I was up very early, before dawn, to take care of some business using the ship's wifi on our laptop. I divide my Internet time between the laptop and my iPhone, doing more on the latter than the former, but there are some things an iPhone can't do, and for those we brought the laptop. I've learned that important stuff (and this was important stuff) is best done between the hours of 11pm and 6am for the best speed and reliability. As more users log on, things slow considerably.
When I finished, I woke up G. We wanted to watch the sunrise this morning, and so we dragged on yesterday's shorts and t-shirts (clothes #1 of the day) and got coffee from the buffet right above our cabin and walked up to Deck 18 midship, where we sat on two loungers, covered up with beach towels to ward off the wind, and watched a beautiful sunrise.
Life is good. :-)
We then went back to the cabin to gather up our normal laundry to be turned in. This time, though, we wanted to have our formalwear dry cleaned for the first time this cruise. G de-studded his tux shirt, and we added it to the laundry bag, and I filled out a separate form for the dry cleaner, said a prayer for it's safe return and stuffed it into a paper laundry bag. We've never had our formalwear cleaned on the ship, but all the dry cleaning we've had done so far has turned out acceptably, so we're gambling a bit here.
Then it was time to shower (#1 of the day), change into clean clothes (#2 change of the day) and go to breakfast in the Da Vinci dining room on Deck 6. People often ask us if we get special treatment on the ship because we've stayed so long, and I find that amusing. We receive the same excellent service from the same crew that everyone receives. The only exception is that, in the open seating of breakfasts and lunches in the dining room, we are usually accommodated, without asking, at a table by a window and always at a table for two. We've told the headwaiters Francesco and Godwin that we like it that way when it's possible, but understand when it's not. Even if they have to re-set a larger table for just two, they make it happen for us. And we appreciate it!!
Breakfast consisted of eggs florentine for G and plain yogurt, All bran and mixed berries for me. We first turned away, but later rethought it and called back the pastry waiters, who walk around with large trays of pastries, breads and muffins. We usually don't succumb and get one, except at Christmas when they offered stollen every day, but today G pointed out that, a week from now at Panera, we'd pay $2.50 for a pastry and the same amount for a coffee and here we were turning it down. Rethinking it, G chose a pear danish and I got a bran muffin. Our waiter today, Dean from Croatia, has been friendly and personable with us since we first arrived. It was nice to tell him thanks and goodbye in case we don't see him again.
Leaving breakfast, we wanted to stop by the nearby Passenger Services Desk (PSD) to check our shipboard statements to make sure we've received all the on board credits we've earned, but the line was long there because of passenger questions related to a disembarkation form that had been placed in our mailboxes this morning. There is a special, shorter line for Suite and Elite passengers, but we don't like to use it. We get a lot of evil eyes from the hoi polloi ;-) when we "legally" cut in...it's just not worth it. We'd check back later.
We went out on the Promenade Deck for a leisurely walk around the ship. One side was sunny; the other in the shade, and we sat down on the sunny side for a few minutes and watched the sun sparkle off the water.
Life is good. :-). (#2 of the day)
I decided to attend a 10:15 Zumba class, and so went back to the cabin to change clothes (#3 change of the day) into fitness gear. I first began to Zumba last year on the ship and really like it. But I had other options this morning too:
-shuffleboard
-knitters and natters group
-Pictionary
-morning trivia (this trivia fixation on cruises is one I don't understand
-bridge lecture
-lecture on Opera
-arts and crafts class in origami
-complimentary advanced digital photography seminar
-csino class on blackjack, roulette and poker
-Powerball BINGO!
-and a Texas hold 'em tournament in the casino (whatever that is)
And all this before noon!
When I returned to the cabin after class, G wanted to go to a hot tub, so I did a quick rinsing shower (#2), changed into a swimsuit (#4 change of the day) and we enjoyed the sun, the soak, the conversation and the beautiful views off the back of the ship.
By then it was time for lunch, so we took turns showering (#3 for me) and changing (#5) and went to lunch in the Da Vinci dining room, once again next to a window. We won't have that view next week, of the sparkling water rushing by at 22 miles per hour- need to enjoy it while we can. We had a new (to us) waiter today, Aural from the Philippines. I didn't know there was waitstaff we still hadn't met!
Leaving the dining room, there were no passengers in line at the PSD, so we checked our statement, still have an issue and wrote a note to get it resolved. As we stood there, we heard Trevor Cole playing Michael Jackson on the steel drum one deck down in the Piazza, so we went to listen and dance a little (a couple of minutes), which G thought should be rewarded with a piece of fish from a fish and chips lunch at the British Pub Lunch which was just winding down. I sat with him while he ate just that- no French fries, and then went to 2:30pm line dancing class, which I haven't done on every cruise but should have. I really enjoy it.
Other afternoon options I didn't do included:
-movie poolside on the big screen
-different movie in the Princess Theater
-poolside steel drum music
-various pool games including volleyball and a sexy legs (men's) contest
-basketball shootout on the sports court
-putt putt tournament in the putt putt course
-blackjack tournament
-ballroom dance class: rhumba
-martini demonstration
-bridge lecture and play
-karaoke hour
-Princess pop choir rehearsal
-golf chipping into a pool
-and, of course, afternoon trivia
At 3pm we had a wine tasting in the Michelangelo dining room. Before we left, we had ordered afternoon tea to be served in our cabin at 3:40pm. Afternoon tea is available everyday in the dining room, but also in the Horizon Court, outside on the Promenade Deck, some items are available at the International Cafe, but one of our Elite perks is having tea served everyday in our cabin. We have never done this before on any cruise. We're not big room service people, and don't generally eat in the cabin. But, today, we decided to make an exception and try this. It was an unbelievable feast, which I'll cover in a later post.
Life is good. :-) (#3)
At 4pm I ran down to the library to pick up the book club book for this cruise. This month's book is "Canyons of Night" by Jayne Castle. All previous months' books took me three cruises to complete...that might be a problem this time, but I'll give it a try. Back to the cabin to enjoy a little more of the tea, and we decided there was no way we could go to Skywalkers for pre-dinner drinks (ugh) and hors doerves (UGH) and still eat dinner at 6pm. We were worried about eating dinner at all.
But, of course, we did. Another shower (#4) and change (#6), and then it was off to dinner in the Michelangelo dining room in Deck 5. Here our waiter since we arrived in November, Suttipong, made the expected concerned remarks when G ordered only a Caesar salad, a pineapple appetizer and cold soup for dinner and ice cream for dessert. I had fish stew and key lime pie. Sutti worries when we don't eat. We're worried too...our clothes barely fit. I foresee hard times ahead.
We went directly to the early show in the Princess Theater, a comedy magician who's been on America's Got Talent. Well, I have to tell you, Scott Alexander does have talent. I usually avoid magic shows but had heard good things about this one. It didn't disappoint. He was funny and fascinating and we're glad we went.
Life is good. :-) (#4)
Back to the cabin, shower (#5) and do evening ablutions. We're tucked into bed now. G is reading the Princess Patter for tomorrow; I'm going to go online to make these posts and check emails one final time for today. Then it's off to sleep. We have plans for a REALLY busy day tomorrow on Antigua!
And, no, we're not bored yet, or tired of the ship. We find the question hilarious (harious, JT)!