I survive my first night of late dinner. The seas are extremely calm with barely a ripple. I make the Windjammer just in time to get a waffle with strawberries. At 10 I meet my family for the cruise critic meet and mingle. Few passengers have bothered to register so Royal has reduced the best raffle prizes from three full sized bottles of wine to 6 oz bottles. I am not a wine winner but do win a travel bag that I pass to my daughter.
I complete my request form for a bridge tour, galley tour, theater tour, and a lunch with the officers. Of course I have done all these before, but one never knows what tidbits I will learn, and they are always activities held on sea days not port days.
The rest of the day is spent on a combination of writing, walking, or listening to an audio book. Some may have observed that a nap in the lounge chair may have been in order at times.
About 5:30 I change and head to the Concierge Lounge where I am to meet up with the family. Everyone arrives by 6:30, Eliza is allowed in even though she and her parents are not technically supposed to be. At 14 pounds she doesn't take much space and won't drink anything.
At 7:30 it is a quick trip to deck 5 for Eliza's picture with the captain, and some group photos of the entire group. No revenue for the photo company or Royal as our free coupons will cover more than what anyone wants.
Tonight is formal night, and even I am wearing a jacket and my favorite cruising tie, one covered with clowns. The waiter and his assistant are much better rested tonight. We are not the last table to leave the dining room, but next to last.
We all go to the 10:15 show of Paul Boland, the man with 1000 voices. Though a show definitely designed for a more mature crowd, my children acknowledged they knew 75% of the songs or people he impersonated.
Tonight we set our clocks forward 1 hour, the only clock change we will make on this trip as most of the US will have switched to daylight savings time while we are gone.
The seas remain very calm as we continue south easterly at about 18 knots.
When I wake, about 9, the skies are mostly cloudy, a few drops of rain are felt, but shortly the clouds give way to blue skies and sunshine. By afternoon the south easterly wind has increased, and the seas have incresed to 5 or 6 feet. We are headed almost directly into the seas, so the ship is very stable but the breeze across the deck is brisk and some spray is keeping much of the walking track on deck 5 wet.
The top tier party is at 11. 38 Pinnacle, 156 Diamond plus, and 289 Diamond passengers. The top cruiser has 1967 points.
I quickly change clothes for lunch with an officer. Last week there were only about 8 attendees. Karen really pushed this week to get better participation. I got no less than three invitations. Her efforts were successful, about 40 attend.
I am seated with the photo department manager, Carolee, and the Shore excursion manager. The food was typical, the conversation fun. Coincidently I learned Carolee was on the Freedom on the same cruise I was on that left Port Canaveral three times the same evening, having to return to port twice because of medical emergencies.
Adrienne has learned her dive excursion has been cancelled because of lack of participation. Not surprising considering the demographics of the passengers.
Eliza has decided that a trip to the beach is in order. Adrienne is now confirmed on a dive in Bonnaire later in the week.
While looking at the Aruba map trying to decide which beach to go to, a couple from Holland assist, and suggest a beach at one extreme end of the island. Adrienne isn't sure so I introduce her to Frank who has a time share in Aruba and has spent a lot of time here in the past 35 years. His recommendation, a beach on the opposite end of the island!
Everyone decides to pass on the show tonight. We try to go to dinner a few minutes early, but they are slow seating tables. In the end we are again one of the last tables to leave.
Half an hour of listening to Chester and it is off to bed.
The ship has had near negligble motion the past two days. In the morning we will arrive in Aruba.
No comments:
Post a Comment