23rd February 2020 Crossing the Bay of Biscay With swells exceeding five metres, crossing the Bay of Biscay was anything but comfortable. Continuous warnings throughout the ship advised passengers to wear flat shoes, hold onto handrails where possible, and take extra care on stairs and in doorways, sensible advice under the circumstances. Sick bags had… Continue Reading

17th February 2020 After a somewhat rocky night, we arrived at the port of Vigo in the province of Galicia, Spain, just as breakfast was being served. Vigo is home to Spain’s largest fishing fleet and a key industrial hub for car manufacturing and shipbuilding. History hasn’t always been kind to this city. Sir Francis… Continue Reading

15th February 2020 Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores and its largest municipality. Here, we docked early on the morning of Valentine’s Day. The day began on a gloomy note; the volcanic highlands were shrouded in grey mist, thick rolling clouds swept across the sky, and there was a hint of rain in… Continue Reading

14th February 2020 Since leaving Antigua, nestled serenely in the warm, calm Caribbean Sea, we have been making steady progress northeast through the cooler, choppier waters of the Atlantic Ocean. With each passing day, the outside temperature has dropped from a fatigue-inducing mid-30s to a far more comfortable mid-20s, at times, even lower. Heading into… Continue Reading

8th February 2020 Antigua is one of the smaller Leeward Islands, and it was here, in its capital, St. John’s, that we berthed alongside three other large cruise ships, just as we sat down to breakfast. Columbus named the island Santa María la Antigua as he sailed past in 1493, but it has been under… Continue Reading

7th February 2020 As usual, the Magellan docked at breakfast time in the port of Castries, joining two other cruise ships that had already secured their moorings. It was set to be a busy day for the inhabitants of the second-largest island in the Windward chain. St. Lucia was discovered by Juan de Cosa, who… Continue Reading

6th February 2020 The Magellan arrived early in Bridgetown, mooring at 6:00 am. Fortunately, she secured the closest berth to the port terminal, meaning passengers from the two cruise ships that arrived later faced a much longer walk into town. Interesting fact: Chicken is by far the most popular meat on the island, with hens… Continue Reading

4th February 2020 You encounter all sorts of people on a cruise, and while the Magellan is by no means the largest ship sailing the world’s seas, it certainly has its fair share of eccentric passengers. It’s no surprise that any establishment offering unlimited food and drink 24 hours a day will naturally attract those… Continue Reading

2nd February 2020 Most passengers now seem to have settled into a ship’s routine based on their interests and preferences. Plenty is happening on board to entertain those who prefer not just to sunbathe, eat, listen to music in the bars, or simply wait for the next port to provide a fresh distraction. The more… Continue Reading

1st February 2020 The night before we were due to drop anchor off the port of Icoaraci, situated on the banks of the Pará River, Sue wasn’t feeling too well; she had cold shivers and a sore throat, so she wisely opted for a bowl of warming soup in the buffet before heading for an… Continue Reading