Halfway Across the Atlantic

We continued our eastbound journey across the Atlantic today, officially passing the halfway point between North America and Europe. The winds have remained strong, the skies gray and moody, with occasional rain showers sweeping across the decks. Seas are running around three to four meters — just enough to keep things gently rolling but not uncomfortable. It feels every bit like the open ocean: vast, wild, and wonderfully remote.

Indian Street Food Cooking Show

At 10:00 a.m., I attended the Indian Street Food Cooking Show in the Wajang Theater on Deck 4. The venue seats approximately 125 people, and around 40 guests attended — a cozy group for a culinary demonstration.

Our host, Executive Sous Chef Walson John Soares, prepared three dishes: Butter Chicken, Raita Sauce, and Potato Vada. The setup was impressive — he worked at a wide counter while overhead cameras projected everything clearly onto two large screens, giving us a perfect view of each step.

Chef Soares was engaging and confident, blending humor with helpful cooking tips as he walked us through each recipe. Though we didn’t get to sample the food (health regulations prevent that), the aromas drifting through the theater were wonderful — warm spices, cream, and the unmistakable scent of toasted cumin.

Tomorrow’s theme in the Lido Market will be Indian Cuisine, and while it won’t feature these exact dishes, we’re hoping for something equally flavorful.  You can download the Butter Chicken recipe HERE and the Potato Vada recipe HERE

Carthage to Casablanca: Lecture by Merge Gupta-Sunderji

At 1:00 p.m., I made my way to the World Stage for the afternoon lecture, part of the ship’s continuing enrichment series. The theater was nearly full, with only a few empty seats along the sides — a good sign that word has spread about how engaging these talks have been.

Today’s speaker was Merge Gupta-Sunderji, an accomplished professional speaker and author who blends leadership development with travel storytelling. She’s also the host of Cruising with Merge – The Fun of Travel, a blog and video series where she shares insights from her voyages and lectures around the world.

Her talk, titled “From Carthage to Casablanca: The Legacy of North African Civilizations,” was a fascinating journey through time. Using vivid PowerPoint visuals, Merge explored how ancient empires shaped modern North Africa — from the seafaring Phoenicians of Carthage to the Roman expansion along the Mediterranean coast, the rise of Islamic influence, and the later French and Spanish colonial footprints that still echo through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia today.

She has an engaging style — part historian, part storyteller — weaving together culture, architecture, and personal anecdotes from her travels in the region.

Evening Entertainment: Shawn McMaster’s “Magic & Mayhem”

After dinner, we headed to the World Stage for the evening performance, featuring Shawn McMaster in his show Magic & Mayhem.

McMaster is known for combining sharp sleight of hand with quick wit and plenty of audience participation. His style is a blend of illusion and comedy — fast-paced, slightly chaotic, and very funny. Throughout the show, he invited guests from the audience to help with tricks, often turning them into co-stars (and occasional comedic targets).

There were plenty of surprises, lots of laughter, and more than a few “How did he do that?” moments. The show struck a nice balance between polished magic and spontaneous humor. For his final trick, he transformed into Superman — revealing the guest’s chosen card, the King of Diamonds, emblazoned on his chest (see the photo at the top of this post). It was an unexpected and hilarious finale to a thoroughly entertaining show.

Shawn McMaster

Shawn interacting with one of the guests