Cunard celebrates 175 years in business.

I am happy. Happy to have a table to myself at dinner.Never have I had a table quite like it,just by the entrance to the dining room, with the view of all and sundry.The last time I had sailed on the Queen Victoria, at Christmas, my table was several steps away, just by the wall, so this is quite an improvement, be it a laughable one, as I have never before sat in such a strange position.Sally, the entertainment manager,is the second time announcing our celebrity speaker Mr Peter Snow, the English broadcaster,who is going to give a talk on Waterloo.It is almost 2pm and the theatre must be half empty.Not surprising. Who wants to hear about killings and misery, on holiday? There should be fun,laughter,lightness. Tonight is a formal night, the only formal evening in the six days of cruising. The ship doesn't seem to be full.This is a strange little cruise - Soton, Guernsey, a day at sea, then overnight in Liverpool, the birth-place of Cunard. Loved Guernsey, could quite happily live there, even though you cannot buy any decent coffee or a cake on the island. Oh, the deliciousness of the culinary delights of Ottolenghi, or the concoctions in Panta Rhei in Nitra,or the Viennese strudel...But I must stop dreaming...Have two most delightful waiters at dinner, just the right mixture of efficiency and pleasantry. Hate over familiar staff,hate inquisitiveness. I never ask any personal questions. I do not come on a cruise to make friends. I want to be left alone,in peace, minding my own business, leaving every-one to mind their own. Why do people assume, that just because I am alone, I want them to talk to me? The sea is calm.There was the most glorious sunshine early in the morning. Breakfast-a piping hot freshly made waffle with some orange marmalade.Loved it, haven't had one for good three years.And wont for another three. And, as every morning, fresh fruit -red melon, kiwi.Then a workout in the gym - I walk a little,pull weights, I exercise sporadically,mainly on ships. At eleven had chair aerobics with Cordelia in Hemisphere, a beautiful room on the top of the ship. I moved muscles I never thought I had! It made me realize just how very out of tune I am. Cordelia is a big girl,not the type one sees working out,but she is fit and has such a delightful personality, you forgive her the pain she laughably, and with great ease, puts you through. She offers classes on sea days only. What about the food in general, you may ask, has it surpassed the food I had on Oceana in March, when I went with my best friend to Canary Islands? No,it has not. Oceana ,a P&O ship, had consistently the best food I had ever had on a ship. Delicious, tasty,joy to eat,to enjoy. Better than food on an "OCEANIA" ship I had spent 12 nights on last September, the name of the ship escapes me at the moment, and OCEANIA company are known to spend the most money on food of all companies. Better than food on The Celebrity Eclipse and that was quite special, better than the food on The Independence,lovely Independence that made me fall in love with cruising. Just to make it absolutely clear: OCEANA is a ship,that belongs to the P & O fleet,graded as having four stars. OCEANIA is the name of the company, that has own fleet of ships,considered to be six star.It was on one of these, that I had spent 12 nights cruising the British Isles.This company spends more on food,than any other company.And the food is truly excellent.Still, beaten to the post by little Oceana.