Monday, November 19, 2012 – At Sea – Gulf of Mexico – 70s – Windy

A warm but too windy day at sea…

The schedule is full of activities but nothing I would be interested in.  They could really use some enrichment lectures to make this sea day more productive (oh wait!!! they used to).  Some of the events appear to be educational - “Dealing with Back Problems”.  I was in the Centrum coffee lounge when the Doc on board came in for her talk.  I was the only one there and she asked me if I was there for the talk – I said “no” and she packed up and left. 

I got up a little earlier than everyone else and gave the buffet a try for breakfast.  Waffles are made basically per order so there was a long line for the waffles (my staple).  I did have my standard waffles, cottage cheese, and jam – not really a Belgian Waffle but OK.  A bit crowded and noisy for breakfast.  The buffet is really cafeteria style – looks like an industrial lunch room since there are no separate stations just a single line for the food.  On the plus side, they do have sugar coated cinnamon rolls.

After breakfast, I joined Ellen and the kids for another breakfast (just coffee for me).  The kids are cute at breakfast – they also have their own little buffet they can use.

Lunch was in the Blue Lagoon – they have really good Tomato Soup, and Salad (if you remove the meat), and OK (if undercooked) Fish and Chips.  The best thing about the Blue Lagoon is that few people eat there so it is relatively quiet.  It is full service and most of the time the food comes pretty quickly.

After spending the afternoon, playing cards with the kids and reading on my phone, we had dinner in the fancier venue, Versailles.  The difference here is that you cannot wear shorts in this restaurant.  It is similar to the dining rooms on the NCL Pearl without all of the pictures of the Romanovs.

The menu is just about the same as in Luna but the service seemed a bit slower.  We decided to not come here again but eat in the more efficient Luna.

Showtime in the Stardust Theater tonight was “Club Band on the Run”.  This was a review of 70s tunes (most of which I could not identify).  Again, the volume was turned way up so it was nearly deafening.  The singers and dancers are pretty good but the whole experience is diminished by the decibel level.

Club Band on the Run

There are few venues where you can enjoy music after the show.  There is the Motown Man in the Gatsby’s Lounge – he is pretty good but the room is a bit smoky due to its proximity to the Casino (on this ship, you can smoke in the Casino).  There is a trio in the Centrum but they are also a bit loud for the space.  When they sing up on the balcony overlooking the Centrum, they are a bit quieter and more enjoyable.