We could get used to room service and breakfast in bed to start the day. Once out of bed and dressed, our day with lectures as part of the Educational Opportunities portion of the cruise began a bit disorganized—we were given wrong time and wrong place to meet for the lecture. And, speaking of the lecture, the discussion of Paul’s early life was interesting, but too long at 1 hour and 45 minutes! Food, thus far, on the ship has been good. There are more young couples and children on this cruise than any other we’ve been on; thus, there is little to no room at the hot tubs or pools—another reason to choose “adult only” Viking. It really didn’t matter today as cool and windy weather filled the day; while it was too cold for pool lounging, it was perfect for napping, especially with the sound of water splashing against the ship! We are among the few passengers who did not buy the drink package, but those who did are certainly trying to drink “their money’s worth.” We are really liking the music on this cruise.

On Saturday morning, the Odyssey of the Seas sailed through a number of Greek Isles and into port on the Island of Crete.

The first stop was at a memorial cemetery honoring British, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers and airmen who were killed while fighting on Crete against the Germans during World War II.

There was also a stop to overlook the city of Rethymnon. Next was a stop at Arkadi Monastery, a fortress-like monastery whose history dates to Byzantine times. The monastery had one of the most beautiful gardens we’ve seen, simple but elegant as well.

We finished the excursion with a stroll through the distinctively ancient yet distinctly modern bustling Rethymnon which reminded us of a small version of Gdańsk, Poland.

In the evening we attended a show by a British group, the Barricade Boys, stars of the “Les Misérables” musical, live in concert. From fabulous harmonies and incredible vocals, the Barricade Boys blew us away with their one-of-a-kind vocal performance.