Chocoholics and Beer Walls

If you have read my previous blog, you will know that at the end of October I was on-board the Ventura for a mini-cruise to Bruges.  This blog is about the wonderful tour of Bruges.

After a great and filling breakfast in the Waterside restaurant, we made our way down to reception to meet our group for our excursion of Bruges (if you do leave the ship, please take your passport with you).  We were around 20 minutes on the bus from the port into the bus stop of Bruges, then a further 10 minute walk into Bruge Square itself.  And if you are a chocolate lover or beer lover, then you will love Bruges!  There is a chocolate shop in nearly every other shop, and the famous beer wall is definitely something to be admired.  We then took a stroll to the square, where there was a fantastic marching band just starting out, it was great to see so many people appreciating it.  After the square, we had to stop for the “compulsory” Belgium beer.  Although not knowing too much about beer, we just asked the bar man for a Leffe! 

We had to take a look in nearly all of the chocolate shops!  It just had to be done.  The things these people can do with chocolate, puts Thornton’s to shame, as it was coming up to Halloween, the “masks” and other Halloween themed chocolate was really out of this world.  Plus there was just so much to choose from, and the smell…. Heavenly.

After drooling over the chocolate, we then found the famous “Beer Wall”, now I thought Tesco had a good selection of beer, but this was awesome I have to admit.  It was definitely something to be admired, and everyone would stop to take photos, unfortunately, we didn’t get to grab a beer inside and was busy, and we were close to be being picked up again.  But I look forward to going back there and having a drink in the bar at the end.  Apparently they do all different flavours of beer, so will have to go there when I go back next December on Oceana.

When then took the coach back to the ship, to get ready for your formal night.  Our meal was in the Bay Tree Restaurant, and the food again, was out of this world.  I had the duck to start and the Grilled Halibut for my main, I even had room for ice cream.  I had off the menu designed by Marco Pierre White, but you don’t have to have off that menu, and you can even mix and match.   I couldn’t fault the service, it was efficient and the staff were so polite.

After dinner, we headed to the sports bar and listened to some karaoke, then danced the night away again in the Havana bar. When it came to the next morning, please be advised that the breakfast buffet restaurant does get very busy, as people are looking to fill up on breakfast before leaving the ship, and when it comes to leaving the ship, if you don’t want to see your bill (as I didn’t), you can just disembark, and the security staff scan your key card.  But if you do wish to see your bill, I would either sort it out the night before, so you know roughly how much it will be, or again go down early in the morning, as I did over hear some passengers saying that they had waited around 30 minutes.

It was such a fantastic trip, and I am looking forward to being back on board P&O in December 2018 when I do the same itinerary but this time, I am going for the Christmas Markets!  And the chocolate of course!  So until next time, feel free to check out our website for more offers on mini cruises, you will love Bruge!