Day at Sea

Yesterday morning we woke up excited about our Jamaican adventure. We planned a day playing on the beach, snorkeling in the pristine waters and kayaking along the shore. Peeking outside, I saw only bright blue skies and fluffy clouds. I venture to say that I was probably as excited as Robby about visiting Jamaica!

We slipped into our swimsuits, slathered on sunscreen and packed our beach excursion bag. As we were heading out the cabin, Scott noticed a sheet of paper that had been slipped under our door. I've come to realize that sheets of paper slipped under doors never holds good news.

Our trip to Jamaica was canceled. Apparently a passenger suffered a medical emergency on Wednesday night, necessitating a helicopter rescue. The Captain had no choice but to move our boat into the correct position for the Coast Guard to conduct the rescue. Unfortunately for the remaining passengers, he had to turn the boat around and cruise in the opposite direction of Jamaica.

I have no doubt that the Captain and his staff thoroughly reviewed all of their options before canceling the excursion. Certainly the cruise line does not benefit financially when passengers are not able to disembark and take advantage of the wonderful, albeit pricey, island trips. In lieu of visiting Jamaica, he set sail for Fort Lauderdale, moving at a minimal speed.

Although we were disappointed, I was utterly appalled when I witnessed the outbursts of my fellow passengers. The lobby was crammed with irate, and obviously irrational, individuals who were ranting about a ruined vacation. The decision to reroute was literally one of life or death and, instead of lauding the crew for saving a life, they were berated for keeping bargain hunters from bartering for low quality jewelry on the island. It's pathetic that these individuals could not see beyond their immediate desires and appreciate that a life was in jeopardy.

Instead of going to Jamaica, we spent the day lounging by the pool and hanging out as a family. The absence of sand and surf did not hamper our enjoying the afternoon. We had a wonderful time just being together.

In the evening I took Robby to play Bingo and he won $500 on the first card! He was so proud redeeming his winning numbers and informed everybody that he was going to save the money for college. He was smiling ear-to-ear when we redeemed his winnings.

On the spur of the moment, I decided to book a massage to celebrate Robby's windfall. Scott was mingling with some fellow cruisers in the lounge and Robby happily went to the disco dance party at the Kids Club. I spent the next hour enjoying a well-deserved, and much needed massage. It felt wonderful!

I left the spa feeling completely relaxed for the first time in months. I went directly to my cabin, where I continued the pampering with a long, hot shower. (I loved the massage, but I hated feeling like I'm a greased pig at the county fair!) Once I was showered, I called room service and treated myself to a cupcake and a Bahama Mama punch.

Sitting on the balcony, enjoying my cupcake and punch, I relished hearing nothing but the ocean waves lapping the side of the boat. It was so wonderfully tranquil, just staring up at the stars and letting my imagination wander. In that moment, life was perfect.

Shoot! All of a sudden I had a revelation that brought me instantly back to reality. My room was too quiet. I remembered that I have a kid, and I forgot to pick him up at Kids Club.

I chugged my punch and crammed the cupcake into my mouth (I only ordered one) as I frantically dressed. I was kicking myself as I was schlepping to the other side of the ship to pick him up. How could I forget that I had a child? What kind of Mom forgets that they have a child? How could I spend $70 of his Bingo money on eye serum when a $4 bottle of Tylenol PM would be just as beneficial to reducing my under eye circles?

Thankfully Robby did not notice that I was extremely late picking him up. When I arrived he had just been named “King of the Dance Floor.” He was delighted, albeit exhausted, by the time we gathered his belongings and returned to the cabin. So much for my new found serenity, but at least he had the opportunity to hone his dancing skills!