Sea days should be lazy days, except when you’re us. More specifically when you eat as much as we do, it’s necessary to exercise properly every day, or pay the price later!
Talking of which we descend to deck two to investigate a new restaurant (to us) which on this class of ship replaces our breakfast location. On the smaller classes of HAL we just go to Pinnacle but on this larger class there is a separate Club Orange restaurant which in the evening is a more select place for suite guests to take dinner away from the main dining room. We don’t use this facility as we always go to the speciality restaurants. This is not a reflection on the quality of the MDR, we just like the enhanced service and style of Pinnacle and the others.
And so after breakfast we hit the promenade deck, clocking up 15 circuits, five miles, before securing a sun-lounger on the after deck. Sadly around midday the storms we can see all around us come to say hello, so where’s the best place to be in a rainstorm – yep, time for a swim.
The wind and slight swell combine to create a wonderful gentle wave motion, nothing like some of our past sailing but lovely nevertheless.
Time then to pop back, pick up some nibbles and a bottle of wine from our lounge, and set up a video rig on the dining table on our veranda so we can join friends in Sheffield for (their) pre-diner drinkies. Modern communications are so wonderful!
Afterwards we enjoy ice cream now the sun has returned, and then manage another 15 laps to complete our ten-mile requirement.
Whilst we’re dressing for dinner an excellent collection of canapés arrives, perfect timing as we have a show to catch first and won’t sit down to eat for a couple of hours.
The first of the company shows is Musicology, which we saw in it’s infancy two years ago. This incarnation is much improved and embraces the new technology on this ship with excellent effect. Despite being one person down, the ship’s company is wonderful throughout.
Dinner is at Pinnacle, amongst other courses tonight we’re enjoying lamb with Arboleda, an excellent Chilean Cab Sauv.
