Day 9 of our Carnival Glory Experience

Friday, February 2

Today is our last day at sea and we disembark tomorrow.

We wake up early and there just seems to be a different vibe on the ship.  I hope I am just imagining things.  We exit our room and there is Garry, as pleasant and friendly as ever.

We get into line for breakfast at 8:10 am.  It doesn't open until 8:30 am.  There are a bunch of people in line and they are all talking loudly so it is impossible not to hear.  They are all annoyed.  Annoyed at each other, annoyed at the weather, annoyed that they have to wait even though they knew they were coming earlier than opening.  Finally, the doors open and people rush the doors like they are going to the Macy's After Thanksgiving Sale.  Really.  Do they think they are not going to get a seat?

The Maitre D asks us if we want to sit alone or with people.  I say it doesn't matter as long as we don't sit with anyone who has been in line with us.  She seats us a a private booth and one of the hostesses tells me "I hear ya" and fist bumps me as she is going by.

We have a delicious breakfast and then we have a problem.  No, it is not the weather.  Even though it looks likes it is going to be overcast and rainy all day, that is not our issue.  I want another lox and bagel but I don't think I can eat a whole one and don't want to waste it.  My sweetie has the same issue.  We both want their delicious lox and bagel but we are too full to eat a whole one.  We try to come up with a solution while we drink our coffee and tea respectively.  Finally, we have the perfect solution.  We will order one lox and bagel and will split it having half a bagel each.  See, I told you we were brilliant on this ship.

There has been a kiosk on the ship encouraging people to sign up for a Carnival Visa in order to get a $200. ship account credit.  I have not seen anyone sign up yet but today, there is a line of about 50 people.  I guess they really need the ship account money.  Also, there is a line at Guest Services and people walking around with their ship account statements complaining about how much their bill is.  This is the grumpy vibe that I felt earlier.  I don't understand why people are surprised at their bills.  I have kept careful track of our purchases.  Also, every purchase charged to your account immediately shows up on your Carnival Hub App.  No one should be surprised and if they are, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Since we are at sea today, morning trivia starts at 10 am.  Of course, my sweetie and I are there as well as some other die hard trivia players, but no trivia host.  My Leo saunters in at 10:03 am and to my surprise I am not the one chastising him for being late.  He apologizes for this indiscretion and tries to change the subject by asking if we have all had breakfast.  We all have.  He asks why no one has brought him breakfast.  I reply that I did.  He asks where it is.  I tell him that it was here at 10 am.  He enjoys my cheekiness and remembers my name from yesterday.

After trivia, my sweetie goes to the Debarkation Presentation while I go to play in the poker tournament.  I get distracted by the Groove for St. Jude and miss the tournament.  Carnival's charity is St. Jude's Hospital Foundation and they have a fund-raiser each cruise for the foundation.

My sweetie and I find each other on the panorama deck where it is windy and cloudy. It looks like nothing but rain to Miami.  I give my sweetie the bad news that we have to change our plans.  Originally, we were going to do a whirlpool crawl spending time in each of the 11 whirlpools.  I can tell that my sweetie is crushed but he tries to be strong by saying, "Oh yes, thank you !!".

I also tell my sweetie that I am getting a little uncomfortable with everyone looking and staring at me all day.  Of course, he knows why they are staring but he asks why anyway.  Well, it is because everyone recognizes me from last night.  I did get the first drink of the evening bought for me from Dustin.  I mention this a few more times during the day and he tries to make me feel a little better by telling me that no one is actually staring at me.  That is my sweetie, always trying to make me feel more comfortable.

In early afternoon, there is a Military Appreciation gathering where all active and retired members of the forces are recognized, tell their stories, and get a glass of champagne.  It is absolutely beautiful and Carnival's CEO has a message about why Military Appreciation is so important to Carnival.  The ceremony not only appreciates but honors the military.  It is extremely moving and I cry throughout the whole hour.  Carnival is truly a class act.

Later in the afternoon, Cruise Director Dustin has a Q and Awesome session.  We learn a lot about ship life.  Crew members typically work 72 hours a week and although they have breaks, they do not get a day off.  Amazing.   And they are all so positive.  I am honored to ask the first question of the session.  I explain that I saw Leo dancing at the Sail Away party last night and wondered how come his legs were the colour of porcelain?  Dustin said that most of the Fun Squad work was not in the direct sun.

Later that day, I heard Dustin refer to Leo as Mr. Porcelain Legs twice.  I really hope that nick-name sticks so that will be my Carnival Legacy.

Another amazing dinner and the farewell performance of the wait staff.  They don't dance for us, they sing a song they wrote to the tune of "Leaving on a Jet Plane."  The wait staff sit on the staircase between the two levels.  They sing the chorus together and for the verses, each line is sung by a different wait staff.  All accents are represented.  I know I have said this often, but, it was an amazing moving experience.  I started crying when they started singing.   And, it was not like I just had the odd tear stream down my face, it was an ugly cry and I couldn't stop.  I was still crying when they finished when my favorite wait staff, Antonius, came to tell me it was an honor to serve me and gave me a big huge hug.  An honor to serve me?   Antonius, it was a deep and distinct honor to meet you.

Finally, our Fun Farewell Music Trivia Party.  The lobby is backed when we get there and it is backed with people playing on their phones and people who have never been at the music trivia parties.  We feel bad that we can't find a seat, but, we won't be deterred.

The second song was played.  When I heard the first three chords of Sweet Caroline, I screamed out loudly with joy.  Everyone looked at me and I explained it was my favorite song.  I asked my sweetie if I embarrassed him.  He told me it was such a spontaneous expression of joy and something he hadn't seen in a long time that it made him very happy.

Dustin awarded the first drink of the evening.  It was awarded to a young lady who was really grooving.  She absolutely deserved this.

A few minutes later, Dustin announced that he wanted to be another drink.  Then, he correctly himself, he wanted to buy two drinks.  He said there was a couple that was dancing and singing and having such a great time, he wanted to acknowledge their energy.  It was me and my sweetie !!!  I don't think anyone who knows my sweetie would ever believe this would happen to him.  He never dances, he never sings.  He has a blog titled StrugglingtoSmile where he talks about his depression, yet, here he was getting a drink for having fun.  I started crying again.   And, who was dispatched to get our drinks?  Yes, my Leo.  I tried to take a selfie of the three of us together, but again, I was shaking so much with excitement that it was unrecognizable.  That's ok.  I know what it is a picture of.

We tried to dance the night away but we were so filled with emotion and breakfast was going to be served at 6:30 am and we had to be off the ship by 9:30 am.  We stayed as long as we could and then dragged our over the hill bodies to our room.