Overnight in Madeira

Last Night! Arcadia in all her splendour - this is where they have the big firework display on New Years Eve - it is reckoned to be one of the biggest displays in the world. They are mad about Christmas and New Year here.

This Morning!

Greetings from our Madeira cruise - hope you like the new Diesel shades!

I see we are now live on the P&O Cruises official website! What a difference a day makes.

Aracadia left her berth at 0600 hours today to anchor our so as we could accommodate our sister ship Aurora who was only here for a half day call on her way home from a Caribbean cruise.

Our boating service started at 0800 hours. These pictures were taken today!

After a busy day at the office yesterday I did manage a run ashore in Madeira. We left the ship at 9.00pm and made our way to the Casino Park Hotel where we enjoyed a drink in the lobby cocktail bar to toast the many milestones of the day. The Casino Park has been refurnished and modernised and has magnificent terraces and pools overlooking the bay, you could see Arcadia in a distance through the trees twinkling like a white light Christmas Tree! It was a ' I wish I had the camera moment'. Then to a Thia Restaurant for a meal. The waiter was Chinese and I think he was using us to practise his English language - he said he spoke Torus English which I had never heard of - I thought this was some Academy in the North of China which he had been to however on further investigation it was 'tourist' English he was speaking!!!! There are lots of interesting restaurants in this area of the town which are quite different to those in the 'old town area' at the other end of the Promenade. The Restaurants all appeared to be quiet but then again it was a Wednesday evening.

This morning started with a Golden Wedding Celebration in the Viceroy Room - complete with a card from Her Majesty the Queen - this is all controlled by Buckingham Place and P&O Cruises and the card has to be delivered by a certain time on the day. We lay on a magnificent Champagne Buffet Breakfast ( Black Coffee for me! ) with mini smoked salmon bagels, bacon paninis, fresh fruit kebabs, raspberry cranashan, muffins and danish etc served on our best china and silver. Also a lavish Ice Carving and a celebration cake. I have asked the F&B team to get me a photo for the blog. Certainly made this couples day and their son had kept it all as a surprise for them and the tears of joy when they read the card from HM The Queen. Then it was back to the office for meetings and emails, phone calls and other business.

On with the day by now AURORA was getting fired up to sail from the berth and we went to the Bridge to wave her off. The Aurora Team had a great British Sail away Party going on and her decks were packed, her passengers now excited to be on the way home to Southampton after a their Cruise to the Caribbean.

It brings back many good memories see Aurora once again as I spent a year on the project team for her launch. In 1999 I was working in Richmond House at Southampton and spending time in Papenburg in Germany at Meyer weft where the ship was built. I met HRH Princess Anne when she named the ship in 2000. In those days we had a corporate jet and I flew from Southampton to visit the Ship Yard in the jet - it was the first time I took off on a sofa!! I also recall when we were in America on September 11th and could not call at New York and the ship was diverted to Boston - now that is another story in itself. The Fall Cruise to Amernica, Canada and New England is always a sell out. This evening it is the Portunus Parties - for those loyal passengers who have achieved Gold and Sapphire Status. The Portunus Club is our passenger loyalty scheme where you earn so many points for every night you cruise with us.

Meet another member of my team, Lee Ann Robinson who is our Administration Manager pictured here as we went to the Bridge to sign off for departure, lifting anchor and retuning to our premier berth alongside in Funchal. Lee Ann also worked with me on the launch of AURORA. The ship is the background is a Costa ship.

Next stop Gran Canaria. We have been lucky with the weather here in Madeira as the taxi driver said that all last week it was pouring with rain! Signing off now as there as I am needed elsewhere,

By the way who would want the White house when you can have a White ship?!!

Best wishes,

James.

'We are all stuck in our minds. Stop. Be here now in this moment'
Eckhart Tolle