I can't believe it's been almost a week since I disembarked Swan Hellenic's ship Minerva - high time for my final thoughts about my cruise around Libya.
The one thing I didn't mention much in my daily blogs was the crew, so I will make up for that first. They are a lovely crowd, friendly, courteous and always willing to stop for a chat if they have time.
I must single out Bella, my room stewardess, from Odessa in the Ukraine, who was so caring and thoughtful - ordering me a few nibbles when she knew I was having drinks in my cabin, worrying about my wereabouts when she spotted my cabin was empty late at night, after the excursion to Cyrene.
I was actually in the library, one of the only wi-fi hot spots on the ship, posting blogs and sorting emails; she had visions of me still on the quay in Benghazi!
Also, apart from tidying a few clothes, she left my things were I'd put them. How annoying is it when you put your suncream or toothpaste in one place and they move it, or they keep tidying papers you have carefully put in separate piles into one stack.
There are too many crew to mention every one I came into contact with, but I will also single out Kennedy, the assistant maitre d' in the Veranda self-service, who was so concerned about my well-being on the day we hit bad weather, and Michael, in the bar, who kindly served a drink late one night in the library (see above!) while I was working - and had the sense to come back later and ask if I'd like another!
The excursion team also did a great job, smoothly disembarking everyone at each port deck by deck to avoid queues at the gangway - but always varying the order so everyone got a chance to go first - and being on hand at each site to get passengers on the next coach to get back to the ship. It's a slick operation and usually means very little hanging around.
Excursions, which are mostly included in the price (there are a few that cost extra, but very reasonably priced), are an important part of the whole Swan experience so getting these right is vital. And they do, in spades.
The open dining in the evening is also important for Swans, as it means they can move around tables, meeting new people, or just go down for dinner as a group one night. The food overall was fine, but not great. There were moans about it, but to be honest what was on the plate was always far less important than the conversation going on around it.
Last but by no means least, Swan would not be Swan without its lectures. There were three on the sea days and they often managed to sneak one in an afternoon if we left a port early.
As a very rough generalisation, I would say from my conversations with other passengers that almost everyone goes to the lectures when they first get on board, then the numbers slowly start to fall so the room is full rather than packed.
I did watch a few and one or two were of interest, but personally I found the presentation dry. Full of facts, but assuming a level of knowledge that I for one did not have when it came to the ancient civilisations, and lacking any light and dark. My solution, as I mentioned before, was to watch in my cabin so I could turn over if things got too dull.
On the positive side, you could always get a seat in the sun around the pool during the lectures - the trick was to hang on to it when the talks were over!
Libya itself, which was the reason I was on this specific cruise, was magic, with amazing sights and friendly locals - the school kids at Leptis Magna especially were enthralled to see so many tourists. Even the immigration people had a smile and hello if you bothered to greet them.
If you ever get a chance, do go. It won't be like that forever.
Jane Archer
