Wednesday, August thirty first:
Our second day, the primary full day and our one sea day.
Up and groggy at 7:00 AM. Fortunately the cabin steward known as earlier than arriving with our breakfast so we not less than had lined up. The espresso is superb they usually serve Tiptree jam. Life doesn’t get significantly better.
Now we have a balcony on deck 7 overlooking the bow. That is fairly cool. We requested the ship to ship somebody to point out us how you can open the sliding glass door. We had been nonetheless in our bathrobes.
We headed as much as breakfast within the Home windows Cafe on Deck 9. That is the buffet restaurant. No, we didn’t have a second breakfast! Cappuccino was sufficient.
At 10:00 we went to the shore excursions presentation within the Cabaret room on deck 5 ahead. There weren’t too many individuals current, however we needed to study as a lot concerning the ports as potential. The presentation centered on just a few of the excursions obtainable.
We stretched out on lounge chairs on deck 5 after the presentation. It was sunny however chilly due to the fixed breeze because the ship strikes by way of the water. We met a pleasant couple and chatted till about 11:30 once we headed into the primary eating room.
Throughout our sea day, the ship is serving a buffet brunch within the Discoveries Restaurant. The choice was wonderful. Among the many many stations they served salmon Benedict, waffles, giant shrimp, freshly cooked pasta, sushi and plenty of desserts. We went up a number of occasions, taking small quantities. Following the rule: “No wine earlier than midday so long as there’s land beneath you,” we had glasses of Rose wine with lunch as a result of we’re at sea.
Lunch was adopted at 1:00 PM by the port lecture on Bordeaux within the Cabaret Room. Now the room was packed! It regarded like each passenger turned up! It was a chat concerning the historical past of town and sensible concepts on what to discover within the metropolis.
This led into the two:00 PM wine and meals pairing within the Residing Room on deck 10. This was a small occasion, with an viewers of about ten passengers. We tasted 4 wines and discovered how totally different varietals style totally different after tasting totally different meals.
We noticed our buddies from Tuesday night time’s dinner throughout the lounge, so we joined them after the tasting. This led into afternoon cocktails. Ultimately, we noticed how this works in follow. You say: “I would really like a martini and a gin and tonic.” Your server brings it over. There isn’t a cost.
We loved the solar from the wall of home windows going through the bow, and found we had been in place for the primary of the afternoon trivia video games. This allowed me to find I don’t know as a lot as I believe I do. We rode the trivia wave into the second sport that adopted.
We had hoped to attend the three:00 PM port discuss on Galicia, on the Spanish Atlantic Coast, however missed it as a result of we had been absorbed in trivia. Between the solar, the sport, the cocktails and the corporate, it was attractive.
By late afternoon we had been again in our cabin. It was nap time. Now we have remarked on cruises we behave like our cat. We eat. We sleep. We sit within the solar. If we’re staying up at night time, we want that afternoon nap.
We headed to the primary eating room to fulfill our new buddies, the great couple from Northern Eire at 8:00 PM. The eating room hostess gave us a beeper that emits a low buzz when your desk is prepared. We ordered a spherical of drinks whereas we waited.
We got a 4 individual desk within the heart of the eating room. Dinner was wonderful. We had been gifted a bottle of Lanson champagne, which we shared with our fellow diners. We turned it over to our wine steward for served it all through the meal.
Dinner was simply pretty much as good as the primary night. Every course is artfully displayed. The parts are on the smaller facet, but fairly ample. I assume you could possibly order seconds when you selected. A key issue is pacing myself. There are such a lot of eating choices all through the day.
Tonight we really did shut the eating room. The central location of our desk tell us when the final different remaining desk lastly dispersed.
We walked by way of The Den, which is the centrally positioned bar and headed in direction of the elevator. Every couple headed in separate instructions and we turned in.
On Thursday, we dock in Bordeaux, our first port. We can’t wait.
Thursday, September 1st:
Right this moment we arrived in Bordeaux. I assumed the spotlight could be the winery go to, but it surely was overtaken by the White Get together.
We docked at 11:45 AM on Thursday morning. You may assume a cruise ship ought to get in as early as potential to maximise time ashore, however tides are an element and Bordeaux is exclusive as a result of it has a elevate bridge that’s solely raised at scheduled occasions to attenuate highway site visitors disruption.
We walked off, discovered an ATM to get money, then discovered the tourism workplace to ask questions on how we’d get to Chateau Lynch Bages in Paulliac.
Visiting Chateau Lunch Bages in Paulliac
That is vital to incorporate as a result of wine followers (like myself) may need to go to a well-known chateau of their alternative. Most have excursions and customer facilities together with the actually well-known ones. Years in the past, you wrote a letter months upfront. Right this moment, the chateaus have a “go to us” hyperlink on their web site. Reserving far I. Advance continues to be crucial because the excursions are usually very small. Azamara had one such shore excursions to Chateau Beychevelle and Chateau Kirwan, but it surely was booked up. The tour measurement was solely 15 folks.
We took a taxi for the hour experience to Paulliac. This ran about $110. The city is tiny, but it surely does have a prepare station. Sadly, the prepare schedule didn’t align with the scheduled time for our go to. We arrived nearly two hours early.. the chateau itself in in one other small city, Bages. Over time the chateau purchased and renovated it. One cafe, one butcher, one bike store, and so on.
Our tour began at 4:00. Eight folks plus an English talking information. 8.5 when you rely the canine the German couple introduced. The canine stayed within the foyer with a bowl of water equipped by the employees.
The vineyard is model new. It was designed by two world well-known architects. It used the most recent expertise and is spotlessly clear. It’s one thing out of a James Bond film. You can’t think about the sum of money it will need to have value. The chateau employs 50 full time employees and brings in 2,000 additional employees at harvest time.
The tour ended with a tasting of two of their wines. The canine attended too, however didn’t get to imbibe.
The chateau known as a taxi for us. An hour (and $130) later we had been again on the ship in Bordeaux.
The White Get together
The White Get together is the spotlight of the journey to date. This requires some background on my half.
A few years in the past, just a few French guys began a phenomenon known as Diner en Blanc. It mushroomed in measurement and unfold around the globe to main capital cities. Invited attendees carry their very own picnic meals plus white linens, tables and chairs. The situation is secret till the final second. It’s like a flash mob. The New York Metropolis occasion attracts just a few thousand attendees. There may be an city legend the ready checklist exceeds 10,000 names.
Azamara hosts a White Get together aboard every cruise. Everyone seems to be requested to decorate in white. (It’s not a requirement:). The celebration units up across the pool within the heart of the ship. Plenty of tables and chairs. The buffet meals is served on the aft finish. There may be nice music, primarily from the 70’s and 80’s. There was a stay band and plenty of proficient skilled singers who acquired the group going.. There are what we’d name go go dancers at every sizzling tub. A conga line fashioned, snaking by way of the group singing the tequila music. If you happen to bear in mind the songs “I’ll survive,” “I’m lady,” and “YMCA,” that is your night time. The dance ground was packed for YMCA.
The power stage was excessive. The meals was plentiful and wonderful. The wine and drinks flowed like water due to a military of servers.
It began about 6:30. At 9:30 it decamped to the Residing Room lounge the place it was set to proceed by way of the night time.
I can’t think about a greater celebration.
Friday, September 2nd:
It was our second day in Bordeaux. The White Get together had been moved to Thursday as a result of rain was anticipated on Friday. If the 2 of us had forgotten what rain regarded like, we had been reminded on Friday.
We had rolls, juice and occasional within the cabin, then headed as much as the Home windows Cafe for cappuccinos. Thus far, so good. We watched a few tour busses line up on the pier. We heard the tour to St. Emilion left at 8:00 AM. We questioned if these passengers made the bus as a result of the White Patty stored going and going.
Friday was a day we had deliberate independently. This comes with its share of professionals and cons. Our expertise is helpful to know in case you are impartial vacationers like us.
Lunch in Bordeaux
We did loads of analysis beforehand. Le Chapon Fin was advisable as an excellent place for a sublime lunch. The ship is docked in a safe space. You stroll a few metropolis block in every course to succeed in a gate. There’s a guard to examine your ship ID card upon your return.
The plan was to take a taxi to the restaurant. That is simpler mentioned than completed in Bordeaux. Taxis function from Taxi Stands. These are usually not straightforward to seek out. I think they are often booked on-line, however we don’t have cellphone service abroad. We stroll 4 blocks left and three blocks proper to discover a taxi stand.
Taxi stands look like locations the place taxis fall asleep. Put one other approach, there are sometimes taxis, however no drivers. We discovered one. He wouldn’t take us to the restaurant as a result of it was principally throughout the road. He gestured in a basic course.
I visited the vacationer workplace. They confirmed me on a map it was about 5 blocks away. OK, we will do this.
Then the skies opened. It has been a sizzling dry summer season in Europe. Right this moment, they acquired extra rain than I believe we had again dwelling all summer season. We had been sporting windbreakers, however we had been soaked! We walked. No restaurant. We stopped in a store for instructions. We walked one other couple of blocks and eventually discovered it. The rain had abated, however we had been soaked to the pores and skin, with our hair plastered to our heads! No photographs had been taken for apparent causes. FYI: our two course lunch was 34€ every and two glasses of paired wine ran a further 19€. For excellent decor, spectacular meals, plus additional small programs initially and finish, it was value it!
The chateau go to
We had privately organized a go to to La Mission Haut Brion, a well-known winery in Pessac, throughout the Graves area. It’s a part of town of Bordeaux. It was sunny once we left the restaurant, however then the rains returned. We discovered a kindly shopkeeper who known as us a taxi. The fare ran about 40€ however we reached our appointment on time.
It was a superb tour together with a tasting of the 2 well-known wines on the conclusion. They’ve a store, so we left laden with bottles. The employees known as a taxi to get us again to the ship.
Our night onboard
We met up with the great Northern Irish couple for dinner in Aqualina, the ship’s specialty restaurant that includes Italian delicacies and seafood.
Earlier than we met up, we had drinks within the Residing Room beforehand. It options tapas as a munchie. We sat on the bar and I discovered one thing attention-grabbing, a credit score to Azamara.
I assumed the liquor used for drinks included in your fare had been made with generic home model liquors. I requested concerning the gin they used. It’s both Beefeaters or Gordon’s Gin. Wow! That qualifies as a pleasant Christmas current again dwelling! Azamara just isn’t reducing corners!
We determined to maneuver nearer to the specialty restaurant. I instructed drinks within the Drawing Room, the ship’s library. That’s once I found there’s really a venue and not using a bar! I picked us up drinks from Prime C, the specialty steakhouse subsequent door.
Dinner was nice! It was leisurely. The meal consists of 4 programs: appetizer, soup/salad, entree and dessert. The choices had been nice. Lobster ravioli had chunks of lobster on high. My beef tenderloin was nice. We had chocolate soufflé for dessert.
Our buddies purchased a bottle of wine in Bordeaux. We loved it with dinner. The corkage cost is $10, one of many few occasions it is advisable attain into your “pocket” through the voyage, to date.
We closed the restaurant. It’s changing into a sample.
We’re having a good time.
Many due to Azamara and its very succesful workforce in working with me on arranging and serving to us with this excellent cruise. Because of the All Issues Cruise workforce as effectively for introducing me to Azamara!
See sailings right here: Azamara Quest (cruisecompete.com), Azamara all ships
See earlier posts:
Crusing Southampton, England to Lisbon, Portugal on Azamara Quest – All Issues Cruise
Analysis Issues: Preplanning for our Azamara Quest Cruise – All Issues Cruise
Cowl picture: Ruhr Barrel Room on the Chateau
Our Itinerary-Azamara Quest, Southampton, England to Lisbon, Portugal
- Southampton, England. We fly into London a day or so early. Hopefully there can be no flight cancellations or rail strikes. We take the Underground into London.
- Marriott Kensington Lodge. It’s positioned about two blocks from the Gloucester Street Underground station on the Piccadilly Line, which runs from the airport. It’s an excellent lodge that’s moderately priced. They’ve a Concierge Lounge, a Marriott Bonvoy perk.
- Pont de La Tour. We plan to have dinner with buddies at our favourite restaurant. It overlooks Tower Bridge, because the identify implies. They’ve an excellent worth mounted menu along with a la carte choices.
- Nationwide Categorical. We are going to take the bus from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton on Monday morning. The fare is about $7.50.
- Bordeaux, France. Now we have an in a single day in Bordeaux so every thing doesn’t want to suit into in the future. Bordeaux is a metropolis well-known for the wine of the identical identify. Probably the most well-known chateaus within the area are simply exterior town. I’m a wine snob. There are 8,500+ wine producing chateaus in Bordeaux. In my view, solely 87 matter, the chateaus within the unique classification of 1855.
- Go to chateaus. The ship has a 5 hour tour, Medoc Discovery. You go to Chateau Beychevelle and Chateau Kirwan. Sure, they’re on the 1855 checklist! Price is about $180pp. It will likely be value each penny. At this second it’s bought out, however we’ll be part of the ready checklist upon boarding the ship. We’re contacting the main chateaus immediately as out backup plan.
- Cite du Vin Wine Museum. It’s comparatively new and purported to be spectacular. Tickets are 21 Euro every. That’s good for a few hours.
- Lunch at a sidewalk café or superb restaurant. Buddies within the wine commerce suggest Les Noialles or Chapon Fin. We will e book reservations on-line.
- Meals to find. Bordeaux is legendary for Bordeaux wines. The cheeses are in all probability quite a few too.
- Jean de Luz, France. We’re close to or near Basque Nation, however we’re additionally near Biarritz, the legendary resort city made well-known by Empress Eugenie, the spouse of Napoleon III. Queen Victoria preferred the place too. It’s the kind of place the tremendous rich of the 1800’s visited and Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes would go to whereas fixing a case. The ship has a 3+ hour tour, priced at $99 however we’d discover on our personal if we will get there simply. St Jean de Luz appears fairly small. The inhabitants is about 14,000. There appears to be one primary avenue operating from one facet of city to the opposite. (I’m positive there are different streets.) I believe I learn there’s a frisbee throwing contest, however not once we are there.
- Michelin highlights seven eating places within the city. None get stars, however all are advisable. Normally they’ve lunch menus which are three programs and worth mounted. I’m positive we’ll discover one thing.
- St. Jean de Luz is likely to be small, however there’s a hypermarket close by. Carrefour often has an excellent wine choice.
- Market Day. Luckily we can be in port on market day. Visiting an out of doors market in France is all the time a deal with.
- Apparently, the prepare from St. Jean de Luz to Biarritz takes ten minutes. Exploring this resort is an choice.
- Meals to find. Basque cheese is native to the world. The French wine area Irouleguy is close by.
- Bilbao, Spain. I’m assured Bilbao has heaps going for it, however the Guggenheim Museum is the star attraction for us. Tickets are 16 Euro for adults, 8 Euro for seniors. Age has its privileges. I’m assuming discovering an excellent place for tapas shouldn’t be troublesome.
- Guggenheim Museum – If we now have come this far, we should test it out.
- Trams – Bilbao is alleged to have the very best mass transit system in Spain. I’m assuming we will experience trams and get an excellent view of town.
- Hop on, hop off bus. Apparently Bilbao has a number of competing firms.
- El Corte Ingles – Spain’s main division retailer chain has a location on Grand Through. (The place else would you place it?) Along with a meals corridor and nice wine division, the chain often has a self-service restaurant and, relying on the situation, a linen tablecloth restaurant. Rioja wines all the time style higher there!
- Meals to find. The Rioja wine area is close by. It’s in all probability the wine of alternative in Bilbao. We’re nonetheless within the Basque area, on the Spanish facet of the border. We are going to search for Basque sheep’s milk cheese.
- Gijon, Spain. Here’s a metropolis we have no idea a lot about. It’s the 15thlargest metropolis in Spain. Maritime industries and the navy are a significant a part of town’s heritage. Cimadevilla, the previous fisherman’s quarter, is the oldest part of city. I assume we’ll head there, stroll and discover.
- Gijon has seven eating places acknowledged by Michelin. Auga is the one meriting a Michelin star. They appear to have a six course tasting menu priced at about 60 Euro.
- Roman settlement. The oldest a part of city additionally has a Roman settlement, probably the oldest in Spain. We will examine that out.
- Sure, they’ve a department of El Corte Ingles. Consider it as Spain’s model of Macy’s.
- Yacht membership. It’s additionally positioned within the fisherman’s quarter. I ponder if they may allow us to in.
- Meals to find. Can or not it’s true there are 50 cheeses within the space? Penamellera is one instance. We love wine, however cider is common on this space.
- La Coruna, Spain. That is the place you discover the Church, Santiago de Compostela, the vacation spot for the pilgrims who do the stroll of St. James, the Camino de Santiago. The whole journey is 500 miles. Seeing the Church can be nice. We are going to seemingly discover one other spot for tapas.
- Santiago de Compostela. There are lots of causes to go to this Church. One is the large censer, a 5 foot lengthy, 180 pound incense burner swung from ropes and pulleys. It’s the most important on the planet.
- Sure, our favourite Spanish retail chain has a location close to the Church. It’s our backup plan for lunch.
- Michelin acknowledges 16 eating places in La Coruna. One deserves a star, Arbore da Viera. It appears to be like like probably the most affordable of their tasting menus is 60 Euro.
- Meals to find. Native chesses embrace Arzua-Ulloa and Queso Telita. Wine needs to be from the Galacia area.
- Porto, Portugal. We’re wine followers. We’re port collectors. We are going to need to go to one of many historic port lodges, like Grahams. You should purchase vacationer passes to incorporate the prepare, boat and a go to to a port lodge. Lunch will slot in there someplace. Porto has some Michelin starred eating places.
- Port lodge. We’re wine collectors. We all know a bit about port. Ideally, we need to get into the very best port lodge potential and take the tour with the very best tasting. We understand this can come at a price.
- Having fun with the vacationer go. If we will tour by rising a bus and a ship, we’ll give it a strive.
- Hop on, hop off bus. The yellow bus prices 18 Euro. That’s one other touring choice.
- Meals to find. Terrincho and Transmontano goat cheese are two to find. Though town is legendary for port, the area producing Vinho Verde is close by.
- Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon we now have visited a number of occasions beforehand. Our #1 exercise can be taking the prepare to Cascais, a seaside city a brief experience exterior town. The final time we visited, the prepare reminded us of classic NYC subway automobiles. On that journey, we exited the prepare, walked into city and requested two cops the place we may discover an out of doors restaurant serving platters of chilly seafood. They laughed, informed us which approach to stroll and mentioned we’d see a number of! We did and had a splendid afternoon we nonetheless discuss at present. It was the primary and solely time we now have tried barnacles!
