Marbella, Puerto Banus is the place to party. We went to see Status Quo @ Starlite Club in Costa Del Sol. It was a strange and sad night, but one hell of a concert. We have sailed and flown into Malaga and it is a very interesting port stop, and these other places are great to visit, like Mijas.

Please remember – you must have cruise insurance when on a cruise

Marbella – Yes Marbella is a place to pose and party. There are endless nightclubs and bars. Marbella sits about midway between Malaga and Gibraltar on the Costa del Sol. So you might be on a road trip? Try the mountains, as well as the coast, have films on Sotogrande, Duqesa, Estepona, Mijas, Malaga. But here, if you want to pose and party day and night then this is the place to stay because the cab fare home in the early hours might be affordable. If you want to stay somewhere with more options and just visit here to party then try Mijas which is popular on the Malaga side, or Estepona which is popular on the Gibraltar side. Estepona is probably the more trendy and where stars like the late Cilla Black had one of her homes. Marbella certainly has the power to attract events and names. It is a place where you can hire fast cars and fancy boats for a day, just to pose. The restaurants along the front overlooking the bay and the sea can be very pricey, and busy at lunchtimes.

Starlet Club – Finding this club for the first time might not be easy as it is up in the mountains and you might just need the sat nav on your phone to guide you as the signs disappear and reappear.  The arena is cut into the mountains, at the site of a disused quarry.  There are lounges, swanky bars, shops and multiple stages.  Rick Parfitt had been trying to get Status Quo to play there for years as it is near one of his homes and where he kept his boats. Rick was a huge boat lover. However, as with most gigs, it was booked over a year in advance and in the meantime, Rick fell ill with a heart attack and could not play there. He was ill and no longer with the band and we all knew he was unlikely to ever return. The band had to play ‘his’ gig knowing how ill he was and with his neighbour’s friends and family there because that was where he lived. Rick was being cared for in London and has since, sadly passed away. You will see from our blogspot.com/dorisvisits that Rick actually died for a while and suffered the oxygen deprivation that goes with it which is why those close to the band knew he was very unlikely to return. Rick wrote some great songs for the film we did with him, Bula Quo. We feature the club in the film. Catch the film Bula Quo if you have not seen it, it is an easy Christmas day family romp.

Puerto Banus – As they say in the industry believe nothing. Well, if you see someone in a Ferrari or with a yacht they can be rented by the hour as can most things when in the glamour centre of ‘Banus’. Here you can eat and drink well, pose and party. A great place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. It is a place where those daft enough to rent a fast vehicle to pull, will pull someone daft enough to believe it. But people watching is so much fun here. Enjoy the film.

Essentials – cruise travel labels and our cruise crime novels – oh, and the seasickness bands.

The Port guides here on Doris Visits are a great way to remember your cruise and share with your friends. ATHENS METRO ATHENS ICE CREAM ATHENS GUIDE ATHENS HORSE+CARRIAGE ATHENS PLAKA CRETE GUIDE THE VERY SPECIAL RHODES ROME DUBROVNIK ZADAR VENICE NIGHT SAIL AWAY

The mystery thrillers are a whole new way to experience cruising. You may not have been to the ports in the novels, you certainly won’t have been to the parts of the ship they use. All the cruise crime novels will make you feel like you are in the adventure and on the ship – dodge the bullets and stay out of the romance. Ship and cruise accurate, the novels are a great way for new cruisers to discover a ship too. Please share the Amazon link. CRUISE SHIP HEIST (read the reviews from cruisers). https://amzn.to/3RVYtff

QUESTION: If I travel and I am more than 24 weeks pregnant am I technically un-insured and liable for all the bills?

ANSWER: Check with your insurance company and lawyer before you travel, but it appears all the companies say no travel.