Family Cruise 2019--Day 2

We were all up fairly early again and headed to Johnny Rocket’s for breakfast. I thought I had read they were only open for breakfast on sea days. It was pretty good, made to order.

I’m pretty sure we just chilled at the pools for the afternoon.

At the end of June, I sprained my ankle. I didn't realize it was bad for awhile, and didn't get into physiotherapy until late July. Then I discovered I also had plantar fasciitis. My massage therapist gave a me couple great massages in the two weeks before we left, and she suggested using a heating pad on my calf, while icing the heel. I was concerned about taking a heating pad since I knew heat-producing items are generally banned. A message to Royal and I got the response that I could bring one, with a doctor's note (but it would still be up to security). An old fashioned ice pack that you fill with ice did the heel. This is me, tethered down, trying to get ready for the formal night. 

 Rob and I wanted a quick photo in front of the squashed VW Beetle, but little did we know it was going to turn into a full fledged photo session, complete with trying to figure out what the photographer was indicating with her hands. I never got to see the photos ☹

Rob had seen a bartender making a mojito and he thought it looked good. Except he couldn't remember what it was called. So it was fun trying to hear him figure it out, and to pronounce it. He's not too good at the Spanish "j" LOL.

I got an apple martini. It was supposed to be sour, but it wasn't. It was not sweet either, but it just didn't make me pucker. I wanted to try a lot of different cocktails, especially not sweet ones.

I'm not sure what this appetizer was called. Extremely thinly sliced beef, possibly raw. It was okay, but not filling.

This was a seafood linguine (my dinner). First time having mussels since being a consenting adult. Some of them were okay but a few tasted more fishy. They weren't slimey, which was my big fear.

Lucy got Duck L'orange. Partly so she could say "L'Orange" in French LOL.

Bailey's souffle? Very yummy and not too heavy at the end of the meal.

I'm not sure if this is from the second day. We tried to make sure Mom wasn't seated across from the empty chair, but for some reason, Dad ended up at the end of the table again. This would have been great because of his hearing, but it also meant the rest of us had a hard time hearing the wait staff at times. Because we were seated right next to the three story opening in the dining room, noise seemed to really carry. One of the wait staff offered to bring Dad a dessert and Mom picked the Royal chocolate cake because he loved chocolate cake. We all had a few bites.

First towel animal of the cruise. They only did them on the formal nights.

After dinner, Captain Rob was at the VW Beetle so we got a picture with him. Some had changed and were casual, but I and one of the girls were still dressed up. One side of Captain Rob was formal, one side was casual. So casual in fact, that Rob’s fly was half down! Captain Rob is not the most energetic or gregarious captain we’ve met. Mom and I had another encounter with him in the elevator and he was not interactive. In fact, we decided that there was a Captain Rob robot out doing his public events while the real Captain Rob controlled the ship. We also noticed that other than the location, his “Welcome to….” Message was always the same. Complete with identical weather forecasts. Which were never right.

Then we noticed “orchestra” playing on the Promenade (Top Stage is above one of the stores…it’s a little stage area). They were labelled the “High C’s Horns”. Get it? High Seas? High C (the music note)? The girls were excited to recognize some of the songs they were playing—it was listed as a Big Band genre show. Many thanks to Durham Jazz Bands for giving them this education!

After dinner show—Hiro. Kids and Rob went to front row and had a great time getting wet.

I think we had a comedy show booked for the adults, but I thought it was at 11pm when it was actually earlier. Who knows now LOL.

We were booked for Hiro, the AquaTheater show. We headed out to the Boardwalk and saw a long line. No way to know if this was for  reservations or for people without, so we sent the girls up ahead to scope it out. It was the reservations line. We got in line and the girls went to the carousel. Then Rob decided to go for a ride!

We found some seats on a bench, off to the right. The benches are not all that comfortable. We were one or two rows back from the splash zone. The girls and Rob decided to go sit in the very front row. Crazy. I did end up getting wet when the woman next to the man next to me knocked her wine glass over. 

 It is a very overwhelming show. There's things going on everywhere. Here was a slack line walker. It leaves from a door at the top of the rock wall (you can see it lit up) and goes over to the very top of the dive tower. There were so many different types of acts in this show. Synchronized swimmers, divers, slack lines, drumming, "trapeze", high dives....The girls and Rob had a great time in the front and felt really connected with the performers.

Our room steward, who I still hadn't met, made a sloth! So cute, considering we were going to see the sloths the next day!