Sail Into Serenity

My wife and I had considered the proposition of a sea cruise for some time when, almost impulsively, we decided to book a ten-day cruise on the P&O cruise liner Oriana. The inducement was the prospect of a stop at Madeira on New Year’s Eve, for fireworks. Madeira is an island we had visited several times and was a favourite of ours.

The magic of a cruise starts on arrival at the docks. If you arrive by car your luggage is unloaded by ship’s crew and your car taken and parked; all you have to do is walk into the departure building to book in. The spectacle of the ships is an exciting one and sets the atmosphere for the holiday. Your steward is there to greet you and welcome you on board. We were delighted to find we had a queen sized bed, a picture window, plenty of wardrobe space, comfortable furniture and a good sized television, making the room feel very homely.

Normally the dress code for dinner is advised in the ship’s newspaper, which contains all the useful information concerning the ship’s activities and entertainment. The style of dining is optional. There are casual dining areas with fast food menus; if that is what you prefer. We love the atmosphere in the main dining rooms and being waited on. Dining in comfort and enjoying the company of likeminded people made every evening a wonderful experience. After dinner we would go to see one of the very professional shows in the opulent theatre. The young can dance the night away if they wish, but we preferred a comfortable seat in one of the lounge bars, listening to music and having a quiet drink.

Madeira was just as exciting as we had expected. We ordered wine and snacks from room service and sat enthralled at the sight of the fireworks, with the party in full swing up on deck. We enjoyed the cruise experience so much that we have had several more since and still feel it’s a wonderful way to spend a holiday.