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Dodging pirates and the plague on an eventful cruise to Mauritius

The ever-changing scenery of a cruise from Merseyside to Mauritius - This content is subject to copyright.
The ever-changing scenery of a cruise from Merseyside to Mauritius - This content is subject to copyright.

Michael Hennessy wins our Just Back travel writing contest, and £250, for his account of an eventful month-long cruise to Mauritius.

Behind us, a cold, wet and windy winter’s day in Liverpool. Ahead, a 33-day cruise to the sun-kissed island of Mauritius.

But first we had to overcome Hurricane Ophelia, Somalian pirates and Madagascan plague. It was to be a cruise unlike any other, aboard a ship aptly named “Boudicca”, the warrior queen.

Cadiz, where the French and Spanish fleets left to meet Nelson at Trafalgar - Credit: Getty
Cadiz, where the French and Spanish fleets left to meet Nelson at Trafalgar Credit: Getty

We reached the Bay of Biscay just as Ophelia came steaming across the Atlantic, travelling at up to 147mph. Despite our captain taking an evasive 100-mile detour, we still had a really bumpy night, causing our elderly, all-inclusive passengers to bounce off the walls even more than usual en route from the bars to their beds.

Our first port of call was Cadiz, arriving 212 years to the day when the combined Spanish and French fleets left their safe harbour only to be decimated by Nelson and the British Navy off Cape Trafalgar.

The Mediterranean was plain sailing with an abundance of sunshine, blue skies and pirate jokes. After the two-day transit through the Suez Canal the jokes came few and far between as we approached pirate waters. However, it didn’t stop the ship’s photographer from getting one of the entertainers to dress up like Long John Silver and hold a cutlass to the throats of passengers. “Smile?”

Pirates, pollution and secret codes: 12 things you didn't know about cruise holidays
Pirates, pollution and secret codes: 12 things you didn't know about cruise holidays

A lifeboat drill is standard practice on cruise ships, but pirate drill? This was a first. At the announcement of “safe haven”, repeated three times on the public address system, we all had to muster in allocated corridors below deck and sit on the floor.

The colourful coast of Oman - Credit: Getty
The colourful coast of Oman Credit: Getty

By the time we had docked at Salalah in Oman, where Captain Phillips sailed from (he was the merchant seaman taken hostage by pirates in 2009; Tom Hanks played him in the film adaptation), the ship had been encircled with coils of razor wire below the handrails, high-pressure water jets had been welded port and starboard, and every member of the crew took their turn on pirate watch. 

We also heard that armed SAS, SBS and some Gurkhas were on board for our four-day journey down the Somalian coast. At nightfall, porthole covers were sealed, we had blackouts at windows and no deck lights. Other than that, life on board carried on regardless.

Location of high-risk area for cruise ship piracy
Location of high-risk area for cruise ship piracy

Not surprisingly, the pirates probably thought it better to go after easier pickings and we arrived in Zanzibar without incident. As for the pneumonic plague sweeping Madagascar, we changed our itinerary and called into the Comoros instead. There had been around 2,500 cases of this disease in Madagascar and a death toll of over 200.

Our adventure ended in Mauritius where I chose a more sedate activity to celebrate my 69th birthday and 100th country... walking with lions. But that is another story.

How to enter the next round of Just Back

Email your entry in 500 words (with the text in the body of the email), to justback@telegraph.co.uk. For terms and conditions, see telegraph.co.uk/tt-justback. The winner will receive £250 in the currency of their choice from the Post Office.

The Post Office is the UK’s largest travel money provider. It offers more than 70 currencies with 0% commission. Customers can buy selected currencies over the counter at 8,000 branches and all currencies can be ordered for next-day delivery at 11,500 branches. Orders can be placed online at postoffice.co.uk/travel-money.