Oriana - In Search of the Northern Lights, 13 - 25 March 2014

Well - here we go again and now for something completely different! an Arctic adventure!

 

Thursday 13 March

I had been notified by P&O that boarding was delayed by two hours to enable a deep clean following a Norovirus outbreak. I still left at 8am however, to allow for any traffic holdups and arrived at my friend's house at 11.15am. At around noon we drove to the QEII Terminal and following a fast check-in waited in the embarkation lounge. We soon spotted people we knew and sat with a coffee and chatted until boarding started at 2.15.

Unusually for Oriana, we boarded on the Promenade deck. I had barely set foot on board before the Front of House Manager Verlhay spotted me and gave me a hug. We went straight to our cabin and found all our luggage ready outside so unpacked the main stuff before heading up for tea.

We attended muster drill before going out on deck for our free champagne at sailaway as we thought the following ports may not be conducive to an outdoor experience!

Then it was time for a rest and to change for dinner. After drinks in Andersons, we went to our allocated Oriental Restaurant and our table for eight - not the best table by any means but c'est la vie. Watched the show and then turned in.

 

Friday 14 March – at sea

Got up at 8.30am and had breakfast in the conservatory before going to the Solos meet in Andersons at 9.30am. Then I had a wander where I offered to do a book signing to the shop manager and sent a note to the Captain (Robert Camby). This was followed by a Crow’s Nest/Bolsover/Cruise Critic Meet at 12 noon. It was good to meet so many I had only chatted to online previously. It was very foggy outside so little to see and very hard on the bridge team who had to double up watches.

We had lunch in the Peninsular Restaurant before going to Wii bowling in the lord’s Tavern – I need more practice! Much the same in the Individual Quiz in Tiffany’s at 5.30. After dinner we joined the Syndicate Quiz before bed.

 Saturday 15 March – at sea

Rose at 8.30am. It had been a very rough night with one particularly huge shudder and bang. We heard later that the crew deck (foredeck) had been trashed with all sun beds lost overboard and the teak decking ripped off the surround of their pool. Had breakfast in Tiffany’s as it was midships and lower down. That morning went to a talk on how to photograph the Northern Lights – with difficulty it seems.

Ie: use manual setting, take off all filters, make sure flash is turned off, switch off vibration reduction, ISO 500 +, exposures of 15 secs to 10 mins - experiment, use as large an aperture as possible,

daylight setting, use lens hood to keep snow/ice off lens, pre-focus to infinity or on a tree etc., Take spare batteries and keep in thermal sock close to body

We had lunch in the main dining room and afternoon tea on Solos table - I know - but I reasoned I may need the extra fat to ward off the cold in the places we were going to! It was the welcome party as well that night. Ours was in the Pacific Lounge at 8.15 (dinner had been put back till 8.45pm). We found a seat and chatted to Jo Haxby, who was now based on Oriana. The Captain arrived later to welcome us all to this adventure into the Arctic. Then it was time for dinner followed by the Quiz and bed.