We sure had a good laugh when we read today’s weather and temperature forecast. Don’t know in what universe the sunny part came from, but today had to be the worst weather we have had so far on this entire trip. Not stormy or raining, but fog…..pea soup fog. Heavy enough that the ship had to use fog horns all day long. Sunny? Not even close, as with the damp fog, the temps were in the 40’s at the highest. We did take several short walks outside just to get some fresh air, but even with heavy jackets, the strolls were brisk and brief.
Good day to catch up on the last few days of pictures and reports. The only activity we would do today is meet up with Barb at lunch in the dining room. Other different things happening were guest talent show sign ups. Singing, dancing, clean jokes, or short stories were some of the categories. The acts can last up to 3 minutes. And if you are thinking about dirty jokes, yes, we have heard a few guests in years past telling a string of off-color jokes, and going well beyond their allotted time. We suspect that this talent show will take place during the Transatlantic crossing.
Making the most of our time in Flam tomorrow was the subject of Ian’s talk. We’ll catch that later on TV, but we do recall there was a tiny village at the end of the fjord. Most all of the scenery would be done on tours. The Test Kitchen featured a new chef, Daniel Mullane, who is more than likely Irish, and the final guest chef to join the ship. Also there was a mystery 30% off selected merchandise in the shops, but the mystery won’t be solved for us, since we forgot to take a look.
The two week cycle for our President’s Club gifts arrived this morning with a delivery of a flower arrangement and or 17 cans of Coke Zero.
The final lecture for the last stretch of this world cruise dealt with what to do in Ireland and Ft. Lauderdale. Also good to watch on TV later.
The St. Petersburg Collection with Faberge items was unveiled at 3pm in the shops. A watch and scotch event was also offered, which might have been more interesting.
There was another cocktail party hosted by our travel group at 7pm in the Explorer’s Lounge. There is more than one group belonging to this travel company, so the lounge was filled. What we thought was odd was that few officers were present. There were only two, and eventually, Shiv, our Head of Housekeeping joined us towards the end. Usually the Captain, Hamish, the CD, the hotel director, the guest relations officer, and more are at these affairs. Something must have kept them busy elsewhere. We had a fine time with friends which included Barb, of course, Karen, Diana, and Sue. There was a bit of a problem with the cocktails being served, only because we are not sure most of us got what we asked for. Whiskeys do not taste the same, and you know the difference when you order what you like, but get an inferior brand. As long as you question it, the proper beverage will be delivered.
This reminded us of a strange printed message we all got today from the hotel director. It was regarding the safety of exit areas. Obviously, there have been some problems with lines forming in the stairwells and lobby of the gangway during port days. Tour groups have blocked these exits, and so much so, that we have been unable to access our room at times. Mistaking that we are cutting in line to debark, our path has been deliberately blocked coming down the stairs to our deck. We hate to report this, but some folks are getting very grumpy as the cruise nears the end. The remark we found disturbing is that it was suggested that familiarity with the staff and the ship’s layout has become problematic with guests ignoring safety precautions and instructions for several exit points in public areas. Sure would love to find out what made this note necessary?
Entering the lower dining room, we saw a new greeter, the person we fondly call the “Yum-yum person”. Apparently he went home, and was replaced by a new greeter…..a Yum-yum girl. Now that’s a nice change. We greeted her first, then asked where she was from. She said that she is from Thailand, and her name is Summer. Very pretty and sweet, we think she might be a good match for our assistant waiter Marco. By the way, Marco agreed.
Dinner was fun with our most friendly group. Tomorrow the guys are going on the train ride in the fjord, and were excited about it. We plan to stay close to town, since we have done the all-day train and bus ride with lunch, even perhaps twice. The dinner tonight was casual, but had a Nordic Jazz theme. The decoration on the table was a tiny lamp, but no flowers. Not sure the meaning of it, or the strip lighting that was flashing various colors all evening, but it added to the atmosphere we suppose.
The entertainer was an international comedy vocalist by the name of Natalie Arle-Toyne. She sang tunes from Sinatra to Toto (not sure who Toto is), but she added some humor to her act.
Bill & Mary Ann
