DAY 11 - DAY 6 CRYSTAL SERENITY - AT SEA

Last evening, we dined at Tastes for the very first time of this cruise.  Tastes was made over in last years dry dock of the Serenity and as part of the make over the dining concept was changed at Tastes including an all-new menu.  The foods represent cuisine from all around the world and the items are served family style and in small tastings.  This way you can try several different items and get a little tasting of each one.  We really enjoyed dining here earlier this year.  

Alissa Gustafsson, Crystal Society Hostess and Cruise Sales Consultant Nikki Andrew joined us for dinner.  We have known Nikki for close to ten years.  This is our first sailing with Alissa and we will sail with her again on this year's World Cruise.  Both Alissa and Nikki are very personable and we enjoyed an absolutely wonderful dinner with them with never ending conversation.  

Fabio was our waiter.  He remembered many of the items that we enjoyed throughout the World Cruise. 

From Left to Right.

Alissa, Anne Marie, Keith and Nikki 

African Mala Mala Salad

Ahe Tuna Poke

Alsatian Tarte

gambas a la Plancha

Spinach Quesadillas

Butternut Squash Ravioli

We tried each of the desserts.  This included Coffee Macchiato, Dark Chocolate Creme Brûlée and Bananas Foster.

After dinner, we attended a relatively new show called 8 Cafe.  We enjoyed the music and thought it was upbeat and the show was only 30 minutes long.

We slept very well last night.  The seas were very calm and you almost didn't know we were sailing.

Today is a sea day and our very first since we boarded Serenity.  

Keith was up early and it was our same morning routine.  Keith works out.  Gets coffee at the Lido Cafe.  Brings coffee back to the room.  Anne Marie walks. And we have breakfast in our room. And it is not even Groundhog Day.  LOL.

Since today was a day at sea and this is also a Food and Wine and a Golf Themed Cruise there was lots of enrichment programs on the program for today.

This included three lectures; one by Ken Walsh who spoke about the Presidency of Barack Obama, Former Ambassador Marc Ginsberg whose subject title for his lecture was A Field Guide to the Islamic States, and Bulent Atalay who spoke about The Greatest Englishman. 

We attended Marc Ginsberg's Lecture and didn't attend the first one because Keith was in Spin Class.  For the first time this voyage there were four people taking Spin.

Speaking of lectures we saw Marc Ginsberg when he boarded the ship a couple of days into the cruise and we said to him with all of the additional World Events since we last saw him on the last segment of the World Cruise he certainly has a lot of new topics to talk about.  We have seen him on several news programs including CNN and MSNBC. 

There was not a seat in the house open for Marc's lecture.  People are grasping for information on the topic he covered.  The presentation that he had with him was one that he gave to Senior Pentagon Officials around ten days ago and one that he also gave the other day while still in the Middle East.  The only difference was that he had to condense what was a 90 minute presentation into 50 minutes.

He covered the background about ISIS and what their objective is which is to take the Middle East back to how it was many years ago.  At the same time he talked about how this is not an easy one and that it can't be just the USA and say some European Countries having the only role in resolving the problem and that it requires several other countries such as Jordan, UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and a few other countries to put troops into the area.  He was very informative as he always is and will be giving two other lectures during this voyage.

Items related to Food & Wine and Golf included a talk on Whiskies of the World Series, and two different demonstrations on Golf.

Other programs included; two Spanish Classes, Computer Class, Fitness Classes, Fitness Seminar, Bridge Classes, iPad Class, Odyssey Art At Sea, Yamaha Keyboard Class as well as several other programs throughout the day.

After the lecture we enjoyed a nice lunch at the Lido Cafe and then Keith went to play Paddle Tennis.  When you sail this area that we are now sailing you usually expect poor sea conditions.  We are fortunate with the weather.  The seas are a little choppy but overall pretty good and while it is overcast there is no rain and while it is not warm it is not as cold as it could be.  Keith wore a long shirt, long pants and a fleece and had a great time playing with two people he has played with on many past cruises and then two other guests rotated in and out who Keith played with for the very first time today.  Anne Marie walked in the afternoon and about half of it was inside the ship and the other half on the outside promenade deck.

This afternoon we are enjoying the ship.  Keith is reading and writing and will watch one additional lecture on the television and Anne Marie is working on her needlepoint.  

This evening we will dine at the Crystal Dining Room.  Entertainment includes to shows at 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM featuring vocalist Michel Bell.  We will also attened a cocktail reception at the Captain’s Quarters before dinner.

Added good news is that we will turn the clocks back one hour later this evening.  It’s so nice to travel East to West.

We are posting earlier today because you just never know when you sail this area whether or not the Internet will stay up the entire time.

Keith & Anne Marie