We see how a day at sea goes - July 14, 2024

SUMMARY An “at sea” day with no port stops. Awoke to rain and fog. What to do? Coffee from room service, hit the gym, pig out at the fabulous, extravagant brunch in the main dining room because we hit the gym! Scott blogged from the crow’s nest, aka The Living Room, while I updated our travel spreadsheet with all the small changes the cruise line had made relating to tour times and relaxed in the room. By afternoon the sun had come out so we spent some time in the hot tub and lounging around the pool. Cocktails in the Atlas Bar and dinner at Aqualina, the ship’s specialty Italian restaurant.  - Karen

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DETAIL Happy Bastille Day (or Quatorze Juillet, if you’re French). At 6:30 a.m. we’re on the boat this morning and all day. It’s light out but totally gray and rainy. Hopefully that will change. We have coffee and (based on Karen’s recommendation) head to the gym for a workout.

Since today is a Day At Sea we guessed right that there will be a big brunch in the main dining room. On days like this people wake up late and just goof around all day, so why not have a big brunch late in the morning. First thing you run into is the set-up where they’re pouring champagne or mimosas. We attended and have mimosas. Periodically a waiter asks if you want more. We say “yes”. It’s a dangerous system.

Later I go to one of their “Onboard Enrichment talks”. This one, for whatever reason, is on using lasers, microwaves, and particle beams as weapons of war. Uplifting? Not really. We think that the cruise line gets these retired government people or professors, gives them a small sum of money for some talks, and a free cruise. Perhaps the subject is appropriate given that we just left the city where they do that annual awarding of the Nobel peace prize. Karen stayed in the room and played administrator. She re-organized all of our papers for our travel.

On our way to dinner we sign up for some more “special restaurant” dinners. More food, just what we (don’t) need.

We both go to the day’s second talk, in the afternoon. This one is about the oceans, how important they are to us, and how we’re not being very nice to them. It was a little funny (awkward?), having such a talk on a cruise ship dieseling across the oceans spewing Lord only knows what. I guess anything that makes us more sensitive is good. We’re all now keen on certainly not using lasers or microwaves on sea creatures.

Coming out from the talk we see the sun and lots of accompanying blue sky. With the clean air here in Norway the bright sunshine and blue of the sky are particularly clear. We take advantage of the conditions to soak in the hot tub for a while. In the pool area there are lots of passengers enjoying the sunshine, many asleep on lounge chairs by the pool, wrapped in plaid blankets.

Later, more appropriately attired, we have drinks in the Atlas Lounge (a small bar at the back of the ship on the top deck). They mix special (dangerous) cocktails there, so we’re careful. They also have a smoke machine so they can smoke any drink you want. Hm, not too appealing. Maybe I can bring up some lox from the breakfast buffet tomorrow and get it smoked. Hm.

We enjoy dinner at Aqualina (Italian) looking out the back of the ship at the wake we’re leaving behind. Later Karen hangs in the room and reads while I head down to the Cabaret Lounge to catch tonight’s entertainment (a very entertaining fiddler from the UK who sings, plays the violin, guitar, piano, and harmonica).

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Photos

Even though we're at sea we have internet. Isn't modern technology great? One thing that allows us to do is to see where we are. Oslo to Stavanger isn't that far. We think the captain is just taking his time.

Outside we're having showers, boo!

So time to just relax and catch up with goings on in the world (online).

At breakfast they feature the country we're traveling through (Norway). This they had labeled as "Norwegian School Bread". We took a bite and said "Wait, this is just a danish pastry!" We guess that different countries call things by different names.

When the sun came out we headed for the hot tub. Good idea!

Followed by some by-the-pool lounging. These 'at sea' days aren't bad.

In the Atlas Bar, before dinner, we listened to "the band" and had drinks. The bar has very little space so they installed three flat screen TVs (on their side) and played musicians in sync. It was very effective and fun.

This guy, for the evening's entertainment, was really good. His energy was a good balance to us grey hairs in the audience.

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