HELLO TEN DAY CRUISING! you are my new friend!

Ten day cruising has finally arrived! We’re 4 days in and finally have hit our first new port. Today we’re in Dominica and I can’t wait to get off and explore; only we have crew drills first! I am doing a tour this afternoon- I’ll be going to Ti Tou Gorge and the Hot Springs. Ti Tou Gorge featured in the filming of pirates of the Caribbean – so I’m charging my camera right now to try and get some good footage!

From the first few days, which were similar to our seven day cruises in terms of itinerary (princess cays, sea day, St. Thomas), ten day cruises have proved to already be very different. Everything is so much more relaxed. For the first ceramics class on the sea day I had 2 people over the whole 2 hour session – on the 7-day, people would be fighting for chairs and developing extreme rages.
Princess Popstars had 7 sign ups in the first and third heats – and ONLY 4 singers in the second- I had to walk around canvassing the room to get the 4th singer so we could run the show!

In general the passengers are older and more experienced cruisers. There are people flashing their black “elite” cards left right and centre. We have a whole group of “cruise critics” on this week- which is a bit daunting because you KNOW they’re all writing reviews of the ship and its staff to go on their website.

Last night was island night – or rather was SUPPOSED to be island night but we were hit by a storm of epic proportions. Wind, rain, lightning, thunder – it would have blown the passengers to kingdom come. It has been rescheduled for the night we are in Bonaire.

The best and most exciting news is still to come, however. I am now the proud occupant of my own cabin. Mark’s replacement still hasn’t arrived and finally I’ve been able to wrangle this cabin for myself. Mico is apparently coming next cruise, so it’s only for ten days, but I am loving it. It has changed my whole life on board – finally I have a space that is all my own! For five months I’ve had constant contact with people, in my job and in my cabin, 24/7, all day every day.

Now for the first time I have somewhere that I can be alone. No one can walk in unless I want them to! The best part is waking up in the morning and not having to creep around in the dark or wait to use the bathroom – now I can get up, pump my music and get ready for the day on my own terms!

It’s wonderful – like a holiday! Even if I have to go back to sharing next week, it will only be for 20 days until I return home!

I just turned on the window (the bridge-cam TV channel) and it seems to be cloudy outside. There was a fog on the the mountains of Dominica, but It appears to have lifted- so perhaps the sunshine will break through.