Well, it’s been some years since I have written a trippy, and as such I thought I might give this a go.
Some background, I recently got married (March this year) but my husband unfortunately is self employed, and tries to take only 3 days leave a year outside of Christmas and other bank holidays. We also have horses, and a puppy, so it’s expensive and tricky having no one at home.
I’m on a fixed term contract with work, which is finishing at the end of July, and so I was trying to take very minimal AL (to the point of only taking 2 days for the wedding) to get paid out for it in case I didn’t find another job straight away. However it has got very quiet at work, so they have asked me to take a week off in June or July.
I came home on Thursday fairly miffed, as I hate wasting leave, but my husband suggested I find a cheap week somewhere as he knows I love to travel, and he really isn’t bothered.
I have done a fair bit of solo travelling, and by far my favourite experience has always been cruising. I have cruised with Thomson twice, and NCL once, and whilst I loved both NCL was a world apart.
One of my bucket list items is a Fjords cruise, which had benefit because it could be done from this country, so would save on flights and possibly hotels the night before.
I had a bit of a google, there was no NCL short fjords cruises this year so I went straight onto Thomson/Marella. They had a 6 night (3 port) AI cruise leaving Newcastle 7th July which was well priced, and so I nearly booked that.
I do like a drink, so do prefer AI or a drinks package, so I can have what I fancy, rather than worrying about my bill at the end.
I did have a look through other cruise lines. And ended up looking at P&O. I know they have a drinks package at £39.95 a day. To be honest I won’t drink more than this, I know that, but it will be nice to work my way through the cocktails and wine list, rather than sticking to house wine.
I found a 7 night (4 port) from Southampton on the 1st June. It was coming in at £878 (without the drinks package) so slightly more than the Marella option, but it did work out that for another £100 I could have an extra day away and another port.
My husband told me not to ‘rock the boat for a ha’porth of tar’ and to book the P&O, especially as I had never cruised P&O before and could be a more premium product.
So I’m booked on the Azura in an inside cabin. 1st June which is under 4 weeks away, I’m planning on keeping spending money down, and wandering around rather than lots of shore excursions.
So your cast of one is
Me- Mitch - 34
Loves dogs (especially black labradors), horses, wine and cheese and good food in general, I love walking and so will walk anywhere I can rather than get a bus etc.
This is a photo from my last cruise, rather cold in St Petersburg
Edit at 1 week to go
I have sorted my parking due to a very very kind Dibber.
I also managed to get Flam railway tickets after Melanie told me to keep checking.
My cabin was allocated, no upgrade for me, but it's an inside cabin nearer the back of the ship on Deck E which is quite a central deck I believe. I'm happy as I'd rather be at the back of the ship than the front, I'm also near a lift but will be trying to use the stairs as much as possible.
I've bought a few holiday bits from Primark and toiletries from Boots.
I'm definitely doing the drinks package as I know I'll cover the cost both in wine and cocktails but bottles of water, coffee etc too.
I have a budget of £50 for 'select' dining. I'm definitely doing Sindhu the Indian for £20, but contemplating the £28 Epicurean too, I'm hoping for a embarkation day deal on one of these, as then I should have enough pennies for the £7.50 Beach house. If I scrapped the Epicurean I could probably do Sindhu Dinner, Sindhu lunch, Glass House and Beach house which may be better value. Decisions Decisions.
I also have an in port budget of £50 per port. I have used £52 for the Flam railway which was my big ticket thing. In Stavanger I'm going to go to the Canning museum or the petrol museum, in Bergen hopefully up the funicular and walk down, and in Alesund I might do the HOHO bus as if its a nice day I could maybe fit in the open air museum and the aquarium.
I know it sounds very penny pinching, but I'm going away without my husband, and solo cruising isn't the cheapest in the world.
8 sleeps - very excited..