The effects of the storms in North America are far-reaching and between where we are now

34.24°N  28° 33.7 W. (heading slightly NE towards Madeira (where we are NOT calling)

and Southampton, the seas are becoming increasingly turbulent although Queen Victoria is taking the least choppy course possible. (09.55 hrs)

This feels strange in a not unpleasant way. All of a sudden. the main point of the cruise, sunshine and island hopping in the Caribbean seems a long time ago.  While not exactly cold, we have certainly seen the last of the tropical heat. Already, I miss it.

Yesterday evening was Gala Night with red and gold being the “theme.”  I donned my black tuxedo and tie with a hint of gold to try and keep with or in the spirit of the evening.  Just about everyone made some kind of effort of varying degrees. It worked well and a warm ambience prevailed.

I was surprised to be invited to join two ship’s officers for dinner at what I assume is the Captain’s Table. It transpires that there is a move to reinstate officer hosted tables, a tradition that disappeared with the onset of the pandemic.  From what I gather, there are three such events during this voyage with eight guests joining two officers, twenty four passengers in total and in order of the number of nights on Cunard ships they have spent.  My score is 850, not enough to dine with the Captain himself!  It was a convivial dinner at which I partook of white wine, just this once!

This morning was leisurely.  We’ve not hit the bad weather quite yet but it doesn’t feel the 22°C the Captain said it was in his noon day address. He did state the the storm system we would inevitably hit stretched from Iceland to the Canary islands. That’s some weather system. Noon has become 1pm as we are now just one hour behind GMT.

I think I shall try a curry for lunch in the Golden Lion Pub.

Actually, I’ve changed my mind!  I have a nice window seat in the Britannia Restaurant.

I think that 10 consecutive sea days is a record for me, and I wonder whether I shall be glad to disembark on Sunday. At the moment, I doubt it.

The above photos are rather out of sync, but worth adding even at this late stage. 

There is (or may be) little of interest to write about over the final five days of what for me has been an amazing odyssey with sunshine and steady seas almost all the way.  These last few days are expected to be far cooler, less sunny, with increasingly rough seas.  However the peak of this discomfort is Thursday morning after which conditions may settle, but to nothing like the paradise of Islands in the Caribbean.

In 2020, I travelled on Queen Victoria around South America, another incredible journey.   Several from that pre-pandemic voyage are on this one also.  It seems we are gathering at various times more and more as the days go by.  Tonight, I meet Barbara who remembers me more than I do from the 2023 Centenary World Voyage.  I did wonder what we might talk about. Somehow, we got onto the subject of heart surgery and I cane away feeling as if I knew more about my heart condition than I ever did back in 2017.  We both had acomplimentary speciality dining voucher. I welcomed the unexpected company.

In the final four days of this 35 night cruise, it feels like there’s ever more pressure to spend on souvenirs, spa treatments, showtime CDs  etc.  I will more than likely come away with a couple of ship models as it is unlikely I shall sail on Queen Victoria anytime soon.   In the meantime, a bit of a look back to the  brief period of sunshine and calm seas.

More recollections tomorrow.

Many thanks for reading, David, 21.40  Queens Room starboard