NO PHOTOS, PLEASE

March 31, 2017


A strange title for a blog, you will admit, but it is a request from your favorite cruisers to attach no photographs to your emails to us until we are on land in Civitavecchia.

The reason is this: we could not buy an internet package as guests, but rather had to purchase one as a member of the crew.  I am listed on the ship’s manifest as a “contractor,” hence the special purchase.  I was told I would get a discount, but alas the crew package is based on megabytes downloaded, not on time spent online.  One photograph could wipe out the entire allotted amount of megabytes.

So, although those pictures greatly bless our pea-picking little hearts, hold off on them for a while.

And I thank you.

Well, on to other things.

Yesterday – when all my troubles seemed so far away – it took us as long to get from Gold Coast Parking, the lot where we left Frank, to the Westerdam, as it did to drive from Ft. Pierce to Ft. Lauderdale.  And that was trying upon our patience.

The baggage handlers did not have the passenger manifest, but one of them pointed me in the right direction, and I was able to secure our stateroom number – 1016 – have our bags marked and head on board.

Not so fast, me hearties!  Arriving at the Pier Coordinator’s Desk – the folks who always help us get on board, since we are different and special – the person who called us to the front had never checked a guest speaker and companion in, and had to go for help frequently.  When it was all said and done, they didn’t have a room key card for my traveling companion, and as someone pointed out earlier, it did not make her happy.  But they issued her a temporary card, and once on board, Guest Relations knew what to do and we were off to out stateroom.

1016 is an outside passenger cabin with a large window, and curiously, a bathtub/shower.  We have never had, nor wanted, a bathtub before, and just as well, because with Bonnie’s bionic knees, it makes it hard for her to get in and out.  The height of the shower head is not adjustable, another difficulty for her, because it sprays water directly into her face, forcing her to take it down and hold it to shower.  And the drain runs a little slowly, so you can have your toe knuckles still under water when you turn the shower off.  But such is life, cruising on the high seas.

Holland America Lines has “any time any place” seating at dinner, which we enjoy.  We always request first seating when there are scheduled seatings, but this is nice.  We go whenever we want, and we can request a table for two (which we do at breakfast) or agree to sharing (which we do at supper), meeting one or two new couples each evening.  It has the disadvantage of not getting to know our wait staff, but all is well.

The welcome aboard show last night featured a great companion of the ship’s singers and dancers, and a clean and very funny comedian.  I wish I could remember a joke or two – actually I do remember one, but I’ll have to show you in person.  He as hilarious and rapid fire.  A good start to the entertainment of the cruise.

I did my first talk today – “Alexander Selkirk: The Real Robinson Crusoe” – to an audience of several hundred in the ship’s theater.  There are three special speakers on board and each of us is doing something different.  I hope I get to hear the others – it will depend on our mutual times, and my need for rehearsal.

It is getting time for supper – which has now been consumed and we are in our pjs ready for bed – so I will say TTFN.