Monday - at sea

Monday, January 19, 2009 – at sea along the coast of Costa Rica
Hot, sunny and breezy outside and I spent the entire day inside!!
People are red and tanned and have been enjoying themselves in the sun.

I was up at the 7 and into the pool. Someone had turned on the current machine and it was quite strong and I’m not sure I liked it. It is a very strong current you swim against and with the motion of the ship the water was slamming up against the edges of the pool. It took a lot of muscle to swim one lap in the pool.

Excel spreadsheet computer class at 9:30; Rumba dance class at 12:15; creating a slideshow computer class at 2:30 and found out they have Rosetta Stone language cassettes which we can use on two computers – headphones and all! We could learn French, Spanish and German onboard at our own pace! Missed the lecture on the Music of the ‘40s by Roy Hunt and the Warner Bros. Studios speech by Rick Senat on Batman, Eastwood, Kubrick and Gorillas in the Mist, country line dancing, Classical concert with Pianist Warren Mailley Smith, the Royal Academy Drama Association workshop, art auction…the list goes on and on. There are so many activities it is mind-boggling. I could be bopping from one event to the other all day long, and they are all fascinating subjects! Jewelery, history, music, computers…

Tonight was formal and we were invited to a private World Cruise Cocktail Party in the Queens Room before dinner. Fancy-schmanzy event…with white-gloved waiters, ice sculptures, a HUGE cake (probably 6 feet by 4 feet with the entire world and our ship’s itinerary and a boat showing where we are at the moment!). Chefs were cooking shrimp at stations around the room and cocktails were being served with uniformed officers mingling amongst the crowd. There are 650 people doing the entire world cruise and they had another reception at 7:45 for those on 2nd seating for dinner; it was a beautiful affair.

The entertainment was a production number called DANCE PASSION. Scenes of Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, the Tango, Latin rhythms of salsa, classical ballet, the Lindy Hop and Jump Jive were showcased with fantastic costumes.

OK – let’s review the daily possible activities. Besides the ones listed above, there is a casino, a Royal Arcade which includes international shops for books, toiletries, tuxedos/dresses, casual clothes including t-shirts, florist and camera shop, the Royal Spa, Cunardia Shop, library with 6000 books, internet centre, Play Zone for children (I’ve seen 3 kids on this cruise!), Royal Cunard Gymnasium, Cunard Fine Arts Gallery and the Voyage Sales Office. There is SO MUCH to do every hour of the day and night.

We’ve received our invitation for our 2nd fencing class. On Guard!