Saturday 19 May 2018. We take an early morning flight from Manchester Airport to Palma de Mallorca to join Marella Cruises latest ship acquisition, Marella Explorer.
The flight is only a short one and, as we cross France towards the Pyrenees and Spain, I spot another aeroplane flying slightly below us. There's a bit of fun as we realise that within the six seats of our row and the row behind there are no less than three Johns.
A coach transfer from the airport at Palma brings us to the port and our first glimpse of Marella Explorer. The next entry will be dedicated to looking over her, but for now this is our balcony. It came complete with two chairs, a table and a hammock. With thoughts of trying to squirm out of it and throwing myself over the side rail, I vowed to ignore the latter for the week! We are in Cabin 9108 on Deck 9.
We'll take a quick look over the rail to left and right. Having been regular cruisers for well over ten years now I've probably taken similar photos before, but then you wouldn't want me to use old photos on a blog entry about the present time, would you?
The Explorer is the largest ship we have been on in the Thomson/Tui-now-Marella fleet and is moored on a longer dock than the one overlooking the marina that we have come to associate with being in Palma.
Sunshine and lovely blue skies. We hope this is a sign that the week ahead will remain like this!
A Tui coach leaves the dock to return to the airport for another batch of eager cruisers. They have most of the day to arrive before we sail at ten o'clock tonight.
Also in port are another couple of cruise ships. Aida Prima has a strangely vertical bow of a sort I've not encountered before.
The Norwegian Epic - or as someone remarked when the name was partially obscured: "Oh look - the Norwegian Eric!" - I will always remember from our 2013 cruise with friends David and Jeannie, when Miss Jeannie saw her and in an astonished voice said "Look at the size of that!" upon which at least half a dozen ladies on sunbeds sat up and glared at her...
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