Oh, we are SO going to have a party!...

On to mundane things. Three weeks from Friday (April 4, 2014) we pick up our rental car and drive to Phoenix to stay overnight and then fly to Fort Lauderdale to embark on this fabulous voyage. Fort Lauderdale will be bittersweet because Randy’s uncle Al, who lives in FLL, just died a couple of days ago. Al was the last of Randy’s mom’s generation, four sisters and a brother. But we will get to see his cousin Sherry and her husband. 

We’re now kind of entering the planning phase where we look at all our clothes and see what we absolutely have to have (everything!) and what we can do without (nothing!). Then we look at our suitcases and understand that yes, Virginia, there is a space limitation and so we DO have to do without at least a few things.

Shoes: the bane and the excitement of women’s lives! How many shoes can I fit in my suitcases? Three? Five? Seven? No, I do draw the line at seven and maybe even five. I need (yes, NEED) walking shoes. It would be nice if I could have regular walking shoes and more dressy walking shoes (that’s TWO). Then I need sandals for just hanging out (THREE) and dressy sandals for dinners (FOUR). And I need nice shoes that aren’t sandals for dinners and whatever (FIVE). I’ll wear one pair so that’s only (!) four pairs to pack. And, believe it or not, Randy is pushing me to take more shoes (and clothes) rather than less!

Another “little” thing: we will be traveling to places that have at least three different electric plug requirements and voltages so I have to figure what things are dual voltage (computers, camera chargers) so I know if I need a converter. I definitely need adapters (to change the pin configurations) but so far I can’t think of what I need a converter for.

But the exciting news is that Holland America has upgraded us to the Penthouse Suite! This is absolutely what decadence looks like! I ought to be embarrassed that we will be living in such opulence but, nah, we’re going to love every minute! 

It has a separate bedroom with a king-size bed, an oversize whirlpool bath AND shower and a bidet (does anyone know how to use a bidet?), a living room, dining room (for eight!), dressing room, private verandah, pantry (with a separate entrance for the butler, no less), a sofa bed for two (perhaps guests too drunk to stagger back to their own rooms?), mini-bar, refrigerator, guest bathroom (for heaven’s sake, you wouldn’t expect them to use OUR bathroom, would you?), and floor-to-ceiling windows. And there’s enough closet space for a small town! It’s approximately 1,273 sq. ft. including the verandah. I can hardly wait! This is WAY more than what they called a suite on the Sun Princess! There is a video here (click on the PS001 cabin) on the deck plan if the schematic below doesn’t make you drool enough.

We definitely have to have a party!