February 23 - Sea Day #4

 Monday, February 23, 2026

I was up multiple times during the night and I think if I would have had a ball bat I would have smashed that automatic light by the bathroom. One of the times I didn't get the bathroom door shut tight. The ship was rocking a bit which made the door swing back and forth and each time it did it triggered the automatic light. Ughhh.

Once again, Bob started his morning by walking while the rest of us went to breakfast. We had been finished eating for quite awhile before he joined us and then we continued to sit for even more time just chatting. A cruise is a perfect way to spend time with good friends!

Some photos from Bob's morning walk.

I'm not sure if I have mentioned it lately, but Jon and Michelle live in Georgia and we live in Minnesota which means we have a lot of catching up to do when we are together. And did I ever say how we got to be friends? Believe it or not, Jon was a student in my 10th grade geometry class! (And that was a LOOOONG time ago!)

I had marked things to do for the morning on the Princess app but we didn't make it to ANYTHING. The temps have finally warmed up and it wasn't raining so we came back to the cabin and sat on the balcony. It is a tight squeeze, but Jon got their two chairs through the narrow opening in the balcony divider and then there was plenty of room for all four of us to sit on our balcony. Michelle did leave for awhile to go to an Hawaiian craft class. I think she was a little disappointed to find out that she had to pay $5 and then just make a single flower out of a feather. 

For lunch we picked up salads in the buffet and then a slice of pizza which we ate outdoors. It took awhile to find a table since so many tables were occupied by singles. Oh...and we had ice cream for dessert!

After eating we went up on Deck 16 to see the Lotus Spa Pool. We also walked through the gym and all of us took time to try out the recumbent bikes. (And that, my friends, is the one and only time I will see the gym!)

Donna Lajeunesse, one of the female Princess singers was doing a 2 pm matinee show called "She-Ha" and we went a half an hour early to make sure we got a seat. She just recently put together this solo performance that features music from some of the top women country music artists. The show might need a little polishing, but her voice was incredible!

While we were waiting for the show to begin, Michelle got several texts from her sister telling us that because of a drug lord being killed, travel to Mexico was not advised. Also she mentioned that cruise ships were cancelling stops at Mexican ports due to the violence that followed. The last stop on this cruise is in Ensenada, Mexico and all four ports on our next leg of the cruise are also in Mexico. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Bob and I went from the theater to the Piazza to watch the Emotions Duo...two girls playing violin and cello. Several Chinese couples were doing ballroom dance to the music and were quite good. There are a lot of passengers of Asian descent on this cruise. Not sure if it is a cultural thing, but we have noticed that they often take large quantities of fresh fruit from the buffet. 

Perfect style.

So much fruit!!!

I left the Piazza before Bob so I would have time to shower before dinner. Bob came back long enough to quickly shower and then he left again to watch the Duo's second set in the Piazza. HAL had cut the classical music on their cruises for awhile and we missed it.

Once again we chose to skip dessert after dinner in the MDR and it was a smart move. The theater was filled completely by the time Mark Nizer started his show which featured juggling and a lot of technical effects.

A quick peak at the sunset on the way to the theater.

Later we got some dessert in the buffet and played cards. While we were in the buffet we saw another Chinese man take a heaping bowl of kiwi and then a second man came by and took all of the fruit that was left. Do they actually eat that much fruit? 

Tomorrow we will dock in Honolulu, our first Hawaiian port and our first time to be on land in five days!