first night on the Opera

So, I was worried about this cruise line given some of the things that I have read about them from other cruisers and some of this is founded, some not.  You HAVE to buy a drinks package.  Now, we were allowed to buy just a water package, but who has to buy water on a 

cruise?  So, John got a beer package that goes off tickets because their rule is everyone in the cabin must have a drinks package if you get the other ones.  I wouldn’t drink the amount that this thing costs, but we didn’t know if we would have access to water, coffee, tea etc.  And we do at lunch.  But in the dining room, you have to drink bottled water and you have to bring your water tickets to get it.  We got lucky in dinner mates

 again and have a retired couple from Florida who are new to this cruise line too.  So, we’re muddling through together. 

I find it fascinating all the languages on board and every announcement is done 5 times in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian.  I’m totally impressed with our cruise 

director who does all these announcements and it’s fun to watch him go from accent to accent, language to language.  We went to the first show and because it’s such and international crowd, there’s not much talking and singing, but things that make sense in any language.  It was very Circque d Soleil in nature and quite good really until they got to the singing.  They did a medley of show tunes.  Now, this is an Italian cruise line, so the dancers are minimally garbed with thongs and asses out, but they have on stars and stripes overcoats dancing to songs from Annie, the Sound of Music and I had to laugh.  I think that I have found the next variety show that the Canadian Lakes Players should do…