We have finally found land. After 10 days at sea, the ship docked next to a Disney ship, three NCL ship and MSC in Nassau, Bahamas. The Disney ship is everything you would expect from a newer ship build…there are kids hanging off every balcony…kinda like an over stuffed toy box. Some are dressed in Disney characters’ outfits…if you did not bring your own, I am sure there are plenty of opportunities in their gift/merch shops. Either way these families all matchy matchy, their Mouse Ears matching their outfits. All the merch is certified Disney products and not from Target or Kohls. They are all smiling and skipping, even Grandpa and Grandma are skipping…so Happiest place at Sea. Unlike the folks from Celebrity. We look like the zombies that we have all become…unwashed, mismatched mouth breathers. Night of the Living Dead comes to mind. Eddie has even started exhibited zombie behavior. Is there a pill for that? The ship board navigational channel that shows where the ship currently is on a map, wind speed, direction and sometimes a camera shot over the helipad. He has spent hours with glazed eyes just staring. Okay, to be fair, we think his IPad bricked. He can still read his Kindle app, but surfing, not happening…so Navigational channel,it is…thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday College Football. Speaking of on board gift shops…what a cushy job on the ship for those lucky crew members aboard this ship. Effy and John Hardy jewelry stores are virtually empty, except when they have the $10 charm day. The beauty and fragrance, same. The overpriced clothes and second hand designer bags, no sale. Celebrity is obviously aiming high for their clientele demographic but they would do better to read the room or the ship, as it were….look at the folks you are attracting. Tattoos At Sea and make Henna tattoos an option would be a great addition instead of the high end Jewelry store. You could sell the creams and Bandages to cover the new art work. Offer daily Tattoo checks for first timers. Also, Medical equipment at Sea. Canes, gallon bottles of Distilled water for CPAP machines instead of liquor bottles could line the walls. They could offer a ranges of braces for everything that might go wrong. An entire line of Biofreeze, Advil Creams, Salonpas patches, Lidocaine cream and pain goos…no $150 bottle of designed perfumes, just stuff that people need. You could offer a discount for both spa and acupuncture services with a qualifying purchase. Wasted space wasted opportunities for profit in my book.
I am going to have to eat my words. Remember how I wrote that we typically wait until we get home to make our feelings about a cruise known? Well, we have had two encounters in the last 24 hours that have made me reconsider. Last night was our last of our Speciality Dining package. Dinner for two in Tuscan. We booked a 6:00 seating first day of cruise. The app gods changed it yesterday to 5:45-cool, we can do that, no problem. We arrived on time (no surprise there) and were shown to a table that fits the description of a window table technical. The window overlooks lounge chairs on 11 and an emergency exit door. We told them we did not need a window table. Nope, this is the table the Maitre d’ selected for us. I guess we failed the beautiful people test. Then the party really got going. The wine sommelier and the water guy placed their silver buckets right behind Eddie’s chair…then proceeded to cram or withdraw the bottles of wine, sparkling wine, sparkling water and regular bottled water with gusto, regularly. Behind my chair was a wooden wall partition hiding the white wine fridge. It was obscured from my view, but it a was heavily trafficked area, for sure…wham! The trifecta was when the serving station and silverware drawer that was 3 feet from my shoulder became busy. If we had order a bottle of wine, I could blown across mouth of the bottle, while Eddie played pasta spoons..it was quite the band with the noise in this not a window table. Not really the ambience of a candle lite dinner for two. We did not complain about the food…but both left tremendous amounts on our plate…except for the flatbread Blanco pizza…it was pretty good. An observant waiter should have asked. Nope. I just couldn’t help myself. Did not go Covid K, but suggested that they not place diners at that table. Bottom line….don’t put baby in the corner. I was as nice as I could be. He asked if we complained to our waiter….We said no, and I subtly added that was his job to make those determinations as the restaurant was less than 1/3 full and there were other two top options clearly available and not reserved…yeah, that was slightly mean, but don’t throw your waiter under the bus to save yourself. We both dropped our heads, all hang dog and headed to elevator. He gave chase, but the elevator arrived promptly. Message received.
With all the days at sea, fall back clocks, getting up with my cicada rhythms, my bedtime is totally mess up. Eddie, no problem he can sleep in any time zone, no problem. We turned in a little before 9:00. I know, party animals. I had just dropped off into a deep sleep and the cabin phone rings. I pick up the phone. In a heavily accented voice, not Ukrainian like our Butler who goes off duty at 9:00 and knows we are not to be disturbed after 9:00…but maybe Indian. Explaining I need to hurry up and come to the door so he could delivery a cake to us. I said I did not order a cake, and he had woken us up. He said it was complementary. Like 5 times, and to hurry up and come to door, now. I told him I did not want nor need a cake, complementary or not. Bottom line, no cake, and I never got back to sleep. So, today I will go to Nora and try to find out who sent us a cake…at night. Eddie and I figure it is Tuscan playing the Cake and make up Card. Stay tuned for the solution to this mystery.
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