Today we raised the art of doing nothing at all to new heights, and combined it with too much excellent food. Despite having skipped the Princess Theater performance last night, we stayed up watching an impressive lightning storm for the second night in a row. I slept in a bit this morning, and finally went to Sabatini’s for just a cappuccino. It was Most Traveled Guest luncheon day, and I wanted to be hungry for it.
At 10am, 12 of us met with Director of Restaurant Operations (and I’ve just this moment decided that henceforth he will again be known as the maitre d’, because whoever came up with that name clearly doesn’t type blog posts) Rui to discuss tomorrow night’s Chef’s Table. It will not begin in the gallery, as Chef’s Tables used to, but in Vines wine bar, where we will enjoy hors doerves and champagne. From there we will move to the DaVinci Dining Room and the menu will remain a secret until the chef shares it with us tomorrow night. Rui is so funny, he told us not to have afternoon tea tomorrow! I will take it one step further and eat until noon and then not at all.
We squeezed in a quick visit to the Sanctuary before it was time to get ready for MTG. As on the Majestic Princess, the senior officers could not be seated with us at the tables, but many of them came and were introduced by Loyalty Coordinator Janelle. We did have paper menus today (we hadn’t on the Majestic Princess), and the menu was outstanding, as usual.
Appetizer
G’s filet mignon
White chocolate and passion fruit dessert
We weren’t in the DaVinci Dining Room for lunch, but I snagged this menu off the Ocean Concierge website since the menu portion of the Medallion app STILL doesn’t work. Grrr…. We had quite a spirited discussion over lunch about the Medallion app. It’s amazing how opinions flow much more freely without officers present. đ
Day 7 lunch menu
We didn’t waste a second after lunch in joining our doppelgänger friends in the Sanctuary, which, with only 6 or 8 people total, has to be the most relaxing experience on board. If I move a muscle to do anything (i.e. raise or lower the back of the lounger), one of the Serenity Stewards (really, that’s what they’re called) is at my side in a flash to do it for me. After 18 months of self sufficiency, it’s nice.
The watermelon starter was delicious
Not even a smidge hungry, we still went to dinner, just to see Anil and Verna. We both ordered two starters and stopped at that. After a quick change, we were up by the Calypso Pool to watch…wait for it…the Broncos play the Browns on Thursday Night Football.
Broncos football. On MUTS. On the Emerald Princess. Could life get any better?
Yes. The Broncos could have won.
At the start of halftime, I temporarily abandoned my lounger to go to the Princess Theater for tonight’s production show, Rock Opera. This is a brand new, never before performed on Princess show, and I had been looking forward to it all cruise. It was fantastic! I mean, any show that starts with The Greatest Show and ends with This is Me has to be good. The costumes were creative, the cast was accompanied by part of the Emerald Princess orchestra and the strings duo who play primarily in the Piazza and there was additional male lead singer who will perform in his own show later this cruise.
I’ve never been a fan of the wide leg stance but it seems to be de rigueur for the males in this show.
I returned to the game in the 4th quarter, just in time to see Denver score a TD and get my hopes up, which were quickly dashed. That’s okay, I’d rather watch them lose on a cruise ship than at home. I mean, it’s never a good sign when the QB limps onto the field at the start of play.
And, finally, at the suggestion of Cruise Critic “friend” Thrak, I Googled MEAT recovery to see if that might help my knee more than RICE-ing it is. My search returned several articles on how to most efficiently separate meat from bone in the slaughterhouse industry and my first thought was, “Good grief, it’s not THAT serious, is it?” But then I found that MEAT in a physical therapy sense means Movement, Exercise, Analgesics and Treatment. I’ve made an appointment for when I return home, so treatment has to wait, but I figure the 5-6 times each day I walk the entire length of this ship has to satisfy Movement. I’ve cruised on the Emerald Princess since it was first launched, and never has that corridor seemed quite so long.
Day 7 Princess Patter
