MSC Bellissima 14th March 2019 Part 9 (the concluding one)

16th March 2019 Marseille
Shuttle bus passengers were dropped off near a Ferris wheel in a vast and empty parking area. I didn't recognise where we were at first but was directed towards the harbour, and soon knew where I wanted to go: along the side of the water leading to the inner harbour where the fishermen sell their produce each morning. Crowds of Saturday shoppers or strollers were enjoying the hot sunshine here in the south of France, and it was fascinating to walk along the quayside or under the arcades in deep shade.

Under a shady arcade

It's a miraculous fish soup...

Blue sky and white tree

Le Ferry Boat


Halfway along the quay I saw what I hoped to find: the cross-harbour little Le Ferry Boat was running. I was soon on board, paid my fare, and enjoyed looking around. It takes 45 people maximum but I was one of about a dozen.

View


The water sparkled, and we soon set off and a few minutes later arrived on the other side. I disembarked and then joined a little queue of people waiting to return to my first boarding point. Well, that was all enjoyable.

I walked back to the shuttle drop-off point and prepared to get what ship photographs I could on the coach journey way back to the ship.

Walking back to the coach park - the Cathedral

Another view

Piana

Vizzavona


As I walked into the coach park the red-hulled VIZZAVONA sailed out of the harbour at speed so I was fortunate to be able to turn my camera and capture that. The journey back proved fairly worthwhile, even at speed and with the unexpected route.

Mediterranee

MN on the hull

A Superfast vessel


Back on board I enjoyed a very late lunch before returning to my cabin. Later on I met my friend and during a promenade around the ship a little later we discovered some lovely ship models in glass cases; these included MSC MAGNIFICA, MSC GRANDIOSA, MSC BELLISSIMA, MSC SEASIDE and MSC MERAVIGLIA.

MSC Magnifica

MSC Grandiosa

MSC Seaside

MSC Meraviglia

MSC Bellissima


We met again in our favourite Champagne Bar before dinner, enjoying our last evening on board.

Tonight we have a booking for the Cirque Du Soleil at Sea show, which sounds really exciting. The performance is called 'Varelia - Love in full colour' and is described as 'a tale of modern chivalry where love and courage triumph over the greatest divides'. The doors of the Carousel Lounge Deck 7 opened at 21.45 and we were soon in our allotted seats very near to the raised circular stage. Passengers were also able to book seats at raised dining tables at the back of the Lounge and have a meal there, but they seemed very expensive for such a distant view of the performance. We were given a drink as we arrived and that was just as good, and we were able to look around and watch the high level screens showing interesting light displays before the show started. Then the music started and it was time to watch the performance right in front of us - we enjoyed it all hugely.


Ships seen: MSC Bellissima, Viking Star, Girolata, Superfast something, an MN vessel, Mediterranee, Piana, Pascal Paoli, Tariq Ibn Ziyad of Algerie Ferries, Vizzavona of Corsica Linea, Le Ferry Boat in Marseille harbour

Sunday 17th March 2019
This morning we sailed back into Genoa harbour, under a sunny sky again. We disembarked and walked up to the Railway Station where my friend was to get a train on his way home. I caught a free bus taking me to the airport, where I could enjoy a last Italian coffee before flying back to England. It had been an enjoyable and interesting short trip on this brand-new ship MSC BELLISSIMA.

MSC Bellissima

FERRYING IN '15 22nd June Mega Smeralda

Monday 22nd June 2015
I slept well and enjoyed watching our arrival in Bastia, on the French island of Corsica, from the open decks on PASCAL PAOLI.

As we came alongside, we could see 'restaurant row'and part of the little mountain-side town

Mega Express Two had arrived

Mega Smeralda arrives

Her stern

Pascal Paoli, from the quayside, whilst I was awaiting the shuttle bus


Ships were in port, ships were following us in astern and we were indeed alongside at 7 a.m. I caught the shuttle bus on the quayside to the terminal on the other side of the u-shaped quays whilst my companions took photographs and joined me at the terminal.

Walking towards the terminal I could see Pascal Paoli over the other side, Mega Smeralda ahead of me, and Moby Corse carefully coming astern into the port.

Moby Corse getting nearer


MEGA SMERALDA arrived and once her passengers and cars had disembarked we could get on board. Her distinctive golden hull is very noticeable and I like travelling on these Corsica-Sardinia Ferries; they seem well designed and appealing on board, and I do like the departure and arrival music at every port: The Thieving Magpie overture by Rossini. It always lifts my spirits, as if they weren't already lifted!

Mega Smeralda Reception area


This ship was built in 1985 at 34,694 gross tons, and has always been popular. We left Bastia on time at 8.30 and were so glad that it had been a far less stressful morning than it could have been, with a later arrival. This is our fifth ship of the trip so far, and having left Bastia we are now sailing for Livorno, on the Italian mainland, and due to arrive at 12.45. The sea was as calm as a millpond and sparkling under the hot sun as we headed out from the port.

Deck plan around a pillar

Dancing Palace lounge

Signs on board

Breakfast time


Breakfast in one of the eating areas was most satisfactory especially after getting up so early, and then we could explore some of the passenger facilities on this ship. I had packed my swimming costume in my rucksack to come on holiday, and this morning we all left our rucksacks safely locked into the baggage room near Reception once we came on board. We then discovered there was a swimming pool on the lowest inside deck, together with spa facilities! By then it was impossible to get at our rucksacks, so we could either hire compulsory shoes, swimsuit and bathing hat, or not swim. The hire costs made that decision for us, but at least we were able to see the facilities and remember what to do next time - ah well.

Looking out from the Panorama Bar

Panorama Bar


We visited the Dancing Palace, the double-height lounge bar at the bow, which looked good, various restaurants and cafes midships, and gradually made our way up top to the Panorama Bar, with its comfy seating and bar food. I noticed that one of the Bar drinks was called 'Peace and Love'; I also recognised the carpet pattern, which comes in various colours for use on the Corsica/Sardinia ferries. The views were lovely from this Panorama Bar too, and the air-conditioning most welcome. Outside the sea still glittered and the sun shone and the air was like silk.

I liked this piece of art work

Peace and Love drink

Familiar carpet

The ship's wake

The funnel and logo

Mega Smeralda on deck

Corsica Marina Seconda

Places to eat

Dancing Palace

Dancing Palace Bar


We approached Livorno, which still has those tall silos near the ferry terminal, and as we entered the harbour we could see a small sandy beach that had been created alongside one of the breakwaters, far out from the terminals. People were relaxing on the beach as well as swimming in the sea water. A new quay was under construction near where we berthed.

The little sandy beach

The new quayside under construction, and the beach way off in the distance

Mega Smeralda life ring


We were alongside at 12.30 and soon disembarked as footies with the musical sounds of The Thieving Magpie echoing in our ears. The heat and humidity hit us immediately as we made our way across to the terminal building where hire-car keys were to be collected. One of my friends is to drive us south from here in Livorno to Piombino, where another part of our adventure is to start, involving several more ships to sail on today.


Ships seen: Mega Smeralda, Moby Corse, Mega Express Two, Pascal Paoli, La Suprema in the distance passing Bastia or it might have been La Superba in her old livery still, Corsica Marina Seconda, Puglia in Livorno


To be continued...

FERRYING IN '15 21st June

Sunday 21st June 2015
We are due to arrive in Marseille at 8 a.m. on board JEAN NICOLI so there was ample time to start the day with the ship's enjoyable Buffet Breakfast Menu as we approached the port. On our way into our berth we passed two cruise ships: COSTA DIADEMA and RIVIERA, which had already arrived at their berths.

Sailing past Chateau d'If

Costa Diadema and Riviera were in port

Riviera

Zenith in the distance

Methania

Corse

Kalliste


Once off the ship we had to take the ferry shuttle bus (free of course) to the terminal building to decide our plans for the day. We decided to be proper tourists so strolled along the dual-carriageway boulevard on the sea-side to enjoy looking at the pictures on the fencing. The local authorities have been building things here for years, but it now seems that they may have nearly accomplished what they planned. The pictures showed things in 1995 (in black and white) and now in 2015 (in colour) and they were quite a contrast. It was amazing to look around and see no building sites or traffic chaos because of diversions - certainly down here at the port area - but of course it was different just a mile behind us, in the city.

Decisions made, we took a number 60 local bus to the church of Notre Dame de la Garde, up on the hill above the city. The golden statue was eye-catching in the bright sunlight and we enjoyed looking around the ramparts and then inside the church. Outside the views were panoramic, looking towards the ferry port and cruise ship terminal, or towards the Isles du Frioul just outside the port.

Notre Dame de la Garde

Long view

The Church Cross

View over the port

Frioul Islands

Chateau d'If

Jesus dans la barque


Another air-conditioned number 60 local bus took us back down to the city and the Vieux Porte where we wanted to catch a pleasure craft to take us out to the Chateau d'If.

We were soon on our way out to the island, on board AIGLON 3, which is where the novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' was set by French author Alexandre Dumas, and where many people were jailed in previous centuries. My friends enjoyed ice-creams in the cafe grounds whilst I enjoyed little shortbread-based sables aux dattes with vanilla ice-cream, specially created by the proprietor. The tour of the Chateau was interesting despite the heat and the many steps to climb but the views from the ramparts were worth it. I had happy memories of my first visit here when we saw a dinosaur's descendant - well, it was a tiny lizard, but my mind could imagine its ancestors...

Isles du Frioul

Aiglon 3

Lovely water

View back to the city

and again


We took an afternoon ferry back to the Vieux Porte, marvelling at a few people swimming in the entrance waters but also envying them I suppose.

Sailing back into the Vieux Porte

and seeing the swimmers


A nearby bar supplied Earl Grey tea or cool drinks, and then we were ready to take another local bus number 82 along the boulevard towards the ferry terminals. By this time the Mistral had died down so the sun and tiny breeze were very pleasant.

Tonight we are due to sail on the ro-ro passenger ship PASCAL PAOLI so we were keen to check in and get on board. She was built in 2003 in France, at 35,760 gross tons, so was much bigger than our previous ships. She sails regularly between Marseille and Bastia in Corsica and this is our itinerary. Instead of cabin keys, we had individual cabin cards with a 4 digit code printed on them, and these codes had to be used on the small keypad beside each cabin door handle to gain entry. One surprise in the bathroom was a hairdryer, which is a rarity on the older ferries.

Pascal Paoli

Main bar on Pascal Paoli

On deck

The ship's name


We sailed at 7 p.m. in hot sunshine from Marseille,

View out on deck

Roof-top party on one of the new buildings

Mediterranee

Mediterranee taking the air

El Djazair, Algerian Ferries


Again we passed the Chateau d'If, and also that amazing building on a neighbouring island that looks just like the bow of a ship. What a fun design. The Bar was open and we joined other passengers enjoying a pre-dinner drink, whilst we listened to a two-piece band playing some music.

What a delightful design for a home


The stern Restaurant was a lovely location for dinner, despite the stern ramp being rather noticeably in the view, and the service was rather casual but the food and wine were good value for money. We spent time on deck afterwards enjoying the last views of the mountains as the sun gradually went down. On our port side we could see two of the Sardinia-Corsica Ferries (MEGA SMERALDA and MEGA EXPRESS FOUR) heading into or from the port of Toulon.

Sardinia-Corsica Ferries in the far distance


MEGA SMERALDA will be following us all the way down to Bastia, although at a slightly slower speed, which is fortunate as she is our next sailing tomorrow morning from Bastia. Our arrival time tomorrow on board PASCAL PAOLI was originally to be 8 a.m. which made the connection with MEGA SMERALDA extremely tight, but there was an on board announcement that the arrival time in Bastia would be 7 a.m. That is a great relief! The sea was calm and the light beautiful as we watched sunset from the upper decks.


Ships seen: Riviera, Zenith (Bleu de France) of 1992, Costa Diadema, El Djazair II, Methania, Mediterranee, Pascal Paoli, Corse, Kalliste, Jean Nicoli, Girolata, Aiglon 3 - the little cruise boat for the Chateau d'If, Mega Smeralda, Mega Express Four.

To be continued...