G was up and off the ship for a short jog before I even left the cabin. I met up with Jere and Johnny on the Panorama Terrace and we were soon joined by G. The day was already very hot and sunny, and none of us felt a great urge to rush off the ship. Still, G and I eventually did walk down the long pier (the Crystal Serenity was on the other side of the pier) and used the free WiFi in the Tourist Information tent at the end. We next walked through several shops in the port city of Fort de France looking for a local newspaper in English that Greg (of Suzan and...) had asked us to get him when we had met up in Fort Lauderdale. We found the paper, called Le France Antille, but it was not available in English. To my request, I was advised to use Google Translate to translate it into English. Um...thanks.
We continued to walk all along the waterfront, intending to visit the imposing Fort James overlooking the harbor. However, when we got there we discovered it was closed. We walked back to the ship, picking up our pace a little because it was nearly noon and it was HOT, even along the waterfront! And it had been even worse in the narrow city streets where there wasn't the strong breeze we were feeling along the water. It felt heavenly to be met with a blast of AC when we walked up the gangway, and, once in our cabin, G even turned down our thermostat as low as it would go. It had been set pretty much right at the midpoint since we boarded in October, except for a few really chilly days in Europe.
We went to the Panorama Buffet for lunch and didn't even sit outside on the Terrace to eat. The AC felt too good. And that was it for our day off ship; we never did leave it again. Instead, I actually napped a little this afternoon, and read, and generally recharged myself for the two more beach days that lie ahead. We went to the PES Lounge for sailaway and then to dinner in the Club Restaurant, where escargot was not on the menu but was served anyway (no 's'). I hadn't had it yet this season and was running out of time so I indulged.
The entertainment tonight is again ventriloquist Kieran Powell, apparently recovered from the awful seasickness he (and most of us) experienced that awful night before the Pacific Princess arrived in Bermuda on the crossing. G went to the 6:45pm show but I opted out, wanting to start this post. Our plan is to listen to Jere Ring play at 8:30pm and then go to the 50s and 60s party in the Pacific Lounge beginning at 9:15pm. A slow day today has left us with energy to party like it's not a school night, and, at this point in our season, that's an amazing thing.