garyandpearl

Dec 17/23

I thought I would include some photos of our 964 foot long ship, so here is the link for the Island Princess photo gallery.

https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ip/photo_gallery/ip-photo-gallery-tab.html

This is our home: tiny but adequate. 😊

The buffet provides excellent food from early morning until late at night, and the choices vary each day. We can also eat in the main Dining room where the menu changes every day as well. Fresh pizza, burgers, and ice cream are also available at various locations.

Our room is right next to the gym, so Gary usually heads there everyday while I choose to do Zumba with about 60 other guests.

Afternoon tea at 3 is a nice treat on sea days. I have been enjoying raisin scones with jam and whipped cream that are still warm from the oven.

The entertainment team provides daily activities including trivia, guest lectures, game shows, karaoke, craft times, and movies on the big screen. There are various self-led groups which meet in various spaces. How about Bible study? Knitting? Card games? Car enthusiasts?

Live music is available throughout much of the day from classical to jazz. Every evening there is a different show in the theatre, so we have been enjoying that. The ship has its own singers, dancers, and orchestra, and they have guest performers as well (vocal and instrumental musicians, comedians, gymnasts, illusionists, etc)

There is an art gallery on board which holds auctions on some sea days. Ship photographers have areas set up where you can pose for fun or formal photo shoots.

Swimming pools are available as well as several hot tubs, and a sauna is located inside the spa. On rocky days, the pools might be closed, and the staff keep busy mopping up the water that spills out from the pools onto the sun deck.

A few days ago I decided to use the sauna after the hot tub. After locating the female change room and sauna, I enjoyed the dry heat and then took a shower. While I was drying off, I heard a lot of thumping and clunking which is unusual in the ladies change room. I reached out of the shower to grab my clothes and glasses, and there was a tall elderly man looking at me. I must have startled him and he exclaimed, “You’re in the men’s change room!”

I responded, “I don’t think so. I checked twice!”

He left the shower room and said he was going to check, and I heard him yell back at me, “You’re right!” as he exited the main door. 😂

Being on the Atlantic is a bit rougher than being on the Mediterranean Sea. The ship bobs along like a big cork (or Ark) from front to back or side to side or a combination thereof. Passengers are encouraged to walk carefully and hold on to hand rails where possible.

The captain just gave us an update on weather. We may have waves from 4-5 meters tomorrow, but then it should be smoother sailing for the last few days. 😊

We plan to enjoy our last few days at sea and hope to arrive in Fort Lauderdale early Thursday morning.

Good day to all of you.