Day 1, Sunday, Jan 30, Embark Crystal Serenity
Trip Start
Jan 26, 2011
1
6
19
Trip End
Feb 13, 2011
Papeete, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Sunday, January 30, 2011
My transfer to the Serenity was scheduled for 11AM. I arrived at the ship about 11:10 and was told checkin had not yet started, then "step on board, give your passport to the front desk, complete registration after lunch, and your room is ready. A security officer looked at my documents, radioed the front desk, and sent me onward. I was in my room about 11:20. As is my custom, I got a sandwich at the Trident Grill, then went down to the dining room for soup and vegitables. After completing registration, I walked around town a bit (most everything was closed), and had my computer set up for the ship's internet. I briefly interrupted unpacking for the elegant tea in Palm Court, and Pastor Ed Voosen presented a Protestant service with Communion at 4:30, followed by the lifeboat drill.
Dinner was at 6PM with a diverse group of 8 people. We have 3 Canadians, a Brit, and 4 Americans, 3 are doing the full world cruise, and 2 of us just got on board today. I had a lovely veal dish with chicken broth, pasta, vegitables, and ice cream. We had a very high-energy dance performance by "O Tahiti", a local dance group. At one point each dancer brought a passenger "partner" up on stage making a very interesting mix of dance styles.
Louis sang promptly at nine (for those less familiar with Crystal, our standard sailaway song is "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong).
As today's parting shot, Keith has mentioned in his blog today that things here are "Hot, Hot, Hot". I do not really do well in hot weather. Tahiti is a beautiful place, one I am very pleased to have finally experienced, but for me a place best experienced in small doses.
Roy
