JAN. 4th -- GETTING TO THE BOAT!

We were up early as our bags were being picked up at 8:30 AM and being taken directly to the ship.  Registration for the boat was being done at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and started at 7:00 AM…we filled in a form, gave them our passports and got our room key.  This allowed us to board the ship without any hassle and go directly to our room. There was a brunch set up at the hotel for us in the Ball Room.

Then we were WAITING!!! …to board the ship. 

This was the longest 2 days of our lives – will we ever get to the boat?

We were scheduled to leave the hotel at 11:40 AM but got on the earlier shuttle at 11:20, so, we arrived at the Navigator at noon. Finally.

We were greeting as soon as we got on board by the Captain and his staff, with a glass of champagne.

We got to our room – ROOM 1116 – and there was a bottle champagne on ice, chocolates & a fruit basket waiting for us.  We drank the champagne immediately out on our balcony.  We had to wait for our luggage anyway.

All of our bags arrived at 2:00 PM.

The unpack took until about 4:00 PM. 

We had our safety drill at 5:00 PM.

The boat left at 6:00 PM.  Barry & I changed our clothes (no jeans at night) and went to Galileo’s Lounge at 6:00 PM.  We both had a “big fat rye” (BFR), a group was playing American Standards and “small plates” of food were offered as we watched the boat pull out to sea.

We were so happy to finally be here our happy was leaking out of our eyes.

Dinner was in the Compass Rose.  
Marian had Dover Sole…. WOW!  We haven’t seen that on a menu in years.  Barry had a giant shrimp cocktail & crab and avocado.  Wine flowed!

(Just as Barry predicted everyone is “O, W & R” …you know what that means.)

Big day.

Bed.