At least its not Lodi…
The cruise is over… we were just beginning to find our rhythm…
get up, eat, sit and read, eat (maybe even drink), sit and read, upstairs to the Crow’s nest for
drinks… if lucky we might see a whale or dolphin… then downstairs, nap, then up
for dinner (with wine) and walk about a bit before bed…
It has been an exciting morning… starting aboard the ship,
being awakened by noise about 5:00 am… I looked out the window… we have not yet
docked, but are in the channel…. Why are they vacuuming the passageway this
early? I roll over and try to go back to
sleep…
Sometime after 6:00… more noise (really ongoing noise)… now at dock… I surrender and decide to get up…
foot on floor, splash… or was it squish…
the floor is wet… the floor is flooded… We are on a ship… this cannot be a good… the water is supposed to be
outside, underneath… never underfoot
Tina calls the purser’s desk… They are not surprised, and ask if any water
was coming from the ceiling… (it wasn’t)… I stick my head out into the
passageway… they are working 5 cabins down… likely the origin point… The water extends from the outside wall the
length of the bed… the other end of the cabin is dry… I shower, pack stuff…
Tina showers… uses the blow dryer to dry her purse… We lose some receipts and museum brochures to
the flood…
We abandon our cabin… heading upstairs for breakfast,
carrying everything…
Breakfast was good… our disembarkation number is called… we
walk off into the line for customs… In line we encounter the people who formerly
occupied the cabin 5 doors down… They
awoke to water running down the wall, lights coming on randomly (shorting from
water) and lots of water in their cabin… things floating lots of water…. It was a hot water line in the ceiling that
failed… clean hot water… not brown smelly water or salty water… if you have to
have water it is the best kind of water…
They were moved to a different cabin for their last hours on
board, surprising a cabin stewart who was concerned that he had not checked
that cabin, not cleaned that cabin, not turned down beds in that cabin, or
supplied towel animals or little chocolates for the voyage…
Back in line… for customs… The gentleman from Customs and Border Patrol
was satisfied with our papers… clearing that line, we reclaim our bag, walk by
several dogs… outside… to a waiting taxi and are at the airport in minutes…
Find the Virgin America (Best Damn Airline in America!)
counter, and ask if there is room on the earlier flight… Tina (the Virgin counter staff, not the lovely
Tina standing next to me) says yes, and gets us checked in on the 10:30
flight...
We clear security… (shoes off, belts off, computer out of
bag… nothing in pockets… stand with hands over head…) and find our gate… call
the daughter…. And… our flight is delayed…
at least an hour…
A bit later the Virgin staff comes, to staff the counter…
answering questions… (it's fog… in San Francisco) Then, one of the staff does something I have
never seen before… after making announcements, he walks around the gate area
asking if anyone has any questions… It
was proactive, friendly, informal approach…
It was some of the best customer service I have ever seen… His name was
Markos… I think he may be cabin staff on our plane (he is wearing a black shirt…
gate staff wear red)… I love Virgin…
With luck, the fog is clearing and we will be off soon…
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