October 07, 2021

Day 5 - Cozumel, Mexico

During the night we cruise to our next port of Cozumel. No motion and no noise, this is definitely the smoothest ship I  have ever sailed.

I have no desire to go ashore. Adrienne and Steve plan to shop for some vanilla. Often a mission when in a Mexican port. 4 or 5 bottles? I will learn later.

This port is usually quite busy and often has as many as 8 ships in port. Today there are two, The Celebrity Edge and the The Celebrity Summit. 

The seating area on deck 4 in the Grand Plaza has become a popular spot for conversation, reading, and working. Did I say working? Yes there are at least 6 people here "working from home"  One gentleman has been conversing with people all morning, some sort of technical support I assume. Zoom or what I don't know. For privacy and respect for others he is situated in the most remote corner of the room.

Another gentlemen that looks to be 25 or 30 not only has a laptop but a second display and a foldable desk mechanisn that permits him to work seated or standing. He has two personal assistants at his side at all times. They adjust his pillows, set up his computer system, adjust his chair, etc. Drug lord, business executive, influencer, I have no guess and won't ask.

The beverage staff supplies a steady stream of coffee. A service I doubt most would have in an office building.

I often have observed people working from a cruise ship, but usually in the form of someone writing a book. No question that the pandemic has permanently changed the definition of working from home. Oh, me typing my blog, I do not consider working.

Cabin stewards are trained to do things certain ways and arrange things so there  is consistancy throughout the ship. My cabin has no less than14 pillows, 10 of which are piled on the bed, barely leaving enough space to sit.  Every day I pile all the pillows in one corner of the cabin. The next morning when he makes up the cabin, they are redistributed back to the bed and sofa. Repeated day after day.

Today I won! He only put two pillows on the bed, and left the rest piled in the corner. Easier for me and easier for him. Everybody won.

Adrienne and Steve return with 6 large bottles of vanilla. A successful shopping trip after a 3 mile walk in the hot muggy sun. About 5 pm there is a brief shower and a large rainbow over Cozumel. I suspect nearly all passengers had already returned to the ship.

The Summit leaves port 30 minutes before us. The captains have fun exchanging blasts of the ship's horns.

Cozumel fades into the distance as I head to dinner in the Tuscan dining room. Veal Cordon Blu is on the menu.

After dinner I sit in on a quiz game in The Club, listen to live music in various venues around the ship and call it a night about 11. There are probably 30 other passengers still scattered around the various venues. Definitely a more mature crowd.

Tomorrow is our last day at sea as we head to Nassau.