Around the Horn

Day 13: At Sea

For the fifth day in a row we are sailing the relatively peaceful waters of the Atlantic. Captain Johnny keeps us informed and entertained with his noon updates and Chinese proverbs. He is by far the most personable Captain I have ever had the pleasure of sailing with. He seems to be everywhere in the evenings, appearing very often on the Promenade with his lovely wife. He is very approachable and always willing to pose for photos and answer questions.

A word about Abe Hughes as well : he is a sweetheart of a cruise director, still young, keen and enthusiastic. He is harassed daily during the Team Trivia Bowl and takes it all in stride . Having seen some Cruise Directors who seemd to have become bigger than the position and have lost touch with their passengers , Abe is a refreshing commodity on this long voyage.

I am writing this in the Promenade Cafe, one of my favourite features of this Voyager class ship. It is a great place to people-watch, and to connect with fellow Hornblowers on a regular basis. At some time or other, everyone takes a stroll through the Promenade, and we are such a friendly group that there will be many stops to chat.

My plans for this sea day included a Hornblower slot pull (arranged by the Casino manager for our large group) , the daily Team Trivia Challenge at 1, and catching up on emails. Since the Divas tend to keep late nights and therefore late mornings as well, the daylight hours go by far too quickly. A few rainshowers this afternoon meant no sunbathing today and added to the humidity outside.

The evening went as most evenings do, starting with an enjoyable dinner in the Rhapsody in Blue dining room with our new friends. The evening meal is , for me at least, more about the company than the food. We usually meet several friends for drinks at the Lotus Lounge pre-dinner , and then for 'one for the road' after the meal. We have seen a few shows in the Savoy Theatre, and head for the Wig and Gavel to finish out the evening with Mark and company.

Tomorrow: Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.