Cruise The World With Us

Thursday – February 20, 2025

Today’s featured photo is one I have submitted to the latest PAzz session. It is part of a wood carving presented to MSC Magnifica on a previous world cruise by the people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). This PAzz session closes on 2/23 so I have a chance to submit several other photos before then (5 per day max).

Activities in the morning began with World Cruise games – this one was called “Make It 3”. It was a combination of tic-tac-toe and run with a pool noodle clasped between your legs. There was an obstacle course you had to maneuver to reach either an “O” or an “X” (depending on your team). Then you had to pick up the letter and place it on the tic-tac-toe grid and play that game. Air won the first competition but in the final against Water our player didn’t place our “O” on the tic-tac-toe grid to block Water so they won. Perhaps someday we will win a competition again. Jan furnished several photos of the activity.

Following World Cruise games we went to the restaurant for lunch. Sat at a table with two single women (each over 90) and two single men from Texas (over 80). They told us about their battle with the crud that has been going around and were glad to hear that Jan went to the doctor for a solution. Jan especially liked her starter of spring rolls and pot stickers. She followed that with chicken cordon bleu and ice cream for dessert.

Following lunch I took off to look for unusual things to photograph for PAzz. I included several I found – the atrium of the ship, our Starlink “pod” (how we get Internet), a gift from Puerto Rico to MSC Magnifica from a previous World Cruise, the wake we leave (only evidence we were in the ocean) and the eyes of the gift from Rafa Nui. While I was doing that, Kelsey and Jan were in the card room battling it out – Jan won a game and Kelsey won a game (although she would like to have won both).

Temps in the afternoon were in the 80’s with higher “feels like” temperatures. Since there is a nice wind from the motion of the ship, it doesn’t really feel that hot. We stay out of the sun to keep from getting that red curse (sunburn) and I think Jan is to stay out of the sun due to the antibiotic she is taking.

Time for dinner so we headed to the dining room. There are a few photos to show starter, main course and dessert. Kelsey and Jan both chose the risotto that clearly stated it had mushrooms. I think they spent as much time picking out the mushrooms as they did eating the risotto.

Entertainment for the evening was Daniel Mime – Speakless. Daniel had appeared once a few nights back. He doesn’t do the “standard” mime “thing” dressed in black with a white face. I don’t like mimes but I did find his skits entertaining.

Following the show we returned to our cabin to read about tomorrow’s activities when we reach Papeete. For one, we have another night where we set the clocks back an hour. Once that is done we will be on the same time as Hawaii – 4 hours earlier than home. I’m sure we will be awake early tomorrow because our bodies won’t have adjusted to that hour change.

Here are the video and photos from today.