Day 5 - Sun 24th Mar 2024
Participants: Tam & Kev
We both have a
better nights sleep and get up at 7.30 am. It's an at sea day
today and we first head to the Horizon Food Court for breakfast
where I have an omelette, which is freshly made and very nice.
We head to the Spa pool for a while before moving to the quiet
sundeck just above it. This a pleasant area as it's always quiet
and there's no music playing. I'd rather sit quietly reading or
listening to my own music than have the loud clamour of the main
pool.
I really wanted to swing on this shouting 'The bells Esmerelda, the bells!'. Tam wouldn't let me.
As you can see, this quiet sundeck really is quiet.
Lunch is at
midday and we return to the food court where I have a salmon
sandwich, caesar salad and beer. There's a small bird hopping
around and I can't help wondering whether they stay with the ship
all the time as we are miles out to sea.
Back to the stateroom to our large balcony to enjoy doing the
best thing to do on sea days on a cruise - relaxing and watching
the sea go by. It's a shame they don't allow sunbeds on the
balcony as it's perfectly big enough and would make it much more
comfortable. It's mostly overcast, but at 25 degrees it's very
comfortable.
At 2.30 pm the sun comes out and so it is obviously the right time for a rum and coke. We go to Crooners Bar for one, but they make it with coke from a fountain and that's never quite as nice as coke from a can, so have to get a frozen margarita to take back to the room. Back to the balcony where it's cloudy again and even a light smattering of rain, but still lovely and warm It's really what cruising is all about to us, sure there are crappy game shows, bingo, cheap jewellery sales and noisy pool areas, but all are easily avoided. A quiet pool deck or balcony suits us just fine. We may be in the minority though as all the things I've just mentioned always seem to be very well attended.
We shower and are out to the Adagio Bar at 6.00 pm where I have a Chardonnay and Tam has a Prosseco.
The kind description for my face would be 'glowing' The unkind would be 'red as a beetroot'. Even though it was overcast for much of the day and we were mostly in the shade I still managed to get slightly burned. They say there's no fool like an old fool.
We are dining
at the Crown Grill (a speciality restaurant) tonight and so head
there at 8.00 pm. The cost for this restaurant is an additional
$39 per person. I start with the Lobster Cake (average) and Tam
has the Scallops (also average).
Our main course is the Veal Chop for Tam and it's truly massive!
I have the Kansas City Strip Steak. We share sides of fries,
jacket potato, creamed spinach and mushrooms. It's a nice enough
meal, but nothing out of the ordinary for a steak house. We'd
probably rate it at 7 out of 10.
We end the
evening in the theatre to see an Elton John impersonator - Benny
and the Rest (ho, ho). Before it starts I get a Negroni from the
casino bar and chat to a guy from Florida. He's single, retired
and in his 50's. He's been on over 200 cruises and has 15 more
booked! He says he's barely at home. That's dedication.
Old Elton is pretty good and he can certainly play the piano. A
packed theatre seems to enjoy it.
Bed at 11.15 pm.