preparing for the pounce
day one of our cruise!
the day started early…not bright and early. just early. at about 4:30 we woke up to throw on some clothes and head to the nashville airport. our morning was a quiet one; wil and i were both eager with anticipation in the car, but being that early we didn’t dare break one another’s silence.
although we arrived a bit later to the airport a bit later than wil wanted (ahem, i did not agree with arriving two hours before the flight- until i saw the mile long security line and agreed with his precautions), we saw an interesting sight when we stepped off the economy parking bus and a stranger pointed something out to us…there sitting in a wheelchair next to the curbside check in was the one and only little richard. not only was it crazy to see little richard, it was more crazy to notice that he looked exactly the same as he always has…he has yet to change his style with age.
the plane was little but the flight was decent- and much to our surprise, we were served fresh muffins and coffee!!! we promptly landed in newark, new jersey, and it was a relief having our flights booked through royal caribbean- they herded us from the baggage claim all the way to the pier, without required any extra dimes or thought.
at this point we were giddy with excitement…wil was taking pictures all over the place to document our every step through the embarkation process. the steps were painless, and we felt like royalty along the way. when we stepped up to the check-in desk the nice man proceeded to let us know he needed to retrieve our junior suite keys from the vip room. nice!
of all the cruises (5 between the two of us) we had previously been on, this was by far the fastest loading. no lines or hassling between hundreds of eager tourists. we sat for hardly 15 minutes before our number was called to be bussed to the door to the ship. but to make that time more exciting, we decided for the fun of it, to become the people we have learned to loathe…the infamous “pouncers.”
as group number 3 was called to board, we prepared for the pounce…we grabbed our gear and headed up to the desk long before we would even be called. we crowded the boarding cruisers, impatiently waiting for our turn to file into the line. next was number 4…and finally, after many pictures and giggles, our number was called!
we rushed onto the bus, up the gangplank and onto the boat. no turning back now! once we boarded the boat, the next few hours flew by; we bought an internet package (you should all know by now that neither of us can live without it!), explored the many decks, lounges, restaurants and pools, requested a private dining table (fingers crossed!), found our room, unpacked, ate, and took part in the mandatory emergency drill- life vests and all!
as the boat’s engines started to churn at 5, we walked the decks with a guiness in hand (only wil) and watched manhattan, the statue of liberty, and many cargo ships and lighthouses pass by as we left the bay. i’d say it was a beautiful site, but the gray clouds above decided to pour for about a half an hour before leaving, so everything was wet and dreary. but that’s ok! we are on our way to the hot caribbean and nothing can get us down!
our last event for the evening was dinner and the show. yes, dinner was an event in itself! because our private table is unsure right now, we had our first night at a table with 3 other couples (part of entire group of 12)…all friends from jersey. although awkward at times, it was entertaining to mingle with some “locals” and realize that yes it’s true- all jersey people really do talk like that! we also want to be sure to pass along a very important piece of information: the statue of liberty does not actually belong to new york, it is really in new jersey waters!
upon the end of dinner we headed to the show, screamed when they asked about the honeymooners on the boat, and laughed at a musician/comedian/impressionist. as of now, i am sitting in our room while wil watches “fever pitch” on tv and we wait for room service. romantic, i know! well, we’ll see what the next 9 days have in store for us…
