Live from the Ovation Dover to Barcelona

[ab21au]

First let me say that I will not attempt to and could not if I tried replicate the excellent posts from galeforce9, Chairsin, Fletcher and others.

 

Boarded today and it was as quick and smooth as ever, within minutes we were in the Colonnade having lunch. It was so nice to be greeted by Handre and then dropping by SB square and seeing Dahlia (hope the spelling is correct) making the coffees. The coffee was as perfect as ever. Off to the muster now.

[Isklaar]

I'll be reading along with interest.

Have a wonderful cruise!

[Chairsin]

Ab21au,

 

I also can’t wait to cruise along with you - especially as we have not yet “braved” one of the big ships.

 

 

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[ab21au]

The first thing I have noticed are the changes to the bar in the Club compared to way the bar in the Club was when we were on the Encore.

 

 

[galeforce9]

Looking forward to your reports!!

[jenidallas]

I too anxiously await your installments. We board Ovation in 32 days time and I’m soaking up these reports like a sponge!

[ab21au]

I too anxiously await your installments. We board Ovation in 32 days time and I’m soaking up these reports like a sponge!

 

We were sitting with a lovely German couple at lunch who are on for 32 days, finishing in Venice.

[Fletcher]

I'll be following you on this trip, ab21au. I'm sorry no one blogged from the previous cruise around the UK.

[Mr Luxury]

Club bar looks a much better layout than the Encore

 

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[dalliowner]

May I ask what are the differences in the club between the two ??

[ab21au]

The Encore didn’t really have a bar (prior to any modification that may have been made since August 2017). It was not very inviting to even use it IMO. The drinks were prepared out back, not at the bar like now. I believe (others may know more) the Encore Club Bar has been modified since I was on.

 

The Ovation bar looks like it is meant to be there, looks great and seems to function very well (based on my experience at that bar last night :D )

[ab21au]

DOVER - ROTTERDAM

We sailed from Dover about 90mins late. We missed the best of the White Cliffs in daylight but had a spectacular sunset.

At dusk, the Dover Castle stood out, Henry II would have been proud of it.

We woke up next morning to a wet and drizzly day when we docked in Rotterdam.

The tour I did was to see the Windmills of Kinderdijk. The tour was quite good, unlike the weather.

The locals put on nice music as we were leaving the dock.

First a stop in the old town. I think the SB umbrellas show what a horrible day it is.

[ab21au]

Then on to Kinderdijk. This was very interesting, although going inside the windmill was a not the best because of the rain.Eg climbing the wet timber steps.

 

Although this guy seem to revel in the wet and rainy conditions.

The rain eased to drizzle and then stopped completely as the tour ended.

The history of the windmills and the reason for their existence was interesting, just a shame the weather didn’t cooperate.