TRAVELS AND TRIBULATIONS # 311

(And yup, that's how many cruise blogs there have been since back in the before time).

April 23, 2022

Good evening Mr. And Mrs. America and all ships at sea.

If you really old, or a student of history, you recognize the call sign of a newsman of days gone by the name of Walter Winchell.  But since in 1954 he helped stoke public fear of the polio vaccine by announcing on his program the U.S. Public Health Services found live polio viruses in seven of ten vaccine batches it tested, I’ll come up with a different sign on (although he would have fit right in with the anti-vaxers in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic).  But on we go.

Amy dropped us off at the Augusta Airport (fly there fly home) and we had smooth transportation right through to coming onboard the Odyssey of the Seas.  Never had it so smooth.  No strip searches.  No alarms set off.  I purchased an upgrade out of Augusta to Charlotte so we could sit together and then we were able get our seats changed on the flight to Fort Lauderdale and sit together (my agency – 6th Star booked the arrangements, and I’m not sure why we scattered, but oh well).  The only real hiccup was waiting for the free shuttle from the airport to the Courtyard by Marriot.  We went where the driver told us to go, but he wasn’t looking for us there (I learned that when I called back and got him to pick us up where he told us to be).

This is a new ship and we are on its first transatlantic voyage from the New World to the Old.  We have an inside stateroom that is your typical windowless room, but they are great for sleeping.  It has all you need (except a window): closets, drawers, desk, couch, bed, and bathroom facilities.  A cozy 200 square feet.

I met this afternoon with Rose, the Cruise Program Administrator in the Music Hall, where I will be doing my talks.  Nice lady, on her 5th contract.  We talked about my needs to do my talks, and we will meet tomorrow at 1:30 to see that everything works – my talks are at 2 p.m. every sea day.

For the next 6 nights, we spring forward one hour each night, so if you are trying to keep up with us, take that into your calculations.

We are at Table 364 for the 5:30 first seating in the dining room.  It is a table for 6 and we two were the only ones there tonight.  The ship’s maximum compliment of guests is over 5800, and there are only 2200 of us onboard so I guess there will be some empty places.  Very good wait staff – Made (pronounced May-dee) and Madeline.

Other than fighting with Bonnie’s cellphone to get the Royal Caribbean app to work, and Diego at the Internet Café fixed it, we have done nothing note worthy.  No videos to go viral.  I did sit in a really big chair while I wanted for Mom to a Coke Zero (and a friendly guest took my picture which appears below). 

Well, I need to rehearse for “History: It’s What’s For Dinner,” and my cruise buddy is about asleep, so I will say TTFN (and she will write tomorrow).

Love,

Dad/David