ukintheus
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2009
- Messages
- 2,320
Sunday, Dec 12th - At sea day
We had a bit of a later start this morning and didn’t get up until gone 8:30 am. It was our last day and so the last chance to have that lazy morning!
Another beautiful day outside on our verandah, but we didn’t have much time to take it in as the rest of the crew were already up and about and ready for breakfast and we wanted to join them. 
Cabanas again this morning as Scott and I were later, plus I think there was something we all had in mind to make sure we had sufficiently eaten our weight in food for breakfast! LOL Scott’s plate and then mine. I obviously decided I had not quite had enough eggs benedict yet.
Our serving team were there for breakfast this morning so we chatted with them and took our time. I decided to go healthy and get some fruit, which Mum and I shared.
And of course fruit has to be followed with these
which nobody shared or I would have stabbed them with my fork! 
We ambled down to Cove to see what was going on and we found a good spot to sit and hang out for a bit. The bright blue sky was definitely more of a grey sky at this point. Quick group selfie and you can see the clouds in the background.
It wasn’t long before the skies opened and we had a good shower of rain. The day didn’t look like it was going to be too promising weather-wise at all, so we started to talk about plans for the day that didn't involve sitting at the pool.
In the end, we decided to go down and start the much dreaded packing, but Dean was still working on our cabins so Scott grabbed the backgammon set and we went and sat in French Quarter Lounge to pass some time instead. Here’s an elevator picture, because evidently I wasn’t doing well on taking photos today and decided this was important.
We met Das again (beverage manager guy – not so much cricket guy
) and chatted with him for a bit. We also got some coffee while a couple of games of backgammon were played and then all went to go and pack. Scott and I got a surprise of this cute Magical Moment package from the photo team in our cabin – all those goofy pictures were firmly implanted in someone’s brain! 
I had to take the extension cord back to guest services that we had borrowed on the first cruise.
It never crossed my mind to take it back between the two but they were able to sort it out for me so that I didn’t get charged for “stealing it” from the first cruise. 
I also got the added tips for our servers and stateroom host taken care of while I was there. Cute Christmas tree at guest services along with the pens. Did anyone ever expect that we would live in a world where we would be separating pens between clean and dirty???? 
Scott and I got packed pretty quickly and went to chat with the others. Paul was ready for something to eat as he had had a very light breakfast and we decided on Cabanas again as it was so wet on the pool deck. Yelena and Kemar from our first cruise were working up there and so we were able to chat with them. They were having a really slow cruise as there were so few passengers that there was no second seating for their serving team. Once they got done with first seating they were done for the night. So basically, half the tips for the entire 6 night, and their tips are already half of what they normally would make. It’s so hard on the crew right now.
Meanwhile, Cabanas was serving curry, so despite the fact only Paul was hungry, Scott, Maureen and I all had a bite. So. Much. Curry!!
One of the servers decided to make Mum a rose out of a napkin just to be sweet.
He made it to the photo reel due to just being so nice!! 
More backgammon was on the cards in Crown & Fin and they already had the set with them so we left Cabanas to go straight there. Well, maybe not straight there….maybe a quick pit stop.
With it being a Sunday, there was football being shown and it was Dallas and Washington so there were way more people in the bar, and the servers were fairly busy.
Backgammon...again. 
Cloudy and grey outside still. It’s pretty common during the winter months going in and out of Galveston.
A lady from one of our "rival" trivia teams stopped by and brought us these cute key chains and magnets. We had been having good natured fun with them during almost all of the adult trivia sessions. They kept swearing that they had kids, but we never saw them with kids until this last day and then the kids finally materialized.
We had a good time messing around with them all week. So, she decided to sprinkle some random pixie dust of stuff that she makes – so cute!!
We headed upstairs again at about 4 pm. Here are some quick photos I took along the way and you can see how empty the ship was. 4 pm on the last at sea day, and, remember it’s cruddy weather outside…crazy stuff.
Back upstairs, and a look outside to see what was going on – more of the same. Grey skies, although there was a touch of sun trying to sneak through...waves, always awesome....and a random tanker. The temperature was starting to drop, but not as cold as it had been on the last cruise thankfully.
We got the last few things packed in our carry on bags with just those last minute toiletries etc. left to put in in the morning.
And then it was time for the traditional prosecco/wine to congratulate ourselves on working so hard.
We had a bit of a later start this morning and didn’t get up until gone 8:30 am. It was our last day and so the last chance to have that lazy morning!
Another beautiful day outside on our verandah, but we didn’t have much time to take it in as the rest of the crew were already up and about and ready for breakfast and we wanted to join them. Cabanas again this morning as Scott and I were later, plus I think there was something we all had in mind to make sure we had sufficiently eaten our weight in food for breakfast! LOL Scott’s plate and then mine. I obviously decided I had not quite had enough eggs benedict yet.
Our serving team were there for breakfast this morning so we chatted with them and took our time. I decided to go healthy and get some fruit, which Mum and I shared.
And of course fruit has to be followed with these
which nobody shared or I would have stabbed them with my fork! We ambled down to Cove to see what was going on and we found a good spot to sit and hang out for a bit. The bright blue sky was definitely more of a grey sky at this point. Quick group selfie and you can see the clouds in the background.
It wasn’t long before the skies opened and we had a good shower of rain. The day didn’t look like it was going to be too promising weather-wise at all, so we started to talk about plans for the day that didn't involve sitting at the pool.
In the end, we decided to go down and start the much dreaded packing, but Dean was still working on our cabins so Scott grabbed the backgammon set and we went and sat in French Quarter Lounge to pass some time instead. Here’s an elevator picture, because evidently I wasn’t doing well on taking photos today and decided this was important.
We met Das again (beverage manager guy – not so much cricket guy
) and chatted with him for a bit. We also got some coffee while a couple of games of backgammon were played and then all went to go and pack. Scott and I got a surprise of this cute Magical Moment package from the photo team in our cabin – all those goofy pictures were firmly implanted in someone’s brain! I had to take the extension cord back to guest services that we had borrowed on the first cruise.
It never crossed my mind to take it back between the two but they were able to sort it out for me so that I didn’t get charged for “stealing it” from the first cruise. I also got the added tips for our servers and stateroom host taken care of while I was there. Cute Christmas tree at guest services along with the pens. Did anyone ever expect that we would live in a world where we would be separating pens between clean and dirty???? Scott and I got packed pretty quickly and went to chat with the others. Paul was ready for something to eat as he had had a very light breakfast and we decided on Cabanas again as it was so wet on the pool deck. Yelena and Kemar from our first cruise were working up there and so we were able to chat with them. They were having a really slow cruise as there were so few passengers that there was no second seating for their serving team. Once they got done with first seating they were done for the night. So basically, half the tips for the entire 6 night, and their tips are already half of what they normally would make. It’s so hard on the crew right now.
Meanwhile, Cabanas was serving curry, so despite the fact only Paul was hungry, Scott, Maureen and I all had a bite. So. Much. Curry!! One of the servers decided to make Mum a rose out of a napkin just to be sweet.
He made it to the photo reel due to just being so nice!! More backgammon was on the cards in Crown & Fin and they already had the set with them so we left Cabanas to go straight there. Well, maybe not straight there….maybe a quick pit stop.
With it being a Sunday, there was football being shown and it was Dallas and Washington so there were way more people in the bar, and the servers were fairly busy.
Backgammon...again. Cloudy and grey outside still. It’s pretty common during the winter months going in and out of Galveston.
A lady from one of our "rival" trivia teams stopped by and brought us these cute key chains and magnets. We had been having good natured fun with them during almost all of the adult trivia sessions. They kept swearing that they had kids, but we never saw them with kids until this last day and then the kids finally materialized.
We had a good time messing around with them all week. So, she decided to sprinkle some random pixie dust of stuff that she makes – so cute!!We headed upstairs again at about 4 pm. Here are some quick photos I took along the way and you can see how empty the ship was. 4 pm on the last at sea day, and, remember it’s cruddy weather outside…crazy stuff.
Back upstairs, and a look outside to see what was going on – more of the same. Grey skies, although there was a touch of sun trying to sneak through...waves, always awesome
....and a random tanker. The temperature was starting to drop, but not as cold as it had been on the last cruise thankfully.We got the last few things packed in our carry on bags with just those last minute toiletries etc. left to put in in the morning.
And then it was time for the traditional prosecco/wine to congratulate ourselves on working so hard.
) went to Shutters to check on the photographs and see if everything had made it to my account. To be honest, I don’t think I would know if they didn’t. 
One was vegetable and the other was a lentil curry. They were both very, very good. 
By 7:30 am I was awake and decided to peer outside and just confirm that we actually were back and they really were going to kick us off. 
We were just packing up the last of our stuff and so we knocked on Mum & Maureen’s door and they were ready to leave as well. Back in Animator’s for breakfast and there were quite a few families there. This isn't a great photo of Mum, but we didn't take very many photos this morning at all.
and decided to see how bad it was getting off the ship. It was just before 9 am and at that time it's usually a zoo, but, there really were no lines at all and we walked off the ship and breezed through immigration. We got a porter to help us with our luggage as Mum was in her chair today due to the distances going through the terminal. Here we are heading out of the terminal at 9:10 am, it was about the fastest we have ever got through I think. 
I’m sad that she won’t be coming back to Galveston again at the end of the year, but we have the Magic coming in her place. We shall miss the Wonder though if they end up basing her from a different home port for the holiday season. 
It was nice to round off our family cruise by seeing family we hadn’t seen since pre-Covid. 
Thanks for following along, and for the family that are reading – if I missed anything, then you know the phrase – “You get what you pay for folks.” 
The prices for the Wish are kinda crazy. 
We have the Wish booked but not til spring break 2023. However, we will be switching that reservation over to a Europe 2023 cruise (trying for the 4th time!!!) once they open. The prices for the Wish cruises ARE high. We moved our Europe 2022 cruise over to Alaska for this July. Definitely do Alaska if you can!! It's been my favourite cruise hands down (and this will be our 3rd time doing it).
I'm seriously reconsidering the Wish at this point. We have a cruise on the Magic booked for December out of Galveston that will happen unless 
