E_deliciou_S

At Sea to Hobart!

Beds proved to be very comfortable indeed, room remained dark thanks to good curtains, quiet and not too warm or cold just perfect for a restful nights sleep. Drawing the curtains and opening the balcony door revealed the weathers possible intentions, a big sky and vast open deep blue water, sunny with a light breeze, what a spectacular view.

We started the morning and continued to do so for the rest of the cruise with 5 laps of brisk walking, (3 laps is equal to 0.9 miles) around Deck 4, perfect to get the blood pumping before a day of relaxation with our afternoons dedicated to much slower promenading in suitable attire. A drink here and there, some nibbling to keep us going from the Lido Buffet before supper with wine followed by a nightcap.

Breakfast:

This morning was at the Britannia Restaurant for an a la carte breakfast, although there was a queue we didn’t wait long to be seated. You also have the option of the Lido Buffet if you prefer to build your own selections, which is what we did alternately or as the mood took us. 

Menu consisted of Chilled Juices, Fresh Fruit Compote, Yoghourt, Cereals, a selection of fresh Bread, Pancakes and Waffles. For hot offerings, the Cunard’s Get Up and Go Signature Breakfast is the equivalent of a big breakfast, it has everything like the usual suspects of English Back Bacon, Cumberland Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Hash Brown, Bury Black Pudding Grilled Tomato and Mushrooms. If you’re not that peckish, then just select a smaller portion like Breakfast Entree, Side Orders and Assorted Cold Cuts and Cheese.  

Day Activities:

After breakfast, we walked again around Deck 4 to burn some calories and to aid digestion. It was such a lovely day, activities inside the ship were building up and passengers here and there were queueing to join in their chosen pursuits. We checked out the nicely appointed library, books are plenty and the room is very peaceful. We attended a lecture which was very interesting on the subject of “Cunard – The Early Years” at the Royal Court Theatre. After the lecture, we returned to our room and grabbed our suntan lotion and swimmers, it’s was time to relax and soak up the sun, have a dip then move to pleasantly warm whirlpool to massage those muscles.

Lunch:

The Lido Buffet offers a wide variety of food such as salad, bread, sashimi, sushi, noodles, soup, roast, stew just to name a few. A good selection of rolls and sandwiches are always handy to take away which is ideal, because the lunch peak can get busy and finding that empty table can be a challenge. You can take your food out to the Lido Sun Deck and Pool area where there are tables and chairs around this part of the deck along with a bar, so once you are set up keeping replenished is a straight forward task.

Promenading:

If you want to bring back the golden time of cruising when everyone dressed up, then an afternoon of promenading around the ship is for you. Not having room for a stove pipe hat we chose deck shoes, shirt with pressed shorts and cravat for a modern take on the strolling gentleman, our own nod to this near forgotten art. Our first stop was an afternoon drink at the Midship Bar then up to Deck 11 on a slow paced walk enjoying the unsurpassed view from the ships high decks. We checked out Churchill’s Cigar Room and stopped by the Commodore Club for one last drink before an afternoon nap. Not to be missed here are all the plaques presented to Queen Elizabeth in commemoration of her maiden port of calls around the world, she would gain another for Port Arthur. And so to rest and prepare for the Gala Night. 

Gala Night:

The most anticipated night! I would say most passengers put in their best efforts for the Gala Night. Lots of sparkles and glamour, well pressed dinner jackets and tuxedos. Cameras didn’t stop snapping portraits at the Grand Lobby, bars were full. The highlight of the evening was Captain Simon Love’s Welcome Reception, a cocktail event for diners at the Britannia. 

Dinner: 

The dress code certainly added an air of sophistication and lux vibes inside the Britannia. Dinner commenced with amuse-bouche in a soup form. We also ordered the following: For entree, Escargots a la Bourguignom and Shrimp/Scallop Ceviche and for main, Broiled Lobster Tail and Breast of Pheasant. Dessert was Lemon Souffle and Low in Sugar Chocolate Brownie. Wine list is extensive but we settled for the same wine we had the previous evening, the Cotes du Rhone which boded well.

Entertainment / Nightcap:

The night to shine! Black and White Ball at the Queens Room with the  orchestra. Ballroom enthusiasts took to the centre of the lobby in high spirits with invigorating moves which made it look effortless though to me it looked very competitive. It’s showtime at the Royal Court with the Tenori, a trio with their rendition of classical and contemporary songs. Other entertainment included a pianist and harpist. Our last drinks for the night were at the Yacht Club level 10 with a cigar stop at Churchill’s, the party continued into the wee hours.  

To be continued: Day 3

E_deliciou_S paid for this cruise.