Woke up this morning feeling quite sad that this was the last day of our fantastic cruise. We would spend all of today crossing the North Sea on the way back to Rosyth, and a look at the Daily Times events programme told us that there was a full itinerary of activities for us today. š
After enjoying a full English breakfast in the Palms CafĆ©, we ventured out on deck. Gone was the sunshine and the blue skies we’d experienced in Copenhagen; the skies were grey and there was a nippy little sea breeze blowing. I think the weather was trying to prepare us for being back in Blighty again. š
We returned to 6009 and reluctantly decided to make a start with our packing; the more we did now, the less we had to do later on. Dragging one of our suitcases out from under the bed, we packed away anything we wouldn’t need until we got home. We filled one case, then decided to leave the other one until later.
At 10.30am we went along to the Neptune Lounge to bagsy a good seat at the front, as Tom the entertainments manager was conducting “An Audience with the Captain” at eleven o’clock. This is always a fascinating talk; today Tom was interviewing Captain Steffan Ravneng to ask him all about his career at sea and what it is like being the master of the Balmoral.
It was all very interesting. Captain Steffan had joined Fred Olsen Cruise Lines in 2016 as the Safety Officer; he then became Chief Officer/Staff Captain before getting command of Balmoral. We have met Steffan on three other ships; on Braemar in 2017, Boudicca in 2018 and Borealis in 2021.
After the interview was finished, there was a Q & A session with the audience, which brought us nicely up to lunchtime. This was going to be something special, because the Ballindalloch restaurant was putting on one of Fred Olsen’s famous seafood buffets.
I adore the seafood buffets. There was a large selection of fresh mussels, clams, prawns, langoustines, crab claws and lobster, and I piled my plate high, my mouth watering in anticipation. We took our seats at the table and ordered a crisp, chilled glass of cava each to wash it down. It was absolutely scrumptious; lots of cruise lines (including Cunard), in an effort to cut back, have stopped serving lobster, but this has never been the case on Fred ships. š
After lunch we returned to 6009 for a brief power nap, before we spent some time just pottering around in our cabin and doing some more packing. A look at the programme told us that Indoor Kurling was on at three o’clock, and we throught we would try our hand at it once again. We went up to the Lido Bar beforehand and perched on bar stools as we enjoyed some more drinks and gazed out of the floor to ceiling windows at the endless North Sea beyond.
Soon George, one of the entertainment hosts, arrived with the kurling equipment, and set up the ‘house’. He then came around and took the names of those who wanted to participate; the Lido Bar was pretty packed and we recognised many of the ‘regulars’ who, like us, were hoping to increase their haul of prize tokens, which we would need to exchange for Fred Olsen goodies later on.
The game began, and pairs were called up to compete against each other, the winning pair going through to the next round. Trevor and I won our first round, then waited on our bar stools until the rest of the players had their turn before our names were called again for the next round. As more couples were eliminated, it meant we were called up more frequently, until we were down to the last four pairs – the semi final. š
We played our turns, and it ended where it was a draw. Each player then had to send one stone up and whoever’s stone was nearest to the centre was classed as the winner. Trevor’s won – we were through to the final!
We shook hands with our opponents and wished them a good game, and it all began. I must have had my eye in because I was doing OK, getting my stones into the scoring zone; in one case, mine was almost exactly in the centre. Of course, the opposition made it their aim to knock my stone out but, because the floor had a slight tilt (because of the angle of the ship) you had to aim wide to get your stone in the right place. It ended where Trevor’s and my stones were in a great position, and I was the last person to go. I therefore just sent my last stone up a couple of feet so it didn’t even reach the house. We had won! š
We therefore received three prize tokens each; that brought our total up to 18, as we had brought some from the Borealis in January. š
At 4.15pm they were advertising prize bingo in the Lido Lounge next door so, while Trevor went back to 6009 to get our dabbers, I grabbed a table. We then bought six books of tickets (6 x 3 cards each) and the game began. We hoped our winning ways would continue and we’d repeat our earlier bingo success where Trevor won Ā£103.00.
“Eyes down” started at half past four and the six games were played. We were ‘sweating’ a few times but didn’t win anything. However, it meant that we’d missed the prize points exchange, so when we went to the place where you traded in your tokens we explained to George that we’d been stuck in the bingo and couldn’t get there on time. He therefore gave us a list of the prizes and how many tokens would be required for each, and Trevor and I traded our 18 tokens for an insulated Fred Olsen Cruise Lines coffee mug to add to our collection. We have loads of FOCL merchandise at home; all happy souvenirs of past cruises and reminders of how we won them. It’s not all tat either; most of the stuff we use on a regular basis.
By now, we had less than an hour to get ready for dinner, the “last supper” as it were. I got showered and shampooed and dressed and we made our way to table #109 for the final time.
It was a scrumptious meal as usual; we had had first class food and service from our waiter, busboy and sommelier, and we had had excellent company in Jim and Margaret, John and Sheila. We would see the latter on the Balmoral next year for our Greek Islands cruise. Fabulous. š
Then we went along to the Neptune Lounge for the final Showtime. This time, it was called “Glitter and Groove” and featured the Balmoral Show Company and their tribute to the Motown and disco sounds of the 70s. As ever, it was an exuberant and colourful show.
It was then along to the Lido Lounge for the evening trivia. Did we win? Nope. This was one of the rare cruise where we hadn’t won a single trivia quiz. However, at least we were still going home with some prizes, and Trevor had won the bingo. š
At 10.30pm Tom, the enterainment manager, did his own show, singing a selection of floor-filler songs. However, the Lido Lounge was only half-full by now, as most people had returned to their cabins to finish (or start!) their packing. As the cases didn’t have to be outside our cabin door until 2.00am, there was no hurry. In addition, we would gain an extra hour in bed tonight as the clocks had to go back one hour to British Summer Time.
It was therefore after midnight when we returned to 6009 and filled the second suitcase, leaving out only those things we would need in the morning, as well as the clothes we’d been travelling home in. I wrapped all my Irregular Choice shoes in their protective tissue before placing them in their own case; I would be carrying that off the ship myself in the morning. š
Once the cases were locked securely, and the luggage straps fastened, Trevor placed them outside the door, and we settled down for our last night on board this cruise. I say “this cruise” because we will be back on the Balmoral for Christmas. š
We slept very well, and when we awoke at 7.00am the following morning, we were docked in Rosyth, right back where we had started. What a lovely cruise we had had, on an amazing little ship full of character.
We could now start counting down the days until our next exciting adventure. š