Caribbean Princess Sea Day, Aug 20

Today was a relaxing sea day, especially for me. Loading up with Tylenol PM tackled the hives but also tackled my energy level. I've been spending the day going between the balcony and the bed. No better place to recoup, for sure!

Hubby is pretty much out and about most of the time. He's got a spring in his step and plenty of coffee in his belly. He comes back ever so often and reports things to me. He has been pretty frustrated with the lack of service in the buffet and the lines at Coffee and Cones. But then again, hubby is, as he calls it, "passionate" about things. (I call it something different, but whatever.) He did feel sorry for the guy having to work both the coffee part and the ice cream part with about 15 people in line. Clearly they were understaffed.

I did make it out of the cabin for some lunch. There were good choices today at the buffet. Just look at all the different pre-made sandwich selections.

 Hubby said the Moroccan lamb leg stuffed with fruits, nuts, and quinoa was quite tasty.

I went with a warm Cuban Sandwich that was pretty darn good.

A few things about the buffet:

• You might as well grab your own drink before you sit down. Because if you are waiting for a server to take your order you're going to go thirsty. I timed it today and it was 20 minutes before I was approached about anything to drink. 
• The station set up is nice in that you aren't being forced to enter one side of the buffet and exit out the other. But it also creates some problems having to do with cleanliness. There is no longer anyone standing there requiring you to use hand sanitizer. There are sinks and hand sanitizers a little ways away, but many folks just stroll on by and walk into the buffet. Ick. I've gotten into the habit these last couple years of cleaning my hands before and after going through the buffet. I certainly don't need anyone else's tong germs! Without having anyone monitoring the entrance I saw two more things today that I found a bit, uh, gross... a guy was eating watermelon inside the buffet. He was even leaning over and letting it drip onto the floor as he was biting into it. Another ick. And two women in their swimsuits with no coverups. So I guess we're now ok with dirty hands, eating next to the food, and swimsuits in the buffet. It's time for me to work on my tunnel vision again. Or for someone to monitor the situation inside the buffet area.
• During breakfast and lunch, go to the back of the ship and eat in Planks or Steamers. In the evening there is a charge but not during the day. At breakfast Steamers has an omelette station and Planks has more buffet. At lunch today Steamers had ramen noodles and Planks Tex-Mex buffet. Plenty of empty seating back there as people assume they can't sit there. 

Medallion™ Update:
I've combined my updates to make the progression of the roll-out more clear. 
August 18-25 updates can be found here.
August 25-Sept 1 updates can found here. 
Sept 1-8 updates can be found here.

Encouraging Words Money Pockets:
Today it will be dropped off somewhere in the Piazza before the Champagne Waterfall. So if you're on the ship and you come across it you'll know who it came from!

Until tomorrow...in St. Thomas.

In the meantime here are a few seconds of evening bliss:

As usual, if you have any questions or comments, please click on the envelope icon at the top right of this screen.

Caribbean Princess in Princess Cays

Today should have been our walk to the end of Princess Cays so I could snorkel past the pavilion.

But hubby is a bit worried about walking so far and getting too tired and falling again. And I worry about going by myself because I don't have a snorkel buddy. He doesn't swim, he doesn't snorkel, but at least he is on shore and can alert anyone if I'm gone way, way too long. 

So we stayed on the ship today. And hung by the pool. Nice and quiet.

I got my swim on. But then I got something else.

Hives started on the inside of my arm. Went up my sides and down my legs. And they are itchy.

I haven't eaten anything I don't usually eat and haven't worn anything I don't usually wear. I figure it is from one of two things: the pool or the bathroom towels.

We have some new super-soft bathroom towels in the cabin. So new that the fuzz comes off on your body after showering. It could be there were still some latent chemicals in them that didn't yet wash out. Since I need some Benadryl, I guess I'll be using the Tylenol PM, too. (The PM kind has Benadryl in it.)

Not much else was accomplished today. I got myself dressed long enough to get to lunch and dinner but otherwise tending to my hives. I did run into a fellow blogger and her husband at lunch today and got to visit a bit. Her name is Vickie and you can find her blog full of posts about Princess cruises HERE. Hers is one of my go-tos when I want accurate information. (Side note on the buffet at dinner tonight - there was nothing at the carving station. Zip. Nada. Never seen that before.) 

Medallion™ Update:
I've combined my updates to make the progression of the roll-out more clear. 
August 18-25 updates can be found here.
August 25-Sept 1 updates can found here. 
Sept 1-8 updates can be found here.

Encouraging notes money pockets:

For the last several years I’ve been giving away dollar bills with notes of encouragement. (I did a tutorial on them last month. You can find that here, if you're interested.) I’ve left them in restrooms and airplane magazines and sugar containers. I’ve left them in windowsills and tip jars and hotel room drawers. I’ve left them on buses and taxis and trains. Sometimes I place one somewhere once a day and other days I drop them off multiple times.

Today's money pocket was dropped off in a sugar container in the buffet.

I was planning on posting menus, but they are no longer posted in the buffet area. I wasn't up to traipsing down to the dining room to snap photos today. Sorry about that.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something about today but my mind is more on scratching right now. If I think of something else I'll add it to the post later.

Tomorrow is a sea day and formal night.

As usual, if you have any questions or comments, please click on the envelope icon at the top right of this screen.