Embarkation Day

April 2, 2016

Not the best embarkation day ever which is why my entry is late.

Things started out fine.  My Cruise Critic friend, Georgina, had arranged for a van to transport us and our luggage to the pier for $8 each.  The driver showed up on time but was unable to take us directly to the terminal only in front of it.  That meant we had to wheel our luggage through a check-in point and across a driveway to the luggage carts.  Inconvenient but not bad.

It took thirty minutes to wait in line for security and then wait in line to register my bottle of wine.  Then the long line to check-in which took fifty minutes.  By then my back was in agony (walking hurts it but standing is worse).  While I was in line the first boarding group (suite passengers) was called at 12:05.  Something different - they collected passports for the duration of the cruise at check-in.  My group was called at about 12:35 but again there was a wait of about twenty minutes to get the elevator up (it was that or walk up two flights of stairs).

The winding line to check in (12:23 pm)

I was onboard about 1:00 but when I got to my cabin my key card did not work.  So, another walk back to guest relations desk (while I was there the man next to me was trying to get the tips reduced - I really wanted to call him a cheapskate but I refrained).  Back to my cabin and the new key card didn't work either.  Luckily, my room steward came by and let me in.

By then I was hungry so went to the Lido for lunch.  Sat with two other Cruise Critic friends.  I had chicken, loaded mashed potatoes and a tomato/mozzarella salad.  Sounds OK doesn't it?  (More in a minute).

I then needed to make my reservation for the Master Chef's Dinner (did it last year and it was delicious) and get my dining changed.  When I booked last April I was waitlisted for Main (late) fixed seating.  I spent the year asking my travel agent to get that confirmed but for whatever reason she could not.  When my e-docs came through I was confirmed open seating.  I was not happy.  I like to eat with the same people each night and eating with different people all the time would not be my cup of tea.  I was able to get it changed in about 30 seconds.

By that time I was feeling awful.  My back hurt and my stomach was upset.  I went to my cabin (key worked this time) and lay on the sofa until muster drill.

Muster drill was much faster than usual (they are scanning key cards rather than calling cabin numbers.  Went up to the aft Lido deck for the sail-away.  There were about 20 or so roll call members.  We were late leaving (about 45 minutes) so people dwindled away.

Our Cruise Critic sail-away 

Views of San Diego as we sailed out 

Back to my cabin to change for dinner and realized I still felt horrible.  Decided to try trivia and see how I felt after that.

Not too many trivia players ( about 3 or 4 large groups) so I played by myself - only had seven correct.

1.  How many years was Nelson Mandela imprisoned?
2. On what date does Kwanzaa begin?
3. In mythology, a harpie has the face of a woman and the features of a ____.
4. Which entertainer has won two Oscars, 5 Emmys, 7 Golden Globes, 7 Grammys, and a special Tony?
5. Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose was largely made of what wood?

Once trivia was over I felt even worse, could not think of any food that could even tempt me, so decided to skip dinner and go to bed.  At 7:24 I set my clock back (we lose one hour tonight) and went to sleep.

Trivia answers
1. 27 years
2.  December 26
3. Bird
4. Barbra Streisand
5. Birch

Smooth sailing until next time!