mia081081

If an employee gives you a code, it’s usually 20% off. A good deal if you know the right person. 

If an employee gives you a code, it’s usually 20% off. A good deal if you know the right person. 

I have a feeling that fairly or not, cruise lines will be holding onto at least some of these protocols well past the point were most other businesses deem it nessesary. (Which is largely already the case) Mainly because of the unreasonable scrutiny they are held to in the media. If just one unvaccinated person gets COVID and dies and it can be traced back to a cruise ship, the torrent of negative headlines decrying how ships are death traps will be overwhelming. Until the lines feel that they are willing to weather such a storm, I don't see a blanket dropping of vax requirements. Now luckily, death rates continue to go down, so maybe that time is moving up faster than I realize, but I wouldn't count on it happening this year.

Lunch at CCBC was all it is cracked up to be.  There's a "list" of appetizers -- but you don't order from that (I guess you could); they just bring you a massive two tray sampler of everything.  It could feed two men and a boy.  Winners were the shrimp cocktail, babaganoush (spell check just had a stroke) and the veggie crudites to gobble up said baba.  Ceviche was the only "meh" thing.  I love ceviche and this had sat in the citrus juice just way too long.  Equivalent to overcooking fish.  Taste was nice, texture was "thanks, I'm done with that."
Main was surf-and-turf grilled lobster and filet, with fingerling potatoes and a smattering of roasted bell peppers.  Excellent.  It's so easy to screw up grilling a lobster.  They didn't  Sorry I didn't take any more food photos.  I always forget -- only to remember after I've made a disaster of my plate.
I spent the rest of my 4.5 hours on the island in a lounger, in the ocean and in the comfortably heated freshwater CCBC pool.  Loungers have a little flag like a mailbox you raise to ensure you don't sober up.
Dinner was at the hibachi side of Izumi.  I had the Gyu (beef tenderloin).  Beef was good, but I was beefed out from lunch.  Finished with chocolate lava cake and killed a little time in the casino.  Took a beating last night -- but variance in blackjack is kinda that way.  You have to look at your yearly P&Ls to figure out just how much of an idiot you are (or aren't).  [Arnold Voice] I'll be back.
Last thing of the night for me was the "Aqua 80" Aquatheater show.  Thoroughly enjoyed that.  It's (surprise) based around a melange of '80s music and pop-culture themes.  I was a little bit skeptical because my musical tastes almost never veer into the mainstream (especially when  I was an '80s angst-y little s*t).  Worth seeing though.  Was very surprised to hear stuff like NWA, Soft Cell, Joy Division, etc. mixed in.
Today is a lazy sea day.  Massage.  Shane says the Escape Room is running again and looks like I have a slot at 2PM.  Dinner is Chef's Table.

My kids are 7 and 10 and we do specialty dining every night. They love it and are happy to sit and chat and eat. It’s never taken us 2 hours. Usually 60-90 minutes, which is the same as the MDR. And the food and service are much better. 

On the same sailing and so far everything has been top-notch. I think Enchantment was supposed to join us today in Coco Cay but we have had it to ourselves. Very easy to get bar service, thrill park lines not too bad. So many available loungers. Lovely. 
 
dinner at chops last night was also very very good. Perfectly medium-rare petite filets. Excellent mushroom soup. So glad it’s back!