Prescient!  That is Commodore Georgio Pamata’s decision to abort our Fiordland cruise day and sail north turning west through Cook Strait and towards Tasmania.  Seas and winds increase dramatically, the bow of the Ruby Princess raises 10 meters or more as it climbs a swell and then slams into the gully before the next swell.

The Princess theater is in the bow: the bow slams into those gullies: walls shudder, stabilizers groan, walls creak.  Even now as the seas are lessening we walk drunkenly in the Piazza and along endless corridors to our room.  

We haven’t suffered the extreme movement; our room is midship and 5 decks above the water line, a different experience in the fore and aft rooms or high up on deck 16 as the ship plies the swells.  A room in the bow must be nearly inhabitable. We feel the hull shuddering and hear creaks and moans as we bobble along.  Side to side motion apparently lessened by the stabilizers, wings that themselves groan when changing pitch. 

We haven’t missed a meal and we are fine, getting around during the day.  Cindy did cancel her hair appointment in the Spa forward on deck 16.  Too much movement for her to brave a pair of scissors snipping away at her hair.  

Actually we are living the life of a king and enjoying our relationship and also meeting so many wonderful passengers during our scrumptious and royal dinners. 

Yea!  This morning we woke up to calm seas and clear weather.