Our last six days at sea have been diverse and delightful.

We've done many of our standards that keep our days packed with activity: trivia, listening to live music in various venues, a movie (Despicable Me4, It Ends With Us), and dining well. After room service delivered coffee in our cabin, I've been enjoying a morning of guided meditation, stretch class, followed by heart rate increasing exercise dance class.

A highlight of sea days has been Angela Noble who continues to provide crafting classes allowing gal time camaraderie. One day I handstitched a potentially darling stuffed chicken. It is not my proudest creation but a spark has been ignited.

Another of her water coloring classes introduced us to 'neuro art' therapy which encouraged me to focus my mind and explore my creativity. What fun.

Angela guided us in making beaded keychains, which while simple, had us doing a little painting and creative construction.

I attended an earring decoupage class, too, even though my ears no long have holes in them. I'm very tempted to re-pierce my lobes to display my new creations! There is only one more class, before the cruise ends. I will greatly miss Angela and the women who gather around her. Fun stuff.

I so agree with the quote by Dee Hock, “Make an empty space in any corner of your mind, and creativity will instantly fill it.”

Enrichment lectures were a daily occurrence. Mayleen Reea, a local from Papeete, has shared many aspect of the Tahitian culture, preparing us for our ports-of-call there.

Mayleen even gave me the opportunity to participate in a Tahitian dance class. So dang fun.

On Day 9 of the cruise, we crossed the International Date Line and got to enjoy April 16th twice. I was envious of those who had TWO birthdays. What a geographically fun day.

On our second Day 9, the temperatures finally became tropical. Prior to that, this has been a pretty cold and windy cruise. Wild.

Each evening was spent at the Royal Theatre with a dazzling array of talent.

Simon Palomares, an Australia sitcom star who transitioned into a cruise comedian, really made us laugh.

Starwater was described as a "visual spectacle of groundbreaking technology and live performance artistry. Starwater explores human emotion as our muse brings together the magic of the stars and the mysteries of the seas for this awe-inspiring experience."

Nick & Whitney, two Royal Caribbean singers along with the ship's orchestra, performed a fabulous show. Nick did a medley of all the songs written with the same four chords, only, that blew us away. WOW.

Nick Nickolas is described as a "high-energy international award-winning magician, comedian, and juggler. Combining expert sleight of hard, amazing juggling, comedy, contortion, gags, and absurdities. Nick gives old tricks a new twist!" After seeing him, that's a pretty apt description.

Belinda Marks' production felt like old school shows. Glamorous, talented, and a varied repertoire. Brava!

Martin Ralph's show was described as "mad science meets comedy". With marvelous inventions, including the world's largest spinning tops, a stringless yo-yo, and so much more, his performance is one that felt real, authentic. His idol is Will Rogers and we could see why. Fun show.

No good cruise can be complete without a hypnotist. Phoenix's Mind Games Comedy Hypnosis Show was absolutely fantastic. And I volunteered.

While I made it through the first round of induction, I was asked to leave the stage when I just couldn't 'let go'. I was completely hypnotized when he told me that my hand was stuck to my forehead. There was NO way my hand was going anywhere without his command. Regardless, the remaining cruisers were exceptional. It has been a long time since we've laughed that hard.

Below are just a few images from life on the ship. We're in a comfortable groove, still enjoying what is being offered.

Door adornment continues to crack me up.

Hanging out with the Captain is always a treat!

Tomorrow, we will begin our explore of Tahiti. This is a first for us and we're very excited.

Our last port, for the next six days, was Auckland, New Zealand.

Instead we boarded a ferry and answered the siren song of Devonport. "Porcelain sand beaches, fresh azure waters, sweeping 360° views of Auckland, a heritage movie theatre, naval history, seaside playgrounds, art galleries, dining and boutique village shopping are all waiting for you.  Year round, enjoy a 10 minute ferry ride across Waitemata Harbor from Auckland’s Downtown Ferry Terminal. Step off the boat and explore an extraordinary village, nestled between mountains and sea."

Armed with this handy map, we set out to explore one of the earliest settled areas of Auckland which has a rich Māori and maritime history. "Discover Devonport's colonial cottages, stately waterfront homes, and World War II defenses that run deep into a volcanic cone." So intriguing.

Our first stop was at the Salvation Army thrift store because the weather report wasn't accurate and Steve needed a hat for sun protection. It may be heading into winter here but you would not know it today. Yay!

Our stroll took us along King Edward Parade.