Not much is going on, either, on the ship. Sit to be fit, art class, origami class, Bingo, trivia, and of course, dining. We are ready to get home. These sea days didn't seem as much fun as others. We are beginning to realize we have to say goodbye to our friends who will all be going different ways.
They gave us our bags so we could start packing. I thought this was too early. but then I started thinking about it and realized I had to turn in the laundry right away, and had to see where things would go and how, and eventually we finished 5 minutes before 10:00pm when the bags were to be outside the room. Luggage Free ships four 50lb. bags home for us so we don't have to worry about them at the airport. We got the information and the luggage tags, but ours have my brother David's address on it. Luggage free picked up the bags there so they want to deliver them back to there. The concierge contacted them and we had new tags after we got off the ship.
Monday
One of the activities was a question and answer about the ship. The Captain, the Personnel officer, and the General Manager appeared to explain how they got their jobs, how long they have worked and answer questions. The Captain said it cost $132,000 to go through the Panama Canal. Port fees depend on what services we require. Usually it is like $5.00 per passenger. but if we are bunkering (taking on fuel), or getting supplies which require stevedores or other services, it is more. He said it will probably cost $80,000 in the port of Miami where just about everyone is getting off the ship and new passengers will embark. They will be resupplied as well. The Personnel Director said the service personnel are the ones who split the tips. They also get a salary. You can distinguish them by complimenting them on the comment card. The crew have two mess halls and delicious meals with many choices much like us. They ususally work 10 hour days. Right now there are staff from 38 different countries. The GM said a ship is like managing a luxury hotel. A big difference is that if you need three more waiters for a special event, or you run out of something, you can't just call and get them right away. The supplies are ordered 2 months in advance to be loaded into the stores. there is one person in charge of the supplies who also has assistants. We watched one day while the ship was supplied through a door next to the pier from containers using fork lifts. It took all day long to put the pallets into the ship.
The winners of the second photo contest were announced in the afternoon.
Here is one entered by a friend, that I really liked.
Later in the afternoon the Captain announced that we would have a helicopter pick up a passenger tomorrow morning. After dinner he announced that the Coast Guard could come now. The ship changed its course to be into the prevailing winds.
A huge helicopter pulled up along the port side, which is our side of the ship. We watched it hover to maintain the same speed as the ship. Then a lighted rope came down. Then an orange suited person with a helmet and straps and backpack came down on a rope. The copter moved off and hovered for awhile. Then a big basket was lowered. Soon it came back to the copter with someone in it. It had lots of dark orange bolsters and was like a cage. I thought they were done, but then they let down another lighted rope. This time a smaller stretcher built like a smaller cage, was lifted off the boat and smoothly pushed into the hold of the copter. But still another lighted red rope came down and soon the original rescuer was hoisted back into the copter, holding onto the rope somehow. After this, it left. I don't know why there were two airlifted cages, one large and one just the size of a person. I am wondering if the first was the loved one and luggage, the second one the patient. We found out that a nurse accompanied the patient. A chef, only 42 years old, had a heart attack. He was the one who carved the ice carvings and made beautiful fruit and vegetable decorations for the buffets.
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| Coast Guard rescue helicopter |
We got our final Cruise comment questionnaire to fill out. We got another customs form to fill out. We didn't go to the final show, the opera singer Alberto Sanchez, so we could pack. We missed the final farewell and salute from the crew. This is a very special time where they have all the crew march in and come onstage. It is very impressive and emotional when we saw it before. I forgot about it, and regret not going.
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| Betty Jean Wylie, the Canadian author, and Tammy and Andy Heath, our cruise directors |
Tuesday
Calmer seas greeted us. The main activity was the ship building contest. There were not as many entries at all. Harold's 10 yr old grandson had a cute entry he made himself and he sat on the ship in the pool himself.
I learned how to make a paper frog. Jack teaches origami to kids. It is a wonderful hobby.
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| The winning boat made of empty water bottles |
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| This boat carried a bathing beauty which got it a lot of crowd appeal |
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| Origami frog. Flick it's tail and it hops! |
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| Goodbye to Becky and Alan Rubin our trivia team members and friends |
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| Our last breakfast |
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| Roy, one of our favorite waiters. He is from the Philippines |
I picked up my art projects:
We said goodbye to Mary Grace and Kadek, our cabin stewards who took excellent care of us throughout the whole cruise. Mary Grace rocks. Literally. She is an amazing dancer. One evening when the ship was particularly gnarly, we asked how she was doing and she said "I'm drunk!"
We will miss having our beds made every day, clean towels twice a day if we want, and a turn down and chocolates in the evening after dinner. Mary Grace's husband did our laundry.
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| Kadek, Mary Grace, our cabin stewards, from Philippines |
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