I Survived my FIRST Italian Cruise Ship... and LIKED It!

Welcome back aboard the MSC Opera for the second-half of my first-ever sailing with an Italian cruise line! Join this lost BRITISH Cruiser as we take on three more beautiful ports of call, going off the beaten track and seeing where our shenanigans will lead us. Will I ever feel comfortable and "at home" on this MSC ship, or will I continue to be confused with just about everything? #mscopera #cruisevlog #canaryislands /// Day 4: Funchal - Zen Gardens and Surprise Sailaways It's great to be back in Madeira for I think the first time I've been on the island and it hasn't rained! The windy weather isn't going to stop me taking an 18-minute ride up on the Teleférico Funchal-Monte, having some beautiful views along the way. Once at the top, we enjoy a leisurely walk in the Monte Palace Madeira; feeling very zen with the numerous plant species and wildlife, before a surprise departure of the Mein Schiff 5, as seen from above. It was a relaxing decent back down before pondering why the Queen Mary 2 paid us a visit? It's still a mystery. Popping back onboard MSC Opera for some reflections before it's time to set sail to our next adventure. 00:00 Windy Ride in the Maderia Cable Car 02:12 Beautiful Walk in the Park 04:18 Mein Schiff 5 Sailaway From The Sky 05:10 Descending the Cable Car and Queen Mary 2 Visit 06:41 Madeira Reflections, Sailaway and Sunset /// Day 5: Santa Cruz de la Palma - The Exotic Animal Rescue Centre It was a later morning arrival into La Palma as the MSC Opera glides gracefully into her berth. With the sun shining bright, it was the perfect opportunity to scale up to visit Maroparque Isla de La Palma. The value for money in this Animal Rescue Centre was fantastic, with plenty of up-close appearances from some exotic and interesting characters. I could have passed an eternity here, but sadly, it was time to go back eventually. Not before a visit to the toilet with hands-down the best view I've ever had! After some port of call reflections, it was time to set sail yet again. 09:44 Arriving at Santa Cruz de la Palma 10:54 Walking Uphill to our Next Adventure 12:04 A Memorable Animal Rescue Centre 21:10 Bathroom With a View and a Walk Back 22:26 Beautiful Sailaway with Happy Memories. /// Day 6: Arrecife - Plenty of Walking and Planes It was an emotional sail into our last port of call, Lanzarote. However, I had a plan to go out on a high... high in the sky! A quick pitstop in Lidl would help fuel my over two-hour walk to Lanzarote Airport, to some amazing runway views and sounds. I wanted to spend a lot longer here, but that long walk back was looming over me and I managed to get back with 20 minutes to spare. A quick turnover for our final sailaway of this cruise. And what a great one it was. To cure my sorrows, it was down to the onboard shops for some retail therapy. Can you believe how big the bag was that they gave me?! Some necessary disembarkation information before it was time to pack and get some shut eye. 23:32 Starting Our Final Port of Call 25:31 Plane Spotting at Lanzarote Airport 28:52 Getting Back to the Ship On Time 29:35 Sailing Away for the Final Time 30:46 Some Retail Therapy From the Onboard Shops 34:40 Disembarkation Feels Very Real Now /// Day 7: Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Disembarkation and Fly Home It was an early start for our disembarkation day. Well not so early for most, but definitely early for me! After waking up, it was a short walk down to the gangway to collect our luggage, and then onto the coach to begin my journey home. The cruise may be over, but the memories will live on. MSC... thank you! 38:00 An Early Arrival into Tenerife 38:45 Goodbye MSC Opera, Hello Airport