Ferrying in Greece September 2019 Part 8

Thursday 19th September 2019
Well, that was a short night. By the time we walked back to the Gramvoussa Bay Hotel and our rooms it was well after 1.00 a.m. All too soon my alarm told me to get up and finish packing and then we were off again, walking back to the port for a departure at 9.30 a.m. We looked back for the last time to see the Gramvoussa Bay Hotel in the early morning light.

Gramvoussa Bay early morning

Sun still behind the mountains as we walked to join Ionis yesterday morning, an hour earlier


Yesterday I had taken a photograph of their leaflet which showed its wonderful location. Another photograph that I took yesterday was of the sun rising behind the mountains as we walked to join IONIS, but that was an hour earlier.

Gramvoussa Bay Hotel leaflet


Today we are leaving a little later but we could see the lovely little IONIS ahead of us and she is our ship for the day, on our 11 hour sail to Piraeus. We will be calling at Kythera (just for a change) on our way. We had booked a cabin for this trip and were happy to see the monogrammed linen on the bunks as we left our baggage and headed to the Bar.

Monogrammed linen in the cabin


The steward was rather surprised to see us again but soon had my cappuccino organised and a cheese pie too. My friend Jonathan B had a chat with the Purser and found out after we sailed at 9.30 a.m. that there were just 37 passengers on this sailing from Kissamos Bay.

We enjoyed a lovely relaxing day at sea, watching the sea, sky and sun, and talking.

Bright lavender-coloured doors to the toilet facilities


We called at the port of Kythera about 1.15 p.m. and there were many more passengers and their luggage and vehicles waiting to come on board. One vehicle was a high-loaded lorry with a net over it and, after looking at some of the contents under the net, we decided the driver was what in England we would call a scrap metal merchant.

Boarding at Kythera

We think he was a scrap metal merchant

High and dry

Oh dear


We noticed that a big wreck was high and dry outside the port, up on the volcanic rocks. My friend told me afterwards that it was the cargo ship NORDLAND which ran aground in 2000. It simply looks like a carcass of a vessel.

Then we sailed out into the shipping lanes heading for Piraeus, and it was lunchtime for us.

Ships in the distance

Costa Victoria



We took more photographs of the little IONIS. She was built in 1977 and I remember seeing her last in Piraeus Harbour on Monday 18th July 2016 when she was with Leve Ferries. She is certainly smart to look at and well looked after internally, and we felt all the staff on board were very proud of her.

Viking Star

Blue Horizon

El Venizelos



We arrived in Piraeus just before 9 p.m. and disembarked from our little ship, which looked quite small compared with others around. A taxi took us to the Queens Leriotis Hotel a few miles just out of the port and round the bay. I've stayed here before and remembered what good views could be had here from the sea-facing rooms - ships heading in and out of the Great Harbour almost all the time.

The day ended with a glass of something delicious enjoyed on a balcony looking out to sea after a lovely day sailing in Greek waters.


Ships seen: Gramvousa, Balos, Gramvousa Express, Spirit of Athos, Skylark, something from DFDS out in the Adriatic/Aegean Straits, Costa Victoria as we sailed towards Piraeus, various UASC container ships, the shipwrecked Nordland near Kythera, and Jonathan B said he identified Blue Star 2 and Blue Star Paros as we sailed along, Viking Star, Blue Horizon, El Venizelos in Piraeus


To be continued...






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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

MSC BELLISSIMA 14th March 2019 Part 8

Saturday 16th March 2019
On board MSC BELLISSIMA it was another lovely warm and sunny morning as we arrived at our berth in Marseille after sailing overnight from Barcelona.

Looking aft towards the inner port


Once I was on deck I could look out and see the dry dock that I remember so well from December 2011. Back then I was on board COSTA DELIZIOSA for a short cruise of 4 nights from Savona which turned into a shorter cruise into a Marseille dry dock but with free excursions and fun on board. (See Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011). Today after breakfast we walked round to see a little more of this new ship, and enjoyed coffee in the Horizon Pool Bar area.

Grand Canyon pool bar area

Fun seats; at first glance they reminded me of Cadbury's milk chocolate finger biscuits


The big seats were a fun design and comfortable, although with a tendency to make me slide down towards the floor. This was in port, I hasten to add.

We also found a large model of the up-coming MSC World Class ships, the first of which is due in 2022. It has a radical design bow, will carry 6,774 passengers at 205,700 gross tons.

Upcoming World Class ship

Details of World Class

Photograph

Deck scene

Reflections, right above me



My friend was having a sea day, and didn't want to go ashore here in Marseille, so I set off on the shuttle bus with my costly ticket.

Ship's bow

MSC Bellissima from the quayside

Viking Star at a nearby berth


The VIKING STAR was berthed on the other side of the quay. The route through the docks was odd, as we seemed to have very little room on either side of the coach between the security fences. I think it was just a single lane route, and occasionally we were very near the ships alongside the quay - but with fencing between us. I could see some familiar ferries but they were quite difficult to photograph because of the line of sight. I hope to be luckier on my way back because I imagine this lane has got to be one way only, but time will tell.

Pascal Paoli and Girolata

Algerie Ferries Tariq Ibn Ziyad

Vizzavona of Corsica Ferries

Her stern ramps

Vizzavona round the other side - I thought we were close, to get all these views

Here we are at the shuttle drop-off place



To be concluded...