27th August 2014

Today is a sea day, which means there’s no rush to get up. However, we still made it to breakfast by 8 am, and unsurprisingly, there was only one other couple there. We lingered for a while, sipping our coffee and scanning the sea for dolphins or whales, but, as has been the case throughout our journey, they remained elusive, continuing to shy away from the ship. It was a bit disappointing, but we made the most of the peaceful morning.

In the morning, we both attended a fascinating lecture on eclipses, both solar and lunar. Afterwards, Sue went on deck to read her book, while I made my way to the other end of the ship for an excellent lecture on the sinking of the Bismarck. We met again for lunch, which we enjoyed in the Oriental restaurant.

In the afternoon, Sue continued reading her book on deck and later watched a film in the cinema. I headed to the Crow’s Nest to read my book ‘Biggles’, occasionally scanning the sea off the bow for any signs of fins. We reunited in the theatre for a performance of the show that had been cancelled a few nights earlier due to a stage malfunction. I’d been so absorbed in my book that I missed the first ten minutes of the show.

We started the afternoon with coffee in Al Fresco, followed by a small plate of food that somehow turned into two plates! I had been determined earlier this morning to visit the gym, but, unsurprisingly, I failed miserably. The chorus line from a well-known Queen song, “Another One Bites the Dust,” has now been replaced in my mind by “Another Bite Scoffs the Pie” and “Another Notch in the Belt!”

Earlier, we had been given a questionnaire about our cruising experience by our cabin stewardess. She seemed quite concerned that we might grade her poorly, so we reassured her that we wouldn’t. We filled it in during coffee and gave her a good mark to satisfy OFF-Cruise. Hopefully, she will be able to continue supporting her family back in the Philippines.

There wasn’t any pre-dinner entertainment that caught our interest, so while Sue took the opportunity for a nap in the cabin, I went on deck with the binoculars and scanned the many oil and gas platforms we were passing. The flat, calm sea under clear blue skies looked almost Caribbean.

Thankfully, tonight was the last black-tie dinner of the cruise. The trousers have become increasingly tighter each time, and if I had to wear them once more, I think I’d have to substitute them for shorts, risking a breach of the strict dress code!

The evening meal, created by Marco Pierre White (once again), was excellent. For once, I opted for dessert instead of the cheese board. At the end of the meal, we were treated to a parade of chefs, all wearing ridiculously tall hats that surely couldn’t have been practical for working in; those must have been purely for show.

The entertainment afterwards was the second performance of our Cuban comedian/magician. He was just as rude to the guests as before, but it was all in good fun and very hilarious.