30th January 2015

It was a sea day today, so we weren’t surprised to find ourselves the second couple at breakfast at 8 am. Even by the time we finished, there couldn’t have been more than a handful of souls looking for sustenance.

Back in the cabin, we donned thick sweaters for a turn around the deck. However, on stepping out into what we expected to be a bracing breeze, we were greeted instead by sunshine and a warm whisper of air. “15 degrees,” announced the Tannoy just then, climbing to 19 degrees later in the afternoon. For a fleeting moment, our thoughts turned to our children and the hardships of an English winter.

Sue spotted a sign indicating that 3.2 laps around the deck equated to a mile. Now we had a challenge. At a leisurely pace, we completed it, though we didn’t spot any ships, whales, seabirds, or other marine life, just the occasional fog bank we had to brave with each circuit. Smokers on board are confined to feeding their habit on the port side of the activity deck (Deck 7), though why that deck was chosen, I can’t imagine. Placing passengers determined to stay fit right next to those engaged in early self-destruction seems rather absurd. Why not move the smoking area to the ship’s stern on the lowest deck, where any fumes could drift back to trail-blazing spy ships or sick whales?

On a side note, this ship seems to have an unusually high number of passengers using sticks, Zimmer frames, and mobility scooters, more than on any other cruise we’ve been on. To be fair, they haven’t hindered our movements or limited our enjoyment of the activities, which is somewhat encouraging. Perhaps there’s still a long, lively retirement to look forward to, even after 40 years of rugby!

Sue and I attended a morning lecture on the Rolling Stones. Neither of us is particularly keen on the band, yet we both enjoyed it. We stayed on for a port presentation in La Coruña.

Lunch followed in the waiter-serviced Ligurian. Seated with two single passengers, we had such an enjoyable conversation that, long after finishing our three courses and coffee, the waiters had to subtly hint for us to vacate. Both ladies had lost their husbands a few years ago, and Sue assured me that if she found herself in similar circumstances, she’d likely cruise. I reassured her that, in the reverse scenario, Thailand would probably call to me.

A brisk walk along the promenade deck followed, again, precisely a mile, but by now the temperature had risen considerably, making our earlier choice of sweaters a mistake. After our post-meal stroll, I stopped at reception to leave my camera charger, as there wasn’t enough room in the cabin’s socket to accommodate it. The steward had kindly left a note explaining that reception could assist. In the past, Sue’s adapter kit would have handled such issues, but the years are catching up, and it was left at home.

Later, I joined Sue in the Atrium. We bypassed the ship’s many lectures, demos, and activities, and she settled in with her tapestry from Bergen, while I opted for Lee Child and a London Pride. Before long, we were joined by one of the ladies we had lunched with. We enjoyed another chat for about an hour until Sue excused herself to return to the cabin. I stayed on, listening to more stories of her family and travels, before finally excusing myself to wake Sue for her afternoon tea and cake.

Upon my return to the cabin, I found Sue in a deep sleep and reluctant to wake, even for High Tea! I left her to rest and settled down with the novel I’d missed out on earlier.

Dinner was informal once again, and we had six at our table. Unfortunately, the conversation leaned toward the gloomy, with tales of physical ailments, major surgeries, and the nuances of medical insurance. One could only wonder why anyone with such significant surgeries behind or ahead of them would dare venture abroad!

For entertainment, we opted for a medley of routines themed around “school days” by the ship’s resident troupe, the Headliners. Meanwhile, a similar show based on Matt Monro was playing in the other theatre. Our choice turned out to be spot on.

We wrapped up the evening with a brief stroll on deck, then turned in early (11:45 pm) in anticipation of tomorrow’s excursion.