And, as it should be, a freighter has been relegated to the bad dock. All's right in our world after all.
Well, almost. G has been successful in getting a cold that he's been working at for a few days. The timing is perfect...he's been slowing down at the same time I've been wanting to stay on the ship and use the Sanctuary, and it's really fortuitous today, as I can leave the cabin for him to rest and have somewhere nice to retreat to.
So, because of that, our schedule was a bit turned upside down today. I had cereal and fruit in the dining room and then did a load of laundry which I hung on the clothesline in our cabin to dry (good to put some moisture in the air). I then alternated between the Sanctuary and returning to the cabin to check on G and bring him some sustenance. It was hot and sunny early in the day, but as the afternoon went on, the skies clouded over. I felt sure that we were going to get some rain but, nope, it stayed overcast but nice the rest of the afternoon.
All on board time today was 3:30pm, with sailaway at 4pm. Usually, Barbados is a port where I wish our visit was a couple of hours longer, but not so today, first because we didn't get off the ship, but also because there were so many Christmas things on the schedule for the afternoon and evening:
10am and 5pm: that same A Christmas Carol movie with Jim Carrey on MUTS
5:30pm and 8:30pm: Emerald Princess crew caroling in the Piazza
7:15pm and 9pm: Holiday Wishes show with the Emerald Princess singers and dancers in the Princess Theater
7:30 and 9:30: Elf with Will Farrell on MUTS
8:15pm: reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by cruise director JJ in the Piazza
10:15pm: Christmas Eve interdenominational church service in the Princess Theater conducted by Father Thomas O'Donnell
11:30pm: Christmas Eve Catholic Mass in the Princess Theater
I grabbed a piece of pizza for lunch and took it back to the Sanctuary, and spent the afternoon 1.) staying out of G's hair (because when I'm sick I want to be left ALONE) and 2.) truly enjoying the relaxing experience. I won't say I'm good at this Sanctuary thing yet, but I'm making progress. I logged onto Internet and downloaded Christmas greetings sent via email and generally didn't feel even a bit remorseful that I would not be home for Christmas, which, if you remember the trauma of the early years of winters at sea, is major progress. Yay me!
I stayed in the Sanctuary long enough to enjoy afternoon tea...er, our 4pm sailaway. Now, I had forgotten that, once early on when we were sitting in the Sanctuary and G was looking around, he commented that the ship's horn was located right above. I gave it little thought; I thought I'd never be up there for sailaway because we generally watch sailaway from Skywalkers or the Promenade Deck...until today. I was happily consuming my second cup of tea after having consumed two glasses of cucumber water and was intently watching from the best seat in the house at the front of the ship while the Emerald Princess pushed away from its berth...and BLAST, followed by two more blasts and it was at that moment when I realized just how far it is from my chair in the Sanctuary to the closest bathroom. Yikes!
I returned to the cabin to find G up and showering for the evening, so a down day was just what the doctor ordered. We were sitting in the Piazza on Deck 5 (right next to that lovely gingerbread village) by 4:45pm, listening to Christmas carols being played on the piano and securing for ourselves a good viewing location for the upcoming singing of carols and what we hoped would be Christmas snow in the Piazza.
Well, there was more mist than snow (that really hasn't worked well on the Emerald Princess since 2010), but the caroling was fun and heartfelt (video to be posted later). By then, it was time for dinner with Darko, and I just wanted to eat healthily tonight and so had a watermelon starter with salmon and spinach as an entree. There will be plenty of time for splurging tomorrow!
We left the Michelangelo Dining Room and immediately went to the Princess Theater for the 7:15pm Holiday Wishes show. It was really nice; no huge production value but that was part of the charm of it. First the dancers performed in those cute holiday costumes we've seen in prior years, then three of the singers (and one of the dancers) sang. Next the passengers who were part of this cruise's Princess Pop Choir sang. Then there was a hilarious cruise ship parody of the 12 Days of Christmas with the Staff Captain and several members of the ship's company from different departments each singing a different part. Finally the little ones from the Princess Pelicans program came on stage to sing, with live music provided by the Emerald Princess orchestra. And it was fun to see all the re-purposed set pieces (like the stairs from What a Swell Party) and even the leather chairs from the Wheelhouse Bar on the stage. It was simple and fun and perfect for Christmas Eve.
We raced back to the Explorers Lounge (well, that's not quite right...Deck 7 was packed with people and still we had to contend with two sets of sales tables AND a photo backdrop) to see Timm Metivier, billed as a comedian-magician. (The things we do for love!) Actually, he wasn't terrible and was pretty good in parts, especially when a 9-year old passenger was asked up on the stage (THAT one has a real future in comedy!).
G had reached the end of his day, and we returned to the cabin to find a Christmas stocking filled with candy canes, mints and chocolates. I want to stay up for midnight Mass, but my contacts might have other ideas. Luckily, another one is being offered Christmas morning, early, before Santa makes his appearance. His route is being tracked from the bridge, and periodic update announcements will be made Christmas morning until he lands his sleigh on the ship.
;-)
