Today was a fairly non-eventful day with good weather, though considerably chiller than we had just a few days ago. I started out wearing shorts but found the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace to be a tad too chilly and ran back to the room to change into pants and a fleece. Australia’s been having some really changeable weather, with Tasmania actually going from heat wave to snow (or maybe it was the other way around) in just the past few days. I have no idea what I can pack away and what I’ll still need on this cruise.
I had just fruit for breakfast, and a cappuccino with soy milk, and later joined G in the Concerto Dining Room for lunch (The Floret Family, of course). In between I started sorting through the voluminous paperwork we’ve accumulated this season that is not going home with us. I try to keep Most Traveled Guest photos and menus from getting mixed in with Patters and Shore Excursion sheets but am not 100% successful with that. And we keep way too many brochures and maps we get in ports to read through when we have time on the ship, which (no surprise) never happens.
After lunch, I visited Essence, the perfume and makeup shop on board, to take advantage of that ‘spend $100 in the first two days and get 10% off’ promotion. Since that is Australian dollars, it’s really quite a deal. I had scoped out what I might buy two days ago, checked prices online while we were at the Apple Store yesterday to make sure I was really getting a good deal, and had it perfectly calculated. Clinique Take the Day Off makeup removing balm and eye makeup remover, and two bottles of OPI Nail Envy in pale colors came to AU $100, just $81 after the 10% off plus my Elite 10% discount = US $55 for what would cost me around $86 at home. What a great way to spend some of our on board credit.
I met up with G in the Hollywood Pool area where we used the hot tub. Even on this itinerary, it’s nice to have that covered pool, another reason why this is the only Royal Class ship that holds any real attraction at all for us.
It was too soon time to get ready for formal night #999 of the season, and we went all out for this one, with G wearing his tux and me my dressiest formal outfit. And we had a nice conversation while we were dressing about how it will be nice to dress just once a day at home and stay that way all day. Not that we ever dress up much at home, but I think we will go out of our way to avoid it for at least a month. It won’t be hard...my most frequent outings will be high school basketball games, grocery shopping, the first of those ‘twice a year’ medical appointments and snow shoveling, none of which has a dress code.
We first stopped in the Elite Lounge in the Vista-less Lounge and then went to our table in the Concerto Dining Room...and momentarily wondered if we had gone into the wrong dining room (it wouldn’t be the first time). Waiters Cyril and Qing have been moved to another part of the dining room. Another transition...sigh. However, new wait team Maynard from the Philippines and Katarina from Ukraine are lovely and we will be well looked after.
It was Captain’s Welcome Aboard Champagne Waterfall night, and G stopped by for some champagne while I went to the Princess Theater to get seats for tonight’s production show, Encore. It is so good. The entertainment, especially the production shows on the Majestic Princess are among the very best that Princess offers.
And, finally, the one event today...I had a crown fall off for the second year in a row. Damn. This crown is less than 12 months old; this shouldn’t be happening, but I think the cement my dentist is using is not working, especially since G also had an issue with one a couple of years ago. I am left with discomfort, not pain, exactly, and the need to find a dentist in Melbourne tomorrow. It’s Naples, revisited, but somehow I feel pretty confident there won’t be a 10 cent charge to ride an elevator to the appointment. At home I would simply return to my dentist for a free fix, but things aren’t that easy when we’re traveling.
It’s always something. :-(
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 1
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 2
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 3
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 4