Oriana

Friday dawned bright and sunny - it was going to be another beautiful day.  By 1pm I had negotiated Check-In and was having lunch in The Conservatory aboard Oriana.  This buffet restaurant proved to be a lot smalter than those on Aurora and Arcadia but hopefully will be large enough for purpose.  At 2pm it was off to find cabin F106 right down in the bowels of the ship and at the very sharp end.  It did not take long to find out that Oriana is one of those ships where not all the stairs provide access to the full length of the ship.  Hence for the first 48 hours many passengers were wandering about without a clue as to where they were or where they were going.  With only one false turn I found F106 - it's position marked by a picture of a magic mushroom! 

On opening the door I was greeted with the sight of two portholes - this is the first time I have had a porthole cabin, not to mention been at the sharp end of the ship.  I pray for calm seas!

The cabin is provided with a double bed plus two upper berths folded back agais the wall.  I know this is a "saver fare" but I do hope that does not mean sharing!!!!!!!  Anyway the cabin is only just about big enough for me on my own - goodness only knows what it would be like to have 4 people in here.  Needless to say I filled up all 4 wardrobes and all 4 drawers with the contents of my two suitcases.

After unpacking the rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the ship.  Chaplins, the cinema, boasts some fine figures of the cheeky chappie himself.

As we steamed out of Southampton at 5pm the sun was still shining brilliantly and the Solent was sparkling ahead of us.

After dinner I had an hour relaxing on The Prom Deck.  The English Channel was like a mill pond and the coastline appeared to hover above a misty line as it slowly disappeared into the distance.

I had The Prom Deck all to myself as the sun turned into a ball of fire slipping slowly towards the horizon.  Soltitude, the Sea and a beautiful Sunset - this is true happiness.