May 1 – 8 AT SEA.
The
Royal Caribbean's Mariner
of the Seas was seven
days in dry dock before we boarded, and much has yet to be finished.
One night as we were having a soft-serve ice cream on Deck 11, we
were suddenly surrounded by security guards with yellow, crime-scene
tape. We looked guiltily at our cones, but they only escorted us away
so that the crew could put a coat of varnish on the floor. Around 40%
of the crew is new and 100% of the computer system, so there are lots
of problems. But generally, we like the ship and the service.
What
do you say about eight days at sea on a cruise ship? A typical day
starts with breakfast at 8am in the Windjammer (ship's buffet deck).
Multiple food stations and plenty of seating. Then we exercise. Gary
goes to “Shipshape Spa” (the exercise facility), Stew does his 4
miles on the Promenade Deck and Bob often splits his time between the
exercise room and the jogging track. After a shower, it's time for
lunch. This ship changes the clock at 11:30am...so we go to lunch at
11:30 and suddenly it is 12:30!
Lunch
is usually in the main dining room. They have the most fantastic
salad bar there...several kinds of lettuce, shrimp, chicken, tuna,
egg, corn, etc., etc., etc. And great Honey Mustard dressing.
 |
| Come to the gym! |
Afternoons
are time for reading and naps. Bob has been having one of his
'fatigue' bouts so sleeping has been a high priority for him. Gary
has worked diligently to finish reading Debt of Honor by John
Clancy. And he did it! He has now moved on to the Donna Leon series
with Commisario Guido Brunnetti. Stew finished Stephen King's The
Green Mile, which Bob is now
reading, and he's now onto reading Gary' book. The ship's
selection consists of only a few dozen titles. Literally. And half of
those are in another language. Pathetic.
Tomorrow
is Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, our first port. Hope to update
the blog from there. Meanwhile, Stew likes to record candid comments
from fellow passengers
*************
“You
come prepared,” said Gary to our waitress after she spilled some
water on the table and immediately produced a towel to mop it up.
“I'm
a professional,” she replied.
~
“They
don't have whales,” said a lady with a heavy Brooklyn accent, as
she gazed in disgust at the empty sea. “They don't even have
dolphins.”
~
“How
was your dinner last night?”
“Don't
remember.”
~
Young
man to his father: “This ship is filled with the living dead.”
~
MESSAGES
FROM GARY:
Jen:.................................food
excellent – try Vidalia Onion Tart!
D&K:..............................eating
too much and getting lots of R&R
Ron,
Diane & Mike:......This is one 'Big Boat!'
Chuck
& Katie:..............Working out every day
After
Tenerife, we have two days at sea before we arrive in Palma de
Mallorca. Then it's a new port everyday. Hope to be online more
often!
