Jayestravellingadventures

24th January 2026 – 31st January 2026

Welcome to part two! If you haven’t already read part one, I would highly suggest doing so before continuing. Below, I’ll be sharing what I got up to while visiting Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Tenerife before heading home.

We ended part one with our final sea day, and then arrived in Gran Canaria. The sun was gleaming and, for once, we hadn’t booked an excursion. However, we did know about an aquarium right next to the port that we had always wanted to visit, so we thought — why not?

We booked tickets that morning via GetYourGuide, which meant we didn’t have to queue or risk being turned away. Tickets were £23 each ($31.37 / €26.59) and were worth every penny. You could easily spend the entire day there, as the aquarium was filled with an incredible range of animals — from chameleons and turtles to creatures you’d swear were mythical.

After an incredible two hours, we headed to the beach for a local snack. The sea was rough that day, and once our tummies were full, we ventured into the water where Mum nearly got soaked by a huge wave. Naturally, I laughed instead of helping her.

Once we dried off, we visited the shopping center near the port — which, honestly, wasn’t great at all. So instead, we walked 30 minutes in the opposite direction to a much larger shopping center filled with a variety of shops. From there, it was a simple walk back onboard, where we headed to The Retreat to sunbathe and relax.

That evening, it was time for dinner followed by the evening entertainment from Headliners (P&O’s own theatre company). The show was called Electric Avenue, and it was really good.

Our final port before heading back to Tenerife was Lanzarote. If you’ve been before, you’ll be well aware of the long walk out of the port — and the wind! Earlier in the week, we had decided to book an excursion to see the famous albino blind crabs and the Valley of a Thousand Palm Trees.

We first stopped in the small town of Teguise, which was incredibly scenic and peaceful. It was a short stop before continuing on to the Valley of a Thousand Palm Trees. Unfortunately, it was very windy with a cold breeze, so we grabbed a drink and something to eat during the time we were there.

After another 30-minute stop, we got back on the bus and began our descent to Jameos del Agua. It was extremely busy, so I was grateful we were part of an organised excursion. The site was absolutely beautiful; however, the crabs were tiny! I had imagined they’d be the size of those you see on Deadliest Catch.

The pools were crystal clear, and you really had to fight the urge not to jump in. The concert hall was absolutely stunning, so we sat inside for a while before making our way up to the café for refreshments, then back onto the bus.

We weren’t in port for very long compared to the others, so you guessed it — we went straight to The Retreat to sunbathe, where I may have fallen asleep! The sail-away party took place on Deck 15/16 at 16:30, so of course we had a boogie and even managed to get some of the officers to join in. After dinner, the brilliant ROXX group ended our day perfectly.

It was our last full day in Tenerife before flying home, so we decided to walk to the auditorium, Auditorio de Tenerife. It was really hot, so once we arrived we took in the sights before turning back towards the city center. Last year, we discovered an amazing café called 100 Montaditos — the beer is only €2 ($2.36 / £1.73) and the food is delicious.

After enjoying a few drinks in the sun and feeling very content, we walked back to the ship, which was eerily quiet, and spent one last afternoon relaxing in The Retreat. As it was our final supper, we got ready, ate as much as we possibly could, and gave our incredible waiters a small gift to thank them for looking after us throughout the cruise.

Headliners were back in the theatre with my favourite show, Blame It on the Boogie (which I may know off by heart). But our night didn’t end there — we headed ashore for a late-night walk, soaking up the atmosphere one last time.

Then came the day we all dread: time to return to reality. I might be the only one, but I wish I could just click my fingers and be home — while also never wanting the holiday to end. We left the cabin at 8am and headed to the restaurant to fuel up for our journey home.

With our flight scheduled for 12pm and our coach meeting at 9am, we didn’t have time to head ashore. After breakfast, we made our way to the meeting point. The whole process was incredibly smooth — we hopped onto the coach for the 45-minute drive to the airport, sailed through security as we didn’t need to check in, and then had some time to relax, read our books, and buy snacks for the plane.

The UK/EU passport scanners were quick for once, and before we knew it, we were taking off — then landing in the cold, dark Gatwick Airport.

This holiday was so much fun and exactly what we needed to start 2026 off right. I’m glad we didn’t have a jam-packed itinerary, and the excursions we did were perfect. I wasn’t completely convinced about The Retreat at first, but after a few days I really grew to love it — it was extremely convenient. It would have been nice to have toilets up there, although I know the newer ships do.

Even though the weather wasn’t hot all the time, it was still wonderful to go abroad, and it didn’t dampen (literally) our experience at all. Spoiler alert: I can’t wait to be back onboard next year.

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