What do folks do to keep busy during all of those days at sea?

ABOARD THE SILVER SPIRIT –We are at the end of Day Three at Sea on this transatlantic cruise and the time has flown by. Not because we have been overly busy but possibly because we haven’t.

Many of the people we’ve met on this ship say they choose these repositioning itineraries for the rest and relaxation of days at sea. They read books and take naps.

But there are also those who choose to stay busy. What do they do? There is an array of activities.

We are enjoying the guest lecturers on this cruise. There is one session each morning and one each afternoon on sea days. Dr. Jay Christofferson, a marine biologist and very talented teacher, is exploring the wonders of the ocean with us. He has the ability to make very complex concepts fairly simple to understand. And he is so enthusiastic about this topic that we can’t help but share his interest in the weird critters that inhabit the depths of the ocean. And who knew plate tectonics could be so fascinating?

Rick Senat, a long-time executive with Warner Bros., has been filling us in on the history of the family, the company and the film industry. His many film clips, some quite rare, add a lot to his presentations.

And for all of us who are fans of the hit PBS television show “Downton Abbey,” Alistair Bruce, the historical advisor for the show, tells us how he helps the cast and costumers be accurate to the period…whether helping them pronounce a word correctly or making sure that Robert Grantham wears the appropriate medals during the World War I.

Other activities include dance and language classes, bingo (on a very small scale), fitness lectures and classes, putting contests and bridge play. There are two bridge instructors on board, from Houston, Tex., but there are very few players. Table tennis,

Scrabble and other groups can meet on a non-hosted basis. Except for team trivia, it appears less than a dozen people show up for any of these events (as I said earlier, about 50 people show up for trivia each sea day).

The Spa seems to be extremely quiet. Procedures are pricey, as you would expect, and thus far they have not run any specials to boost its business. The weather is glorious outside, so there is even less reason to retreat to the spa,

But, for many, naps and reading seem to be the order of the day. This cruise is about relaxing and everyone is hard at it.

Photos by Chet Janssens

November 20, 2012