Day 8 is a sea day. Today it’s Kel’s 50th birthday. Tomorrow, we will arrive in Cork, Ireland, where we plan to visit Blarney Castle. I woke up around 7:30 a.m. and met my friends for breakfast at 9:00 a.m. I enjoyed pancakes and scrambled eggs. After breakfast, Tommy and I headed to the theater for a presentation about the behind-the-scenes workings of life on a ship. It was quite fascinating.

After the presentation, Tommy and I joined the rest of our group in the adults-only retreat area to enjoy the hot tub. It was a delightful experience, especially with the chilly wind outside. The warmth of the hot tub was inviting, but stepping out into the cool air made us appreciate it even more. We dried off quickly before heading back to our room to get dressed and prepare for lunch.

I wasn’t very hungry for lunch since I had recently eaten breakfast. Nevertheless, I decided to try the bangers and mash. It was decent, though I wasn’t particularly fond of the sausage. I ended up leaving some of my lunch uneaten. For dessert, I had bread and butter pudding. I’m not quite sure how I managed to eat it all, but I felt incredibly full afterward.

Tommy, Kel, and I are currently resting in the room before we prepare for formal night. Tommy is sorting through the pictures he’s taken while Kel and I watch the movie, “Airplane. ” I’m also writing my journal.

I just returned from dinner at the Crown Grill on the ship. Tommy and I shared a large steak that was simply too much for us to finish. It was quite delicious! For dessert, I indulged in the triple chocolate treasure, but I couldn’t finish that either. It seems I rarely manage to clean my plate!

The formal night went well; I managed to keep my shoes on for the entire evening. Last formal night, my feet hurt so much that I had to take my shoes off before we even sat down for dinner, but this time, my feet felt much better.

Now, I’m going to watch a video before heading to bed since we have an early day planned for tomorrow.