21st January Isle de Catalina

 

Well almost 11 hours sleep seemed to do the trick. Up before sparrows fart alongside a group of other folks who had all flown in yesterday and were struggling adjusting their body clock. Once the Island buffet breakfast had opened we took our place at the pointy end of the ship and tried to work out where the component parts that make up a good breakfast actually were. First I could find a knife and fork but not a spoon. Then the bacon but not the toast. Or the butter. Hopefully this will get easier over the next few days.

Unlike previous cruises that we have been on where the first day has always been a sea day, offering an opportunity to slow slip into the rhythm of the cruise, and familiarise yourself with the ship, today has been our first port of call as Isle Catalina. And yes that rang just many bells for me as it did for you. 

From our anchor point out in the bay, there didn't look to be a great deal there and it was only the fact that last night's cruise newsletter told us there would be free drinks, sunbeds and BBQ lunch that persuaded us to go ashore, via a tender transfer in one of the ships lifeboats. And what a lovely little jolly it turned out to be.

Obviously set up just to cater for cruise ships, and I assume only ever one a day, a slow sedate stroll away from where all the sunlovers had simply plonked themselves down on the sand like beached whales, we found a couple of lovely secluded spots in the shade to while away the morning. 

Yes we could have remembered to take a book or even our swimming things (lessons learned for next time) but it was nice just to sit out of the direct sun and people watch. 

Swifts dodged and darted overhead whilst higher in the sky a couple of frigate birds soared effortlessly on the thermals. Very tropical and with the 28 degree temps cooled by a gentle breeze it was gorgeous.

After a moderate sampling of the beach BBQ we took the tender back to the ship where we were both too feeble to resist the onslaught of the afternoon siesta, helping recharge our batteries before the dress to impress night. And thankfully unlike on Marella Voyager where very few people's dress impressed either of us, tonight there was a veritable transformation from budgie smugglers and barely restraining bikinis to tuxes and sparkly dresses. 

It was definitly more Hyacinth and Richard than Daisy and Onslow...lol. And we got a much better seat in the 47 restaurant tonigh, lthough whether the couple from the NE of England that we sat next too thought that is open for discussion.

Last night we were too tired to stay up for the theatre show, tonight we just about made it for a very enjoyable West End to Broadway song and dance spectacular. Day one was topped by a half hour in the spectacular atrium listening to some sing along classics from the house band all washed down with a couple of drinks.

One thing we haven't found so far is the list of all inclusive cocktails in each bar that was a feature of our previous Marella adventure. And it's quite difficult to drink my way through a rainbow/ alphabet of such drinks if I don't have a list to tick them off one by one. Or in my case double by double.