November 1, 2013

Friday, November 1

At sea, still headed for Grand Cayman. It's an off and on rainy day, so no one is sitting outside which puts seats inside at a premium if you just want to sit and read, people-watch or crochet where there isn't some silliness or other activity going on. You'd think that, on a ship that holds over 3,800 passengers with only about 1,800 on board, it should be easy to find a good seat, but no. Any area by the atrium is subject to things like a paper plane contest or a contest to design a container to let an egg survive a two deck drop, or loud music. Most of the other lounges have events going on from "enrichment" lectures to art auctions. So I spent much of the afternoon in our cabin. I didn't open the door to go out on our balcony as there is a little brown bird that appears either exhausted or ill out there. Having once experienced a bird in my cabin, I really didn't want to do that dance again.

Tonight was the second formal night. Mark and I had planned to go to the Captain's Circle cocktail party at 7:15, so we got gussied up early and went down to our favorite bar about an hour before that. By the time our drinks had arrived at about 6:20, the line-up waiting for the party had grown to over a third the length of the ship! All that waiting in line just to nod to the Captain (they don't shake hands any more for health and safety reasons), be seated with total strangers, swill down a glass or two of sparkling wine (not real champagne, y'know) or rum punch, and gobble a mystery hors d'oeuvre or two. We gave it a miss and stayed right where we were until dinner.

I must say that our table-mates polish up pretty well for formal night. Leah was particularly sparkly in emerald green sequins. As always, good food, lots of wine (which tonight included some REAL champagne thanks to Helen and Don who had been given the bottle won the night before by the "Zombie Passengers from a Carnival Cruise" none of whom drink alcohol), and much hilarity.

After dinner Mark and I went to see the magician's show in the main theater. As a show, it was quite spectacularly staged. As a magic and illusion show it was good. 

An early night tonight as we plan to get up early and go to the dining room for breakfast. The ship will be anchored off Grand Cayman with tenders running people ashore. I have been to Grand Cayman multiple times and never lost anything there that I feel pressed to go look for.