Ascension : The MV ASTORIA at anchor off Ascension Island
Submitted by The Islander (Baz & kaz Prowse) 16.02.2006 (Article Archived on 02.03.2006)
By kind permission of the Captain, Vadym Grytsyuk who is from the Ukraine and the Hotel Manger, Larry Jackson who is from South Africa, The Islander was invited aboard to see what the Astoria had to offer.
By kind permission of the Captain, Vadym Grytsyuk who is from the Ukraine and the Hotel Manger, Larry Jackson who is from South Africa, The Islander was invited aboard to see what the Astoria had to offer.
On boarding the ship I was introduced to the Chief Purser, Tamara Pable, who is from Germany, as you can see there is a truly international crew on board, Tamara told me that the life on board is like being in one big family and Tamara should know, as she has been working the Astoria for two and a half years and was previously on the sister ship Astor
There are various forms of entertainment from the shows every night in the Astoria Lounge to all sorts of sporting type games including volley ball, basket ball, Badminton and table tennis to name but a few. There is even an indoor swimming pool, shown below, with its tropical setting and sun loungers
 
As is usual on a cruise ship there is food in abundance, everywhere we went there seemed to be food of some sort, even bowls of fresh fruit outside the sauna.
The cruise started last November and has sailed from the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and around Africa calling at various ports en-route including St Helena and Namibia before calling on Ascension Island. Some passengers have been onboard since the start others have joined and left along the way.
When the Astoria called at Ascension there were 316 passengers and 260 crew on board, all of whom had the opportunity to see what Ascension had to offer, many took advantage of the tours being offered by various organisations, to make the most of the visit and see as much as possible during their brief stopover.
There were other games on board like chess, only it might be difficult spotting the pieces.
 
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