Today was our last day to sleep in for the next few days (sailing into French Polynesian ports mandates that we be up and on the open decks very early), but we still didn’t. G wouldn’t want to miss his daily appointment with the Liars Club and I decided I was hungry enough for breakfast today, too. We met in the DaVinci Dining Room when it opened at 7:30am, and G presented me with my daily Patter and also commented that we were getting very close to Tahiti and might actually spot something today (we didn’t). For days we’ve seen nothing, not a freighter, not a jet contrail, no land...not a thing. Cruising to Australia sure provides a perspective on the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. I can’t imagine doing this crossing in a small sailboat.
Naturally, I had to go on to sailwx.com to see exactly how close we were to Tahiti.
Getting closer!!
(at 8am)
Nelvin continues to spoil us at breakfast in the DaVinci Dining Room. Asking for fruit brings us a slightly different treasure everyday, all of them just so beautiful. I’ve also gotten hooked on the smoked salmon rosettes. I love smoked salmon, but at home it is a rare treat.
Breakfast fruit by waiter Nelvin
My new favorite breakfast
We were reading our respective Patters over breakfast in the DaVinci Dining Room this morning
when G mentioned that this match between the Raiders and the Roosters
was going to be on MUTS tonight. I thought he was teasing me until I saw it for myself.
I’m not certain I’ve ever heard of a professional sports team called the Roosters...
but there are the Virginia Tech Hokies, which are kinda close. ;-)
Let me take a minute and talk about cruising with unlimited WiFi. It is the best thing that has happened to cruising in probably forever. Oh, how I have struggled over the years to publish a blog post every night, and photos were the most stressful of all. Re-reading what I had published, fixing my many errors...I simply couldn’t afford to use internet minutes to do that. But cruising with MedallionNet unlimited WiFi is a whole different sport. It not fast as at home (in our case, with our 200+Mbps download speed, not even close), but, so far it has done everything I need to do. Blogging has become far more pleasure than pain, and I am so thankful for that.
Now, if it all goes to hell in a handbasket when we reach Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand, I’ll be sure to come back and complain about it. But I remember once, on the Pacific Princess, when a headwaiter told us that sailing on that small ship removed all the tension from cruising. He was exactly right; there was never a line for anything, no need to arrive early to get a seat for shows or events, always loungers available on the Lido and Promenade Decks. It was just about perfect. Unlimited WiFi on board is exactly the same way. It removes all the stress from staying connected on board. I think my heart rate would speed up whenever I was on the internet clock; now, I fall asleep mid-blog post and don’t even worry about it. I’ve often said that, if it wasn’t for internet and missing people I could cruise forever. Well, the internet issue has been solved and it actually allows me to stay in touch, in real time, with friends at home...it’s a brand new world for us. If it wasn’t for that money thing, I might be able to do this for several more months each year.
Still creatures of habit, we returned to the DaVinci Dining Room for lunch (salad and spaghetti puttanesca for me).
Day 12 lunch menu, page 1
Day 12 lunch menu, page 2
After lunch, I was determine to finish watching Elton John biopic Rocketman, so I returned to the cabin to do that, wash out a few things and give myself a manicure, and then I joined G in the Deck 17 hot tub. It was a beautiful day, not as windy as yesterday, but that hot tub was definitely not hot. It wasn’t even warm. We set off in search of a hotter hot tub and found one in the Calypso Pool area. The movie Shazam 2 was playing on MUTS and I was kind of surprised at all the people sitting around the pool watching it. G got interested enough in it that he’s watching it right now in our cabin as I type this.
We started the evening in Club Fusion for the Elite Lounge, where we were joined by Paul and Marlene and Captains Circle host Angela. We got to dinner a few minutes late, but no worries; our table by the window was waiting for us.
Dinner with a view (and look at that blue water!)
Day 12 dinner menu, page 1
Day 12 dinner menu, page 2
Day 12 dessert menu
Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was a variety show with juggler Dan Bennet and singer Tricia Kelley and we just weren’t feeling it tonight. I was freezing and couldn’t face sitting in the even colder Princess Theater for 45 minutes waiting for the show to begin. I brought several tropical tops to wear and end up covering them all with a fleece or pashmina...and I’m far from the only one. Maybe when we get to the chill air of the South Island of New Zealand, the ship will finally warm up. Instead we’re in the cabin, with G watching the movie and I will read as soon as this is published. But not for too long; the alarm is set for 5am tomorrow so we can be on the open decks watching our arrival into Papeete, Tahiti.
I am SO excited!
Day 12 Princess Patter, page 1
Day 12 Princess Patter, page 2
Day 12 Princess Patter, page 3
Day 12 Princess Patter, page 4