Day of Departure

Day of Departure

I whine, I complain, I bitch about everything.  But not today.  Hold the presses!  I couldn’t find anything to complain about. 

The day started off dark and dreary with typical Florida rain.  It did not last long and the clouds parted leaving wonderful sunshine to bless the beginning of our adventure.  The Hyatt was the starting point for the mass migration from land to sea for many of the 22,000 people expected to embark on one of nine cruise ships that were in port today.  The Allure of the Seas holds 5,500 passengers and is one huge ship.  Our Seabourn Quest, at 450 passengers, was the smallest in the harbor. 

Friends Rick and Carol Orazatti, who just disembarked from a Caribbean cruise this morning, came by our hotel and joined us for breakfast.   I must say that the Hyatt put on a wonderful buffet breakfast that included French toast, sausage, eggs, fruit, oatmeal, etc.  OMG, let the eating begin!

While waiting for our transportation to the ship, I entertained myself by making last minute phone calls to family and friends.  Now it started to hit me that we are leaving our “regular life” for four months and all that it entails.  No more just picking up the phone to chat, or do FaceTime with Isabelle.  My beloved phone will be shut off, cutting me off from the link to my roots, what grounds me to my life.  I have talked to my daughters several times today, wanting to store up the emotional connection to them.  Isabelle, my 6 year old granddaughter, granted me a few precious minutes, but had to return to her play date companion.  Dad reminded me to keep in touch.  Mary Lynn talked about life in Port Ludlow.  Marilyn told me not to worry about the condo.  Life goes on for everyone and somehow I feel left out, perhaps that is because of having to give up control of the this-and-that that comprises my “regular life.”  This life of wanderlust is appealing and I must do it while I can.  There will be plenty of time to sit in the rocking chair when I can no longer physically do this and reminisce. 

We arrived at the cruise terminal with 5 boxes, 4 suitcases, and 4 carry-ons.  That is a huge pile of stuff, and before you say clothes hog, the boxes were bridge supplies and other necessities for life as I know it.  When we got our room assignment I was relieved.  It was what I expected so I didn’t complain!  Actually, for those who have not read my South America blog, there was an issue surrounding our room that caused me a lot of aggravation and trepidation. 

This room, while not the largest on the ship, is perfectly adequate although I wish it was not so far up in the bow.  If you look at the deck plan, we are on deck 4 in room 410.  It is a “suite,” but in miniature compared to a regular suite.  Things are just a bit smaller.  In the sitting area, we have a worktable and two chairs, a bar with a refrigerator, TV, and a storage cabinet; when drawn, a curtain separates the sitting area from the bed area.  We have a walk-in closet, a vanity area, and a bathroom with two sinks and a separate tub and shower.  To make it homier, I brought photographs of the kids and have hung them on the wall.

After inspecting our quarters, we met with the cruise director, who was on our last Seabourn cruise, ate a small lunch, and unpacked….. and unpacked….. and unpacked.  We even had enough room left over that we could have fit in another box or two worth of stuff in the abundant storage.  We then went through the mandatory lifeboat drill, sitting in the dining room!  Very civilized.  Then we attended the sailaway party, where the Miami Heat marching band performed.  I got some great video of their performance and will try to figure out how to upload it for you.  Then it was time to get changed for dinner and eat again.

So here we are, at the end of our first day on board.  Michael has done his bridge set-up for tomorrow and here I am at the computer writing the blog.  Cruise memory has kicked in.