Well if you are reading this we have gotten our technical challenges fixed. The internet connection on the ship is very slow. Sometime during the uploads, the data got jumbled and the tool decided that we needed a completely new upload. This was impossible on the ship. We tried to do it while we were in Panama, but the service at the internet cafe there was slower than the ship and we just ran out of time before it completed. It was either catch the ship before it left port or upload the web site. We chose the former. We may not be able to update this until we get home.
The concierge made arrangements for us to go diving tomorrow. Since the ship does not offer it in this port, he called the dive shop I gave him and handed the phone to me so I could discuss the arrangements with them. So it should be three of us diving, Tom, myself and our Pied Piper Host Ian.
Celebrity invited our group to take tours of the bridge. This truly is a bridge in that it runs from one side of the ship to the other. You can stand on the side and see completely down to the stern of the vessel. 
The wheel is disappointing. Gone are the days when you had two men wrestling a massive wooden wheel to turn the ship. Now it is done with joysticks or as an alternative, there is a small wheel, probably about 10 inches across that can be used.
Security has been increased since we last visited the bridge with everyone being pre-cleared, sign-in/out sheets etc.
Overall, there does not seem to be too much angst over not going to Costa Rica. Although you do have a few grumblers. Tom and I were happy in that we could get another set of dives in.
Monday, February 26, 2007
