Day One- at Sea

We’re finally on the ship! The boat is MASSIVE. I feel like an ant, so small next to this massive boat. Maureen and I wandered around the ship for about 2 hours before it finally took sail.

Enter fanny pack sighting #6 and #7.

As the ship began to leave the port, I grabbed a drink- thinking it was the “drink special.” Wrong. It was still tasty, don’t get me wrong, but oops to the extra $2 it cost me. I bought a freaking $10 drink (I’m sorry, Angelica!). Lesson: learn the drink of the day and order ONLY that,  or stick with the water/lemonade/tea mix.

 

There may have been dancing involved at this point- something about the Bahama Mama in my hand and the Cha Cha Slide being played on the dance floor…

We watched Ft. Lauderdale pass us by, with the nearby hotels (or apartments- not sure) emptying out rooms onto the balcony, watching us leave the port. There were air horns, screaming, bells ringing- I kind of felt like a celebrity. A small, ant-sized one, but a celebrity nonetheless.

Fanny pack sighting #8!

After the ship left the harbor, Maureen got to work. She learned just today that she was presenting 2 of her lectures tomorrow, and she wanted to make sure she was a little more prepared. To get out of her hair, I hit the on-board gym. Holy mackerel, they weren’t kidding when the ship guide said “state-of-the-art fitness center.” As I watched Duke get beat on by UNC, I hit the elliptical, some free weights, and some weight machines. It was getting dark out, so there wasn’t much to see, but I’m looking forward to getting in the workout room and use the treadmills that are setup so they look out over the water.

Or, if the wind dies down, I may be adventurous enough to run on the 12^th floor outdoor jogging track. We’ll see. There are workout classes on the ship during the days, but of course, each class costs extra money. I wanted to take spin- and I still may at least once- but it’s $12 a session. Don’t get me started on the abs classes- they’re $21/day, and you can sign up for a body composition and lessons with a personal trainer for $195. I’ll just stick to my workout routine and enjoy the view.

We had dinner at our assigned time (8:30) in the assigned dining room (The Nutcracker- yes, I laughed every time I said it) at our assigned table (333). Apparently the rest of our table skipped out on dinner. Maureen and I sat at a table set for 12, with just the two of us. Of course people kept coming by, commenting how we had such a large table for only 2 people. I kept telling people that I’m ordering entrees for each seat and eating them all. Of course, I didn’t… but I did indulge a little. Sweet Vidalia onion tart and a spinach salad (with sunflower seeds) for an appetizer, prime rib and vegetables for dinner, and a chocolate cherry cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. I was starving- between the workout and all of the walking around we did today, I needed a good meal.

And now, I’m exhausted. It’s 11pm, and I want to go to bed. Or at least nap until “The Dungeon”- the 21 and up club- opens up for the evening at 12:30am. 

I’m finding VERY few quiet places on the ship… I wanted to go and read on the ship’s top deck for a bit to relax (yes, I’m fully aware that I’m on vacation and should be out partying), but the only well-lit area to read and write was booked for a private party. That’s the other irritating thing about this boat- there are a few large groups on this ship, and it appears that each night, each group has certain areas reserved. Tonight, one group has the ice rink blocked off- there’s a dance floor over the ice at the moment- and another group has the adults-only pool area booked. Sure, there are plenty of other places to go, but dammit, I want to go to BOTH of those.

I’m trying not to complain, really! It was 87 degrees when we left Ft. Lauderdale, and it’s still warm. I’m on a beautiful boat with my best friend. I feel great- and I’m proud that I even got a workout in. It’s been a good and exhausting day.