Before we slipped anchor and sailed away from Britain’s southern shores, we knew there may be a few difficulties ahead.
An array of fascinating mid-Atlantic Portuguese islands, three cruising days distant, had been on our original itinerary. This was to be followed by a visit to the Portuguese mainland as we made our way home.
But the country’s pilots, who guide big vessels in and out of major Portuguese ports, had begun last minute strike action in a pay dispute. And that meant switching our ports of call to days when we could be escorted to quayside.
We’d also had news of an earthquake threat on one of the remote cluster of Azores islands we were scheduled to visit. The extra surprise was an early autumn hurricane, which had boiled up in the Gulf of Mexico before turning east towards our primary destination, the Azores.
So how did we come home so refreshed, tanned and happy from these unexpected events in autumn 2024?
It was all thanks to a steadfast captain and crew who coped magnificently with all the problems thrown their way by Mother Nature and absent pilots. Leaving Southampton on Fred Olsen’s plush cruise ship Borealis, we received confirmation that our itinerary had changed significantly due to the industrial action in Portugal.
The Azores part of our cruise was now to be at the end of our adventure, not the beginning. And two extra Spanish port stops had been added.
Our commander, Captain Victor Stoica, in daily updates from the bridge, said El Ferrol on Spain’s north coast was to be our first visit, followed by the Mediterranean port of Cadiz.
Given our skipper had no option but to switch things around, little-visited El Ferrol and world-famous Cadiz were great choices.
But that meant traversing the notoriously rolling Bay of Biscay, dubious star of the High Seas, instead of avoiding it by sailing straight to the Azores.
We needn’t have worried – Biscay was on best behaviour, and many passengers took to the decks to sunbathe and gaze at flat, aquamarine seas. Some saw dolphins and turtles at the start of our 13-night adventure.
El Ferrol, just east of La Coruña on Spain’s northwest coast, sits in a majestic, natural, harbour and was a picturesque first port of call. A band of Spanish bagpipers saluted our departure and a musketeer fired a volley of seven shots from an ancient fort as we headed for open sea.
Cadiz – ancient capital of the Phoenician empire, was the next stop after a near two-day sail along the Spanish and Portuguese coastlines.
A jewel in the intriguing Spanish region of Andalusia, Cadiz wraps you in its history as soon as you land. My wife and I decided to take a guided walking tour to make the most of everything in front of us.
It is one of the oldest cities in Europe but its fame and magical feel isn’t just about its past. Situated on a thin spit of land jutting into the Mediterranean, it has beaches all around and its climate encourages the growth of many plants and trees in lush, spacious parks.
Its landmarks and quaint narrow streets in the old town are well preserved and we enjoyed the so-called New Cathedral, built on 13th-century foundations and where work started in 1722!
A day’s cruising followed as we headed for Madeira and its capital, Funchal. This allowed us to relax on board, reading and sunbathing as the temperature began to rise towards 27 degrees Celsius.
The pattern of Borealis life was fascinating with mainly elderly passengers gleefully tucking into three meals a day, plus afternoon tea, for those who had room. Our fare was exquisite with evening meals of the highest quality and waiters who were only too willing to please.
Madeira was originally a stop on our way back to UK, with Porto on the Portuguese mainland next. But our itinerary changes meant we visited Funchal at the holiday halfway point.
What a towering mountainside city Funchal is – part of a volcanic island with majestic views and world-renowned toboggan runs through the streets. Here the drivers, or carreiros, push sleds (on runners) and their passengers at great speed down shiny road surfaces to the city below. Exhilarating.
We enjoyed Funchal’s old town and its streets of dozens of restaurants, some selling the local fish delicacy, espada, which is frequently cooked with bananas.
Next it was on to the Azores where we were due to visit two islands, Sao Miguel and Terceira to the west – but the aforementioned weather was about to strike. Our tour on Terceira had already been cancelled because of seismic activity – now we learned that hurricane danger meant the island itself also couldn’t be approached.
Hurricane Isaac and its associated high headwinds were approaching, so Borealis couldn’t head any further west than Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel.
All was calm in the island capital: a busy, happy place, where a corner of the port is cordoned off as a saltwater lido for locals. Dozens were swimming in warm, clear, waters.
We’d organised a jeep tour to remote west Sao Miguel where rocky roads climb to provide great views of two ecologically different adjoining volcanic lakes, one blue coloured, its sister green.
With the hurricane still hundreds of miles west but with winds gathering, it was time to head for home, four sailing days away.
Our captain guided us through what he called ‘moderate seas’ on day one of return to ‘slight seas’ at the end of our trip. As an extra treat he diverted towards France and an impromptu sailing past the Channel Islands.
What a trip this was, and what an admirable way the Borealis captain and crew to cope with triple trouble beyond their control.
How to plan your trip
:: Borealis has two sister ships, Bolette and Balmoral, and joined the East Anglian-based Fred Olsen fleet in 2020, having a swish refit in 2022. It has 702 cabins, 662 staff, and can accommodate 1,360 passengers, making it smaller and more intimate than some of the cruise ship giants. It is fully stabilised.
:: The ship has a series of exquisite lounges, where a myriad of classes, including bridge and art, taking place. Sarah Brown’s watercolour classes were much loved. There’s a theatre for glitzy nightly shows and musical acts which play around the decks for most of the day.
:: A pool, with a swim-against-waves feature and a well-equipped gym and a spa suite were both fun and popular. Lifts linking all 10 decks provided swift access for all passengers, including those with wheelchairs.
:: In 2025, a similar 13-night cruise is called Volcanic Vistas of the Azores and Madeira, and departs from Dover on July 4, with prices starting at £1,799 per person.
