Day 18: At Sea

We didn’t know what to expect today, weather-wise. Hurricane Melissa (or maybe it’s still just a tropical storm) is causing lots of trouble in the DR and Haiti with winds and excessive rainfall. The Regal Princess was sailing on the north side of Hispaniola, so it was mostly protected from the storm. We had a warm and muggy day with passing showers, and no extreme weather at all.

The abundance of coughs on board have made me reconsider the lectures I enjoy so much in the Princess Theater, and I planned to watch them later in the cabin. Instead, we spent a lot of time on the Horizon Terrace where there were also coughs but I convinced myself that they were being blown away by the breeze. The day was far more pleasant than we had initially believed it might be.

We skipped lunch in the dining room and I had another fajita salad in the Horizon Court Buffet. I love those; I think it’s because of the shredded lettuce that makes them so easy to eat when I’m sitting in a comfy chair on the Horizon Terrace. I get a deep soup bowl, fill it halfway with lettuce, then fill the rest of way with chicken, peppers and onions, and top it with salsa, guacamole (no cheese or sour cream) and all the broken tortilla chips I can find in the bottom of the serving bowls. Yum!

Naturally, Melissa was quite the topic of conversation on the Horizon Terrace today. Few people believed we’d actually get into Grand Cayman as scheduled in two days; the rest of us figured we wouldn’t but a few optimistic souls felt that another port would be substituted. There’s nothing out here. Jamaica is also under warnings and the next closest (Cozumel?) is already full of ships 365 days a year. So we waited…and appreciated the fact that we were being kept so safe from the havoc being wreaked just a couple of hundred miles away.

A couple of people have emailed me commenting on my healthy diet. Don’t let them know that I just discovered that the oatmeal cookies on board don’t have raisins. Raisins in baked goods are an abomination until the Lord, and, absent them, these oatmeal cookies are the bomb.

These small square bowls (stacked next to the warm desserts) are perfect for holding 3 or 4 cookies (2 oatmeal for me, 2 peanut butter for G). Easily transported for consumption on the Horizon Terrace. Dangerous!

We were sitting at dinner in the Symphony Dining Room just after 5pm when G commented that the captain was surely going to tell us something soon when-boom- he made an announcement to do just that. Of course, we’re missing Grand Cayman; the port is actually closing, so this wasn’t a Princess decision to make. No one seems too bothered by it.

The Buddha bowl from the vegan menu. Delish!

The Princess Theater entertainer tonight was a vocalist singing some female rock anthems. We sat at the very top of the theater and left early when the coughs got too scary.

With just four sea days remaining, we’ll have some time to consider our packing list for our next cruise, also 21 days long but without the temperature variations that we’ve had on this cruise. I’ve challenged myself to do it with just a carry on and backpack, which I’m pretty sure I can do. And then, who knows? Can I manage seven weeks with just the same? It’s good to have goals!

Day 17: St. Thomas

We could have predicted how today would go, with St. Thomas being the first US stop on our itinerary. Yeah, it was all that, not that we were one bit bothered by it, but it was a pretty difficult morning for many passengers, US and non-US citizens alike.

Which leads me to today’s lesson (and look at my St. Thomas post from last fall too, to see the same message): if you’re on a transatlantic crossing and St. Thomas is your first US port, AND there is something you have your heart set on doing, book a Princess tour. If you read about our experience last year, you’ll see that we escaped the chaos by being escorted through immigration in order to make our ferry’s departure time for a Princess trip to the island of St. John. Many passengers today waited in lines of over two to three hours which stretched from the Vista Lounge to the forward elevator lobby and back around to midship.

Book a Princess excursion. Or do what we did, which was hang out on the Terrace Deck until they made a last and final call. It was a walk through then (about noon), though the line for non-US even at that time still stretched around the Vista-less Lounge and back to the Wheelhouse. Frankly, I don’t know if the CBP agents are even being paid right now, and when I thanked the agent who checked us into the country for being there, she actually hugged me, so I think it’s not been easy for them.

Once we received that valuable ‘get out of jail free’ card, we simply walked off the ship into the shops area of Havensight. We hadn’t planned to do that (walk off the ship without so much as a credit card on us), so when the newly opened Hampton Inn right on the pier was giving away water bottles, I did take one. Actually, I first thought the lady said that they were THREE (as in $3) and didn’t have even that much in my pocket, but then she said again that they were FREE and I picked one up since I am never usually without one when leaving the ship. Which prompted G to joke (as one antagonist accuses), “Those Yellows are always trying to get something for free”. And then we laughed and laughed, as we always do when we make that joke.

There’s only so much shopping you can do when 1) you’re not a shopper and 2) you have neither cash nor credit card on hand. We did walk around until we got too warm, took note of the current taxi fares and Paradise Point gondola price ($30pp) and were back on the ship by 2:30pm.

We grabbed a Horizon Court Buffet lunch (again with the fajita salad for me) and stayed on the Horizon Terrace while first the Carnival Vista and then the Zuiderdam sailed, and finally the Regal Princess followed at 6pm.

CD Aaron made an announcement at that moment reminding us that tonight’s Princess Theater performances were going to take place at 6:30pm and 8:30pm to accommodate the 80s deck party at 9:30pm, and also that the show was an Elton John tribute act. I hadn’t realized that, and though we thought we’d skip tonight’s show…Elton John!! G stayed on deck, but, dressed as I was, still wearing the shorts and T-shirt I’d worn off the ship, I raced to the Princess Theater and got one remaining seat, front row, stage right.

Sure I had heavy coughs on either side of me, and felt like I was sealing my own fate…but Elton John! “The” Jason O had a heckuva show, so very good that after the show, I decamped to Club 6 hoping to catch a little Thursday Night Football on one of the screens (none!), and then returned to the Princess Theater to await the 8:30pm performance. Yeah, I do love Elton’s music, especially my all time favorite song, “I guess that’s why they call it the blues” (which I’ve always considered to be the military spouse’s anthem). But I also appreciate really good piano entertainment, and enjoyed the horn section getting downright jiggy during “Crocodile rock”. Again with the coughs; we’re at the two week mark now and they have exploded on the ship in the past couple of days. Will I escape unscathed? Stay tuned.

That got me to 9:30pm and the start of the 80s deck party so I swung across the Lido Deck on my way back to the cabin. It was fun, but G was already asleep and I didn’t stay out too late.

On an unrelated subject, we met blog reader Jim from Canada today, who thought he recognized first one of us and then, when he saw us together was certain. It was wonderful to meet him and he’s cruising in Australia soon, which is a destination close to my heart. It brought back another Caribbean memory, with us returning to the ship after a full day on shore, salty, sweaty and sandy, and definitely tipsy when someone riding the elevator with us asked, “Are you G?” yet having no idea that this mess standing next to him was me. Fortunately, I was a little more put together today to meet Jim.

Next up: two more sea days. Can’t get enough of them! We’re loving this so much!

Day 16: Antigua

Regardless of how much we enjoy the sea days on a transoceanic crossing (a LOT), there is something very exciting about finally reaching land. And when that land is the beautiful island of Antigua…well, that makes for a really good day.

It was mostly sunny today with a few billowing clouds, and hot, but not as humid as I recall it being when we stopped here last year on the crossing. We were in port with the Grand Princess, which I believe is doing cruises out of San Juan. It was fun to see the ship again for the first time in over ten years, especially as we are booked on it next year. We took a good long look at the back decks, as we have booked our favorite cabin just inside from the Terrace Deck and will be living back there.

After breakfast in Snobatini’s, we gathered up a few things for a beach day (yay!), much easier to do since, unlike when we spent the winter in the Caribbean, we didn’t bring floaties, cooler, snorkel gear, beach mat or uninsulated bottles full of ice. Just two towels, eye drops, sunscreen and, as always, an inhaler.

Walking off the ship to find a taxi, we instead found a water taxi making trips to Dickenson Beach. G had just this morning said he wished we could find a harbor tour with a little narrative on the history and forts surrounding the harbor, so, bam, two birds with one stone. Emron and Rocco told us we were the first two large ships in port this year (the Regal was last year, also), so I think their business plan still needs some hashing out, but for $10pp (same as a taxi) we got a most enjoyable ride to the beach, passing Fort James and Runaway Beaches on the way.

As we passed the remains of Rat Island Fort, Emron pointed out that it was totally unrestored and no one went there. Au contraire! Click on the Rat Island Fort label on this blog to read about the time I was dragged through foot high undergrowth on one of our forced marches. In fact, we have walked along both sides of St. John’s Harbour in the early years of this blog. Lots of memories today!

That water color!

Dickinson Beach was busy today. I can’t imagine it when there are three ships in port. I was a little concerned about what the current price for two chairs and umbrella rental would be. What used to be $20 or $25 is now $30, not too outrageous. Beers and rum punches served out of a cooler were $5, and for under $100 we had a most enjoyable day.

We’re no longer doing forced matches (well, at least not right now), and other changes these days include the helping hands extended my way to climb up and down ladders and my compulsion to survey the wave breaks on a beach to determine the most level point of entry and exit. Damn, time really is marching on. But we both returned to the ship in one piece, a smidge more colorful (though not burnt) and very happy with the way we spent our day.

Emptying pockets of wet currency, dumping sand when we peeled off swimsuits (at least I had the good sense to do it in the shower, unlike the Antigua visit years ago when I dumped a sandbox on the carpet and wrote a note of apology to Ambrish, something he remembered years later), returning to the ship ravenously hungry after spending the day in the water and skipping lunch…yep, we’re in once-familiar territory again. Pure joy.

Money laundering- more memories

Back on the ship, G went directly to the Terrace Deck but I simply had to shower the grit off of me. We had already decided to skip the dining room tonight to watch from the open decks as both the Regal and Grand Princess sailed. We believe that Antigua sail aways are the prettiest ones in the Caribbean, rivaled only by those from Crown Bay (no longer used by Princess). I got a fajita salad (my favorite buffet food) and chips and guacamole and joined G in the comfy seating on the back of the ship.

We heard the Grand’s sail away party, watched as it slowly released its lines, and then were confused as it put a few a back out. Whatever the reason, it did still sail just before we did, after some horn fanfare back and forth between the sister ships.

Shortly after we sailed, we crashed in the cabin. Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was another antic-driven show, and it was easy to pass on that.

As for the state of our cabin…a fan was run in there all day and the carpet has pretty much dried in the bedroom area and is only a little damp near the bathroom. The shower has held up through two uses, so we think the issue is resolved. The worst casualty was my beloved green silk kimono, which has been on nearly as many cruises as I have. Somehow yesterday, in the blast from the fan that ran for hours while we were out, it partially slipped off its hanger, got wrapped around another hanger, and a foot long gash was ripped in its side. Fortunately it ripped along a side seam, and I believe I can repair it if I re-cut both side seams to even it up. Not happy but resigned. These things happen. Complimentary dinner in a specialty restaurant would be welcomed, but no recompense has been forthcoming. We are lucky that it displaced us once we had arrived at a port and not while we were in the midst of multiple sea days.

And ending on a different note…

It’s the next morning as I prepare this post, and I was in Sabatini’s well before G this morning. Somehow I turned on the microphone about the time he showed up, and it captured our conversation, which was all me since he was still half asleep. Here you go; an intimate look at our life on a ship.

“They’ve been coming over to check on me every two minutes and then I said don’t worry about me over here, but I know you wanna get coffee. He probably saw you come in and is bringing it. I’m so happy I enjoyed yesterday so much. It almost has me thinking we should go back to the Caribbean a little more Although that’s the best of the islands I mean that really is Dominica Grenada St. Lucia not so much. We got the best I mean, yeah did you see what I sent you about Mexico last night. We gotta be really careful. I mean, actually especially since he’s blowing up drug boats with perhaps innocent people maybe they’re drug boats maybe they’re fishing boats we don’t know we no longer care in this country but anyway I suppose they’re particularly sensitive about that right now for me thank you but I know he’ll thank you so tomorrow we have a bridge tour I don’t know what time that is, but I’m sure it’s at a time that will not have us getting out of bed at 6 o’clock in the morning. I put the laundry out this morning. You look wonderful babe. Your the best looking guy on the ship, except for that Argentinian piano player in Neptune‘s groove with that ponytail, he would give you a run for your money”.

Run on travel opinions, political commentary, ego boosting and verbal lusting from Yellow Fish in the morning.

I mean.

😆😆😆😆😆

Day 15: At Sea

Today at sea was rather uneventful, at least until dinner time, with a few fun activities thrown in. Breakfast in Snobatini’s accompanied by stellar service, lunch in the Allegro Dining Room accompanied by stellar service, dinner in the Symphony Dining Room accompanied by stellar service, yada, yada, yada…you know the routine.

I went to a 10am enrichment lecture on the cultural and historic importance of the Silk Road, which I found fascinating. A fellow guest said she thought that the speaker was a bit too professorial in style, but that’s exactly what I like most about her. Well, that and the fact that she presents such interesting topics.

Peppered throughout today (and yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before…), the discussions about if and where to travel beginning in January have been non-stop. Who else spends hours on a cruise deciding where to go next? These are basically “escape winter” cruises, no new ports for us and we may just stay on the ship in the ports that are offered. Therefore, it really doesn’t matter to me where we go, and it really came down to preferred ship and cruise length. Today was a final payment day, and, in the end, we decided to stick with our original plan, booked a few months ago.

For those wondering, it looks like we’ll be on ships for another 63 days this winter, possibly more, artfully shoehorned in between holidays at home and indoor track championships. Sadly, I may not do any further blogging this year. Just considering playing hooky makes me positively giddy, thinking about what I might do with an extra hour in every cruise day.

Today’s lunch in the Allegro Dining Room featured the pub lunch menu, which makes us both happy. G always chooses the fish and chips while I love the curry.

We went right from lunch to the Princess Theater to get “good” seats for the finals of The Voice of the Ocean. One of us is quite particular about our seating for that show. And the other is a very good wife. The singers did a brilliant job, all six of them, but the final one, a man from Anchorage, just blew us away with the opening notes of “You Raise Me Up”. No surprise…he won with a whopping 74% of the votes.

And here the day took a little turn. It was formal night, so we returned to the cabin to get showered and dressed for the evening to find it flooded. It was clear the issue originated in the bathroom, but we weren’t sure exactly where. We could see water coming up out of the shower drain, and it had overflowed the bathroom and run into the bedroom area. It didn’t appear to be sewage (thank God!) but we weren’t certain if it was clean or grey water. Someone from housekeeping responded to our call pretty quickly, and we sat on the beds as he called for backup. When he left to get a shop vac and a plumber, we threw on dressy clothes and fled the cabin.

We returned to a fan in the cabin (removed overnight, but I suspect it will be there every day until we disembark trying to dry out this carpet) and the issue, a burst pipe in the utility cabinet behind the toilet, repaired. Now we just have to refrain from tripping on the pool towels covering half of the floor in our cabin during our middle of the night bathroom trips.

I splurged tonight at dinner and we split escargot and I soaked up that delicious garlic butter with a garlic roll. My day was saved!

We had a dearth of entertainment options tonight, a mentalist in the Vista-less Lounge and a gymnastics duo in the Princess Theater. Well, it is the fifth of five days at sea, after all. We chose the mentalist and he wasn’t awful, and then, because we just felt too grody to mingle on a formal night, what with our nonexistent ablutions tonight, sat on the Horizon Terrace listening to the ship’s wake for awhile. And that is where I discovered the ship, which features a new brand of tea bags (Eilles) has rooibos tea. Rooibos tea! My favorite! Do all the Princess ships now have that brand of tea onboard? I hope so.

We move clocks back an hour tonight, and then tomorrow…land ho!



Day 14: At Sea

Breakfast in Sabatini’s

Morning destination lecture on Liverpool

MTG luncheon in Sabatini’s

Afternoon matinee performance by the Womacks

Dinner in the Symphony Dining Room

Production show Born to Dance in the Princess Theater

Princess World Orchestra in the Piazza

Today was about as perfect as a sea day gets.

I don’t usually go to breakfast on MTG luncheon days, but when breakfast is in Sabatini’s, I make an exception. Still, I limited myself to orange segments and mixed berries, just to get something in my stomach for that morning vitamin taking activity.

I got cleaned up early for the luncheon, and then went to the Princess Theater for Cruise Director Aaron’s talk on Liverpool, his home city. They have been presenting destination talks on cities obviously not on this cruise’s itinerary, just to fill the days, and today’s lecture served to whet my appetite for a trip to Liverpool (and maybe not by cruise; we’ve long talked about doing a land-based British Isles trip).

Lobster starter

I was so excited by my scallops entree that I forgot to take a photo!

Delicious for coconut lovers (we are)

We had missed singing duo The Womacks when they first performed a couple of nights ago, and so were happy to get a second chance in a matinee performance at 3pm. From there we had 30 minutes for a lie down before heading off to the PES Lounge and then dinner.

The lighting in this afternoon’s show was so impressive!

We had no right to eat anything for dinner, but Roxana had told us last night that she would be making penne arrabbiata again tonight, and there is always, ALWAYS room for arrabbiata. We even enjoyed one scoop of orange sorbet, because that’s another favorite.

Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was production show Born to Dance, my current favorite on the Regal. We got front row seats more than an hour early and the theater was full more than 30 minutes before showtime. Luckily, this one has the Times Square video lead in, and we were kept occupied watching for our favorite people (the penguin guy and the speedo and cowboy hat guy) to appear. Based on the LG GS phone ad in the video, we think it dates back to 2012.

Unfortunately, there was some technical issue with the video so it was closer to 8pm that the show began, and it was still lacking the backing video which made the stage a bit dark, but the cast persevered and, in reality, it provided more of a connection to the cast because there was nothing else to look at in the background. But it was harious to see CD Aaron do all but tap dance to keep the audience entertained while we waited.

We exited from the theater into the Piazza for the Regal Princess World Orchestra. It was very different from the rock concert on the Ruby but so much fun as we took a musical trip around the world, finishing up with Hey Jude and Uptown Funk. It was a very good evening after a very, very good day.

As predicted, the time changes are starting to catch up with us a little at the end of the day, as 10pm was 3am just a few days ago. Still, with just two more changes remaining before we arrive in Texas, I will miss our 25 hour days.

And, finally, the Blogger app and Hotmail worked again for me. I’m pretty sure it was a geographic issue. I was quite happy about that; I thought it would take cell service in St. Thomas to get them working again. I remember last year on the crossing I lost access to my bank accounts for a few days and then it magically reappeared.