Sadly, I arrived back from my summer holiday on Friday evening so for this week's blog post I am here to tell you all about my holiday. Be prepared this is going to be a long post.
My holiday started on Saturday 25th July when my mum, dad and I drove down to Wiltshire from Hull to stay with some friends for the night and to break up the 6 hour journey from Hull to Southampton, which is where we would be getting on the cruise ship the next day.
On Sunday 26th July we drove from Wiltshire to Southampton, where we met up with my auntie, uncle and cousin Tom. We then got on board the cruise ship, this was my 14th cruise and this year we were travelling on P&O Cruises' Oriana, which was in fact the first cruise ship I ever went on. Once on the ship we had some lunch, went to muster (which is basically where they tell you what to do if the ship is sinking) and then went out on deck to wave goodbye to England and watch the sail-away. Next we got ready for dinner, went for a couple of pre-drinks and then went to dinner. After dinner we just went to a bar for a few more drinks and then went to bed fairly early as we were all pretty tired after a long day of travelling.
Monday 27th July was a sea day and the weather wasn't great so I spent most of the day either sleeping or sitting in a bar with Tom. In the evening it was a formal night so we all got dressed up, then went to the Captain's cocktail party and then for dinner. As it was a formal night I wore my prom dress which looks a lil bit like Elsa from Frozen's dress, which led to the bar staff in Harlequins (the nightclub on board) calling me Elsa and singing Let It Go whenever I went to get a drink for the rest of the cruise. After dinner we had a couple of drinks and then Tom, my dad and I went to the nightclub. Yes my dad did come clubbing with us as he thinks he's cool. But anyway this night in Harlequins was my first encounter with Chris and Lois, who me and Tom later became friends with and are now my new favourite Welshies. So after too many vodka and cranberries and a lot of dancing my dad, Tom and I went to bed around 2:45am.
Tuesday 28th July was also a sea day but the weather was slightly better than the previous day so we all sat by the pool. However, as it was cloudy we all didn't think to put suncream on, we then all fell asleep and woke up with slightly embarrassing tan or should I say burn lines. I fell asleep in my shorts so cue embarrassing picture of my burn lines. That evening consisted of pre-drinks, dinner, some more drinks after dinner then bed.
On Wednesday the cruise ship was docked in Lisbon in Portugal so we got off the ship and had a walk round. Lisbon is beautiful and is definitely one of my favourite places that we visited on this cruise. During the afternoon we sunbathed by the pool then had pre-drinks and dinner. After dinner me and Tom went to Harlequins and this was the night that our squad was formed. Whilst at Harlequins Chris and Lois came and started talking to us and then a bit later we asked a group of three boys (Ben, Tom A and Jamie) and then two sisters (Fae and Eve) to join us. We had a few drinks and danced for a bit and then when the disco ended the DJ (Charlie) came and sat with us and we played Ring of Fire and Never Have I Ever and learnt way too much about each other than people who have only just met should.
Thursday 30th July was another sea day which consisted of sunbathing and swimming in the pool. The evening consisted of pre-drinks and dinner and then me and Tom went to the 18-35 meet up (purely because there was a free cocktail included). After me, Tom, Chris and Lois went to the pub where we met up with Tom A, Ben, Jamie, Fae and Eve as there was karaoke going on and Chris and Lois are karaoke pros. After watching some fabulous and some horrendous karaoke performances we all headed to Harlequins where we had plenty of drinks and danced way too much. We also acquired two more members to the squad (Will and Nick). I then went to bed around 3:30am.
On 31st July after a grand 3 and a half hours sleep I was woken up at 7am as the ship was docked in Casablanca in Morocco and we were going on a tour. On our tour we went to The Hassan II Mosque, a Catholic Church and a beautiful town hall. We also had some free time which we spent looking in some shops and having a drink. When we got back on the ship I sunbathed, got some food and then had a nap (as I was struggling after my 3 and a half hours sleep). For dinner my mum and dad, my auntie and uncle and Tom and I went to The Beach House which was incredible! After dinner Tom and I met up with the gang minus Fae and Eve in the pub where we had a few drinks and took part in the quiz. Then of course we went to Harlequins for drinks and a dance. The squad was also completed this night as the last member (Georgia) joined. During this night we also lined up at the bar and did a waterfall of shots in which I stupidly decided to do Sambucca. I have no idea when we went to bed this night but it was probably about 4.
Saturday 1st August was one of my favourite days of the holiday. Today the ship was docked in Gibraltar and me and Tom went for a walk and looked round the shops. The alcohol in Gibraltar is incredibly cheap and we picked up 3 litres of Smirnoff vodka for under £18 as 1 litre over there is only around £5.60. After our walk Tom and I got back on the ship and then I went for a nap (as I was not coping with having a maximum of 4 hours sleep a night). Then I went and sunbathed by the pool with the two Toms, Ben and Jamie. The three boys then went and me, Tom, Eve, Fae, Lois and Chris went in the pool and took underwater photos. Next I got ready for dinner, had some pre-drinks then went to dinner. After dinner Tom and I met the rest of the gang on deck at the tropical deck party, which was great fun. Once the party had ended the gang took the party to Harlequins where we continued to drink and dance (I'm not gonna lie I got a little too tipsy this night).
On Sunday 2nd August the ship was docked in Malaga in Spain. We had a walk round Malaga for a bit and then me and Tom went back on the ship and yep you guessed it I had another nap. I then went to the pool and had a swim with most of the squad. Next I got ready for dinner, had pre-drinks then went to dinner. After dinner we took some of our alcohol and some mixers that we had bought in Gibraltar and met the squad in Tom A, Jamie and Ben's cabin for pre-drinks before Harlequins. We later named their cabin Puzzles as it became the cabin we kept all our alcohol in and was basically a bar (I'm sure at one point there was about 3 litres of vodka, 4 litres of gin and a fair amount of whiskey in there). After drinks in Puzzles we went to Harlequins for more drinks and some dancing. As I was shattered I had an early night and went to bed around half 1.
On Monday 3rd August we were in Cadiz in Spain. After breakfast we got off the ship and went for a walk, I then got back on the ship, got changed and met up with Tom, Eve, Fae, Jamie, Ben and other Tom and we got off the ship and went to the beach. We talked and had a couple of drinks on the the beach and then Charlie (the DJ from the ship) met us and we went swimming in the sea. We then walked back to the ship and then met up again at one of the pools on board for the sail-away party where we had a couple of drinks. Before dinner my mum and dad and I went to the Captain's cocktail party (for people who have done a certain number of cruises) where we had a few free drinks, Chris and Lois were there and managed 18 gin and tonics in 45 minutes. This was one of the funniest nights, after dinner we all met in Puzzles and played several games of Ring of Fire which resulted in us all getting a lil bit pissed. We then went to Harlequins where more alcohol was consumed and a lot of dancing was done. Everyone was pretty steaming and for some reason Chris and I thought it would be hilarious (which it was) to swap clothes. We left Harlequins at around 5:30am and then some of us decided we'd have a sleepover in Fae and Eve's cabin, so Fae, Eve, Nick, Chris and I all squashed together and spooned in two single beds pushed together.
On Tuesday 4th August after our wake up call from Lois at 12pm I did my walk of shame back to my own cabin in my pyjamas carrying last night's outfit. I then got changed and went to the pull and the whole gang went in the hot tub. Our group of 12 then split into two teams of 6 and we took part in some rather embarrassing but hilarious pool games in front of pretty much everyone on the ship. These games included a relay race were each person had to swim across the pool carrying various items, switching a wet shirt over our heads, collecting spoons from the bottom of the pool, floating across the pool in a life ring with a bucket on our heads, swimming in a boiler suit and a dance off. The games ended in a 'draw' but my team definitely won. For our efforts we were all given a free cocktail which we drank in the hot tub. Later in the afternoon Chris, Tom, Lois, Ben, Georgia, other Tom and I went in the steam room, sauna and jacuzzi in the spa for a bit. I then went and got ready for dinner, had pre-drinks then had dinner. After dinner we played Ring of Fire in Puzzles and then went to Harlequins to dance and drink the night away.
On Wednesday 5th August the ship was docked in Vigo in Spain. In Vigo Tom, my mum, dad and I went for a walk did some shopping and had a drink. I treated myself to some make up which I will probably feature in a future post. When we got back on the ship we had some lunch and then sunbathed by the pool for a bit. Then the squad met up and we went to the Great British sail-away at the pool at the back of the ship. We had a few drinks there and then went and had a drink inside. I then got ready for dinner and then had dinner. After dinner everyone met at Puzzles and we played 3 games of Ring of Fire (once again way too much alcohol was consumed). We then went to Harlequins for more drinks and then around 4:30am Lois, Nick, Eve, Fae, Chris and I all went back to Fae and Eve's cabin for another spoon.
On Thursday 6th August (our last full day) we woke up around 11:30 and I once again did the long walk back to my cabin in my pyjamas with last night's outfit in hand. Once I arrived at my cabin I realised I'd left my room key in Fae and Eve's cabin, my cabin steward then caught me while I was deciding whether or not to walk all the way back in my pjs to get it and he kindly let me in. I then got changed and met the squad to go and get some lunch. We then sat in the hot tub for ages before people started to go back to their cabins and start packing. Everyone then got ready and the gang then met for a pre-drink in the pub before dinner. We then had dinner and then everyone including Charlie (as it was his night off) met in Puzzles for a game of Ring of Fire. We then went to the Pacific Lounge for a bit and then to Harlequins where we had champagne to celebrate the squad and then many more drinks. As it was the last night Harlequins closed around 2:30am so we all went and sat on deck for a bit. Then people started going to bed and we had to start saying goodbye to each other. At the end there was just me, Georgia, Will, Chris and Lois left so we all decided to go to bed and we walked down the stairs and had cuddles and goodbyes every time we got to someone's floor. Ngl I got a lil bit emotional saying goodbye to my favourite Welshies, Chris and Lois.
On Friday 7th August we woke up early, had breakfast, got our stuff and then sat waiting until we could get off the ship. Tom and I met up with Lois and Chris for a bit and then had to say more goodbyes:(. We got off the ship around 9 and then had a long 6 hour drive back to Hull.
So that was my 2015 summer holiday. Out of my 14 cruises it was definitely the best due to the incredible group of people I spent it with and also due to the fact that it was my first cruise I was old enough to drink on. I'm so happy to have made some new life long friends and I can't wait for all the nights out we're going to have together. If any of you are reading this I love you all!
Anyway thank you for reading, if you read the whole post congratulations you deserve a medal!
Love Jess x
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