The Darkest Hour is just before Dawn - Day 6, Monday, July 30th

I was still wound a little tight as we completed the most logistical part of our trip with tagging our luggage, checking out of the hotel, dropping the kids and luggage by the pier as George, Rebecca and I returned the van and took a taxi back, being processed by security and getting our room/charge keys before boarding, and then trying to get oriented to the large cruise ship. We had just found the buffet and loaded our plates for our very late lunch when we heard the announcement to muster for the mandatory safety drill. We quickly stuffed our faces, found our rooms on Deck 5 where the life vests were, and then ran to Deck 7, the deck with the orange transport boats you see in the picture. Then after all that, we were finally able to slow down while everyone assembled on the upper decks, 11, 12 and 14, there was no 13, for the "Sail Away" party. I'm not really a loud party person, so I was wondering how much I was going to enjoy this cruise with all these snazzy, middle aged people sporting their $5 tropical drinks. We ended up settling on the more secluded part of  Deck 11 in the back of the boat for our delayed departure from the dock. I found an empty deck chair and tried to chill out while the rest of the family hung out at the rail.