Got up at eight o’clock this morning with the heavy-hearted feeling that this was the last day of our cruise. We had a full day at sea today, and at some point we would have to start our packing. 🙁
Decided to go to the Britannia Restaurant for our breakfast, where I enjoyed a bowl of porridge with dried fruit and nuts, followed by juicy kipper fillets. It wasn’t a patch on the porridge and kippers we had had on the Glen Massan a few weeks ago.
Afterwards, we returned to 4066 to see what activities were planned for today. We saw that the maritime historian, Eric Flounders, was doing a talk about RMS Lusitania and her tragic 1915 sinking, so we decided to attend that – once again, it was very interesting.
We then had a break before the next talk, so we reluctantly returned to 4066 to start our packing, throwing everything into one case that we wouldn’t need again this cruise. Then we just spent the time relaxing in our cabin and reading before it was time for the final presentation by Peter McGowran, retired Chief Yeoman Warder, who gave us a fascinating and informative talk about the Crown Jewels.
This brought us nicely up to lunchtime, and we went to the Artisans’ Foodhall, where I enjoyed a plate of cold meats and crisp salad vegetables.
We then just wandered around the ship, looked around the shops and just whiled away the time pleasantly, before returning to 4066 and sitting out on the balcony for a while, enjoying a cold glass of prosecco each from the stash which we had brought on board in Greenock. We still had some Bacardi left, but that would be finished tonight; we didn’t want to bring anything back with us. 🙂
We then decided to do some more packing; the more we did now, the less we would have to do last minute. We filled the second case, leaving out something to wear tonight. I left my shoes where they were, in the bottom of the wardrobes, as I would be carrying my shoe case off the ship myself. 🙂
Dinner time was soon upon us once again, and we went along to the Britannia Restaurant and sat with Billy and Carole at table #393 for the last time. We enjoyed another wonderful five-course dinner washed down with water and wine, and finished off with the usual coffee and liqueurs.
When we went along to the Royal Court Theatre, we were surprised to be able to get front-row seats, but many seats were still empty; maybe people were doing their packing. The show tonight was by the Cunard singers and dancers and was called “Let’s Dance”. It featured fantasic music by the talented ship’s orchestra, as well as amazing dance routines and moves; an exuberant and colourful show, which we really enjoyed.
Afterwards, we returned to 4066 as our cases had to be outside our cabin door by 11.00pm. We changed into the clothes we would be travelling home in, and made sure we left out toothbrushes, toothpaste and cosmetics for use in the morning. Then we packed up our remaining clothes and other items before locking the cases and securely attaching the coloured disembarkation labels, before placing them outside.
While we were there, I could see a lovely orange glow coming through the partially open curtains, and I went out onto the balcony to see a huge, orange sun hanging in the sky. I couldn’t resist a photo, which forms today’s featured image. 🙂
We then made our way up to the Commodore Club. I felt a right scruff going in, wearing sweatpants, a hoodie and flip-flops, but Cunard are the ones who insist the cases have to be out so early, so none of the staff said anything. On Fred Olsen cruises, you don’t have to put your cases out until 2.00am.
We enjoyed a couple of drinks in the Commodore, before reluctantly returning to cabin 4066. After getting washed and into bed, we finished off the last of the Bacardi and watched TV and read for a while. We had been given a disembarkation time of 8.50am, so we set the alarm to go off at 7.00am, before settling down to sleep.
When we awoke in the morning, we were docked back in Southampton again, right back where we’d started. It was the end of another great cruise, and now we could start to count the days until our next fabulous trip.