Happy Endings

Final Tea Dance of 2012 Cruise

All good things come to an end. The last day at sea was spent doing a little shopping in the photo lounge, visiting friends on the iguana deck, evening up the tan in those last few places, spreading good cheer, working on a few blog posts while the memories were still fresh, lunching by the Lido deck pool with Frank and Andre, and wishing I had a better connection to the internet. At 75 cents a minute for painfully slow access, I attempted to stay away from the internet as much as possible during the week, but I was eagerly awaiting some news by email.

A Sea of Green

By late afternoon, we were all back together in party mode for the final tea dance of the cruise. The theme for today was a retro green party. Apparently, every Party Store on the East Coast had been raided. Luckily, with St. Patrick's day just around the corner, there were at least enough green wigs to supply our ship with the beginnings of costumes.  But I guess a hairdo is the crowning glory for every ensemble.

John, Frank, Kim (Travel Agent), Jay, Andre, Glenn

Our group was rather subdued for this party. After the success of our Castaway costumes and the Queen of Hearts wigs, we pretty much blended into the green background of our people at their finest. 

Holland America Staff Being Cheered!

 Towards the end of the tea dance, some of the Holland America staff came out to thank RSVP and all us cruisers for a great week. They held up signs saying "Thank You," "RSVP," Rainbow flags, etc. I must admit that the Holland America staff are always wonderful on these cruises. All the staff we spoke to commented on how much they all look forward to the RSVP cruises because, for them, this week was like a week off. They all have so much fun while we are on board, and I am guessing they have lots of stories to tell when they get home. But, as they were all up on stage, I got a little glisten of gratitude in my eye as the staff applauded us and we cheered them for another wonderful week at sea. It is amazing how seven days can speed by in such a blur.


After so much fun in the sun and late night dancing under the stars, my body was beginning to give out just a bit. I had been waking up with a froggy voice for several days, but that seemed to go away by lunch time. I attributed it to the air conditioning in my room. I did not, after all, feel bad, feverish, or as if I were getting sick. But, the Lauren Bacall voice was soon accompanied by a stuffy nose and a dry cough. I knew what was coming, but I hoped to make it off the boat before becoming patient zero.

For our last evening on board, we had reservations at the Tamarind Restaurant, which is one of the higher-end dining experiences on board. Since our experience last year was so memorable, we decided it would be a fitting end to our winter vacation at sea. Our reservation was at 8:30. We were seated promptly, but the service was incredibly slow. Since I am not one to complain (hahahaha), I assumed that the food was not as tasty as our last visit due to my stuffy nose, but apparently everyone else felt the same. I would say that this meal was the only disappointment I had during the week, but I may have had too many expectations, or the chefs could have been worn out after a week of feeding so many hungry bears.

After dinner, we all met up in the casino bar for a final farewell drink. I had an early departure scheduled for Sunday morning. Reality awaited me in cold rainy Raleigh, NC.

MINI, Plane, Taxi, Ship to the Caribbean

Like all great adventures, it is the mad rush of preparation before departing on a long awaited trip that stokes my anticipation and excitement. I was so busy yesterday that I had to turn down an invitation from Cathy and Arjay to join them for a bon voyage cocktail. However, those bags will not pack themselves – much like my beard will not dye itself.

I have been counting down the days to this trip since Christmas. This is the fourth year that my friends and I have cruised into the Caribbean to escape the tail-end of winter. And, even though this year’s temperatures have been among the mildest I can remember, it is the bleakness of gray skies, chilling winds, and naked trees that weigh heavy on my mood.

The past week was filled with appointments, workouts, last minute beauty applications, and the usual doubling up at work in preparation for being away for a week. However, I feel healthy, toned, groomed, whitened, confident, and giddily excited. Sadly, the weather in Florida today, much as it was last year, is a bit chilly. But, by the time we reach the Bahamas in the morning, all will be balmy sunshine with gentle breezes smelling of tanning lotion. 

And yet, with all of the preparations I made in the weeks leading up to this day, there was still a mad dash to the airport this morning. Due to expert packing , my checked bag was 2 pounds (1 Kg) below the weight limit; however, the combined weight of my luggage is nearly 80 pounds of clothing, costumes, and toiletries (large bag 48 pounds, small bag 28 pounds, plus backpack and laptop.) This is after I packed and re-packed those bags knowing that half of everything I packed would return home unworn. So a big thank you to Southwest Airlines for allowing both your first and second bags to travel for free.

In a few hours, I will be onboard the ship having lunch with my best buddies in the world. For the next week, all cares will be lost in a haze of raucous laughter, delicious food, themed costume parties, sunshine, dancing, cocktails, and friendship. From where I am sitting, life couldn’t get much better.