Sea Day -- Crossing the Equator and Connie and Derricks Renewal of Vows

Today is the big day… all of us Pollywogs officially become Shellbacks.  I am very excited to be participating in the ceremony but a little nervous too but I know they won’t do anything bad to me.

We are up around 6:30 and we know it is going to be a very hot day because we are so close to the Equator. 

We head down for our espresso and chat with Gerry and Lynn and Tommi.  At 9:30 I participate in the Suduko challenge and come in first and get another Lanyard.  Thankfully it was an easier one today.

I put in our form to get two more Future Cruise Credits, this will give us four each so we have to do some bookings when we get home.  Always remember to get a Future Cruise Credit when you are on board.  They cost a $100 each and they sit in your Cruise Personalizer on Princess until you need them for a booking.  The next booking you make you can apply the $100 Credit to your booking and it is used as your deposit!  Also you then get an on board credit for that cruise which is based on the cabin type and cruise length, so you can’t loose!  Plus if you don’t use the credit within four years they refund you money!

Back to the cabin and I have the official invite for the ceremony, the invite says:

Dear Pollywogs….  Just a quick note to remind you that today is our big day… you will be proxy for all the guests on board to cleanse their sins in hopes that King Neptune, Ruler of the 7 Seas will permit our ship to cross the line!  Meet us at the deck 15 AFT Pelicans Youth Center at 1:15 and look for Matias.  Wear an old t-shirt, shorts or a bathing suit, and leave your glasses, shoes and jewelry with us in the Youth Center.  You will enter in the procession with the team.  Have fun with this, and we will be sure to launder your clothes and we will be sure you get a gift!  Have fun with this and thanks for being a good sport.   Sammi

I am ready!

We all meet in the youth center where we are prepped, there are four passengers involved, two women and two men.  We are lead out to the aft pool area that has been covered and is acting as a stage. 

When I was brought up I was accused of drinking all the gin and tonic on board forcing all the others to drink tea and King Neptune found me guilty.  I was hit first with chocolate sauce, then eggs, then whip cream then flour.  Yuck

chocolate and eggs

flour

here comes the whip cream

I got Andrew good, asked for his help getting down and then gave him a big hug

After the ceremony I made it back to my cabin with a few towels wrapped around me, quickly went into the shower and peeled off my clothes and needed to use almost a whole bottle of shampoo to clean my hair (even after that I still smelled chocolate).  I dried my hair put on some clothes and we then headed up to the renewal of vow ceremony.

Connie and Derrick have been married for 32 years and Derrick surprised Connie with this ceremony.  When they originally told us about this we were honoured to be included and a few days ago Barb, Rose and I cooked up a scheme, now when you attend a wedding you need to bring gifts right.  So we thought maybe they registered with Princess.  We called all the guests and suggested a item for them to bring.  One couple brought plates, another bowls, cutlery, napkins, towels, cups, salt and pepper all from the Horizon Court, we were all very imaginative with our wrapping and we set all the gifts on a back table.  Connie at first thought oh no gifts but then she quickly understood.  Even the Captain had a good laugh. 

The ceremony was beautiful, they have both been thru so much recently and their love was very apparent.  Many tears were shed in the ceremony.

After the service we all went to their cabin for some beverages and appetizers and a good time.

Dinner was Horizon Court we just couldn’t manage to get dressed and head to the dining room, we were just too tired.  When I get back to the cabin there is a large Princess bag that is full of everything, an interchangeable Princess bag, bottle of champagne, pens, lanyards, carabineers, pens, flashlights, water bottle and passport holders. 

We crash and we were asleep before 10 pm.