Special events

Wednesday 7th May

I was woken about 9am by the announcement that we had been diverted to the port of Vigo for a medical emergency. One of the passengers was being taken to hospital there. (I heard on the internet that one of the passengers had a lamb bone lodged in the throat.) I gather that the passengers on other ships noticed us leaving formation and wondered what was happening. 

I had received an invitation to a wine-tasting event but chose not to go. I am not much of a drinker and had not enjoyed any of the wines at a previous tasting.

At dinner I decided to be brave and try the duck a l'orange. I rarely have luck when I eat duck on board, though at the times when I don't try it, other passengers often rave about it. Surely this time the duck would be cooked properly, and not oozing red like my last experience. Well, I was half right. Half of the duck was red while the other half was well-cooked and falling apart. This time I complained. I said that the cooked part would be sufficient for me, but the waiter insisted on bringing me some more pieces that were more cooked. (Is duck different from chicken? Is it not a health risk when it's underdone?)

When you have travelled with Cunard as many times as I have (now Platinum), there are three cocktail parties to which one receives invitations. I don't generally bother going but this time I decided to attend the Senior Officers' cocktail party, the one that's only open to Platinum and Diamond members. Luckily this time a friend and I managed to get a seat. I only drank orange juice but some guests managed to get three glasses of champagne during the hour.

After the cocktail party we were in prime position to choose our seats for the evening's dancing. As guests left, we dragged our seats to our chosen position and waited for the staff to move the rest. This time they made us stand while they adjusted the position of the seats to their liking. 

The Victoriana ball started at 9.30 with the usual march. Often people do not know what to do to the music, but one of the Dance Hosts worked out that it could be a Barn Dance, and started that with me. Soon all the other couples started dancing it too. 

After one fast quickstep with one of the passengers I said that a good quickstep is the closest thing to flying that I know. He replied that it’s better than sex! Later in the tango when the floor moved in turbulence, I thought about asking ‘Did the earth move for you?’ but decided I didn’t know him well enough for that joke.