Life on board ship

Tuesday 26^th November

You might wonder what I find to do on the ship all day, especially on a cruise like my last one that had about 12 sea days. I thought I’d go through the daily programme for today and write a summary of all the events on offer at various times during the day. I’ll group them as themes rather than in their time slots. (Of course, some could go in two themes, but I’ll put them in just one.) The programme begins with a morning TV show at 6am, but the events themselves start at 7am and go for over 18 hours. (The last event starts at 1am and is billed as going ‘until late’.)

Fitness

            Morning stretch

            Fab abs

            Yoga

            Tour de cycle

            Body sculpt boot camp

            Pilates

Spa

            Skin care clinic

            Acupuncture pain management

            Secrets to a flatter stomach

            Magic make up party

            FDA approved wrinkle treatment

            Fluid retention and swollen ankles

            Healing with herbs

            Look 10 years younger today

            Leg therapy demonstration

Learning and information

            iStudy seminar: using your iPad

            iStudy next steps workshop: using iPhoto

            iStudy next steps: iMovie

            iStudy seminar: using your iPad; office tools

            Beginners’ bridge class

            Intermediate bridge class

            Duplicate bridge play

            Social whist play

            Watercolour art class

            Virtual bridge tour

            Photo seminar

            Captains’ corner

            Art talk: Sherree Valentine Daines

            Cunard insights: the story of Danielle Cable

            Meet the singers: interviewing the onboard singers

            Classical concert: saxophone and piano

            premium vodka tasting seminar

           

Dancing

            Line dance class

            Ballroom dance class

            Ballroom and latin dancing to prerecorded music

            Royal Ascot Ball

Entertainment and competitions

            Morning trivia

            Afternoon trivia

            Early evening wipeout trivia

            Bingo ticket sales

            Guest talent show sign up

            Skittles tournament

            Darts competition

            Quiz corner

            Paddle tennis competition

            Deck quoits competition

            golf putting tournament

            Shuffleboard competition

            Snowball jackpot bingo

            Activity corner: hat making (for Royal Ascot Ball)

            Host corner: needlework and knitting

            Showtime: Dance passion (put on twice)

Music and singing

            Queen Victoria vocalists (choir of interested passengers)

            Pianist in the Chart room

            Synergy (modern band) (3 sessions)

            Pianist Ferry P. Bedy (2 sessions)

            Pianist Gavin Burke (2 sessions)

            Cocktail pianist Clarolyn Maier

            Adagio string quartet (3 sessions)

            Harpist Lara Szabo (2 sessions)

            Abba revival night

            Karaoke night

            DJ Chris

Special groups

            Masonic gathering

            Cruise critic.co.uk get together

            Friends of Bill W (= recovering alcoholics)

            Book club meeting

            Friends of Dorothy (= gay meeting)

In addition to this there are special events that don’t make it into the daily programme. For example, because I am now a Platinum card holder (= more than 70 days on Cunard ships) I could have attended a free wine tasting event and could go to the Captain’s and Senior Officers’ cocktail party in the evening. (I went to both last time; I don’t need to go again.)

If you are still bored with all of this, you could sunbathe, swim or sit in a hot tub; you could play table tennis, golf chipping, shuffleboard or quoits; you could visit the spa (nails, hair, massage) or the gym; you could go to the casino; you could shop for expensive jewellery or for daily specials; you could sit in the pub or a bar; you could visit the library.

After reading all of this, you must think I waste my opportunities at sea!