26/12 - 27/12
Leaving our Heathrow hotel just after 10:00 was the start of an extremely long day. Not just the the eleven hour flight to San Fran, but the wait before we caught the final leg to San Diego during what was already an exhausting 32 hour day. Fun on the way (not really) caused by me accidentally testing Homeland security by leaving my iPad on the first flight didn't improve my mood. Having mentioned Homeland it should be mentioned that if you've experienced the grumpy immigration process in the past you won't recognise the all-new warm and pleasant experience getting into the US has become in recent years or certainly for us!
Then when we finally reached our destination we waited over 20 minutes for the courtesy (a misnomer if ever) bus to arrive and drive us the mile to the airport Sheraton, only a third of a mile as the crow flies, but at past 11 pm indeed 7am UK time, and with five bags, walking that journey didn't seem appealing or sensible. The hotel was huge and our room another shlep away, no porters around of course. We fell into bed even forgoing the big box of Maltesers we intended demolishing.
Awakening on a glorious (but near freezing) morning we had a great breakfast before discovering the spit of land formed to create an extension to the local marina, walking a lovely few miles in the crisp, dry air, before we set of walking to the town centre, having handed our bags over to the resident cruise agent in the hotel. Entertained by the airport queueing planes like a child's model toy, then the coastguard 'coptering around, we walked round the bay toward the ship only to learn that we were going to be severely delayed by a CDC-enforced super-clean after Norovirus had struck the ship on the last cruise.
Norovirus is widely blamed on the cruise lines, when the truth is its the filthy habits of a possibly small percentage of cruise patrons who cause abject suffering and misery for others. Watch in horror as fellow passengers fail to wash after a toilet visit, or before attending the buffet. Simple rules - for the first 72 hours don't go to the the buffet, use a paper towel to open the loo door, never touch a hand-rail or shake hands and wash hands with OCD-like regularly.
So we continued to walk round the harbour, past a maritime musuem complete with three submarines, an aircraft carrier and an entire flotilla of other ships. Then past the largest convention centre we've ever seen and back up the through a great art-deco shopping area called the gaslight area. Our ship was ready to receive us. Except they weren't, as we all waited on-deck for another two hours getting progressively colder as the sun set.
Lifeboat drill was delayed, and we observed more 'human nature' on display as people failed to turn up, talked incessantly and generally treated the exercise as a joke. Note - in all my days, I've never been on a ship that didn't require lifeboat drill. There's no doubt that the Concordia disaster was appalling but Costa must have been the exception in flaunting the rules on drills, rather than an indication of bad practice generally. Sadly one can't choose one's fellow passengers as easily as one can the line to travel with.
Resisting the temptation to grumble (yep, this is Neil writing, honestly) we stood by patiently saying nothing before heading back to out room to unpack, only to find two cases missing. So lots of suits, jackets and trousers, but only the shirts on our backs. The deep clean had really taken its toll on staff, and many things were delayed on the first evening but happily we still attended a welcome event in our lounge with just one other couple, Anne & Bob who "love the colour of your shirt" before going down to dinner in one of our most favourite restaurants in the world. After dinner we found another suitecase arrived but the last was still AWOL so a trip to the Purser's office was required.
Oh dear I'm in trouble, apparently bringing contraband goods onto the ship. What me? Oh yes, it would seem that a power-strip is not allowed. I indignantly explained to the Purser that I've never had this problem before but silence was his inscrutable response. Eventually it was agreed the Chief Electrician would arbitrate on the matter. Meanwhile I got the last case back, sans multi-bloc
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