Many people think sea days are the most relaxing part of a cruise. Clearly, they’ve never traveled with Kelsey. She believes the best way to experience a cruise is to do everything!
Today was the first of two sea days on our Mediterranean cruise, and our day started at a 9:00 a.m. Tai Chi class on the top deck. From there, the activities barely slowed down.
One of the great things about cruising is that everyone can choose their own adventure, so while we didn’t all do every activity together, between the five of us we managed to experience quite a variety. Over the course of the day, we squeezed in a Zumba class, a $10 bargain sale in the ship’s shops, Music Bingo, DIY facials, walks on the two-level jogging track, workouts in the fitness center, and some time watching the British Open.
Of course, we also spent plenty of time by the pool. It was very, very hot, so all those activities inside the air-conditioned ship provided some welcome breaks from the Mediterranean sun.
Naturally, food was never far from our minds. We quickly discovered a few favorite spots around the ship, including the ice cream station and the poolside grill’s french fries for an afternoon snack.
For dinner, we visited Normandie, the ship’s French-inspired complimentary restaurant. Once again, the food was excellent. Since we had mentioned when booking the cruise that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary a month late, our waitstaff surprised us with a special dessert while singing “Happy ‘Versary to You.” It was a fun and unexpected touch to the evening.
After dinner, the group split up. Karen, Kelsey, and Lindsey enjoyed a show featuring singing, tap dancing, and acrobatics in one of the smaller theaters. Meanwhile, Greg and Malik headed to the main theater to watch the FIFA World Cup Final on the giant screen.
Watching the World Cup at sea turned out to be one of those unexpected experiences that made the day especially memorable. The theater was filled with international fans from countries around the world, each cheering on their favorite team. The ship embraced the event too, serving appetizers, desserts, and popcorn while everyone watched the match together on the huge screen. It was a fun reminder of just how international a cruise can be.
Sea days may not include sightseeing, but they certainly aren’t boring, especially when Kelsey is helping plan the itinerary!
Tomorrow, we’ll arrive in the beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, one of the destinations we’ve been looking forward to most.
Hammond Adventures 