WOW man, what a trip! During a fabulous five-night whistle-stop cruise, taking in Bruges, Amsterdam and Guernsey, I have to confess to enjoying one of the most ‘exotic’ brownies I’ve ever had.
However, I should explain, my sweet treat was not of the infamous kind offered in myriad cafés peppering the Netherlands’ capital, but was in fact consumed in Belgium during a visit to Choco-Story, Bruges’ renowned chocolate museum.
My wife and I also visited some wonderful windmills... again, in Belgium not Holland.
Nothing could have dampened our spirits as we left Southampton on a soggy Sunday afternoon.
We smiled, clinked flutes filled with fizz and toasted our adventure aboard the stunning Enchanted Princess, calling at Zeebrugge, Rotterdam and St Peter Port in this, Princess Cruises’ second outing of its 2022 season departing from the UK.
Having previously sailed on the Sky Princess, we were delighted to notice that the same top-spec fittings, staff friendliness and attention to detail was maintained.
Our spacious and tastefully decorated mini-suite on Marina deck proved the perfect base for our break.
And as Enchanted slipped through still waters towards Belgium, we were treated to dinner at Sabatini’s, the line’s stylish trattoria – tweaked in design on Enchanted – but which remains an elegant restaurant with a menu and wine list to die for.
Sabatini’s is one of several Princess speciality restaurants, including bijou bistro Sur la Mer and the premium seafood and chophouse the Crown Grill.
These restaurants attract a fee but with a choice of three a la carte courses running in at about 12 quid less than the cost of a Miller & Carter steak, it would be almost criminal not to indulge.
Bruges has been a long-time bucket list call for us and didn’t disappoint.
A short bus trip from Zeebrugge dropped us in Burg Square, a former fortress, in this charming medieval town.
An unscheduled drop-in at the Catholic Basilica of the Holy Blood, home to a vial said to contain a strip of cloth stained in the blood of Christ, proved fascinating before that indulgent chocolate museum tour put my diabetes medication to the test.
After a 20-minute stroll away from the usual tourist haunts we loved our whirlwind windmill tour featuring, among others, the striking Nieuwe Papegaai, a rebuilt oil mill and one of the few remaining of the city’s original 25, which alternates in hue from pink to red.
Back on ship, we enjoyed a livener in Bellini’s bar, overlooking Enchanted’s dazzling piazza, before getting ready for a sumptuous dinner in Sur la Mer, where the only problem is what to select from the menu created by Michelin-star chef Emmanuel Renaut.
I loved the lightly smoked salmon fillet followed by some roasted jumbo scallops. Delicious.
Hunger sated, we nipped off to Princess theatre for the rip-roaring Rock Show, good enough to rival any West End production and a spectacular end to a glorious day.
After docking in Rotterdam in the early hours we took a short bus trip into Amsterdam to enjoy a leisurely barge cruise around the city’s waterways, learning how a series of dykes, pumps and canal lock gates keep the city, which is more than 6ft below sea level, from flooding.
That night it was good to see how many cruise ship passengers go all-out on dress-to-impress night.
Suited and booted ourselves, we headed for the gorgeous Crown Grill to enjoy filet mignon and lobster tail, just one of the restaurant’s succulent main courses.
We ate surrounded by dark wood and glistening glass display cabinets packed with the finest wines.
Next day we were treated to the “ultimate balcony breakfast”, which included a chilled half-bottle of champagne, fresh fruit and pastries, smoked salmon and quiche, before being pampered and pummelled in Enchanted’s Lotus Spa.
After a day at sea we anchored offshore facing Guernsey’s pretty harbour of St Peter Port and hopped aboard a tender to ferry us to shore.
With limited time we headed for one of the island’s many fortifications, Castle Cornet, which houses several museums, and which has guarded the harbour for 800 years.
The fortress has been occupied by the English, French and Germans.
At midday we gathered to watch the ceremonial firing of one of the castle’s cannons – a tradition that dates back to the early 19th century.
After a pleasant stroll along the promenade we returned to Enchanted to reluctantly head for home but feeling delighted we had packed so much in on this thoroughly enjoyable mini-cruise.
Lock, choc and one smoking barrel!
GET ON BOARD
Princess Cruises offer a seven day Culinary Stars themed round trip on Enchanted Princess from Southampton to Scandinavia starting at £879 per person. Sails on August 26 for Oslo, Copenhagen (overnight) and Skagen; all-inclusive plus wi-fi and tips. princess.com
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