24th September 2023

We awoke to Tropical Storm Nigel, with winds gusting at 55–60 knots and a heavy swell. The stabilisers were doing their job; although we could feel the movement, it neither disturbed our sleep nor hindered our progress around the cabin and ship.

We were up and about by 7:30 a.m. and sitting down to breakfast half an hour later. Apart from the crew and a handful of fellow passengers, the restaurant was almost empty. The weather, seen through the panoramic windows, looked dreadful: grey clouds, rolling breakers, and a howling wind.

Back in the cabin, we wrapped up warmly, determined to circumnavigate one of the outer decks and begin our calorie-burning exercise routine. Unfortunately, all outside decks were closed off except for Deck 18 at the front of the ship, which provided access to the gym and other sports facilities. This was also the location of the outdoor exercise circuit, where seven laps equalled a mile.

As expected, it was extremely blustery, and the spray from the bow made walking very wet and unpleasant. We gave up after two laps and retreated to the comfort and shelter of the Sky Princess.

By now, most other guests had emerged from their cabins, and the bars, cafés, and restaurants were doing a thriving trade, replenishing their patrons’ tanks. At 10 a.m., we took our seats in a half-full theatre for an enrichment lecture titled Christopher Columbus: Hero or Tyrant? The speaker, Angela from Yorkshire, delivered a polished and engaging presentation, using a mix of video clips and graphics. We both found it informative and entertaining.

We opted for lunch in the buffet restaurant. After struggling to find a table, we eventually paired up with another couple and passed the meal in pleasant conversation, while the sea outside continued to discourage any further thoughts of venturing out for the rest of the day.

At 2 p.m., we returned to the theatre for another enrichment talk: A Life on Liners – Four Favourite Ships. The spelling of “favourite” rather gave away the nationality of the presenter. Franz Schneider, an American with three degrees from Harvard University, has taught there since 2001, most recently on courses covering Psychopaths, and Law & Psychology. He was also on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for 23 years and has spent the past 30 years as a private trustee and registered investment advisor. Impressive credentials that hinted at a memorable afternoon.

Unfortunately, what followed was a dry and plodding account, a personal memoir of voyages on four liners, from childhood holidays to married life. Perhaps of interest to family members or close acquaintances, but for the rest of us, it was less than riveting. As with many seasoned cruisers seated around us, the endless slideshow of interior cabins and lounges quickly became soporific. In my case, I nodded off somewhere during the description of ship number three. I can only commiserate with the Harvard students who had to endure similarly colourless lectures and still remember what was said.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in the cabin, watching Scotland comfortably, eventually, overcome a strong Tongan side. Sue popped in and out on various forays around the ship, exploring activities and locations that took her fancy.

As on the previous evening, we dined just after 6 p.m. in the Estrella Dining Room. Once again, we were seated at one of the large tables; several fellow diners were familiar faces from the night before, which made for easy conversation and the chance to get to know them a little better.

By 8 p.m., Sue was back in the ship’s theatre, enjoying Showtime with Chris Richie: A Tribute to Neil Diamond. I, on the other hand, remained in the cabin, captivated by the rugby as Wales thrashed Australia 40–6, likely condemning the Wallabies to their first-ever group-stage exit. When Sue returned, she waxed lyrical about Mr Richie’s performance, insisting I would have loved it. I remain unconvinced. She missed the better show!

25th September 2023

Still battling the rough seas whipped up by Storm Nigel, we nonetheless enjoyed a fairly restful night, thanks to the ship’s stabilisers efficiently countering the motion.

After an early breakfast, we braved seven blustery laps of the exercise circuit. Sue clung to me as unpredictable gusts threatened to lift her off her feet and feed her to the fishes. Satisfied that our determined mile had burned off enough calories to ease the guilt from yesterday’s second helpings, we made our way to the theatre for another of Angela’s lectures: Amundsen & Scott – The Race to the South Pole.

It proved a generous helping of fascinating facts, some long forgotten, others entirely new. The talk was well-balanced, offering a fair comparison of the two men and their contrasting approaches to polar exploration, along with the differing fates that followed. A thoroughly engaging and informative session.

We chose to remain in our seats for the subsequent port presentation on Boston. As usual, Sue took copious notes in preparation for our visit in a few days. Although we’ve already booked a city and river tour aboard a WWII Duck, if time allows, afterwards, we’ll consult her notes and explore a little more of the city.

We had an early lunch, as Sue was keen to see the film A Man Called Otto, which was showing at the inconvenient time of 12:15 p.m. I met up with her afterwards in the theatre for our second enrichment lecture of the day: Avoiding Disaster – Starting with the Titanic.

Once again, we endured Franz Schneider’s dry, humourless delivery as he read through a well-worn script, no doubt recited many times before. Still, it did pass an hour, though the alternatives were a class on Acupuncture for Pain Management, followed by Grapevine Wine Tasting. We all make mistakes!

To wake us up, we retired to the cafe for drinks, then put on our foul-weather gear and finished off the afternoon with another seven laps fighting the North Atlantic gale. The dismal clouds of yesterday had gone and were replaced by blue skies and scudding clouds. In the more sheltered parts of our circuit, the sun was able to cast a little warmth, soon whipped away in a few strides by a blast of air. Refreshing, nonetheless.

For the evening meal, we changed restaurants and ate in the Soleil. We were seated at a table of six, making conversation between couples so much easier than the previous evenings on tables of ten. However, service at the table was much slower, and we only just made it for the evening show, managing to grab two of the last remaining seats in a packed auditorium. Vocalist Jenny Williams from Stockport, Lancashire, had a fine voice with an ability to sing almost any genre with style and class and treated us to an excellent evening, sending us off to bed with tunes from several musicals on replay in our minds.

26th September 2023

For the second night in a row, the clocks went back, though biological timers are becoming increasingly confused; the ship’s timetable does not change, and meal times and activities have to be adhered to. Today we had breakfast at 7.15 a.m., and though the captain had promised an improvement in the weather, the view through the restaurant window proved otherwise; dismally grey clouds and rain. The sea was much calmer, no white horses of the last two days, but still a prominent swell that could be felt aboard.

After breakfast was finished, we attempted the mile-long circuit on deck 18. However, on arrival, we were dismayed to find that the rain had not stopped, so relocating down to the Lido deck, we managed one circuit undercover around the pools, but so much rain had fallen, we quickly found ourselves splashing along a moving deck and retired defeated inside after just one lap.

We attended the 10 a.m. enrichment lecture: Ernest Shackleton: One of the Greatest Survivors in Maritime History. It was a fascinating slice of history, well told and captivating, no matter how many times you’ve heard the story of his Antarctic escape.

The following lecture on the Jet Age was delivered by Franz. Sue decided to stay and listen, but I’d already given up on his presentation style and headed to the gym to burn off some unwelcome calories.

After lunch, Sue had planned to return to the theatre for another lecture titled Cunard’s Legendary Liners, but it was our old friend Franz again, and Sue had also lost patience with him. Instead, we made our way to Deck 18 and completed a dry and relatively stable mile alongside a dozen or so other passengers.

Later, I dozed while Sue watched a film on the cabin TV. The evening meal was a formal affair, with guests donning glad rags and DJs setting the mood. We chose to dine in the Soleil restaurant at a table for eight. I sat next to an amiable gentleman called Graham, who was in his 90s. An ex-policeman, he had recently lost his wife. He was quite unsteady on his feet and walked slowly with the aid of a stick. When Sue and I left the table early to catch the evening show, I handed him his walking stick and hurried off.

Later that evening, we learned from a couple who had dined with us that as Graham tried to leave the table, he fell backwards, banging his head on the wall behind. The crew were promptly alerted and attended to him. We hope he is okay and look forward to seeing him around the ship soon.

The packed theatre was hosting Rock Opera, a superb show featuring excellent choreography and lighting. The singers and dancers were outstanding, making for a brilliant evening of entertainment.

27th September 2023

Once again, the clocks went back an hour overnight. The day dawned bright and sunny, though a very choppy sea made for rather erratic ship movements. We’ve settled into a comfortable routine of eating, exercise, lectures, and shows, opting out of the many other activities on offer. Sue prefers to read and watch films, while I tend to watch live sports or doze.

This is a very large, full and busy ship, and finding a seat in any of the bars or lounges is nearly impossible, so we don’t bother trying. Instead, we bounce between the restaurants, theatre, gym, exercise deck, and our cabin. Quizzes, games, classes, and demonstrations no longer hold much appeal, sad, perhaps, but I suppose it’s an age thing.

The evening show was the return of Chris Richie with his Neil Diamond tribute. This time, he performed a medley of songs by Elvis, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, and others. It was a good performance, made all the more memorable by Sue’s incredible memory for faces. She recognised a couple sitting next to us in the theatre, whom we’d met on a cruise five years ago. Like me, they were astonished that she not only knew their names but also that of a friend of theirs and knew what they’d been up to on the cruise. I can’t help but think it’s a little spooky! Have I married a witch?

28th September 2023

Sea conditions remained choppy, with the ship still experiencing some movement. A gusting 60 mph wind on the outer decks made the morning mile quite a challenge. We stuck to our usual routine, except that Sue chose to attend an interview in the theatre that afternoon with Rusty Lee, a Jamaican television personality, chef, actress, and singer. Sue used to watch Rusty Lee’s cooking programme while feeding Jamie when he was a baby.

Today brought some dreadful news involving a tree. A mindless vandal, now arrested, a 16-year-old, felled the centuries-old lone sycamore tree at Sycamore Gap, along Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. It had been on my ‘bucket list’ to see this iconic tree someday, as I imagine it is for many others. Besides being featured in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, it has long been a cherished spot where ashes have been scattered, marriage proposals made, picnics enjoyed, and memorials laid. Reputedly, the UK’s most photographed tree, what possible reason could there be to destroy it?

This evening’s show was by the versatile singer Max Himmelreich, originally from Holland but now based in London. Earlier this week, we had a female vocalist perform Nessun Dorma, a song originally written for a male voice, which sounded fine but somehow just didn’t feel quite right. Tonight, Max attempted Ave Maria, and again it felt somewhat out of place. I understand this showcases their vocal skill, but much like cats shouldn’t bark, singers performing live might do well to avoid songs written for the opposite sex.

29th September 2023

We are now a day’s sailing from Boston. The sea has calmed to a millpond, and a watery sun is beginning to burn off the mist as we took breakfast. To the southeast, New York is being deluged by a storm, with up to 13cm of rain having fallen overnight in some areas, and as much as 18cm more expected throughout the day. Fingers crossed the storm doesn’t shift north towards our first port of call.

I didn’t join Sue for the afternoon mile on Deck 18, as New Zealand were playing Italy in the Rugby World Cup and, having already done an extra session in the gym, I preferred to watch the match in the cabin. An excited Sue returned with tales of several pods of dolphins skimming alongside the ship, followed by dozens of shearwaters diving for the krill stirred up by the dolphins. While watching this feeding frenzy, a small minke whale even broke the surface. The Italians’ disappointing performance resulted in quite a thrashing, and I found myself wishing I had gone for that mile after all.

The evening’s entertainment was a variety show featuring two of the ship’s female vocalists, Hannah Howie and Jenny Williams. They performed a mix of songs from musicals and opera, most of which were unfamiliar to both Sue and me. The only aria I particularly enjoyed was Delibes’ The Flower Duet.

Tomorrow, we dock in Boston.