Our Last Day at Sea

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Geo: 22.7439, -75.4511

No need for early risers here today. We have no plans yet but I'm sure something will happen. As Queenie says, "live for the moment". To accomplish this, you make no plans and just let things happen. Hopefully, you're happy with the things that happen. I guess we're going to try this method today.

First, breakfast at 10 am. As a rule, Queenie always orders room service for breakfast: bacon, eggs, sausage, potatoes, sweet rolls, orange juice, milk, cereal and coffee. Now no one ever eats much of it and sometimes they don't even deliver it. If they don't, she'll call and complain, they'll bring it and then we all go upstairs, leaving the plates, glasses and stainless covers still intact. Why she does this every day I don't understand. She says Jonathan likes to place the order. Oh, OK. She refuses to drink the water on the ship except in the dining room and orders bottled water on board. Of course, Jonathan just fills the bottles from the bathroom sink and places them in her room. Well, she hasn't got sick yet (nor any of the 5500 other passengers aboard).

As usual, the Windjammer is packed. While it's fairly easy to get food from the buffet, it's always a chore to find seating, especially for four. We get a location facing the stern and from our vantage point we can watch the Wave Rider and zip line users. Of course, Jonathan wants to try them all so after breakfast we attempt the zip line where he finds he's underweight by 10 pounds. Next we visit the Wave Rider. He watches awhile but doesn't like it so that's out. Now it's off to the rock climbing wall at the opposite end of the ship. You remember the wall from a few days ago. We walk to the aft and find that the climbing wall is closed until 2. Ok. Now to the pool area where Queenie can finally relax. She says she needs to get away from 'everything'. I don't think you're going to get away from anything on this ship.

As I suspected, no deck loungers to be had anywhere. All are covered with towels, books or some kind of a body. Now she's getting pissed. Jonathan wants to swim. Queenie wants to read her book. I want to blog. Mom wants to relax. None of this is happening. Karen watches the kid swim for a little, standing in the sun until a pool attendant sees her and brings her a chair. Queenie and I secure a table for four. She orders a $4 diet Coke and, with Karen and Jonathan joining us, we all sit there for an hour.

NOTE: Let's talk blogging. First, the word "blog" is a truncation of the expression "Weblog". I just found this out. I'm trying to wrap up the blog as much as possible as I lose my WiFi tomorrow. I must say, this ship has been the best ever for WiFi accessibility. Those of you that have witnessed my frustration on past trips will understand what I usually go through: 50¢ per minute WfFi charges and a slow connection. Purchasing 100 minutes for $55, I delegate its use strictly to uploading my blog work to the website where all of you can access it. While the text goes fast, it sometimes can take up to 15 minutes to upload 20 pictures for a blog entry. This leaves no time to surf the web, check email or for Mom to roam Facebook. On the Allure of the Seas, I pre-ordered their "Voom" service before boarding, saving 30%! (MISSING)For $70, I received unlimited WiFi for our entire trip. Its super fast, uploading 20 pics in less than 2 minutes. It's active 24 hours a day and while it only works on one device at a time, I can log off my phone, log on with the IPad and back again. With the ability to stream, it's the perfect system, especially for techies. What you cannot do is text or make phone calls. No problem for me but Queenie needs texting. She nixes the ship's service and instead calls AT&T to get a program that includes "everything". The problem is, it never works, shes calls them all the time to get huge charges reversed and uses my IPhone to check her Facebook. Her answer to all their inquiries, "I didn't know that.", seems to work every time, negating hundreds of dollars in fees. Anyway, 5 stars to RCL for their WiFi system.

It's past 2pm so we walk back to the aft so the kid can climb the wall. We stop for a milk shake and some cones at "Poop & Scoop". Now I get my video camera ready to shoot the wall climbing adventure but wait, there's a problem. He doesn't have his ship card with him so he can't go on the wall. Karen and I sit while Scarlett goes back to the room to get his ship card. Soon she returns for another attempt. This time he makes it to the wall but only goes up a few feet. He doesn't like it. OK. I'm sure there's a Trump joke here somewhere. I still take pictures, being careful not to reveal the deck just inches below him.

It's 4:30pm and Mom wants to get packing. Queenie never unpacked, always working out of her suitcases, so she's ready to go. We return again to the room. Karen gets our 3 checked bags filled and ready, leaving just our two nap sacks with our carry on items for tomorrow. She's an expert at this. We put on clothes we'll wear tomorrow and go to our dinner. Tonight it's turkey for Karen and I. Queenie gets some chicken and rice dish which she doesn't like. She thinks it's pork but it's actually tofu. The waiter, used to her by now, offered to exchange it but she declines. She should probably stick with Mexican food or burgers & fries. You never know what you're getting with all these fancy foreign names.

After dinner, we check out the Main Promenade where they're having a "Parade of Disney Characters" followed at 9pm by a comedy show for all ages in the Amber Room. It's the same comedians from a few nights before with the jokes cleaned up for the kids.

At 10pm, we return to our rooms, put out the luggage for pickup and organize for tomorrow. Queenie is not comfortable parting with her baggage and is contemplating taking her own luggage down tomorrow by herself. "Where does it go? Who takes it? What if they steal it?", she asks. I say, "Who cares". Mom has all her forms filled out, Queenie not so much. Mom closes the door adjoining our cabins and calls it a night. "They'll figure it out.", she says. Ahh. Peace and quiet.

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