So here we are, another sea day and another hour back on the clock last night. Thank goodness we are done for a few days now as everyone we know including the crew are showing the results of waking up too early in the morning.
This morning two more dining room waiters showed up to help the growing crowd at the Pinnacle Grill. They are Carla and Chrestian and seem to be happy to be there. Even Presty showed up to make sure things were running smoothly. It is quite possible that some of the diners here have complained about the service, although for us, it has been just fine. We are seldom in a hurry, especially on sea days. On port days, people have tours and might be more in a rush to eat and run. We expect a smaller crowd tomorrow because we will be in Papeete, Tahiti where there are many early excursions.
For the second day in a row, we have noticed there is a paragraph on the front page of the newsletter regarding health information. The message is the same every time reminding us all to wash our hands frequently and use the sanitizer that is here and there around the public areas of the ship. In addition, if we experience symptoms of illness (gastrointestinal or respiratory) we are to notify the medical staff immediately. Now we are wondering if there is a reason for this repeated message, like is there a virus spreading around? We have been very aware of some passengers and crew coughing and sneezing, and even wearing masks. The number of reported cases has to reach a certain percentage before it is announced to the rest of us. We sure hope that is not the case. In the meantime, we have been washing our hands at least 100 times a day, or so it seems. Anything it takes to stay healthy is fine with us.
Life onboard continued with all of the usual activities. It was another great day, as the Captain said at noontime. Too bad we were not able to hear his talk well because the volume has been turned down in the rooms. He gave the miles left to go to reach Tahiti, which we think was 300 nautical miles. Then he said we were passing some small islands or possibly atolls on the horizon. Sure enough, we could see them faintly in the far distance. Then we began to see some birds such as white terns and possibly a few albatross. Not many of them, but a few that came from those islands. They were here for a couple of minutes, then gone just as fast. We did get a few of photos.
The arts and crafts group orange were into their project of the week. We notice the groups on the way to lunch at 2:30pm. It seems to be working better with several smaller groups as opposed to the larger group that used to take up half of the Lido. The salad server knows exactly what we like in our custom salads, and always greets us with a smile. The same goes for the sandwich maker, and ice cream server. Although she has run out of the good sugar cones, we hope to see some arrive after we leave Papeete.
The dinner menu always features some locally-themed items. One of those was the lumpia appetizer and a main of sweet and sour shrimp. Along with a bowl of tomato soup, it was a satisfying meal. A shrimp cocktail with aioli sauce, a Caesar salad, and the everyday chicken dinner was plenty for the other one of us. One shared dessert of a strawberry tart was just right. We have to mention the two passengers that have appeared a few times at the table for six across from us. Usually this table is empty. But for the second time, a couple has been seated there with a menagerie of ten small stuffed animals. They have lined them up facing their plates, like their own little zoo. There has to be a reason for this, but we are not ever going to ask. In the past, we have seen the same thing, but usually only one stuffed animal is used for photos of places they visit. Never at dinnertime though. Oh well, whatever floats their boat, right?
There was no live entertainment tonight in the World Stage, but there was a movie, Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti. Our Australian buddies would have declared a night like this a "dark" night. Tomorrow we bet the Tahitian singers and dancers will come onboard to entertain the folks. Seems like we just saw their show, because we just did last November while on the Tales of the South Pacific cruise. Time sure flies…..
Bill & Mary Ann
