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Thursday, 24 December 2015

Christmas Day on the Marco Polo

OK - so I've not written a blog post for a few days for a couple of reasons.......  waves and nausea!

Although the ship missed the worse of the Atlantic storm I mentioned in my last post, we have still spent quite a bit of time in rough seas.  The first day was the worst, and I adopted my usual position when the ship starts to pitch back and forth, which is led down in bed.  The travel sickness tablets that I take make me sleep..... so I did......  for a day and a half.  The weather did start to improve yesterday lunchtime, so I managed to make it out of bed in the afternoon, and spent Christmas Eve enjoying the ships entertainment and even partook of a couple of alcoholic drinks.  My Christmas holiday was just beginning to start.

And then today started off really well with a flat(tish) sea and a lie in.   It's Christmas Day,  Yippeee!

We enjoyed a leisurely cup of tea in the cabin, opening the few presents we'd brought with us before going upstairs for breakfast.  By now it was quite late, around 9.30 and breakfast in the Bistro was due to finish at 10.   It seems every other passenger on board had the same idea and the Bistro was packed!

Everyone seems to be in a good mood, partly because it's Christmas Day, but mostly because the sea has calmed down.  Passengers that have been locked in their beds have finally been able to emerge, groggy and disorientated, to breathe the fresh air on the back deck and bathe in a little bit of sunshine.

And the good mood carried on throughout the day.  Passengers and crew wore Santa hats and flashing Christmas badges.  Christmas jumpers were in abundance and the lounges were overflowing with people full of the Christmas spirit.  The entertainment team went into overdrive, adding Christmas party fun to the day's activities and the Cruise Director, Ross Roberts added to the fun resplendent in his Christmas suit (a bit like a Christmas tie, but all over).

And the day continued in that mood.  Peter's classes went well, and we were completely relaxed as the day moved on to the main event:- Formal Night, the Captain's Cocktail Party and Christmas Dinner.  Peter and I didn't take part in the cocktail party, but we did dress up for the evening.  Peter always looks good in black tie, although he hates wearing it.

The evening show kept the mood with loads of Christmas classics including, of course, The Twelve Days of Christmas.  It culminated in the show team singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and then being joined by all the ships staff, officers and crew (who were able to), filing in along the sides of the show lounge.  The passengers were all quite moved and cheered and clapped in appreciation.  Very much a different attitude from  the last couple of nights, when everyone has been miserable and fed up with the weather and the rough seas.

Tomorrow we will be in Lisbon, and like everyone else, I can't wait to feel solid ground under my feet. As Peter say's "Bring it on!"

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