Essiesmom

We are tying up, but not at Punts Langosta. We are near Regal Princess,with Carmival Glory coming, plus Scarlet Lady,Disney Magic, and I think Viking Mars might be expected. So we are at International Pier. I actually prefer it to downtown. Weather is overcast.

I closed down karaoke and headed for Venchi for gelato. My one complaint about it is that it is rather soft and I like my ice cream hard. Also they use a spatula rather than a scoop so it is kind of messy. I can’t get pictures to attach tonight. I have lots more to post.

No notifications so far. We left on time. I was in Mdr at the time. Had the prosciutto and melon starter, the Eleanor salad and fruit plate. There has been a small child at the table behind us. The first night I surmised they were grandparents and thought they might regret the experience. Tonight they were talking with some folks. First grandchild age 4. It has had its ups and downs. Won’t do it again without the parents along. Later she said she can’t wait for the cruise to end. After dinner to Uptown Lounge for rock and roll dance class, a set by the Ocean Band and now karaoke.

Went ashore and it is very windy, which helped push me down the pier. Once in the shopping area it was sheltered. It has been organized a bit since I was last here four years ago. There was a stand selling churros and I was very tempted. I walked back, feeling very virtuous that I didn’t cave and take the tram. I bought one item that I was looking for. The duty free store you enter through is new to me. And I seem to remember that the pool was walk in with sand. Now there is a wall all around and a shallow shelf. There is a tower with lifeguard. While I was watching apparently a small boy without floaters step off the shelf into deeper water. The lifeguard leapt off the tower and was there in a flash. I think there was a little talk with a parent. Now it’s time to go for a bite and fill my bottle with tea.

Have you been to Ports of Call, and the Florida Departures board?

I walked into port and the wind was some to my back. I don’t think we are using thrusters because the wind is pushing us against the dock. But Magic has the wind pushing her away from the dock. Guest cabins on Seashore start on deck 5. There is also a deck 19. I95 and the medical center on deck 4.

Peek a boo… I see you… from deck 18 of Seashore

There is no interlocking design. All walls are straight. Our next port is Cozumel to the north, and then a sea day as we return to Port Canaveral. Not concerned…I have three sets of sea bands with me. I can stack them like bracelets…. EM

Docked on time in Costa Maya. I think seas are a bit rough as although we are tied up, my cabin is bouncy. Should be busy/crowded as we are in port with Carnival Magic and Mein Schiff 6. I think they have just announced we have been cleared, so time to head for the MDR for breakfast. I will mosey ashore later.

Are you within 20 days of your sailing? When they come in an email to me they are a pdf below the message. I print the parts I need. EM

The show tonight was very good. One singer even had an opportunity to show off her operatic skills. Wish they still did the opera act. Wandered a bit but had to go back to the cabin to charge my watch. Back out I put on some lipstick and had some pics taken. I don’t make good pictures anymore. I guess the problem is the look like me, but not the me I want them to look like. Smiling is a problem. Lips seem to get thinner and a smile looks forced, and more like a grimace . Wandered a bit trying to meet exercise goal. Still need six minutes . Closed down karaoke and the Oceanic Band is on break. I am having the second drink of the cruise…another Diet Coke. I need the caffeine to diurese as my ankles are swelling .

OSTs Maya tomorrow, activity sheet

Activity sheet for today

Oops…. Wrong menus

Gala night and quite a few are dressed well Others not so much. Menu below. I was not really hungry, and though I would usually have the filet, I am trying to eliminate beef and I already had prime rib a couple days ago. So I had the eggplant parm appetizer and Greek salad with baked Alaska dessert. It was good but so much roughage is going to make a busy morning. Pretty sure I am losing weight!

Lunch in MDR Mozzarella sticks Tex-Mex chicken salad. Not large, but just right. two slices of chicken. Ranch dressing. Don't know if it was just a good salad, or if it was the ranch that made it good. But it was just what I needed.

As to gingerbread villages…this appeared overnight on one of the Atrium staircases on MSC Seashore: I don’t think there is any gingerbread but a whole lot of icing

The sun came out. It may be a nice day for the pools after all. Partly cloudy, though. I came through the Atrium this morning and it appears we sprung an Alpine village overnight. Maybe the Italian alps? No gingerbread, but a lot of frosting. Oops. Forgot pics are on phone. Give it a minute.

These are not people with extensions, it’s all natural. Different ethnic group. Mostly young people.

By setting the thermostat to between the red and blue ( heat and cool) I managed to get it up to 70 with 70% humidity. I can live with that. It’s a rainy sea day…venues will be busy. Jungle pool (salt water, covered) will be busy.

Looking down on the piano duo in Times Square They should have put the slot machines in here instead of the Sports Bar. This is an underutilized space with uncomfortable seating. Art Gallery Sushi Atrium Perhaps the most uncomfortable of the chairs Heading to casino. I didn't take pics there because too many people Casino bar The ends of some rows have seats that are wider than most. You enter the theater either via a level corridor on deck 6 that brings you in at the front of the seating, or from deck 7 and come down the stairs. HC access seems to be deck 6, and there were scooters and w/c and rollators lined up against the front of the stage. I went up to the buffet this evening to fill up with iced tea prior to a planned trip for gelato. I got a tiny piece of cake and a small sandwich instead of the gelato. But I finally located the self serve soda machine for those with a beverage package. There only seems to be this one station. Wine Heineken That's all for now. Time for a final walk, and bed.

WE had a full table again tonight. The newest couple had moved to join new friends, but we gained two ladies who are part of a group of 16 (I think) and speak mostly Spanish. I had the Pear and goat cheese salad, which I forgot to photograph. Just a greens salad with thin slices of pear and some goat cheese clumps, oil and vinegar dressing. Then I had the Coq au Vin which was a leg and part of a breast . It was okay. After eating I went straight to the show. Total Divas. This is the show I didn't attend last Thursday. Another high action show, although I don't think they did the most famous songs of the Divas mentioned. After that I wandered a bit, taking random pictures around the ship. As on the last segment, women are dressing up, even though Elegant night isn't until tomorrow. People watching is great. I needed to walk so went to deck 9 because it is all cabins. It annoys me greatly that my program doesn't credit me with as much time as I do walking. Pet peeves: up on 9 there were two bariatric size scooters parked in the hallway...outside HC cabins. There is room in those cabins for four scooters. I have peek inside. On my corridor is a baby stroller in the narrowest part of the hallway. There are a lot of strollers and scooters on this cruise. Next, people with long hair who play with it in food venues. There was a request for daily programs, so here they are so far: Champagne and Wine Bar deck 7 Watches & Glasses Hola! Tacos Basketball doesn't bring the crowd that football does Breaking up the picture dump

If you go to my Live from I posted pictures of the arcade. Also posting menus as I go. I will post some dailies tonight

I will try, but it may come out in segments. I wish I had a portable scanner, but that might be more trouble than it's worth. Back from MDR lunch. Long conversation with a table full, 8 top. They were quite busy. I only had the cobb salad, as dinner at 5:15 comes all too soon. There was a new picture sequence running above the Seashore Bar but I didn't get upstairs in time to get pics. But then this one came on. There is animation, with the rocking horse moving, and a teddy bear keeps popping up, and a toy trains runs around his feet. But before I could get any of that, a performer came out and started setting up his equipment. Maybe another time. I took pictures of a few items as I walked back to my cabin. Venchi gift boxes This collapsible tree...They must have bought a hundred...Bet they are on every ship... Sea appears a bit lumpy with some whitecaps.

Up early, went to Central Park Rest. for breakfast. Eggs Benedict, breakfast potatoes and grilled tomato. Did not take picture as there were others at table. Had a shared table with quite experienced cruisers. Enjoyable conversations. Did not see him, but know Hangman had been to breakfast, as several of the waitstaff were sporting ducks. Had two ships in the canal today, but they waited until i was finished with breakfast. Carnival Glory in the new locks, and Regent SS Splendor in the old. Went to the seating area around the Seashore Bar/Atrium while I waited for the ships to come into the cams. Then went up to deck 6 to read CC and watch activity ashore. There was a new display on the wall that was a continuous circle of winter images. In front of the railing they were gathering groups of crew, giving them Santa hats and packages to hold, and doing a short video. I didn't capture any of that but I did try with the display... I went back down to deck 5 and had my first drink of the cruise: I sat and chatted with several groups of people. Then it was time for people to start lining up for lunch in the MDR. I came back to the cabin, time to charge my watch, and catch up here. Through the brid(g)e cam I watched them loose the lines, and us move out. In the last pic you can see the line of channel markers ahead of us. Essie was supervising Abandoned beach wheelchair Time to get in line for lunch.