Day two of our cruise found us in Nassau. Leading up to the cruise, we debated for months about whether or not to drop $300.00 on the dolphin excursion before finally settling on *not* doing it. I think that The Big would have really enjoyed the dolphin encounter, but I also know that DH would have been the one having to carry her if she didnt enjoy it, so I totally understood his suggestion that we wait until she is a bit older. Instead of dolphins, our plan was to explore the shopping district of Nassau and to then hang out at the pool for the remainder of the day (can you guys see how diligently I was in trying to do fun Big stuff and not rushing her everywhere?).
I actually cant believe Im admitting this to you all, but my sole purpose of even shopping in Nassau was so I could try and find a cheap (or even knock-off) Coach purse and some (cheap) Coach sunglasses. I own two Coach purses but I purchased them before I had The Big and I now find myself balking at the thought of ever paying MSRP for another Coach anything. (However, if we are discussing camera lenses, that's a whole 'nother story.) Anyway, to me, a great purse has just become an extravagance of my pre-parent days. Sadly.
Anyway, I still love the Coach brand and I *really* had convinced myself that I could get a new purse and even new sunglasses in Nassau for the cost of just a purse in the States.
So, we ate breakfast at Parrot Cay and headed off to Nassau for our fun-filled day of shopping. And, YIKES let me tell you guys - Nassau is a freaking dump! Its dirty, smelly, crazy-scary, crowded, and
the Coach purses (et al.) are the same price as the ones in the States! I cannot to this day believe that I so enthusiastically braved the street peddlers, the craziness, and the general funk at Nassau just to encounter the same prices as are in my clean and bright shopping malls! UG and darn that luck!
Needless to say, we hightailed it back to the boat in record time and we decided that the pool was just the thing to cleanse us of our (my) disappointment in Nassau. The pool and ice cream, actually. So, we changed and headed back to the Mickey Pool, The Big still sporting her floaties.
DH and I (being only-child parents) hung out with The Big until she found a friend and completely blew us off, at which point we found the closest empty lounge chair (which was located in the second row of chairs from the pool) and kept our eyes firmly affixed on The Big for any signs of peril or distress. Well, after about 20 minutes of bopping and weaving ourselves so we could be in the line of sight of The Big at all times, I decided that we should move to one of the vacant chairs in the front row. I purposely picked a chair that had been deserted since our arrival at the pool. So, we moved ourselves onto the lounge chair in question. And we were promptly informed by a woman (I'll call her Seat-Saving Woman or SSW, for short) sitting 4 chairs to the left that that particular chair was saved. The conversion actually proceeded like this (this gets messy, but I feel compelled to share):
SSW: Ummmm, that seat is saved.
Me: (In the process of plopping my stuff down in the chair) - We are trying to keep an eye on our three year old in the pool and I didnt see that anybody has sat in this chair during the entire 45 minutes weve been at the pool.
SSW: You cant sit there! Im saving these seats (pointing to the entire front row) for my family.
Me: (Heckles starting to rise; I dont deal well with gratuitous rudeness or wanton unreasonableness) - Well, Im sorry, but these 6 other seats havent been sat in for 45 minutes either. (Pregnant pause). Besides, seat saving is specifically prohibited pursuant to the Navigator.
DH: (Booking it back to the pool, the poor guy).
SSW: (Giving me the evil eye). Im saving that SEAT. You cant sit there.
Me: (Slowwwwllllyyy stretching myself out on the chair). Im sorry (why I kept saying that, I dont know because I *really* wasnt sorry) but the rules are on my side; you arent allowed to save seats. You cant just go dropping towels on every seat and claim that they are saved.
SSW: Well, when my mother gets here you are going to have to move.
Me: (Eyebrow raised). Ummm hmmmmm.
SSWs Mom a while later: Um, excuse me, but this seat is saved.
SSW to Her Mom: Shes (meaning me) getting ready to get up. I told her that this seat was saved.
Me: As a matter of fact, Im not getting ready to get up. But, feel free to sit in one of the other 6 seats that have been saved for you. My daughter is still in the pool and I still need to watch her. Im sorry (there it is again), but it specifically says in the Navigator that saving lounge chairs on Decks 9 and 10 is prohibited.
SSW: Well, your
husband is watching your daughter so you dont need to be in these chairs.
Me: Listen, why dont you go (
jump off a bridge...) inform a Crew Member that Im sitting in a seat you have saved and further inform said CM that you have 6 other seats saved and see what the CM says. I *promise* you that the rules are on my side. This really isnt as big a deal as youre making it. (I even did the quote things with my fingers when I said the word "saved" Im *such* a dork sometimes.)
SSWs Mom: Ill just sit in this one (taking one of the chairs next to her daughter).
SSW: UG.
Well, at that point I could (would) have sat in my lounge chair all day, but The Big was ready to go about 20 minutes after that last conversation with the Seat-Saving Woman and her mom. So, I got out of my chair and walked away, but not before I hear SSW tell a new person who had plopped their stuff down in my now-vacated lounge chair Ummm, that seat is saved. Arrgggghhhh!
By the way, have you guys decided on Cirque? 
No, you didn't just leave us hanging!!! Just when you got to the part that I had been waiting for the most!!!
Can't wait to read more!
Well, despite my efforts, we were still denied access (big surprise, right?). So, back down to Deck 3 we go where we were informed that we need new KsTTW for the cruise portion of our trip. Upon receiving our new cards, we headed back up to Deck 7 for our second attempt and
we were given the green light. WHEW. 
Already we were all starting to feel the stress of touring the parks seep out of us. I knew that we were going to relax and recharge, and I was so excited about that prospect. 
)
