STATEROOMS
We didn’t choose our rooms, they were allocated to us as soon as we booked, our only requirement was a balcony, so you can imagine our surprise when we found out that we had probably the best rooms on board! Ours is a corner room with an extra large balcony and rear and side views, Diane and Graham’s is just along the corridor with rear views and we are both on the highest deck, apart from the Gold Card Club Class guests who’ve paid a silly fortune for questionable extras – more padded loungers with cushions, canapés at 5pm, better toiletries and a concierge, but smaller rooms and balconies!!
Our rooms are cleaned and replenished twice a day by our friendly Room Attendant Tim who seems to live permanently in our corridor and is always available:) We wondered if he had a buzzer that notified him as soon as we left our room because he kept appearing!
FOOD
Well, where do I start???? Breakfast starts at 7am and finishes 10.30, lunch starts at midday, dinner is from 6pm and 8.15pm for the second sitting in restaurants but self serve restaurants stay open from 7am until 9.30pm when it reduces to snacks, pizzas and burgers all through the night!! Coffee, cakes, ice cream, afternoon tea and small snacks are available somewhere on the ship at any time of day, so you can easily see how the waistline expands on cruises!!!
Lunch times are as well stocked with food as evenings are, cooking stations dish up Chinese, Indian, Malay, American, Roasts, Grilled Meat, Seafood and Fish, Healthy Salads, Soup & Light Bites, Fruit, Desserts and anything else you can think of, some days there is far too much choice!!!
We actually prefer to sit down in one of the restaurants in the evenings, a daily menu offers 5 or 6 starters, 6 to 7 mains and several desserts, there is less choice but we find it easier and nicer. Food is served to the table, its much more leisurely and enjoyable and we always have a laugh with our allocated Waiter Asep (from Bali, with impeccable service manners) and Sommelier Kan (from New Delhi, India).
Our Assistant Waiter is a new recruit called Raymond, this was his first job on a cruise and he was so keen to impress and learn, so I’m sure he has learned a lot from David and Graham, especially about their exact cheese board requirements!!! Cheddar, brie and gorgonzola only, biscuits with butter, seedless grapes and fresh cranberries and a constantly filled glass of Port.
SUNRISES IN PORTS
Most mornings, apart from 3, we rose to different views, some picturesque and green, some misty and very commercial. In our second week, we experienced morning rain most days, sometimes torrential, but it was still between 26 and 30c so humid.
Eventually, we had to disembark, smoothly and orderly, serenaded by a Bali band and waved goodbye by the Captain’s team, it was a sad moment.
We’ve met some lovely people, made new friends, drunk and eaten far too much, learned so much about new cultures, seen different parts of the world, danced a lot and had great fun so our journey ends on a high!
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