Blogs from Oceans and Seas - page 73

A few facts about the ship. It was built in 2009. It will accommodate 2,850 guests. It is 1041 feet long with a beam of 121 feet and a draft of 27 feet. It will cruise at 24 knots. There are 15 floors, 9 restaurants, a spa, a fitness center, 2 swimming pools, a library, card room, casino, hot glass studio, a theater, several lounges, several shops, and much more. Plenty to do to keep us busy while at sea.... read more

We awoke in Fort Lauderdale to 77 degrees and clouds in the sky which burned off by the time we boarded the ship. Not to appear eager but we were the first in line for the cruise. Ship boarding early has its benefits--we were able to take a few photos before the crowds arrived and find a good spot to wait for our room to be ready. And speaking of rooms--we purchased an inside cabin which means a small room with no window. A few weeks ago I called to see if we were eligible for an upgrade. Well to our surprise when we opened the door to our cabin, we not only had a window but a room with a balcony. I paid for a windowless room and received a room with a deck. We ... read more

Geo: 29.9768, 32.5327 Temperature: 21C 70F Distance travelled: 3356 nautical miles Aqaba was our last visit to Asia Minor otherwise known as the Middle East. We now head for the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. This is the long leg home. Although we still have a few more stops before we disembark, the talk now turns to what next….?? We have made the acquaintance of 3 Australian families. As they are so far from home, Aussies tend to make the most of their travels to other parts of the world. Alyson is travelling with her mum, Joanna. They will disembark in Napoli where they will travel by train to Rome and stay for 2 nights before flying on to Paris for another 2 nights before taking another flight to Venice to pick up the MSC Armonia ... read more

Queen Mary Day 17-18 More fog and mist and not much was happening as far as physical activity. The weather had turned a bit cooler and the trip south from Shanghai to Hong Kong was a little disappointing because of the weather and not being able to go out on deck. We attended some information lectures and while Phillip should have been as interested in Capt Arthur Philip as Jennifer, somehow his brain did not want to play the same game. Lack of oxygen (probably manners) had Phillip falling asleep and to Jennifer’s horror, the audience heard the zzzzzz’s hitting the soundwaves. Someone did say they learnt something from the lecture. Jennifer actually learnt two points, firstly that Capt Philip did not bring the convicts just to set up a convict settlement, but rather the convicts ... read more

Happy Mother's day to all you mummies back at home. Had a brilliant time in the last two ports. Mauritius and the Reunion island. Yes Stevie that is near Madagascar. We arrived in Mauritius on Friday,travelled over land through the sugar cane plantations and boarded a Catamaran which took us around the island where we saw the white sandy beaches and swam in the warm blue seas of the Indian ocean.Reunion Island was beautiful too. We visited the city and travelled in the heat which is still 30 plus. Now back on the high seas on our way to South Africa.It's a hard life but someone has to do it. Xx... read more