Category: October Cruise 2025

We actually went to Villefranche – Sur – Mer on a tender. It used to be the case that the cruise ships would drop anchor in the bay and then passengers wishing to see the sights of Villefranche would be ferried ashore in the ship’s tenders, smaller vessels that act as a support for a larger ship, often a cruise ship. However, purpose built craft capable of carrying more passengers, more effectively are now being used instead.

Once we were ashore we headed for the train station, bought tickets and were whisked away along the coast for four stations to Monaco. With our prior knowledge of Monaco station we knew not to walk out on to the the road that form part of the famous F1 GP circuit. The reason being that the only way down to the town proper is a long walk down the sloping road. Instead, we took the lift down to lower exit, saving aching feet from that long walk.

Monaco is a bit of a let down. Almost all the shops are shut until late afternoon and although there are quite a few petrol guzzlers around the Casino, we weren’t all that interested. We’d done it all before and were impressed then, but now not so much. We could have stopped to have an overpriced coffee in one of the roadside cafes, but instead, we went back in the train to Villefranche, then caught a boat back to the ship.

Things we’ll remember:

• Mr Top Hat!
• Morning Glory flowers that lined our path to the station.
• Lantana flowers. Brightly coloured flowers that seem to grow everywhere in the Mediterranean.
• The boat trip to and from Villefranche
• Two show-offs on jet powered surfboards.

PoD just had to be Mr Top Hat.

We were docked in Piombino, a town neither of us had heard of before today. Across from us were what looked like a some abandoned industrial buildings. Lorries that looked like toys from our vantage point in the ship were constantly offloading rubble onto ships. Not the scenic delights we were expecting. However, once we’d taken a free coach to the town, we realised this was a quiet and elegant little town.

What we’ll remember:

• The heat! And this from the man who thought, before he left UK, that he might need a couple more layers because, well, it was October!
• Bumping into an Indian family while we were checking out an open air market. This happened to us quite often!
• In that same market we found an English man selling tables of forks and knives from a market stall.
• Kids zooming about on electric scooters.
• Bruschetta served on a wooden plate outdoors from a restaurant.
• Washing down the food with an Aperol Spritz for Scamp and a lemon flavoured local beer. Sounds awful, but was really refreshing.

PoD was a view down a narrow lane looking out to sea. Lots of narrow lanes in these small towns. Check the street lights.

Tomorrow we’re heading to Monaco home of the Rich and Famous.

Not one of Scamp’s favourite places. The traffic is absolutely crazy and crossing the road means you’re taking your life in your hands. With that in mind, we were amazed to find that you could walk down under the madness of the roundabouts and the traffic and come out at the other end after having passed the underground rail station on the way. A much safer, but at the same time a bit disappointing place too. I did rather like the madness!

Things we’ll remember:

• Scamp still wasn’t happy in the traffic.
• How easy it was to walk under the cars and buses and come out into sunlight on the other side.
• Searching for a pizza place we’d visited a few years ago – We never did find it.
• Having a White Pizza for lunch. That’s what happens when you don’t take care to read the menu properly.
• The pizza was good, just not the one we’d hoped for.

PoD was the view looking to Vesuvius in the distance.

Cagliari is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia and is an old fashioned town. We spent most of our time wandering around the narrow streets. Scamp wanted to climb up to the hilltop Castello, a medieval walled quarter situated high over the rest of the town. By the time we got to the top we were exhausted, but the views round the city were amazing.

Things we’ll remember:

• The climb up to the Castello.
• Scamp got a silver ring from a wee jewellers shop in the city.
• The heat in the city.
• Watching a rather ugly ship berthing next to us, The Virgin ship Scarlet Lady. I preferred our smaller ship.
• Trees everywhere in the city.
• Hills everywhere too. Good exercise.

PoD was the view to the front of our ship taken from our cabin.

The first sea day of this year’s cruise.

Sea days are usually the first day of the cruise. Yesterday evening we sailed away from Palma and headed east towards Sardinia. That would take a full day’s sailing. Sea days tend to be a bit boring, because you can’t get off the ship, but there are lots of things to do on the ship

Here are some of our memories:

• Breakfast in the posh restaurant.
• Very slow service.
• Salsa dance class with Kevin & Gabriella. Good dancers, poor teachers.
• We all learned the steps, but nobody learned to actually Dance.
• Scamp made friends with a pink llama.
• Walking around the ship, finding more places.
• Went to the show, ‘Revive’ Brilliant show.

PoD was a distorted view looking up at the ceiling of the breakfast room.