Brunei > A day at sea

Last night I felt the ship rocking quite a bit. Yet at times it also seemed as if we were barely moving. When I check the route in Polarsteps in the morning, it looks as if the Costa Serena has been sailing back and forth. Soon the reason becomes clear: the captain announces that the ship returned to Singapore last night due to a medical emergency. As a result, we will arrive in Brunei a little later than planned. For today, it doesn’t matter — we are at sea all day. We sleep in and head to the breakfast buffet at nine o’clock. It’s quiet. I choose a bread roll, cheese, cold cuts, and a croissant. After breakfast, we explore the ship, walking across the different decks. In the Grand Bar on deck 5, we order coffee. Around early afternoon, we have lunch in the buffet restaurant. One deck above our cabin is the gym, where I spend half an hour working out. It’s not easy to use the elliptical trainer while the ship is swaying. Later in the afternoon, we have a drink by the pool. At half past five, there is a show for Costa Club members. Although this is only our second Costa cruise, we received an invitation. On the way to the theater, it’s noticeable that everyone is dressed more formally than usual — likely because of the club members’ gathering. During the show, the captain comes on stage. Club members with the most cruises booked, the most points, and the longest-standing gold members are also recognized. Afterwards, there is a performance by a singer. After the show, it’s time for dinner. We walk to the other side of the ship, adding quite a few steps for the day. I choose a fish dish, which tastes excellent again, and the staff are friendly. In the lounge bar above the restaurant, we order coffee while a band performs some songs. At half past nine, Emanuele Servidio performs, singing pieces by Pavarotti. He sounds surprisingly good, and at the end receives a standing ovation — something I haven’t witnessed on a cruise before, but completely deserved.