Wednesday, January 19, 2022

It's another sea day, so we did the usual -- nothing.  

The seas were rocking and rolling after 2:30 this morning but had calmed considerably by the time we went to breakfast.  When we checked  in at the MDR, we asked for a table for 2 with Roy, but ended up at a table by the rear window with Danon as our waiter; he is our dinner waiter, so everything was fine.  The table, like yesterday's, is pretty much under our cabin and right over the screws.  On Deck 7, we can barely hear them or feel their vibration, but in the MDR it is quite noticeable. [Roy found us as we finished and stayed around to talk for 10 or 15 minutes.  We'll ask again tomorrow.]

As a condition of passage through the Panama Canal, the local authorities [i.e., the Panamanian government] requires that each passenger take a rapid Covid test.  Passengers were called by deck number starting at the bottom of the ship so we were among the last since we are on Deck 7.  We waited in the room, reading, while we waited to be called.  When it was finally our turn, we trooped to the test site and swabbed our own noses as we had done last Friday.  We were supposed to return to the cabin and wait for 30 minutes.  If we received a phone call, we would have to have a PCR test.  If there was no call, we could leave the room after the 30 minutes.  Being the obedient people we are, we went to the Crow's Nest and got iced cappucinnos and biscotti while we watched Cartagena, Colombia, in the distance.  We figured the authorities would leave a message if we were not home.

Apparently, US law requires the ship to make a stop at a "distant" port before returning to the States.  For some reason, Central American ports do not count but Colombia does.  However, Colombian officials have closed Cartagena to cruise ships because of You-Know-What, so the stop was only 2 hours which we spent anchored offshore and no one, obviously, left the ship.  As compensation for missing Cartagena, we will be spending a day in Panama on Friday.

MA was not hungry for lunch following our big meal last night, so she stayed in the cabin when D went to the Lido for a light lunch -- 3 pieces of sushi and 2 spring rolls accompanied by a Diet Coke which he didn't finish.  MA nursed a protein bar all afternoon.  We read most of the afternoon. mostly on the balcony.  We are looking forward to watching our transit of the Panama Canal; actually, we will watch it backward.

After team trivia [3rd or fourth today but who cares?], we went next door to the casino where MA played slots and D played blackjack.  Both came out ahead which means D is now even for the week.

As we have done and will continue to do most days, we sent laundry out this morning.  As "frequent fliers," we get free laundry and pressing service and take advantage of it.  Yesterday's laundry was returned while we were at dinner and we hope that will be the standard.  On other cruises the turn-around time was so fast that not everything was completely dry when it returned, but so far, so good.  We have learned, the hard way, not to send anything new unless we want it to shrink.  New t-shirts have come back a size smaller. 

Tomorrow  --  Transiting the Panama Canal