Boxing Day at Sea

Boxing Day 2007

We are in Curacao today just a 6 hour port stop. Neither of us is going ashore as we have been here before and we have a lot of tidying up to do.

60th Birthday Celebration
The day was full of surprises. Dick gave me a lovely romantic card which I shall treasure forever. Our tour of Tortola was wonderful and we saw many wonderful island sights. Aboard ship I went to the Canyon Ranch Spa for a massage, got my hair cut and styled and then it was time for dinner. Dick treated our table to wine, the waiter delivered a lovely Birthday Cake and the staff and our table sang Happy Birthday (off key naturally). After the festivities I snuck my computer up to the Kings Court Diner and ducked into an unused service area. It is one of the few areas where I can pick up the WiFi signal. As I was reading my email a lovely lady popped her head over the partition and invited me to use the table next to them as it would be more comfortable. I explained that I was quite happy in my little corner and that I was reading Birthday emails and really didn’t want to intrude on the guests as I read and reacted to the emails (as many of you know I can get rather excited and emotional over such things). We exchanged a few pleasantries and she did find out that it was a special birthday. Shortly after this encounter and lovely young ships waiter dressed to the nines came by. He said that the Food and Beverage Director (whose wife I had spoken to) invited me to the Queens Court Lounge (this is the lounge for the elite first class passengers only—meaning that it is strictly enforced) for a birthday drink. We sat in the elegantly appointed room and he asked if I liked champagne. Of course I do. He came back with a glass of the golden bubbly. One little whiff and I knew it was going to be better than any I had ever had. One sip and I knew that not only was it good but it was quite easily the best ever. So I asked what it was. With a slow smile he trilled off a double French sounding name that I could not catch and said that it was exclusive to that lounge and in fact it was from Queen Elizabeth’s own personal reserve. It was the best and most expensive champagne on board the ship. I savored every tiny sip as the Lounge director chatted me up. My dear husband planned a day I will forever hold dear in my memory. Complete with a full moon and a lovely rainbow from horizon to horizon as we left port. It was a lovely day filled with surprises, and except for the bit about the champagne at the end Dick had planned it all….well maybe not the rainbow but I like to believe he arranged that also.

Christmas Eve
We spent the day in St. Maartin. We shopped a bit and then put in with two other couples to take a taxi drive around the island. St. Maartin is French on one side, Dutch on the other. On the Dutch side there is traffic (we sat in a DC beltway gridlock for ages). Also, the Dutch side has an awful lot of contstruction going on. The French side was more rural. We saw a couple of cattle ranches. We also stopped at a beach next to an ‘optional’ beach. We could stroll on this beach but not take pictures. My preference was to sit on the other side and enjoy a Bahama Mama and sausage and look at the holiday crowds enjoying themselves.

Back at the ship the staff was in full gear finishing the last of the Christmas preparations. There was live music from all the lounges and harpist at dinner all playing Christmas music. We were kept aware of Santa’s whereabouts in the world and assured that he would find our ship. In the evening we gathered around the tree in the atrium (crowding the rails on all four stories) and sang Christmas Carols. Later the Chef delighted us with a grand buffet in the atrium. There were midnight services for both Protestant and Catholic and filled both theatres. We were told the QE2 was about a mile from our ship and Santa would visit both ships.

Christmas Day.

A festive day at sea. Santa did come via a motor boat and climbed up the gangway with about ten bags of wrapped gifts. The jazz band paraded him though the public places as the children joined the parade to the ball room. There Santa sat in a comfy chair—quite pooped and out of breath; a busy fellow with billions around the world to visit. The babies were invited up first to get their Santa gift (naturally the wee ones were terrified and Santa invited them back next year). Then each age was called. There are about 400+ kids from infants to rowdy teenagers on board. The little ones received plush stuffed animals.

Dinner was a formal affair it was grand to see everyone even the littlest boys in their tux and the girls in their fancy Christmas dresses. We had lobster at dinner and plum pudding for dessert.

It’s a small world…the couple in the center are next door neighbors to my father. They are a very kind couple. We have assigned seating on the QE2 and our table mates are the best. We have a lively chat and a good time every evening.