22nd March 2016
During the night, we headed south, leaving the Gulf of Aqaba before re-entering the Red Sea and continuing our journey north towards the Suez Canal. We slept soundly throughout. At 7:30 a.m., we were awakened by the sound of clattering and banging outside our cabin door. Later, when we left for breakfast, we discovered the maintenance crew hard at work on something behind the crew door opposite, a door we had often wondered about. Now we know: it hides things that make a racket when they’re being maintained!
At breakfast, we chatted with a Danish couple and discovered they had been on the same cruise as us from Brazil to Savona in 2013. What a small world!
The morning activities included a presentation on the Suez Canal and a quiz about the Seychelles, followed by coffee in the Grill restaurant. Afterwards, we participated in another picture quiz on countries. During this, an announcement came over the Tannoy: due to a medical emergency on board, we would be diverting to Sharm El Sheikh. We wondered how this might affect our schedule.
It wasn’t long before the coast came into view, prompting passengers to head on deck to watch the proceedings. Sharm el Sheikh is a purpose-built, modern resort surrounded by stark, inhospitable mountains and desert. Charlotte and her family once holidayed there; their next trip to Cambodia surely couldn’t be more different!
A small craft approached our starboard side from the visible harbour on the town’s outskirts as the ‘NeoRomantica’ slowly stopped about half a mile offshore. The passenger was transferred onto the craft through the same doorway used by port pilots. We watched as the boat made its way to a waiting ambulance at the small quay. Through binoculars, the scene didn’t appear rushed. The ship had just begun turning and edging its way back out to sea when the ambulance sped off with its lights flashing.
An unexpected diversion, but a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by one unfortunate soul.
For lunch, Sue chose the noodle speciality from Marche (Italy) at the Grill restaurant, while I opted for my first burger and chips of the voyage from Deck 10. We met in the Pizza restaurant, where we ate while gazing out at the beautiful day through its panoramic windows and discussing the recent incident. How fortunate some of us are.
In the early afternoon, Sue decided to continue enjoying the sunshine and scenery from the deck, armed with her binoculars and a book. I, on the other hand, headed to the gym as penance for yesterday’s overindulgence.
Another rumour doing the rounds was about the medical incident from this morning. It involved a single, senior Brit who had recently undergone heart bypass surgery. If that’s true, I can’t help but wonder whether he had insurance, and, if so, how much it might cost to cover such an event.
As we continued our journey towards the Suez Canal, both shores came into view, becoming increasingly distinct as the sun began its descent. Shadows from cracks and crevices in the sandy mountains grew more pronounced, creating a striking contrast against the golden terrain. Later, as the wind picked up, yellow sand was whipped into the air, smudging the scene and leaving no doubt that we were traversing a desert. The interplay of colours, the deep blue sea giving way to blurred yellow mountains, topped by a vivid sky-blue and a white, near-full moon rising into the heavens, was something straight out of a ‘Turkish Delight’ advert.
Before dinner, we relaxed in our cabin, catching up on BBC News and reading our books.
Yesterday in Eilat, we docked near a yard filled with new cars. These vehicles, shipped from Japan and other Far Eastern countries, are destined for the European market. Transporting them through the Suez Canal by ship is prohibitively expensive, so they’re offloaded in Israel, transported overland to Mediterranean ports, and then reloaded onto ships. It does make you wonder if the Egyptians might want to rethink their pricing strategy.
This evening, we attended the second show, featuring a highly professional South African singer who really knew how to work the audience. Later, a ‘Spring’ party was held in the Grand Bar to celebrate the season’s arrival, but Sue and I opted instead for a stroll around the windy deck. From there, we watched the lights of distant towns and nearby ships glide by. For the first time this holiday, coats were required, as the temperature had dropped to a brisk 16 degrees!
Back in the cabin, we played Scrabble and enjoyed a glass of red wine, very civilised indeed. This evening’s ship magazine announced that, instead of beginning our transit through the canal at 10 a.m. tomorrow as planned, we will now start at 4 p.m. No doubt this delay is due to our diversion earlier today. I fear this may affect our time in Limassol, but we shall see.
Palmer Family 
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