Day 40 - Gourmet Lunches, Trivia Triumphs & Conversations at Sea

I started the morning with a visit to the gym, but for the first time in a while it was very busy, so I settled for a short session rather than my usual full workout. From there I headed up to the pool deck for my veggie juice and breakfast. The sky was heavy with clouds, but the air was still very warm — the kind of humid, tropical heat that hangs gently over everything.

After a shower, I made my way to the library to complete my daily crossword and sudoku before heading back to make sure Joe was up and getting ready. Today we had a special luncheon with the other passengers on the Grand Voyage and the senior officers, so punctuality mattered!



A Grand Voyage Luncheon

The lunch was a beautifully curated event created by:

  • the Executive Chef

  • the Head Sommelier

  • the Restaurant Manager



We were seated with:

  • Carlos, the Executive Concierge

  • Biko, the Chief Purser

  • and a lovely couple from Ontario who have sailed 30 Regent cruises — true veterans of the Regent world!



The food and wine were exquisitely prepared — delicious for me, but very much not Joe’s style.
It was simply too fancy, too rich, too chef-y for him.
He prefers his meals plain, simple, and recognisable — and this was decidedly not that!



But even if the food wasn’t to Joe’s taste, the company was excellent, even if he did have to bite his tongue on certain topics (yes… that Mr Trump!).

Carlos and Biko updated us on the ongoing saga of the broken satellite antenna which is affecting the news and sports channels, explaining that they hope to find a part and complete repairs when we reach Dubai.



A Relaxing Afternoon & Joe’s First Trivia Triumph

After lunch, Joe headed to the pool to relax with his audiobook before going to the daily trivia quiz — something Nina and Hersh had encouraged him to try.

He ended up joining a new couple and had an excellent first showing:

🔸 11 out of 15 correct
🔸 And Joe answered one question that nobody else knew

He was very proud — and rightfully so! I suspect that daily trivia may soon become a beloved part of his sea-day routine.

While Joe was busy impressing the trivia crowd, I enjoyed a quiet afternoon and then went to meet Adrianna, the HR Manager for the Navigator.

What an absolute delight she is — warm, insightful, and incredibly passionate about the wellbeing of the crew. She has been at sea for over 23 years, though she looks far too young for that!

We spoke about:

  • crew welfare

  • training

  • life on board

  • and I shared with her information about our Seafarers Service and my daily EFT/Hypnosis scripts

It was a truly meaningful conversation.

Ray’s Show & Dinner at Compass Rose

Later, we attended Ray’s pre-dinner show, which was — as always — simply superb. His voice, his presence, and of course his extraordinary puppetry continue to amaze us. We’re so lucky to see him perform so often throughout this voyage.

We finished the evening with a lovely dinner back at Compass Rose, where Joe was finally back to enjoying his favourite meals — plain, familiar, and perfect for him.

A beautifully balanced day at sea.

Daily Reflection:

Some days are shaped by conversations, connections, and quiet victories —
and they remind us that even at sea, community is everywhere.

Highlight of the Day:

✨ Joe’s trivia success — especially answering the one question no one else could. 

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