Saga Pearl II Captain's blog

As we arrived in the darkness of the morning, the island of Funchal was lit up like a big Christmas tree, with all the shore lights glittering on a silhouetted mountain. It looked very Christmassy and reminded me of when I had previously come here to see the New Year fireworks display.

We picked up our pilot just outside the breakwaters and turned the ship and “backed” into our berth. We were all fast just as the sun was rising. Sadly there was some rain forecast for the day, but I was sure that wouln’t dampen the enthusiasm of our passengers, as we were here for two days.

‘Faial Circular Tour’, was the first excursion  on offer today, which departed at 08:15am. After leaving the ship our guests headed east, stopping enroute at Pinaculo to admire the wonderful views over the town and the Bay of Funchal. They then continued along the coast to the village of Machico and through the valley to stop at Portela Pass to see its magnificent views.

Passengers then descended towards Porto da Cruz to Sao Roque de Faial, where they enjoyed lunch at Casa de Cha do Faial. The day then concluded with a stop at a wine lodge in Funchal to taste the famous Madeira wine.

The second tour, ‘Leisurely Madeira’, departed at 08:45am from Funchal through the popular suburb of Sao Martinho to Pico dos Barelos, from here passengers could look out over Funchal and the south coast.

Rejoining the coach they continued along the winding, scenic road to Eira do Sarrado where they could relax and enjoy refreshments while enjoying the superb views of Madiera’s highest peaks.  Resuming the journey, passengers travelled to a viewpoint at Terreiro da Luta where they could view the largest statue in Madeira, finally ending the tour with a drive back to Funchal passing through the village of Monte.

The ‘Levada Walking Tour’, was the final tour of the day which departed in the afternoon. This guided walk followed the course of ‘levadas’ for over three miles, which allowed the passengers to admire the verdant plants, mountain views and green farmland that cover Madeira.

Everyone was in for a special treat with this evening’s entertainment starting with the classical concert just before dinner. Shortly after dinner, there was the team trivia quiz followed by the treasure chest, which was restarting again this evening as it had been opened the evening before and a passenger had won £375! Then, after the treasure chest we had a local group from Madeira join the ship to perform their show ‘The Madeira Experience’.

To finish the night off we had a 60’s and 70’s disco in the Shackletons where everyone danced until they dropped.

Despite heavy rain falling yesterday, it didn’t dampen the spirits of our passengers heading out on tour. The forecast for today was a little better with just some light rain showers so the tours would hopefully get a better experience. However, as I keep saying, there’s not much we can do about Mother Nature and the weather.

Over the last few days the weather hasn’t been what you would expect this far south. But this is directly linked to the weather in the UK. Because of this strong high pressure sitting over Greenland and the North Atlantic, this is bringing very cold air to the UK and thus all the snow causing chaos. And this is also strange for this time of year.

At this time of year, all the low pressures sweep from west to east, travelling up the eastern seaboard of the United States and then across the Atlantic and then crossing over the UK. Because of this stationary high pressure, all the low pressures are being deflected to the far south and crossing Azores, Funchal and even as far south as Tenerife. Yesterday we heard that the Canaries were getting storms which were unusual.

The first tour started nice and early at 08.15am that was the ‘Botanical Gardens and Monte’. The tour started with a 15 minute cable car ride to Monte, a charming hilltop town where passengers was greeted by the impressive sight of its church. Next they enjoyed a toboggan ride to Livramento followed by a visit to the Botanical gardens, home to a profusion of plants and flowers from all over the world. Finally to finish off the tour they visited a wine lodge to taste the island’s famous wines. 

The Safari excursions departed shortly after at 8:30am - a fun and exciting excursion which took the passengers both on and off road through some of Madeira’s hidden valley and mountains roads. They discovered the beautiful scenery and the many different types of wild flowers which earned Madeira its name ‘the floating city’.

The final tour to depart in the early afternoon was the Cabo Girao. After leaving the port the journey began by following the coastal roads ascending into the mountains and onto Cabo Girao. From the top of the cliff the passengers had a truly spectacular view of the pristine coast, out across the Atlantic and down to the vineyards. Before heading back to the ship the passengers stopped at the Old Blandy Wine Lodge for a taste of the famous Madeira wine.

It turned out that today was not a bad day weather wise, and when it came to sail, the weather had improved a little. I gave Matt, the Staff Captain the job of taking the ship away this evening. The port was busy with ships and ferries all around, so it was a good chance to allow him to manoeuvre this ship in a confined space. I handled all the communications and Matt took the ship away very competently indeed.

We cleared the breakwaters, and set sail for the Azores, where we set our course to the WNW.

The evening’s entertainment commenced with pre-dinner cocktails accompanied by easy listening sounds of the Finale Duo. After dinner we had the team trivia general knowledge quiz, followed by the treasure chest. The main show this evening were the fabulous Gail Davies production singers and dancers in musical memories.

Having cleared the Guadalquivier River at 4am, we set course and maximum speed for Gibraltar. We had to change our itinerary, as we were due to go to Portimau on November 24 but there was a national strike in Portugal so we had to move things around. So we were going to stop at Gibraltar for a half-day call.

On entering the Straits of Gibraltar, we were lucky to pick up the favourable east going current of about 4 knots so we screamed through the straights at 21 knots! This allowed us to get alongside Gibraltar 45 minutes early to give maximum time in port. We were also refuelling in Gibraltar as well.

The first excursion to “The Rock” departed at 11:15am. After leaving the port, the excursion started by crossing the unique runway, built using stones from the Rock by the British Army during the World Wars. Guests then went to see the American War Memorial, British Naval Base and Trafalgar Cemetery before arriving at Europa point and the only Trinity Lighthouse outside Great Britain. The excursion then continued to the upper Rock area and St Michaels Cave, then onto King Charles V, home to the Barbary Apes .

The second excursion to leave was the Dolphin Watch Safari departing shortly after the first at 11:30am. Gibraltar’s bay boasts three species of dolphin and seven species of whale, as well a sunfish, flying fish and turtles. The tour started with a short drive to the ‘Dolphin World’ pleasure cruiser. Then, after setting off into the bay they encircled the Rock learning about the history of the colony and given an insight into the marine life of the bay.

We sailed at 5pm and headed out towards our next port of call of Funchal.

This evening, I welcomed back our Britannia members by inviting them to join my officers and me for the Britannia Club cocktail party. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces.

Later that evening we had the team trivia quiz followed by the treasure chest still no one has managed to open it and win the money yet, shortly after the magnificent Gail Davis Production Company in there spectacular performance of ‘Love sweet Love’.

The first tour departed at 9:15am which was 'Seville in Depth'. After transferring to the city centre, passengers visited the ornate Alcazar, a highly decorated Royal Palace. Next stop was the Santa Cruz quarter; the charming district is a maze of lime-washed houses, pretty squares and flower-filled patios. After admiring the Gothic Cathedral, passengers enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant.

The second tour, 'Classic Seville', departed at 9:30am. This proved to be a very popular tour - passengers joined their coach at the pier and headed to the Alcazar, the city's Royal Palace. Then they went onto discover the 15th-century cathedral followed by a short guided walk through the Santa Cruz quarter, finally finishing the tour with a panoramic drive through the city.

For all those that didn’t want to get off there were games quizzes and fitness classes onboard.

Due to the unexpected delays in arriving yesterday, I decided to depart when all were onboard a little earlier. This was in order to make sure we exited the Loc Gates at 10pm when we would gave plenty of water to get down river. I was full of enthusiasm for the trip down, as I was sure a repeat of last night’s shenanigans wasn’t on the cards and we would have a new pilot so things looked good.

So we were all ready to go, and the gangway called me to say the pilot was onboard and it was the same man as last night!

To be fair to the gentleman, it wasn’t his doing yesterday - everything seemed to conspire against him and he was very apologetic last night so I thought, well, second time lucky. I knew the departure from the quay was going to be a struggle as we had only 60cm of water under the keel and the propellers cause a suction. So I pushed the bow out from the quayside with the bow thrusters and rested the stern on the fender. When a good angle was made I gave quite a bit of power to drag the ship across the shallows and we were lined up for the first and second bridges which went like clockwork.

Next, the narrow disused locks which have had their gates removed. Again the same team assembled on their positions and we travelled through again without touching the sides. About ¾ through, John the Cruise Director came to the bridge. It was a nice surprise but he came with bad news!. He said that nobody was in the Show Lounge as they were all outside watching me take the ship through. I looked up and there was a mass of peering eyes looking down in silence. The pressure mounted...

Every time Matthew the Staff Captain relayed to me, the distances, 20 cm, I could hear whispers of excitement above me. Once clear, there was a round of applause but as I said to the passengers, this applause was for the team, a great team effort and very satisfying for me. I think my father would have been proud of my achievement. So we sailed into the main lock, with a renewed sense of positive mental attitude. The locks closed, we waited the 10 minutes for the locks to open. 10, 12, 15, 20 minutes?

Then I saw a gathering of men with torches looking at the lock, and I thought, hello what’s going on here. When asked, the pilot told me there was no problem, but all these inquisitive port officials looking at the lock didn’t fill me with confidence.

Anyway, soon the new lock gates opened and we sailed down the river through the night - it was a beautiful, quiet night without further incident. But the trip to Seville was magical and in a few weeks all the gremlins will have been sorted out and our next call will be more straight forward. I don’t know if I will enjoy that as much!

While all this was going on outside, the evening kick started with sequence dancing hosted by our dance host followed by the usual general knowledge quiz. The main show this evening was the sensational singing voice of Kaye Weston, finishing the night with The Finale Duo for late night Cabaret and Cocktails.

We made for a timed arrival at the entrance to the Guadalquivir River for 2.45pm on the button. This is because the river is not deep enough for a ship of this draft so we have to go in at high water.

This we duly did and went up the river, adjusting the speed accordingly when we ran across shallows. This is to reduce an effect called squat - this is when the ship's pressure fields cause the ship to get sucked down towards the seabed if there is little under keel clearance. It is directly associated with the ships speed so you always slow right down where you know this effect may come into force.

The transit should have taken us only four hours up to the new locks. They were operational only from this morning so we were going to be the first crew ship. We were assured that our call would be straightforward as the new locks and canals had been constructed. This pleased me as I remember coming here in 2003 and 2004 on the original Saga Pearl. The old locks were extremely tight!

Anyway, best laid plans and everything... we were told the locks were causing a few issues and there was a bit of a back log of traffic. So we had to stop the ship in the dark while we wasted some time. Finally after about 45 minutes delay we set off again, and approached the new locks. Very impressive, 40 metres wide where this ship is 22.5 metres wide.

Once clear we set off towards Seville city centre. Then as we rounded the bend I noticed on the radar the area where the canal was meant to be - it was still being constructed! So I asked the pilot again and his English was not the best, but basically said we had to go through the old locks!

These are 24 metres wide so we would have 75 centimetres either side of the ship. I stationed all the officers and cadets around vantage points around the ship and we proceeded through at 0.5 knots. It took 40 minutes of sheer concentration by everyone to get the ship through. Everyone was calling in, like a well choreographed procedure, all called in sequence, with the ship getting to 20cm at times.

As we edged through it became a point of pride and I managed to get the ship all the way through without touching the sides - great team effort. However, you would think the story would end there but the excitement continued. We arrived in the port, swung the ship around and had to back the ship up to the berth moving through two road bridges. As we lined up, my view was obscured so the officer aft was giving me instructions and directions.

Anyway he calls up to tell me the second bridge was not open. It took us quite some time to convince the pilot the second bridge was closed and in the end we had to give him the binoculars to show him. Anyway through the bridge we eventually went, again very tight and finally onto the berth where we had 60cm of water under the keel so berthing was slow.

However what a great sense of achievement and satisfaction I felt, with all the team's efforts they had done a great job. We had been delayed four hours. And in all the excitement we had all missed our dinner so once the ship was all fast for the night, I got the officers up and we enjoyed a celebratory beer and pizza as a reward. It was a great night of teamwork and made me very proud to be working with such a great bunch of professionals.

We arrived at the new passenger terminal, which is a few miles east of the 25th April bridge.The tide was flowing very fast, about four knots ahead of us, coming down river. This is actually handy for ship handling . All you do is stem the current so you are stationary in the river, putting enough power on the engines,to stem the flow. Then using the rudders and bowthruster, gently drift the ship into place, which we did. Again, a pleasure to do... boys and their toys!!

We were all fast just after 8am, sadly with torrential rain falling from the skies. Mathew Henderson, the Staff Captain, and I got rather wet on the bridge wings.T

The first tour departed shortly after at 8.15amm and this was the Sintra Town and Palace tour. This tour started with a charming drive to the town of Sintra, visiting the Sintra National Palace famous for its magnificent painted ceilings. Then passengers enjoyed refreshments at a local cafe followed by some free time to explore.

The second tour departed at 8.45am, which was the Lisbon Panoramic - an informative drive through Lisbon visiting its most famous buildings and monuments, and in between visiting the beautiful sites there’s a stop to taste Lisbon’s most famous and delicious pastries. After the short break the tour continued through the city to see more of Lisbon’s history.

We sailed at 5pm, and had to make a speedy departure as I was trying to make the tide for the Guadalquivier River for Seville tomorrow.

This evening I invited all the newcomers to Saga cruising to join my officers and me for a cocktail party in the Discovery Lounge. I was delighted to hear such positive comments about the ship and its staff as I greeted all at the door. Then after everyone had finished their champagne it was time for the evening meal.

After the delicious meal it was time for the classical Showtime with The Divertmento Trio. For when the classical concert had finished the cruise staff had organised a 60’s and 70’s disco under the stars where passengers joined the dancers and the cruise staff to dance the night away to a host of groovy tunes.

A beautiful refreshing start to the day - as we arrived at the port at 8am, the weather was slightly breezy, getting warmer as the day went on.

We had two main tours today, the first one to depart was at 8:15am and this was the Oporto sights and Puro River cruise - a relaxed panoramic tour that enabled the passengers to see the main points of interest surrounding Oporto. The journey began with a drive through Foz, and from there to the old town to see the many impressive sights. After the coach tour they got to see the sights from the water with a river cruise across the Douro.

The second tour departed in the afternoon at 12:30pm and this was the Wine lodge and tasting tour. Passengers discovered the wine lodge and estate of Quinta da Aveleda, situated in the picturesque countryside outside Oporto. The estate is renowned for its production of Vinho Verde also Adega Velha and Cognac. After a guided walking tour of the estate and the garden, passengers then had a chance to try the fabulous wines.

Back onboard, the evening’s entertainment commenced with dancing accompanied by the Saga Pearl II Orchestra. Our gentleman hosts invited the ladies to the floor in the Discovery Lounge for quicksteps, waltzs and cha chas, just to name a few.

The evening then carried on with the treasure chest for the chance for that one lucky winner to win hundreds of pounds. Unfortunately this evening, the wrong key was chosen but they still walked away with £25. This was followed by the sensational singer Kaye Weston, then the Finale Duo carried on into the night with cabaret and cocktails.

Our run from Lisbon went well. We left a little earlier to try and skirt around the edges of a low pressure bringing swell from the west. We caught the tail end of it, but having prepared the ship and the passengers, we were battened down and all precautions taken in a seamanlike manner, and the ship rode through the swells well.

Having sailed on Saga Rose and Saga Ruby for many years through many periods of rough weather, I was always waiting for a time I could put Saga Pearl II through its paces, so I was able to do this again, with great confidence. I used an old North Sea trick. When I was master of the North Sea Supply vessels, we used to run across the troughs of the waves, as the wavelength allowed us to do so. So I was so pleased to get across without too much bother. It is always satisfying when your plan comes to fruition, especially as Mother Nature can be so unpredictable.

On arrival, Southampton, I brought the ship through the needles channel on a glass like morning. It was absolutely beautiful morning, cold and crisp, but beautiful. So we berthed on time. I must admit I didn’t expect to be on time looking at the weather that was to befall us, but Saga pearl II got us through.

As usual, the ship's staff jumped into action and the ship was stored, refuelled and fresh water bunkered and all our gusts, disembarked and embarked with ease. Not only is the operation onboard, like a Swiss watch, the logistics and team shore do a fantastic Job with delivering our passengers to and from home in comfort!

It was a great pleasure to see so many familiar faces coming off the gangway with 177 Britannia members returning to the Saga family. As everyone was embarking afternoon tea was being served so after the long journey down everyone could enjoy a cup of tea and a delicious cake. Once everyone was safely on board the Saga Pearl II was ready to set sail for the Portugal and the Atlantic isles cruise.

The usual Safety Drill took place and we sailed out of the needles channel in darkness, the silhouette of the Needles rock, passing our port side, as we set course for the south west.

After admiring the decor of Saga Pearl II, passengers went to freshen up for the welcome aboard show to introduce you to a few of the ships staff followed by a delicious meal.

Most passengers decided to retire this evening after such an active and exciting day but for those who weren’t ready turn in yet they could join the Finale duo in the Shackletons for a night cap or late night snacks in the Veranda with a nice hot cup of Horlicks.

We arrived in Lisbon at 8am. It was a crisp morning and was certainly acclimatising for our run back to the UK. As we berthed on the pier, right alongside the 25th April Bridge, the mist which can be prevalent in cold mornings started to shroud the bridge in fog.

As usual, I like to stand on the quayside and greet our passengers as they go off on tour, and had to don my winter coat this morning. So there I was, having told the passengers the temperature was only 9 degrees, and to wear something warm, leading by example. Anyway John, the Cruise Director, appeared wearing only his shirt and collar, and made me look a bit of a wimp. And the passengers all commented on John's strength to withstand the cold. What he didn’t tell them was he had his thermals on underneath!

Set on the hills on the banks of the river Tagus, Lisbon has been the capital of Portugal since the 13th century.

We had three main tours this morning and the first to depart at 8:15 am was “Lisbon Panoramic” - this tour offered passengers an enjoyable and relaxing drive through Lisbon. It visited famous landmarks and places of interest, including a stop at Pasteis de Belem, one of the oldest cafes in Lisbon for refreshments, before continuing on to see many more notable sights.

The second excursion to Arrabida Mountains. Crossing the 25th April Bridge all enjoyed a scenic drive to Sesimbra. The first stop was at Sesimbra’s Moorish castle, followed by a little free time in Azeitao to visit its famous wine cellars.

The third and final tour of the day was the Expo ’98 and Lisbon Oceanarium. The Lisbon Oceanarium is the second largest aquarium in the world; there are a series of tanks divided into the four main oceans which feature over 100 species from around the world. As the passengers returned to the ship they travelled through a different part of Lisbon to see a few more highlights of the beautiful city.

We departed Lisbon, a little earlier due to the impeding weather as I wanted to get a head start and miss the worst. So when we sailed away, it was a beautiful day, and we managed to maintain this all afternoon and evening.

The cruise department organised a fun night of entertainment following dinner at 9:30pm, with a game of “Call My Bluff”, our version of the once popular television gameshow. We had a panel of three including Cruise Director John Parton, Shore Excursions manager Jacquie Forbes-Watson and myself, all hosted by Security Officer, Rob Payne. The audience really enjoyed the show and roared with laughter at some of the imaginative definitions the panel used to describe the words.

I have to say, I have heard John's jokes many times but every time he makes me laugh. Jaquie and I are just the straight panellists, and John is the real star. Anyway, there was much laughter which is one of lifes best tonics..

Next stop... Southampton.

We had a day at sea before arrival in Algiers. As we were going to be in port on Remembrance Sunday, and also on the 11th, I decided to hold our Service of Remembrance during our seaday on the 10th. The weather was rather inclement with a big swell slowing us down, so I decided to hold the service in the Discovery lounge where it would be more comfortable and safer. If feel it always a privilege to lead these services so I wanted to make it as special as possible.

The Classical Musicians, the Citron Trio, played as our passengers entered the room. Then, all the officers, dressed in their number 10s rig of the day, with hats and poppies, marched either side of the lounge, into position at either side of the stage, having been briefed by Rob Payne, ex Master at Arms RN and our Security Officer. We held the service, with James, from the Cruise Staff reading, and one of our Malta Convoy veterans, Mr Tom Lawrence and Comedien Nicholas Parsons, OBE, assisted in reading the Exhortation. The wreath was then marched out by our Ghurkha Master at Arms and cast to the sea.

As I always say, my generation will never forget the ultimate sacrifices that have been made, and I wear my uniform with pride in memory of my Grandfather who was torpedoed in the World War I when serving in the Merchant Navy.

We had a little later start today in Algiers as we didn’t arrive into the berth until 11.30am, having been delayed by the swell experienced at sea the previous day. However the weather in Algiers was beautiful. Those who hadn’t booked a tour could have a nice relaxing day in the sun, or if they were feeling more energetic we had plenty of activities taking place on the ship. This was due to the fact that the authorities will not allow independent travellers ashore or the crew.

At 12pm Ships time, which was 11am UK time, on the 11th hour, 11th day 11th month, we silenced the ship, passengers and crew stood side by side, observing the two minutes silence around the world in memory of those lost.

For those that had decided they wanted to see the sights of Algiers we had two tours to choose from, and the first one leaving at 12:15pm was the World War II Remembered tour. This fascinating tour began with a visit to the Dely Ibrahim Cemetery, before continuing onto the famous Military Museum. After all these beautiful sights they then enjoyed the view over the Hamma Botanical Garden, carrying onto see more fantastic views and a stop for refreshments.

The last tour was the Algiers city tour which departed at 1pm. The tour started with a drive into the city centre, heading for Victory Park and the Martyrs’ Monument. Then onto Basilica of Notre Dame D’Afrique, with an opportunity for photographs before heading back to the ship.

The evening entertainment commenced with the treasure chest, still no lucky winner yet followed by the sensational Gail Davis Production Cast. To finish the night off we had the late night Cabaret and cocktails with the fabulous Finale Duo.

We had a little bit of a bumpy ride across the Sicilian Channel to Malta, but arrived on time at the pilot station. The wind was blowing about 30 knots, from the South west, about a gale force 8. We had to manoeuvre the ship, to shelter the pilot boat from the large rough seas, but he was soon onboard.

Malta has fond memories for me. I spent a few months here in 2005/2006 when Cunard handed over the Caronia to us and she was refitted here, to be become the Saga Ruby. It is such a contrast as we sailed in from our previous ports, with the stonework, building and fortresses as we approached.

I was hoping for some shelter from the wind as we entered the harbour but sadly not - it just whistled through every nook and cranny and through the harbour. We were saluted by eight cannons on the fortress as we arrived - I felt very privileged. Then we were given a rather short berth to fit into as there were a few cruise ships in town. But again, the Pearl 11 shows her abilities and we were able to sneak into a small “Parking space” with about three metres to spare either end, so I felt quite satisfied. I was wearing my father’s old Captains Hat this morning, as I always do, as a good luck charm. It is rather beaten, the braid on the peak rather faded and weathered but if I thought as a young boy, I would one day be wearing my father's old hat, whilst in command of a lovely ship, I wouldn’t have believed it!!

Well, the sun was shining, and although extremely windy, there was a very warm breeze. We were all fast at 8am in Valetta, the seaport and capital of Malta, on the north-east coast of the island.

Like the other ports we visited on this cruise, we had our three main excursions to choose from, the first being the Maritime and Military Vittoriosa which set off shortly after we had arrived at 8:15am . The tour started with a drive towards the south for Vittoriosa where the whole city is an open-air museum. Arriving there the tour carried on with a walk through narrow streets shaded by many historic buildings, while being given an insight to the local way of life. Then they continued onto the Maritime Museum followed by a light local refreshment before returning back to the ship.

Medieval Mdina and Mosta was the next tour departing at 8:30am, starting with a scenic ride from Valletta through to Mdina, then a walk through part of it to see the many handsome buildings, palaces and museums. Time was taken to visit the baroque Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, as well as some free time for shopping, before travelling to Mosta square, admiring the Mosta dome, and then heading back to the ship.

The final excursion was the Scenic Malta tour which was a fantastic tour for all those passengers who wanted to see Malta but didn’t want to do too much walking. The scenic tour revealed some of Malta’s finest attractions including the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, the blue grotto and the tiny rock island of Filfla, then travelling north past Mdina and on to more beautiful scenery.

On departure, I had invited two passengers to the bridge for sailaway - Mr Stanley Forest and Tom Lawerance. These were two gentlemen who had served in the Royal Navy, and escorted the Convoys from the UK to Malta. For them it was an emotional visit back. I had informed the authorities during our plaque presentation that we had two veterans of the Malta convoys, and being proud of what was done for them, they sent for two gifts to give to the gents. These were solid silver Maltese Cross cufflinks.

The entertainment commenced as soon as we were ready to set sail and everyone was invited to join the Citron Trio on the boat deck for an open air classical concert. This was an idea from John Parton, Cruise Director, which was very well received by all the passengers. It was a spectacular way to leave the port, with beautiful sights, fabulous music and another eight-gun salute. The cannon fire did not even cause the Musicians to flinch, and they played beautifully, without missing a note! At the end, Anthony, the pianist, told the passengers that now he knew how Nelson felt!

The main show that evening was a special show that the crew had put together, the host being one of our wine waiters, with dancing from some of our dining room guys and a Tina Turner tribute from one of our GPA’s. If all this wasn’t enough excitement for one evening we also had the disco under the stars so that everyone could have that late boogie before retiring to bed for that well deserved rest.

We arrived bright and early at 8am in the city of Sousse which is located 140km south of the capital Tunis.

This was a very small port to squeeze this ship into, as the entrance itself was rather narrow. The wind was blowing quite strong so before we entered, we, on the bridge had to go through our approach, our contingency if we needed to abort the approach. All deck officers were appraised, and they were stationed, one on the bow, one on the stern, one on the starboard bridge wing, and Matt (the Staff Captain) and I were on the port wing driving the ship.

As we approached, we judged the drift, and counteracted with helm, so we basically sailed in at an angle to adjust to the set. Once we approached the entrance, we had about 15 feet either side but with all the officers giving me superb information, I was able to steer the ship through. However, as the extremity of the port was rather close, and closing quickly, I had prepared to put the “brakes” on hard. Which I did and with controllable pitch propellers, the ship handled beautifully. Then we swung around on a sixpence, and berthed the ship. Again, although a lot of concentration was needed, it was immensely enjoyable, and again very satisfying having a very professional team onboard.

Today there were three main tours all lasting about four hours. The first tour to go out was the Kairouan tour starting at 8.15am. Kairouan is 40 miles from Sousse. The first place they visited was the Aghlabid Basins, built in the 9th century AD. Reaching the city of Kairouan passengers stopped to view the Great Mosque followed by a visit to the Zaouia Sid Sahbi or ‘Barber’s Mausoleum’ which contained the tomb of a companion of the prophet Mohammed. The guide then did a tour of the old town and just before heading back to the ship everybody had some free time to have a wander.

The second tour was the Monastir and Sousse tour, starting in Ribat which had a museum of Islamic art. From Monastir they drove to Sousse, and enjoyed an orientation drive around the city before stopping at Port El Kantaoui. Here, they visited the large marina with its elegant waterfront lined with shops and restaurants, enjoying a light stroll before heading back to the ship.

The final tour in Sousse was the El Djem, visiting one of the largest Roman amphitheatre in existence. The tour showed the remains of the seating and arena, as well as the passageways and vaults once used by wild beasts and gladiators.

For those passengers who decided to spend the day on board our cruise staff had plenty of activities arranged including fitness classes’, quizzes and virtual bowling.

Sailing was much different from this morning. The wind had dropped to nothing so it was a leisurely departure, into a beautiful night.

The evening entertainment started off with ‘the treasure chest’ where one lucky passenger won £300 by selecting the right key that opens the chest! Following on from the lucky win was Andante, the fantastic multi-instrumentalists, and for those who still had the energy we had the late night Cabaret and cocktails in Shackletons bar.

A slightly later start in Tunis, not arriving until 10am. As it is a Sunday one of our passengers, Reverend John Budd, asked if he could hold a Holy Communion which took place at 8am just before we docked.

On arrival at the port, the pilot informed us to keep coming into the port, so we basically took the ship all the way in. Once he was onboard we were at the turning basin, so I swung the ship around and moved astern into a quiet corner of the port.

Once all fast, we had a welcoming party of two rather large camels. So, as I was on the Quayside seeing our guests off, I decided to go over and pet them, seeing as I am a bit of an animal lover.

I must admit they were rather docile but magnificent camels. I did ask the owner if he was willing to give me his two camels for a straight swap for our Cruise Director John Parton, as I said he was a good worker, but he declined!!!

Coming closer to 10am everyone was getting prepared for a day out on their excursions, and in Tunis we had three main excursions. The first and longest tour, being the Treasure of Tunis, started at 10:15 am and returned to the ship around 5:30pm. The treasures of Tunis began with a scenic 90-minute journey inland to Dougga, site of the largest Roman ruins in country. After the visit to the theatre and the sights of the Temple Saturne and the square of the winds, the passengers enjoyed a light lunch at a hotel before continuing to the Bardo Museum, finishing the fascinating tour with a drive back to the ship.

The second tour of the day was Zaghouan and Thuburbo Majus which departed at 12:15pm - this tour was 5 hours long, taking passengers to two sites. The first site was the hill town of Zaghouan, an important source of water in Roman times. The second site was the tranquil archaeological site of Thurburbo Majus.

The final tour was the Scenic Tunis tour. Lasting only three-and-a-half hours, this panoramic tour started by travelling down the famous boulevard of Avenue Habib Bourguiba, passing the St Vincent’s Cathedral and the art-noveau style theatre. It then travelled through the modern French-influenced city before arriving at the medina, then travelled on to see many more sights, before a stop for refreshments and a return to the ship.

Unfortunately, the tour agents decided to take all our passengers to their family carpet shops for a hard sell. Needless to say, Jaquie our Shore Excursion Manager was livid, as it reflects on us, despite the fact that we have no control. Anyway, in her typical Aberdonian tongue, she “explained” that our passengers were not to be treated this way. Thankfully, many passengers saw the funny side, but we were not best pleased!!!

We departed out at 1800, into a rather blustery thunderstorm, as we set sail around the peninsular to our next port of call, Sousse.

The evening entertainment then commenced with ‘The treasure chest’. That was followed by the fabulous Gail Davis Production Cast performing their show ‘love sweet love’ and those passengers who were put in the mood for dancing by watching the show had the opportunity to have a good old late night Jive in Shackletons.

We had sailed through the Straits of Gibralter during the night, after a very good run down across the Bay of Biscay. We ended up pushed back by four knots of adverse current through the Gibralter Straits but I was able to make up time at the eastern side, so it was with relief we arrived at a very warm and sunny pilot station at Mellila (pronounced mellija, I am reliably told by the pilot).

A fantastic start to the morning in Melilla - the sun was shining slightly breezy but still warm, making up for the cooler, wetter weather that we had had coming through the Bay of Biscay.

It was only a short stay in this port arriving at 9am and setting sail at 12:30pm. There were no excursions today so passengers could go ashore leisurely. The town was only a 5-10 minute walk from the berth of the ship but there was also a shuttle bus service running every 15 minutes.

As it was only a short stay in Melilla there was plenty of activities to be done on board, starting off the day with a stretch and relax fitness class to kick start those muscle into action. Then plenty more activities to keep your body and mind active including a quiz, tennis and many more.

The evening commenced with our classical trio, followed by our Friday night fever “disco under the stars” taking you back to the fun times of the 60’s and 70’s with Saga Pearl II's “The Finale Duo”. The cruise team got there groovy glad rags on and danced the night away with passengers.

I had said a sad farwell to my family (son Scott and wife Jenny) and travelled down to the ship. The life of a seafarer is such that you are atuned to leaving home and making difficult decisions, so once I had driven away from my house in the early hours, I switched into work mode and was thinking about the ship, and the things to do on arrival and through the up-and-coming cruise.

I flew from Glasgow, a short hop to Southampton, and I was onboard by 9am, being greeted by so many familiar faces of the crew. It makes the transition from home life to work very easy with such good and friendly crew. David Warden Owen and I went through the legal process of handing over the ship, and an entry was made into the official log book stating this.

As always, turnaround days go like clockwork as all the crew know what they have to do and the ship was stored with food and drink, fuelled up and fresh water bunkered. On departure we were missing a few passengers, as there had been an accident on the motorway that was delaying traffuic. We were given our slot to sail from the VTS Southampton, and we had to go as there was a large container ship due and we had to pass each other at a particular spot. So minutes counted otherwise our slot would have been refused. The good thing about the Saga limousine service is that we are in constant contact, so I was pleased the car and passenger arrived with literally moments to spare. And we sailed, 15 minutes late, and passed the container ship safely.

It was an exciting start  to the North African Treasures cruise with a full complement of passengers. Of those, 187 Britannia club members were onboard and  it was fantastic to see some familiar faces. Also it was a great pleasure to see that there were 104 newcomers to Saga cruising on board.

We carried out our obligatory lifeboat drill for the passengers as we sailed down the Solent. As we were pushed for time, I decided to take the ship through the Needles Channel, west of the Isle of Wight, which is quite tricky but safe to do in the right conditions. And tonight those conditions were right.

The evening commenced with John Parton , the Cruise Director introducing some of the ship’s personnel and a brief explanation of the exciting cruise ahead.

We were informed today, that for all Johns hard work as Relief Cruise Director, he was now promoted to Permanent Cruise Director. Every one onboard and ashore are very pleased for him, as he works hard and is a very humorous chap as I am sure many know. So we wish him well and I am sure he will do an excellent job.

We had to advance the clocks this evening by one hour in readiness for our ports ahead, so many of the passengers decided to have an early night ready for a fun packed sea day the following day. For those who wanted a slightly livelier evening we had music from the Saga Pearl II Orchestra and the gentlemen dance hosts so they could dance the night away.