Sunday, January 13th to Tuesday, January 15th, 2013:  Wow - long time no post!  Lots has happened in the intervening weeks - most notably, my cruise!!  In early December, Ron (one of the park owners) asked me if I'd like to share a room with his sister Bev on a cruise in January.  I met Bev when she arrived in early January, we got along, I paid half the costs, thus reducing her costs, and we left January 13th for a week-long Carribean cruise! Galveston is a port from which many cruise ships leave, so we just drove to the terminal in the park van, and Ron's son Nathan took over the park in Ron and Dora's absence. Also from the park were Lorna and Andre (from Medicine Hat, Alberta) and their various relatives; Rob and Helen and their two friends booked the wrong ship by mistake, so they left Saturday and got to the various stops a day ahead of us!  This being my first cruise (yahoo!) I was pretty excited, so Sunday I walked all over the ship and took pictures - and also took pics of the leaving process, of course.  We sailed on the Mariner of the Seas, a Royal Carribean International line cruise ship - 15 decks, swimming pools, hot tubs, theatres, formal dining rooms, etc., etc! The following is a potpourri of shots during our at-sea days, from Sunday to Tuesday..

The park the day before - Rob and Helen's ship didn't leave port until 3:00 a.m. because of the fog.  Thankfully, the fog had dissipated by the next morning, so we left at 4:30 p.m., right on time.

The van on the way to the cruise terminal. Ron driving, Harold and Eileen  just in front of me.  Harold drove  the van back to the park (Eileen came along for the ride)  We all went to Ron & Dora's church in the morning, then went straight to the ship, which began boarding at 1:30 p.m.  We were served lunch on board and had lots of time to check out the 15 decks!

First sight of the cruise ship terminal, with our ship rising above it!

                                             

Leaving Galveston port - sooo exciting!

The Savoy Theatre 

The Royal Promenade, from the 11th floor

Lorna and I - I was doing the Wishes at Sea charity walk.

Lorna and Andre - an Awwwww moment.

   

Again - the Wishes at Sea walk.

. . . and one more . . .

Michel, Andre's brother - on Deck 11, by the pool.

  

The usual breakfast crowd at the Windjammer Cafe on Deck 11.

The Royal Promenade on Deck 5 - with lots of expensive shops - and  a Starbucks!

The Savoy Theatre, where I watched a number of shows, including the Texas Tenors.

 

Deck 14 has this track around it, where we walked the Wishes at  Sea charity walk.

Shower and hot tub on Deck 11.

Deck chairs for sunbathing and a swimming pool just past the white railing.

A view of the dining rooms on the various levels - cool chandelier!

Ron, Dora, Bev and I ate in the dining room on Deck 5, the "Sound of Music" dining room.  We  always chose a table for  10, and got to know tons of people that way.

Ron almost at the top of the climbing wall on Deck 15.

 

Bev on the climbing wall.

 

Basketball court next to a mini-golf course on Deck 15.

Just some cool angles.  I saw a dolphin and some flying fish from this spot, which was amazing!

 

No matter what deck, this spot was well-trodden -  joining the elevators to the various deck activities.

The Texas Tenors won America's got talent a year or two ago and  rocketed to fame.  I think that they are really good - they performed quite an eclectic show, from opera to blues to jazz.

. . . and on stage.

Dora loves them, so I got a picture of her with them!