Jan 27 --  A much-needed sea day

After yesterday’s sun-filled adventure in Bora Bora, we really needed a day of rest.  Spending so much time in the water and sun can be surprisingly tiring.  With one notable exception, we spent today just like all of the other sea days.

The exception to the sea day routine was our second Cruise Critic meeting at 10 a.m. in the Crow’s Nest.  We did not have nearly the turnout for this gathering – about 100 people someone estimated – but there was lots of meeting and mingling.  D arranged a little contest in order to facilitate this and was able to cadge prizes from the Cruise Director.  Once again, HAL supplied not only the requested cookies, fruit and veggies but also champagne, mimosas and orange juice.  As they say, a good time was had by all.

Other than that, it was a regular sea day – Trivia, eat, nap, Trivia.  The nap was especially welcome because neither of us had slept well last night.  D was the more restless because of his sunburn; MA was not as uncomfortable from hers.  So we returned to the room right after lunch and napped until 4:30.  Ahhh!

Tonight was another formal night, but there was no special occasion.  There were no escargots on the menu, but we feel confident they will return several more times.

Although there is a tender port tomorrow [Rarotonga in the Cook Islands], we have no planned shore activities until we reach Auckland, NZ, late next week.

TOMORROW – Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Jan 28 – Or not

The captain woke us at 7:30 with the announcement that we would not be making our scheduled port call in the Cook Islands.  Dangerous swells at both the primary and secondary harbors prevented sending tenders safely to shore; he was not going to risk injury to passengers or crew not to mention damage to the tenders.  We had no plans here, so there was no sense of loss.  MA had already decided that she was not tendering unless it was absolutely necessary and D was going to go ashore solely to show the grandchildren on another Pacific rock. 

Perhaps the only one remotely disappointed will be our friend Richard.  Prior to our departure, he sent us pins to wear as members of the Traveler’s Century Club, a mythical group of people who have touched at least 100 countries from their rather odd list.  For example, the US counts as 3 countries – the mainland, Alaska and Hawaii.  Many people object to the TCC list, but it is what it is.  Rarotonga was to be our 100^th country. 

The weather is playing a big part in our plans for the rest of the week.  Because of a large storm system, we will also bypass Alofi on Friday and head straight for Nuku Alofa, Tonga, where we will apparently dock Saturday night.  Originally, we were scheduled to dock there on Monday, crossing the International Date Line before arriving.  It appears that now we will lose Friday to the dateline and have Sunday and Monday in Tonga.  It is very confusing as to when is when; we were supposed to lose Sunday and were psyched up to watch the Super Bowl on Monday.  That, at least, has not changed.

To make us all feel better about the change in plans, Capt. Mercer is picking up the tab for wine or sodas at dinner tonight.  We will also have taxes for the missed ports refunded to our shipboard account, but it won’t be very much money.

The schedule reverted quickly to a sea day routine. 

TOMORROW – Another sea day