After leaving Venice, our round Italy cruise on P&O Oceana sailed South to Kotor in Montenegro and then on to Corfu.
Day 9 Thursday 13th October In transit to Kotor
The day started out cool. From our balcony I could see oil rigs in the Adriatic. Later the Norwegian Breeze was away to our port side also passing through rigs.
After breakfast purchases could be made Italian VAT free from the shops. I then picked up my extra jumper that the shop had been delayed until later in the day.
For lunch today in the restaurant I had a salmon and cheese bagel plus a side salad. Then it was time for a short walk around the decks.
The evening was again black tie and because of the unique nature of this cruise (passengers joining from both Venice and Genoa) it was another Captain’s Gala party in the Atrium.
Dinner was the Marco Pierre White menu but I started with goats cheese crotin and then went back to his menu with asparagus soup sorbet, beef wellington and finally baked Alaska.
Day 10 Friday 14th October Kotor
The pilot came aboard at around 5.45 am underneath our balcony.
Oceana dropped anchor after sailing through the fjord from Boka Bay and we could then hear her tenders being lowered.
After breakfast we joined the queue in the Adriatic restaurant with tickets to board the tenders. We were taken ashore on one of the local boats rather than a ship’s tender.
Oceana was anchored away from the town with the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship behind in the fjord. It was a 20 minute ride in the boat to reach the cruise ship pier.
Kotor was our second visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site this cruise. The walls of Kotor’s fortress not only surround the old town but snaked high up the steep hills to the Fortress of St John. From the tour information we had learnt that there were over 1,300 steps from the North Gate up to the fortress.
Climbing up Kotor’s walls
After walking up this street we paid our entry fee and started to climb the steps along the walls.
The views as we climbed were spectacular.
While we were climbing up the hill two more cruise ships had arrived and this one had docked close by where we had left our local boat.
At St. John’s Fort
Once we reached the top of the climb the views were spectacular up the valley and back down towards the fjord.
The Royal Caribbean ship was now anchored between Oceana and the town.
The mountains behind the wall and the top most fort continued to rise up above us.
Everyone who reached St John’s Fort took time to take in the views, catch their breath and even indulged in some interesting antics at the edge of the fort!
Some enterprising locals were selling artwork and even more important water and local beer in the old fort buildings.
Back down the Kotor’s walls
Descending the walls was a lot more difficult than climbing up.
But the views were just as spectacular.
Lunch at the Old Winery
Once back in the Old Town we needed a drink and something to eat. We stopped at the Old Winery and sat outside.
We were sat amongst groups of locals and even larger parties of people off the ships. The service was quick efficient and best of all friendly.
Back onboard
As we left the dock these were the views of Kotor’s walls that give a better impression of just how high we had climbed.
Once back onboard Oceana we enjoyed the afternoon sun on our balcony and watched the boats and tenders going backwards and forwards to the town from the anchored ships.
We were saddened to hear the Captain’s announcement that there had been cases of suspected norovirus. This meant that the ship was now having to take extra precautions when serving food and drinks. This explained why, when boarding the local boat to come back to the ship, Oceana crew members had gone onboard them. The crew members had then wiped all the railings and surfaces that passengers could possibly have touched.
Leaving Kotor
A full moon appeared between the hills as we made another turn where the fjord widened out.
Dinner in the evening started with gravalax followed by roast corn fed chicken then vanilla ice cream.
After dinner we went to the Footlights Theatre to see the String Idols perform. They were two ladies with violins, backed by the ship’s band, who covered music from opera through Gershwin to the Last Night at the Proms.
The concierge postal rate was £1 and the last post left the ship at 1.30 pm.