As expected, I got the sore throat, runny nose etc. so had a terrible night’s sleep – which never helps. An opportune time for a fasting day, so despite the temptations, breakfast was limited to a glass of honey, lemon and hot water. Honestly!
HORIZON COURT BUFFET – part 10
Normally, there is an extensive fresh fruit selection, but consider this. We topped up with fresh supplies (and diesel) back in Singapore and by the time we get to a proper port, which is now Ashdod, we will have had a 14 day run with no opportunity to bring on fresh supplies, so the fresh fruit choices are now limited somewhat. Normally, we’d expect to see fruits other than just pears, apples and oranges!
Back to the cabin for most of the day, other than morning trivia – which we didn’t win, then to the atrium for a coffee and to catch up with M & M, but mainly to listen to the orchestra’s Dixieland Jazz session. I just had a very small meat roll too from La Patisserie. Quite why they call it that I don’t really know as the impression is of a bakery, not just a tray of small items that disappear almost as fast as they replace them.
We had a free invite to a wine tasting at 3:30, but I sent Paula along on her own, meeting up again for afternoon trivia. The wine obviously didn’t help enough, as we managed 17 and the winners 18…
Captain Pickford’s announcement at 5pm that we would be experiencing choppy seas was an understatement and the forecast was that it would get worse. At that time, he mentioned a 2.5m swell, probably increasing to 5.5m. Although the Dawn Princess is a very stable ship, it was certainly moving around a fair bit.
Although I went down for dinner and it was an English theme, I only managed the cauliflower soup then called it a day. (Wot? No chicken tikka masala on an English night menu?) My lovely table colleagues ordered me a dessert anyway - and ate it for me, whilst I lay down on the bed, feeling as though I was trapped on a Disney ride or experiencing prolonged aircraft turbulence. Fortunately, I don’t get seasick and wasn’t feeling at all sick, but the barf bags were out on the stairwells for those not so lucky. All I wanted was to keep my runny nose and occasional cough, confined to the cabin and hopefully, sleep, or at least rest my eyes.
Day 22 – August 2nd.
We both had a terrible night, woken about 1:30am by the ship crashing around and we - weren’t the only ones. This must rank as the roughest night we have ever had at sea but putting it in perspective, we have cruised for a fair number of days now and so far, we have been most impressed with the stability of the ships in rough weather. Paula took another half sea sickness tablet and managed to get back to sleep (she wasn’t sea sick, but the pills help her sleep); I didn’t and I didn’t really sleep either.
We rolled out of bed about 8:30am and the TV channel that gives us our info from the bridge, was showing 21ft waves (6.5m) and a 50 knot wind… We knew we’d have to put up with this all day and also most of tomorrow, so it was a light breakfast, continuing my self-imposed fast for a little longer.
Guess what? We didn’t win the morning trivia.
During the day, bearing in mind that when you are at a tender port, you re-board the ship on level three or four, the main entry deck is level 5, so all are above water, so when the promenade deck (level 7) is closed due to waves - and this the one where people generally exercise - you can probably imagine how high the waves were and that it also pushes everyone indoors. Even up on deck 11, there was sea spray and in any dry spell, salt was baked on to almost every external surface.
We went up to lunch about 1:20 – just before the speciality of the day finished, but I settled for a bowl of cauliflower soup and just a small spoonful of very tasty Hungarian goulash – evidence that I was not only feeling a lot better, but also the fasting phase was fading, as I craved protein.
No luck with the afternoon trivia either.
The pools have been emptied so no pre-dinner dip but at 7pm, there was an almighty crash, as though we had hit something solid, or a massive wave. (Many first sitting dinner patrons fled back to their cabins!) We noticed that the ship had slowed. Bearing in mind engine problems of 2010 and 2011, we feared the worst. The on screen info from the bridge showed that our speed had dropped from about 18 knots to just 8. We left the TV on that channel and noted the speed slowly increase and as we left the cabin for dinner it was back up to about 10.5.
I stuck to just the soup and osso bucco (sp?), picking off the tender meat but not bothering with the veg.
On to the vista lounge that unsurprisingly wasn’t very busy (though room service was…) to see English comedian Kevin Devane. We have seen him before, but a comedian needs a good crowd where laughter is infectious. He tried and was very professional, but the crowd just weren’t really with him, which is a shame. He deserved better. I’ll give him a 7/10 as he didn’t really falter and kept up a brave face.
Clocks back again 1 hour tonight, a Coldral night tablet popped - and the forecast is for another day of rough weather, so tomorrow isn’t going to be too exciting, so don’t expect miracles from me tomorrow either.
But who knows? You may be surprised, as what we have learned, is that you can manufacture a certain amount of fun and entertainment if you are prepared - and have a mind to let your hair down. As a long time Boy Scout, “Be Prepared” is still a motto to live by, even on a cruise ship.
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