Monday, January 5, 2026   At Sea

The guy in the Vista Suite woke up liking it just fine. So Joanne and I will be staying in our Ocean View Host Cabin.  We started unpacking. We got a call from a travel agent in the group, saying she would come to all the shore excursions, except Papeete because she would be off the ship from February 10 to 28 and would we please take care to call her client, also in the group,  during that time, whenever we needed him to be somewhere, because he doesn’t read English.

We went to our desk at 10am.  A few people stopped by to accept our excursions.  Toya and Bob Howard came to schmooze a bit and volunteer to help.  They are old cruise buddies and she is now a DV Host.  I worked on my cocktail party speech.

At 2:00pm, we met with Shore Excursions and worked out how we would proceed.  Our cocktail party was at 5:00pm, which conflicts with early dining.  Only one cabin did not come.  Joanne and Toya got their pictures for us to learn names and make birthday cards, when necessary. After I spoke, I passed the microphone around and identified a couple of Distinctive Speakers, while everyone was enjoying learning about everyone else.  Nice group. We finished off having drinks and dinner with the Suttons.  Larry was a Distinctive Speaker with Dee in 2023, so we were old friends.  Chloe Lowry was on the World Stage.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026  At Sea

Busy day at the desk.  We saw a lot of our nice people.  I updated the manifest with all those who were coming to our shore excursions, and there were many.  I sent it in for printing and for Shore Excursions to have.  Joanne picked it up and delivered to Shorex while The next order of business was to write and deliver Newsletter No 1, which follows this day.  I write, Joanne delivers, works well, happy of the help.

Chloe Lowry stood us up for dinner.  Then we went to the show on the World Stage, which was the MidAtlantic Men, again.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026  At Sea

We got a lot of bookings for our speaker and dinner tonight.  I made a booking for Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House on March 7.  I got him a nice seat as he is a single.  He used to be a pretty important Music Director and he came to the Sydney Opera House with me in 2023.  

We had serious technical problems getting Dee’s presentation underway.  It was a slide show called “What you See under the Sea” and she didn’t have a HDMi port on the computer she brought.  It was different from the one she had used in 2023, and an Apple.  HAL supplied us with a tech, but he moved on to the next job before we solved it.  I brought in a computer with a HDMi port, but it was a PC, not a MACOne of  sour guests stepped up to the plate.  He had a USB drive formatted for Apple.  My computer wasn’t too happy with that but our tech found the conversion software, and eventually we were up and running.  By this time HAL’s tech was long gone and no one could find the controls for the house lights.  I eventually found the Pinnacle Grill manager across the way, and he got the lights off for us.  Luckily Dee knows her subject matter so well, she can present in the dark.  We’ll need a podium light for the next time we have slides.

18 people came for dinner.  I poured wine from my wine cellar package to compensate for the technical difficulties.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Chloe Lowry was back on stage and we went.

Thursday, January 8, 2026  Bridgetown, Barbados

I made and delivered a birthday card to Nita Starr.  It’s a good thing her TA wrote

 me about it, because Kumar has yet to get back to me on my request for all birthdays that fall on the cruise. Dee and I went out in Bridgetown looking for markets and food.  We got going too late but it was fine.  We got a taxi for an hour for $20 each and had it take us for some good local food. I do have a stipulation.  I want it fresh cooked, not sitting over maybe hot water waiting to be sold.  The first place was just that, so we had him move us to Pelican Island, which the official desk in the terminal had recommended.  I got a super grilled marlin steak lunch, with grilled potatoes, cooked to  order, piping hot.  You can’t get sick that way, no matter how grungy the place is.  This one had only locals in it, but they looked like business people.  Perfect. 

Our hour was almost up by the time I had eaten, and Dee hadn’t liked the looks of the shops in town, so we had our driver take us quickly back to the terminal.  He wasn’t happy that we didn’t extend, but we weren’t happy he took us to the wrong kind of

lunch first.  The comedian, Paul Adams, was on the World Stage, and, as always, he was a hoot.  He’s slimmer and has a girlfriend, too.

Friday, January 9, 2026  At Sea

At sea again, at the desk, again.  Saw a few clients, met with Shore Excursions, the usual.  One wanted help rounding up the Jewish people to support the rabbi, who she likes a lot. Best Rabbi since Arthur Starr.

We got Newsletter #2 printed and Joanne delivered it, while I played Bridge with Pat. It’s Duplicate, and Pat is very conflict averse.  We had the Director called on us.  Two hands later the opponents made a mistake and I let them know I could have called the director on them, but that I didn’t do that sort of thing.  Fast forward a few days and these guys are sweet as pie.

The Production Company was on the World Stage – love that.

Saturday, January 10, 2026  Devil’s Island, French Guiana

We just sailed past Devil’s Island.  They are doing renovations on some system or other and the hotel( probably not a Ritz)  that the pilot would have stayed in is closed.  So, no pilot, no stop.  We couldn’t come within three miles of the place.  Our captain, Rens von Eerten, is not happy.  He has the expertise to bring the ship in but no pilot, no Devil’s Island.  C’est la merde, mais c’est la vie.

We had office hours.  Pat and I played Bridge again, with a better result than the first time.  She’s liking it.

The Gold Strings Duo, a couple of gorgeous gals with violins, were on the World Stage. All good.