Day 1 of my cruise around the Mediterranean started when I was picked up by a coach in Los Alcázares and driven to Valencia to board my ship, the Costa Toscana.

Depart Valencia.

The coach journey was dark until we stopped for a rest break near Benidorm. After our rest break, we continued on our way to Valencia. After being dropped at the port of Valencia by the coach and handing my luggage to security there, I was very quickly shown through the security checks. I showed my passport and TIE card, which were swiftly returned to me and was surprised when no COVID certificate had to be shown. I had my photo taken for my Costa Cruise ID card, which I had to link to my credit card and would be used to buy any extras I wanted on board and pay the service charge that would be added to my bill for tips. On the back of my Costa Cruise card was my room number, and by 11:30 am, I was already sitting in my cabin right at the front of the ship, or the bow as we sailors call it.

After finding my cabin on board, I began to walk around, trying to find where the bars, restaurants and entertainment were. I had a beer and sat down to give my legs a rest. After another beer, I went to see a mandatory safety drill. After watching the safety drill, I found the restaurant I had been allocated for my dinner and then went to the buffet restaurant where I had some sea bass with mashed potatoes and grilled veg from the lunchtime buffet. Then I had more sea bass and roast chicken before following up with two pieces of cake.

I then went for a long walk around the ship, exploring. I think I walked about 5 miles just walking around the decks of the ship before then going for something to eat for dinner in a different restaurant, where I had baked ham and a chicken fillet dish before going back to my room for some needed sleep.

When I woke I found a notification of tomorrow's agenda pinned to my cabin door. My first two excursions have been cancelled as there weren't enough people wanting to do them in English. I tried to sort out replacements for them this evening before having a cocktail and my dinner at 9:15 pm. I ended up with a change for one trip and had to cancel another.

At dinner, I discovered who I would be sitting with for dinner on the cruise. The people I was sitting with were both on the coach I had come on, a lady called Lynda and her partner Michael. We got on very well, and I enjoyed my dinner, washing it down with 3 glasses of white wine. As we finished, we were joined by Susan and her husband Bryan, who were also from the coach I had gone on.

After dinner, we all went to the Colosseum bar, where we chatted and drank cocktails till about 1:30 the following morning when we all retired to our cabins.

Today, I tried 3 cocktails: a Pina Colada, a Mai Tai and a Bahama Mamma. Add this to the 3 glasses of white wine with dinner and the two pints of beer, and I think it's safe to say I slept well on my first night aboard the ship.