☀️ The day always starts early
At 5:45 AM, the night was over for me. Actually, I had been gradually getting used to waking up at 6:45 AM over the past few days – but today the time change gave us an extra hour. So, I was back to 6:45 😉! Is my body slowly adapting to the new rhythm, or do I just want to experience too much of the world trip? We will see. 😄
At 6:30 AM, I headed to the early riser coffee. And indeed: the sunrise is starting to show! I am thus optimistic for tomorrow that we might finally have a truly beautiful sunrise.
At 7:00 AM, I met Sabrina for breakfast at the market restaurant. After a subsequent deck round, we went back to the restaurant – after all, a second coffee is a must. ☕️
🏃 From Cape Verde to Brazil – on foot!
At 9:00 AM, things got sporty. During “AIDA Walks – Walking from Cape Verde to Brazil,” participants walked the distance between the two countries together. Of course, not really over the Atlantic but in laps on the pool deck. 😂
I had a total of 16 laps of 350 meters planned. A nice way to combine movement with community – and at least you make some progress on the Atlantic!
Afterwards, I took a shower and then went for a “Ocean View Photoshoot.” After so much hustle and bustle, I treated myself to a little break with tea at the Ocean Bar. The view of the wake was the perfect backdrop. 🌊📸
🏆 Shuffleboard: losing narrowly is still losing!
At 11:30 AM, we continued with sports – this time with shuffleboard. Due to the high number of participants, two games had to be played. In addition to my active role as a player, I also had the honor of serving as a referee and scorekeeper.
It was exciting, to say the least! After the second-to-last round, our team was significantly behind at 7:68. Since the final round counted double, there was theoretically still a chance. In the end, it was actually 43:48 – a narrow defeat!
My additional role as referee apparently didn’t positively affect the outcome. Perhaps I should focus solely on my playing skills next time. Although... whether that actually helps is another question. 😂
🍝 Lunch and a Unique Afternoon Program
At 12:40 PM, I went for lunch at Bella Donna. Subsequently, I retreated to my cabin at 1:10 PM to give my eyes some care and rest.
For 3:00 PM, I had initially planned coffee and cake with an art auction at the Theatrium. However, there was no cake today at the Theatrium, specifically at the Sol Bar! This also meant that a major reason to sit comfortably there was missing – so I decided to skip the art auction altogether.
During my last trip, I had already participated in an art auction and won a blind date. Who knows, maybe there will be another opportunity at one of the upcoming auctions. I will definitely keep an eye on the next art auction.
The sea was showing itself from its most peaceful side: an absolute duck pond! Hard to believe that we are in the middle of the Atlantic. I hope it stays this way for a while longer.
📋 Waiting List, Rossini, and Brewery
Afterwards, two organizational points were still on my list. First, I visited the travel advisory to find out my position on the waiting list for my trip in September. However, they couldn't give me a specific position. My status still simply reads: waiting list. So, it’s a matter of waiting and hoping.
Next, I went to the reception. There, I wanted to clarify whether I could rebook the “10 x 3 Menus” offer for my Rossini booking at a discount. After all, I want to take full advantage of the culinary options on board during this long journey.
My request was noted, and I will learn of the outcome.
Afterward, I headed to the brewery for 'City, Country AIDA'.
There was also a little anecdote about this: Jan, one of the hosts, whacked the game cards on my head from behind 😱. Despite the prior warning, it was quite a shock! 😂😂 Some surprises really work even when you should be prepared for them.
After the two games, where I emerged as the overall winner, I stayed in the brewery for dinner. Sometimes you really don’t have to walk far to reach the next program point. 😉
🎭 Artists, Shrimp, and an Early Bedtime
During prime time, guest artists Marc Gettmann and Terrél Woodbury were in the spotlight. There was also a preview of the upcoming shows on board. There should be quite a bit to look forward to in the coming days!
After that, we retreated to the East Restaurant for teppanyaki. There I had some shrimp freshly grilled – a nice culinary conclusion to the day. 🍤
I had originally planned to attend the “Wiesn Party Olympics” at the brewery for 9:15 PM. But then a strong wave of tiredness suddenly hit me. And when your body clearly signals that it’s done, maybe you should listen to it.
So nothing came of the planned Olympics. By 9:30 PM, I was already back in my cabin.
Tomorrow is still another day! 😴
🌊 My Conclusion
A varied sea day with movement, an exciting shuffleboard match, photo moments, organizational tasks, and good food. Even though not every item on the agenda went as planned, it was once again a lovely day on board.
And the best part: the sea remained calm like a duck pond. Now it’s time to rest, gather strength, and hope for the next sunrise. Maybe it will finally work out tomorrow! ☀️
