I had to return to my last post and make some corrections, for I’m still totally confused about what’s where and even, which deck is which!  OK, so I can find my way “home” on Deck 12, but I totally forgot that the jogging track is right here too and that we go down one flight of stairs for the pool deck.  So, I needed to work that one out in my little brain before I can share an accurate picture!

A good thing is that locations are clearly signed and I’m never lost for long.  I’ve never been good at working out which is the front and which is the back, so can frequently be found going the wrong way, anyway.

Anyway, here’s what Deck 11 is like.

One of our first concerns on board this ship were the relative sizes of the staircases and the lift lobbies, both of which were narrower and tighter than other ships we’ve known.  We envisaged a bit of a crush when a theatre show ends, for example, but have been proved wrong.  Traffic moves quickly, the lifts handle large numbers of people well and we’ve never experienced a crush at all.

Perhaps now is a good time to say, this ship is sailing full.  There are 700 passengers (and around the same number of staff) but we would never know it.  I didn’t go out of my way to avoid people in my photographs – this is really how it is – or rather, how it was this morning, when I did my walkabout.

On each stairwell there is an artwork from this series.  It’s a quotation from Goethe’s Tales: “Lange hatte man ihr schon versichert, daß dieseErscheinung” and now I’ve identified it I need to follow the set to find out if the sentence continues elsewhere (it translates as “For a long time they had already been assured that this apparition”   ending mid sentence, on a cliff-hanger, so to speak)

(I suspect that’s going to be another project for the trip….find the series!  But I have heard German spoken nearby, so perhaps I can enlist help?)

Anyway, arty friends, it looks as though the text has been applied to the canvas using dimensional medium, before colour was applied – interesting!

OK, so moving right along,  one of the first places I come across is the Culinary Arts Kitchen.  We could take cooking classes here, but unsure of what plans we might make along the way, on this cruise, we didn’t.  I understand them to be very good, however, and could be tempted at some point in the future.

Next door is the Library, previously discussed in an earlier post.  Now I know it’s there, I’ve peeked in the door a couple of times and each time it’s been quiet and peaceful.  Very nice.

The corridor then opens up to a kind of runway entrance to the Observation Lounge.  This large entrance feature is common to several venues on the ship and is something we rather like.

The Observation Lounge, quiet at this time of the day, will be busy later for tea time and Trivia.  It’s probably our favourite place for a pre dinner drink too, with a pianist and a relaxing atmosphere.

This morning, the dance floor is being polished in preparation for a dance class.

Right above the dance floor is a beautiful chandelier with crystal drops changing colour.  the ship has many such chandeliers of different designs – another feature we admire.

Walking back along the other side of the ship, there’s a wide walkway with service entrances on one side

and the Conoisseurs Club room on the other.  Here is where the smokers gather for cigars and so on.

From here, we step outside to the Pool Deck and the bar area, set alongside the most beautiful shimmery tiled wall.

and here are the main, serried ranks of sun loungers, ready for the warm weather.

I like how they’ve been separated with voile curtains, creating an air of privacy and breaking up that line.

At the end of the pool are two hot tubs and a couple of showers

and in the semi-open air, there are tables and chairs for the Pool Grill buffet,

where both breakfast and lunch are served.

For those of us who prefer to eat indoors, or outdoors at the stern of the ship, the main “La Veranda” buffet restaurant is here.

On both sides of the ship, in between La Veranda and the Pool Grill is a rather lovely seating area with chairs of an intriguing design. We rather like the look of these areas, though have yet to sit there and try it out.  But with a coffee machine right on hand and the pool buffet nearby, I imagine it could be popular.

With a symmetrical arrangement of sun loungers along the other side, that completes my walk around Deck 11.  If I go through the doors here, I find myself back outside the Culinary Arts Kitchen and the flight of stairs where I began.

I’ll try to continue my walk around on our next sea day, if only to establish what is where in my own mind!  Meanwhile, we’re sailing on to Acapulco and Team Trivia is calling for my attention.  As long as the question doesn’t concern “on what deck would I find xxxx?” we’ll be fine

Wish us luck!