Breakfast and packing on day 2 of the trip. We have thrown away the underwear that is dirty - I really am trying to lighten the load as we go... Brian found a Target on his morning jog and after breakfast he and I head out for the mile walk to get a few last minute items. Like wine. For us and the Dulacs.
It's at this point that I am happy for Julia's backpack purchases last summer. Before she started 6th grade, I convinced her that she would want to use a rolling backpack for the year, as she would have many books to take back and forth to school (not my first time at the 6th grade dance). She agreed, and when she found a $70 cute Jansport bag, I tried to talk into the less expensive Target version. She held firm, pledging to pay for half of it, arguing that she could use it when she went on vacation as a suitcase. So when getting ready for this trip, I remind her of her argument of using it for vacation travel. She was less than pleased, as she had already packed her other cute backpack. Flash forward to the Target shopping expedition of 2011. I'm happy to report that the Jansport backpack easily holds 5 bottles of wine, plus various other small necessities, and that the mile walk back to the hotel was quite easy.
After a minor mix-up with our transportation needs from hotel to ship ("No, our family of 6 plus luggage can't fit into your sedan. Please send the SUV that we ordered yesterday." simultaneoulsy with "No, Brian, I will not consider taking public transportation with all of our crap across town.") we made it to the docks slightly ahead of the Dulacs, who left Los Angeles on the correct day of departure. Meeting up with them, transferring their 3 bottles of wine to them, and then not being questioned by anyone in security about the wine, it occurs to all of us (too late) that there was really nothing stopping us from bringing more wine onto the boat. Alas, the 5 bottles will have to be supplemented throughout the week.
Getting on board was an adventure. The kids are in a stateroom on level 5 FORWARD - just off the portrait gallery. Yes, Ed must go through the portrait gallery to get to his stateroom. Every. Time. The portrait gallery is having it's bargain sale tomorrow - everything under $700 is a bargain sale. This seems like poor planning to me on the part of Princess. [But it does make it easy to find his room: "Turn left at the picture of Edward from Twilight, Dad" "Um, Ed, that's James Dean." "Whatever!" Ed replies.] I should say - the 3 little kids are in the stateroom on 5. And me. My "cruise card" is for the kids' room, as I'm technically assigned a room with my children. It's the room we got through the family and friends deal - and they're funny about selling cruises to a room full of minors. (Although a room full of miners would be just fine. It's all about spelling and punctuation, people.) So Colin and Brian are on level 12 AFT. That's a whole lot of ship between the rooms. I'm a little concerned about this. Safety drills (separately) are done and after we have been fully mustered, we're left to our own devices until the sailaway.
Now is the point of the vacation when what I thought might be a little bit of allergies is turning into FULL BLOWN HEAD COLD. Complete with fever and chills. Shhhh. Don't tell Princess. I shouldn't even be on the boat. I am washing my hands and using the mandatory hand sanitizer like crazy. And taking cold medicine. Lots of it. Sadly, to no avail. I do, however, quickly find the beverage section of the buffet. There's quite a variety of teas (along with appalling coffee), hot water and lemon. If I just go right around the corner, the lovely Isaac wannabe happily will sell me a shot of brandy. Hot Toddies here I come!!! (Hey, they're medicinal)
And here's the portion of the cruise that is understandably yet always surprisingly annoying: it's not enough that the cost of a cruise could easily bankrupt a small island nation. No. The additional fees - in every possible form - assault you as if you were actually living in a QVC commercial. We have paid for 3 "kid friendly" drink packages (complete with bendy straw and Coke insulated tumbler) at $49 each (plus tax and tip!!!) Only 3 were purchased because Aidan took off on his own and wasn't with us. Colin, Julia and Edwin now must drink $7 of soda, juice and shakes PER DAY in order for us to "get our money's worth." This is not something I would normally do. I don't usually pay $150 for soda in a year let alone a week. I'm the mom who makes her kids order water with meals out. I could have another Kindle for the amount we just paid. For soda. Brian points out that it will make our lives easier for the week. OK - that almost makes up for it. Maybe it was the cold medicine that made me say yes. [Aidan eventually got his drink package a day and a half later. He charged it to his cruise card himself. Signed for it. And gave extra tip "just to round it up and make it even, Mom." "AIDAN!!!!!! Tip was ALREADY INCLUDED you numbnuts!!!n That's what 'gratuity' means!"]
The constant hawking of wares (I don't really count the alcohol, since that was a given) and services is a bit off-putting. The Dulacs have noticed that on this cruise (unlike the rather garish, yet fun-loving Carnival staff) the crew seems slightly rude when you don't want to purchase what they have to sell. While the life as a crewmember on a cruise ship is not an easy one, I know, (and some are less easy than others, like the constantly working room stewards) I am far less sympathetic to their plight when they get snippy because I won't shell out even more money.
I finally get to see the stateroom where I am staying. Balcony room! I didn't realize what a big deal this was. I thought the kids' room with a view was pretty cool, after only ever staying in inside rooms. But this room is the coolest. I booked it several months back at the normal rate, but didn't specify where I wanted my Forresterish "room with partially obstructed view". For that indecision, I was blessed with a killer upgrade - free of charge. Woo hoo!!! It's like getting bumped from the last row seats to 5th row center at a Vegas Barry Manilow concert. Only better. King bed, huge closet and BALCONY. The magnitude of the coolness will not hit me for a few days, but I'm still pretty impressed.
Dinner is late seating with the Dulacs - adults at one table, all kids (with 21 year old Paul Dulac, bless his heart) at a neighboring table. It's a delightful meal. I remember very little of it. There was cold medicine. There was wine. There was cheese. (OHHHHHH the cheese on this trip. I have eaten it at every meal. I loooovvvveee it so much. I even turn European and have it for dessert.) There was going to bed at 10:30.
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