After a wonderful visit to Bali, we headed north to our next port- Puerto Princesa. We will be passing areas with an higher risk of pirate attacks so today the Captain held drills to exercise the crew on the proper procedures.
The ship held Pirate readiness drills today where the crew would exercise some of the equipment that would be used in the event of an actual attack. The notice on the front page of the When and Where said “Guests are encouraged to take part in the drill, but it is not mandatory”. Some guests failed to carefully read the letter from the Captain regarding the protocol and didn’t realize that the guest role during the drill is to sit in the hallway, away from windows and stay out of the way. They incorrectly assumed that participation meant they may be able to man up one of the fire hoses and actively take part in the training. We heard that there were a few disappointed guests when they realized that their role was more limited than they had expected.
Tropical Buffet
Today at 11:30 in the Lido Market the ship presented a Tropical Buffet featuring a wide variety of fruits that were purchased in Bali. The line was nearly back to the door of the Lido Pool and was probably about 15 minutes long. Some of the more interesting fruits being served included:
Manggoesteen: sweet fruit that tastes like a combination of strawberries, peaches and vanilla ice cream
Rambutan: firm and juicy with a sweet taste similar to a lychee
Duku: contains 1 – 3 seeds, flat and bitter; the seeds are covered with a thick, clear-white aril that tastes sweet and sour
Jack Fruit: similar to pineapple
Line for tropical buffet
Tropical Buffet
Afternoon
Judy had her usual custom turkey panini for lunch and I captured a few photos of the sandwich making in progress. Whenever the line was more than a few people long, a second person would stop by to help keep everything moving.
Sandwich Makers in the Lido
Evening
Prime rib was on the menu this evening and is always delicious. Tonight they also offered Beechers Macaroni, which I can’t resist, so I ordered both and had a little of each – well maybe more than a little.
Toni Warne performed in the Queen’s lounge this evening. She is a powerful vocalist with an engaging stage presence. She was a finalist on the UK Version of “The Voice” and has performed on the West End and elsewhere around the world. Her performance this evening featured popular show tunes including hits from Les Misérables and Lion King in addition to the Barbara Streisand hit “Don’t Rain on My Parade”.
