Slightly disturbed night with the ship pitching and jarring quite a lot at times. Not like being in a small boat but definitely noticeable. Had breakfast up in the buffet looking out at the stormy grey sea. It's about Force 8/9 with a 6m swell. The promenade deck is closed. Decided to keep ourselves active and try some new things on this voyage. So we began by going to Beginner's Bridge this morning. We learned the rudiments of Mini Bridge today - quite enjoyable. Then straight on to Beginner's Spanish. Having learned French and Latin, I found this much easier than a lot of people attending who clearly weren't used to the concept of conjugating verbs. So we learned greetings and how to introduce ourselves and others. Yo, me llamo Alison. El, se llamas Bob. Como te llama? And variations along those themes. J Maybe by the end of the cruise I will be beyond my current restaurant Spanish level.

Attended a meeting of the Cruisecritic forum than I'd been a member of in the run in to the voyage. Nice to put faces to online names! I daresay we'll be seeing a fair bit of each other.

Began to feel a bit queasy to be honest about this time so didn't go for any lunch. This may have been a mistake because then I felt even queasier. It really was quite rough. The crew had deployed sick bags all around the ship which seemed indicative….. People were staggering around as if drunk.

At 2 Bob and I both went to the Art Class. We were each provided with a £20 watercolour kit: paints, easel, brushes, pencil and pad and had an hour's lesson painting a countryside sunset scene. The art tutor was fantastic. The last time I tried to paint was in school when I was told I had the artistic ability of a 7 year old (I was about 16!) and I don't think I've ever used watercolours. Anyway, I was amazed to produce something that looked like trees against a sunset sky. Especially given the fact that the lesson was on deck 13 in the bow, possibly the rockiest place on the ship and I was feeling pretty grim. Anyway it was good. By the end of the cruise we will have had 70 lessons and will therefore have 70 paintings! Bob and I will be able to have our own exhibition on Folkestone sea front along with the Tracey Emin and Yoko Ono works already there.

Feeling pretty rough by the end of the lesson and went back to the cabin for a sleep for a few hours. Seemed the wisest thing to do. Felt a bit better. Went to the port talk on Madeira and a funny one about the 60s. I could finish all the advertising jingles which just goes to show how they stick in your mind.... Early, quick dinner. Walk around the inside decks which we hadn't explored and an early night. Still Force 8 outside but the swell seems less.