Day 24: At Sea

Today, finally, the weather warmed enough that the whole feeling on the ship changed. It went from being interior-focused to ocean-oriented. We went up to the Terrace Deck right after breakfast to enjoy another cup of coffee or two (love this Lavazza coffee!) and when we first stepped outside, there was a gentle mist falling. We found two chairs under the overhang, but within a few minutes the rain stopped, the sun started to appear and so did more people. By the afternoon, most of the loungers around the pool were starting to fill. 

That realization that you ate breakfast in the dining room…and ate more breakfast in the buffet…and ate more breakfast on the Terrace Deck…and have no business eating lunch but you still do. 😱

We were enjoying the quiet instrumental music and the sound of the wake on the Terrace Deck so much that we ended up skipping the 10am enrichment lecture we had intended to get to and just stayed out here, soaking up the sun. While we were there, there was a group of ukulele players and singers (fellow guests) sitting in the back of the buffet, playing and singing. And that’s when it hit me…I’m not sure I can ever really master the ukulele because I truly can’t sing a note. The family joke is that my mom pushing me into piano lessons at age 5 was an act of re-direction. 😆

We stayed outside until nearly noon, reading about the winter storm marching across the country. It sounds brutal, it’s quite a change for those at home, and we feel we are finally getting our money’s worth, weather-wise, on this cruise. 

I’m not sure why, other than we could, but we went to the Botticelli Dining Room for lunch (just soup and salad), then to our third ukulele class. Dare I say it was a little easier today, or at least less painful?  Considering that, going into today’s class, I’d only had ukulele in my hands for 90 minutes total in my entire life, it gave me great hope. I think I’m going to buy one when I get home. Yes, I’m enjoying it that much. We actually learned enough chords to play You Are My Sunshine today, and, except for the fact that I was always a measure and a fret and a finger off…yay me!

Ukulele class must exhaust us, because we returned to the cabin and chilled for a while. We went to the Elite Lounge and then to dinner where we gave our window side table to our neighbors celebrating their 54th wedding anniversary today. 

A beautiful surprise in our cabin when we returned this afternoon

Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was a comedian juggler, and note this date on your calendar because we went, sitting in the “just in casiest” of the “just in case” seats…and stayed for the entire show. Mark Nizer was actually really good, and between his LED lighted objects and lighting director Mustafa’s (from Turkey) artistry, it was a beautiful show to watch.

We are back in the cabin watching the enrichment lectures we missed today when we played hooky to stay outside. Tomorrow:  shorts weather and more sunshine. Stay safe and warm at home!

Oh, and BTW:  24 hour laundry turnaround twice so far this cruise!!!