Sovereign 25th June 2011 Part 6

Wednesday 29th June 2011
Not a good date in my annual calendar, but life has to go on. We arrived early in Naples and I saw several fast ferries through my cabin window as I hurried to dress and get on deck. After breakfast we went our separate ways – it was extremely hot and I decided to ignore the usual lure of the city of Naples, and enjoy seeing the terminal and the nearby ships. Outside in the hot sun I went to look at the ferries and timetables for the local ports and islands. SNAV LAZIO was berthed adjacent to SOVEREIGN, with RUBY PRINCESS towering over us all. NOORDAM was further alongside our berth.

SNAV Lazio in Naples

Ala

Part of Naples port

Sovereign's stern

Ruby Princess next to the Maritime terminal

The Maritime Terminal has more shops in it now, with big ship pictures on the walls. I went to look at them more closely and discovered that some had been printed back-to-front, so the names had to be guessed at. In the same building were the offices of Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) so I asked for and was given copies of one of their current leaflets. I just loved the illustrations of the travelling family, including a very supercilious-looking pedigree dog, but he has a sweet face.

Lovely leaflet for GNV

Just look at that dog

In the harbour there was constant activity, with local fast ferries jetting out and back frequently, and bigger ferries on their daily call, as well as huge cruise ships dominating the scene.

Driade

It was fun to watch until it was time for us to leave the port, and we moved away from the berth. Moments later we were told that NOORDAM had priority to leave before us, so we had to wait until she had manoeuvred herself out and left the harbour.

Noordam

Ah well, eventually it was our turn and we could then see many other ships in distant parts of the harbour, some of them recognisable but others not because of the distance.

Capri

Trinacria

MSC Jasmine and others

Lora D'Abundo

It was interesting to see VILLE DE BORDEAUX with a sign on the hull saying ‘Airbus A380 on Board’.

Ville de Bordeaux

Logudoro

These looked interesting

This is the day I noticed that the daily Programme had the correct port and day on it, but the incorrect date. Wonder what tomorrow will bring…

Ships seen: Ville de Bordeaux, Celestina, Isla de S. Pietro, Pescara Jet, Caraclione, SNAV Auriga, Ponza Jet, SNAV Altair, Trinacria (of TTT), Achenar, Napoli Jet, Agostino Lauro, SNAV Orion, Superjet, SNAV Lazio, Ruby Princess, Noordam, Ala, Raffaele Rubattino, Amalfi Jet, Logudoro (Bluvia) laid up over on the far side of Naples harbour, Lora D’Abundo (Medmar), Capricorn (Tirrenia), SNAV Campania, Capri (Italian-built in 1962, which now does short charters in the Bay of Naples for Blu Cruises), Naiade, MSC Jasmine and others nearby


Thursday 30th June 2011

Plan of the ship

Today we arrived in Palermo, Sicily, in great heat, berthing at the Passenger Terminal which is at the lower end of the main street of the city.

Crossed paws in the Terminal

We walked up the main street enjoying the sights and then took to the back streets to look at the architecture in the cool shade of the old buildings.

The Opera House

Dead to the world, nearby

Contrasts

Jools



One of the sights

Hunger drove us into a local restaurant for a seafood risotto, before strolling back to the ship. I left the others whilst I went to see the Stella Maris building at the harbour side. I’m on my local committee of the Mission to Seafarers so I always try to call in to the Stella Maris or Mission building in a port. Unfortunately the staff were not there, but I enjoyed seeing a big model of the ITALIA in a glass case near the entrance.

Stella Maris

Blue cranes and mountains

Zeus Palace

Back on the ship, orange juice and tea were very welcome as I sent a ‘happy birthday’ text to one of my ferry friends for tomorrow (when we will be at sea), before taking to my bed for a reviving siesta.

Ievoli Spirit

The light as we left Palermo harbour was just delightful and the mountains were dark against the last of the sun, and we enjoyed trying to identify some of the ships that could just be seen in the distant part of the harbour. One of them was VINCENZO FLORIO, still there awaiting repair or whatever after the fire.

SNAV Lazio in Palermo

Last view of the docks

Goodbye Palermo

Dinner was again excellent at our table for 3, although we couldn’t help noticing a new passenger at a nearby large table sitting there wearing his hat and talking on his mobile phone all through the meal. He seemed to know some of his dining companions, but seemingly didn’t like them enough to talk to them. This was the evening when our two lovely female dining room stewards (Blanca and Juny) and I had a little chat about life and travelling with friends.

As usual after dinner, we went up to the Viking Crown Lounge for coffee and discussions about the day.

Ships seen: Bithia, Raffaele Rubattino, Zeus Palace, SNAV Campania, Ulisse, SNAV Lazio, Vincenzo Florio, San Sovino, La superba, Isola di Vulcano, Castoro 7 in dry dock, Ievoli Sprint (Marnavi), Vincenzo Florio

To be concluded...

Sovereign 25th June 2011 Part 5

Tuesday 28th June 2011
We are due in Civitavecchia today, but I was up and on deck very early because my cabin television showed me a ‘view from the Bridge’ that looked too good to miss. We entered the harbour and saw ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS already tied up and MARINER OF THE SEAS tying up nearby, so as we turned and manoeuvred into our berth I had the chance to take photographs in the beautiful early morning light. No sooner had I turned my head out to sea than we could see COSTA MEDITERRANEA coming in fast, and soon the three huge ships could be seen together.

Adventure of the Seas

Mariner of the Seas

Costa Mediterranea

A trio of ships

I went back to bed for another hour, and emerged for breakfast. Our daily Programme has us in the correct port, on the correct day, but it is dated for Tuesday last week – ah well.

We have decided to have an ‘at home’ day today, and watch the shipping world go to and fro past us into this busy harbour. What fun it proved to be, with old and new friends appearing in the gorgeous blue water beside SOVEREIGN.

Inside the ship it was empty and cool, with coffee or other inclusive drinks available from the bar staff whenever they were needed.

Spinnaker Piano Bar

Spinnaker Bar

Were they scratched?

We usually enjoyed the Spinnaker Bar in the morning and spent many minutes looking at the design of the bar seating and wondering whether the ‘scratch’ marks on the supports were intentional patterns or simply wear and tear by human use. I wonder if anyone actually knows. I did wonder if anyone other than me actually cares…

Rendezvous Bar

I visited Reception during the morning to ask if it was possible please to find out what the ship on the horizon was. The kind young lady immediately answered in excellent English and rang the Bridge, to find out that it was MOBY FREEDOM and she was heading for this harbour. We had an interesting chat about ships (she came from Brazil) and shipping web-sites and exchanged pleasant goodbyes.

An unusually empty Reception area

Artwork

More Royal Caribbean artwork

Jewellery for sale

Back on deck with my chums, sitting in the cool shade high above the water of the harbour, we had a wonderful view of the port and only ventured away from our little base to obtain lunch from the Grill below to bring back to our steamer chairs. What bliss…! If our eyes closed in the heat, then who was to know, hidden as they were behind dark glasses.

A good view

Nomentana

Some time later a completely unexpected ship arrived – SCILLA, a ferry last seen in the Straits of Messina.

Scilla

Scilla amongst giants

In my mind her name is really SCILLA Crash, because every time we saw her approach her linkspan in Messina she crashed into the wooden dock/linkspan at great speed, bow first, and with a loud noise. As we were going back and forth across the Straits on different ferries for the fun of it, we saw her three times I think and each time felt we had to brace ourselves for the crash in the adjoining dock. We could understand why the wood of the dock was showing signs of wear and tear, caused by the little SCILLA Crash.

Moby Freedom

Mega Express Two

Fortunata returning to port after a day's fishing

Scintu in her new Sarema Sardegna colours

Nuraghes

Catania

Goodbye Scilla

The day passed watching ships coming into Civitavecchia and then leaving again some hours later, so this was a lovely relaxing part of our cruise.

Cruise Roma

At tea time we went into the Promenade deck buffet to find flags decorating the area, ready for the evening’s Tropical Night.

Flags in the Buffet

Goodbye Costa Mediterranea

On deck we prepared to watch our departure, only to hear frequent announcements calling for two people who obviously hadn’t returned to the ship from ashore. All passengers carried the usual plastic card and this Pullmantur one seemed to have even more information on it than usual: my name, my lifeboat number, my dinner seating time, the Restaurant name, my table number, my arrival date on board, and my departure date from the ship. Apparently the bar code even includes my Internet Identity number if I choose to use it.

The two missing people didn’t turn up, so we finally sailed 12 minutes late, joining the procession of vessels out of Civitavecchia harbour in the late afternoon heat.

And then it was our turn


A Programme showing Sovereign's List of Officers

Just before dinner the Photographer was doing good business in the atrium with passengers being able to dress up in an officer’s uniform jacket and/or cap and then pose. So many men chose to do that…


Uniformity

Dinner was excellent again, and our waiting staff were as friendly and efficient as usual. This meal was concluded with music and a conga going around the Restaurant, which lots of us enjoyed – it was cheerful and good fun. The shops were full with people finding Sale bargains

Evening sale


The Casino

before going to the evening’s entertainment, or on deck to watch the stars. The Sky bar lured many passengers up there, and a happy day came to an end.

Ships seen: Mariner of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Costa Mediterranea, Nomentana (Tirrenia), Traiano Secondo (tug), SNAV Toscana, Sharden (Tirrenia), Scilla (Bluvia) Mega Express Two, Moby Freedom (with a dog on deck), Scintu (Saremar Sardegna, in new colours), Catania (Grimaldi), Nuraghes (Tirrenia), Cruise Roma, Fortunata (local fishing boat)

To be continued...