We were a bit early going to breakfast but we still met Darryl & Sue! Sunrise is quite late really, about 7am. Having had the UK and the Baltics with really long hours of daylight, it is quite a change. We opted for a cuppa in the atrium to get tea in decent china cups rather than the plastic mugs of the buffet.
We headed back to the cabin but our routine was thrown a little out of kilter as the water was turned off, as they were replacing water pipes. On-going maintenance must be a nightmare. Paula escaped to Zumba and I went for a haircut by Sarah from Denmark. It certainly is a very international crew. A bill for $30 wasn’t too painful and helped reduce our on board credit.
Trivia score wasn’t worth bragging about but as we had already had a decent drink, we headed for the atrium anyway.
Whilst Paula had a mooch around the $15 items for sale, I approached the front desk. I asked if we could withdraw cash from our on board credit as the cancelled Easter Island tour put us $400 up. Up until now, we had contemplated the best ways to use up the credit, ranging from registering for the casino slots and then claiming cash back as winnings, to buying things on behalf of others and them paying us cash!
As it turned out, getting cash back from the front desk was no problem at all. They merely checked that we were in credit, so handing out cash was no big deal. At least we now know we can do that, so it may help others in the future.
Lunch, I grabbed soup and a couple of pieces of fish whilst Paula made do with half a roll and some rice pud! On the way out, the whiff of fresh chips was just too much - so we shared a portion.
Ukulele class was mainly practice on what we’d already done plus another sheet of music that brought in one new chord. Watching some of the others, it is quite interesting to see that some have great difficulty with even a basic chord change, which makes me feel a lot better. Even though the class finished a bit early, a rush to trivia, where Kim was already on question 14! She is probably the fastest trivia host.
Last but one formal night for us and we opted to head for the atrium for a pre-dinner dance, which was a good move, as several of the dancers were there and they managed 3 or 4 New Vogue dances on the trot which we knew - Merilyn, Gypsy Tap and Tangoette.
It was billed as a special dinner, but with just four mains to choose from, it was less special than usual.
Late theatre show was Rebecca Lowe again, but this time, husband Kuba joined her for most of the show. He really is talented as he not only played guitar, piano, drums and the electronic vibes, but by special request, had also written an arrangement for the orchestra for an Edith Piaf set. He is from Poland and the couple now live in Nashville and apparently, Country and Western music is unheard of in Poland, but he has really taken to it, so they did a Johnny/June Cash number.
Rebecca also went into the audience and found a couple who had been married for 58 years and dragged them on stage whilst she sang something about ‘Dance’, whilst the sweet old couple shuffled around the stage. Maybe she should have limited that number to just two minutes instead of dragging it out, as we feared the old couple might just keel over! Thankfully, they survived. A thoroughly enjoyable show with Kuba doing his own show tomorrow.
Down to the Atrium with D & S and also M & M for a late night hot chocolate, before once again, walking through Jammers – just for the hell of it.
Just two weeks tonight and we’ll be home and in our own bed. Frankly, we are now ready for it. Billing Easter Island, for example, as a feature stop in the brochures, is a good sales pitch, but the reality is that even the Customer Services Director has failed to land on all 5 cruises! A ten day run of sea days when often it isn’t even warm enough to sit outside without wrapping up well, is no great attraction. At least the Cruise Director’s team have been working flat out to try and fill in the gaps and they have certainly tried to make the atrium a more popular place, especially in the evenings, but…
A(nother) new rage emerged today.
During the early afternoon, they cleared the central, carpeted area of the atrium on deck 5 and put up the table tennis table, with a match between the staff and the passengers. This was hugely popular with spectators on decks 5, 6, 7 and 8. Lots of cheering from all levels apparently, when a grumpy woman (presumably a card player or something), yelled down from deck 8 “WILL YOU LOT BE QUIET!!!!”
From the assembled masses “NO!”
Apparently this happened twice! So stupid. Firstly, it was advertised in the Princess Patter and secondly, there are dozens of places where you can go for a bit of peace and quiet. I just wish I’d been there to identify her, as I just love to know who these people are with the reverse Botox! (Thanks to Shane O’Shea for that description.)
Thursday August 14th
We were locked out of the vista lounge whilst Zumba was on, as apparently some impatient old guy tried to muscle his way past yesterday and caught a flying elbow, and word is (unsubstantiated) that he was bowled over. So, they took no chances today.
The delay didn’t help our score and Mark had used his two days confined to cabin to come up with a brand new quiz.
There was a programme clash with ukulele class and a tea dance with the orchestra in the Vista at 3:30. I spent a couple of minutes at the class, grabbed the latest sheet and shot off to the Vista. A tremendous turnout though Paula and I declined the tea, sandwiches, scones, cream etc.
Back to the 6:15 show and Jonathon Neale again. Another good show with more tricks we can’t explain…
After dinner, late show – Kuba Kawnik again, but Sue was a bit off colour so they skipped it. Another great show. As someone had pointed out the theme for ‘Midsomer Murders’ used a Theremin, he once again did an arrangement for the orchestra in double quick time, though the movement of the ship made it a bit difficult.
On to the Wheelhouse bar for a couple of dances. Clocks back 1 hour again tonight and tomorrow, we cruise Pitcairn Island.
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