At Sea: We are not 100% sure why we felt the need to take the same cruise (on the same ship, with the same port stops) we took with Kris and Brother Steve Thanksgiving 2024, but you know how you get an email from a cruise line offering the sweetest deal? So again, we are on the Norwegian Bliss, sailing down the west coast of Mexico to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. The Bliss is also the same ship we sailed on through the Panama Canal in December 2022. She is a beautiful ship, the staff are wonderful, the food is good, and they threw-in the booze & wifi package, and I don't have to cook for a week. This trip was also planned as Brother Steve and Kris will be in Puerto Vallarta the same day we are in port, so we get to see our Colorado family!
Again, the ship leaves from San Pedro/Los Angeles, we can drive there in just a few hours and park at the dock.
When we told anyone we were going on a cruise February 8th, they wanted to know how we were going to watch the Super Bowl. Seriously. This was the first thought. On television, just like you, and I don't have to make the chicken wings! When we sailed on the Bliss through the Panama Canal, it was during World Cup and every game was shown live on the TV in your stateroom, on every TV in every bar, and on the Big Screen over the pool. The ship has satellite television and satellite internet.
But before we get too far out to sea, there is some excitement from our house yesterday. We harvested the first tomatoes from our little kitchen garden.
First time I have ever grown this breed. They are a bit larger than a golf ball. One wasn't really 100% ripe, but it would have split if I left it on the vine while we were away... and there will be a few more ready when we do return. Very excited to have a vine-ripened tomato the first week of February. There are also two Italian tomato plants in the pot that are setting fruit already and are loaded with flowers.
It was nearly exactly a two-hour drive to the port. The Bliss was docked at Berth 91 and she was the only passenger vessel in port today. It was 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. We must have arrived at prime boarding time, as there was quite a line, but 30 minutes later we were checked in. Without breakfast, we went directly to The Local for a quick bite before heading to our cabin to unpack.
For the first time, our bed is on the far side of our cabin, and the living area is on the interior side. We have a large sofa, desk, closet with plenty of hanging space (and hangers) and a good-sized bathroom with a shower and tub. Usual balcony cabin, just reversed. Oddly, there are no electric sockets on the nightstands, only USB-B ports.
The Super Bowl will indeed be broadcast on every television on this ship, including every bar, and in every stateroom on Channel 18. The crew have set up extra chairs at the pool where the game will be shown on the Jumbotron.
Crew were also delivering cases of beer to the bars around the pool. In the atrium lounge, free hot dogs, popcorn, nachos were set-up on a buffet line.
We had a beggar, wanting a treat, as soon as I opened the door to our balcony.
So many sea creatures were in the water and air around us - harbor seals, seals, rays, pelicans, gulls…
We really didn’t do much this evening. Stayed in our room for the first half of the game. Watched the half-time show, then went to a bar on the ship to watch the 3rd quarter. Thinking the game was over, we went to Savory for dinner.
We each had pasta dishes tonight - below is Chicken Piccata with pasta - and called it an early night. Two days at sea are before us. I will post when I have WiFi.
Until my next update, I remain, your ocean correspondent.
LINKS:
Norwegian Bliss
Norwegian Bliss - current ship position