This was our second Christmas markets cruise on Iona. This year we would be visiting Hamburg.
Day 1: Saturday 9th December 2024: Southampton
We had quick drive down the M3 to Southampton and for once there were no hold-ups.
There was a long queue to drop cars off to CPS outside of the terminal. Finally we moved under the roof for check-in, and then we had to wait 15 or so more minutes. I had stopped at what I thought was close enough to the car in front to wait. But then a CPS guy banged on my window to tell me to move forward. Those extra 6 inches were clearly important!
Because of this closing up the cars were now so close together that once our boot was open (we have a drop-down gate) I could barely get between our car and the one behind. Our suitcases had to be manhandled out sideways to avoid hitting the car behind.
After we pushed our trolleys over to the luggage drop off we joined the very long queue for the terminal.
Once we were closer to the doors we were asked for our boarding passes and were then redirected to join another shorter queue. Boarding for passengers with later times were being held up in separate queues until their boarding time.
On board Iona
Check-in was quick and security just as easy. We went to the Coral restaurant for our lunch. The deep-fried shrimp was as always my go to meal of choice.
We enjoyed our very long lunch with glasses of wine while we waited for an announcement that the cabins were available. On our way to the cabin we checked in at our lifeboat station. There we met some of our friends who had just arrived on board.
Once our suitcases were unpacked and our clothes crammed into the (not enough) drawers and shelves and the (too small) wardrobe, we went to the Glasshouse to meet up with all our friends.
Later in the evening, dinner was (eventually) back in the Coral restaurant. The ship was now operating an online booking system and we would had to queue to get into the restaurant!
Deck the halls
As this was a Christmas Market cruise we were then in the theatre for the show called “Deck the halls“. This had been booked before we boarded and the ship’s Headliners sang their way through Christmas Classics.
Our clocks all went forward to European time overnight.
Day 2: Sunday 10th December: North Sea
We had a late breakfast in the buffet.
Later the talk on Picasso and Dali was in Ocean Studios 3, a part of Iona that I’d never visited before. Dali’s life was far more complicated than I had ever imagined!
The Quays were very busy as we went there for a snack lunch.
Our afternoon started with a talk on privacy in the theatre by Ian Murray. It was a fascinating talk…
The data services on the ship could not cope with the volume of request for films and we eventually gave up trying to watch a film in the afternoon.
I didn’t have much luck trying to use the map options either on the TV screen in our cabin!
Keel and Cow
We later joined our friends for a meal in the Keel and Cow restaurant. This restaurant did not disappoint, my steak was excellent. The only downside is the sheer volume of food presented!
Ukebox
Our evening was rounded off, by watching Ukebox perform in the theatre.
Our first port was Hamburg and our first visit there.