Travel report from Cruiseturtle guest author Wolfgang Schulz, about his cruise with the AIDAblu in August / September 2014 - 20 nights on the AIDA Mediterranean route 3
17.08.14/XNUMX/XNUMX Palma de Mallorca / Spain
Frustrated ladies, the hunt for free champagne and finally back on board
As expected, it will be a smooth flight. 2-3x exchanges with the nice ladies next to me about the too narrow rows of seats, otherwise I have time to immerse myself in my somewhat pompous thriller. That causes less irritation for the women next to me, but more the food. When it comes to on-board service, only a few get a snack, a Germanwings bag with cheese rolls, mini Toblerone and water bottles. I'm the only one in our line. On the one hand it is nice to be approached so caringly by the flight attendants, whether I would prefer cheese or ham and what else I would like to drink, I forgot the sticker with the words "VIP" at home ...
On the other hand, also mean, the ladies fold down their tables hopefully when the food arrives and a certain frustration cannot be denied when it is meekly folded up empty. After all, they will be kindly asked during the second round of serving drinks whether they want to buy a drink at their own expense. For a short time I think about whether I should share the mini-roll fairly, the mini-Toblerone would have given exactly 2 pieces, but somehow that also seems strange to me and so I eat it up quickly. The cheese and mustard topping is not so bad for such a ready-made snack.
Since I didn't book any food beforehand, this preferred treatment is likely due to the fact that AIDA booked a snack for us. The flight attendants have a seat list according to which they distribute the snacks. As a result, a little less than half of the passengers are hopeful AIDA participants. The ladies next to me want to explore Mallorca on their own.
Otherwise the flight is smooth and - which I'm particularly happy about - without any problems. The medieval gentleman in the neighboring bank always goes to the toilet when the seat belt signal sounds and has to check his cell phone again on the approach, but I assume that it is not his fault that the captain has such a bumpy route for the approach has chosen. You can actually feel that very well in your stomach when the plane rises - and falls. But this landing also works, happily without applause from the audience, and half of the passengers routinely unbuckle their seatbelts before the aircraft stands properly and jumps into the aisle - only to stand there for 10 minutes until we have docked, the seat belt signs go out and the machine is released. When the aisle empties at some point, we too comfortably get up and get back on the bus in front of the plane. The brief second of fresh air tells us one thing above all: we have just left the dreary weather in Hamburg with a hazy 17 ° and are in hot, sunny Mallorca!
Fortunately, all suitcases can be found undamaged on the luggage belt, AIDA employees put us in the right bus in front of the airport, we are now rid of the suitcases and will only find them in the cabin. This time the journey is different from our last trips directly at the port. Past countless yachts, past the old town with the magnificent cathedral and always the AIDAblu in sight, the largest and most shining ship far and wide.
When we check in we get one last VIP attack because we are allowed to go straight through to the special check-in with our club level. This is a good feeling considering the price that we are waiting much longer than everyone else who is much faster at the 15 normal check-in counters.
From the ship our big one waves to us and we meet for a coffee at Bella Donna. Yes, and then all of a sudden it's back: We're back on board! A feeling of coming home. It's like we just left it yesterday and haven't been there for too long. The holiday-ship feeling sets in immediately - and a certain gluttony ...
Nevertheless, for now we only treat ourselves to an inclusive coffee cup (which we definitely didn't miss). Well and a gaaaanzzz little piece of muffin ... Until dinner time, it is time to take the booth in hog. Unpack everything, stow away, test the beds. All good.
We'll have dinner today at the first opportunity at 17:30pm The market restaurant is still very quiet and since breakfast at 6 o'clock we have only had one small cheese roll, the aforementioned mini Toblerone and the tiny piece of muffin. And so we rush to the buffet that has been missing for too long. My highlight today is definitely pork fillet in Madeira sauce with roasted half potatoes and a variety of vegetables. Enriched with 4 types of dessert and fresh pineapple. In case the inclined reader stumbles over the 4 types of dessert: I know of course that the buffet offers more, I only listed the ones that I ate empty ...
After that, the stomach definitely needs to be rested first. But there must be no mercy here: If you want to try all the goodies, you have to train hard early.
The rescue exercise is scheduled for 21pm and this time it works right away. Our station is complete and so we don't have to wait unnecessarily long. Then it goes to the welcome champagne and the pool show "Soulman". At first, it turns out to be much slower than usual: casting off is delayed again and again by up to half an hour, as some ferry has to be let in. The exit is not quite as beautiful as usual, because the cathedral is not illuminated at all and that is precisely what makes up an important part of the beauty that the nocturnal exit from the port of Palma has to offer. Does anyone know why it isn't lit?
The subsequent free sparkling wine shows that many have taken over the AIDA booking and are vitally dependent on the free sparkling wine. In any case, there is such a crowd at the stands that we are repeatedly thrown backwards. It's not our way of doing it, so that in the end we won't get any more champagne. Well, if others needed it more than we did, we want to grant them that ...
Even with the humorous welcome by General Manager Marcel David and Entertainment Manager Alexander Schulz, the spark does not really want to jump over. There are also significantly fewer guests than usual, I suspect that many, tired from the journey, could not cope with the postponements and that the free sparkling wine carried them away. So it's good that we didn't get any and so we keep the show through with the 6 soloists and 8 dancers without any problems. It is then again very professional and absolutely worth seeing. The night air is still pleasantly warm and invites you to go for a walk, but with us the walk only extends to bed: And the first night at sea begins with the balcony door open.
The next stage is 811 kilometers to Tunis.
Continue reading: 2. Ship day - sea day
