position at 7:00am: N9 40.077 latitude E117 30.59 longitude
(in South China Sea about 400 SW of Manila, Philipines, our next port)
temperature: 79F, 94% humidity, mostly cloudy
distance since FLL: 19,361 miles
Clay got up early for his deck walk. It was very windy up top this morning. The South China Sea is a rough ride for us. (Freddie said in his noon announcement that we were experiencing the long swells of the South China Sea.) Debbie had to go for a double dose of meclizine and Relief Band early this morning to go up and around.
We had breakfast after 8am at Compass Rose to make up for missing our big Sunday breakfast. No chocolate croissants. Debbie had a ham and cheese omelet and an English Muffin. Her hash browns were forgotten. Clay had blueberry pancakes and sausage. Our waiter was singing and dancing this morning, this particular waiter is famous with us for his curtness. He was very happy, but also very unfocused this morning. Debbie also got to start with a small bowl of raspberries.
Debbie was not sure if she could make it to step and toning class at 9am because of the roll of the ship. She finally decided to tough it out and did so. Clay went to Roger's talk on Hong Kong. There were technical problems and it was late and juryrigged together but that Roger did finish it late. Clay returned to the cabin to find a letter informing us that our 6-hour tour, the Manila Museums, was cancelled. This is less than 24-hours notice and past the booking deadline for a replacement. Clay went and got Debbie just minutes before Back Strengthening class started. He needed her to go with him to the Tour Desk before they closed for lunch, or else he would have to figure out something for himself. So, Debbie ditched the class and we went together to see what we could book as a replacement. The woman we spoke to was defensive and short with us. Debbie got angry. We understand this ship does not have to honor any of its published itinerary and that the Tour Desk does not have to provide any tour that we book, but it seems we are owed more this treatment. She said, they only had 4 people sign up for that tour and that was not enough. (They also cancelled 2 other tours for low participation reasons. We don't know when those people were notified.) She suggested that we just walk the 350 yards out of the dock and hire a cab or take the shuttle bus to a shopping center in town and find our own way about. (Remember that we went to book a replacement tour. We could have not gone to the desk and done our own thing without any face time at the Tour Desk.) Debbie informed her that we had mostly fended for ourselves ashore so far on this cruise, but that we had time to do research and know what to do and how and where. Here we were being left high and dry with less than 24 hours to do our own research and Debbie felt that the Tour Desk did indeed owe us something other than "you knew the risks that you might be on your own." Debbie countered that in fact we did not know the risks, that the Tour Desk knew how many people were booked and what the minimum number was for the tour to operate, but that we did not know until just now. The reply was basically, too bad. Debbie asked her if the goal here was to just send us off tourless and unhelped and angry when we had come asking for something to replace the cancelled tour and nothing more. Um, no, not the goal. Debbie told her, then we need to have a different conversation. And asked her again: we want to do something very similar to this canceled tour, how can you help us make that happen? She got out a form and told us that she would request an English-speaking guide and driver with car for 4-hours for $150 to take us to the museums. She told us that we should get a confirmation letter if it was possible for this to be arranged. It is 4:30pm and no letter yet. They did call and say the car and driver were confirmed and we would get a letter later this evening.
We had a quick lunch of sandwiches today in Compass Rose, because we did not like LaVeranda's dishes and we had less than an hour for lunch because Debbie had a spa appointment today. (Debbie did get to eat two minature chocolate croissants that Clay picked up from a tea tray on the way into Compass Rose). She got the Renovateur Ultimate Body Treatment. "This unique signature treatment starts with Renovateur exfoliation to prepare the body for sustenance. (This invigorating treatment begins with a sunflower seed exfoliation using lymphatic drainage techniques. An excellent preparatory treatment for sun exposure or deep tissue work.) Then, you will be enveloped in a volcanic powder concoction that will replenish your body's minerals and help address fluid retention. While your body is wrapped, you will be treated to a deeply relaxing cold pebble facial massage. Lastly, the de-stress process is completed bysurrenduring to the heat of warmed volcanic stones that will be massaged all over. The heat will engulf you and the strength of the stones gliding through your body's contours will melt your tensions away. This star treatment will leave you walking on 'air' to a brand new you." The price is $195 for 90 minutes. Debbie got a 10% discount for being on the full World Cruise. They must not have had any cold pebbles because she did got a neck and head massage instead. It was good, but it is VERY dirty. So, probably, once is enough. She is smooth as a seal though and says she did enjoy it.
Debbie went to yoga-style strengthen and stretch class from 4:30pm-5:30pm and during that time the Tour Desk called and confirmed our independent tour tomorrow. Thanks.
Also, while Debbie was in class the Captain made an announcement that he had been able to work out with the Filippine authorities that the families of Filippino crew onboard would be able to have their families visit the ship. He emphasized family only and this only applied to crew, not passengers. He also said that since he expected a lot of traffic through the port to the ship and back out that he had arranged to have shuttles operating continuously between the ship and the port entrance now.
Tonight is Informal and we plan to go to Compass Rose because they have Refreshing White Chocolate Sherbet as the palate cleansing course tonight. There is a woman named Carole Klein who works at the former Regent Hotel, now Intercontinental in Hong Kong, that is giving a talk at 6:15pm tonight about shopping in Hong Kong. She promised on Voyager Today to have handouts and maps so we are planning to attend. We got our handouts, but no maps. Dinner was later than usual because the shopping talk lasted until 7:10pm. We were back in the cabin at 8:10pm and that included time for us to tour the Boutique to see what was new. A record! The Refreshing White Chocolate Sherbet was delicious and Debbie order 2 more scoops for her dessert.
Sorry - No pictures today.
