Host Hattie

That's a very kind offer but hopefully the ships will be appreciated as a change from bears.

Thanks for the kind words everyone, we're both OK, I'm a bit sad, but I knew it was a possibility. But I got the sunny side of the ship this afternoon and there's champagne on the room service menu!

Both wines so 8 in total, it was $88 each, bit of a splurge but in view of what's happened since I'm very glad we did it.

It was my favourite of the white wines. The sun came out this afternoon so I've had a pleasant afternoon on the balcony. The steak sandwich off the room service menu was a bit disappointing but I kept custody of the second bottle of Pol Aker to toast sail away later. We've had new passengers join the ship today and they had to go to the theatre for their safety briefing at 5pm. Mr HH is on the other side of the ship, they've given him everything he asked for except throat sweets so I'll see if I can get some once the shop opens.

Maybe they would if we wanted to stay together but one of us has to move. I didn't catch it last time he had it so I am hoping to avoid it this time as well.

Some not so good news, Mr HH woke up this morning with a sore throat. We both took lateral flow tests, his was very faintly positive and mine negative. I rang the medical centre and they sent someone to take swabs and have confirmed the results. He is packed ready to be transferred to quarantine, I'm staying here for the moment. They don't seem entirely sure what I should do as most people stay together. For the moment they've told me to wear a mask if I go outside the cabin and order room service. It's a grey day in Civitavecchia, we didn't have any firm plans for today as the weather forecast was for rain for most of the day and I didn't bring a coat or umbrella.

After the huge lunch we sat on steamer chairs watching the rain and then watched the repeated lectures from earlier, Vivien Leigh and pirates, on the television and then a film. We got ready for our second formal night and got seats in the Chart Room to admire the outfits coming out of second seating dinner. We didn't really do justice to the menu but it was still a nice meal. We watched the dancing/acrobat sisters and then went to the Queens Room in time to watch the Professionals dance.

Have a great time

It'll be on Deck 7 roughly in line with your cabin. Eg forward in the gym, midships in Kings Court and aft in the Grills.

A cuddly ship - teddies are on order but they aren't sure when more will be available

I think you're going to have to explain what you mean as I guess I am not the only one who doesn't understand what point you're trying to make.

Today's activities

I was woken up at dark o'clock by an announcement apologising for a previous announcement which was the result of a technical error. As I hadn't heard the previous announcement I didn't need the apology and Mr HH tried to convince me that I'd dreamt the whole thing ! When the Captain started his noon announcement by apologising again I realised I hadn't been dreaming. We had a light breakfast and a very lazy morning before a wonderful wine lunch in the Veranda restaurant.

We're currently on Queen Victoria in Britannia, there are 4 starters, 2 salads, 2 soups and 6 main courses on the dinner menus

Hope you don't have to wait too much longer and you enjoy your day ashore

We got ready for dinner and went to the Commodore Club, it was busy but we managed to get a table just in front of the piano so we could hear the music. Another nice dinner, we've been enjoying the food. The Royal Court theatre Orchestra were playing in the Golden Lion, we got there part way through the first set but it was packed in there so we moved to the Queens Room instead, Another warm evening and we watched the stars and a lightening storm in the distance, beautiful. Sea Day and the weather has arrived, nobody will be sitting in the sun today !

Stay safe everyone

Have you checked your spam folder ?

We only made it as far as the Lido for lunch, not too bad even for this buffet hater and Mr HH had more success getting the beer he prefers. Then to the Pavilion Pool for a swim/drift around in the pool. Mr HH tried out the Hot Tub briefly. We're just getting ready to leave, the Captain mentioned some possible bad weather tomorrow but wasn't very clear about when.

It looks beautiful there, have a lovely sea day

Thanks for the updates, I hope the changes aren't too disappointing.

Try to get a cabin under the spa area rather than the pool if you can

From Queen Victoria in Valencia this morning

Thanks for the lovely comments everyone. I forgot to mention that Mr HH asked for a thinner duvet on the board as he was getting warm during the night. It was done last night. Cabin temperature control is fine btw. We're in Valencia this morning and I am embarrassed to say we're still on the ship. It's beautiful on our balcony, we might get off later or maybe not !

Mr HH came second again, wine tasting was 3 wines from Italy, one from Spain from the cheaper end of the wine list. We watched passing cruise ships from the promenade deck for a while as the wifi works there and then the coast of Spain from our balcony. No wifi but beautiful sunshine and Cava. The Queens Room dance floor was busy with sequence dancers as we made our way to dinner. Our assistant waiter has a habit of serving sauces without waiting to hear whether you want them or not. I managed to create a dam with carrot batons to keep the horseradish sauce away from most of my sirloin steak but I'll be ready to say No before he gets to me in future! We have 3 courses, no coffee, we don't feel particularly rushed but we're usually out of dinner just after 9.30. We went to watch the comedy juggler, we've seen him several times but he still makes me laugh and there were a few new parts of his act. We stayed behind a little while to finish our drinks and as we came out of the theatre we heard the unmistakable sound of evenings in the Mediterranean, a cicada. It didn't seem likely but sure enough just outside the doors on Deck 3 was a lone cicada playing the song of his people. It was a beautiful warm night and we could see the lights of the coast of Spain and plenty of stars from our balcony. Glorious.