Atlantic Crossing - Part Two

It was so easy to navigate around the ship in spite of its size. The ship had two main elevator banks. One aft, one midships as they say. The aft has two elevators, both facing the bow. The midships had six, parallel with port and starboard. Facing out. Three port and three starboard. (That's right and left, respectively, for you non nautical types.) And with 16 decks, that's hmmmmm ... lemme do the math ... 48 elevator lobbies!!!!! The six midships elevators were all glass and overlooked an immense atrium of ten stories. From deck three to deck fourteen. In each elevator lobby on every floor there was a five-foot long, clear acrylic model of the ship showing where you were standing. Absolutely critical in orienting and guiding you.

We found our way to our room in minutes. And what a beaut it was! A king-size bed, rounded-at-the-foot-end. Private washroom with shower and a gorgeous, 50-square-foot balcony equipped with two deck chairs and a table. A digital, Apple-powered plasma TV that served as an entertainment system as well as an information hub for everything from viewing your photographs, to European navigation maps, to your account summary. And you could order just about anything you could think of, through the TV. Whatever your heart's desire shows up at your door within 15 minutes and it was usually free!! For the food, that is. Booze, not so much. You could also dial up the camera on the bridge and watch the captain's view of where we were heading, including the swish swish of the windshield wiper on the stormy days.

Mel's bag arrived within the hour. One of mine took six hours and the second about nine. The first bag ---brand new for the trip, I might add --- had the top handle ripped right off! It even sheared through the sheet metal reinforcement buried in the fabric that anchored the handle to the bag. Earlier, I had seen the longshoremen moving everyone's luggage with fork lifts down on the dock. I assumed that's where mine met its fate. No damage to the contents and no real issue just the same. The room steward took the bag to the workshop, where it was fixed, better than new, within a day!! This was the first example of so many to follow that, what ever you want or require on this ship, you just gotta ask.

The ship's fog horn sounded and as we stepped out on to our balcony we realized the ship had begun moving from the dock. In about 15 minutes the Statute of Liberty came in to view off the port (our) side. We chatted and watched while sipping our champagne as we sailed past Lady Liberty until she disappeared in the distance.

Now to get to work .

First things first. The iPod was set up with the portable speakers and in no time we had Frank Sinatra croonin' through the room. All clothes were emptied and hung or had been sent off to the laundry for pressing. Second order of business once all else was settled in the cabin was to begin exploring the ship to familiarize ourselves with everything. Stepping from our stateroom the first thing we noticed was some live music playing nearby. Off we headed in that direction.

Midships, on the third deck, we found the Celebrity Stage at the bottom of the Grand Atrium, nestled in amongst the two elevator banks. Over the course of the next few days there would be a steady stream of musicians who would entertain from this stage. The first time there, we were delighted with a great jazz band that boasted a piano, bass guitar, drums, assorted horns, a trombone, a trumpet and two saxes --- tenor and alto. They were playing in an atrium that climbed from the 3rd to the 14th floor and the sound of the band could be heard clearly throughout.

We sought 'em out. The band also included a young female doing the lead vocals, a guitar that handled the lead and rhythm, and everyone either took a lead vocal now and again, or they would sing harmony back-up. The bone player had a huge front-loaded "Kramer from Seinfeld" black afro doo going on and was blowing a bright yellow plastic trombone! I ain't never seen such a thing. These folks were great. We find out later that they would play all over the ship in various combinations and had a huge repertoire from pop, to Motown, Fifties to blues and straight ahead party by the pool rock and roll. Not to mention the jazz.

We found a Martini on the fifth floor over looking the band and ordered up a Gibson for the lady and some Hendricks pour moi to enjoy while we listened to the music and watched the crowd. Soon enough it was time to dress for dinner, which was followed by the captain's official welcome and toast to the ship.

Dinner was in the Grand Cuvee Restaurant. This as an alternative to the Ocean View previously described. This is the more formal, fixed time restaurant with a menu that changes daily. All cruises have them. The first seating was 6:30 or, our choice, 8:30. We are seated at a table for six but there are so many opportunities for meals around here the chances are, should we choose this option, we are likely to dine on our own on any given night.

This first evening has us paired with Jay and Kathy from Texas. Rather than starting with our wine package, we order a couple of single glasses cause we were both thinking an early night tonight. A Chardonnay from Sonoma for me and a red Merlot from Washington State for Miss Mel. Both were excellent. And I have my first piece of oh-so-many servings of fish. A morsel of grilled haddock that is perfectly charred, moist and exquisite. Miss Mel opted for the coq au vin. Very French smothered in a red wine reduction. Also very good. Lots of great conversation with the folks from Texas. A wee decaf espresso and it was off to an early lights out. We opened wide the door to our balcony and with the wind blowing, and the sound of the ocean waves breaking, we drifted off to sleep aided by the very relaxing roll of the ship as we head out to open ocean.