November 7, 2005 - Tea time on the Promenade deck, port side

I mentioned tea time earlier. Coffee and rolls were served on the Promenade deck, port side, each morning for early risers (e.g. me!) and before the buffet breakfast.

Tea time (a British custom) was offered each day around 4:30PM. The British tend to eat their evening meals late in the day, such that tea time is a small meal between lunch and dinner. Dinners aboard the Sea Cloud tended to be late, always 7PM or later, and tea time satisfied the hunger one might have at mid-afternoon. Tea time included coffee/tea/juice, small sandwiches, cookies or cakes and a few other goodies.

Tea time also served as a social time during which passengers could interact, or simply be a time to get out of your cabin and into the sun and fresh air.

Each morning, by the way, the early risers would gather with their fresh coffee and look for dolphins swimming along side the ship. The belief is that dolphins have a form of sonar and are attracted by the sound of the ship's engines. They are incredibly fast swimmers, who not only could swim along side the ship, but frequently dart away, do some jumps in the sea and then return to the side of the ship. What a delightful way to spend the early morning coffee break!