12. Just for the Devilment!

04 August 2025

It is so easy to suddenly develop 20/20 vision after the fact.

If I had a crystal ball and I could predict what was going to happen next, we could have done things differently. Just for the devilment, as my in-laws would say.

Let me explain.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the weather had changed during the course of our day in Galway, and the seas were quite choppy when we returned to the ship. However, we are told by the staff that those returning later had said the little lifeboat had been tossed about in the stormy seas and that they had been frightened. The change in weather had to do with a category three storm called Floris, which was at that time, pummelling the top of Scotland. A long way from us. Surely today's rough seas had been the edge of the storm and would soon pass.

Not so.

Not long after the last tender had returned to the ship from Galway, and before the ship's anchor is lifted comes the news from the Captain that we would not be sailing north to Killibegs, the largest fishing port in Ireland and one that had a harbour deep enough for us dock at the port. We would be sailing south and sheltering from the storm. Incidentally, we have until this point believed that the Captain was working from home because there had been no sight nor sound out of him since the cruise left Southampton. We are disappointed to say the least.

So instead of sailing north then over the top of Northern Ireland to Dublin, our ship turns to the south and retraces the route from where we had come. We would have a day at sea, which goes down like a lead balloon. With 2,340 passengers crowding the public spaces with little to so, I decide to go to the theatre to watch a movie. I don't know whether the organisers are ironic or downright cruel because the choice of movie for the day was the 2024 disaster movie, Twister. Although, I suppose Twister is better than a screening of The Poseidon Adventure, or worse, Titanic. But we do have something to look forward to later as we dress up for dinner. The reason we are on this cruise is to celebrate Carolyn's 80th birthday, and tonight we are going to use our fine dining voucher at Le Bistro to celebrate in style. Teetering on medium-high heels, I hope that the seas do not become too rough because I am already unsteady on the unfamiliar heels. Our meal is wonderful and over the speciality dining table we discuss the places we have to visit in Dublin, like Trinity College and the Temple Bar.

Despite the unscheduled sea day and the disappointment of not visiting Killibegs and Donegal, it's been a good day and thankfully, the waters are smooth.

05 August 2025

We had spent some time last night getting important information about transferring from Dun Laoghaire to Dublin as there would not be any shuttle buses, so armed with downloaded maps and train timetables, I am as ready as I am ever going to be for today's visit to Dublin. I have visited Dublin twice but have never had the opportunity to explore it thoroughly. I was in Dublin briefly in January 2023 but only to drive out of and into the airport. Back in January 1981 when Helene and I were on a tour around Ireland, our time in Dublin had been cut short because of a Sealink ferry strike, which entailed travelling to a different port to catch another ferry to Liverpool to remain as close to our itinerary as possible.

So, I am looking forward to today's whistlestop HOHO tour of Dublin with some strategically-planned stops along the way.

When we wake up, the ship is already bobbing up and down outside Dun Laoghaire. Again, we need to take tenders into the town, but unlike the other ports, this will entail a forty-minute ride. Quickly calculating what time we need to leave the ship so that we have enough time to reach the station, etc, etc, is pretty much all I am thinking as early disembarkation time comes and goes. Through the sea-swept window of our cabin, I watch the pilot boat attempting to get close enough to transfer the pilot to the ship. From where I am located, the water is not that rough. Then, the pilot boat zooms off in the direction of Dun Laoghaire.

Marianne announces that she is not going ashore today because the sea is too rough.

Five minutes later, the absentee Captain's voice is heard over the PA system announcing that we will not be landing in Dun Laoghaire but that we will be sailing past Dublin and heading north to Belfast.

Just like that.

Our day is stuffed. So, without wasting any time, we head to O'Sheehan's Bar for breakfast for a change and to avoid the Feeding Frenzy this morning. I mean, we have all day to fritter away after all and I am not sure I want to watch another disaster movie. The disappointment is felt today because we have to question why Norwegian offers large ship cruises when clearly Irish ports are either not equipped for large ships or Norwegian doesn't want to pay the port fees. There is an atmosphere of disappointment, even discontent across the ship, but of course, we do have to remember than incidents such as this are for the safety of the passengers and we cannot let that get in the way we feel.

Later, Marianne receives a video that depicts the severity of the storm as witnessed by passengers of a Princess Cruise, and since we did not experience anything so dramatic or dangerous, I am thankful that we took refuge in those southern seas.

So, what if?

What if I had a crystal ball and could have predicted the storm and the unscheduled sea days?

In a hypothetical world, we could have packed a couple of things and advised the staff we would meet the ship in Dublin.

And, just for the devilment, we could have hired a car and driven to Donegal for the day returning to Galway to take train to Dublin. Then when Dublin was cancelled, we could have still visited the places we had planned to before making our way to Belfast with fingers and toes crossed that we would meet the ship.

Just for the devilment!

Next time I tour Ireland, it will be by car...

And if I had a crystal ball, my Lotto numbers would have come up by now...