Shifting Gears

Allegedly everyone and everything has a price and we proved that today when we sold 2 hours of our time for $125!

When we were at the Buick Open PGA tournament recently we were approached by a timeshare company that offered us one of several incentives to come listen to their two-hour sales pitch.  Since one of the choices was a check for $125 and we had nothing better to do, we took them up on the offer and made an appointment for this morning.

The timeshare is owned by a large hotel chain and is located about 5 minutes from Len and Stacey’s so it wasn’t a big inconvenience this morning.  The resort is beautiful and the salesman wasn’t too annoying but we knew going into it that unless we got an unbelievable offer (unlikely) we’d take the $ and run – and that’s what we did.

Despite the fact that we can deed it to our kids, we hate to put the burden on them of how to split it among the five of them!  Sorry kids.  And even though we could have written them a check for a great package, it was the little “hidden” fees that really started turning us off.

I’m sure we’re not the first couple to show up with no intention of buying – and I’m also sure what we received has been factored into the timeshare prices.  Just think what they would cost if they didn’t have to pay people to listen to their spiel!

Fortunately we were done in 2 hours so Len and Burl could meet Ron for a round of golf.  I took off for the gym and then walked the long way home and enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the patio while I basked in the sun.  Not a bad job if you can get it!

Tomorrow we point the truck east and go to Phoenix where the world’s greatest dog will be waiting for us.  Can’t wait to see Mulligan again!  Hope he missed us as much as we’ve missed him.

Back on dry land – no more gently swaying with the boat – no more endless food offerings – no more nightly turn-down service – no more ocean view out our cabin window – just reality!

We awoke about 6:15 and watched the ship dock in San Diego.  I had charged my iPhone overnight so we went to Lido Deck and called some of our kids to let them know we were back.  Stacey was already at the Carlsbad airport getting ready to fly to Miami for work but Len assured us he’d be in the cruise terminal parking lot around 9:30 to meet us.

About 7:30, all six of us gathered in the main dining room for our farewell breakfast and for Burl and Ron to finalize their golf plans for today.  We knew we would debark by zones (we were zone 5) but had no idea when our zone would be called so we cleared our cabins and went to Lido Deck to wait for an announcement.  Our wait was short and soon we were heading down the gangway and into the terminal where we got our luggage, handed our customs cards to an attendant and were out on the street.  No security lines, no check to see what we owed in duty fees (trust me, we bought very little), no hassle!

We called Len and found his location and soon were loaded into the van and headed to the airport where Larry and Nancy managed to fly stand-by and were back in Springfield 3 hours ahead of schedule.

My first order of business was to get some laundry started and then get some groceries!  I knew I had to get some fresh fruit and yogurt plus I wanted to plan something healthy for dinner for the guys knowing we probably wouldn’t eat until the Super Bowl was over.  Nothing like getting back to domestic chores to reinforce that vacation is over!

The weather was picture-perfect in San Diego so I treated myself to a long walk in their neighborhood and even followed some of the nature trails to get away from the traffic noise.

Being on the west coast meant the Super Bowl started at 3 so I gathered my knitting needles to insure my hands weren’t going for the chips and dip and settled in to watch the ads (love the babies for eTrade and the Clydesdales) and enjoy seeing the Saints come from behind to win.

And we managed to fall asleep last night without being rocked by the ocean!

We got an extra hour of sleep last night since we set our clocks back to San Diego time to get ready to dock tomorrow so we were up bright and early today and saw the beautiful sunrise from our cabin.  We’ve loved having an ocean view and sleeping with our curtains open so we wake to the ocean every morning.

We opted for a light breakfast on the Lido Deck with Ron and Barb today because Barb and I participated in a 1-mile breast cancer walk for the Susan G. Koman Foundation.  All Carnival cruises have an “On Deck For The Cure” event and we joined about 200 others on the top deck to show our support to our friends who have battled this disease. 

On Deck For The Cure

The walk ended with pink lemonade and we had a great time visiting with several of the other participants.  Since my intake for the week demanded more than a mile-long walk I headed for the gym after the event.

Then it was time for us to attend a talk on the debarking process for tomorrow.  We know we are due to dock in San Diego at 7 but chances are we won’t leave the ship until at least 9:30.  The main thing we have to remember is to have our bags packed and outside our cabins before 11:00 p.m.

My favorite part of this whole little talk was when the Cruise Director, Stu, told us how to fill out our comment cards.  According to Stu, if we say anything other than “exceeds expectations” we have given them a failing grade!  Apparently “meets expectations” is an insult and “needs improvement” should never be checked!  I don’t know about the rest of the passengers, but our group can think for ourselves and I’m betting all of us added some choice comments on the narrative section of the form!

Burl has been going to golf seminars and watching the pro teach lessons all week and finally convinced me to take a private lesson.  I had some reservations about letting him watch me but finally relented when he assured me he’s stay off to the sidelines and just take notes.  Several years ago I did a 2-day golf seminar with a local pro but since then I haven’t really played enough to warrant taking lessons.  Still, it seemed like a good idea so I met Brice, the pro, on the top deck and took a 30-minute lesson.

Brice proved to be a great instructor and really put me at ease.  He had me swing the club a few times and asked me where I thought I needed help and then worked with me on my swing.  He gave me some drills to do and I worked a lot on swinging the club and just trying to hit the ground since I have a tendency to top the ball.  Now the challenge will be to remember what he told me but he did give me some notes and also his email address if I have any questions later.  My only regret is that I didn’t have Burl take photos of the stance he recommended.

Since my lesson was at 1:00 we ate a late lunch and then participated in the incredible ”Chocolate Buffet” they had for dessert.  Not sure I’ve ever had such sensory overload on chocolate but since most of it was milk chocolate, I was able to resist overdosing on it.

 Next event for the day was the Galley Tour which started in the main dining room with the maitre ‘d sharing some of the logistics of feeding 2000+ passengers and 900 crew members several times a day.  The ship has 5 galleys – for the crew, room service (it was free – we never used it!), main dining room, grille on Lido Deck and Noveau Steakhouse (extra $30 each to eat there – naturally we didn’t!).  All the food for 8 days is loaded in San Diego and we learned that food that is plated and not served is then served to the crew.  Any food from plates is pulverized and fed to the fish in the ocean.

Watching an artist carve watermelons in the galley

We then got a walking tour of the galley for the main dining room where we saw the work stations for entrees, desserts, sauces, etc. along with photos and instructions for each item.  The menus are pre-set and rotate every eight days and the menus for the crew are on a four-week rotation.  But I’m betting the crew rarely gets any leftover lobster!

At 5:00 we all gathered in the theatre for a complementary farewell cocktail party.  Since we were all getting tired of watered down tropical drinks we stuck with wine!   We headed back to our cabins to pack and I got my last sushi snack of the cruise and avoided the casino!

Larry and Nancy chose dinner on the Lido Deck since they wanted to eat early so the rest of us enjoyed our last dinner together.  We had planned to go to the variety show which was supposed to be a “Legends” show featuring fabulous fakes – i.e. Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Elton John – from the passengers but by time we finished dinner around 9:45 we all opted to call it a night.

Tomorrow we’ll be up and at ‘em early as we say farewell to cruising and greet the real world.

We were up early again today and after coffee on Lido Deck, we met the rest of our group for breakfast in the dining room.  We like being waited on as opposed to the long buffet lines and I’ve gotten addicted to the smoked salmon, bagel and cream cheese they offer.

Nancy and I have been doing a lot of knitting this week and she’s also gone to a couple of Arts and Crafts classes so today I decided to join her. 

Arts and Crafts Class - a needle point case for my sewing scissors

Today’s offering was a plastic needle point canvas holder for little folding sewing scissors – and it was free!  Now that’s something you don’t always see on a cruise ship.  Nancy and I have decided we could handle this job – hold crafts classes a couple of times a day in exchange for a cabin.  Such a deal!

Burl and Ron were once again watching the golf pro give lessons so I went to the gym and tried to walk on the top deck but it was way too windy.  I did run into Barb laying in the sun so joined her for an hour or so before lunch.

About 1:00 we made an emergency stop in Cabo San Lucas to let a passenger off – apparently someone had a medical emergency that couldn’t wait for a couple of days but we were in and out of the port in less than 30 minutes.  Too bad it wasn’t a scheduled stop as I’ve heard it’s a great place to visit.

The rest of the day was generally pretty lazy – after lunch Burl and I laid in the sun.  Then we all met for Mexican Train and of course, I had to have my late afternoon sushi and lose my daily $5 in the casino!

Tonight was our second formal night but as we quickly learned, even though the cruise line requests that men wear a tux or at least a suit and tie, not all the passengers pay attention to that rule.  So tonight Burl did put on a sport coat but paired it with a casual shirt and no tie.  The dress code is relaxing more every day we’re gone!

The entertainment tonight was a variety show of “The Big Easy – a Trip to New Orleans” and it was first rate with incredible costumes and music.  It seems like every show we see becomes our favorite but I really think this one was #1 with us all. 

One more day before reality sets in on us!

What a difference a day makes!  After rain and clouds all day yesterday, we awoke to sunny skies as we pulled into our next port of call.  Manzanillo is a commercial port and handles the largest amount of freight coming into Mexico from China and Japan.  We loved that we weren’t bombarded by hustlers as we departed the ship and boarded a bus for a tour of the city. 

Our first stop was in the downtown area where we had about 45 minutes to shop and ssee the sights on our own.  Burl quickly found an emergency plan in case he ever has to return to work. 

Pizza delivery in Manzanillo on little Hondas

These little Honda motorcycles have covered and heated areas on the back for delivering pizzas.  He even discovered a Harley-Davidson ball cap that he bought just to annoy some of his friends! 

The tour bus continued through Manzanillo and into Santiago where we got some great views of the bay.  The next stop was at a local mercado where we assured the locals shop!  Since we were part of a tour, we didn’t have to pay the 8 peso fee to use the bano and get toilet paper too!  However, most of the items being offered were geared to tourists so we have our doubts that the locals really shop there. 

We did get to walk on the beach and had it been a bit warmer, I would have waded into the ocean. 

Barb and Ron enjoy a walk on the beach

The last stop on this tour was at the largest cantina in Manzanillo where we were treated to a so-so Mexican buffet and unlimited drinks for $7 US.  I think I had one margarita and six pina coladas and I know the liquor content was pretty low since I was still standing! 

 The entertainment for the group included a bingo game where Ron accidentally yelled BINGO and had to down a shot of tequila as punishment, breaking a pinata and a Mexican hat contest which I entered.  Six of us played “pass the hat” until there were two left standing – me and one other.   At that point we were playing for a bottle of tequila and I was in full competitive mode….and I lost!  My friends shared with me that the MC asked the audience to call “stop” and everyone was cheering for me but guess I was a bit too slow.  

Larry and Nancy with one of the performers

By early afternoon we were back on ship with plans to lay in the sun for an hour or two and then take a taxi back to town since we didn’t sail until 6.  But the ship stopped letting passengers debark at 3 which meant more sun time on the top deck for me! 

Tonight was another early show and we saw a comedian named Marcus Raymond who was a hoot.  His body language was hysterical and we’re going to try to catch his show in Chandler where he’s performing later in the month. 

More food……….more watching the dancing under the stars………another day in paradise.

What’s the one thing you never see in a cruise ship commercial?  You’re right – you never see rain!  But that’s exactly what greeted us this morning when we awoke to see our ship anchored in the bay near Zihuatanejo.

We had purchased tickets for a tour of both cities along with a drive into the countryside to see how bricks and tile are made along with a stop at a tortilla factory before returning to Zihuatanejo for some shopping.  So we dressed appropriately and after breakfast, went to the designated area to wait to go ashore on the tenders.

At that time, all but two tours had been cancelled and soon our tour joined the ranks of those that were ditched for the day.  Time to resort to Plan B!    Games!

We had brought along our mini-Mexican Train game and Barb had decks of cards so we decided today was the day to introduce pinochle to the group.  We went to Lido Deck and garnered a table so we could keep track of the weather and also be near the coffee and tea while we played.   We broke into teams and Burl, Nancy and Ron stomped the rest of us but it was fun to learn something new and I’m betting we’ll play again before the week is over.

Around noon the rain has lessened so we grabbed a bite to eat and decided to take the tender and explore Zihuatanejo. 

Getting ready to board the tender

As I got ready to board the tender, a wave lurched both the gangway and the tender and one of my Birkenstocks (red leather Florida model) was pulled off my foot and hit the water.  The good news is I still have my foot – the bad news is, I lost one of my favorite sandals.  I didn’t want to take the time to go back to our cabin for a different pair of shoes - figured I could go barefoot and buy something in town.  

We landed on shore and soon found out why the cruise ship was selling rain ponchos for only $3 – mine had a huge rip across the back where the hood met and back so now I got the pleasure of having rain run down my back.  Where’s duct tape when you need it?

Burl took off to find some cheap shoes for me and for 150 pesos I soon had a lovely pair of beach shoes with black rubber bottoms and blue neoprene booties.  Figured they were something I would actually wear again as opposed to some of the cheap sandals for sale! 

We walked around a few street, tasted some tequila in a liquor store and finally decided what would make the afternoon perfect was a margarita.  When all else fails, drink tequila! 

What a great view we had when we awoke this morning – instead of ocean as far as we could see from our bed, we saw land!  The ship was already turning into Acapulco Bay! 

I opted for a great workout in the gym and a 2-mile walk before we had breakfast.  Wanted to make sure I exercised the fat cells.  We had originally planned to eat on shore but when we found out we couldn’t disembark until around 1:00, we went ahead and at the Carnival Trough!  No, that’s not the official name but with 8-10 serving lines (each with a different option), I think the name is appropriate. 

Acapulco dock workers treated us with "Y M C A" complete with hand motions

Finally we were on land – what a strange feeling after almost 72 hours at sea.  As soon as we got off the ship, we were bombarded with taxi drivers and begging kids.  Larry and Nancy went on a shore excursion to see some archeological ruins so there were only 4 of us for the afternoon.  We decided we would get across the street from the cruise terminal and were told we would find better deals on drivers there.  We must have been sending off some unknown vibes to the drivers because a couple of them dogged us across the street!

We’d heard suggestions to go to Papagayo Park and told that $10 USD for 4 of us was a decent price to pay for a taxi.  The rest of us put Burl in charge of negotiations and pretty soon he had hired Jesus to take us to the park for $5.  Now Jesus was no dummy so he hung with us after we got to the park – and he got us in free too!  Our first stop was a little market area at the edge of the park and he steered us there for complimentary margaritas.  Then we were off on a brief sojourn through the zoo which was really fun – no lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) – but had lots of monkeys, alligators, exotic birds and miniature deer.

Ron, Burl and Barb with our driver/guide JesusSince our chances of ditching Jesus were slim to none, we regrouped and decided to see what he had to offer for the afternoon. Again, Burl was the go-to guy for bargains and Jesus and his un-air-conditioned taxi (temp was around 90 and very humid!) were with us for the rest of the afternoon. And even after we negotiated a reduced rate, he still let us know we were free to pay him more! We decided he was meant to be our guide since he was wearing a ball cap from a feed store in Benton, MO – given to him by a regular client. Our first destination was the rooftop of Hotel Casablanca where we could see perfect water views from 3 sides. Not sure how long it’s been since the glory days of his hotel but Barb and I were relieved that the elevator wasn’t working as I’m not sure I’d be here to write about the experience.Our next stop was at the Hotel Flamingo which was made famous in the 50’s when many Hollywood starts started staying there – Johnny Weissmuller and John Wayne to name a few. The common area was decorated with lots of old movie posters and we sat in the bar area and had a beer with a great view overlooking the bay. Apparently Johnny Weissmuller retired to Acapulco and lived in a round house on the grounds until he died in 1984. In fact, he’s buried in Acapulco. Unfortunately we couldn’t go in it but did get to peak in the windows. Don’t know if/when we’ll ever return to Acapulco but I’d opt to stay at the Flamingo.Barb and Ron by the historic marker at the Hotel Flamingo

Soon we were back in the cab with Jesus seeing more of the city and then a brief stop at a shopping area.  However, the shopkeepers kept following us closely and any interest shown in an item just invited them to leech onto us – so we went across the street to a discount liquor store and bought some tequila to take home.  We’d already priced the (bargain) rates on the ship and these prices were much better plus we paid in pesos.  Too bad we had to surrender the booze when we got back on ship – they are holding it for us until late Saturday night since they want us to buy more of their overpriced drinks!  For now we’re sticking to their free ice tea and lemonade during the day.

Jesus dropped us back at the pier after a fun-filled 4+ hours.  We had an early dinner and then were ready for the next adventure.  The one thing we wanted to do in Acapulco was watch the famous cliff divers so we joined a tour bus for that experience because we knew we’d make it back before the ship sailed at midnight. 

Trust me, there are divers in the photo and they're ready to dive 75-100' into the water

The tour included another look at the city and then took us to a couple of jewelry shops that the ship’s Shopping Specialist, James, had picked out for us.  We’ve learned that James is not a Carnival employee but is contracted to the ship by merchants in the ports who pay him to promote their goods.  All of the shops offer some kind of freebie whether it’s a margarita (max of 2 oz and short on booze), a gemstone or piece of cheap jewelry.  In addition, we had to contend with locals as we got off the bus – they were on us like flies and we kept up a running commentary of “no gracias”.   It was easy to walk away from all the “bargains” since we were in Mexico last winter.

From the shops we were able to walk to the Hotel Mirador where we had great seats at a table on a terraced patio and could look down on the cliff divers.  We got our first complimentary drink which was a pina colada and got a big laugh out of the waiter saying we should tell him if our drinks needed more rum or ice.  That was a clue that neither had been added to the juice!  We asked again on our second round and got the same results.

The cliff divers are all young men (mostly teens) who parade down the steps in their Speedos, jump off a short cliff into the water and then climb a higher cliff to where they dive.  Most of them diver from about 60-75 feet into the narrow area between the cliffs and we heard that the water is only about 13 feet deep at that point.  They were amazing to watch – especially the two who did back dives in perfect synchronization.  We also heard they have to dive out more than 7 meters in order to clear all the cliffs.  The last diver dove from the highest point (about 100 feet) carrying a torch in each hand and no artificial lighting so it was quite spectacular. 

Following the divers we were treated to some entertainment from a mariachi band plus several dancers in authentic costumes.  Again, we were seated at just the right table to see them up front and personal.

By 10:30 we were back on the boat and ready to set sail for our next port of call.

 Last night we promised ourselves we’d get up and see the sunrise but after the time change, we missed it by a few minutes.  Guess that’s on the list of things to do tomorrow.  We had time for coffee and a walk on the top deck and then met the others for breakfast in the main dining room.  Perfect time for a group meeting to decide what – if any – port tours we will do.

Ron and Barb chose the ones we want so Barb and I went to the Shore Excursion desk and booked something for each port of call – making sure we’d still have free time on our own at each port.  We know we can probably hire a driver when we get into port but then we run the risk of getting back to the ship before sailing time so despite the outrageous prices, we’re doing it.  But we haven’t succumbed to having pictures made on this trip.  There is a huge photo studio on one deck with tons of backgrounds and we rarely walk by there without seeing customers.  In addition, the ship has photographers who scout the common areas and are always asking if we want a photo taken. 

Today was a day with no big events so I again went to the gym and then walked on the upper deck for a couple of miles to hopefully take off about 150 calories from my intake!  It was a great day for parking our butts in a deck chair and read which I did for a couple of hours.  We also discovered a ship tradition – Tea Time!  Hot tea and yummy  sweets are served daily at 3:30 in the Artists’ Lobby – along with great background piano music.

Larry and Barb demonstrate how to drink tea - note their little fingers are extended!

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the game room where we commandeered a table and 6 chairs and played a competitive game of Mexican Train – fitting game to play when we’re on the Mexican Riviera! 

I also discovered a sushi bar that’s open every day from 5 to 8.  And with a late seating for dinner, sushi makes a great late-afternoon snack. 

Sushi anyone?

After dinner we strolled the upper decks and listened to the music in the outdoor bars.

 Just another day in paradise!

So many choices, so much to do and we want to maximize every experience!  We got up early and headed to Lido Deck for coffee and breakfast buffet.  Unlimited options again from custom-made omelets to fresh fruit to yogurt to the “fat zone” which featured bacon, eggs, hash browns, gravy, etc. – all the stuff that Burl loves and I don’t.  After we ate  we discovered the rest of our crew was in the main dining room so we joined them for coffee and started planning our day.

 Barb and I went to the gym, Nancy headed to an arts and craft  class and the guys hung out watching over the pool area.  Wonder why!  I got in a good workout on the nautilus machines and then walked 3 miles around the top deck.

Burl and Ron went to a golf seminar at noon while Larry watched a seminar on how to mix drinks.  Around 1:00 we all went to a semi-boring discussion of all the shore tours and then it was time to eat – AGAIN!  We love having late dinner but all agree we need to eat late lunches so we’re not starving by dinner time and aren’t tempted by the ice cream bar or pizza ovens which are available 24/7.

We decided to spend our afternoon at the pool so Burl and I grabbed a couple of deck chairs and settled in for a couple of hours.  Turned out the winds changed and all of a sudden we were pretty chilly – time for the hot tub!

Burl relaxes on the top deck

  Our ship has 3 pools, 3 hot tubs and a water slide so there are plenty of opportunities in the water.  We just can’t dive off the ship!

Tonight was the first of two formal nights and was also the Captain’s Party in the Atrium lounge.  We looked pretty snazzy in our formal wear and had fun working the crowd as Fashion Police. 

Proof that we really can clean up our act - Barb, Ron, me, Burl, Nancy, Larry - at the Captain's Party on Formal Night

 Believe me; there are a ton of people who should have been arrested! 

We had a little time to kill before dinner and that’s where I got into trouble!  I discovered a really fun game in the casino where you insert quarters and there are little rakes pushing them forward and hopefully into the slot below where you make more than you spend!  Yeah right!  Before dinner I was ahead about $5 and had won a little Carnival key chain for Burl (he’s easily amused) but later I lost all that and a few bucks more.  May need to try penny slots tomorrow.

The after-dinner entertainment was called “Jazz Hall” and had tons of dancing and singing along with a full orchestra for accompaniment – and numerous costume changes for a 50-minute program.  Amazing!  Since we had to move our watches ahead an hour tonight, we called it a night – but not before I watched one lady playing another of the quarter machines.  Made me feel so good to know she was down $100 on it!

Thanks to our chauffeur, Len, we arrived dockside in San Diego shortly after noon and immediately realized we were parking very close to our friends, Ron and Barb.  A true sign of the great vacation yet to come!

Ralph had told me this morning that they had friends whose parents were going to be on the ship too so when we saw a guy in an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt as we checked our luggage we asked where he lived.  Turns out he’s the guy we were looking for and we’ve seen them several times since.  Small world!

We joined the cattle call inside the cruise terminal, went through security (just like the airport except we didn’t have to remove shoes), got our cabin key cards and waited some more before finally boarding about 2:30.

 Our cabin is quite roomy with plenty of storage space along with a couch and chair in our “sitting room”.  Since we have Ocean View we can look out  the window and watch the ocean passing by us. 

Burl relaxes after a tough day of cruising

We were told our luggage would be delivered later in the day so we dropped off our carry-on stuff and immediately started participating in the number 1 activity of cruise ships – EATING!  The grill on the top deck was in full food mode and our main concerns were finding a place for 6 of us together and then deciding what to eat from the huge variety of options.  Salad bar, Oriental buffet, deli sandwiches, pizza made to order, burgers, hot dogs, desserts.  Option overload!  But we hadn’t eaten lunch and dinner was at 8:15!

Before we could sail we had the required lifeboat drill. 

Good thing we didn't have a final exam on the lifeboat drill!

Around 4:00 we went to the upper deck to watch us leave the harbor and head south to Mexico.  The temperature in San Diego was around 64 but with the wind on the top deck we were glad we had jackets – and also found an exhaust fan putting out hot air.

Ready to sail away for a blissful week

It didn’t take long for us to leave land-sighting behind us and by time we got back to our cabin we had all our luggage.  We unpacked and then Burl napped and I took off to explore our new “home” – had to find the gym, the spa, the library, the shops and of course, the casino with the penny and two cent slot machines!  I figured I could buy some internet minutes but when I discovered they were $.75 each unless you wanted to buy 400 for $100, I decided a week without Internet works for me.  Since I’m a cheapskate and in vacation mode (no phones or internet required) I decided I will just save my blog postings until we’re back in San Diego and then post all at once.

We had some time to kill before dinner so we went to a free liquor tasting and sampled some yummy flavored rum and some liqueurs.  At the price of drinks on this boat, we love the idea of getting something free!  Since we all like a glass of wine with dinner we went in together and bought a package of 5 bottles of wine and when we want wine, we just have to give our waiter a ticket with our selection and it’s ours.  Certainly cheaper than buying by the bottle although we’ve now learned how we can bring our own without getting caught!  We also found out that if we buy booze on board, we don’t get it until we disembark – that way they can keep selling us expensive drinks!  This cruise line wasn’t born yesterday.

At dinner we discovered one of the true delights of cruising – menus with no prices!  Ron said our food was all free – I consider it prepaid!  Barb got to choose the wine and she opted for a Pinot Grigio which went nicely with my grilled mahi mahi.   The fish was a bit overcooked but the crème brûlée was awesome!   We had an excellent meal and after dinner, Ron and Barb went with us to the entertainment in the large theatre.  Larry and Nancy were still adjusting to the time change so opted out for the rest of the evening.  We saw a Vegas-style variety show with lots of singing and dancing followed by a very boring comedian.  Oh well!

When we returned to our cabin, our steward, Henry, had turned down the bed and put chocolates on our pillows.  We were exhausted but then Ron knocked on our door to tell us that their daughter-in-law had sent them a bottle of champagne and six chocolate-dipped strawberries.  Being the true friends that we are we of course we helped them polish off the champagne and trust me; none of us had any trouble sleeping!  We’re located in the aft part of the ship on starboard side and the gentle vibration from the engines just lulls us to sleep.