t get to start our day with it. As you can see, no one is on the upper floors yet!
Our empty tummies needed lunch! We boarded so early that we had time to grab coffee, check out the empty pool deck, set dinner reservations and grab a bite to eat in a nearly empty buffet (trough). After filling up on a variety of foods, we went to Bellini’s bar for our first cocktail! Barry had the Classic Bellini and I had a “Raspberry Romance”. Both were delicious. The best part of our process was that we went upstairs while everyone was downstairs. By the time we finished eating, we headed to the main Piazza (Deck 5) and the crowds had thinned.
The crew on Sky Princess… amazing. We were in our cabin a bit early. Our luggage was waiting inside the room. It was so nice to be looking out at the rainy day from the comfort of our cabin. Our home for the next 16 nights has everything we need (balcony and bed). We met our cabin steward, Anjie, right away. Very sweet!
Keeping with my usual routine, I was able to put all my often-used items on the wall. Purses, jewelry, belts, sunglasses and scarves are things I use on a daily basis so it’s easy to have them accessible. Next up? Door decorations! Considering we will be on Sky Princess for Thanksgiving, the door has the appropriate magnets. Family photos, cocktail magnets and swirls make our cabin festive and easy to find.
Views from our balcony… it’s just about time to sail away.
We enjoyed a “Happy Hour” at the Crown Grill bar. They always have great bartenders. While sitting in a bar stool, the steak house manager came running over. “I know you!”, he said. He was correct… we sailed together last October (2024) on the Ruby Princess. That was our girl’s trip and we ate in the specialty restaurants every night. Still, I was surprised he remembered. He gave me the same offer as the last cruise with him. Barry and I have a standing reservation any time we want. We can dine in the very busy restaurant any day, any time. We have a table reserved for us. So nice! Surprisingly, Barry agreed to a photo… one click. :-)
