Yesterday was a sea day,

this means we sail all day and the evenings are usually formal.Most of the travellers don on their best.There are some,uninitiated to the cruising world, who did not realize when packing,what the life on a cruise ship is all about.In the evenings you put on your finery.No-one does it better than Cunard patrons and I know it better than most,have a platinum Cunard grade,not the highest,but almost.Have seen it all,the smart and not so smart,the plain and plain awful, beach sandals worn with evening robes, women not carrying a handbag, dresses too short,too long, too see-through,too much make-up.From sublime to the ridiculous.People have their photos taken, portraits made.There is not a photographer who would take a picture of me I would like.My sister knows.She took 700 on one cruise and I erased them all.At the end of the cruise her friend asked - are you there alone? I thought you were going with your sister! Maria sighed a sigh of despair. But clever as she is,she installed on facebook old photos of me,some taken years earlier.People were none the wiser. So yesterday was a formal evening.The kitchen staff were working overtime.The renown chef Marco Pierre White on board,giving food demonstrations,signing his cookery book, the menu was partly created by him.And I did not go.It was the first time ever I had missed a formal evening's dinner.Ever.The bed was so warm,comfortable,I thought later,later,but later never came.And that is the way it should be on a cruise.You please yourself.There is nothing you HAVE to do.Otherwise it would be no fun at all.The entertainment on the cruise provided was varied and catered for every age.There were beatbox classes-how to create the sounds of drums.You could exercise to the beat of zumba or learn how to dance salsa,or cha-cha,or practically every other dance.There was a talk how to look 10 years younger.Dream in a pipe.There are films every day and various quizzes and sport activities.Life on board is varied.It is what you make it and it can be wonderful. I had a phone-call thanking me for my honesty in the questionnaire the guests were asked to complete.We give various grades to the services rended and are encouraged to add suggestions. I never need any encouragement.The worst TV system at sea.The internet follows closely.Stained carpet throughout.Threadbare towels. I was given excellent news - Ventura is going to be refurbished next spring.Not a day too soon. There is another dance class taking place as I write.Soon I will be going to have lunch.I need to be amongst the earliest diners if I want a small table to myself.