Dale and I (mom/Barbara), having
learned our lessons about airline delays when we lived in Chicago
and had to deal with the weather there, flew into San Diego from SC
the day before, fairly easy flight, and stayed at the Marriott Residence
Inn a couple blocks from the pier. Chip's flight was from Sacramento
(connecting in San Francisco) the day of the cruise and there was
much anxiety as to whether he would make it. San Diego was in the
middle of a big storm - whereas they normally get 9" of rain
a year, it rained 6" on the 2 days we were there. For those of
us who have lived in areas where this would be considered mild, it's
a big deal in a city that rarely sees so much downfall.
|
Chip called minutes before
we left the hotel to go to the pier and told us his flights
had been cancelled due to the weather in San Diego. We found
out a few minutes later the SD airport was closed. I started
figuring out how to get him to Hilo to catch up with us 4
days later (if you don't book your flights thrugh the cruise
line, they will not hold the ship for you and it falls on
you - planning and expense - to catch up at the next port).
Marisela at the front
desk heard us talking and stepped up to help - she was looking
up flight statuses, airport status, possible flights to Hilo,
etc., on the computer. I asked her if Chip could stay there
at the Residence Inn for a few days (good rate, please? yes!)
and could she help him find a flight.
Many yesses! She was great! The hotel is located by the harbor,
Old Town
|
Airport
from the bow of the ship -
note:
dark clouds, no planes |
|
and near Seaport Village, plus
all the regular attractions, so Chip would still have a vacation,
albeit different than he had planned, for a few days - and they have
a shuttle so getting to and from the airport and other places would
be covered.
So Dale and I took the hotel
shuttle to the pier, feeling better that at least Chip had a helpful
contact in SD when he finally did get there (we all had her phone
# and email address, and she had ours). The pier is only 2-3 blocks
away, but remember, when you cruise you have much luggage - and
it was rainy and windy.
There were no porters willing to get out in the rain to come to
the van and help with our luggage so we had to lug it all inside,
where the porters magically appeared to load our luggage on the
carts (and collect our tips). Lots of passengers trying to embark,
long but constantly moving line - rush rush, wait wait. We wanted
to embark early so we could eat the Mariners Embarkation Lunch in
the Main Dining Room (a perk for being a repeat passenger) rather
than the buffet in the Lido restaurant, but there was no such lunch.
Ceramic
loungers - really cozy
|
|
BUT, because the ship
had just come out of dry dock, the cabins were ready. So to
our cabin to drop off our carryons, then lunch in the Lido,
and up to the Greenhouse Spa to buy passes to the thermal
suite ($260 for the 2 of us for all 15 days, includes access
to the sauna and ceramic loungers).
After lunch I asked
a few staff members, including at the front desk, if there
was any chance sailing would be delayed because of the airport
closing (figuring at least a few HAL-booked passengers would
also be delayed). Everyone insisted we would sail at 5 as
scheduled, and Chip would have to be on board at 4:30. Period.
|
Meanwhile, Chip had worked
his way onto a flight from Sacramento to L.A. where he would pick
up a 3 pm flight to SD - only the flight crew was late coming in
from Denver and there might not be a seat available after all. Well,
Chip has the gift of gab or something because he did get the only
seat left AND convinced them to make sure his luggage got on the
plane, too.
|
He got to the SD ariport
(which had reopened), grabbed his luggage and a cab, got to
the pier terminal just after 4 p.m. where they propelled him
through ("just answer 'No' on all the health questions"*),
up the ramp and he got to the cabin just as we were leaving
for the emergency drill.
Whew!
He heard in the terminal
that they were waiting for another 100 people (HAL-booked
flights) - and that they were delaying the sailing by 2 hours
after all. Oh, well, we were all together, the first time
in 10 years the 3 of us have been together at the same time
in the same place. All was good, as far as I was concerned
- this Mom got her wish!
Back to our cabin after
the drill and a stop by the Crow's nest for the Sail-Away
party, out on our balcony when the ship pulled away from the
dock. So far so good. Got dressed for dinner (late-seating,
fixed), went down to the Rotterdam Dining Room, stood in line
- the ship, which had been sailing smoothly in the harbor
up to this point, cleared the harbor and ...
ROCK AND ROLL for the
next day and a half. Side to side, front to back - wow! The
dining room is at the aft of the ship - it moved UP AND DOWN
AND UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN AND...
Dale and I left the dining
room when the entrees were put in front of us - I looked at
it and knew it was best left on the plate. We went back to
the cabin, Chip got us sea sick pills from the front desk,
we took them and our stomachs settled down soon enough. Dale
had a headache for a couple
|
Chip
& Dale at the Sail Away party in
the Crow's Nest (lounge) -
too crowded, too loud so...
...on the verandah of our cabin as the
ship sails away from San Diego |
|
days, and I (thanks to my Rheumatoid
Arthritis) was pretty sore and stiff because of the "hard walking"
required on a moving surface, and bouncing off the walls (i.e., the
pin ball effect) - rough on the joints. Fortunately, we had bought
those passes to the thermal suite, and while there wasn't any water
in the hydro therapy pool (really a hot tub), those ceramic loungers
were very comforting, esp with my RA.
----------
*There is a health questionaire
to weed out - and deny boarding to - anyone who has a communicable
disease, as in Swine Flu at this particular time. There are about
a dozen questions asking if you, anyone you're traveling with, or
pretty much anyone you know, have had any of the symptoms.
|
