Tuesday Cuppa Tea - Tea On A Cruise Ship

Hi and welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea! This week is sort of a tea post with a holiday report....

Our favorite holiday is on a cruise ship...since my first one in 1967 around the Greek Isles with my Aunt Ruth on a Greek line called Epirotiki...and then starting to cruise with my husband on a Mediterranean cruise in 1984. We did some tours before that, and a round that, but suddenly we realized we liked the unpacking once and sheer relaxation on a ship...so different from our normal lives. Then with my husband's diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, we realized how perfect it was...a holiday he could continue to enjoy despite his increasing difficulties....and I get no cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping...you know! Definitely a win for us!

So at the end of February we took a 10 day Mexico cruise round trip San Francisco on the Grand Princess...a ship we had been on before on a cruise to Hawai'i a couple of years ago.  And it has a small tea salon called Leaves...for 2 reasons...because it is also the library on the ship.

Although the library is open 24 hours, the tea area with tea sommelier is only open for a few set hours on sea days. And I think they may be eventually eliminating it althogether because the last time we were on this ship to Hawaii, there was a more extensive tea menu with sampling flights and a domed tray showcasing the blends in bowls...but that wasn't there this cruise. I tried to find my photos of the last, but couldn't find them.

There were still most of the major types of tea available, but not as many as I remember, and the tea drawers are mostly for show now.

And of course sweet treats are available. The Leaves is a pay venue, $3.95 for a pot and whatever sweets you want, but there is also afternoon tea at no charge in the dining room each day...but...where we used to have few folks wanting to go, mostly women, now there is a long line waiting, and we tend to give it a miss. Although we did go on the 2nd day, and they poured us tea...but it had lemon already in it, so when my Homey, in typically British fashion poured cream into his tea...it was quite strong...the cream immediately curdled...we had quite a laugh...obviously not used to the real way to serve tea, but apparently most folks didn't know!

But with tea such a part of my life, I always begin each morning early with a pot of Organic Darjeeling in the International Cafe in the atrium with my iPad to check email and read...very quiet in the morning...while my Honey sleeps to get his medications into his system....

On this cruise, our 42nd anniversary had been a couple of weeks before, and although we had booked an obstructed oceanview cabin, they upgraded us to the Marc Polo Suite!

The cabin was huge, with a separate sitting room, and a huge bathroom!

There were a lot of other extra perks too...like a cooked to order breakfast in a specialty restaurant, Sabbatinis, and lots of other things. Probably the only time we will ever be in one!

As it was a Mexico cruise, there were mariachis onboard playing every day, the Nationale Ballet Folklorica came on a performed in Puerto Vallarta, and as part of their Festivals Of The World program which matches the port, there was a Day Of The Dead festival one day and evening sea day, as you can see with the decorated atrium...

One of our favorite places on this ship is a covered alcove on the aft of deck 15 overlooking the aft pool with rattan chairs, plants and fans...perfect place to sit in warm weather....and it was in the mid 70s when we sailed from San Francisco...

And here was the view from a window in our suite when we sailed out under the Golden Gate Bridge just before dinner...

And amazingly...a live Orchid plant in our room!  The weather was very different the day we arrived back....our kids photographed the ship going out that afternoon after we got off as they were driving back to Marin after spending the day with us prior to us flying home us...there was a huge storm brewing.

And just a couple from the voyage...we didn't get off the ship. You folks used to warmer temps will laugh, but it was upper 80s in Mexico, and that's too warm for us!  This next is coming into Puerto Vallarta early in the morning...

The outdoor pool area as I went to the Lido buffet for a large hot water for tea early in the morning....my other choice instead of the downstairs cafe...with my PG Tips teabags from home!

So they we go...hopefully you didn't mind being armchair travelers...and I hope you had a cuppa along for the trip!  I apologize for not visiting everyone this week...I do our home and business taxes, and the extra time on the computer caused my back to kick up again, so I have limited my time on computer...almost done with THAT chore!  I am joining:

No Place Like Home

 Tea Cup Tuesday 
 Bernideen’s Teatime, Cottage and Garden

Here is the linky for your tea related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are patient...it's there! And I love to read your comments, and can find you to visit! Thanks so much for joining me for tea!

An InLinkz Link-up