We awake to a mill-pond sea today. Captain said swells would be about 2m but in fact they are barely discernible. Although there’s a light and mottled cloud cover one can feel the rays, even though the air temperature is five degrees lower it feels warmer than yesterday.
When at sea we take breakfast in the Pinnacle, so pop down five floors first to get muesli, grapefruit, omelette and French toast.
Whilst Hubby is making circuits I’m prepping photos for 18/01 so slowly catching up, although I’m missing our time walking together hopefully this recuperation will mean I don’t miss out on the land walks we have planned starting in two days time in Port Chalmers.
Before long it’s Galley Tour time which is a chance to meet and thank the staff. It’s nothing like as impressive as on Seabourn where one is immediately given a glass of champagne then almost force-fed tidbits throughout the tour, but this is a nice event nevertheless. On display are some lovely table settings we will see later, on the speciality dining nights and some of the crazy food experiences that are available at additional cost such as the tomahawk steak which is an additional $75 and could easily feed four people, or the more sedate lobster. There's no point pretending these tours are just an experience, there's also the marketing aspect for which I don't blame them, this is a business after all.
A bit of sunshine and a glass of something, and it’s time to go to a cooking demo in the blues club (yes I did write that, it also doubles as a presentation kitchen!) Today's presentation is the first of this cruise and it is surprisingly under attended, the staff have even added 32 incidental chairs to the ones fixed in the club, but these turn out to be quite unnecessary.
We're getting a lesson on how to cook lamb chops, for which I'm merely a bystander marvelling at some of the questions - how do you know how much cilantro (American for coriander) to put in the marinade? - but it's entertaining and both the assistant exec chef and Cruise Director are on great form. CD Chris is from Melbourne and chef from India, I didn't get his name yet.
After cooking we're back to our Neptune lounge to pick up some lunch provisions, but decide to eat on our balcony with the essential Chardonnay of course!
Today is a bit lacking in organised activities that we are interested in, which in itself is not an issue, we both have excellent books on the go and I'm busy writing too, and we don't really need 24/7 activities on a sea day.
After lunch we head up to nine aft to pick up some rays, but I have an appointment with the dominatrix so only stop a few minutes. OK I know nick-names are naughty, and I wouldn't use it to her face, but Dora is scary, today she's holding yoga practice, and it's a bit easier than yesterday's Pilates so I come out very happy, rather than half-dead.
Back to nine to find a semi-poached husband so we jump in the jacuzzi to cook some more, along with a mojito. Then it's back to the cabin to shower and dress for dinner.
There's no classical players tonight, so we enjoy the Neptune to ourselves with a glass of Chardonnay and a cheeky prawn cocktail, then pop down to the theatre to check out the first half of tonight's turn, an Aussie comedian / magician. We thought his humour wouldn't be very accessible for us pommes, but in fact he was very good, only slightly crude and his magic was fabulous and hilarious together.
For dinner tonight we choose crab cakes, mushroom soup and pork chop. The chops are 14oz, so almost a pound in weight which is ridiculous, we send back half before we start so the staff can enjoy them (they can't take from a cleared plate, so we always offer immediately.) The chop is fabulous quality, and it does make one wonder about that humongous tomahawk ... maybe!
Back to catch the Aussie's second performance, including an overlap so we know what's coming, its still very entertaining and the rest of the show doesn't disappoint.
When at sea we take breakfast in the Pinnacle, so pop down five floors first to get muesli, grapefruit, omelette and French toast.
Whilst Hubby is making circuits I’m prepping photos for 18/01 so slowly catching up, although I’m missing our time walking together hopefully this recuperation will mean I don’t miss out on the land walks we have planned starting in two days time in Port Chalmers.
Before long it’s Galley Tour time which is a chance to meet and thank the staff. It’s nothing like as impressive as on Seabourn where one is immediately given a glass of champagne then almost force-fed tidbits throughout the tour, but this is a nice event nevertheless. On display are some lovely table settings we will see later, on the speciality dining nights and some of the crazy food experiences that are available at additional cost such as the tomahawk steak which is an additional $75 and could easily feed four people, or the more sedate lobster. There's no point pretending these tours are just an experience, there's also the marketing aspect for which I don't blame them, this is a business after all.
A bit of sunshine and a glass of something, and it’s time to go to a cooking demo in the blues club (yes I did write that, it also doubles as a presentation kitchen!) Today's presentation is the first of this cruise and it is surprisingly under attended, the staff have even added 32 incidental chairs to the ones fixed in the club, but these turn out to be quite unnecessary.
We're getting a lesson on how to cook lamb chops, for which I'm merely a bystander marvelling at some of the questions - how do you know how much cilantro (American for coriander) to put in the marinade? - but it's entertaining and both the assistant exec chef and Cruise Director are on great form. CD Chris is from Melbourne and chef from India, I didn't get his name yet.
After cooking we're back to our Neptune lounge to pick up some lunch provisions, but decide to eat on our balcony with the essential Chardonnay of course!
Today is a bit lacking in organised activities that we are interested in, which in itself is not an issue, we both have excellent books on the go and I'm busy writing too, and we don't really need 24/7 activities on a sea day.
After lunch we head up to nine aft to pick up some rays, but I have an appointment with the dominatrix so only stop a few minutes. OK I know nick-names are naughty, and I wouldn't use it to her face, but Dora is scary, today she's holding yoga practice, and it's a bit easier than yesterday's Pilates so I come out very happy, rather than half-dead.
Back to nine to find a semi-poached husband so we jump in the jacuzzi to cook some more, along with a mojito. Then it's back to the cabin to shower and dress for dinner.
There's no classical players tonight, so we enjoy the Neptune to ourselves with a glass of Chardonnay and a cheeky prawn cocktail, then pop down to the theatre to check out the first half of tonight's turn, an Aussie comedian / magician. We thought his humour wouldn't be very accessible for us pommes, but in fact he was very good, only slightly crude and his magic was fabulous and hilarious together.
For dinner tonight we choose crab cakes, mushroom soup and pork chop. The chops are 14oz, so almost a pound in weight which is ridiculous, we send back half before we start so the staff can enjoy them (they can't take from a cleared plate, so we always offer immediately.) The chop is fabulous quality, and it does make one wonder about that humongous tomahawk ... maybe!
Back to catch the Aussie's second performance, including an overlap so we know what's coming, its still very entertaining and the rest of the show doesn't disappoint.
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