All Aboard

Well that was fun. The Gorse Fox skipped football and the Silver Vixen skipped Pilates today. The weather absolutely foul, but we had an appointment in Southampton. We headed out into the mist and swirling rain and drove across the coast and found our way to Dock Gate 10 (almost opposite IKEA). We parked up and checked in to the Mayflower Cruise Terminal.

About 40 minutes later we were escorted, along with a hundred or more other visitors, onto the P&O ship Aurora. We were split into small tour groups. Our group had 8 people and we were led by an experienced cruise veteran. Each group was taken in a different zig-zag path round the ship so that we didn't clash too much.

We started with a view of some of the main public spaces - the atrium, the shops, the theatre, the cinema, the casino, the art gallery, the lounges and the bars. It was clearly a very luxurious ship and there was plenty of opportunity for a passenger to get some solitude if they wished.

We then looked at one or two of the restaurants (though one was kept back for our lunch) and then out onto the fantail to see one of the pool areas. The weather was too wet to have a good look round outside so we retreated into the warmth and headed for another of the pools. This was beneath a retractable glass roof in a central atrium. The Gorse Fox should think that even with the roof open (which they do as soon as ship hits warmer weather) it would be lovely and sheltered.

Next on the agenda was the accommodation. We were taken around the various cabins. Internal, external, balcony, deluxe balcony, mini-suite, suite, and penthouse. There was clearly a wide choice but to be practical the Gorse Fox and Silver Vixen would not consider anything below a junior suite. This is because the bathrooms were so small and enclosed (the Silver Vixen doesn't like enclosed spaces) and also, given that the Gorse Fox gets up earlier than the Silver Vixen, there was nowhere for him to go and read, or to write his blog, or whatever.

Finally it was time to visit the last of the restaurants and to have a three course lunch. Well, the Gorse Fox must say that it was delightful. We sat at a table with our little tour group and were waited on by the normal waiting staff. Given that the ship was just in port for 12 hours and this was an extra shift in terms of these waiters, they were charming, attentive, and discreet. The Gorse Fox was impressed.

He thinks that a lot of his reservations regarding cruising have been addressed. Now, that doesn't mean that we're going to book a cruise, but it does mean that it's now an additional holiday option.