Day 110 April 23 (sea day)

New York City tomorrow. Today was largely concerned with people getting ready to debark (some get off in NYC while most of the rest will debark in Ft. Lauderdale. A small number will extend through the Panama Canal and on to California or Washington State. The ship goes there next and will spend the next four months touring Alaska. (NOT one tour four months long! Probably many two week or so tours going north and south.) You won't find a better crew if you're thinking of an Alaskan cruise this summer. Holland America Lines ms Amsterdam! End of commercial.

So after Tai Chi at 10 AM we went to Vantage where we got Chris and Dee's debarkation lecture. The ship was having one at 10:30. We asked Chris if we needed to go to that one too and he said only if we liked crowds. He would cover the same material but the difference was we were just about 100 - actually less since not everyone came. The ship's talk would be in the Queen's Lounge where the shows are performed and it would be for the entire ship. Only problem with that is that the lounge doesn't hold that many people. I didn't choose Vantage for any particular reason but I have been more than pleased with their onboard Program Directors. Better to be lucky than good.

We finished one shy in trivia again today. Close but no cigar. We got 17 right and the winners got 18.

I'm sitting in my cabin now (it is about 3 PM - Wow! I'm actually in the Eastern Time Zone! I think I'm home - almost). I guess we've recaptured our lost day from crossing the International Dateline. What an amazing trip this has been. I will send one more email after NYC but I've got free minutes right now so I'm going to send this - the computer gods willing - while they last. OK, they're not really free but they are to me. Daphne is leaving us tomorrow to go visit some nuns in NYC so she has offered up her minutes to anyone who wants them. I'm down to about 50 of my own (out of more than 1500 I paid for). So, I'll use hers and save mine in case I need them on the last part of the trip.

We're having a cocktail party to say goodbye to Daphne in Jack and Anita's cabin this afternoon. Still trying to use up the 4 bottles of booze Jack and Anita got at the beginning of the trip. What a bunch of lushes we are (NOT!) (In fact, two of our tablemates, Carol and Darryl are Mormons so they don't help at all.) I suppose there may be some drunk tablemates at dinner tonight. I will try to resist the temptation to help our too much with the alcohol consumption. Not out of any concern for health or weight control. Just don't care that much for the choice of spirits. I've never been a Scotch or Gin fan. The vodka is the only one I find enjoyable. Well, enough of that. I don't know how busy the net will be today so I better get started trying to send this.

Cheers to all!