Sea Day #4

Routine has set in and before seven this morning we were un-creaking the old joints in the hot tub.  About a half hour of this and caffeine was next on our list.  We enjoyed the company of Carol who was with us on the Lanzarote tour.  She was very interesting and was a loyal Celebrity cruisers.  They have great benefits as she and her husband were Elite Plus!  Can’t go much higher up the food chain than that.

Carol was telling us about a Holland America Voyage of the Vikings that they took transatlantic both ways in August.  It sails from Boston and I have seen it before but Elva said she would be interested so I have my research assignment for when I get home to my precious, unlimited internet!  What a great trip that would be with no long flight involved. Bonus!

When I returned to the cabin the steward was just finishing making it up so I read for a while on the balcony.  A balcony is a nice addition to any trip since it gives you not only a little more space but more light in the cabin and a possibility of some separation if one of you wants to nap or read or watch TV and the other does not.  But I noticed when I walked in that there was a basket of treats on the desk.  I thought, oh a gift, as sometimes the travel agent will send one.  But then I saw the card and thought it read that it was $5 plus 15% gratuity to have these containers of M&M’s, Snickers Minis, Gummy Bears, nuts, and a short can of Pringles.  So I thought okay but then read it more carefully.  You guessed right…$5 for each of the five little containers.  Someone call the Coast Guard – this is robbery on the high seas!  For five dollars I would have thought, okay it is a sort of a gift or discount because of the level of cruising and would have done it.  But never ever for $26.25.  And what’s more, I kind of resent them placing a sales lure right in the cabin.  Good thing I read and reread the card!  Had I not seen it I would really have been mad!  On top of that from about nine in the morning until midnight, you can get a FREE cup of M&M Peanut, or Reese’s Pieces, or Sour Patch Kids, or Gummy Bears from the ice cream counter!  And potato chips are always available at lunchtime!  This ‘service’ idea is just dumb.  Surely no one falls for that!

I had some fresh fruit with my tea in the Solarium so walked awhile and then got a tea refill to take to the first and second trivia of the day.  We are holding at a solid second!  Now though, since I haven’t really had much today and have been up for six hours, I am going to have lunch before Progressive.  Some of the activities I was interested were scheduled to be pool side and since it is raining they will not be held.  That’s okay.  Totally relaxing day!

For lunch I had freshly carved steamship round, a salad and some of those free potato chips!  Then it came time for the Progressive Trivia.  Should I make a prediction?

Yea!  Our team, Five Smart Women, is in first place in the Progressive!  A good day today with 12 out of 15 correct and six bonus points!  Cross your fingers for us.  Not sure how many days we will play.

Soon after this was the Senior Officers Cocktail Party.  They seem to have a lot of free drinks parties on this ship and I am never one to say no to a free drink.  I discovered that I like a Side Car!  But the appetizers were not as good.  The music, however, was very good and it turns out that the cruise director has a quite nice voice and style.

We decided early on today that we would not go to the dining room but rather eat in the buffet.  I had a couple of chicken skewers and a big plate of mixed fresh berries.  I love raspberries and I am taking every opportunity to gorge myself on them.  Elva opted for the beef stroganoff and it was also delicious.  We ate on the aft deck overlooking wake glistening in the light of the full moon.

I stayed to chat with some people at the next table while Elva went back to the room but we met up at the main show.  The girl singer sang my favorite kind of music – show tunes.   And, since she had been the adult Cossette in the West End she and a couple from Les Mis, and other classics ending with a medley from Phantom.  I was happy.  I like that she was from Manchester and sang a ditty that reminded me of the music that my cousin Jack had once sent me. Clever slightly naughty words.

Next was tonight’s game show – Wheel of Fortune.  I can’t believe that our team came in for the final lightening round.  We didn’t win but we surprised ourselves at how well we did do.  Third out of 13 teams!

Next a cup of tea again in the moonlight and the water just glowed.  A stop to look at the giant globe on the Team Earth balcony.  Elva had not seen it so we reviewed some of the geography that our trivia team had gotten wrong.  The team is a little ragged as one person, bot me, tries to bulldoze everyone with her answer and she is often not correct.

Bedtime now.  More tomorrow about another sea day!