ConnieTact

Four more ducks hidden!

Oh wow! That DoNut is beautiful! Amazing work- well done! I’ll pop past when hiding a few more purple ducks! I notice one of mine has been found! 😍

Definitely more to come! I’ll try to sneak one of the Bootleg Beatles tonight (without flash of course!)

Then we hid a couple of ducks! Can you spot them? Now relaxing looking out at sea for a while! Listening to the waves and enjoying the good clear air. Started in the sun & now it’s in the shade-perhaps the captain could steer a bit in a different direction? 😅

We had a light lunch of soup, salad & desserts. I took my plastic cup of lady grey that I made in the room, so I had my favourite tea after lunch. I just asked for a cup & saucer. The waiter nodded in a knowing way and said ‘Ah! Medicine!’ I laughed and agreed it did certainly make me feel better!

Lunch is 12-1.30 and dinner is 18.45. here are todays menus in case anyone is interested!

Went back to stateroom & washed my hair. Shower good and worked well. Towels good and hair dryer also fine and not too heavy to handle as some tend to be! I now have my ducks in a row ready for hiding and giving away! I know this is a widespread practice on multi generational cruises but I think adults are just as delighted to find a duck! 😊

After such a late night I was tempted to skip breakfast but then noticed there’s no food on the ship from 9.30 until 12 noon! We’ve never experienced lack of food on a ship before so I woke up MrCT from his slumbers and said I was off to get some! He has joined me and we sat right at the aft of the ship- breakfast alfresco with a sunny sea view! The food quality was not as good as MSC or NCL but we enjoyed it all the same!

We’ve seen some weird & wonderful dancing tonight but had great fun with our new friends made onboard. Smooth sailing so far & we’re enjoying it! Goodnight!

Still dancing!

Now on to disco!

Great sunset and met friends taking each others photos. Chatted rest of the nite then unexpectedly snacks arrived!

Dinner!

Plenty of staff in the Clifton Lounge!

We’re booked in for dinner at 7pm and this clashes with trivia. Bit disappointing as we may have enjoyed that- especially as it’s ‘easy’! I could ask to change sittings as the ship’s not busy but tomorrow is the Beatles and I really, really want to get good seats for that show! 😍🎸🎤🎵🥁

Only 507 onboard and same amount of staff. Great welcome from captain and cruise director as I type! This really is live reporting! I am delighted that we have free internet this time- so handy! A great surprise.

Muster drill all done. Very professional and well organised. We all stood on deck ‘old fashioned style’ and this is somehow reassuring. sorry no photos allowed!

Straight to buffet for late lunch! Shocked that there is NO Earl grey tea! 😅 good job I brought along some of my own!

All Aboard!

Awaiting to board following our great Beatles tour! Photos to follow re that! just put luggage in and now awaiting on some chairs.

Breakfast has been good, although surrounded by dirty floors. Coffee machine is broken but they were going around serving filter coffee. I got Earl grey with tea leaves in a pot. A couple of areas for improvement would be a serviette on the uncut loaf of bread so people aren’t eating whatever germs were on the last cutters hand! Also I saw them sanitise tables but not backs of wooden chairs it would take two secs to just do them too! Also, I think there should be tongs for taking the pastries and cakes- again not good to have other people touching your food. I’d like see hand sanitisers at the entrances to the restaurant too. That said, I still enjoyed my breakfast and just avoided the bread and cakes! Not a bad idea anyway! 😅

While we were enjoying the music people at the bar continued to get frustrated as the bar staff struggled to cope! I witnessed one server try her best to shake a cocktail only to get the shaker stuck on the mixing glass and couldn’t get it off. She then discovered she’d only mixed one portion but divided it between two glasses. Another bartender came along and, aiming to be helpful, reached over to pour one into the other glass but in doing so, cracked one of the glasses in pieces! “We’ll have to start again,” he declared. He took over the mixology asking her to get my easier drinks order instead. She looked dumbfounded when I asked for a small Malbec and he explained to her she’d find it in the red wines cabinet! She went on to charge me almost double for two large ones. I waited for a long time for a manger to be found and agree the £10 refund. I used the time to act out charade-style, “be sure to check your bill” to the guy who was next up to be served and standing at the other end of the bar. He got it in one, put his thumb up, and we both smiled. I saw him laughing and telling his wife about it when he sat down. Another thing-don’t ask for a wine list either in the bar or the restaurant because they don’t have one! 😅 The quality of the drinks was good though- worth the wait. Although, I saw more than ten people come to the bar, wait and then leave.

The music organised through the Cavern really makes this hotel. Without that and without the Beatles pictures, the hotel would not have been worth booking. MrCT said to me last night, we could always stay somewhere else next time and just pop in for the entertainment. This sounded like a “boss” idea -as they say up here! Craig the singer was joined by Kaitie who was an America with a beautifully sounding voice. They sang well together and make up two of a band of four called Carousel who are one of the resident bands at The Cavern Club. If you like, check them out. https://www.cavernclub.com/resident-bands/carousel/

Next on to the bar at the hotel for entertainment straight from the cavern club. There were no bar staff at the bar and we watched as so many would be customers came and left. Then, just like buses, three bartenders turned up at once! 🤪 The live music was and is amazing/ really good - I’m watching as I write!

We went fir a walk after supper.