We've made it!

Landed early, but another plane was using our stand so it took an hour from then before we were on the bus and ready to go.

As before we just got off the plane and straight on to a small coach. No immigration to go through.

Boarding the ship was painless. Only passports and boarding passes needed and we were on board to the music of a steel band on the dockside.

Cabin 10. 10630

Best shower unit we've had in all our cruises

Very deep balcony and a fair width

P&O’s flight was a Virgin charter and it was OK. We hadn’t paid for our seats and ended up across the aisle from one another which was fine.  The flight was around 8 hours and we landed early, although it was then an hour before we were actually on the bus as there was another Virgin plane occupying our stand at the airport.

Lots of refreshment on the plane. Lunch was either chicken tikka or mac and cheese. I had the m&c which was close to awful. There was a salad bowl, a chocolate to eat and cheese and biscuits. In the afternoon we were given an ice lolly and then around 90 minutes before we landed it was afternoon tea – a small egg sandwich and a cheese and pickle one plus a scone and cream.

The in-flight entertainment was extensive and that was all I need to pass the time happily. They also had a tail camera and a front view camera and both were active the whole time, so for the first time I could get a view from behind the front wheel assembly as the lane came in to land.

Still no air bridges at Grantley Adams Airport but the buses were bigger this time and after 35 minutes on the road we were at the warehouse where we check in. All we needed was our passports and our boarding. All we needed were our passports and our boarding passes.  Our photos were taken and we stepped on board to the sounds of a steel band on the quayside.

Our sea passes were in a sealed envelope by our cabin door and in we went. Then we had to register at our muster station and watch the safety video in our cabin.

Our steward came to introduce himself. He’s from Kerala in south-west India. He pointed out that rooms were only serviced once a day. We asked him for bath robes and although he said they were only standard for the tiers above our, he brought us a couple.

We had booked dinner for 6pm in the Zenith Restaurant but by the time we got there it was much later than that and we were told that it could be at least an hour before they could take us. At the Meridian they gave us a pager and we retired to Anderson’s – well P&O call it that, but it’s not a patch on the very first Anderson’s Bar we saw on P&O’s Aurora in the summer of 2009.  Vinyl rules and it’s nothing like the gentleman’s club feel that Anderson’s used to have in terms of décor and atmosphere.

Drinks were the usual pub prices with no service charge and 500ml of Doom Bar was around a fiver.  At dinner, there were bottles of wine for under £20.

The staff at the Meridian had told us that it would be 40/45 minutes to wait but after about 25 minutes our pager was buzzing and we were at a window table overlooking the crane and jib and the warehouses on the dockside. Lorries full of cases came and went and it was only around 10pm that we finally set sail.  Our dinner had been very enjoyable and E had two starters, a main course and no dessert, whereas G had one of each course, including a beautiful tomato soup and apple crumble with custard!

Just after 10pm (2am UK time) it was time to call it a day.