October 5, 2014

Day 2, first day at sea, on our way to Bermuda.

I had my first talk of two for this cruise today.  There are only two full sea days, so only two talks.  Today “King’s Wharf: The Gibraltar of the East,” and Wednesday, “Flight 19 and the Legend of the Bermuda Triangle.”  I sent RCCL 4 talks and they picked these.  Two good ones for this itinerary.

My talks are in the Schooner Bar, Deck 4 aft.  We’ve never been in a bar to do a talk before.  Bonnie and I do have bar experience, since 46 and then some years ago I picked her up in a bar.  We weren’t sure what the crowd would be like or how the talk would go in the room, but there were nearly 100 folk in attendance – one of our larger talks.  And with the bar in the back of the room they could get snockered and laugh at my corney jokes (no, I did not tell the Hub Cap Joke).

Our dinner mates at Table 346, second seating are a family from New Jersey, father, mother, son and daughter-in-law.  The kids booked the trip for their parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary.  And came along.  Hint.  Hint.

Church yesterday morning was good except for the fact that the person who put the PowerPoint together left the music for one of the hymns at 233, and left the words for another one at the same 233.  So I will have to redo the slides for the next service.  We had a good time.  The only other snafu, and I need to inform the activities director, his staff had not prepared “Church in a Box” – in other words, the communion set and the elements were not in attendance.

Bonnie has already completed one crocheting project, a blue coin purse.  Other projects to be completed are: a belt, two bags, a hat, and several coasters.

Our stateroom, 9483 is at the aft end of the ship.  There is only a corridor and balcony rooms behind us.  To be farther rear would to be on a ski rope being pulled behind the ship.  But it is the “speaker’s room” – so our cabin attendant Anne Marie tells us – and therefore we don’t have to move (unless a wedding part comes on, and surely we won’t have to do that again).

After the delay getting through the traffic jam that is Port Liberty Drive (took us an hour to drive less than a mile) we were on board around 1:15 and in our room by 1:30.  And what to my wondering eyes did appear, but three large suitcases outside our door.  We’ve never had our luggage delivered so quickly.  We soon filled every drawer, hanger and shelf in the room.  Thus organized we went to the Windjammer for our first meal.  Grilled fish for me.  Roast beef for She Who Must Be Obeyed.

And now it’s time to get dressed in our formal gear, go to the Captain’s reception, turn down bad tasting champagne, and then go to dinner.  We have the late show at 10:45 tonight.  There may be two cruisers sleeping through “Wild, Cool, and Swinging: From Las Vegas to New York. A tour of America’s favorite play grounds.”

TTFN