Day 3 (again) – August 8th, 2006

Relieved to have our luggage, we went to the beach at our hotel. The sand was warm on our feet and the water was beautiful. It was lots of fun to hang out and relax. We could’ve done without the plethora of old women sunbathing topless, but otherwise we enjoyed the beach very much.

After checking out of the hotel, showered and in clean clothes, we decide to take in a leisurely lunch before heading to the boat. We dined at a place called Agua - sitting right on the beach. We’re trying to try new things- yes, even us picky eaters are trying to get some local flavor. Seth even tried some of Amy’s shrimp!!!!!

We strolled back along the promenade, and collected our bags to head to the boat. Naturally, two of our bags have been misplaced and the bell desk is unable to locate them. The feeling of nervousness is rising. Luckily, they are able to locate the bags after about a 15 minute search. We’re not sure how the bags got split up, but we’re glad they’re back together again. We vow never to let them out of our sight ever again. We think this is how parents feel with kids. I can’t imagine having this feeling about a human being that you can’t replace – it was bad enough feeling that way about our formal wear and toiletries.
Upon arriving at the boat, it was very very cool. The check-in process went super fast and before we knew it, we were onboard. The ship is incredible. It’s so big and there are so many things to do. We get to our room (praying our bags will find us here) and check out the balcony- very nice. Then we got our next “free” surprise. Debbie and Russ sent us a casino credit and drink package. These were waiting for us in our stateroom. Very cool guys - thanks so much!

Since we didn’t have our bags yet, it was time to explore. We made our way all around the ship, crisscrossing through every deck to take it all in. Amy got turned around a dozen times, not knowing if she was going towards the front or back, but she thinks she’s got it figured out now. There is just an unbelievable amount of stuff to do on this boat - and so much food! While we’re out walking around, the sky starts to get darker and darker and we see lightning and hear thunder. Sure enough, a storm hits. It chilled down a lot and got very windy.

We head back later to unpack before the safety drill. Then it was time for dinner. We like this “anytime dining” option - it keeps the food options and times flexible. After dinner, we went outside to watch the ship disembark. It was beautiful and romantic to sail out over the open waters with the nearly-full moon lighting up the sky and reflecting off the Mediterranean Sea. We went up to the Skywalker’s bar that hangs off the back of the ship to watch as we left. We continued to explore, checking out a string quartet playing in the lobby and a fun band in one of the lounges.

It was time to try our hand in the casino. An hour later, we came out $131 dollars ahead from the blackjack tables! Amy definitely caught the gambling bug. She’s convinced that if we keep up this pace we’ll have the honeymoon paid off in no time!!

After a quick stop at about 1:30 a.m. for some late night snacks at the buffet (Seth is in love with the 24-hour buffet), we decide to try out the hot tub. We get all changed and go down to the pool, only to find out the inside pool is having a “shock treatment” and the outdoor pool is too dangerous due to the 60 knot winds. (anyone know how fast that really is?) Alas, we retire to our room to get some sleep before touring Marseille tomorrow.