A Relaxing Day at Sea

Yesterday afternoon we left Key West and started cruising for Cuba. And today we have the entire day at sea with nothing planned. I did get up at 6:00am and go to the fitness center. I walked on the treadmill for about two miles and then went onto the jogging track and did one lap.

Wintergarden

After walking I returned to the cabin to shower and get dressed. At 8:00am Thomas and I met Dave in the restaurant for breakfast. Deanne decided to go to the World Café. After a nice breakfast I returned to the cabin to get some papers filled out - we need visas to get into Cuba so we needed those filled out as well as a customs form. We also needed to fill out a disembarkation form and an embarkation survey. It took me 30 minutes to get all that done. Then I took everything down to the guest services desk to get checked and turned in.

With all of that completed I decided to wander the ship and take pictures.

Explorer Lounge

Last night Deanne and I had a drink in the Explorer Lounge but we only saw one small area of it. So this morning I explored the entire area (both levels). I have to say that I think is the most beautiful and relaxing part of the ship. And my second favorite is the Wintergarden. I didn't get to see the entire ship but I did get a lot of pictures. Then at 11:00am we all went to the Star Theater for a lecture about Cienfuegos. It was called Port Talk - Cienfuegos. We learned a little history and a little about the culture and then we got some information about the excursions we are going on while in Cuba. The talk lasted about 70 minutes and by this time we were ready for lunch. We ate at the buffet in the World Café and just relaxed as the ship glided through the water.

After lunch we returned to the cabin, did a little reading, organized a few things and relaxed. At around 3:00pm Deanne and I headed to the spa.

We did the Nordic Bathing Ritual. This was described in the spa booklet as . . .
Bade [Bathing] - The tradition of alternating sauna bathing with cold dips or snow runs in our Nordic culture. It detoxes the body, relaxes tired muscles and boosts circulation.
And this is how it is done . . .
* Relax in the sauna
* Dip into the cold plunge
* Heat up in the sauna again
* Step into the refreshing snow grotto
* Repeat as many times as you like

It was invigorating and relaxing all at the same time. After enjoying the ritual we found a couple of lounge chairs and relaxed for a while before returning to our cabins to get ready for dinner.
Thomas and I met Dave and Deanne in the Explorer Lounge for a drink before dinner and then around 6:30pm we headed to the restaurant. Thomas had Caesar Salad, Szechuan Style Beef Tenderloin, and Walnut Cake. I had Shrimp & Corvina Ceviche, Gambas Sauté Provençal (shrimp with rice), and Maple Pecan Bread Pudding. Another incredibly delicious meal. After dinner we walked around the ship a bit and then returned to our cabin. It has been a relaxing day and now we are ready for Cuba. In the morning we dock in Cienfuegos - I am truly excited about the next three days.