A quiet night in Mykonos? No fear

Overnight stays in port are the next big thing for cruise ships, if Carnival UK’s David Dingle and Azamara’s Larry Pimentel are to be believed. They have both spoken of the advantages of “slow cruising” – more time ashore for passengers, and opportunities for the companies to save fuel and money.
Captain David Warden-Owen certainly made the most of Spirit of Adventure’s relaxing stay in the Peloponese port of Nafplio and commented next morning how pleasant it had been to enjoy an undisturbed night’s sleep without the constant throb of the ship’s engines.
We’ll be having another night alongside tonight, although this time it is unscheduled. Spirit will be docking at Mykonos this evening instead of tomorrow morning, having been thwarted in all attempts to moor at Santorini earlier today.
Easter Day should have seen passengers exploring the towns of Thira and Oia on the volcanic island, but instead – having risen and breakfasted early in preparation for our tours – we listened as Captain David explained over the Tannoy why the strong winds were preventing him from getting a line from the bow to a mooring buoy, and from the stern to the shore.
Frustratingly, we could see passengers from Seven Seas Mariner being ferried ashore from a more sheltered position, but were told that the newer vessel’s propulsion systems gave it much more manouverability than Spirit’s single rudder and paltry bow thruster – which was about as effective as a hairdryer in a hurricane.
What the captain did not disclose until later, after his second attempt to make fast, was that he was also determined his vessel would not not suffer a similar fate to Sea Diamond, the 21,500-ton cruise ship which sank at this very spot four years ago, with the loss of two lives.
At least the daylight passage gave the Venerable Arthur Hawes a full house at his Easter Day communion service in the Sirocco Lounge, and also gave passengers the opportunity to enjoy views of the islands of Paros and Naxos which we would otherwise have passed between in darkness.
And we’ll all be extra relaxed in the morning, ready for all the delights Mykonos has in store.