The skies are clear, the sun bright. Seas remain under 6 feet, almost directly on our bow, the best seas for passengers as the ship has no roll and just a minor slow pitch. Temperatures are to be just uder 80 for the next two days. As always, there is a chance of a passing sprinkle.
In order, our next six ports are: Ponce, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis; Castries, St. Lucie; St George's, Grenada; Bridgetown Barbados; and St John's Antiqua. Ponce and Grenada are ports that I have not visited before, at least I don't think I have.
I think every pool chair is occupied by a towel. Most of the passengers are from the northern states, and they can't resist working on thier sunburns. With our 17 knot speed, and the 25 knot breeze on our bow, the decks are breezy. There are a lot more children and younger passengers on this cruise. I am told it is school break time for some northern state schools.
Both the Diamond Lounge and Concierge Lounge were full at 9:30 this morning. I grabbed a bananna and an orange juice and moved to the Vortex to find a seat. About 75 guests attend the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. Again I don't get my reservation, but know where and when to go. The Royal staff member in charge says she will add my name for the next two cruises. After I reminded so many others to sign up, it is fitting that my registration is the one to get lost.
I select a couple of excursions for the ports I have never visited. As I was talking to the person at the excursions desk, initially the first was all sold out, but as we spoke someone cancelled and two tickets became available. Not all of my luck is bad.
Tonight is formal night, the menu is the same as the last cruise, and the same menu rotation will continue for the next month. I don't know whether it is hangovers, the effect of it being formal night, or the result of this guest and others having a conversation with the head waiter, but the table behind me is more respectful of the rest of the dining room tonight.
I know this will come as a big disappointment to others in my family, but savory bites are nowhere to be seen, and the cheese rolls are scarce. My waiter has confirmed that sometimes savory bites are available on special request. I order an apple pie for dessert, it has always been good and something I never have a home. My surprise when I am served a four inch round pastry. The waiter tells me this is the "new" apple pie, and I have the first he has served. The flavor is of apple pie, but it is now mostly crust with few apples. I am sure flour cost less than apples.
The Concierge Lounge is busy but enjoyable tonight. The bar tender forgot his keys and when he returned with them he had difficulty opening the locks, so he is late setting up and serving guests. Several guests offer to help, but our offers are ignored. A little later in the evening a passenger manages to close the fire doors. Fortunately JJ is in the room and knows who to call to get them opened. I doubt any of the passengers could have figured it out. They just can't be manually opened.
Motion of the ship is slight, and continues throughout the night. We turn our clocks ahead one hour, where they will remain until our return to Port Everglades on Feb 22.
I sleep for over 10 hours, a common occurence almost every night while on a ship. I have thought about adding pitch and roll to my bed at home, but just cruising is easier.
The top tier party is this morning, I get to say Hi to Carly, the cruise Director I got to know last year. On this cruise there are 42 pinnacle, 244 Diamond plus and 317 Diamond passengers. The top cruisers have 1944 points and have been on the ship over 3 months.
The skies were a little cloudy first thing this morning but soon cleared. The decks remain breezy, but all the lounge chairs are covered with towels or people being burned by the sun. There is a little motion to the ship, but not enough to make her creak and bang.
The rowdy table is back in action tonight in the dining room tonight. Fortunately they don't arrive until I am almost ready to leave. As we leave together, the people at both of the tables next to me stop to say something to the head waiter. He says he will address the problem, I am doubtful.
I catch the 8:30 production show and retire for the night. Tomorrow we are in Ponce, PR and I have an early tour.
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