Following my new mattress happy dance, it was once again time to eat. We were served by waiter Rodolpho for breakfast and lunch today, and I can tell you that he is a joy. With 14 years of experience working for Princess, he makes it look too easy (which it most definitely is not). One of my favorite soups, gazpacho, was on the menu today. I had two. :-)
Next was a flurry of afternoon activities: G went to the Veterans get together at 1:45pm (over 100 attended, the largest group he'd ever seen), then met me at 2pm for a rum tasting. Afterwards, he went back to the hot tub while I went to the fitness center for a short weight workout and some serious stretching. Then it was time for a swim (really, a soak) which I enjoyed in the Terrace Pool. It's nicely heated right now (it must be about 86-88 degrees).
Tonight was formal night, so we dressed appropriately (and I noticed lots of tuxes and dark suits among the passengers) and went first to Skywalkers, where they served perhaps the best smoked salmon I've ever had, and then to dinner. I had what is typically my only beef of the cruise (beef tenderloins), and two large cuts were served...much too much. Steak like that would be pure luxury at home, but here I had to leave the second piece. It was simply too much food.
We attended our first show of the cruise tonight, the production show I Got the Music. It's our favorite, now that they've retired our old favorite Motor City (although the singers did do a 7-minute segment of that show in the Piazza twice last night, so we got our Motown "fix"). We didn't recognize any of the singers or dancers from previous cruises, but I thought they were all really talented. G thought that only one singer was strong through a wide range, so that goes to show what I don't know. Still, we both enjoyed it.
G, who slept until 8am and spent much of the day in a hot tub is still out and about, strolling around the ship. I, who was up at 6am and on my feet most of the day am not. Or maybe I'm just anxious to try out this new mattress. I am lying in bed typing this, and I can tell you it's incredible.
Tomorrow morning we arrive at our first port of call, Antigua. Somehow I've managed to fill three days of posts with just rambling; tomorrow the real fun begins. Weather permitting (and it's supposed to be sunny and 82 degrees), we're taking a local bus to a beach.
A local bus. On a Saturday (market day). I hope the fish is really, really fresh.
Photo 1: sunset tonight (after the early morning rain today, it was sunny and pleasant the rest of the day).
Photo 2: I Got the Music
The first post of each season:
- 15 nights Panama Canal 2021~Emerald Princess
- 22 nights Alaska 2021~Nieuw Amsterdam, Majestic Princess
- 140 nights Transpacific, Australia & South Pacific 2019-2020~Ruby&Majestic Princess
- Around the World 2018
- 37 nights Hawaii land trip 2018
- 31 nights Hawaii land trip 2017
- 80 nights Australia & South Pacific 2017~Golden Princess
- 17 nights Panama Canal & World Cruise 2017 Segment #1~Pacific Princess
- 14 nights small ship Caribbean 2016~Pacific Princess
- (Not 77, instead) 65 nights Mediterranean and Transatlantic 2016~Pacific Princess
- 60 nights Caribbean 2016~Emerald Princess
- 87 nights Polynesia 2015~Pacific Princess, Easter Island, Rarotonga
- 30 nights Caribbean 2015~Caribbean Princess
- 9 nights Mexico 2015~Grand Princess
- 96 nights French Polynesia 2014-2015~Pacific Princess
- 150 nights Caribbean 2013-2014~Royal Princess, Nieuw Amsterdam, Allure OTS, Emerald Princess
- 120 nights Caribbean 2012-2013~Emerald Princess, Noordam
- 14 nights Alaska 2012~Island Princess
- 100 nights Caribbean 2011-2012~Emerald Princess
- FAQs about spending winters at sea