I don't know where I'ma gonna go when the volcano blows...

Today the ship was literally empty.  Everyone had a “Do Not Disturb” sign on their door.  At 9:30 we got up because I told Debbie I was tired of hearing them vacuum the same area in the hallway waiting for us to get up.  Apparently everyone got up at the same time because when we headed to lido you couldn’t even get in.  Kay, Debbie and I decided to go to the Bistro on 5 which is a for fee restaurant just to avoid the hassle.  Again there were issues.  At the risk of sounding a bit prejudiced, much of the crew is from India, Pakistan etc.  Their views on women are very different than those of men in other countries and we have definitely been treated as second class citizens by them on this cruise.  We are not the only passengers who have noticed it either.  It is a very weird thing to explain but I really don’t like it and neither does anyone else.  They ignore us and even talk down to us as the waiter yesterday.  When Debbie placed her drink order at lunch he said "it's a bit early for that don't you think?" or something to that effect.  The entire table just stared in horror.

 

Anyway, they tell you they “can” get you a drink but they have to go somewhere else to get it and it may take a while.  As Kay said it should be “yes we will get you whatever you want” and the other information is not for passengers to be told period.  We had a nice lunch and then went to “tea” in another area of the ship and were seated with some ladies from Australia and England that were on the ship from Sydney so they gave us info too.  Apparently the outbreak of Norovirus started 3 days before the ship docked for the first time in the US in Maui.  The ship had to go through a full CDC inspection as well as Homeland Security and Coast Guard inspection since it had not been operating in the US for the last year.  They were a full day before they were able to get off so those that had booked their own excursions were not off in time and in most cases lost their money.  Many other stories but on with the day.  After tea Debbie, Kay and I went to walk in the gym but the treadmills were all full so Kay and I went walking on the promenade deck until it was time to get ready for dinner.  At dinner the table next to us was missing…literally so we asked about it and were told by the waiter that his boss had him move the table.  Well soon the people by the window came in and they couldn’t find their table so everyone was running around moving tables…aren’t they supposed to do this BEFORE they open the doors for dinner?  Then the people who sit at that table came in and couldn’t believe it when we told them the table was missing two minutes before they arrived.  The food has been just ok throughout the entire cruise to this point and I don’t think I  mentioned that before.  The 3 of us went to the casino after dinner and Kay was winning on her birthday money and Debbie and I did good for a short while then handed it all over again so we came back to the cabin.  I am writing the blog and Debbie is typing her complaint list to go over with the Captain’s Club Manager as she has an appointment with him tomorrow.  I doubt she will get far since he is also Indian (not the kind that had dinner with the pilgrims) and has been condescending every time she has talked with him to this point.  She is going to try anyway as she said she should start with him first.