Day three - 8 July 2015 - on board Pacific Pearl

Another good sleep last night, I think I know what babies must feel like to be pushed in a pram!

The clocks went forward an hour so waking up early wasn't an issue.  Our bathroom facilities are quite good, they all work and the shower is good. Flushing the loo is like on a plane. We have our steward, Christopher, looking after us and we don't have to lift a finger, which is just how I like my holidays.

We showed great restraint over breakfast this morning, so felt very virtuous.  I came back and finished my blog then went to the lounge area outside 'Charlies' to use my wifi account to post it on FB.   

All this High Tech stuff is still out of my comfort zone, but what it has taught me most is patience and perseverance! 

David took the easy way out and did the washing in the laundrette!

So with what was left of the morning we headed up to deck 14 (there is no deck 13) to check out the putting competition, but quoits was still on, so we decided to join the walkers and we walked the track for half an hour.  

We didn't fancy the competition so stuck with our walking!

There's always plenty to see up there, it was lovely and warm, a slight breeze, and as we walked we watched the activities in the pool, and caught yet more rugby league on the big screen. 

We returned to our cabin for a little aperitif before lunch (we had some wine left over from dinner the other night) and then wandered up to deck 12 for some lunch.

One of the best things about cruising must be the people you meet at meal times.  We've met Bill from Broken Hill, who turned out to be a farmer with a huge farm running cattle and merinos, Beck who has recently lost her husband but is determined to move on with her life, she originates from Hastings in the UK, but lives in the southern highlands in NSW, in a back country town miles from anywhere, and a lovely couple last night, she was from Finland and he was from Belgium.  They had to cut short our conversation as he got a text from the 'kids club' to say time was up and he had to pick his kids up.  

Lunch on the deck outside Plantation restaurant 

We saw a ship passing by - so exciting!

We went to listen to the TUGS ukulele band in the Marquee this afternoon. There were about 40 of them and the average age of this group would be around 60, and they were great. 

We clapped and sang along as you do with ukuleles and begged for an encore.  The theatre was packed out so the Entertainment Officer promised to bring them back next week, they are passengers on board on holiday and just love to play the old rock'n roll music. 

So back in our cabin for more R 'n R and the hardest decision we have to make is where to have dinner - cruising is all about food!  We stick to our Waterfront restaurant, Its so much nicer to have a menu and be waited on.  A buffet is fine for lunch.  

Dining at the Waterfront restaurant 

There are two 'gourmet' restaurants to choose from, however one charges $49 per person, and the other which is Asian charges $39. So unless we are desperate for a change we'll stick to what we have already paid for in the fare.

After dinner, it was back to the Marquee for the show called "Please don't stop the Music".  Again so professional, the team of 4 girls and 4 men danced and sang for over an hour, and the many costume changes were amazing, they were so quick, and totally different for each act.  We really enjoyed it. It was a totally packed house, and yet the audience didn't make much noise, surprising really because they must have enjoyed it.  

Now the whole ship seems to be glued to a TV while the State of Origin match between Queensland and NSW is being played, they are showing it in the Marquee, in the Cocktail Lounge, in the reception area, the casino, and on the big screen on deck 14.  

We decided to give Lady Luck a miss tonight!

David and I took the most comfortable choice - watch it on our own TV in our Cabin!

Well, we dock at Gare Maritime Terminal in Noumea tomorrow morning at 8.00am, so we will be up early - we might be able to watch the ship coming in from our balcony.