This cruise is similar to the two we did in late November- early December in that we have cruised at this same time in a prior year. In the case of these January cruises, we've taken these 10 day cruises, at least two in a row, for several years now. We see the same people every year, and it is a lot of fun to get caught up on events of the past year. We had lunch today with a couple we know who are so much like ourselves when it comes to cruising that it was almost comical. What we call "easy" cruises, like these, requiring no research about the ports, they call "no brainers". They also spreadsheet their planned cruise expenditures and call the cruise ship their second home.
Friends may think we're nuts, but we are definitely NOT alone.
After lunch, G went to the veterans get together on board. Once there, a member of the cruise staff asked him if he'd like to lead the gathering, he's been there so often. And so he did, and based on the number of people coming up to him this evening and thanking him, he must have done a great job of it. He said it was the largest such gathering he'd ever attended, and all ages from WW II veterans to soldiers recently returned from Iraq were there. We really appreciate that Princess offers these gatherings.
Meanwhile, I started going through my mail that we received two days ago. G had separated it into piles, and it was either start tackling it or sleep standing up tonight, as the bed was covered with piles of envelopes. It was so fun to open all the Christmas cards, and thank you for all the lovely sentiments that we should continue to have fun, and especially those telling us to do it while we're young. We HOPE we're doing the right thing. Certainly no one has ever told us we're doing it wrong, that we should save our money for a fancier model of wheelchair in our old age. ;-)
The afternoon turned rainy, but that was okay. We continued to make our way through mail and to make a list of phone calls we need to make tomorrow from St. Thomas. Luckily, we had no big surprises in the mail, and getting through all of it will certainly ease our return home.
It is a formal night, and our chocolate covered strawberries were delivered at 4pm. We went to Skywalkers for pre-dinner drinks and conversation, and then to a wonderful dinner. Afterwards, headwaiter Antonio, waiter Suttipong and junior waiter Flora brought me a birthday cake with a candle and sang to me. (We skipped dinner in the dining room last night for the Broncos game). It was very appreciated, especially as we've begun to think of them as friends. We then went to the Captain's Welcome Aboard champagne party in the Piazza, and are now up in the Adagio lounge on Deck 16 listening to relaxing, beautiful live piano music (photo 2).
Another great day. And, no, we're not anywhere near tired of it yet. Instead it's becoming clearer to us just how much we will miss these people and these experiences when we return home.
Tomorrow: St. Thomas
