A taste of the High Life in the Low Countries!
A four day mini cruise from Southampton. Our hotel at sea really was amazing.
Where did we sleep?
Canberra Suite C104
This stunning cabin was right at the front of the ship and included a lounge, dining area, bedroom, impressive dressing area and bathroom with jacuzzi bath and separate shower, two sinks and a separate toilet with another sink! You could almost get lost in it! The clever design really made the most of all available space and it was cosy and comfortable. As well as a balcony there was a picture window in the bedroom with a blind operated by a button. This proved to be hilarious as sometimes it worked and at other times it didn’t! We met two engineers during our four day break but I think the whole thing just needed replacing! Nevertheless, this did not dampen our enjoyment of the cruise at all.
A real highlight was the butler delivering canapés every evening at about 5pm and we enjoyed these with the bottle of champagne that was in the cabin when we arrived.
Where did we eat?
Although our cruise was short, we had some delicious meals in a variety of restaurants. Because we were in a suite, we were invited to a welcome buffet lunch in Alexandria’s restaurant. Enjoying a glass of fizz and a range of tasty offerings was a great way to settle into life on board.
For our first evening meal, we had reserved a table at the Beach House. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly.
Our main courses were sizzling beef and “cook your own steak” on a lava stone.
Breakfast in The Glass House was relaxed, leisurely and exclusive for suite guests which was a nice touch.
Dinner at The Medina
We had 3 evening meals here and the food was delicious every time.
What did we visit?
Amsterdam
After an exciting afternoon negotiating our way through a large lock, we arrived in Amsterdam on a lovely sunny evening. We had booked an evening canal cruise with wine and cheese which was most enjoyable. Our guide seemed to be enjoying the wine too and her commentary got more animated as the cruise progressed!
Zaanse Schans
Having visited the city of Amsterdam many times before we had opted for something different during our day in the Dutch capital. Early the following morning we boarded our coach for a short drive to the picturesque museum of Dutch life at Zaanse Schans, where we found out how to make clogs, saw a huge variety of decorated clogs and walked around the village going into windmills and finding out how life was in the Dutch countryside in the past. It was very peaceful and although it was rather kitsch and seemed a bit artificial at first glance, it was pleasantly surprising to find out that people still lived there and you could even book accommodation in the village too.
We then had a picturesque drive through the Beemster and a short stop in Edam and a cheese factory, where I resisted the temptation to buy a year’s supply of Gouda with various herbs and spices added. It was difficult to believe that the area we drove through was mostly below sea level!
We had a few hours to spare before our sail away so we walked to the new A’dam tower. The views were great but we resisted the temptation to swing out over the city – maybe next time! We particularly enjoyed relaxing on the big orange bean bags on the roof and the bar on the floor just below the roof was definitely worth a visit.
Bruges/Ypres
The next morning after docking in Bruges, we boarded a coach to travel to the First World War battlefields at Ypres. The day was really well organised and our guide really enhanced it all with his detailed story telling. His father had been a soldier during the war and had been unable to talk about his experiences. His son had made it his life’s work to find out all he could about the war and educate others. Our first stop was the Tynecot cemetery which was very moving.
We were impressed by the beauty of the city of Ypres which had been all but destroyed during the war. We visited the “In Flanders Fields” interactive museum and enjoyed lunch in the café there.
We then visited the Menin Gate, the sheer size of which was both impressive and shocking if you considered just how many names were engraved upon it. Then it was time to make our way back to Zeebrugge and Aurora. It would have been quite something to hear “The Last Post”, still played at 8pm every evening, but we had to go back.
CRUISE SUMMARY
Overall, this mini cruise was excellent. Our suite was a real treat and I could have happily stayed in it for weeks. The food was very good quality, and the excursions were organised very efficiently. The entertainment seemed a little amateurish at times but was still good fun in its craziness!
Aurora really did have something for everyone and four days was not long enough to take advantage of all she had to offer. Maybe our next carry on cruising adventure will be longer!
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