Here I have to offer another sidebar:
Our 17 year old Whirlpool washer died this summer, and we had vowed to not get it repaired when did. We had purchased a cheap, basic one, and our plan was to replace it when it broke beyond what G could fix. Unfortunately, the cheapest Whirlpool now was twice as expensive and the reviews were abysmal. We knew we didn’t need or want a washer with 14 wash cycles and four more downloadable with its WiFi. Soap, water, motion and a lid I could open after the wash started. That is all I needed.
We researched for a few days and kept coming back to Speed Queens which were more than four times as expensive as our Whirlpool had been but had a good reputation. That’s what we bought, and we’ve never regretted it. It has greatly cheered us that the washers at the hotel and here in the ship are…Speed Queens.
So, with the wash started I went down to the Allegro Dining Room for breakfast. I told waiter Sona from India that I would be leaving for a few minutes to move the clothes into the dryer, but by the time I had finished breakfast, it was all done. I think I will have to do it again on turnaround day. It’s hard to send out laundry to be washed later in this cruise when we’re changing cabins for next cruise.
G wanted me to sit with him on the Terrace Deck, and I lasted about ten minutes. It was oppressively hot and humid, the hottest weather so far. We did want to get a good look at the Carnival Jubilee, berthed perpendicular to the Regal, which allowed us a better view of the water slide area and roller coaster. To think we were on that ship two weeks ago…what a ride this has been, no pun intended.
We returned to our cabin which had a perfect view today, and I actually napped for about an hour. G found a light instrumental music station on TV and that kind of thing puts me to sleep every time.
We did get off and walk down that long pier late morning, just for some exercise and heat exhaustion, but returned directly to the IC where we had sandwiches for lunch. Music trivia was taking place in the Piazza, and it was songs from the 70s and very early 80s and everyone, playing trivia or not, was enjoying it immensely and playing along and it was a very happy place to be. What fun.
We stopped in Crooners on the way to dinner for a martini, and then ate lightly, having eaten lunch late.
Vegan menu ratatouille
Fennel salad
Veggie korma
Production show Fiera was being performed in the Princess Theater tonight, and getting a seat requires getting there very early, so we were. G spent the entire time we were waiting chatting with the guy seated next to him, so I grabbed his phone and finally (!!) Air Dropped 60 photos to my phone. He has an iPhone 15 Pro Max, while I have an iPhone 15 Pro, and his camera is a bit better than mine, so if we’re both wanting to take a photo of the same thing, I just let him do it. Not to mention that he is generally awake in the morning way before me and gets photos without as many people. I will add them back in to my posts over the next several days.
Which brings up this MedallionNet Max internet on the Regal. The speed tests are not impressive at all, but somehow it never fails to do everything we ask of it. I was uploading ten photos at a time to this blog yesterday, remembering the days when keeping a blog at sea was much, much different, and harder. And G streams video every night to put himself to sleep. We very nearly were on a 51-night South Pacific cruise on Holland America this fall, and I was the one who cancelled that. I just knew that, without good WiFi, G would not be a happy camper. Frankly, I wouldn’t, either. Reliable WiFi makes all the difference in our ability and willingness to cruise these days.
We made it an early night, and skipped the piano bar at the Wheelhouse altogether. Our cabin was cool, and when G opened the balcony door, every wall and mirror was covered with a layer of moisture. That is so bizarre. I’m much more familiar with sublimation, which is pretty much the opposite thing. While I love the effect the humidity has on my eyes, nose and skin, I’m not a fan of this cotton candy hair. 😳
