🙂
Yesterday, I said that everything went smooth. Well, let me tell you about today. If yesterday was smooth, today was ultra-smooth! I thought there might be a problem because I couldn’t get the 10:30 a.m. transfer shuttle to the port so had to take the 9:30 a.m. This was arranged months ago and the 10:30 a.m. slot was already gone.
As it turns out, I arrived at the port terminal and waiting in the queue line about 10 minutes before they opened the doors to let us in for security. I breezed through security and check in and then was directed to the seating area because the ship hadn’t cleared yet. Usually they start boarding at 10:30 a.m. but this morning they were several minutes early.
I got on board and went straight to my muster station to check in. After that, I got my glass for my soda drink package. Then I enjoyed the ship for a bit before heading to lunch in Chops Grille. I always do a specialty restaurant for lunch on boarding day because the buffet is usually chaotic with cruisers going for a meal and remaining in the seats until rooms are made available. It gets awfully hard to find a place to sit and eat when people refuse to move out after they’re finished.
So lunch at Chops was leisurely and shortly after lunch, the rooms were made available.
Luggage started to arrive on our deck around 2:30 p.m. They put it all in the hallway and the cabin attendants then deliver it to the rooms. As I was walking down the hall, I spied my suitcase so I grabbed it, came to my stateroom, and unpacked.
Then I went to the Promenade to get a glass of pop and come back to my room. On the Promenade I saw Royal’s “vehicle”. I say vehicle because on the much larger ships, there is a car on the Promenade. On the Explorer, though? Well…
I went to my balcony when I got my pop and enjoyed the late afternoon before sail away. My cabin attendant, John, came to the room, introduced himself, and checked on the best time to clean my room. I told him it was up to him and his schedule. He chose the morning.
I went to dinner and had, no surprise here, prime rib. Yes, it was super rare. No, I wasn’t disappointed.
After dinner, I went to Studio B for the Ice Show. I have seen several shows on the different Royal Caribbean ships but this one, hand’s down, has got to be my favorite. Oh my Lord, they did a phenomenal job. I’m posting a video of the show that I found on YouTube if you’re interested in taking a gander.
Tomorrow we make port at Nassau. Then it is two sea days. I’m always up for sea days!
It’s been a long day of unwinding. I told some of the people back home that I felt 300 pounds of stress fall off of me today. It feels so good and I’m willing to bet that I’m going to sleep really good.
g’night