Atlantic Ocean - Northbound.

Atlantic Ocean – Northbound.

24th November 2009.

Hello once again, my penultimate blog!

We departed Madeira yesterday afternoon and we now have two days at sea before arriving back in Southampton on Thursday.

Let’s give you an idea of some of the events and activities that are going on around the ship today. The Captain of Oriana Julian Burgess has three weddings to conduct today; all very nicely spread out you’ll be pleased to hear! Our Captains have been conducting wedding ceremonies on our P&O Cruises fleet for many years now and it’s certainly a very special and different way to get married!
This afternoon our passengers get the chance to walk through our main galley (kitchen!), and also get to sample the delights of a Chocoholics Buffet. This buffet is for serious chocolate lovers, to say it's mouth watering is an understatement!
This evening we have our famous Chefs Parade through the two main restaurants; this is a chance for our passengers to see the fantastic galley team we have on board Oriana. 101 personnel work in the galleys onboard and they are led by our Executive Chef Andy Yuill and his number two, Premier Sous Chef Darren Deegan. I host this Chefs Parade and it’s a great honour for me to introduce the Executive Chef and all his team to the passengers, they always get a tremendous reception.
Tonight we have yet another production show from the Headliners Theatre Company, ‘Viva Vegas’. This is, as you can imagine from the title full of glitz and glamour, our costume team have surpassed themselves with this show. We also have a Black and White Ball, (the suggested dress code tonight is Black and White Formal), so we have a full evening of Ballroom and Latin American Dancing available. The music is live and supplied by Natural High (one of the four bands onboard), and the evening is hosted by our Ballroom Dance Instructors Carole and Brian Deluce.
The Entertainment Department in collaboration with the Boutiques onboard this evening have a Fashion Show, one of the Entertainment Officers Mizzie Sanders will be hosting this. We use members of the ship’s company as models but we also ask passengers if they would like to step down the ‘catwalk’ for the evening!!
We also have a James Bond inspired quiz tonight, our usual nightly syndicates quiz and movies screening. A ‘Night at the Video Races’, is also available in our Pub, the Lords Tavern, this is a chance for a little gamble and maybe a drink or two.
Apart from all of that we will still have two venues with live music playing and another bar with no music at all for passengers who just like a bit of peace and quiet!
As always there is a great deal going on, our passengers always are given a huge choice of what they can do.

The photograph gallery today is of the beautiful capital city of Lisbon, Portugal. The shots were taken on 13th November during our call there last cruise.

The 25th April Bridge taken from the north bank of the river Tagus. The bridge has a clearance from the water to the roadway of 230 feet. Christ the King can be seen through the bridge, the plinth is 270 feet high, the statue 90 feet high. It was paid for by the women of Portugal in thanksgiving that their men folk were not being involved in WW2.



The Monument of Discoveries, it was erected in 1960 to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.

The marble mosaic pavement in front of the Monument of Discoveries. This shot was taken from the roof of the monument.

The Museu de Marinha (maritime museum), built in the 16th century as a monastery. This shot was taken from the roof of the Monument of Discoveries.

The Royal Palace, the official home of the President of Portugal. The Portuguese national flag is flying proudly outside.

This shot was also taken from the roof of the Monument of Discoveries. We are looking upstream of the River Tagus. The 25th April Bridge was inaugurated on August 6th 1966. Its total length is 3277.64 metres with a centre span of 1012.88 metres. The upper platform carries six car lanes, the lower platform two rail tracks. Oriana can be seen at her berth on the left of the shot, Christ the King on the right.

I will be back tomorrow with my final blog.

Bye for now

Nigel