We had seen quite a few of our fellow passengers by this stage, and more as we explored the boat as we left Southampton. Many of them were wandering around with life jackets which seemed like a lack of trust particularly as there's fewer icebergs around nowadays. However they were the wise ones ahead of the game. The first event was the muster, and if you were smart you and your life jacket got a comfy chair in good time. I looked around at my fellow shipmates, thought how old the average age was - then realised I was in their age bracket. Sigh.

The "Artemis" had a number of diversions to help one pass the time, especially on the two days sailing to get to and from Norway. There was (to me) an unexpected series of art auctions on the boat. I saw a Chagall among the artists' names, so only for the few with money to burn. Also for those with surplus funds there was a casino, again not that popular but a few apparently lost real money (or to me real money.)

More our level was the board game section, where we did play "Scrabble" once or twice. Sadly close to the open atrium bar lounge area which was unpleasantly smoky. A bar pianist named Geza plied his trade here. The "Artemis" had a cybercafe - rather pricey and probably a week off computers was a good idea for me. There were gyms and saunas and pools. From time to time a "Sunshine Band" played music to dance to - elderly couples moved pretty gracefully around.

There were some pretty good evening entertainments. We passed on the comic (heard he was rather blue,) but enjoyed a spirited young company working their way through music hall songs to Elton John. On the music hall night we got Union Jacks each to wave. Pleasing to me were some piano recitals by a Mary Bruce - she was quite informative about what she was playing. She played something by a Finnish composer I hadn't heard of which sang.

I managed in a suit for the formal evenings on board, some dressed up to the nines. At one of these formal evenings we met, or were photographed with, the captain. The pictures cost £15 but it was our first cruise . . . the photographers were one way of putting money on your tab onboard. The ship also had sales of souvenirs, and jewellery, and perfume ... the photographers were at times rather intrusive. Meal times could be invaded by photographers wanting you to pose for them.

Eating was a major part of being on the boat. You could have breakfast, elevenses, lunch, fourses, dinner each with multiple courses. To enter the palaces of food you first had to have a pungent hand cleaner squirted onto your palms. (This ritual was also practised on boarding the boat.) At evening meals we sat at the same table, other times it was pot luck where you would sit and who you would eat with. The food was artistically laid out, and mostly tasty. Perhaps the portions were small, teaspoons were handed out for the ice creams, but you could have five courses if you felt like it. The quesadilla wasn't quite right, the Crepes Suzette flambe was too brandy infused, but the rest was great. I preferred the Coral Restaurant to the Conservatory on the top, though it was nice to eat in the Conservatory and have a window seat to view the fjords gliding past. The ship did the travelling overnight between the ports of call.

It was in the restaurants I really appreciated how many staff were onboard, and how hard they worked. Many staff came from Goa if I understood properly. There were five hundred staff on board, for about a thousand odd passengers. Kindly there were instructions on tipping in the room - hard to know otherwise. It must be hectic particularly when the Artemis disgorges one set of passengers to collect another load the same day. At least some of the staff take advantage of being docked to go out and see places.