Counting down the miles as I drove from my home to Port Everglades, I was anxious to begin my 10-night southern Caribbean cruise aboard the MSC Lirica. Walking into the terminal at 1:30PM enabled me to just miss the embarkation crunch. I breezed through registration and was onboard within ten minutes. As guests enter the Lirica’s lobby, as on all MSC ships, they are greeted and escorted to their staterooms by a white-gloved staff member.
I am in cabin 10010, a mini-suite of over 250 sq. ft. There is more storage and closet space than I have seen on any ship, ever. My stateroom has a walk-in closet with a built-in bureau. As you walk into the cabin, on your left are floor-to-ceiling cabinets flanking a mirror and glass shelf. More storage. There is the triangular desk over which is a huge mirror which cleverly conceals more storage and a safe. Near the sliding verandah door is credenza which houses the mini-fridge and two more storage cabinets. Even the two night stands have sizeable storage compartments. The
verandah is a very nice size, with two faux-wicker upright chairs and a
smoked-glass table; perfect for having my morning coffee. Right
after a very painless muster drill (one of the advantages of a 59,000
ton ship with 780 staterooms), it was time to become familiar with my
new surroundings. Starting at the top and working my way down
deck by deck, I have to remark that this is a very uncomplicated deck
plan. There are four elevator banks, perfect for someone who has
trouble walking the long corridors to an elevator. Moving
ahead to dinner, my tablemates are five solo travelers.
Comprising a mélange of nationalities, there are three men and three
women. In the male category is a congenial 60-yr old Swiss
banker, a 43-yr old Lithuanian-American (don't know his occupation yet)
from the Midwest and another man who can't hear very well and speaks
only German. The female contingency consists of a 30-something
from Provence who is fairly fluent in English, a retired
Italian-American Florida transplant from New York and myself.
Once again as on a previous cruise, I have been randomly seated with a
group of strangers who could easily resemble characters in an Agatha
Christie novel. After dinner, we made our way to the Broadway Theater. A troup of very skilled dancers and operatically trained singers entertained us for over 45 minutes. Definitely a smaller scale compared to the mass market mega-cruise ships, but never a dull moment and very crisp performances. I
am actually looking forward to tonight’s entertainment…something I have
become very jaded about attending on other cruise ships. Just
before midnight, waiters are passing through the lounges with trays of
small snacks; little sandwiches and slices of Italian bread with
different cheeses. Each evening, the late-night treats will feature different Chef’s Specials. I was looking for the 24-hour coffee/tea stand which I found on Deck 11, La Pergola. More on this lovely sheltered outdoor eatery later. Good night.
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