We flew early for this one — a weekend in Lisbon before boarding to enjoy good sushi, generous quantities of pastel de natas, and a slow start to what turned out to be a really lovely trip.
The ship: Norwegian Sky, departing Lisbon on 3rd November. Nine nights, back on the 12th. It was a very scenic departure, sailing under the ‘Ponte 25 de Abril’ bridge.
The itinerary: Funchal (Madeira) → Santa Cruz de Tenerife → Las Palmas Gran Canaria → Arrecife (Lanzarote) → Agadir → Casablanca → Cádiz/Seville → back to Lisbon. A good one for this time of year to get some last bits of sun before the long UK winter.
The first day at sea
Wobbly. Very wobbly. The waves were high and walking around the ship was genuinely tricky and I even felt a bit nauseous. Ginger capsules may have helped, or I just got my sea legs eventually, hard to say. What I will say is that being rocked to sleep at night is absolutely delightful and I would like that on demand please.
The Canary Islands
Our approach in each island was the same and I stand by it: walk along the beachfront, take in some sun. No need to overcomplicate it.
Madeira was the highlight for me. I love it there. We had a lovely walk along the beachfront and I was reminded why — it’s just such a beautiful, lush place. It’s also where I properly fell in love with Monsteras. They grow everywhere there, wild and enormous. An absolute joy if you’re a plant person.
In Lanzarote, we made the deliberate choice not to go ashore and instead enjoyed a quieter ship. Sometimes that’s exactly the right call and I have no regrets.
Morocco
Morocco was… complex. We booked organised excursions in both Agadir and Casablanca — a deliberate choice since it was a new destination for us and we didn’t want to navigate it on our own. I’m glad we did.
The thing that stayed with me most was the stark contrast between the grandeur of the religious sites or the touristy places and the visible gaps in everyday infrastructure for local people. It’s the kind of thing that sits with you after you leave.
I also bought a Moroccan oil bottle from a shop along one of the excursion routes. It felt like the thing to do.
Cádiz
Cádiz was a lovely surprise — a small, compact city that you can genuinely wander without a plan and feel completely at ease. We did a walking tour with a local historian, which turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip. He told us that only about twenty years ago, while doing routine work under the city, they discovered an entire Roman amphitheatre buried beneath it. An entire amphitheatre, just sitting there under people’s feet for centuries. It’s the kind of detail that makes you look at a place differently.
Life on the ship
We had a balcony cabin, which I secured through the upgrade bidding process — absolutely worth doing if your cruise line offers it. Having that outdoor space makes such a difference, especially on sea days.
Food was brilliant throughout. Something different almost every day, but with enough reliable staples (like good salad options) that you never felt like you were gambling at every meal.
My husband made good use of the basketball court. I made good use of the gym and, perhaps more importantly, the onboard Starbucks, where my usual morning barista started recognising me by day three.
The ending (a cautionary tale)
We had grand plans for Lisbon on disembarkation day — our flight wasn’t until the evening, so we had the whole afternoon. Unfortunately, I got sick towards the end of the cruise. I ended up renting a hotel room for a few hours just to lie horizontal, while outside it rained and the wind was dramatic. Not the ending I’d scripted.
The journey home was long, with the flight plus a final taxi back home. I was really glad to be back to my own bed by the end of it.