Today unfolded pretty much the way that anyone who’s been on a cruise where they had to go through US immigration at a mid-cruise port could have predicted. As a result, there were also the predictable stirrings of discontent among some passengers.
A few words of advice to those people who thought immigration went badly this evening: don’t ever cruise in Asia. This is an everyday occurrence on Asian itineraries.
The day to that point was wonderful. It was like any other sea day. We had brunch mid morning in the Sanctuary Restaurant and then spent some time under a heat lamp on the back of Deck 9. The weather was sunny and beautiful and not quite as windy as yesterday.
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| Smoked salmon the way Dad used to make it! |
Apparently we’ve passed that point in the cruise where I feel free to resume the online shopping that I’m so good at, knowing that we’ll be home before items get delivered (except for Amazon; it’s still too early for them). So what did I order today? A golf sweatshirt from a golf website that was in my feed. Now, I’ve never golfed in my life (putt putt excepted) so why this appeared in my feed and why I felt compelled to order it is unexplainable. But it’s different and cute. And I should have it early next week.
And we’re off!😁
Captain Arma announced in his noon update that the Port of Los Angeles would not be greeting us with fanfare and fireboat sprays after all, and that just sucked the air out of the ship in a hurry. Still, party band Asian Soul was playing on the Lido Deck as the Star Princess sailed into San Pedro for the first time ever, and the weather was sunny and in the high 60s, so it was a beautiful afternoon.
And then the immigration lines and delays started. We avoided the brouhaha and enjoyed SaxWave Duo playing on the Wake View Terrace, and then sat and chatted with saxophonist Nick from Romania afterward until it was time to go to dinner. We weren’t especially hungry (we are never especially hungry anymore. I have no idea how people eat at specialty restaurants every single night), but we each had an entree and I had flourless chocolate cake for dessert. And then we lined up for immigration which was only bogged down a bit until we got into the Princess Arena. Once we reached the front of the line, it took about ten seconds.
Some people who went through immigration starting about 4pm and then left the ship were surprised to find out that they could not re-board until the entire ship had been cleared. Oy vey, these things never go easily, do they? I’m glad we didn’t make plans to get off the ship until tomorrow.
We are skipping entertainment tonight because I am so chilly that I just want to crawl under the covers to warm up. The ship is quiet and stable, and I think that will make for a good night’s sleep.
