December 22, 2025 Sea Day #1

   Today is the first Sea Day en route to Philip Island on central coast of Victoria state. The ship is about one third of the way from Sydney this morning. She seems to have made up time from yesterday’s unexpected detour to Botany Bay for a medical evacuation of a passenger.       

    At 7 a.m., the ship’s speed was 14 knots (about 25 kph). The temperature was 18°C, the wind was 25.6 mph (about 41 kph), clear skies and humidity 75%. Checking the ship’s bow camera view, the waves have white caps and maybe troughs of two and a half meters. We can detect a slight rocking in our Deck 1 mid-ship cabin. We passed Eden about 11 a.m. and will be visiting Eden on January 3rd. 

     We had breakfast at the Library Café - cappuccino and pastry then walked out on the Promenade Deck for several circuits. The wind was quite strong.

     At 9 a.m. we went to the cruise director’s coffee and chat with some staff. Today it was the three cadets, who are on the ship for a five month placement as part of the training to be maritime officers. It is a four year course that includes two five-month placements on a ship such as a cargo ship or a cruise ship.

     There was a presentation about shore excursions. Other activities listed for the morning were an art auction, a pickle ball tournament, origami folding Christmas Bells and a cooking show presented by one of the chefs. In the Art Studio there was a watercolour class to paint Christmas lights. 

   The dining room was open for lunch. We sat with four Australians - John & Shelly and Raymond & Frea. 

    The captain’s announcement at Noon confirmed that the waves were higher measuring four meters. There was a slight rocking to the ship. The ship was more than half way to Phillips Island. We didn’t climb to the Lido Deck today. The rocking of the ship would be more noticeable up higher.

   In the afternoon, we attended the talk about the upcoming ports of Phillip Island and Burnie at the World Stage. Being a Sea Day there was royal tea in the dining room at 3 p.m., Vivace Duo playing tunes for piano and violin.

     The dress code for dining this evening was Dressy, which meant guests were expected to dress up a bit. Just a long sleeve dress shirt and dress pants for men and a nice dress from women or more formal if you wanted. After dinner we took in the classical music of Vivace Duo in the Explorer’s Lounge

   Every day there is Happy Hour in two bars with drinks half price. The first seating for dinner is at 5 p.m. daily while the second seating is 7:30 p.m.  The nightly shows are at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Tonight’s performer was guitarist, Bruce Mathiske.

   Tonight at our table of eight was another couple Barry and Donna, the man from last night was not there. We do not know if there are even supposed to be eight people at the table.

     After the guitarist’s show, we returned to our stateroom to watch the 2018 movie Ocean’s Eight. The first towel animal of the cruise was on the bed,

   Total steps. 9,568

the first towel animal of the cruise

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