After an excellent night’s sleep, we awoke this morning and looked out of the window to see what the weather was like. After the warmth and sunshine of yesterday, we were surprised to see grey skies and a grey, fairly lively-looking Baltic. The forecast said we could expect rain showers and possibly thunder later this afternoon.
In the meantime, a look at the Daily Times events programme showed us that we had a packed day of activities to look forward to today, so we planned out how we were going to spend our sea day.
After enjoying a good breakfast in the Palms Café once again, we ventured outside, intended to complete a few laps of the deck, but it was unpleasantly windy and we soon went back inside again. Only an intrepid few were out getting their exercise, and a group of teenage girls had taken to the swimming pools and hot tubs and were happily splashing around. 🙂
Our programme had told us that there was a game of carpet bowls on in the Lido Bar at 9.30am, so we went up there, where the seats had been pushed back around the edge of the room to create a ‘rink’ on the carpet for participants. Trevor and I do actually both play bowls (Trevor more than I do) and this game certainly bears no resemblance to ‘real’ bowls but, like most of the shipboard games, it is a lot of fun and there is plenty of banter and friendly competition. 🙂
Soon a member of the entertainents team came around and took the names of all those wishing to play, and we were ready to go. I found myself drawn against Trevor (!) and started to play my shot. It was not very good and there was a strange bias on one of my balls, so I was nowhere near the jack. Trevor, however, sent his ball up which knocked into mine, and sent it closer to the jack. In doing so, it ensured my team won, and Trevor’s team was knocked out. 🙂
It didn’t last, however – I was eliminated in the subsequent round. All good fun.
After the bowls we had to return to cabin 6009 to get start getting ready for the Oceans Cocktail Party. The Oceans Club is Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ loyalty programme, and you are awarded one point for every night spent on a FOCL cruise ship, going up in tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond) as you accumulate points. Trevor and I are currently at the Gold level with 242 points. We need to have more than 250 for Platinum and, as this 10-day cruise will give us another 10 points, we’ll have 252 points in total and will go up to Platinum at the end of this cruise. 🙂
As we were attending a cocktail party, I decided to dress more smartly and wore a pair of white trousers with lace inserts at the ankle, high heel shoes, and a patterned blouse with cut-out shoulders. As my hair was its usual windswept mess, I stuck one of my wigs on. 🙂
We then made our way to the Neptune Lounge and stood for a short while until the doors opened at 11.15am. Captain Steffan and his officers, as well as senior members of the entertainments team, greeted us as we walked in, and the live orchestra played some pleasant background music. At the front of the stage was a magnificent ice sculpture as well as some carved fruits and vegetables.
We took a seat at the front and accepted a glass of prosecco from a passing waiter, as well as a selection of tasty hot and cold canapés. Watching as the Neptune Lounge filled up, it seemed that just about everyone was an Oceans member and, in fact, Fred Olsen has more repeat passengers than any other cruise line. He must be doing something right, mustn’t he? 🙂
After enjoying another glass of fizz, Tom McGarrity the cruise director came to the front of the stage and introduced the Future Cruises team. A screen was lowered and a PowerPoint presentation started, showing how many Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond members were on this cruise. They them went on to say who would be going up a tier. Lots of names were displayed for silver members going up to gold, but for those in the gold category moving up to platinum, there were only two couples’ names on the board, and Trevor and I were one of them! Here was our name in lights. 🙂 It does mean that we will enjoy more perks and higher discounts, so it’s well worth being an Oceans member and it’s Fred’s way of saying thank you for our continued loyalty.
It was then time for Captain Steffan to come on the stage to make a presentation to the person in the Balmoral with the most nights on a Fred ship. It was a bloke had over 900 nights in total. He was accompanied by his daughter and he received a bottle of champagne, some flowers and a white envelope, no doubt containing something exciting. 🙂
Once the Captain returned to the bridge (he had to make the midday navigational announcement), Trevor and I remained in the Neptune Lounge to finish our drinks before going for lunch. After our canapés we didn’t want a lot; I just had a plate of salad which I washed down with another glass of fizz and some water.
At two o’clock we saw that there was Indoor Kurling on in the Lido Bar, so we returned there to take part. We saw several people from the bowling earlier on, and we put our names down to participate. We have played this before, on both the Borealis and the Celebrity Edge; in fact, Trevor has won it several times. 🙂
As ever, there was lots of encouragement, banter and good fun. We didn’t do very well, getting knocked out in the first round. In one way, it was better for us, as we had a packed itinerary for today and we had another lecture by the excellent speaker Gavin Roser to attend at 3.00pm.
Back in 6009, we enjoyed a brief power nap before heading once again to the Neptune Lounge, and getting a decent seat near the front. The talk was all about the countries with shorelines on the Baltic Sea, which covers an area of 149,000 square miles. As ever, it was very interesting and included lots of photographs and maps.
After the talk we returned to the Lido Lounge to play prize bingo, and Trevor went to buy six books of tickets (three each) which each contained six games. It cost £15.00 and included a free dabber, but because we’d already brought our own dabbers with us we didn’t need another one. 🙂
The first game was called “Lucky Seven” and the winner would be the first person to get seven numbers on any one bingo card. When Trevor shouted “Here!” loud and clear, the host told him he’d won 30 quid. Well, we thought – that’s not bad. A 15 quid outlay to win 30 quid. However, when the guy came over for Trevor to sign the form that would allow the winnings to be credited to our on-board account, we had actually won £103.00 !! The bingo host guy had been joking!! 🙂
We didn’t win any more games (we were close) but neither did it cost any more. Not a bad investment at all, and it had been fun. 🙂
The bingo finished at five o’clock, and we stayed and had another drink before returning to cabin 6009 where I read, relaxed and did some of this blog before it was time to start getting ready for dinner once again, at 6.15pm.
Only John and Sheila were at table #109 tonight, because Jim and Margaret were giving Vasco, the speciality Goan restaurant, a try tonight instead. At the end of the meal, when Trevor and I partook of our usual after dinner liqueurs, we treated John and Sheila to one as well, out of our winnings. They didn’t know what to have, so we recommended an amaretto, which they enjoyed. 🙂
Then it was time to make our way to the Neptune Lounge once again for tonight’s entertainment. It was preceded, as usual, by 30 minutes of ballroom dancing, and Trevor and I got up to do the dances that we knew.
Tonight was a performance by the Balmoral Show Company called “Dance Fever”. As it’s name suggested, it was a dancing extravaganza based on the TV programme Strictly Come Dancing. It was a colourful, high energy performance with some talented dancers, and we really enjoyed it a lot. The entertainment really is very good on board.
After the show we went, as usual, up to the Lido Lounge to do the quiz. We were joined by a bloke on his own who introduced himself as Roy. A lot of the questions were Scotland/Scottish orientated and Trevor and I (on our own) would not have known the answers. Roy, however, who was Scottish did know. We scored 12/15 which was not enough to win.
After the quiz, we remained in our seats for the late-night cabaret, which featured the deputy entertainment manager Georgina performing her tribute to Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks. We were pleased we’d managed to get a table for the quiz, because the place was packed, and more chairs had to be brought into the Lido Lounge. Lots of people had to stand at the back, because there was simply no more room. A very popular show indeed.
Afterwards, Roy said goodnight and Trevor and I stayed behind in the Lido Lounge to enjoy a couple more drinks. What a full day we’d had, lots to see and do on board. The sea days make a change from dashing around in port, trying to pack as much in as you can, and you can join in with as much or as little as you like – there is something for everyone.
It was around midnight when we left the Lido Lounge, but it was really 1.00am, because we had to put our clocks forward once again in line with Lithuania time, as we were due to reach the port of Klaipeda in the morning – a new place for us.
We were asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. 🙂