A peaceful day at sea as we continue our journey northeast toward Halifax. These are the days to truly savor. Sleep in, enjoy a massage, curl up with a good book, listen to an interesting lecture, wander the ship, and, of course, eat! That’s pretty much the perfect recipe for a relaxing sea day on a calm Atlantic Ocean.

Adding to the fun, we moved the clocks ahead an hour overnight, and it left everyone a little disoriented. Most people depend on their phones for the time, but when you’re on a cruise and your phone isn’t connected to a cell network, it doesn’t always update automatically. The result? A steady stream of passengers arrived at the spa an hour late for their appointments, creating a bit of confusion—and providing plenty of entertainment for everyone else!

I don’t think I mentioned that the Queen Mary 2 is sailing completely full—and there are quite a few first-time cruisers on board. That has made life especially interesting for the pursers (think of them as the ship’s help desk). The lines are long, and they seem to answer the same questions over and over again. They could probably save themselves a lot of time by handing everyone a “Frequently Asked Questions” sheet!

Since every cabin is occupied, the crew finally posted a sign that says: “Queen Mary 2 is FULL. No room exchanges.” I have a feeling they got tired of explaining that one, too!

Today’s lecture was a real treat. The speaker was William Miller, often referred to as “Mr. Cruise Ship.” He has written more than 40 books about cruise ships and the cruise industry, and I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him speak before. His knowledge is simply incredible.

He began today’s presentation by talking about Cunard’s 175th anniversary celebration, when three Cunard ships gathered in Liverpool. As soon as he mentioned it, I couldn’t help but smile. What a wonderful memory—Steve and I were there to witness it in person!

William started the lecture with a statistic that caught everyone’s attention: there are currently 135 cruise ships under construction around the world! That number seems almost unbelievable, but with the popularity of cruising continuing to grow, I suppose the demand is there.

He mentioned that the Carnival Festivale, now being built in Germany, will carry more than 8,000 passengers and crew, making it one of the largest cruise ships ever built. I honestly can’t imagine sailing with that many people. For me, the Queen Mary 2 feels just about the perfect size. Big enough to have everything you could want, yet small enough to still feel like a ship rather than a floating city.

Shirley and I had dinner at La Piazza an alternative dining experience. The food was good, the sunshine blasting in the window was a bit annoying – no window shades seem curious to me on a ship.

As I write this, the ship is arriving at the Halifax docking area. The next two days will be off on excursions! Stay tuned.