Sea day today. Got up late (for us anyway) at around 7:30am. Logged on to the internet to check what's happening in the world - very quickly given the cost of internet access.
Although it's not as bad this time because the other major benefit of being "Platinum" is that you get a special deal on internet access - each of us could opt for 250 minutes free access (which would normally cost $100) or 500 minutes for $75 (this would normally cost $200). Since we each managed to use 250 minutes in the 7 days on the Oasis, we both opted for the 500 minute package - but that's still only just over 35 minutes per day each.
After breakfast we went out on deck for a few minutes - so Paul could get a picture of Cuba way off in the distance. Then, we ducked back inside for the cover of the air-conditioning.
We really aren't acclimatised to the humidity yet, and to be honest, I don't think it's going to happen. Anyway, next stop was our regular post-breakfast stop on any Princess ship - the Patisserie for coffee. I also sorted out a bunch of little things:
- cancelled a shore excursion that I'm not prepared to risk with my ankle the way it is, and booked a different one;
- booked a spot on the "Ultimate Ships Tour" (for $150 each, they take about 15 people on a behind the scenes look at the ship);
- signed up for a Future Cruise Credit (you pay $100 each and it gives you a lower deposit and a bit of on-board credit if you book another Princess cruise within 2 years).
However, I'm not completely convinced about the last one. We got a Future Cruise Credit on our previous Princess cruise and it was supposed to qualify us for $100 onboard credit each, which hasn't shown up. I've started to chase it up but so far with no success. Trouble is, the rules differ between countries and although the staff all seem to be expert on how to deal with Americans and Canadians, strange people like Australians tend to really confuse them :-)
I went to three different lectures today - a talk about shopping in Aruba, a talk about Aruba itself, and then a 'Scholarship@Sea' talk about investing. All three were interesting enough in their own way.
We met our missing dinner companions tonight - they didn't come to dinner last night because of a luggage disaster (as in, their luggage went to someone else's cabin). They're a couple called Barry and Glenda who currently live in Hervey Bay; they used to live in Kiama. Apparently the powers that be think that Australians need to be seated together :-)
They're a little older than us, but they seem quite nice.
After dinner Paul and I lost some money at the casino, then went for a couple of laps around the promenade deck to try to walk off some of the food! In the distance we could see the lights of Cuba - we have been sailing not far off the northern coast of Cuba for most (maybe all) of the day. Some time later we'll turn south and sail between Cuba and Haiti, on our way to Aruba.
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