Girlfriends Cruise 2025 - Days 1-3 - Departure and Sea Days

 The girls and I have all met up!  It's time to board the ship and we are EXCITED!!  Some of us have been on the Jubilee before so I'm not going to share all the features of the ship this time.  If you are interested in seeing spots all around her, here is the 2024 LINK where I did post many pictures.

We get a bit of a photo bomb, but we're almost there. 

The very first thing we do is stop for a pic together.  Check that off the list.  (Sad part is I totally forgot to go and get a copy of the pic.  What is wrong with me?)

After mustering and dropping bags at the room, we meet up for some lunch.

When Kelly and I return to the room, we have treats since she is doing a back to back.  Nice little snack for later.

We need our first drink and manage to locate four seats at the Center Stage Bar.  Love the sign behind us.

Door decorations for our room --- 

Kelly and I have a room at the front of the ship - a first for both of us - so we decide to watch sail away from there.  It's dang cold out, but we're gonna do it.

After this picture was taken, all four of us wound up covered in a duvet from the room.

We have dolphins along the way with us.

As part of Kelly's back to back, she has free pictures so we gather together for some fun.  (In the sense of transparency, the original pic has a HUGE Back to Back sign and I cropped it out.)

Dinner time --- we are not in the dining room we requested and are off to a REALLY rocky start with service.  However, I cannot fault the food.

12th - Our first Sea Day and it's still pretty cold and dreary outside.

This little guy greets us on our return from coffee.

Brunch in the dining room - 

As we are walking around the ship, Kelly finds a duck sitting below this sculpture.  Since the sculpture is new to me I thought I'd share it.  It was inspired by a drawing from a St. Jude's patient.

Debi, Ramona, and Linda are in the Center Stage area when we meet up.  They are preparing for a few rounds of BINGO.

Meanwhile, I'm doing a bit of stitching on my January UFO.

After lunch, six of us are taking an Ice Cream Class.

It's not quite what we thought we'd be doing, but still sounds yummy and fun.  Mis en place ready to go.

Our Chef Instructor

The first item we are making is the batter for waffle cones and once it is made, it goes off to one of the chefs to make the actual cones.  Next is crepes.  Yep.  

Neither I or my station partner, Ramona, have ever done these and there is some trepidation.  We manage to do it and are both tickled.

Our cones have returned.

Next we are carmelizing bananas

First we heat them up 

And then add our caramel mixture.

Final product with ice cream ( we didn't make it, but watched while the Chef did).  Yummy Bananas Foster.

Our last item is Fresh Sorbet where we simply put frozen fruit into a sorbet machine.  Gotta say, I want one of those amazing machines.  The sorbet cones are to DIE for.

Gwen tried to get into this picture, but all we really have is her cone.  

We are SOOOOOO full, but it was truly delicious.

On the way back to my room, I spot the Jubilee Bell from the Original Jubilee ship.

After dinner - definitely better service tonight - Gwen, Frieda, and I watched the show, Celestial Strings, on Center Stage.  We also say it last year in the Jubilee theater and I took way more pictures then.  Here is the 2024 LINK 

13th - Sea Day Number 2 and it looks like it is improving outside.  I'm hanging out in my normal morning spot - love it here.

Brunch in the dining room - 

This guy greets us upon our return.

Oh - a peek at the room.

Gwen, Frieda, and I have another class today.  It is a Pitmaster and BBQ class.  Mis en place waiting for us.

We're ready to go.

First step is to make the rub.

Onto the meat it goes.  Obviously we can't do the actual pieces while in class, so they take these off to make for the crew and bring us in some that was made the exact same way.

Now to prepare the rolls.

Sauce is made and meat is warming.

The finished product, along with some carmelized pineapple and ice cream, which was pretty much the same technique as yesterday's bananas.

At this point, the class is taken out to the smokers for a small lesson.

Followed up with reserved seats at Pig and Anchor, where we have a plate of more food delivered to us.  I am so stuffed that I do not make it through the tray.

However, not so stuff as to pass up a dark beer.  Both cooking classes gifted us with spatulas to take home as well.

Everyone meets up to visit and enjoy each other.

I can't believe how fast this day has gone.  The sun is heading down and we are changing for dinner.

So this waiter of ours truly made Showtime fun.  He was a blast to watch.  

Tonight we are supposed to be able to see Mars right next to the moon, but I think they are too close as this is all I can get.

That sends me to my app and we are right - the moon is pretty much blocking Mars for us.

Platinum treats to the room tonight also.  Goodness.  Time for bed - tomorrow is a port day.