United Arab Emirates > A day on board

Last night, a warning was given in the theater that the clocks would go forward one hour during the night. Although today is a full day at sea, the ship already follows Dubai time. Good to keep in mind for breakfast. Instead of breakfast in the cabin, I choose to have breakfast in the restaurant today. When I arrive at the restaurant, it is still quiet. Probably many people skip breakfast and start with the lunch buffet. Breakfast is not served buffet-style but is brought to the table. I choose an omelet and salmon. Meanwhile, trays with toast, croissants, and jam/butter are passed around. The coffee isn’t great, but I find out I can also order a cappuccino on my cruise card. After breakfast, I go to the pool. Sheltered from the wind, the temperature is just right. I choose a lounge chair in the shade and take my book. Slowly it gets busier around the pool. The famous towel-claiming is in full swing. Practically all beds are occupied, but less than half are actually in use. What an annoying habit this is. There is a queue at the bar. Fortunately, I can also order coffee and cola from the passing waiter. It’s wonderful to be served like this. Just after noon, I swap my lounge chair by the pool for my balcony in the cabin. I’m lucky—the sun is on my side of the ship.

United Arab Emirates - Everyone enjoys the pool on a sea day

Around this time of year, it really matters whether you sit in the sun or the shade. For lunch, I go to the buffet restaurant. It’s busy here. Everyone on board wants to eat here. Because I already ate a lot this morning, I keep my selection limited. This is not easy, as there is so much delicious food available. After lunch, I explore the ship. It’s funny how after a few days onboard, you still haven’t visited all the places. On deck 16 is the Horizon Pool—a pool with a slide and climbing park. Mainly young people hang out there. There are definitely many families onboard. Children can travel free with MSC, making this cruise line attractive for young families. Although cruises have a reputation for attracting mainly older customers, I estimate the average age on this cruise to be under fifty. I also explore the decks at the front of the ship. At the indoor pool, the roof is open. That’s what it’s there for. After my exploration, I order a glass of wine and take it back to my cabin. The program lists a DJ playing music by the pool. That sounded fun before dinner. It’s more boring than it sounds. There’s a laptop playing music, and staff are busy cleaning around the pool. Nobody’s interested. I decide to eat a bit earlier. Yesterday, I had to hurry to make it to the show in the theater. Tonight’s show starts a bit earlier. At the table, I meet Jana. She’s originally from Russia but now lives in Cyprus. She’s also traveling alone. We have a nice conversation during dinner. Tonight the dinner goes smoothly. I still have enough time to order coffee on deck 7. Here, it takes longer to get the waiter’s attention.

United Arab Emirates - Live music in the Carousel Lounge on deck seven

Still, I can calmly drink my cappuccino. There is a ‘Circus 1920’ show in the theater today. The show alternates between acrobatics, dance, and singing. Once again, the dance group delivers a fantastic performance. I wonder how they manage to remember the choreography so well every night. All the steps and movements flow seamlessly. I end the evening at the back of the ship. There is live music on deck 7. When I arrive, the show has already started and all tables are occupied. Today I’m lucky to only need one chair. There’s one available in the front row. When I arrive back at my cabin, there’s still no ticket for tomorrow’s excursion. What time do I have to be there? I walk by the reception on deck 5. They confirm the excursion starts at eight o’clock. They advise me to tell the excursion desk that I haven’t received a ticket, as the desk is now closed. With that message, I go to bed.