Emerald Princess Review
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The biggest reason I chose this 16-day cruise from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale was the list of 6 intermediate ports of call -- I had never been to any of them! The ports were Cherbourg, Le Verdon, Bilbao, A Coruna, Lisbon, and Ponta Delgada.
I was very grateful that I had booked a Princess transfer from London Heathrow Airport to the ship, as the few days before the cruise was sailing it looked like there would be a rail strike that day. The check-in for the transfer was quick and easy, and a truck was waiting right beside the coach to take our big suitcases. A bonus was that the coach wasn't crammed to the last seat.
Once we arrived at the Ocean Cruise Terminal, we were greeted by a small army of check-in agents. I have never had a faster check-in for a cruise -- seventeen minutes from the coach, through the terminal, check-in and security, onto the ship and up to my cabin. Kudos to Princess Cruises' team at Southampton.
Cabin Review
Balcony
The cabin was very good. A balcony cabin near enough to midships, in a good quiet zone. Furnishings were in good conditions and everything worked. Ample numbers of coat hangers in the closet. And the Princess bed is still one of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in from all my years of travelling. Three changes from my last Princess cruise before the pandemic. [1] no chocolates on the pillow [2] no ice bucket daily refilled in the fridge [3] three motion-sensitive lights added to the cabin to come on if you get up at night. One under the front edge of each of the two bed tables, and the overhead light in the closet area. One of the bed table lights kept falling off its mounting, although it still worked. The closet light was the annoying one, as it went off very quickly. You had to keep moving around while looking for clothes to wear so it wouldn't go off and leave you in the dark.
Port Reviews
Bordeaux
The actual port at Le Verdon sits in the middle of wetlands. There was a shuttle bus to Soulac-sur-Mer, half an hour drive away. The wine tour offered here was outstanding, for the quality of the guides both on the coach and at the Chateau de Camensac winery (the wine was excellent too).
Bilbao
The port area was located half an hour drive from the city centre. Bilbao is a beautiful modern city, with plenty of "people spaces" and the crown jewel of the astounding Guggenheim Museum. You'd never guess to look at it today that half a century ago it was a grimy, gritty iron mining centre. I'd have loved to spend more time here.
La Coruna
The centre of this modern city is easily reached from the cruise pier -- a short walk to the main streets. I took a tour to Santiago de Compostela, so didn't spend any actual time in La Coruna.
Lisbon
A spectacular city, and one I need to return to soon! My tour, with the tram car ride through the Alfama district, gave a great cross-section of Lisbon in a short time. The pier was located right in the city, adjacent to Alfama.
Ponta Delgada is a fine modern city, and the cruise terminal is right in the centre of town, with plenty to see in easy walking distance.