James Cusick's Blog: Lisbon

Lisbon - Portugal

13th November 2009.

Hello from Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. I have a soft spot for Lisbon as it was my very first port of call when I first went to sea back in October 1980 and I have liked it ever since. It is one of the best ports in Europe to approach; you leave behind the Atlantic Ocean and enter the mighty River Tagus, before passing under one of the longest suspension bridges in the world before going alongside our berth. The 25th April Suspension Bridge was named after the Carnation Revolution that happened in Portugal on 25th April 1974.

We offer eleven shore excursions in Lisbon and even if you have been to this city before we are constantly adding new tours. Three new additions for this year are a Jeep Safari, Medieval Obidos, and A Journey to Fatima.

It’s sad to say but there are only three days remaining of this Med cruise. We arrive back in Southampton, (our home port), on Monday. Before then we have a day in Vigo tomorrow, followed by a day at sea.

Tonight we have our biggest and best Headliners Theatre Company Production Show, ‘Award’ This show is a tribute to past and present Broadway and West End Musical Theatre hits. Also this evening we have our After Dinner Speaker Helen Fraser. Helen studied at RADA alongside fellow students Tom Courtenay and John Thaw and since then she has been a regular on our TV screens and at the movies. Up until June this year she was touring the UK as Mrs Fisher in the stage version of Billy Liar.

I am always very busy, but at the end of a cruise even more so. I have to do a comprehensive report for each and every cruise. This Entertainment Voyage Report covers all aspects of the entertainment for this cruise, including the Cabaret Artists, Headliners Theatre Company, Musicians, the Tate Britain Theme, Day Time Presenters, the Dance and Bridge Instructors, the After Dinner Speaker, the Entertainment Officers, the Entertainment Technicians and the Youth Department. I also do an overall summary of how the cruise went. My boss in Southampton wants the best possible idea of how the entertainment was received on board this cruise, and the Cruise Director is his eyes and ears! This report is also sent to eight shore side managers plus the Executive Purser on board. I do not find the report difficult to do at all, our passengers always give me honest feedback everyday they are on board, and this is of great assistance to me.

We are constantly striving to advance and improve the entertainment on board. My shore side colleagues have to be kept very well informed on how the entertainment was received on every cruise we do.

Another photo gallery, this time it’s Heraklion, Crete which we visited on 7th November. As you can see it was another beautiful autumn day for our passengers to enjoy.

The Venetians controlled Crete between 1204 and 1669.

The Venetian Castle Heraklion Harbour, the castle was built between 1523 and 1540. These were the strongest fortification in the Mediterranean on their completion.