Dan checking in! I will be capturing the memories from the second half of our South Pacific cruise, after Ann Taylor did such a lovely job of blogging the Polynesian Islands and our early sea days. Unfortunately, I am immediately faced with the task of recapping a slightly less busy – more relaxing? – day, as this was our first sea day without participating in any of the trivia sessions. Yes, after our successful 70s music trivia performance last night, we elected to take a day off and see what else the ship had to offer.
Having missed Captain Dale’s fourth presentation yesterday, we woke up earlier today so that we could be sure that we could attend. After our usual breakfast at the Panoramic Buffet, we made our way down to the Cabaret Lounge, which was especially crowded for the presentation on flight safety and accident investigation. I am not typically a nervous flyer, but I still found the talk to be incredibly interesting. Captain Dale had kept up-to-date with recent events, and was able to share his perspective on the Delta flight that slid off the runway at LaGuardia. I believe that there are three more presentations left for each of our three remaining sea days, and we will continue to learn as much as possible. The lectures have provided an educational aspect to the cruise experience that I have not previously found while cruising with Disney.
After the presentation, we went up to the pool deck, midship, to observe an ice carving demonstration. Unfortunately, we were far from the only guests that were interested in the ice carving, and after five minutes of ducking around other guests, we decided to head back to our room instead. One of my favorite parts of the vacation has been the opportunity to find extended times to read, rather than the smaller blocks that I am afforded during my morning and evening commutes. Ann Taylor and I both grabbed our Kindles and sat on the balcony for an hour or so. Last night, there had been rumors that the winds would pick up and the seas would become rougher; however, there was really no noticeable change today, and it was as relaxing as ever to sit outside and read.
The lunch buffet included Indian food that was surprisingly good for a cruise ship in the South Pacific, although underwhelming compared to what we can take out in Brooklyn. After a bit more time on the balcony, Ann Taylor and I both made an afternoon trip to the gym. Tonight was a formal night, so we also skipped the late afternoon trivia so that we would have time to get ready. Some of the guests rent or bring their own tuxedos and ballgowns, but we fit right in – and were likely more comfortable – with a suit and sundress, respectively. It has been nice to experience a bit of old school elegance with the formal nights, although I am usually glad to change into more casual clothing after dinner.
Dinner itself was as tasty as ever, with a few more upscale options in recognition of the formal night. I had a lobster tail and crab cake, while Ann Taylor swapped the lobster for two crab cakes. For dessert, we both enjoyed Jamaican coffee ice cream, which Ann Taylor augmented with chocolate marshmallow ice cream. It brought back fond memories of the coffee gelato that we enjoyed on our Italian honeymoon, and of the coffee ice cream that Ann Taylor had ordered a couple of years ago in Kauai. There was a special Captain’s Gala gathering for repeat cruisers – basically, almost 90% of the guests on the boat – which pushed back the after dinner entertainment until 8:30pm. Tonight featured another performance show, with the Ocean Princess singers and dancers representing many different dance styles. Although my youngest sister would have been disappointed that there was no West Coast swing dancing, it was impressive to watch the Irish step dancing performance on a moving ship.
With the late show time, lack of karaoke, and early shore excursion in the morning, we also passed on the movie trivia and went back to our room instead. Tomorrow, we will finally be back on land, as we arrive in Bay of Islands. This is our northernmost stop in New Zealand, and we will be visiting the Puketi Forest, home of massive kauri trees, and the Kawiti Glow-worm Caves. Yes, I convinced Ann Taylor to spend part of our South Pacific cruise looking at light-up bugs in a dark cave. It should be another memorable day!