Sea day into night

On a sea day it is all about relaxing, napping and waking up in time to eat. Three hours had passed since our Pub Lunch and at 4.30 the Afternoon Tea (a great British Tradition) we had ordered was delivered. It is served in one of the dining rooms and also at the Sanctuary but Suite Passengers can get it delivered to their cabin. This way we can enjoy the delicious sandwiches, scones and cookies washed down by strong hot cups of tea while enjoying the sound and the view of the wake as the ship races through the blue ocean. Later, before dinner, we can attend the evening snacks for Elite (15 or more cruises with Princess), Suites and Platinum members (6 or more cruises) nightly event, which is held in Skywalkers from 5 to 7 p.m.

At sunset the ship's lights get turned on and all the sunbathers leave to get ready for dinner. Tonight is a Formal Night (2 of those on this cruise) which means that people dress for dinner in the main dining rooms (MDRs)

No shortage of sun loungers when the sun goes down for the day

We go to Skywalker's even though we are not hungry but because it is a nice place to have a drink and look down at the ship and the sea. A cocktail costs about $8. Beer $6. Snacks are free for Elites, Suites and Platinum. You may have to show your room key and if you are not one of the those you are likely to be turned away.

There is a long ramp up to the bar, which makes it easier for people in wheelchairs

And custom carpeting

From the aft pool deck (5 pools on this ship) you can see the underside of that long walkway

With an adults-only pool, a bar called the Outrigger and the Horizon Court Buffet  above the bar level many people can spend their entire day here, enjoying the wake view. No bands play back here so it tends to be quiet. There is no need to dress up to eat in the buffet on Formal Nights so the buffet is usually busier on those evenings. It serves good food, kept warm in steam trays. Help yourself. Waiters will bring you drinks and remove the used plates. We like the MDR where you order from a menu and have the food delivered hot, course by course so we never eat at the buffet for dinner.

On our way to dinner with Cindy Alice and Daniel we pass through the Piazza where people are gathered to witness the "Champagne Waterfall"  another Princess Tradition where champagne is poured into a pyramid of  glasses already mostly  filled with colored water. People line up to have their photos taken holding the bottle in tandem with the Maitre 'd Hotel. Not something I would line up for personally but as long as others are enjoying it then I'm happy! Cruises are for having fun.

That event is always followed by the Cruise Director (CD) introducing the Ship's Officers to a crowded Piazza. Then the Captain makes his "Welcome Aboard" speech. Then we eat!

After dinner we all move to find a table in Club Fusion, a nightclub at the stern where karaoke singing takes place and there are always some good singers among those brave enough to get up and entertain their fellow passengers. I am not one of them.

 Club Fusion

Each ship that has a Club Fusion on deck 7 aft has different artwork around the walls. On the Caribbean Princess the theme is the Wild West.

The lounge holds about 280 people and the Karaoke evenings draw a crowd. Waiters roam the room to get you drinks. Drinks are not included in your fare. You use your room key (like a credit card) to charge them to your account and your own credit card gets billed at the end of your last night on board.

At the end of an enjoyable evening with our cruising friends it was time to sleep and get up our strength for another day of doing nothing. Tomorrow would be our second sea day as we were going to our furthest port first.

First sea day

My usual morning routine on a cruise ship is to wake early, get coffee and something to eat in the buffet when it starts serving hot food at 5.30 a.m, walk the empty decks taking photos and then meet Carol for breakfast #2 in Sabatini's at 9 a.m. Only suite passengers get to dine in Sabatini's in the morning so there are never many people in there (usually 4 to 6 others) and with 3 servers the service is excellent.

Italian opera songs or Neapolitan play quietly as you sip your first cappuccino of the day. Below is the wonderful machine that makes those when a waiter presses all the right buttons. With the cappuccino we'll also have iced water and perhaps a Mimosa, so the table will fill with cups and glasses while we look at the menu. Breads and pastries are offered and fresh orange juice glasses are refilled as often as you desire.

A favorite to start is the Granola Parfait with muesli, yogurt and raspberry preserves and a strawberry on top.

Delicious!

Carol likes the Belgian Waffles with sliced apple, fresh mint and a strawberry

Typical American breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs and  hash-browns formed in a patty

After a breakfast like that a nap in the Sanctuary might be a good idea or a walk on deck taking in the invigorating sea air.

We've been sailing for about 12 hours now so are about 240 miles from Houston

Now and then we see deep-sea oil rigs...

During sea days the Cruise Staff will have activities and demonstrations planned. People will be relaxing, reading their Kindles or books from the ship's library, playing board games, or organized trivia and bingo games, attending lectures on the ports of call, taking dancing classes.

I passed through the Piazza- the central hub of the ship

One of the demonstrations that some of the kitchen (galley) crew did was fruit and vegetable carving.

Here are some examples of the work they create in front of an audience.

Very creative selection

Back up on deck....

What all cruisers look for in a sea day-a calm sea and sunshine! For us and many passengers the temperature would be 50 degrees higher than that currently at home.

There's a 30 foot movie screen and another swimming pool in the distance. Above this pool there is a reggae band playing.

Further forward in a quieter area outside the Sanctuary there are many vacant sun loungers

We spent some quiet time in the Sanctuary which is open from 8 a.m to 5.30 pm

No doubt a short nap was enjoyed.

All that relaxing makes one work up an appetite and on sea days Princess ships feature a British Pub Lunch- Princess was once part of the British P and O group (even though it is an American Cruise Line) and is now part of the Carnival Corporation. The tradition of serving British pub dishes lives on and is very popular with passengers who, in the majority, are American and Canadian.

Served from 11.30 a.m until 2 p.m.
Here I am enjoying a very tasty Steak and Kidney pie with a cold glass of Guinness at the Pub Lunch

After lunch, while Carol returned to the Sanctuary to relax I took a walk up to the highest point on the ship which is called Skywalker's . It's a nightclub right at the stern-that row of blue windows. This design is something only seen on Princess ships.

Inside Skywalker's

Looking forward I could see a wedding taking place on a quiet deck

There is a small wedding chapel inside the ship but this couple took advantage of the great weather

To be continued...

Sunrise

A sea day is one where the ship doesn't call at a port. She's on her way to a port where she will arrive in two days. We were at sea on our way to the island of Roatan, part of Honduras.

A journey to the upper decks involves a walk down this corridor outside our room

and then an elevator ride 

 One of the many benefits to waking early is seeing the sun rise over the open sea

Merchant ships pass by

While on deck I had to visit the Sanctuary as it was closed when I boarded late. I therefore had to go to make our booking early in the morning. This is a quiet place on the ship where you have to pay $40 a day (but only $30 if you book for the whole week which is what we like to do). There are attendants there to get you food or drink so you don't have to leave your comfy lounger. It is the perfect place to fall asleep...

The pool is adults only and has a wave machine if you want to swim against the current

 There are loungers in the sun but we prefer the shade

Sun....?

Or shade....?

Inside there are always refreshments waiting

Once I made the booking for two loungers I was free again to roam the ship...