La Quinta, California: Report from Friday night. So many whales spouted and breeched as we left Cabo San Lucas. It was such an awesome sight! Dave had the binoculars fixed on the water - when he wasn't checking out the golf courses that line the shore north of Cabo. We were really enjoying our starboard balcony until the people next to us decided to blast John Denver music for us all to enjoy. Seriously? Plus, it wasn't even John Denver singing. It was a cover band.
We had cocktails in the Observation Lounge to catch the sunset, but the sky was not very pretty this evening. Bummer. Skunked again in the French restaurant, we went to the Taste dining room and had very decent meals. They had lamb shank on the menu tonight and was very tender and moist - and for once - not HUGE. After dinner we went to a trivia game show in the atrium lounge. The commentary from the cruise director, Dan Dan, was almost as amusing as the answers given by the guests. Not sure how anyone could not have answered every question correctly, as the audience were blurting answers for all to hear. For the first time overnight, we had a little of rough seas. But just a little. We still slept with the balcony door open.
Saturday was windy and chilly, but people still had every pool chair claimed by dawn. The action was in the massive Observation Lounge where day-drinking was the obvious theme. I was stitching. DT was reading. Our Valentine dinner at Italian restaurant was delicious and we did not have to make idle chit chat with the people at the next table as we did not have a common language.
We docked Sunday morning (7 o'clock) in San Pedro/Los Angeles. Norwegian want us all off the ship ASAP because at 4p Sunday this ship makes the same journey. Like Groundhogs Day all over again. For weeks during the winter months. Since we are carry-on people, we were in our car around 8a and back to La Quinta around ten o'clock - in time for our usual Sunday brunch at the clubhouse.
We did have a very good time on this trip, as it was so wonderful to see family while on a Mexican holiday! The cruise line seems to have slud a bit. Entertainment was lacking. No more piano player in the Observation Lounge? The food is still good (especially their soups), but the quality has slipped. However, the staff are still excellent. One big negative are the up-sells (that we do not participate in) - "art" auctions, "free" spa services, racks and tables of absolutely crap clothing and "jewelry" on tables in the common areas, wine tastings, and the overly-expensive excursions - really turn us off. It seems many excursions are only a way to get hundreds of tour buses to an over-priced gift shop, where somebody is getting a kick-back.
Now we are doing a lot of laundry and prepping for Lunar New Year Tuesday.
Until my next update, I remain, your Happy New Year correspondent.