Monday Evening - Evening at Sea

Tonight is the Captain Circle Party and then the Crown Grill for dinner.  Our party starts at 7 pm in Vista Lounge.  They had two parties, and the most travelled is a woman who has over 2,000 days.  Wow.  We enjoyed the party, it was quick, we got a drink and they even had little finger foods.  Which we have not seen for the last few parties we have attended. 

The Captain was in attendance as well as many of the officers, and he gladly posed for pictures too.  We sat near the back and we were surprised at how a few people just walked right in without even acknowledging the Captain.  But I am guessing they were not aware of who he was.

We walk forward towards Crown Grill for our 7:30 reservation.  We are sat at a lovely booth where we can enjoy the action.  Our server Glenn from the Philippines introduces himself.  Funny guy!

We are dining with Paul and Yvonne tonight and they received a bottle of champagne from their Travel Agent so we enjoyed that and then had a bottle of the Borolo from Italy to enjoy with dinner.

I started with the spinach/goat cheese/beet salad, then the Black and Blue Onion Soup.  For my entre I had the fillet mignon served with garlic fries, asparagus and mushrooms.  Everything was very very good.  We did notice that the soup was a smaller serving, still served in the same bowl but only came up to about the half way mark on the bowl.  Although I understand the smaller serving and find the serving to be just right it does look odd.  They may want to buy smaller bowls.

In the end I couldn’t eat all of my steak, I wanted to save room for dessert this time (as last time here we skipped dessert).  I had the chocolate obsession and it was perfect.  Paul had the Norman Love chocolate dessert which was a chocolate peanut butter bar and it looks beautiful.

We can hear the music being played in the Atrium and the balloons will be dropping soon.  What is so strange is all the tables and chairs are facing the center, but it is so hard to even get to the dance floor in the center because of all the chairs and tables filled with people.  Bernie giggles and says they look like zombies just staring at the dance floor with no one on it (cause they can’t get past the zombies – or maybe the dancers are afraid to walk past the zombies).  Anyways kidding aside the atmosphere is just not there so we move on.

I am too full to just sit down or go back to the cabin so we go for a stroll.  MUTS is showing the football game – but we are not into football.  We walk around the deck past the front and the gym and the wind is strong but we giggle as we try to make our way around. 

When we come back to the cabin we are in hysterics…. When we walk in the door we see a roll of toilet paper that has been rolled out and leads to the closed bathroom door.  When we open the door we see Woody wrapped in the toilet paper sitting on the toilet lid.  Oh and there is Jasper with his head in the garbage can like he is throwing up.  We can’t stop laughing.  Grenny our Steward has been a delight.

Off to sleep, we have one more day at sea. 

Things happening on board tonight:  British Invasion Show in Princess Theater (oh Bernie was chatting with a guy who was complaining about the music in the British Invasion Show that he didn’t recognize any of the music.  Bernie responded “really” the songs were all huge hits and that he grew up with them.  The guy responds grumpily “well I don’t know any of them and they should really play music for everyone”.  Bernie just couldn’t resist and says yeah you are too old for most of that music.  Boy one thing that doesn’t change is people like to complain.  Usually the first thing out of most people’s mouths when we chat with them is something negative.  When I respond that that is too bad they aren’t enjoying themselves they respond “oh I am enjoying myself”.  Life is short people!  So many people are at home having to work and would trade places in a heartbeat so embrace it all!

Back to what is happening on board tonight:  MUTS The Fault In Our Stars, Wheelhouse is playing Ad Libitum Trio (who just got on in Puerto Vallarta), Ballroom Dancing with The Tempo Quatro Band in Explorers, Pawel plays Piano Favorites in Crooners, Impressionist and Comedian Steve Caouette has three shows tonight 8, 9:15, and 10:30 in Vista Lounge, The Marriage Match Game Show, Abba Hour with DJ Sascha in One5 Lounge, Princess Pop Star Heat #3.

I am NOT 29 Anymore

It all started out harmless.  Dinner was at Sabatinis we arrived with a bottle of wine that was given to us by Head Office, but the Maitre d’Hotel also had a bottle of wine there for us, so two bottles between three people.

Dinner was the usual calamari, pasta, then the lobster three ways which is great but really all I love is the risotto the most and should of just ordered that.  Then I had an after dinner cocktail. 

Lots going on after dinner and Peter suggests the British Invasion show, but on the way he buys us all Beverly Hills’ Ice Teas.  They sure taste good and the show is amazing, dancing in my seat the entire time. 

Off to the Atrium to enjoy the Farwell Party and the balloon drop, another Beverly Hills’ Ice Tea!  More dancing, more laughing, and well just fun.

Well I should of seen it coming!  When will I ever learn?  I wake up and oh no my head, my tummy, my entire body is sore with a huge hangover!  No more drinking I say to Bernie!  He feels good, go figure.

He suggests breakfast and I grumble but as I sit for breakfast the thought of anything turns me away and all I can manage is half a bagel and half a glass of orange juice.  Forget even thinking of have a latte.

Peter is at his desk and he looks great, maybe a little tired but otherwise he looks good and he says he feels good.  Pippa is hugely busy – always happens near the end of a voyage.

I was in such a rough state I skip Sudoku, yup!  I really want to see Mark’s lecture on turtles and I need to give our steward enough time to clean the cabin so we head to the Princess Theater.  I really enjoyed the show and loved his slides, and his talk was very entertaining but I was suffering and needed my bed.

We bolted out of there and right back to the cabin, slipped on my most comfy t-shirt and crawled into bed.  And I was out for the count!  Slept two hours and woke feeling refreshed.

We are to arrive in Ensenada around 4 and people are itching on board and are excited when off in the distance we can see land. 

I am hungry (guess that is a good sign) I head up to the Horizon Court and they have a Mexican themed lunch.  I get a few items, but not too much tummy is still a little off.  At the main pool they are doing the boat races.  You know the ones that you have to build then have it send a six pack across the pool.  I take a seat around the ledge of the pool and this guy about ten feet away screams at me that I am blocking his view.  He is laying on a lounge chair and there is a walkway between us.  I am shocked that he would actually think that his 20 feet from the chair to the pool would remain clear while he is laying down.  I just look and stare and then choose to ignore his comment.  Again that sense of entitlement from so many on board is sad. 

I need fresh air so I decide to walk around the promenade deck for a bit and watch for wildlife.  Although it is hard to get far before running into someone you know.   So you stop and chat, then move on and stop and chat again.  Met a lovely couple married 43 years and chatted with them for a good half hour. 

 

We do see lots of wildlife, birds, whales, dolphins, and then sea lions as we get closer to Ensenada.  I head up to get my camera so I can capture some of it.

But I need to find Bernie, he got up before I did and headed out on his own and I haven’t seen him for a few hours and we keep missing each other.  Plus I want to share the experience with him.

We dock early and we are off around 4 and just walk into town.  The main tourist street is packed, and the huskers are out in full force.  We have to giggle as one guy says to Bernie “The Best Titty Bar Right Here” and then he adds “and classy too” we are laughing as we walk on.  Lots of the usual “Come into my store”, “Come enjoy a meal”, “Cheap for you today”, “Welcome to my ship sponsored store”.  I know this is just how it is in this country, it is what they know and how they make their money, but many North Americans are just not use to it and often are put off by it.  We just keep moving.
 

We decide to get off the main drag to see more of the “real” Ensenada and head further inland.  Bernie stops me and shows me this poster ad, the building appears to be a strip club and the poster shows a beautiful woman in the poster and the tag line below should probably say “Floor Show” but it doesn’t someone miss spelled Floor and wrote Flour instead, yup Flour Show, I am hoping it is a spelling error – but maybe they do something with flour I don’t know. 

 

We walk along their main shopping street – no tourists here!  Window shopping, did get a few small items from their grocery store like water, and tried to find a birthday card for Ann but missed out on that.

 

Everything in Ensenada is walkable but you do need to be physically mobile.  A shuttle bus offers rides right from the pier if you need it for a small fee, but walking is flat but uneven so make sure you watch where you step.

 

Back on board is 7:30 but since we have dinner plans for Ann’s birthday we are on earlier and we meet up with our table mates at 7:45 for  a lovely meal.  It is the Chef’s Dinner theme and I had the fried chicken again – it is so good, especially like the coleslaw.

After dinner we head to the Princess Theater to catch Martin Lewis’ magic show.  It is very nice but I always find magic shows hard to stay awake for but I manage.

It is frustrating that just when the show ends and Martyn the CD is coming on stage to finish the show about 10% of the audience gets up and leaves!  I really find this odd, where are they rushing off to?  Is there another meal to have?  Bernie says they are off to get the elevator first!  Ha ha ha…. But I find this on every ship, I don’t see this at home when I attend events.  What is odder is they are trying to climb the stairs in the dark and many really should wait until the lights come up so they manage the stairs safely. 

For us we wait and enjoy Martyn’s comments (they are always funny) then when the lights come on we wait in our seats for the crowds to disperse.  Better this way, plus I am on holidays and there is no where I have to be that quickly.

It was a good day in the end, even though is started roughly.  I will add that someone was put off the boat yesterday for not following the rules.  I also can confirm a couple was put off in one of the Hawaiian ports too for also breaking the rules.  No reason to state what rule they broke but it is clearly laid out and warranted and I am proud of Princess for following procedure.