Good morning from somewhere in the sea! We are on our second sea day today and have tomorrow morning at sea before we reach Gibraltar tomorrow late morning/early afternoon. It’s been quite choppy since we left Southampton and although our Officer of the Watch told us an hour ago that the sea state is rough today, it actually feels calmer to me than it did yesterday. In fact, as I am typing this, the Captain has also just made an announcement regarding Oceana’s movement, but I really can’t feel it as I should!

Let me go back to Monday, embarkation day. I arrived at the Ocean Terminal and it was incredibly quiet! I have never seen the terminal so empty with a ship in port and my friend and I were through check-in, passed security and onboard within about 25 minutes – no kidding! It was the fastest embarkation, ever!

As soon as I boarded, I spotted Christmas decorations and my little eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning! I love Christmas and have waited years to see the tree and decorations onboard. This cruise, my wish to see them came true! The tree in the atrium is absolutely beautiful (I brought my smaller camera this time rather than my larger digital Canon and my pictures really do not do it justice) and there are smaller trees and other decorations dotted all over the ship – it really is wonderful and has definitely put me in the mood for Christmas! They are advertising the onboard Christmas market, which I think is in 3 days-time, but to be honest when I went to it in 2011 it wasn’t very good, fingers crossed it is better this time! I have money burning a hole in the bottom of my safe!

It is great to be back on Oceana. It’s no secret that she is one of my favourites and she never disappoints me. It really is like coming home and there are a lot of familiar faces onboard, both crew and passengers. In early 2013 my friend and I enjoyed a five-week Caribbean voyage aboard Oceana and we met a couple called Martin and Georgina, they are on this cruise too! In fact they have been on the ship for the last 17-weeks! I think that’s what they said anyway. That must be the life! Maybe I will stay on for that long – I will set up a cruise donation page, feel free to leave a contribution! –  Just kidding! 😉 In all honesty though, Martin and Georgina are a true inspiration! When I bump into them again I will get the address of her website and share it with you, everyone should have a look!

We have made our reservations for Café Jardin and the Horizon Grill. Oceana is home to my delicious Marco Pierre White prawns and I have no intention of having anything other than the prawns. I can’t help myself! There is also a 99% chance that I will have the tempura prawns and coconut crusted scallops in the Horizon Grill, followed by a big, juicy steak! My mouth is watering just thinking about it but I have another 4 days to wait for the latter.

The age mix onboard is quite varied, which surprised me! I have come across a few little kiddie winkles (children) and a fair few more…….mature passengers. I much prefer a ship that is mixed. The majority of people I have come across thus far seem very pleasant indeed, my friend and I opened a bottle of Champagne yesterday afternoon, maybe that’s why they were being so friendly – they wanted a glass too!

So, that’s the story so far! Oh, we have also just booked our tickets this morning for a visit to Montserrat during our time in Barcelona. I have wanted to visit there for quite some time so that should be fun, fingers and toes crossed that the weather is OK and we can let our eyes absorb some rather impressive views.

I am off now to continue enjoying what my favourite little lady has to offer – I might even play the quiz in Yacht and Compass later, I am sitting outside of there now, so ill only have to move about 10 feet to actually make it through the door to get a quiz paper! 😉

If I don’t manage to check-in with you all again very soon, it’s because my arms fell off en-route back to the ship in Gibraltar! I intend on doing a lot of shopping there – especially in my favourite shop, Pashmina! I bought an elephant painting in that shop 2 years ago, it was HUGE! I carried it from the top of main street all the way back to Ventura (no taxi was involved), I couldn’t feel my right arm by the time I made it to my cabin, but it was worth it!

Author: Danielle