Musings again
I am surprised that most folk dress like they are on a camping trip, not what I think of as international travel togs. JL sez that makes sense, since there are many sea days, and we are encouraged to think of the boat as home. I have to admit, I would happily wear jeans on the boat, but somehow, I cannot do that in a foreign port. I know that there is nothing I can do to hide the fact that I am a tourist, but tank tops and cutoffs in a cathedral is just not respectful. On the other hand, when you are a certain age, who cares what the world thinks? Pickpockets will target an easy mark, regardless of age.
We actually got our picture taken last formal dinner night. JL looks great in his new suit, he cleans up nicely. He let me buy him a hand painted tie at an Easter Island museum in Valparaiso, and he wore it to dinner. I haven't seen the picture yet.
The ship is warmer than I would like. The room is a constant 70+ degrees, day and night. A reason to pay for a verandah/balcony, is that you can get fresh air. We have to go out on deck to get any. Fortunately, the promenade is on our deck (four times around is a mile). Onboard is a standard hotel style fitness center, which I have managed to visit several times. Two pools are on the eighth deck, neither of which is a lap pool, and both have been cooler than desired. That is changing the farther north we go, it will become quite warm until we get home.
I wish I could say that the cruise nickles and dimes one, but it's really more like fives and tens or rather fifties and hundreds. All transactions are charged to the stateroom via the room key. A standard tip is added per passenger per day and per transaction. And besides the obvious (for us, wine and internet and coffee), there is much to spend extra money on: pop, casino, spa, special restaurants, shore excursions, art auction, laundry. Eventually it starts not to matter. If you spend so much for a bottle of wine, this much for laundry doesn't seem out of place. Why quibble over the price of a martini, or a glass of wine, or a minute of internet time? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, right? It adds up. And over 30 days, it really adds up, as caution flies in the wind.
We have docked in Callao, Lima's port. Ruins and museums tomorrow!
We actually got our picture taken last formal dinner night. JL looks great in his new suit, he cleans up nicely. He let me buy him a hand painted tie at an Easter Island museum in Valparaiso, and he wore it to dinner. I haven't seen the picture yet.
The ship is warmer than I would like. The room is a constant 70+ degrees, day and night. A reason to pay for a verandah/balcony, is that you can get fresh air. We have to go out on deck to get any. Fortunately, the promenade is on our deck (four times around is a mile). Onboard is a standard hotel style fitness center, which I have managed to visit several times. Two pools are on the eighth deck, neither of which is a lap pool, and both have been cooler than desired. That is changing the farther north we go, it will become quite warm until we get home.
I wish I could say that the cruise nickles and dimes one, but it's really more like fives and tens or rather fifties and hundreds. All transactions are charged to the stateroom via the room key. A standard tip is added per passenger per day and per transaction. And besides the obvious (for us, wine and internet and coffee), there is much to spend extra money on: pop, casino, spa, special restaurants, shore excursions, art auction, laundry. Eventually it starts not to matter. If you spend so much for a bottle of wine, this much for laundry doesn't seem out of place. Why quibble over the price of a martini, or a glass of wine, or a minute of internet time? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, right? It adds up. And over 30 days, it really adds up, as caution flies in the wind.
We have docked in Callao, Lima's port. Ruins and museums tomorrow!