Last updated 12:44, Thursday, 20 November 2008

SHIP AHOY: Betty Merritt (left) and Maureen Hughes

NOVEMBER 16

THE price of a bottle of wine on board is $38.People on board include The Bootleg Beatles, Roy Hattersley, Commodore Warwick – who was in charge over the Cunard fleet before retirement, the former hostage Terry Waite, and also of course, Betty and Maureen!

There is a small section of the ship on the upper deck, where you can smoke.

Went to Rome yesterday. However, due to a catalogue of events we nearly missed the ship.

Today was Naples and Herculaneum, the town next to Pompeii that was also buried by the eruptions from Mount Vesuvius.

The captain’s cocktails were very good. Betty is off to another cocktail party this evening.

The weather is lovely.

About eight people on board have had handbags and credit card stolen, while ashore.

The evening wear on this ship is exquisite. There is loads to do on ship, I am off to Mass.

We try to go to church every night. The priest is a star turn and joins in all the fun. Everyone is very friendly, and we all mix very well.

NOVEMBER 18

This morning, on deck, I met a man from California wearing a BAE jacket.

Apparently his company in the States has been taken over by us Brits – now there is something!

We were on deck early this morning as the ship was being welcomed by the people of Malta. The tugs put on a water display.

The Maltese turned out in droves and I was waving the Scottish flag. My father was decorated with the Maltese Cross, and he spent many years on this island.

We had a six-cannon gun salute from the battery casement. The band played merrily as we docked. It was very touching.

We are having a grand sail away this evening, and all will be up on deck waving goodbye to Malta. This evening we sail for Alexandria.

Betty has been invited to a wine tasting event tomorrow afternoon and to sip champagne with the captain in the evening. Me, I will be in the champagne bar crying into my soup. Poor little me!

Samuel Cunard, our little Casper, keeps moving things in the cabin. However we can cope with that.

Tonight is another semi-formal dress night. What glamour. The ship has beautiful fresh floral displays every day.

As I type, the camera crew working on board are filming us – will they spot my spelling mistakes?

We have taken loads of snaps, however, this old lady does not have scanners on board to send you snaps. The film crew have filmed the lady who has lived on this ship for 15 years. She was working the computer when they called. She said that it was a time for a change – her husband died on board during 1999.

She looks very good on all those years of constant cruising.

Small talk is around this old ship and her two new rivals, Queen Mary and Queen Victoria. Neither will ever compare with this grand old lady. Ships at every port turn out in their droves to say goodbye. It is very emotional. Each time she sounds her horn to say goodbye. The neighbouring ships all sound their horns in reply, and it is very rousing.

You really have to be here to appreciate the atmosphere of the splendour of this entire cruise. Malta is the last British port, so this will be a tear-jerking experience.

We had a wonderful lecture on the Cunard fleet from Britannia in 1734 to Victoria in the present day. Apparently Victoria is nicknamed “Vicky no drawers” due to lack of storage drawers in cabins.

The captain has just passed by. We have had our picture taken with him.

Security is very, very tight. We have SAS officers on board. On leaving Lisbon, special forces officers were in kayaks keeping all craft away from the ship.

Cheers, B&M