Day 9 (Tenerife) – 21st March 2026
This was the 2nd day in Tenerife, as more grockles left and new Grockles joined the Azura (Podge & Tubbs seemed to forget that they themselves were Grockles but they didn’t see it that way). Given that they were still in port and given that they were still in Tenerife it was going to be a quiet and relaxing day: The only down side being that they had to have yet another early breakfast but, as per the previous day, they still managed to be there for 08:30. There would be no full English Breakfast for Podge this morning – Tubbs had decreed this. It was therefore back to boring mushroom omelette, Poor Podge. Fully breakfasted, though Podge was still grumpy at not being allowed a full english, they checked out the prom deck and confirmed that it was nice and sunny on their side of the ship. Jubilantly, Tubbs went to get a paper and both then returned to their quarters.
Once ‘indoors’, they made camp on the balcony and decided to carry out some CRAP (Cruising Research And Planning) Management activities. It was unanimously, i.e., both of them, agreed that we should stick with the plan of having a Caribbean Fly Cruise on the Britannia in 2027 particularly because the itinerary included a visit to Bonaire where Tubbs hoped to buy another ‘fish’ like the one she bought before and alway regretted not buying two! 🤗 (nobody knows why, least of all, Podge). They were also conscious that that the Christmas and Caribbean cruise[s] booked for 2027/2028 still had no cabin number confirmed. They quickly checked the future cruise sales desk opening hours which were 16:00 to 20:00. All they could do until that time was to sit back and claim siesta time, which included a glass of Pinot, until the allotted hour.
Come 16:00, they made their way to the Future Cruise & Loyalty desk and joined the queue. There were three in front of them waiting for whichever of the two desks to become free. It never ceased to amaze Podge how people can dither and faff about what cruise to book: Every cabin has a brochure in it explaining what’s what but hey ho. Eventually, it the turn of Podge & Tubbs. In unison, they said hello, we’d like cruise #xx please in such and such a grade and would like to check which cabins have been allocated for our 27/28 cruise. 10 minutes later, the chosen cruise was booked, deposit paid and cabin number confirmed for the 27/28 cruise and they were done and off they jolly well went for some Mai Tai’s & Pink Gin Spritz ( just the one mind you, said Tubbs). Drinks consumed, Tubbs said, we might as well have another, so we did, as we sat in the diminishing sunshine on the Terrace Bar deck, watching the ferries come and go and waiting, for the storms.
The storms never came so they they headed for the Glass House for an early dinner. Here the met the waiter who’d had a tattoo which they ‘had’ to admire. It was actually quite good. Podge still wants EMPTY tattooed across his tummy, aka food baby, but Tubbs still says no. Poor Podge.
Post dinner, they stayed in The Glass House, mainly because they just couldn’t be bothered to move, and saw out the rest of the evening before the lure of marshmallow bed became to much to resist. With that, they asked for their nightcaps and made they way back to their quarters and eventually, settled down in bed, this time to watch Keeping Up Appearances. Luckily, the Lemsip and brandy was starting to work and Tubbs’s cough did seem to be easing and very quickly, Tubbs was soon asleep and Podge wasn’t far behind. Night Night Podge, Night Night Tubbs.
Still, No storm Showed.
The Adventures of Podge & Tubbs 