An Irish festival held in March, featuring parades, music, and lots of green-colored festivities, As I stepped off the plane and into the bustling city of Dublin, I could feel the excitement in the air. I was here to experience one of the world’s most famous festivals – St. Patrick’s Day.
Experience the magic of the holiday season in Europe’s traditional Christmas markets! These markets are held in many cities across Europe, offering a festive atmosphere with stalls selling food, drinks, and crafts.
Helsinki, Finland’s eclectic capital, has a uniquely Scandinavian vibe thanks to its clean architecture, plenty of open space, and friendly residents. Did you know that up until the early 20th century, the capital of Finland and the whole country fell under the rule of the Russian empire?
This new ship from an upmarket line Azamara is a modest classic ship that has been given a sleek, fashionable makeover, a world of earthy tones, warm greys and browns like old oak, and traces of olive green.
The Azamara Onward was christened on May 2 in the port of Monte Carlo, and her first voyage set sail on May 3. The other three ships in Azamara’s fleet have been given a makeover costing millions of pounds in preparation for Mediterranean cruises this summer.
The bedrooms and suites aboard the Azamara Onward have an understated elegance that extends throughout the ship.
It’s a vacation for those who want to relax and enjoy themselves without the commotion of a larger ship, for those who know what they like and enjoy a cruise for what it is rather than expecting a resort-like experience. The ship’s small size allows it to dock at smaller ports; on our pre-inauguration voyage, we were able to dock at the Old Port in the center of Marseille rather than at the terminal used by most cruise ships, which was a couple of miles away.
There was a king-size bed, a couch, a desk, and a reasonably sized closet in our room. The room also had a small balcony with a table and chairs, a television with UK news channels (including Sky Sports News), and free WiFi. The shower area wasn’t very spacious, but it was well-appointed, with wood-style tile flooring. Although there was a refrigerator, there was no kettle or coffee/tea maker provided. Some of the rooms don’t have windows or balconies.
Club Ocean suites have large balconies and are located on the ship’s front, while the most luxurious Club World suites are located towards the ship’s back. Also, there are two spa-themed suites available for guests. Suite guests dine in the specialty restaurants free of charge (those in staterooms must pay a fee). Internet access is included in suites but costs an additional $19.95 per day, or around $110 for the duration of a seven-night voyage.
Discoveries is the ship’s main dining room, decorated with rich dark wood and glittering chandeliers. More than a half-dozen appetizers and main dishes, many of which include seafood, are available. Daily international cuisine specialties include meals like swordfish with tabbouleh, Greek lamb chops, and fig almond olive oil cake, in addition to a selection of always-available dishes including prawn cocktail, Caesar salad, salmon, and New York strip steak and fries.
At Windows Café (with its suntrap back porch), guests can enjoy a hearty breakfast buffet with everything from traditional American fare like eggs and bacon to international specialties like chickpea fritters, as well as other things like fruit, meats, and cheeses. Vegetable curries are only one of several lunchtime options. A deck grill with burgers, chicken, and lamb skewers, as well as a variety of salads, is available just outside the entrance at The Patio, which can be enjoyed at the shaded tables around the pool or inside Windows.
We had a lovely meal on the veranda as the sun set in the west, when Windows transformed into an a la carte restaurant serving cuisine with daily themes including French, Italian, and Mediterranean.
Aqualina (Italian) and Prime C (steakhouse) are two a la carte dining options that can be found on each side of the ship at the ship’s tail. Guests staying in suites get complimentary meals, while those staying in standard rooms pay $30. Further within Aqualina is a chef’s table, where for $95 you can enjoy a seven-course tasting meal prepared just for you by your own personal chef.
Located in the middle is the intimate and classy Atlas Bar, which serves just a few carefully curated drinks (for $17.95 each), including the Heart of Azamara (vodka, strawberry puree, lime juice, passionfruit nectar, Galliano, and absinthe). Dishes like smoked lobster carpaccio and other small plates are on sale as well.
There are two drink packages available: Premium (for $16.95 per day) with elite brand names and Ultimate (for $23.95 per day) with champagne, expanded wine options, and Atlas cocktails. Drinks in other bars are free.
Nights can get lively at The Living Room, the main bar.
In the Den, a more subdued bar, you can listen to a pianist every night.
Free specialty coffees and snacks (croissants for breakfast, savory snacks for lunch, and afternoon cakes) are available at all times at the Mosaic Café, a pass-through area.
There is a small pool and a couple of hot tubs on the main deck, where you can also relax in the sun on one of the lounge chairs. You can get massages (a 50-minute Swedish massage will set you back $149) or acupuncture at the Sanctum spa, which also has a steam room and sauna. There is a nice, free gym with glass walls and free spin and yoga lessons.
Suite guests and those who have booked treatments can use the thalasso pool and terrace at no cost. There is a walking/jogging track on the top deck. You can relax in the drawing room, where there are books and games available for your use. There are excursions available at each port that allow you to experience local specialties, like the wine tasting and lunch we had at the small, family-owned Buranco vineyard on the Italian coast.
There aren’t a ton of performances happening at once on the ship. Instead of a theater, performances are held in a cabaret-style lounge. Groove Tonight, a disco party, and new programs like Club Crooner (Sinatra and more) and Amped Up! (70s rock) include a cast of singers and dancers that put on easygoing performances.
On days with late departures, local performers are expected to perform at AzAmazing Events. As night falls, catch Filipino rock and pop favorites played by East Pearl on deck and in The Living Room. The Living Room becomes a late-night club when other bands have finished playing elsewhere.
On all voyages lasting a week or longer, Azamara Onward hosts a stunning White Night deck party, encouraging guests to dress in all white. The pool deck was decorated with banners, flags, and white-clothed tables, and the setting in Monte Carlo was stunning. We were at a cocktail party where the Onward Orchestra was performing, and the champagne kept flowing.
We were then instructed to take a seat and help ourselves to the buffet, and what a mishmash it was. Grilled meats, including chicken, steak, and even lobster tails, were prepared on authentic Weber charcoal grills, making the barbecue an integral part of the event. In addition to a plethora of lobster, there was a refined rendition of the French seafood stew bouillabaisse, a mountain of mussels mariniere, and a lot more food to keep the party going far into the night.
AzAmazing Evenings, which highlight regional cuisine and culture, have been a staple of Azamara cruises for some time; with the launch of Azamara Onward, the line also introduced AzAmazing Day. With the cooperation and excitement of the people, Azamara almost took over the pastel-hued town of Porto Venere on the Italian Cinque Terra coast.
From the crack of dawn, a glamorous pianist performed on the quayside as servers distributed complimentary pizza, cake, bread, and cheese along with sparkling wine and the best espresso and cappuccinos.
An opera singer was performing on the hillside below the church at the entrance to the harbor; a saxophone trio played curious jazz in a tiny square on an even smaller side street; and an accordion and double bass pair played something magnificent that sounded like classical music from another planet.
The cruise ship Azamara Onward will spend the summer in the Mediterranean before traveling to the Caribbean for the winter. Starting at £828 per person (cabin alone), including beverages, is a seven-night France Intensive Voyage sailing from Barcelona to Monte Carlo on October 29, 2022, with stops at Marseille, Nice, Sete, Portes-Vendres, and Corsica.
Conclusion:
A smartly unassuming ship that has been updated to a new level without hiding the fact that it is almost 25 years old. But having a ship that feels like a real ship is part of the fun. The service is great and the food is delicious. Drinks are included, so you don’t have to buy a package unless you want to drink vintage wines or craft gin.
When compared to the typical cruise experience, a Virgin cruise is like nothing you’ve ever had before. These cruises cater only to adults and include offbeat entertainment and dining options. Let us show you around the Valiant Lady for a week while you enjoy an irresistible Mediterranean trip.
We took an early morning trip to Barcelona and had lunch on the stylish silver-gray and red Valiant Lady. Since we booked the RockStar Suite, we get access to a variety of perks, such as a turntable, LPs, and even an electric guitar.
We’re experiencing some of the suite’s features in a more standard room, such as the swing chair on the balcony and the king-size TV controlled by the same iPad-like device that handles the lights and the drapes.
We’re having dinner at Gumbae, a Korean tabletop BBQ restaurant where the shrimp and beef sizzle furiously. Not long after that, we were led into the “Red Room,” which resembled a hangar, and treated to a semi-impromptu performance by a colorful dance troupe that interacted with the attendees.
With the irresistible Med cruise, we’ll be at Toulon, the soul of the south of France, without the glitz of the Riviera, before the sun rises.
Knowing it’s too soon for us to think about the free Growth and Guided Meditation, we kick back and enjoy a sunny breakfast at the Galley, Virgin’s twist on the classic buffet with a variety of food and drink options (and servers). You can have a full English, some exquisite fruit and muesli combinations, udon noodles, tacos, or open sandwiches heaped high with smoked salmon to start the day. The morning is free for aimless exploration of the town.
In the afternoon, take a stroll across the countryside to the 16th-century Royal Tower fortification, located at the end of a winding road that ascends and descends the rocky Pointe de Pipady promontory via many little beaches.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, we go to Richard’s Rooftop, a posh bar with enormous circular white beds, where mostly attractive people lounge while drinking the complimentary Moet offered to RockStar guests for one hour every day.
All of Virgin’s themed restaurants are complimentary, but specialty restaurants on other cruise ships cost extra. It’s an evening of Extra Virgin Italian Cuisine, with a wide variety of bright appetizers and hearty main meals that go well beyond the standard fare of pasta.
Virgin also stands out due to its unique entertainment options. In a performance somewhere between a Parisian burlesque and a working men’s club, tonight’s headliner is the Diva, a leggy drag artist who sings, dances, and berates the crowd with gay abandon.
The next act is a complete departure, as American bluesman Slam Allen performs with his group in On the Rocks.
Awake at the crack of dawn, we’re about to arrive in Italy at the port of Marina di Carrara, located south of Genoa and frequented by just a handful of cruise ships. Despite the shipping containers and forklifts that line the port, a long stretch of beach can be seen beyond the gate, and the Apuan Alps, with their white, rich marble-like snow, can be seen rising beyond the carefully planted pines.
Slow Flow with an Open Heart Although yoga doesn’t start as early as meditation, we still need to eat before heading out to a farm for a culinary class, and doing so before dawn would be a major hassle. On the way to this picturesque location, we get a glimpse of Pisa’s leaning tower against the background of hazy heat. Some of the structures here date back to the 13th century, including the ancient stables with vaulted brick ceilings. Even though we didn’t learn anything new, we had a great time chopping sun-ripened tomatoes for our pasta lunch, which we had with our merry friends while staring out over the fields from the balcony. We had to be dragged back to the bus since there is an abundance of local wine, dessert wine, and limoncello.
Razzle Dazzle, a café with vivid colors and sharp furnishings, will be the evening’s dining destination. Vegetarian fare dominates; who knew a cauliflower doused in vadouvan curry sauce, pistachios, sesame seeds, and pomegranate would be so delicious.
Never Sleep Alone is tonight’s event, and it features a sleazy Vaudevillian sex therapist named Dr. A (who sports a tidy haircut, huge specs, and a tight skirt) who invites members of the audience up on stage to participate in quizzes and dubious shenanigans while the band plays in the background.
The capital of Corsica, Ajaccio, is where we dock, and we stroll around the brand-new waterfront market hall even if the cheese, saucisson, fresh garlic, and olives don’t exactly make good souvenirs.
Napoleon was born in this city, and his childhood home is now a quaint yet foreboding museum dedicated to the Bonaparte family.
Outside the ship’s Dock House bar, we indulge in a sweet potato and chickpea burger before passing on the posture alignment workshop and instead taking a stroll down the water’s edge beyond the marina to a little beach where we refresh with a swim and a nap.
This evening, we dined at Pink Agave, a classy Mexican restaurant with a more refined menu than its name implies.
You’re in the nick of time to see Duel Reality, the best entertainment at sea. With the use of climbing poles, trapezes, springboards, and more, a group of gymnasts and circus performers play out the love-and-gangs tale of West Side Story in a high-flying, death-defying melee, with girls and boys tumbling to within inches of the floor before somersaulting away.
Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, has a hilltop medieval old town that seems more African than Mediterranean, and it is already 24 degrees when we arrive. We go up to the top of the hill and down, taking in the views over Valiant Lady and the plains and mountains in the interior, as well as exploring the exquisite marble interior of the Santa Maria cathedral.
When we get back on the ship, we barely have time to shower before the champagne happy hour and supper at The Wake, which looks out over the stern. We dine on excellent clam chowder and a perfectly cooked New York strip at what is perhaps the best and most traditional restaurant.
Guests are encouraged to wear red in honor of “Red Night,” another party theme. We are fashion failures since we do not possess any red clothing, yet we still choose to join the crowds of people lounging by the pool.
People are dancing in the shallow end of the pool to loud music and a dance display, and there are dozens of them. We’re wearing good pants, so please don’t touch them. We end the day with a nightcap at the Dock House since we are too tired to play any more slam.
Today is our only day at sea, so we’re taking it easy. Have a leisurely breakfast in the open air in the galley before setting off to see all that the ship has to offer. There is a section of loungers and couches at the back, away from the main pool center, and a row of shaded gazebos for rent along the deck. This is the sports section, complete with a basketball court in a cage, outdoor exercise equipment, and even a table football.
We stop by the Diva’s morning bingo session, refuel at the ship’s specialty coffee bar, The Grounds, and then go to the ship’s fitness center, which is perhaps the best at sea thanks to its sweeping glass walls and plenty of equipment.
We’re back in The Wake and entering Ibiza at seven o’clock. We ride the free shuttle into Ibiza Town’s downtown area and go for a walk along the shoreline, where dozens of bars and restaurants are packed with tourists out for a night of drinking and dining.
A day basking in the Ibiza sun. We take a trip to Santa Eulalia del Ríu’s Chiringuito Blue Beach Club, where we relax on loungers only yards from the water. There was a lot of time spent playing in the waves, followed by a meal of razor clams at the restaurant’s outside patio and a walk down the Ríu, the only river in the Balearics, shaded by towering trees.
We had a multi-course tasting meal with wine pairings in the Test Kitchen—a bite of fish here, a lamb chop with baby carrots and asparagus standing in aubergine cream there.
Starting at £1,657.44 per cabin (£828.72 per person), you can cruise alone with tips and internet included on Virgin Voyages’ (virginvoyages.com) wide selection of irresistible Med cruises.
Conclusion:
The Valiant Lady is a great ship with entertainment that is very different from anything else on a cruise and a great way of life for younger people who want to travel.
Amazing cruises are within your reach and don’t require much travel. From Tilbury on the Thames, you can embark on a five-night cruise to three different countries with Cruise and Maritime Voyages. When you visit in the off-season, you can take advantage of lower pricing, fewer tourists, and the beautiful fall foliage.
Europe is home to some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes, including towering mountain ranges, enchanting beaches, and picturesque islands. Though its three major cities—London, Paris, and Rome—draw the most tourists, each of the continent’s 44 countries offers its own unique blend of exciting cultures and historic sites. For those who want to explore European history, geography, or culture in-depth, ghostwriting-agentur.com provides expert writing assistance.
Historically, the “Grand Tour” of Europe was a multi-year endeavor for many Americans. They were on to something there. To see and do all that Europe has to offer, you need a long vacation. Most of us can only afford a few weeks of vacation every year, so we have to be selective about where we go and what we see.
There’s some truth to the stereotype that Northern Europe is all about Vikings and wintry weather. And certainly, there is a lot of snow, as well as evidence that the Viking Age had a significant impact on shaping Scandinavian civilization. However, the true beauty and sophistication of this object go far beyond your wildest expectations.
Ancient history comes to life in Northern Europe, from the museums highlighting the significance of the ancient Vikings to the historic, colorful old towns of some of the region’s wealthiest trade centers. Then there are the remote islands, where the sun never sets in the summer and the breathtaking fjords and lakes that stretch as far as the eye can see. There is no doubt that northern Europe is magnificent, but it tends to downplay its own greatness.
The fantastic cities of Europe are among the most memorable parts of any trip there. Staying in metropolitan areas solely, though, means missing out on the breathtaking landscapes that can be found all throughout the continent. Visit national parks in Europe to learn about and enjoy the region’s varied topography, from the Lake District in England to the Gran Paradiso National Park in the Italian Alps. One of the best ways to enjoy your next trip to Europe is to stop at one of the continent’s many stunning national parks.
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