I wasn’t seeing this coming at least in another 20 years, until the bride of the year, thought of a cruise as a bachelorette idea. And who are we to say no. Calculating days on and off, different countries, visa procedures and all that jazz, AIDA was the winner in our case. And the second half of March was the start of our cruise.
How to arrive to Las Palmas Gran Canaria without selling a kidney, well, from Skopje pretty painless Skopje – Memmingen – Las Palmas for just 70 euros one way. Arriving from London was hustle free as well, and from Germany the options are endless, but the prices were almost always a bit over 100euros.

Speaking of the cruise, for us it was super worth trip as the cost was around 350 euros for a windowless cabin, which was enjoyed by the co-travelers. Of course the better cabin leads to higher price, and more privacy while breathing the sea air. But having in mind the young at heart we are, this was perfect option. I could see other young couples, and young families also taking the advantage of this type of cabin.

What is included in the basic cruise package? The cabin, all the buffet restaurants, including filter coffee or tea, and beer or house wine at lunch at dinner, all the food in the special restaurants, all the fun on board, gym, and many many snacks. Was it in enough yes, more than that. What is not included was the so called specialty-coffees from the machines, better wines and alcoholic beverages, and wine and beer in the chilling areas and around the pool. But the prices were pretty okay, having in mind you are on a boat.

There was an option to buy pre made drinks packages ranging from 90 – 290 per person for 7 days, but we decided to drink and pay on the go, mostly because we were planning to stay on the islands as much as possible. In the end we had spent around 50 euros per person for drinks. So If you are not massive drinker, not having a package is much better option. But in case you don’t want to think about it well, you know what to do.

DAY 0 – LAS PALMAS, GRAN CANARIA

We landed in Las Palmas one day before the start of the cruise. Exploring?! What? We explored the open tapas bars and our lives in what has happened and hasn’t been told or retold. Pretty fun activity when you are with your besties. The dinner at Ibérico Jamones y Tapas was pretty late and pretty decent. My search for huevos rotos with french fries is still ongoing, so this delight was on the table of course.

Since the checkin on the boat was until 7pm, the initial plan was to visit Maspalomas, by bus, but island mood and our spanish clock decided for a stroll around the beaches, three hours brunch at Organic Jungle and more organich juice at the central market. All in all what I saw in Las Palmas were my friends. No major tips this time.
I always prioritize sightseeing but not higher than friends.

DAY 1 – SEA DAY

I’ve been previously to a daily cruises between Turku and Stockholm, Turku and Tallin and Helsinki-St.Petersburg, but either I was too young, or I do not remember the process, the boarding and all that airport like process of checking in, boarding and so on. I think that was the part I liked the most about taking “serious ” cruise in my 30s, to see the process.
since we were going north, or maybe it is just sea weather, the sunny decks were so windy, so we spent our time indoors watching the sun setting from the big windows. In the night we were sure we were winning bingo. We didn’t. But even though living in Germany for many years, I learned much more about german culture from only taking this trip.

DAY 2 – FUNCHAL, MADEIRA

There are places that you think you will never return, and not even full 5 years have passed you are back there. I loved Madeira in my first visit, and I have a pretty good guide about how to spend a week there, and I loved it now again, even though it was much shorter.
I did my first hop on hop off experience, and I am happy that I haven’t done it before 🙂 Also in my opinion Madeira is not the place to do this, as everything is so close and on walking distance, the ride with the cable car was nice but if you are not visiting the gardens I do not see the point. And the included ride to Camara do lobos would have been cheaper by taxi or tuk-tuk. But sometimes you need to learn from mistakes.

Nevertheless, the stay in both Funchal and Camara do Lobos was very laidback, we admired everything, ate all the fish and bolo do caco and enjoyed the sunset till the very last moment. Madeira definitively deserves more days to be explored, but on the other hand, from all the islands on this cruise, you can see the most, without making the least effort.

DAY 3 – SEA DAY

Second and last sea day, this time the wind was much calmer, and we did proper sunbathing on the deck, used the pool and sipped cocktails. These forced slow down days are actually very good because otherwise we would never take the chill pill, but would always strive to see more and more. This day we played bingo again, visited the casino just for fun, went and escaped tango course, and had a dinner in the French Restaurant, with what was in my opinion my best meal on the cruise.

DAY 4 – SANTA CRUZ, TENERIFE

The laidback days are over and we start the second half pf our cruise. The port in Santa Cruz is directly in the city center so you do not need any transportation . The city centre looks like as if you are in any smaller city in Spain, so for me there was no island feeling. Our stroll continued via the museum of modern art to the African market, both places high on the recommending list. And then the moment I was waiting since 2019 visit of La Laguna. The little town is actually connected to Santa Cruz, but bus or tram, and you need 1.35euros and 30 minutes to reach it.
And there total unexpected beauty, colourful houses, nice restaurants and coffee shops and flowers. Lots and lots of them. We spent our afternoon in La Tasca de Los Patos, with the nicest service team, and unusual tapas as mozarella with olives, raw mushrooms with capers and nuts and many others. Actually on this street Bencomo there were many other super nice places, but food coma was not an option.

DAY 5 – PUERTO DEL ROSARIO, FUERTAVENTURA

I will remember Fuertaventura as the place where I have seen most plane take-offs. The capital is so so small, and I am not lying when I say there is nothing to do here (except a pedicure). Maybe that’s why all the people were lining up in front of the rental car stands, the island is small, very doable in a day by car, but we decided to take it super easy, enjoying 3euro aperols and camparis in the chiringuito at Playa Blanca.
I didn’t explore anything about the island except the fact that there is so called pop-corn beach, in the Corralejo area.
So for places like this it is good to either take an excursion from the one offered from the operator or take rent a car. We were patiently waiting for the wind to be more mild. but that only happened on the beach right next to the cruiser, Playa Chica.

DAY 6 – ARRECIFE, LANZAROTE

If it was not so windy, this would have been my favourite place, okay maybe it was, but there is so much unexplored from my side that deserves I want to come back. The captain announced in the morning that this island is following the vision of the architect Cesar Manrique, and that no house should be higher than a palm. This bought me and I couldn’t wait to go out and see it. From the boat it looked as we have arrived in some middle east country. Arrecife was the furthest compared to any other city and the port. Taxi ride was 6 euros, and single trip organised by the operator was 13 euros one way. The city small cute, but nothing wow. There was a very nice concept store Siroco concept store and specialty coffee bar Antipoda. What was not special were the greasy churros from a random cafe that I feel them even now.

We decided on Costa Teguise, as I read that there is one of the better beaches on a close ride distance. It would have all been better, if there wasnt wind so strong. Going inside the water was only for the bravest, but strolling along the riviera was a pure pleasure. Our lunch was at Peskera, fusion restaurant right on the Playa de las Cucharas. This was the island with the most want to do things, but resting was a priority and all those Manrique things are gonna see the light in some next trip.

DAY 7 – LAS PALMAS, GRAN CANARIA