Carnival Getaway

14 February, 2022

Two years after COVID turned the world upside-down things started returning to a semblance of normalcy. After working four months on an ambulance in a busy 911 system we managed to schedule a bit of a reprieve. We sailed out of Charleston several times over the years and enjoyed the convenience and affordability. While Royal Caribbean has been our favorite for nearly three decades, Carnival has never disappointed us. The crowds do tend to be more "fun" focused - but they are the "Fun Ships" - so it's expected.

We booked a five day respite in the form of a Bahamas cruise aboard the Carnival Sunshine. We drove down the morning of departure and parked at the port, which was a change from our usual habit of driving down the night before and leaving the car at a local hotel. This trip was all about relaxing and re-setting, so we had no plans or pre-conceptions. We didn't even know if we would get off the ship at either of the ports of call - and it didn't matter.

Eggs & Avocado Toast

The first day of the cruise we woke in time to enjoy the Sea Day Brunch, which isn't much of a challenge when you consider that it was served until 1:00 in the afternoon! When we finished our meal we took our entertainment items and found a quiet corner to sit and read while watching (and listening to) the ocean roll by. We no longer feel compelled to join every activity or attend every performance on a cruise. We may sit adjacent to the daily trivia game, or just within earshot of a band, and that's often enough to be satisfying. It's the freedom to do as much, or as little, as we like, on our own schedule, that we find appealing.

Our first port of call was Bimini. While it's certainly a nice place to visit, especially if you haven't spent much time in the Caribbean, there wasn't much for us to consider, so we took advantage of a mostly-deserted ship and chose places to hang out that are more crowded on sea days. Port days aboard the ship can be even more relaxing than sea days, as the staff can slow their pace a bit and spend a few moments interacting with guests and taking time to add extra touches that simply don't lend themselves to the pace of a full house.

Sushi

Since we were more focused on the ship, and all it had to offer, and not the itinerary, we made a point to focus on the specialty dining venues. This was our first time on a Carnival ship with a sushi bar that was more than a small counter tucked away in a corner of the esplanade. While the small format sushi bars always offered tasty morsels, the variety was dictated by the space and the offerings were tailored towards items that could be easily produced and served to dozens of people in a short period of time. Based on the expectations set by other culinary offerings on Carnival we anticipated what we term "useful" sushi ("useful" being a term we've defined previously in these posts; good, suits the need, nothing to get excited about.) Well, we were pleasantly surprised. The presentation was much better than what you might expect from your neighborhood sushi shop, the fish was fresh and tasty, and the rice was well prepared (not too sticky, but sticky enough - and not an obscene amount as to ruin the fish/rice ratio.) The wasabi, while not fresh grated as you might receive at Morimoto or Nobu, was nice - I've had some here and there that tasted more like discarded petroleum distillates than anything - and the pickled ginger was quite clean and crisp - again, not the best I've ever had, but FAR better than the worst I've experienced! The wait staff was on their game, attentive without being pushy, but obviously trying to make sure they didn't keep us from any plans we may have had. The best I can say is that we enjoyed a second visit later in the cruise.

Our second port of call was Nassau, a place we've been many times before. While we weren't in need of having our hair braided, and didn't have anything specific we were looking for, we did venture off the ship for a couple of hours to stretch our legs and see if there were any compelling new t-shirt designs at Piranha Joe's. We picked up a few trinkets before returning to the ship well before the crowds so we could stake out a quiet corner and have a drink or two.

Steakhouse Starter

Wanting to give equal opportunity, and compare the Carnival steak restaurant to the Royal Caribbean steak restaurant, we opted for another specialty reservation. The experience exceeded our expectations. The steaks were perfectly cooked and nearly fork-tender. Appetizers and side dishes were all tasty, nicely prepared, and attractively presented. The wine list offered several interesting selections, and the service was top-flight from beginning to end. Desserts were appropriately elevated and delicious. When we next find ourselves on a Carnival ship we will definitely pay a visit to the steak house again.

Our final sea day was largely a repeat of our first sea day, with the addition of a bit of time spent packing for our departure. While many might find our current cruising style mundane, even boring, it is precisely what we need in order to decompress from the demands of daily life. That's the beauty of it all, much like a "choose your ending" storybook, you can tailor the experience to fit your needs.

Arrival and disembarkation in Charleston (in retrospect for our final time, as the city has since chosen to terminate their relationship with the cruise industry and Carnival has moved to Norfolk, VA) was the usual "mildly unpleasant but not horrible" experience of buses and luggage to relocate passengers to the parking lot, where you're deposited in a central location and left to hike to your vehicle. This is simply a fault of adapting a facility to a new purpose, and not attributable to any particular entity.

Charleston sunset

Disney with the Family

2 October, 2021

Main Street Railway Station

Our first family vacation since the onset of COVID. This trip had been on the books for a couple of years, so we were happy that Disney opened back up and there had been no reports of massive transmission events. In a rare move we chose to drive down in order to minimize exposure risk, while other members of our party flew to Orlando. Fortunately there were no health-related incidents the entire trip, other than a bit of heat exhaustion suffered by yours truly thanks to abnormally high temperatures.

Skyliner

We chose Pop Century for this trip, a property we have stayed in a couple of times prior. We find the "budget" hotels still deliver a solid "Disney" experience, just with fewer whistles and bells. The rooms are nicely appointed, towels and linens are "Disney-level" and, of course, the staff is pure Disney. There are pools, bars, food, and shopping, as well as luggage services, rental scooter management, and easy transportation to the rest of the property. One of our favorite aspects of Pop Century is the (relatively) new Skyliner service, which provides transportation to Hollywood Studios and Epcot via gondolas that run continuously during operating hours. The gondolas comfortably accommodate 6 adults, but you can probably squeeze in 8 under many circumstances. They'll also fit a scooter with a few others - loading parameters are generally dictated by your party and not the capacity of the SkyLiner.

The pent-up wanderlust caused by COVID kept us running hard for our entire visit (which was probably a significant contribution to my heat exhaustion mid-week.) For the first time ever I spent a day at Animal Kingdom. The only other time I've been in that park was shortly after it was opened with limited space, I only lasted a few hours before becoming frustrated with the crowds and made my exit. This time I had a vastly more enjoyable experience. Expedition Everest is a novel and entertaining coaster, a definite "must ride" for any coaster enthusiast. The animal displays are thoughtful and the inhabitants don't display any signs of stress. The food options in Animal Kingdom are some of the best counter service offerings available in any Disney park that I've visited.

Grey Stuff!

In the Magic Kingdom we had lunch at Be Our Guest. The 3 course prix-fixe menu offers several options (including vegetarian) and, while on the more expensive end of the Disney dining spectrum, I think it represents reasonable value for teens and adults. Obviously the experience is focused on children (this is Disney, after all!) but I struggle with the cover charge for youngsters. Our entrees were quite tasty. I had tuna tartare as a starter and short rib beef bourguignon and had to remind myself several times that I was in the Magic Kingdom. The dessert trio is the way to go for dessert - The Gray Stuff really IS delicious! Characters roam around almost constantly throughout the meal and when they're not on the floor the venue itself becomes the entertainment. The air conditioning is quite effective, as is the case in several attractions, so a light jacket might be in order if you're prone to getting chilled.

Remy's ride

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure had just opened up, and we were fortunate enough to get a spot in the Virtual Queue. The queue winds through the rooftops of Paris before depositing you at the loading zone, where you board your Rat-mobile. The vehicles travel through the ride autonomously, using trackless technology. The 4-D effects are the best Imagineers have to offer and provide laughs and surprises without being overly intense for younger guests. With the integration of video and motion this ride appears to have been developed with future enhancement or revision in mind. Everyone in our group (ages 3 to 53) thought the attraction was very well done and would have ridden multiple times if that were even remotely possible. RRA has since been moved under the Genie+ umbrella, making it easier for guests to enjoy.

This was our first time ever dining at Skipper Canteen in Adventureland. How this restaurant slipped by us on our previous couple of visits is beyond me, as we're usually attentive to changes. This table service venue provides an elevated experience hidden away in plain sight. We were visiting Disney with family members who hold annual passes, who had dined here several times previously. They reported that everything they've ever eaten there was quite good, and the six of us who were new to the experience concurred unconditionally. The air conditioning provides an amazing respite from the heat, the service is excellent and has just enough "Jungle Cruise" humor to elicit a smile from even the most fatigued guest. True Disney aficionados (addicts?) will notice a steady stream of Easter eggs scattered around. From office doors to bookshelves, they range from homages to Imagineers to assorted Disney references. Look for both direct and oblique connections to movies and history (both real and imagined) - they are abundant.

This visit marked the first opportunity for our group to visit Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios.  Some of us opted to sleep in instead of getting up obscenely early for the rope-drop opportunity. The rest of us made our way over to the park at a more civilized hour and enjoyed our favorites, such as Rockin' Rollercoaster, and new attractions, like Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. The latter, housed in Grauman's Chinese Theater, replaced the Great Movie Ride in 2020. It's the first Disney ride to feature Mickey & Minnie, and it's well done. There's cartoonish excitement and suspense, and like Remy, restrained enough to keep the laughter above the anxiety. Unfortunately I got a bit overheated and had to retreat back to the hotel mid-afternoon. A cool shower and some dilute electrolytes along with a nap in a cold room had me sorted out in just a few hours. I was feeling human again when everyone returned around dinner time, and by the next morning I was good to go - and much more cognizant of my fluid intake.

Mickey

After several character dining experiences throughout the week, we wrapped things up with the character breakfast at Topolino's Terrace located in the Riviera Resort. A huge plus to this location was the easy access from Pop Century via the SkyLiner. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was excellent, but the premium added for the character experience simply doesn't represent a reasonable value for me. Unless Mickey is going to sit at the table for the duration or Goofy is going to provide end-to-end entertainment throughout the meal, a $52 plate of bacon and eggs or French toast isn't justifiable, even with coffee and juice. I understand market economics, so I'll gladly surrender my seat to those willing to participate. I do look forward to having dinner at Topolino's one day, the menu is interesting and they have already demonstrated their ability to execute with their tasty breakfast.

The only complaint I can lodge for this trip is that Disney now charges a daily parking fee where once there was none. I understand the stresses placed on businesses due to COVID, but a fee to park in a lot, without any level of service attached to the parking, just seems like a petty money-grab. We don't drive to Orlando often, but we have done it enough that this added fee was a bit of an annoyance. I'm already spending over $100 per person, per day (room, meals, tickets) - there's no need to rub my nose in it.

Despite a few logistics glitches (our room was originally two, but became four) the week was a much-welcome breakout of the COVID world. Masking was implemented situationally in higher-risk environments, and I didn't witness anyone throwing a tantrum for it being either too restrictive or too permissive. The Disney Cast members provided polite and gentle mask reminders if and when needed (which was rare, and usually at transitional moments, such as boarding a bus) and I don't even recall a snide remark from anyone. 

Paramedic School

January, 2020

If you asked why on Earth a fifty-something Gen-X'er would decide to enroll in Paramedic school after a career of working in technology start-ups you wouldn't be alone. I've been working as a paramedic for several years now (Yes, I'm still catching up with the blog, but I've made solid progress in the past week, and hope to keep up the pace until I'm current!) and I still get the question on a regular basis.

The Cliff's Notes version:

I mostly retired from the tech industry around 2010, a few years after my wife was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Having never heard of the most common genetic disease on the planet we searched high and low for resources and eventually educated ourselves. It was shocking how difficult it was to find information on the topic just 15 years ago.

We traveled to see different doctors, participated in multiple studies, and attended the annual PKD conference for many years. Her health declined.

In 2018 she received a kidney transplant (as referenced in a previous post) and life changed. In the fall of 2018 I obtained my EMT certification to see if I might enjoy the vocation. In early 2019 I stepped up to an Advanced EMT certification (a level not recognized in every state) and decided I wanted to get my Paramedic certification. For a kid who grew up glued to the television watching Johnny and Roy in episodes of Emergency! this was pretty heady stuff.

In January 2020 paramedic classes started. There were about 24 of us in the program. We ranged in age from 18 to 53 (I was the oldest by far.) Some were taking their first bite from the apple, several had eaten a few apples by this point. Some were in class because they had a sincere interest in healthcare, some were there just because it was "something to do" and they thought it would be easy. By the end of the program there were 12 of us still standing. Of those twelve, eight of us are still running EMS calls. 

In Mid-March 2020 our class started clinical rotations in the Emergency Department. COVID was already spreading across Europe and there were reports of outbreaks on cruise ships. Three of four groups of my classmates completed their introductory shifts in the hospital. On March 15 the first states with outbreaks began implementing shutdown guidelines.  My first shift was scheduled for March 28, 2020.

On Wednesday, March 25, our school shut down for in-person classes and all clinical activities were suspended.

COVID had arrived.

We completed the remainder of the semester online, and the entire first summer session was conducted online. The second summer session was hybridized, with small groups meeting for lab sessions while implementing social distancing protocols with mandatory masking. The fall semester maintained masking requirements with less stringent distancing. We were allowed to resume clinical rotations just after Labor Day, 2020 and in late October we started our 911 ambulance rotations. By the first of May, 2021, we completed the course and two of us passed our Paramedic exam the next morning.

And there you have it.

The Longest Day

14 August, 2019

Our departure was eased once again by the friendly, reliable, courteous, and professional service provided by the staff of Eddie Manning. Their service comes at a fair price and, in my opinion, is not an extravagance based purely on the value for money they provide. From the front door of your accommodation to the airport curb all you need to worry about is getting in and out of the vehicle - they handle all the minutiae.

I was a bit creative when I booked our flights for this trip, opting for a more indirect route home (LHR-DFW-ILM) in favor of a significantly lower Business Class fare. Side note - in order to make my wife as comfortable as possible on long-haul flights I go through quite a few machinations to put us "up front" - yes, we could travel more frequently if we opted for economy, but if it takes a couple of days to recover from the flight then the savings is diminished. Sometimes I find excellent deals, sometimes I can book with miles, and occasionally I'm forced to choose between paying the fare or not traveling, and I bite the bullet. At the time of booking I assumed that a flight halfway across the country (DFW-ILM) wouldn't be in a regional jet, but I was mistaken.

That kind of day

Our flight from LHR to DFW was comfortable, but long. The food was good, the service was excellent, my noise-cancelling headset reduced the fatigue, and the napping was a solid 8/10. These days any flight that isn't remarkable for unfortunate circumstances is good in my book, and this was a good flight. Being gracious and polite to the flight attendants may be an obvious choice to most, but these simple acts are often discarded "up front" and people can be quick to express a sense of entitlement. If you paid full fare at the counter or booked a reward ticket months in advance it doesn't matter - just be nice and it will pay dividends. Sometimes it might get you an extra scoop of ice cream in your sundae, or maybe an extra bottle or two of your preferred adult beverage so you don't have to ask later in the flight. But mostly you'll earn the respect of the cabin crew.

Last leg going home!

If you've ever been to DFW you know that the gates are so far apart that you'd have to pass through immigration several times during the course of a connection if the airport were in Europe. Passport control was seamless, as were customs and luggage re-check. After walking several miles and taking an inter-terminal shuttle ride halfway to Oklahoma we arrived at our gate - thoroughly disoriented from the time change and a bit hungry, despite being served a meal and snacks on the flight from London. We ended up sharing a sandwich and chips while we battled the sleep monster waiting for our final flight. 

Once we boarded and I re-installed my headset I succumbed to the powers of Morpheus (Greek, not Fishburne) and napped fitfully for most of the flight. Arrival, baggage claim, and the ride home were a blur of exhaustion. Despite an epic level of fatigue and a warm shower before collapsing in bed, I was awake and alert by 3:00 the next morning, my body insisting it was time for coffee and breakfast.

London

13 August, 2019

We started the day with a "proper" Full English breakfast, taking our time and savoring our last leisurely morning in London before being drop-kicked back into the reality of daily life (and the coming year of Paramedic school.) At the risk of being redundant, when you travel don't fall back on familiar foods - branch out and give the regional twists and turns a try. I may never have baked beans with my eggs and toast for breakfast at home, but I look forward to enjoying them when I'm in the UK. Travel isn't just about seeing things and checking off a list - it's about experiencing things from different perspectives and expanding our knowledge and understanding of the world.

Best bookstore, anywhere

Other than toasted cheese sandwiches from Borough Market the only other thing we require for a trip to London to be complete is a visit to Hatchard's. They always have something new and interesting, and there's just something about browsing stacks of books in a centuries-old building that feels right. The staff is exactly what you think a bookstore staff should be, able to answer the most esoteric questions about any book you pull from the shelf. Fortunately there is no VAT nor duty assessed on books - the only "tax" you'll encounter involves the weight of your purchases. If you're a book lover then Hatchard's should be at the top of your list of places to see when you're in London.

Next door to Hatchard's is Fortnum and Mason, a London institution that first grew to fame as a grocer. The modern F&M continues the tradition of high quality groceries in addition to their expansion into luxury items. You'll find an extensive library of wine verticals as well as some exceptionally rare varieties of Scotch. F&M also offers one of the finest brunch menus in all of London, in addition to afternoon tea and a full range of breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. F&M biscuit tins are an excellent choice if you're looking for something to take home to that difficult-to-buy-for person.

A mid-afternoon stop at Cafe Nero for a much-needed caffeine boost kept us motivated before grabbing a rare cab to run back to the hotel to unburden ourselves of books and assorted purchases.

Scarsdale Tavern

After delivering our booty to the hotel room and navigating a bit of re-packing in preparation for our trip home we headed to The Scarsdale Tavern for dinner. We were introduced to The Scarsdale in 2016 by my wife's uncle, who was an airline captain. He began his career with Piedmont Airlines, which then merged with USAir before being assimilated by American Airlines. He passed away in January 2019, and we honor him each time we visit London with a trip to The Scarsdale for a pint of his favorite, Guinness.

London - Favorite Places

12 August, 2019

Best grilled cheese on the planet

After a leisurely morning we made our way to Borough Market (if you're a frequent visitor of this blog then you know what comes next...) and stood on the queue for toasted cheese sandwiches. 

After many years they remain the absolute best toasted/grilled cheese sandwich I've ever tasted, anywhere. They are proof that good food doesn't have to be complicated, and quality ingredients are the most important concern. 

I've managed to work out a combination of cheeses that match the flavor profile from Kappacasein, and the shallots are a fairly subjective aspect (I tend to think "more is better" when it comes to all things onion-related.) 

The critical element to achieve perfection is tracking down proper bread. While they have an established source, those of us playing the home game are left to experiment with home-made bread, artisanal bread, "semi-artisanal" bread, and premium commercial sliced loaves. I've had good results from both "semi-artisanal" offerings found at the local grocery stores (diagonal slices seem to be optimal) and a few varieties from the Pepperidge Farms Farmhouse line of products.

We followed up our shared sandwich with a shared Scotch Egg from Scotchtails - another reliable vendor that we've visited regularly over many years. They have shared their exact recipe and technique with me, but I have yet to attempt my own. I really must correct this problem, despite any protests that my cardiologist might offer.

The balance of the day was spent doing a little casual shopping for London favorites, interspersed with a few pints at some noteworthy pubs.

Knights Templar, now The Last Judgement

Dinner was pub fare, mostly due to the convenience and our desire for an early evening. The length of the trip was starting to get to us, and we were tired by this point. The cruise portion was amazing, but with so many new and interesting places to visit we didn't have much down time. Following that up with our favorite city, where we are driven to keep moving, wasn't the best recipe and it began to catch up with us.

Amsterdam to London

Not actually Eddie

    Arrival and disembarkation from our Baltic cruise in Amsterdam was, to borrow a phrase, "quick and painless." If I were forced to lodge a complaint it would only be for the space and comfort on the bus for the transfer from pier to airport. The shore-side staff was polite and efficient, luggage was handled with minimal effort, and directions and signage for the transfer were well-placed and clearly presented.

    Our flight to Heathrow from Schiphol didn't present any challenges, and Eddie Manning had someone waiting for us at arrivals to whisk us away to The Harrington. While trying to avoid the appearance of sloth, I don't know any other way to say that the check-in process was quick and painless, just as it has been each and every time we've arrived.

Pricey, but so good!

    After getting organized and freshening up we made our way to Burger & Lobster for a late lunch/early dinner (of course I had the lobster roll, I find it nearly impossible to order anything else!) This time we tried the Knightsbridge location in Harvey Nichols. After eating at no less than four locations, the only difference between any of them is the decor and the geography. (Which, obviously, is what you would expect.)

    A quick tube ride and a short walk found us back at The Hereford Arms for a couple of beers before calling it a day. While the day wasn't particularly long, the last night of a cruise rarely results in satisfying sleep, and we had been moving steadily since early in the morning. After a couple of Guinnesses we decided to turn in, since we had a full day planned for Monday.

Baltic Cruise - Copenhagen to Amsterdam

8 August - Cruising the Baltic

After departing Stockholm we enjoyed a quiet night at sea. Early in the cruise our headwaiter chose to complain to our table in a rather gratuitous manner.  While we weren't the catalyst for his diatribe, those at our table who were the focus of his unnecessary outburst were quite uncomfortable. I reached out to Royal Caribbean that evening and the next morning I had a request from the Restaurant Manager for a meeting. We shared a coffee and had an excellent conversation as I explained that my concern was the display of behavior from a member of management that I'd never experienced in over 20 cruises, which indicated to me that perhaps this individual was facing a situation that he wasn't handling well and needed some support. The result of that conversation was a complimentary visit to Chops, which is how we spent our evening. While I'm partial to the steaks I cook at home, the staff at Chops is a good bit nicer than having to rely on self-service.

9 August - Copenhagen, Denmark 

Rosenborg Castle

Looking for an overview of a new city, we chose the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus to survey Copenhagen. The route provided several opportunities to "Hop Off" and walk several blocks before a "Hop On" to get closer to another area. Our first stop provided a pleasant walk through the gardens and grounds of Rosenborg Castle. Entry lines were quite long, so we didn't take a tour of the castle or see the crown jewels due to the limited amount of time we had in-port. We were able to enjoy the sculptures and gardens, which were in full bloom. The longest part of our walk was along a shaded esplanade and there was just enough breeze to make the park benches exceptionally tempting. I'm certain a conveniently placed hammock would have been irresistible. The weather was spectacular and a bit warmer than expected, so after our walk through the gardens we located a grocery store on Google Maps along our route to the next bus stop. We ventured through a generally tidy residential area, located the store without incident, and navigated a successful beverage purchase without use of English (or Danish, for that matter!) thanks to a large digital cash-register display. 

Nyhavn

Sufficiently rehydrated, we continued on to Nyhavn, which fulfilled the promise of a bustling tourist area. The sidewalks were filled with restaurant seating, overlooked by friendly and attentive servers. Umbrellas and tents provided ample shade for a comfortable meal. Nyhavn was once a bustling port and the commercial center of the city. The colorful buildings and boat-filled canal remain as the backdrop of a bustling modern commercial center, albeit focused on tourism and restaurants instead of the import and export of goods.

Lunch

For reasons unknown, I was overcome with a strong urge to try a traditional Danish lunch ofcured/smoked/pickled fish. This was even more unusual considering I'm not known as an "adventurous" eater, but none the less I held course and ordered a sampler platter of sorts, consisting of several types of fish with an assortment of cheeses, breads, picked vegetables, and crackers. Some of the fish selections were a bit challenging in both texture and flavor profile, but everything was, from a technical standpoint "good." (This distinction is important to me, as I make an effort to distinguish between things I don't care for and things that are truly "bad.") The experience was interesting, even enlightening, but not one I think I'll ever repeat. A delightful local beer, rich and malty, definitely improved the overall dining experience.

After we finished our lunch we walked a few blocks to a Ho-Ho stop, cutting off a loop of the tour, to make our way back to the ship. Our bus ride took us past Christiana, a district established by squatters on an abandoned military base in 1971. The area first gained notoriety as the center for open cannabis trade along "Pusher Street" – which was only recently shut down by residents with the assistance of law enforcement after a surge in gang violence. It was getting late in the day so we opted to stay on the bus and just observe from a distance, but the aroma of the "Green Light District" was quite noticeable, even at a distance. The ride back to the port was relaxing, thanks to having ample time, comfortable temperatures, and smooth roads. Just down from the ship we visited the iconic Little Mermaid statue. The initial impression is a bit underwhelming, but after having a moment to take it all in, the elegant simplicity of the sculpture really brings it to life. In my opinion this is definitely one site that should be on your "must see" list when in Copenhagen.

The Little Mermaid

8/10 - Cruising

North Sea

Leaving Copenhagen we headed north, towards the North Sea. We woke to some rather "nautical" conditions, which persisted until late in the day. The pool was a whirlpool and the solarium deck was awash with water splashing out. A few brave(?) souls ventured a swim throughout the day, at the risk of life and limb. 

We spent the day at a table in the Solarium, sipping drinks, reading, napping, listening to music, and snacking while we watched the world roll by.

Late afternoon was occupied with the worst part of any cruise, the packing. Somehow we managed to get everything in suitcases and, miraculously, kept them all under the airline limits!

Deserted Dining

The dining room was a ghost town in the evening, thanks to the sea conditions. With the light load of diners the staff was milling about for most of the meal and many had tables reset for the next meal.

We enjoyed a great meal, with as much as we wanted of whatever we wanted, served by staff who were nearly dedicated to our table.

As is our tradition on the last night of a cruise we found a spot in a lounge with good music and enjoyed our last drinks. 

Without any idea of what to expect at disembarkation the next morning we turned in early and put our suitcases in the hallway.

8/11 - Disembark

Our flight from Amsterdam to London was late enough that we opted for the RCCL provided airport shuttle. One last breakfast in the dining room (Eggs Benedict, in case you were curious) and we were off the ship, luggage collected, and on the bus in a matter of a few minutes.