23rd December –Santa Cruz de Tenerife
After an active and entertaining night on board with all her passengers finally turned in for the night ORIANA had silently made her way across the across the relatively small distance to Tenerife the largest of Island of the Canary group.
During the late evening and early morning ORIANA had made her way across Gran Canaria’s Northern Shoreline transiting the traffic separation scheme as neared Tenerife
Waking relatively early the first thing that was immediately noticeable from looking out the window was that after the fine weather of Gran Canaria the weather and sea conditions had certainly worsened overnight for those on board who were hoping to enjoy the stereotypical winter sun of Tenerife were surely going to be disappointed.
Not being deterred by the weather some passengers including myself found ourselves on deck to watch the ships approach to the harbour.
Despite Tenerife being known particularly in the British Isles for its year round sunshine and as the perfect winter getaway destination that’s not too far away from home on the this morning the sight was more dull and overcast, listening to some of the other passengers who said were commenting it was like Funchal again, although in reality both the conditions were considerably different the wind was seemingly much stronger and the cloud cover over the Island was much denser and initially only the lights of Santa Cruz de Tenerife were visible as ORIANA moved nearer the port it was also noticeable that in the distance Tenerife’s most prominent landmark Mount Teide seemed to be missing its peak since it was completely obscured by low laying cloud.
As ORIANA reached position near the breakwaters at around 7am according to the ships log “Captain Brown rang “Standby Below” on ORIANA’s engines, as she approached the breakwaters before embarking her pilot at 0718”
Watching as the pilot boat left ORIANA on route back to the harbour as continued onwards to the port.
The Pilot boat heads back to port.
With the sea conditions still rough ORIANA manoeuvred past the breakwater and it on the safety of the port.
Once inside the port ORIANA swung her bow starboard and moved paralleled her berth before Captain Brown carefully manoeuvred her closer using the thrusters, slowly edging near the berth until her hull almost touching floats attached to the dock wall.
With ORIANA now alongside looking down from the sun deck revealed the ships ropes being lowered and the stevedores in their high visibility jackets stood ready to haul the ropes ashore.
With the ropes finally secured the log records that ORIANA was made “all fast” 0800
For an a Island that is renowned for its natural beauty it was understandable that many if the tours taking place would taking some of the Islands natural features with the first departing being a 8 hour tour of Mount Teide with a mixture on offer sightseeing souvenir shopping and because of the length of the excursion lunch was also included.
To give an example of the excursions on offer below is a description of the Beauty of Mount Teide tour which is given on board and in the Pre cruise information:
“Beauty of Mount Teide
Experience the best of Tenerife with its pretty towns, local cuisine and contrasting scenery, from moonscapes to fertile fields.
Your day begins with a drive along the spine of the island where the road snakes up through the Esperanza Forest, stopping at Ortuno Viewpoint for views over the north coast. As you climb higher, the greenery turns to grey and blue and the landscape turns to lava. Before you, rises the dramatic Mount Teide in the middle of an eerie landscape.
You’ll stop at a local café where coffee or tea and a pastry will be served before reaching the National Park of Las Cañadas. From almost everywhere on Tenerife, Spain’s highest mountain, the Pico de Teide, dominates the horizon and you will be able to admire the views from afar.
Located in the lush Orotava Valley is the market town of Orotava, one of the oldest settlements on the island. Enjoy lunch at Pueblo Chico, before taking a guided walk through the old colonial district. You’ll also have the opportunity to briefly view the House of the Balconies, which dates from 1637.
In Puerto de la Cruz, you’ll have time at leisure to shop or wander along the coastal promenade of this popular holiday resort.”
By the time ORIANA had been cleared for passengers and crew to go ashore passengers going off on the early excursions had attended their meetings in the designated venues and were ready to disembark.
With clearance given Captain Brown made his morning arrival announcement running through all the basics of there being a secure area in operation around the ship and cruise cards were to be shown before entering the area also reminding that all should be back on board by 5:30pm before adding that he wished everyone a pleasant stay in Tenerife and he would be heading off to indulge in some yachting around the North coast.
With the weather still looking somewhat overcast and with the prediction of rain for the morning we decided unanimously to stay on board for several hours to see how the weather developed.
Walking down to the promenade deck where there was something of a meeting and a walk a mile around the Promenade for ORIANA’s more active passengers arranged by the ships’ Fitness Directors.
It seemed initially that many other passengers who would be making their own way around Tenerife had also planned to stay on board until they had a better chance to judge the weather.
Among them was some a couple whose table was near ours and we had spoken to at dinner the previous night, their tour wasn’t departing until a little later so they were spending the time up until then on board, in one of the little things I had found slightly bizarre about the conversation about them was their view on the various cruises, one of the interesting things about cruising the different people that you do meet although even on a ship the size of ORIANA it’s possible to meet people once and not to see them for the remainder of the cruise.
By about 9:45 the weather had seemed to clear temporally after it had rained so we took the opportunity to go ashore and explore hopefully avoiding any more rainfall.
After being helped off of ORIANA’s gangways with my father’s wheelchair by the ships staff there was no need to have to ask for directions to the city centre since quite literally all we needed to do was follow a blue line painted onto the ground which ran from the dockside where ORIANA was through the whole dock area right up to the start of the city proper.
Walking from the ship much like the day before we had the time honoured tradition that most cruise ship visitors face of having to avoid over enthusiastic taxi drivers, who were hanging around looking to earn some quick euros from the passengers.
Still being overcast made for the experience being a different one from our first visit to Tenerife which had been in June 2007 compared to that warm summer day it was hard to believe this was indeed the same city amazing I mused to myself how weather conditions could have an effect on the appearance of a destination.
Walking onwards we found a large monument although not being able to understand Spanish I was unsure as to what the monument was meant to represent. 
The monument.
Another noticeable addition to the dock which was just arriving was BENCOMO EXPRESS the Fred. Olsen ferry, which had just arrived from Agaete, Gran Canaria. 
It was quite interesting to see a very different type of Fred. Olsen ship having seen mostly only the cruise line branch of the company.
Despite the constant threat of rain and the sky once more beginning to look increasingly dark we made our way to small and conveniently situated local café where it seemed several of our fellow passengers were having the same idea by enjoying a coffee or tea it was lucky enough that we found the café when we did because as we did once more the rain began to fall.
While enjoying a cappuccino and a biscuit and sheltering from the rain in the relative comfort of the café we were listening to several of the other passengers who were planning on what to do when the rain had finally finished in this case the passengers were planning on finding the nearest British styled bar and restaurant to enjoy a typical stay at home holiday menu of Fish & Chips followed by a beer, not exactly my idea of exploring while away from home but that I suppose each person were having a good time in their own way but the beauty of the cruise and free choice I guess!
It had been my aim to explore a little more than I had last time I had visited in 2007 on that Sunday most of the streets had been closed to allow for the local market which in some ways had made exploring a little difficult.
There was after all much to explore on the island other than the urban centre of Santa Cruz do Tenerife including Pyramids in the Guimar region and the picturesque Esperanza Forest.
However with the weather still looking unstable we decided instead to head back to ORIANA to take shelter when the rain would inevitably return which sadly for us on this occasion that prediction was all too accurate as within minutes the rain began once more to fall.
Returning the way we had come which seemed to be the best option for avoiding most of downpour even if it was inevitable that we would get wet which we did, we did meet many passengers from ORIANA with the same idea of returning while others knowing full well that it was raining and at any moment could get worse were intending on exploring by themselves and seemed to enjoying the task at hand.
Back into the dock area we again followed the blue line leading to the berth. Finally reaching the dock we showed our cruise cards to the port authority guard and proceeded along to the boarding gangway taking advantage of the shelter of the small gazebo that had erected at the base of the gangways.
Back on board and it at just about 12:30 it was time for lunch which I was sure would be of excellent quality.
And as expected it was the highest quality ,for Lunch itself I was again only tempted by the light option of having a warmed sandwich with side salad, although I would have enjoyed nothing more than to eat a larger meal, like my fellow passengers somehow for me though it would have been too much for me personally to eat at that time of the day especially considering the size of each portion although from glancing around I could see that there was others on board who certainly didn’t have any similar thoughts and I often saw them at all meals eating the same large meals at all times of the day I thought even though I couldn’t that if you like your food and since its all-inclusive I could understand people wanting to make the most of it.
With lunch over and done with it was off once more as we left we exchanged greetings with our evening table steward Salvador who once more was also acting as a greeter at the Restaurant’s port entrance.
The weather outside hadn’t improved so we thought staying on board ORIANA was a better option, and we looked at our copy of the Horizon, ship newspaper to see what was happening on board which much like on our previous ORIANA cruise was a considerable amount.
For those who were interested Crichtons was holding through the early afternoon various hosted and Non-hosted card games including Bridge and Whist Drive while in the Chaplins Cinema Christmas movies from various decades were being showed in a matinée performance.
On the upper decks those who felt like braving the rain were enjoying adults only Deck Quoits tournament, not the perfect weather but still they seemed to enjoy it.
Not to feel out of place health and fitness fanatics had several classes and seminars to attend during the day in the morning Pilates had been held at 11am and during the afternoon more would be held, Acupuncture and natural remedies to ailments such as Arthritis were also on offer from what I heard later all were well attended.
Feeling like more of a pub like atmosphere to relax in so Lords Tavern was up next on our agenda where an interesting sight greeted us in the form of a Wii Bowling tournament with a 91 year old lady holding the “Wii remote” control and seemingly having a good time and much to my surprise she was actually doing quite well It was something I never thought I would see but at least she was enjoying herself.
Even though the weather was not at its best during the day the stay in Tenerife the day had been a fairly good one with our little trip away from ORIANA and well planned afternoon on board but like all calls it was coming to its end and by about 5pm the majority of passengers had made their way back with only a few coach tours left to return, on the terraced decks another sail away party was about to get underway.
With the weather still looking somewhat overcast we decided to remain on the promenade deck to watch the sail away which would be within 40 minutes if all was on time.
Obviously the party going on the terraces was a very lively and cheerful event since the sound of laughter and music could be clearly heard from our position on the promenade beginning with the Theme from the 1964 film 633 Squadron and moving on to a rather different type of music with The Village Peoples’ YMCA.
With the time approaching 5:20 Captain Brown gave his pre departure speech saying that with all now back on board and with all pre departure safety checks completed ORIANA was now ready to depart for Lanzarote all a little ahead of schedule before mentoring that since coming back on board her had been asked by many passengers who he had met how his yachting had gone to which he was only able to reply as very wet,
Then moments later with her ropes released and winched in ORIANA’s whistled blasted out across the harbour as ORIANA began moving ahead and away from her berth before moving into position at the basin where she turned to starboard aligning her course on an easterly departure track.
ORIANA departs, Photos: Antonio Sáez
Once leaving the shelter of the breakwater ORIANA began briefly to feel the effects of the still rough sea conditions as she re-entered the Atlantic before slowly increasing speed, with the Pilot disembarked shortly before 6pm ORIANA once more resumed her course .
Since the party above had fallen silent I assumed that it had come to its conclusion shortly before the departure.
For tonight’s dinner the dress code was formal more specifically Black and white, the most formal as your likely to get.
Although not a problem for me personally I could see why some might formality a little tiring but I think most felt it was on the whole enjoyable.
With all ready a little after 6:20 we headed off towards the restaurant, leaving the accommodation corridor, stepping in to the atrium it made smile to see on the atrium staircase a young couple with their baby daughter being having their photograph taken while around them passengers walked backwards and forwards looking in the shop before taking a moment to chat with friends.
Even though it wasn’t a new experience to me seeing the suits, tuxedos and full length dresses with the incomparable surrounds felt like a dream, going towards the restaurant the sophistication continued with passenger looking timelessly elegant heading into dinner reaching the restaurant our waiter was at door to waiting to take my father to the table, the service I commented to the restaurant was impeccable and that I doubted any other cruise line could offer better service.
The dinner itself was magnificent beyond description is the best why I could describe it, I never thought while I was younger watching similar scenes in such films like TITANIC that I would be able to experience similar moments, unlike the night before where the passengers looked more like carnival goers this night all present in their finest would have fitted into a dinner scene in that film, however in my opinion the surroundings we were in far exceed those of the film.
With another lovely dinner finished we returned to promenade deck at first we had a quite drink in Anderson’s before moving to the more noisy surroundings of Lords Tavern where another quiz was about to begin in this case the subject was the James Bond film series not being an expert on the films in fact only having seen two or three we never the less decided to take part.
With questions about all aspects from behind the scenes to actors, music and other general knowledge about the films not surprisingly the last question was which film featured briefly a P&O ship and for a bonus point which ship was it,
Even for me a relatively easy question since the appearance of CANBERRA in the Film Diamonds Are Forever had been mentioned in P&O’s official tribute to CANBERRA.
With the questions answered and the cruise staff adding up the scores we were all completely surprised to find that through luck and limited knowledge we had won the quiz with only one question wrong and the prize a bottle of P&O’s own wine , an unexpected result for sure on just another night on board ORIANA .
It reminded me of a saying that I had once heard long ago but at the time made little sense “Ships pass in the night but there is nothing like the nights that pass in a ship” now I know a very true statement.
After a successful night with a prize to show for it we retired for a final drink in The Crow’s Nest before finally retiring for the night.
With midnight nearing ORIANA continued on route all being well by the time most woke in the morning we would be in Lanzarote.
Photo Copyrights: Antonio Sáez & Steve Martin.
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