The first post of each season:

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Evening- packing :-( rain :-( and a Broncos game :-)

Anyone who cruises has heard the joke: when seas get rough, the sober passengers stagger down the hallways while the drunk passengers walk a perfectly straight line.

There may be just a little truth in that joke.

I'd been trying to finish off the box of wine we bought on November 17th all afternoon. One box = three bottles. Having to push a bit to finish the equivalent of three bottles of wine in three weeks? You can tell that drinking is not our forte.

We left Princess Cays this afternoon in a huge squall, with high winds and high seas. This ship was jumping as much as it has so far this winter, especially up in Skywalkers, where we went for pre-dinner hors doerves (but not drinks...I had already consumed three glasses of wine). Walking from one side of Skywalkers to the other was like walking uphill...then downhill...then uphill. I waltzed around with a grace I've never before exhibited. I felt like a dancer.

We took another You Made the Difference card to Skywalkers, this time for fruit carver Gerry, who prepares the gorgeous (and I mean GORGEOUS) display of hors doerves we enjoy up there every evening. Gerry said he'll still be in Skywalkers when we return on the 17th, and we're happy about that.

It was wonderful to be able to say to Suttipong and Somphong, "See you in 10 days!" Headwater Mirko is going home for the holidays, but even he'll return before we ultimately leave the ship in March. He assured us that we'd have the same table and the same waitstaff when we return. We can't imagine it any other way.

We skipped the show in the Princess Theater and instead went up to MUTS to see if it was going to be dry enough to watch the Broncos game outside. It was still pouring. Damn! The first Broncos game of the winter on MUTS and it's rained out. I then checked the Patter; the game was also going to be shown in the Conference Room on Deck 6. Sitting in a chair in a conference room to watch the game is far less appealing than reclining in a lounger under the stars and being served warm cookies, popcorn and fresh pizza. We decided to see how our packing went before making a decision about watching the game inside on Deck 6.

We then returned to our cabin to finish up our packing. Well, l finished up my packing. G started his. The only place for me to be to be out of the way is sit on my bed, and so that's where I am, typing this as G packs.

Those people who can drive to a cruise are lucky. Very, very lucky. Packing tonight without regard to airline limitations and security restrictions such as suitcase weight or liquids in carryons is so much easier, it's like an entirely different exercise.

And now, thrills! The Broncos game is available on our cabin TV. No need to sit in the rain, or in the Conference Room. We can even order pizza from room service if we want it (but we won't- we're still stuffed from dinner). As I type this, the Broncos are up by 10 and Champ Bailey just intercepted.

Life is good!


Photo 1: the Emerald was listing in the wind as left Princess Cays today. Check out the angle of the horizon on the webcam.

Photo 2: 30 seconds later, heavy rain obliterated a view of the horizon at all

Photo 3: Princess Pop Choir (comprised of talented passengers), led by cruise staffer Ryan, performed in the Piazza this evening....

Photo 4: and drew a crowd.

Photos 5 to 7: some of Gerry's creations in the Elite Lounge in Skywalkers. The roses are carved from turnips!