When we finished driving all around the UK, we headed to Southampton to board a Princess ship. This wasn’t just any Princess ship though, it was THE ship; the brand new Princess Sun, the largest ship in Princess’ fleet. It’s certainly a big ship, and it really stood out at port.
Monday, September 23
Today our friend, Jakub, picked us up at our hotel and took us to Southampton where we boarded our ship. We were very pleased with the boarding process, and even more so when our luggage arrived much earlier than usual. We met our steward, Jeremia, and set out to explore the ship, checking out the spa, lido deck, and meal venues. Then we took a nap before heading to dinner.
Tuesday, September 24
Our ship stopped in Portland, England for the day. We had opted to stay on board because we’d just been to the area and didn’t feel a need to repeat ourselves. We had the ship almost to ourselves and enjoyed the quiet.
Wednesday, September 25
Today was an “At Sea” day as we sailed toward Spain. Alan and I spent a lot of time at one of the empty bars where we could sit at a proper table with our laptops to work on our photos from Kenya. Most of our At Sea days were spent here or another location doing just that. With more than 10,000 photos each, it was a bit of a slog getting through them. Any day that we did not visit a port was spent on photos. But it was sure nice to get them done ahead of arriving home.
Thursday, September 26
Vigo, Spain
Today, we docked in Vigo, Spain, and set out on the “Pontevedra on Foot & Time on Your Own” excursion that whisked us across the scenic Rande Strait to the vibrant Alameda Square in Pontevedra. From there, we wandered through the city’s enchanting cobbled streets, a true time capsule where 18th and 19th-century buildings stand shoulder-to-shoulder with 15th and 16th-century treasures.
We learned about the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage, which begins in Pontevedra. Of note are the well known (scallop) shells that pilgrims gather along their walk as a way of marking their journey.
We took in the grand Town Hall, the atmospheric ruins of the medieval Santo Domingo convent, St. Mary’s Church, and the bustling Praza do Teucro and Praza da Peregrina. We visited the Church of Saint Francisco (just before a service, no less), Lena Square, and admired the Renaissance beauty of Parador de Pontevedra, a stunning historic palace. Afterward, we had some free time to shop—picked up a few souvenirs and a new scarf for myself! Finally, we made our way back to the ship, filled with wonderful memories of Pontevedra’s timeless charm.
Sunday, September 29
Madeira, Portugal
Today, I had to sit this one out, but Alan took on the “Best of Madeira” adventure solo while our ship was docked in Funchal. He hopped on a bus and headed straight for Cabo Girão, where he got to experience the breathtaking skywalk with its 1,640-foot drop down to the sea—a perfect spot for some epic photos!
From there, he explored Ribeira Brava, one of Madeira’s oldest towns, and had lunch in the picturesque village of Quebra Mar. The journey continued with scenic coastal views all the way to Calheta, where he toured the historic Engenho da Calheta distillery. Alan sampled Madeira’s signature poncha, a drink made with rum and honey, along with a slice of Madeira cake.
After a fun day of sightseeing, he made it back to the ship full of stories (and a few photos) to share with me.
Monday, September 30
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Our adventure in Tenerife was “Puerto de la Cruz on Your Own”. It began with a scenic bus ride across the island, winding up and through the mountain range separating our ship from Puerto de la Cruz. Equipped with a map and a few tips from our guide on must-see spots, we set out to explore!
Our first stop was Castillo San Felipe, an old fortress that once protected the city. From there, we strolled along the coastal road, soaking up the ocean views and the charming atmosphere of the town. We wrapped up our tour at Plaza del Charco, where we grabbed a quick, delicious lunch before it was time to head back to the bus for our return trip.
When we left Tenerife, we set sail for eight days across the Atlantic Ocean to Fort Lauderdale.
Monday, October 7
Two days from port
After dinner, while we were in the buffet dining room (still) working through photos, the captain’s voice came over the intercom with some unexpected news: due to Hurricane Milton’s rapid intensification to a Category 5, our Wednesday landing in Fort Lauderdale was off the table. The authorities had advised our ship—and several others—that docking was too risky due to extreme weather and rough seas. Safety first!
We did get close enough to the coast to facilitate a medical evacuation for three passengers in urgent need of care, with helicopters and boats getting them to a mainland hospital. After that, we steered south, aiming to stay near Cuba until the storm passed, which was expected by Friday.
Realizing how serious the situation was, I immediately jumped online to reschedule our flight from Wednesday to Saturday, adding a buffer day just in case. Delta’s chat agent had us set in 15 minutes! I then booked a hotel for Friday night and updated our car rental with Alamo for Saturday. Within about 30 minutes, we had everything sorted, a big sigh of relief, and were able to return to our photo editing with a little peace of mind.
One of the fun things that happened while we were out to sea, was the appearance of birds, most notable was the peregrine falcon that flew along near our balcony.
Friday, October 11
Fort Lauderdale
We arrived in Fort Lauderdale bright and early in the morning and had no trouble getting off the ship. We did have some trouble finding Alan’s suitcase, but eventually it was found and we got a cab to our hotel.
Saturday, October 12
Going home
The next day we flew home and discovered a little bit of damage to our ceilings from Hurricane Helene, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed in the next few months.