Woke up to grey skies and rain showers this morning so we had a lazy start and breakfast in the cabin. Got up about 1030 and attended to a few admin things and then went for a walk and an explore around the ship.

Many cruise ships traditionally have a wrap around deep wooden deck at around deck 7 level called the promenade deck. This is where you would find steamer chairs for relaxing and watching the ocean go past. As cruise ships have changed shape over the decades, many of the new ones barely have such a deck. It’s a shame. We love walking circuits of the ship and sitting out there with a morning coffee or an evening drink. The sun decks are all very well but you are generally a long way above the water. The view is very different.

On this most modern of ships, there is very little in the way of a promenade deck. There is nothing at the bow or stern, so a complete circuit is out of the question. Most of the deck along each side, is extremely narrow, barely 1 person wide, more like a utility corridor. However……. however, at the stern, there is a short area on both sides, that mimics the traditional promenade deck, in width and also contains the traditional wooden steamer chairs with their comfortable cushions.

We set ourselves up there in the sun. We had the whole area to ourselves, it was amazing. We felt like the ship was our private yacht…… So peaceful. We read and sunned ourselves, watched Cuba passing by as we headed west towards the Yucatan tomorrow. The weather improved by lunchtimes with large periods of sun and blue sky. We used our app and medallions to order lunch and cocktails to the steamer chairs. It almost worked. They failed to distinguish our position on deck from the bar just through the hull and thought we were inside. But Bob went in when we could see the food was on the way and found the waiter wandering around the bar looking for us. It’s not infallible!!!! Anyway, we enjoyed our hotdgs and our margaritas.

The afternoon passed extremely pleasantly. Watching the sea pass by, the waves in their rhythm is quite hypnotic. I just love spending some time doing this. This is what makes me feel like I’m actually at sea….. I mean, you could holiday on here and not really notice the water. The boat doesn’t move around. It feels like a beautiful luxury hotel most of the time. A hotel which moves location every day by some magic….. But, if you get down to the promenade deck and sit there, looking out through the railings, watching the water, not so far below…… then …. you know you’re making a sea passage. Carrying on a tradition that reaches back through time. It’s exciting.

The latter part of the afternoon and the evening was largely flavoured by the American Football SuperBowl between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. It was shown live on the huge outdoor screen up by the pool and on the cabin tvs. There was a bbq up there for all the sports fans. I went up for the first half hour to get some of the atmosphere which was enthusiastic and keen, without any of the yobboism that accompanies British, or actually, European soccer finals.

We went for dinner in the restaurant accompanied by the very few non Americans on board. To say it was quiet would be an understatement. Dinner was disappointing and for the first time on any cruise I can remember, I actually complained about the quality and temperature of the food. Very very sub standard.

Went to the nightclub and enjoyed dancing to the new band on board. Fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow in Costa Maya .