DAY 37---AT SEA

                                                        SUPER BOWL MONDAY

        Yes, due to our crossing the International Date Line and other time changes as we head further west on the cruise, the Super Bowl will be televised live on the ship at 10:30am on our Monday.  The ship will begin getting the live feed at 10am and will be shown on the big screen in the theater and also on the suite tvs.

Our position at noon today is half way from Fiji to Vanuatu.  It is mostly cloudy with some sun at times and 83 degrees.  25 knot wind out of northwest so with our ship's speed the wind up on deck 12 is close to 40 knots.

              This shows where New Zealand and the cyclone is in relation to where we are.

LAST EVENING

     We had our cocktail hour in our suite after returning from the church service before heading up to Sette Mari for dinner at 6:30.

Grace, a sommelier, presenting the evening's suggested red wine in Sette Mari.  It is an Italian sangiovese/cabernet from the Tuscany region.  I liked it.

Minestrone soup as usual is very good.

                                                 Some chili flakes to put in our spaghetti.

                    We divided the huge veal parmesan and still neither of us could finish it.

                                              Donald, maitre'd, and Sette Mari chef, Anees

        Rebecca did go to hear the pianist, Carl Doy, and said he was very good.  She enjoyed his show.  I headed back to the suite.  We set our clocks back another hour last night.  So now when the time in Dallas is 2pm on Sunday, it is 7am Monday here.

TODAY

HALLELUJAH!!!  The internet is working normally this morning.  Fingers crossed it stays that way.

        During the Captain's pre-departure PA from Suva he mentioned that we would be experiencing rougher seas today.  He was right.  We are having some 10 foot swells now and the ship is moving about some.  Mariner handles rough seas very well.  Certainly more than we have experienced so far on the cruise.  We put our wrist bands (acupuncture bands) on before going to bed last night.  They are to help prevent sea sickness.  After my shower this morning I will be putting half of a scopolamine patch on behind my ear.  Probably won't need it but don't want to take any chances.  Besides I brought a lot of patches.  I just use a half of a patch at one time so I will not get drowsy.

        The reason for our rougher seas is a strong cyclone (hurricanes are called cyclone in the southern hemisphere) about to hit the northern part of New Zealand.  It is named "Gabrielle" and to be the worse storm to hit New Zealand during this century.  We are 1850 statue miles north of the cyclone but still getting some effects of it.  Gabrielle is tracking further south and away from us.

        It would be hard to stay on the treadmills with the ship's movement so we will get cleaned up and go to the theater this morning to watch the Super Bowl. 

Chiefs fans were supposed to enter on left side of theater to sit and Eagles fans on right side.  Rookie passengers were clueless however.

                                                                  Carvings are "super"!

                                  We have a master ice carver crewmember.  Helmet carving.

                                                          Two tables with food containers.

                                                                        YouPopcorn girl

                             You can see Chiefs sign on left of stage and Eagles on right side.

                                                  Big crowd in theater to watch the game.

                                               Everyone standing for the National Anthem.

                          Chris Stapleton did good job singing the National Anthem.

                                  Broke our rule and had bloody Marys before the before 5pm.

                                                            Pepperoni and plain pizzas

                         Small hotdogs and not sure what was to the right.  All the fixings below.

                                               Chili carne on left and mini burgers on right

                                                             Ribs and chicken bites

                                                 Baked stuffed potatoes and mac n cheese.

                                                                       Dessert table

        I had a little of about everything.  Rebecca even ate something other than her Atkins bar.

                                                      I chose this vanilla cake.  Yummy!!

        I did not care for the half time show so came back to the suite to do this post.  Rebecca is still in the theater watching the game.  I have it on the tv just above me.  Most Cowboys fan hate the Eagles so we are cheering for the Chiefs.  Two great teams!  Congrats to the Chiefs in their 38-35 victory.

        So plan for this evening is cocktail hour as usual in Mariner Lounge.  As you see on the menu, my favorite appetizer, black mussels, are on it.  I will probably have two double orders as usual.

                      Tonight's show is featuring a magician, Leo Ward.  We will pass on the show.

        We will be docking by 8am tomorrow in Luganville on Vanuatu and will not depart until 6:30 that evening.  As I mentioned we were to be anchored in Champagne Bay but tender dock was destroyed.