P&O Oceana

I won this trip for the whole family due to my sales with Travel counsellors (I hit 5 million pound in sales in 2006) and P&O donated the prize - it was onderful. The ship: 77,000 gross tons 2016 passengers 870 Crewe Entered service in 2000 Family-friendly mid sized ship: It was half-term week when we cruised and there were alot of children on board so be warned. Excellent choice for families but not if you want a quiet leisurely cruise. Itinerary: Southampton - Vigo - Lisbon - Bilbao - La Rochelle - Southampton Cabin: We were given cabin E611, a 4-berth with picture window. Very convenient location for the reception and disembarking. Also near the dining room. When 4 people in the cabin the beds are 2 upper and 2 lower in 'bunk-bed configuration'. Cruising from Southampton meant that we could take as much as we wanted/could fit in the car. The car park is just beside the terminal and so convenient. No airport queues or delays to worry about. Many worry about the rough seas of the Bay of Biscay but certainly on this occasion it was very calm and no problem at all. My children loved the kids club and at no extra cost they would be looked after until 10pm if they wanted to stay there (and sometimes we couldn't get them away they loved it so much). Also, the children teas were great in the fact that the children's club staff would come just before they had finished to take them to a mini disco, magician show or something else to tempt them away while parents can then go off to change for dinner and enjoy their evening and collect the children at 10pm - fabulous! The pool area can get very busy and sunbeds are sometimes not easily available especially on sea days so be prepared for this. There are 2 main pools and some jacuzzis and an adult pool (although small). If you can't find a free sun lounger try the other deck areas around the ship. The entertainment on board was very varied (something for everyone). West End or Hollywood style shows, specialist entertainers, guest lecturers and music of all kinds. Vigo Small fishing port. There is a fort built on the hill which overlooks the harbour or you can walk through the steep, narrow streets of the old town. You can visit Santiago de Compostela from here and see the stunning cathedral. Lisbon Beautiful city - Baixa has busy streets and shops, cafes and restaurants - Alfarna is the old town full of atmosphere and Bairro Alto is the historic district with narrow streets (it is a steep climb) Bilbao Home of the Guggenheim modern art gallery. An old town dating from te 14th century where you can sample tapas at a local bar or restaurant. The gothic Cathedral de Santiago is worth a look too. La Rochelle Medieval city with many historic buildings and market places. People watch at one of the cafe and just watch the world go by. This is a well run family friendly ship which offers good value for money. If you need any further advice on this ship or any other please feel free to contact me.