7 days of sailing aboard the Valiant Lady was a culmination of adventure, relaxation and consumption. It was an unforgettable week, where everything on the cruise, apart from drinks, was on-the-house as I worked for Virgin Active at the time, and was offered this by them.
We set sail on the 14th of August, after spending 2 days in Barcelona, where we discovered all about Gaudi’s influence on the city and observed the impressive Art Nouveau architecture; from La Sagrada Familia to Casa Batllo. We said our goodbyes to the vibrant city which celebrates culture, fashion and cuisine, and boarded the ‘2,770 passenger cruise ship’, named the ‘Valiant Lady’. Upon arrival, we were greeted with music and lively, welcoming staff who guided us in the direction of our cabin. We opened the door and were pleasantly surprised by the size of the room, as well as the modern tech-controlled curtains and lights. Our balcony had a well suited, comfy hammock which I have to say became my best friend on the trip. The clock struck departure time, and the festivities on the ship began; champagne bottles popped and the rhythm of the music got people dancing, as we started our dreamy, mediterranean week on the sea.
What I miss and will not stop talking about, is the first morning aboard the ship. We pressed the automatic blind button, and the French Riviera coastline took us by surprise, and just a few minutes later with the sound of a doorbell, our pre-ordered breakfast had arrived; fresh fruit and french toast to match the vibe.
First destination; Marseille; famous for ‘le vieux-port et le notre-dame de la garde’. When we reached the shore, we were escorted to the coach service point, which enabled us to get to the centre of the city within 15 minutes. We rented electric scooters and whizzed around the little streets, taking in all the smells of French cuisine, as well as embracing all the historic buildings and sights. The Old Port was my favourite part, as we walked along enjoying the view of the boats and the Notre-Dame towering over in the background, on the hill. Cathedral La Major, situated by the New Port, was also spectacular. It is known for being one of the largest churches in France and it was luckily free to enter. Therefore, we were able to observe the architecture and the impressive candle-lit atmosphere inside. After this, we returned to the ship for dinner at ‘The Wake’, a restaurant on the cruise which specialises in steak and seafood. The food was 5* ratings all round! To work off the calories put on from the delicious dinner we had, we went dancing in ‘The Manor’ and then returned to our cabin to get a good night’s sleep before the chaos of Cannes began.
Once again, we woke up to the stunning views of the Cote D’Azur, specifically this time the wide range of yachts and hotels that usurped the shore. To get to Cannes city center, we had to take a boat (a lifeboat). It was a thrilling journey as we veered away from the hefty cruise ship. Our plan in advance was to get the train into Monaco, as the proximity of the two cities gave us enough time to do both. So, we bought tickets and took the train across the coast, to Monte Carlo. We were besotted by the breathtaking views from the train along the French Riviera, the dazzling landscape of turquoise waters contrasted by pastel houses. After an easy hour’s journey, we arrived in Monaco, which is in fact an entirely different country to France and it is the second smallest country in the world. It is a place where glitz and glamour are on full display, as it is known for its celebrated casino, yachts and fancy cars. It is the perfect place for a day trip, as you have enough time to immerse yourself in the luxury travel scene. Despite the scorching sun, we walked around and discovered some hidden art galleries, which really threw us into the French Art scene; specifically Fine Arts.
Sadly, we had to catch the train back as although our cruise didn’t leave until the next day, we wanted some time to explore Cannes in the evening. We hopped back on the boat to get back onto the ship and went to ‘Gunbae’, a Korean style BBQ restaurant, where you share a table with strangers who are also sailors. After this, we had to get ANOTHER boat out to the shore, but it was worth it to see the buzz of French nightlife, all along the famous sandy beach. We didn’t have any plans for the night so we went with the flow, and we ended up in a bar/club which played music from around the world, and served tasty drinks. We stayed out until the early hours of the morning, and decided it was necessary to take a dip in the sea, before re-boarding the ship!
Feeling rather tired from the busy day and night before, we watched the departure of the boat from Cannes from our balcony. We were sad to leave the French Riviera behind, but the Sardinian city of Olbia awaited us. The arrival was swift and smooth the next day, as we paid $5 each for a bus to the centre of the city. We walked around for hours taken aback by the small Italian paradise, with its souvenir shops, quaint cafes, charming pasticcerias, and wine bars. We couldn’t help having a glass of wine at 11am, served with a charcuterie board; the perfect Italian experience. With time to spare, we found a taxi and asked the driver for beach recommendations; he took us to the most beautiful beach on the island, which we never actually got the name of. By this point, we were rather peckish and grabbed something to eat in a beach club restaurant; the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life. Our happiness after this meal was interrupted by panic as we couldn’t get a taxi back to the port as all were booked or were going to take 2 hours to arrive. We didn’t know what to do, so we went around asking people who had the same wristband as us for the cruise, what they were doing. Most had booked a taxi in advance, however thankfully one couple told us there was a bus departing at 3pm, so we RAN for it. Thankfully we made it back on the ship before it left for the next destination. Panic over.
A storm hit that night and when we looked out our balcony, there were no longer paradisal coastline views, but instead the pitch black horizon, with only the raging waves as a source of light. We spent the next day aboard the ship, observing the tranquil sea after the stormy night, sipping cocktails by the pool and taking advantage of the all inclusive food on board.
24 hours in Ibiza.The night before we had booked tickets for David Guetta and so we were organised. We arrived at the port at 7pm, just in time to grab some fruity cans and find some rocks to watch the sunset with some friends we’d made on the cruise. Then, after we began a bar crawl along the beach, heading towards the main club where we were going: ‘Hi Ibiza’. A few drinks down, and it was time to enter the venue which was heaving with party-goers. David Guetta came on at 3am and played until about 5am. Someone actually stole something from my bag in the crowd, and since I have heard stories about this being the norm there. So, if you are thinking of going to this club venue I recommend wearing a bum bag, and keeping a very close eye on your belongings. The end to the night, or should I say the start to the morning, was very memorable, as we watched the sunrise over Ibiza from one of the jacuzzis on the cruise, before collapsing into bed.
Our last night was my favourite, as we watched the sunset’s hues transpose and gleam on the ocean. We went to our favourite restaurant on-board, which served tapas-like food, for a snack, and we had sangria, to really give us that final Mediterranean heavenly feeling. After this, we went to 'The Test Kitchen', which serves 7 courses in a laboratory-like way. The next day we were back at our starting point; Barcelona. To delay our goodbye to our unique experience aboard the Virgin Voyages cruise, we spent the day lying in the sun on Barceloneta beach, before heading home to cloudy London.
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