Hawaii 09 Day 8

Day 8, 9,10,11 and 12: At Sea

Sunday, May 3rd began the first of our five days at sea as we crossed the Pacific to Vancouver. While the activities staff had arranged a full schedule of events for each day, Ian and I took the opportunity each day to relax and sleep in. We started our mornings with a very late breakfast of fresh-made waffles or French toast with berries in syrup and whipped cream, and then headed out for whichever items on the Celebrity Today sheet that looked promising.

Our Cruise Critic Roll Call "Connections" Party was held in Michael's Club on May 3rd and was well-attended. A lot of us had already met at the party hosted by John Cheek in the Penthouse Suite on April 27th. James Calhoun, the friendly and likable Cruise Director, welcomed us and assured us that the Cruise Critic site is indeed important to the  management at Celebrity. We then went around  the room with introductions, after which Ian and I slipped out to attend a Cabernet Sauvignon Blending event for Captain's Club Select and Elite member.

That afternoon we spent some time in the sun and continued our late - afternoon tradition of nachos and beer from the Riviera Grill at the pool, a ritual which would continue throughout the cruise. The time spent sunbathing, however, would be limited as the weather after the first sea day  turned cloudy and cool as we encountered a cold front which would accompany us all the way to the mainland. That front also meant that the calm seas that we had enjoyed around the Hawaiian Islands were a thing of the past. The Millenium rocked and rolled her way across the Pacific.

Also on the first sea day was our Cabin Crawl /Poker Run which was a great success. A group of 34 people visited each of 9 cabins, receiving a playing card at last 7 cabins from which we each made the best poker hand possible. The winner with a full house took home a pot of $340 while the low hand 'winner' was rewarded with a can of Turkey Spam ! Our Cabin Crawl concluded with drinks and hors d'eourves provided in the Penthouse Suite by our gracious host John.

Each evening we looked forward to meeting out tablemates for great conversation, laughter and the occasional bouts of silliness. Jane and Rhonda from Australia were a constant source of entertainment as they recounted their days at sea. On the second formal night, after having the traditional somber group photo taken, our little band of rebels had a second, free-for-all picture snapped. This turned out to be the favourite and several of us came home with copies. It just seemed to capture the nature of our evening meals together.

A word about the Captain's Club program on Celebrity : Even though a concierge lounge with complimentary drinks is not provided, as on many Royal Caribbean sailings, there are a number of cocktail parties for those who are Select or Elite status. Ian and I enjoyed an all-members Captain's toast in the Celebrity Theatre on the first formal night, and a party with the Captain, as well as a Senior Officers' Party for Select and Elite. We were also treated to a Champagne Breakfast (love those mimosas), a Galley tour and Backstage tour with complimentary champagne, and a morning Bridge tour with orange juice (no alcohol on the navigational bridge). All events were well done and well - attended. We also had priority tender tickets ( these came in handy when tendering into Lahaina for our private horseback riding excursion) and private breakfast lounge with priority debarkation on the last morning. More about that later.

As we approached Vancouver, the weather became even cooler and the pool area was virtually deserted during the day. Poolside entertainment was cancelled, and a planned poolside buffet was moved inside to the Cosmos Lounge. Ian and I lounged in the cabin during lazy afternoons, watching sports and movies, and napping. The balcony, although very nice to have for Hawaii, was used very little during the last 4 days at sea, and long pants were retrieved from suitcases.
A little extra excitement was added free of charge on the afternoon of the last day when some smoldering materials backstage in the Celebrity Theatre triggered an evacuation of the facility.
Those of us in other areas of the ship were unaware of the situation until the Captain announced  that the emergency had been handled, saving needless concern by a decidedly older passenger population. Later that evening while at dinner we were alerted to a medical emergency which required us to come to a full stop to allow a medical evacuation by helicopter. The efficient handling of these two incidents, along with the breathtaking view of the Kilauea Volcano spilling lava into the sea, earned my deepest respect for Captain Zisis Taramas  and his crew.

Tomorrow: Vancouver - Debarkation