For the for-sea-able future
It’s kind of lovely to experience many ‘at sea days’ consecutively. It is what we love most about cruising because they are always so relaxing. My morning commences with a slow stretch in my cosy bed. The curtains block out most of the light and all you can hear is the swish of waves as we cut through the waters ahead of us. Sometimes there’s the occasional person who slams a door (for some reason best known to themselves). I guess they consider that because they’re up, everyone should be. Anyway back to my cosy stretch.
Stephen will be exercising his heart out on the Elliptical or striding it out on the Treadmill, waiting for my message on the Royal app to tell him that I’m about to join him. This isn’t my favourite part of the day, but if I want to enjoy three courses at dinner, it’s a necessary one.
There are all sorts of people in the gym, but the one thing they all emulate is that absorbed look which prevent them from acknowledging anyone else in the vicinity. Sometimes, there’s an annoying pump class or personal trainer who is yelling instructions to some willing bodies on yoga mats and this is happening as well as loud music along with the steady tread of machines being used. Today, I thought; “just imagine if all that energy on treadmills could be harnessed to drive the ship - like hydro-power - that would make sailing greener!”
So, half an hour on treadmill and weight bearing exercise to bring me up to the hour, so that I can wave goodbye to 100 kilojoules. Now comes my favourite part of the day. My breakfast. We sometimes go up to the Windjammer cafe on deck 14, but it has always been a bit of a hustle to find a table or get to a counter where the food is. I like going to the Crown Lounge - a spot set aside to honour our loyalty and that of other’s. Here, I will pay homage to my love of smoked salmon. I am happy with a few rolls of this with cream cheese and capers and perhaps a good coffee and a slice of Vegemite toast to follow for my morning sustenance. They ran out of Vegemite at Windjammer - what a travesty! I said I’d auction my personal talisman packet, but there were no takers.
At the moment there is more than a few people coughing and wearing masks. It looks like Covid has woken up again on a cruise ship and is racing around to meet as many people as possible. Of course coughing over your shoulder into someone else’s face is sure to make introductions faster. We have 3/4 of our trip to go and don’t want to get sick - so we’re swallowing anti-viral tablets as quickly as we can and employing our elbows at lift buttons and stair bannisters to keep from picking up left over bacteria. I saw a guy get off his piece of equipment at the gym today. I was waiting to use it but was astounded that he didn’t feel as if he should wipe down and disinfect the spot he’d just left and the handles he’d just grasped. Some people have such gross personal habits.
So the Ship’s Calendar says that there’s Trivia at the Schooner Bar after the Ribbon roses class which I’m going along to. Perhaps I would like to learn how to fold a towel animal? Maybe, but for the life of me, I cannot think when I’d need to do this again! Flow rider - not today thank you. They did have a first responders get together which was self-led, but Stephen skipped this. Maybe we will participate in the Shuffleboard competition - I’m known in most Baggo circles as a tough opponent, maybe I can put those back muscles to good effect, by pushing the shuffle across the deck.
But not today - I’ve just remembered. The shuffleboard game is located on Deck 15 where the running track is and today there will be people queuing along there. Soon, Immigration officials will join our ship to check us all out face to face. US and Canadian citizens can proceed down the Starboard side of the ship and be checked off - they have numbers from 1 - 7. All non-US or Canadian citizens get to proceed down the Port side of the running track into the Sea Plex complex for their face-to-face. We are part of Group 30, along with goodness knows how many others - we won’t be called until 4.30 this afternoon. Let’s hope our faces are still acceptable by then!
So the Ship’s Calendar says that there’s Trivia at the Schooner Bar after the Ribbon roses class which I’m going along to. Perhaps I would like to learn how to fold a towel animal? Maybe, but for the life of me, I cannot think when I’d need to do this again! Flow rider - not today thank you. They did have a first responders get together which was self-led, but Stephen skipped this. Maybe we will participate in the Shuffleboard competition - I’m known in most Baggo circles as a tough opponent, maybe I can put those back muscles to good effect, by pushing the shuffle across the deck.
But not today - I’ve just remembered. The shuffleboard game is located on Deck 15 where the running track is and today there will be people queuing along there. Soon, Immigration officials will join our ship to check us all out face to face. US and Canadian citizens can proceed down the Starboard side of the ship and be checked off - they have numbers from 1 - 7. All non-US or Canadian citizens get to proceed down the Port side of the running track into the Sea Plex complex for their face-to-face. We are part of Group 30, along with goodness knows how many others - we won’t be called until 4.30 this afternoon. Let’s hope our faces are still acceptable by then!
The ship is in Port the day before Honolulu disembarkees get off in order that this immigration process can occur. There are more than 4,000 people on board who need to meet officials for our personal face-off so we’re in for a long, long wait. After we’re found acceptable to walk on US soil, we can go wandering in Waikiki. Will our feet feel like it? Who knows.
Give me ‘at sea’ days any day.
Give me ‘at sea’ days any day.