This post will contain tidbits of the last two full days of this cruise. It’s 90% created to memorialize a few insignificant moments Steve and Cathy had. As has been said in the past, we use Oceania Cruises as transportation to places we want to see and learn about. We are not into cruising life, as it were. There are dozens of activities on a sea day like these two, and we partake in none of them. We just aren’t interested, but many people on board are, and more power to them.
December 8th: Steve is up early in a futile attempt to catch up on this blog; Cathy up at 6:45 and she sits on our veranda because the weather is so nice. At 8am, we hit the Terrace Café and sit at one of the tables on the stern. This one is under cover, and a quick rain shower seems to be heading our way. Crew scurries around removing all the cushions and place settings from tables not under cover while we watch them work. As so often happens in the tropics, the rain threatens but never reaches the ship and the sun is back out by 8:29am. Great breakfast entertainment. We’re glad we stayed put rather than ducking inside.
As usual, our morning is spent in Horizons. Christmas music has started in earnest, and it seems oddly out of place on a ship navigating the Caribbean Sea. There are very nice decorations appearing throughout the ship.
Lunch at Waves because Okta, the young man who was so helpful to us when Waves was a chaotic mess a couple of weeks ago has been elevated to taking food orders rather than bussing tables. We are very proud of him. Cathy has a Mexican hot dog, which is one with chili on it. Cath thinks the chili is so good that it should be offered as a separate menu item.
The afternoon is as quiet as usual. Dinner is in the Grand Dining Room, which is now decorated for the Christmas season. Maitre d Cate has assigned us the same table for a couple of weeks now – a table where Mat is the waiter and I Komang and Rachel assist. We did not make a request that she do this, but we think that she does it because she thinks it is what we want most. No complaints for us. This trio does a fantastic job.
There’s a full moon out tonight, and after dinner Steve runs up to Deck 10 to take a few photos. Two are below and the first one he took heads up this post. Neither of us can remember ever seeing a full moon aboard ship before.
December 9th: Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Grand Dining Room. At lunch, we have our very favorite wait staff person: Putu from Bali, the very happiest crew member we’ve ever met. Cathy orders pasta puttanesca. Our waiter quips that on this ship, it’s called Putu-nesca!
The morning is spent at, well, Horizons. Afternoon is time to pack and watch the movie The Birdcage as we do. At 5:15, we watch an absolutely stunning sunset.
Dinner with our friends the Petersons at 6:30. We hit the sack at 8:30 knowing tomorrow will be a crazy busy day.
