21st January 2014 We woke to a slightly warmer morning than yesterday. After a couple of coffees, my first task was to go online with my tablet, thank goodness for the very fast, free Wi-Fi in the room, and check in for our flight this evening. Once that was accomplished, I retrieved our passports and… Continue Reading

20th January 2014 We woke at 8 a.m. to a bright blue sky, signalling a clear but cold day. We weren’t wrong, the temperature hovered around -2°C until late afternoon, when it nudged up to a chilly 2°C. After a couple of cups of coffee, we asked at the concierge desk where we could catch… Continue Reading

19th January 2014 After an excellent show the previous night, we returned to our cabin, finished packing, and placed our cases in the corridor ready for the crew to collect and store them. We woke up, showered, and dressed at 6 a.m., arriving for breakfast in the Lido by 6:30 a.m., along with a surprising… Continue Reading

18th January 2014 Another storm rolled in overnight, rattling us awake with the ship’s newfound enthusiasm for rocking and rolling. By the time we properly surfaced in the morning, however, the sea had calmed down entirely. No evidence remained of the overnight drama, other than a suspiciously soggy balcony. Breakfast in the Britannia restaurant was… Continue Reading

17th January 2014 The sea was a touch frisky this morning, though nothing to trouble a seasoned sailor such as myself (or so I keep telling Sue). Breakfast was in the waiter-service Britannia restaurant, where we shared a table for six with some well-travelled fellow Brits. Their tales of nautical escapades and “lessons learned” at… Continue Reading

16th January 2014 We woke at 7:30 am to clear skies and a calm sea. Breakfast was served in the Lido, and mindful of the effort it took to tighten my belt, I made an effort to reduce the portion size on my plate, though I spoiled it later by returning to the buffet for… Continue Reading

15th January 2014 After what was my most restful night of the voyage, interrupted only briefly when we seemingly ran over a very large whale that momentarily roused me from sleep, I was surprised to learn that Sue had been tossing and turning most of the night. Stepping onto the balcony, I soon understood why.… Continue Reading

14th January 2014 After another night of rock and roll, somehow, we both managed to get a decent amount of sleep, and I woke early. Not by choice, mind you, but because, unlike Sue, who meticulously tracks all shipboard announcements, I hadn’t set my watch back yet another hour. To top it off, I ventured… Continue Reading

13th January 2014 Well, what a night! I’m grateful we’re on such a massive ship, and for the Captain’s decision to steer us some 250 miles south of our intended course to avoid a Force 10 storm. Even so, the constant rocking of the ship, with the odd thud here and there, made for a… Continue Reading

12th January 2014 After a snug, warm, and comfortable night’s sleep (seriously, I’m tempted to take this bed home with me), we woke quite early, having gained an hour thanks to the ship’s clocks being set back. Just before 8 am, we found ourselves among the first in line for breakfast in the restaurant. While… Continue Reading