Today is another day at sea and it is definitely getting colder.  We watched to group starting their Susan G Komen Walk for The Cure.  In case you do not know about this effort.  All the cruise lines participate.  You receive a Tee Shirt or possibly a hat for donating to this fund. 

The flowers on Holland are one of their signature things passengers look forward to viewing.  Currently there is a large bouquet of white orchids about 3 feet tall and it is magnificent in the dining room.  Another signature thing Holland has on all their ships is the Wajang Theater.  This is a movie theater where a different movie is shown each day of the cruise and Holland provides fresh popped popcorn. 

All the public rooms or most of them have the same name on all Holland’s ships.  For instance there is the Java café which has all sorts of fresh brewed coffee, Espressos, Lattes, etc.  There is the Ocean Bar where we usually hang out before dinner.  The band plays lovely music and hot appetizers are served upon your request.  Someone from the dining room comes through the bar area playing some chimes to indicate dinner is served.  What a nice touch.  Then after dinner there is someone to serve you mints, candied ginger, and/or dates.  How can one not like the service on Holland?

Also in The Explorer’s Lounge the Rosario Strings play chamber music for your enjoyment.  The name is always the same on each ship.  This is a group of string instruments.  Tonight the Rosario Strings are playing the classics and flaming coffee drinks are prepared at your table, chocolates and other drinks are always available.  Holland always has piano entertainment in another bar.  Usually the passengers end up being divided between these three lounge areas. 

Today at noon Norma & Neil Downie have organized a “Cabin Crawl – Poker Run”.  We are participating and our room is planned to be last.  This activity proved to be lots of fun. About 30 Cruise Critic Members met on the 5th floor and visited a total of six cabins, one outside, one inside single and an inside large, a balcony and then we all ended up in our cabin. Besides the Room Crawl part we all chipped in $5.00 and played poker crawl.  We were each allowed to draw one card from a deck of 52 cards when we met, then in each room we visited, we all took another card from a new deck of cards. Then in the last room you took two more cards, one from two different decks. If a any time you took a card you had already, you were required to take a replacement card. We each had a sheet of paper to write our cards on and then each person made the highest or lowest hand they could with the cards they had taken. The high hand got 80% of the monies and the lowest hand took 20%. All in all it was great fun. We had known in advance our room was going to be the last room so we had ordered cookies and chocolates for the members to enjoy.

Shortly after the Cruise Critic bunch left our room, Nina and Kal stopped by to have Brad print a few recipes. Nina stayed for a “yarngasam”. Nina rolled 12 skeins of yarn for Gloria. She had to leave and said she would be happy to come again another day and roll the other 12 skeins. Below is Gloria handing Nina another skein.

Nina rolling her sixth skein and having yet another “yarngasam”.

Kal  visited while Nina did her thing.