The Waterstraut Waterspout: Asa's 40th Birthday Cruise: Sailing

Wednesday on the cruise was our sailing, or "at sea" day. It was a little weird because we were going from Coco Cay to Nassau- and that trip is something like 60 miles. Usually to get between the two overnight (like we did on our last two cruises), you are going REALLY slow. To do that AND add a sea day, while at times it felt like we were basically anchored. While I thought this would be good for my motion sickness, I actually felt the boat moving more this day than any other. I'll get to that. But for now, lets start with breakfast in the Windjammer cafe where we managed to nad ourselves the big table under the canopy and Jeffery, our waiter from dinner, found us and got us bloody marys and mimosas.

And after breakfast we hit up some morning trivia at the Schooner Bar. We got there too late though, so I would come up to hear the question and relay it back to the group. We did decent, but we weren't winners. At least we had morning coffees to console us.

The boat was a lot more crowded than it's been on our last two sailings. It's what we get for traveling during Spring Break. Because of this, though, I tried to come up with things to do on our at sea day that nobody else would be doing. So instead of hitting the pool with half the boat, we met down on deck 4 to play some hide n seek, or rather a modified version of it. I'm pretty good at making up games (and explaining them) so here I am telling everyone how we're going to play hide and seek. Although, I did note it was more like 'Where's Waldo', because everyone had to go to one location and stay there. And there was a time limit. If you weren't found in 45 minutes (plus a 10 minute start to find your spot), you'd come back to deck 4 to meet back up with everyone. Asa was "it", because it was his birthday- and he was the Party Captain.

I made everyone's shirts for Asa's birthday (his said party captain, the rest of ours said crew), so we decided that Asa would carry them all around in a backpack, and when he found you, you'd put on your shirt and join Asa in the looking crew. We decided you had to be in a public space- and not down the corridores with staterooms, and once you found your spot you'd be there for the full 45 minutes. So, we all took off for our spots, and Asa waited 10 minutes before he came looking for us. Technically, he found Gwen first. But she was so upset about it, he let her stay there, went off and found Calib and then came back to get her. I was supposed to keep that a secret, but nobody reads this anyway, so there you go. I think Gwen and Calib both made the mistake of hiding on Deck 4, since that's where we left Asa. And Calib was just hanging out on the shuffleboard courts, where there was nobody else (again, keep in mind I described this as 'where's waldo' and Calib hid in a spot with ZERO other people to blend in with).

The three of them set off for the upper decks after that. I had run into Uncle Emmett and had to relocate (if someone found your spot while we were all looking for a place to hide, you needed to move so if they were found before you they couldn't turn you in). So, in a panic I just grabbed a spot on a lounge chair on Deck 12. I lasted about 25 minutes there before they found me.

But once they had, they were like 'we have to hurry! Put your shirt on! There's no time!' Funfact: if you're going to play this, do more than 45 minutes. That seems like a lot, but everyone agreed we could have done at least an hour, more even longer. Anyway, with more eyes, we headed up to Deck 14 to this fun bar to get a birds eye view. We still didn't spot anyone.

We did manage to find mom at the pool, Jake out sunning himself, and Holly by the mini golf before time was over. Apparently we were so close to Aunt Patti she saw us and heard us. But there were SO many people out by the pool we just missed her. That and she changed her clothes before she hid(to be more inconspicuous) Hayden was hiding up on one of the hallway balconies. I'm not sure where Garrett was, but we didn't find him- I think somewhere on one of the decks we never even made it to. Cort was in the hot tub- for 45 minutes- on a hot day! But he stayed committed to the rule you had to stay where you hid. And Uncle Emmett had the best spot of all. Apparently there is a Deck 15 and the only thing there is a little chapel. We almost found it (Gwen went up a dark stairway but couldn't see anything and we yelled at her to turn around- turns up Uncle Emmett was up there). Anyway, once everyone had been found, or met back up at Deck 4 we took a picture of all of us shirt people who had been found.

Another fun game I came up with was going bar hopping. But, except for Jake we weren't all going to actually get a drink at all the different bars. We'd all be drunk by lunch time. So, instead, we decided the 12 of us would go to each of the bars on the ship and order one drink, where we'd all take a sip. Someone different picked the drink at every bar, starting with the birthday boy, Asa, at the Schooner Bar.

We did all get straws as to not share too many germs. You'll note in a lot of pictures we're all holding straws because we reused them from place to place (Save the turtles!)

Next up, we walked through the casino and I picked a Sangria.

Over at the Boleros Lounge, Calib picked a coconut mojito (this might have been one of my favorites out of the whole thing- at least until Holly got me a 'kiss on the lips' at the pool bar).

We had a real fun waiter over at Boleros (see him in the background), he got Gwen a Shirley Temple with a whole lot of cherries.

Back up to Deck 5, we made sure to get someone to take our picture, since everyone (and not just those that were found during hide and seek) had changed into their birthday shirts.

Jake looks very official in his. We did keep taking his pictures telling him we were going to send them into ABC to get him to be a contestant on The Bachelorette.

Next up, mom picked some blue drink at the R Bar.

That was not one of my favorites, but everyone gave it a try.

By now we were hungry, so Jake ran down for a pizza delivery.

It was nearing time for salsa class though, which I suggested we go to. I couldn't get all that many people on board, but Asa, Cort, Holly and Gwen tagged along. We found Cort sitting alone up at the Star Lounge.

He'd gotten all kinds of desserts from Cafe Promenade.

So, the night before we had seen Saturday Night Fever in the theater- and it was TERRIBLE. But the high light were these two amazing dancers, who just so happened to be the teachers for the salsa class.

Gwen caught on really fast, because she is just basically good at everything (which she'd hate me saying, but I don't think she's ever even seen this blog, so what she doesn't know won't hurt her).

I just could not get it. I'm not that cordinated. And, it turned out it made me real motion sick. Notice in the background there I've just plopped backward in a chair.

But, I did it as soon as I started feeling it. So some ice water on the floor of my stateroom with a fan blowing on me, and I came around. Good thing too- there was still so much day left!

I decided a little food might be good after that, so I went up to Windjammer for just some bread- something easy on my tummy. We ran into Hayden. It was good timing- because the rock wall climbing was just about to open up.

The ship was very crowded- but we found if you came 10 minutes or so before anything opened, you'd usually get to be one of the first people. It worked like a charm for rock climbing. Before a line had even really formed, they were getting their gear on.

Hayden had a hard time with the wall, but at least he tried it!

Asa easily made his way all the way up to the top and rang the bell.

After that we headed to the back of the ship to see where everyone else was- we foudn they had been doing the tube waterslide, so we waited there for them (and Asa took this great picture of Hayden- I really need to change the kids pictures on the side of the blog, and this might be a winner for Hayden).

Liberty of the Seas varies slightly from Independence, but one of the main differences is the lack of the air pad. Instead, Liberty has a tube waterslide. Everyone really loved this one, although, sadly I never got to go on it.

After we gathered up everyone around, we made our way to Johnny Rockets for some milkshakes. And then we headed back to our rooms to change for dinner.

This night was formal night on the ship. But Waterstrauts don't do formal things. So, we bowed out weeks ago and said we'd be going to the Mexican specialty restaurant instead. Eventually, everyone else got on board too. But, reservation max was 6, so we had to make two different ones. Once on the ship, we talked to them and they told us if we were there at 5:30 when they opened- they could get all 12 of us together. When we arrived, sure enough, a table for 12 was set.

Food on all the cruises we've been on has been... fine. It's not bad, but nothing you want to write home about. But, we hadn't done speciality (aka upcharge) places. This was a totally different ballgame. The food, the service- it was all amazing. Our waiter took great care of us. Instead of having to order appetizers or desserts- he just brought us a couple of everything to share, and we could always ask for more. The appetizers consisted of civeche, calamarie, bacon wrapped meatballs, and chips with guac and salsa. All of it was delicious.

He also brought out this special queso dip for Garrett, though Garrett passed on it. The rest of us were happy to dig in, though. It was just this delicious gooey melty cheese to put on warm tortillas. So simple, yet so good.

We all got various kinds of margaritas (the avacoda margarita was surprislingly delicious- so smooth!), and we also all ordered our own entrees. I went with the shrimp tacos, which were the best thing I ate all trip.

Asa got duck burritos which he really enjoyed. We did all kind of share everything though, so we could all have a taste of everything. When our waiter noticed this, he also brought us out some chicken tacos since nobody at the table had ordered them, in case we wanted to try.

And then there was dessert. Churros. Flan. Chocolate pudding, and some weird fried chocolate things. All of it was the best desserts I've had on the ship.

Great food, awesome service and great company. What more could you ask for?

To top it all off, they brought out a cake for Asa's birthday. I'm not even sure how they knew it was his birthday. Maybe we mentioned it in passing?

Of course, we all sang- which you know Asa just loved (sense the sarcasm?)

But what a cool cake!

Garrett, meanwhile, being the only kid at the table, also got a fun cupcake that he passed on down in case someone else wanted to try.

I had also come up with a great idea for buffet roulette to be held at a later time. Basically everyone would get someone to randomly make a plate for at the buffet. Since we had to hand in everyone's cards for the meal, when he handed them back to me, I decided to mix them up and everyone could draw one to pick their person for bufet roullette.

I got Aunt Patti, though it turns out we never made it to the buffet when we were hungry enough. We did still play (stay tuned for that- it was so much fun!), but it was a different version than I had envisioned.

Anyway, that was a wrap on our awesome dinner at Sabor on Liberty of the Seas.

After dinner it was time to continue the bar crawl we'd suspended earlier in the day in favor of salsa dancing. Aunt Patti was up next and picked a Goombay Smash, the drink of the day at Sorrentos. I'd had it before and was pleased with the fruitiness of it.

Over at the Hoof and Claw Club, Gwen/I picked a Boston Tea Party- basically a Long Island Ice Tea. We may have let some underage people pick a drink and take a sip. Maybe. Possibly.

The Star Lounge Bar was up next, and it was Jake's decision to be made. A tough one, because 'Mr. Bartender Jake' was a very harsh critic on cruise ship drinks. I'm still getting text about proper mojitos people.

Jake went with a painkiller, which was oddly similar to to the Goombay Smash. Basically they put pineapple and orange juice in everything.

By now it was sunset time, so out to the helipad we went hoping to catch a cloud free sunset (we tried every night, and it never quite worked out for us).

And then it was time for the nightly show in the theater. None of us were too thrilled about giving the theater another chance..

..but at least this time we could check the theater bar off our list. Uncle Emmett ordered a Paloma that was just terrible- though, Jake swears it wasn't at all a real Paloma and that they're usually much better.

I will say the entertainment that night was SLIGHTLY better. We got a little of the crappy comic from the first night, but then a decent magician. He wasn't amazing, but he was decent. Still by the end of the show, most of us were swearing off the theater for tomorrow.

I pause to bring you group pictures- everyone was taking them around the ship because of formal night.

After the show, we headed up to Windjammer. We went up there each night just to see if the chocolate fountain and or the crepe chef happened to be up there. And most nights Garrett went ham on the jello. I believe it was something like 9 jellos (and one backwashed one that he threatened to re-eat if we didn't count it) that night. I present to you all the pictures everyone took of Garrett and his jello.

Turns out it was crepe night, which was exciting. But, it also turned out that they weren't making them fresh, they were just sitting there. I grabbed some anyway, but they were rubbery from sitting out and really disappointing.

So, I whined about it. And then Cort disappeared. Turns out he was stalking the crepe pan hoping they'd put more out. It took awhile, but he got some new ones (much to the annoyance of the workers) and then fancied them up for me with some toppings. He was so proud of himself (look at him standing there waiting for my verdict). They were much better than the old, rubbery ones. Still not as good as when they make them fresh for you- but it was nice of Cort to get them for me.

I thought that would end the night- after all, we were starting to lose people.

But, I got everyone to rally for Deck 4 Shuffleboard! Who doesn't love deck 4 shuffleboard?

And then I got everyone to go watch the stars on the helipad, one of my favorite things Asa and I do when we go on cruises together. So we laid on the helipad and talked about our favorite part of the day. This picture with the flash makes it look like it was light out, but it was not.

My proof is the collection of pictures everyone took while laying on the helipad that night.

After helipad laying, Jake convinced Calib to go gamble in the casino. Calib! Gambling! HIS MONEY! (Only $20 but still) So, of course, we all had to watch. Beginners luck- Calib won $5 when he first sat down at the Blackjack table. I told him to cash out. He didn't. But he did eventually leave with $22 and showed off his winnings to anyone who would listen.

By now it was almost midnight- so I suggested another "Game" of sorts- going to see how they change out the day plates in the elevator. On our last cruise some girls told us they had done that and that it was oddly satisfying and exciting. Somehow I got everyone real excited about this. So, we got in the elevator and rode it up and down, waiting to see what would happen.

All of us in there, though, it got oddly hot. Turns out 11:45 was way to early to get in there- so every once in awhile, people would get ou for some fresh air, run up and down a couple of flights of stairs, and then pop back into the elevator.

But some of us stayed in no matter what- seasickness and warm air be damned. At about 11:58 another kid got in the elevator and we asked him what floor. When he replied by shaking his head no, we knew he was in to see the floor change too- and we all cheered. He said he had done it the night before too, and it was amazing.

Eventually, our elevator was being called down to floor one, a crew only area- so we knew it was our time! Up the Wednesday plate went, and down plopped the Thursday plate. It was VERY exciting. We all cheered and clapped.