Day 2 - At Sea on Quest
/Our first day full day aboard Azamara Quest is a bit rocky, the seas are a little rough and we notice that sea sickness bags have been placed in the elevators and stairwells, just in case. We have certainly been in much rougher seas, so I think it would only adversely affect someone with extreme sensitivity to motion. Nevertheless, the winds are very strong and warning signs discourage guests from walking on the outer decks.
I found Windows Cafe to be the best place for early morning blogging and enjoying coffee. While working on the blog, a gentleman approached me with an interesting request. He is the Bridge lecturer on this cruise and he apparently forgot to pack his MacBook Air, which he uses for his presentations. I could tell he was desperate, so I offered to let him use my MacBook over the next few mornings for his lectures. Fortunately, all of his presentations were on USB thumb drives. Crisis averted.
Rickee and I made our traditional visit to the Casino to make our donation to the slot machines. Ten minutes and a negative $40 later, we decided we had given enough to the cause and walked over to Mosaic Cafe for a well-deserved treat. The coconut macaroons looked very inviting, and were delicious. Mosaic Cafe is open throughout the day and offers a variety of coffee drinks, snacks and sweets.
Mosaic Cafe is a popular spot on Azamara Quest
While Rickee attended a lecture on Humpback Whales, I decided to check out the Indian Cooking Demonstration in Prime C, Azamara Quest's steakhouse. This morning, we learned how to prepare Curry Chicken with a Masala gravy, a very traditional Indian dish. Chef Joao explained all of the spices and techniques used to prepare the dish. At the end of the demo, we all enjoyed a sample of the fragrant, spicy chicken.
Chef Joao shows us how to prepare Curry Chicken
After the cooking demo, and whale lecture, we joined other guests in the Cabaret Lounge for Progressive Team Trivia with Cruise Director, Russ Greive, and Activity Manager, Lee. We sailed with Russ back in 2014 and remember him to be very energetic and a lot of fun. The trivia questions were not particularly difficult, but my contributions were limited. I was certain of one of my answers only to learn I was incorrect. Maybe I will do better tomorrow?
Lee and Russ conduct Team Trivia
For lunch today, Rickee and I decide to give Discoveries Restaurant a try. We were seated at a table for two and quickly noticed that Discoveries appears to be another venue left untouched by the recent renovation efforts. I enjoyed a delicious Thai Chicken soup followed by a Penne Pasta in curry cream sauce with Lamb Kofta. All dishes were very good.
Penne Pasta with Lamb Kofta
This evening, we again visited The Living Room on Deck 10 forward for a cocktail. Formerly The Looking Glass, The Living Room is the ship's observation lounge and offers an expansive view of the ocean. It would appear that this space has undergone a complete renovation with a bright new bar, new furnishings and carpet, and a small buffet service with a selection of tapas each evening.
The Living Room Bar
After enjoying our cocktail and a beautiful Caribbean sunset, we decided to try The Patio for dinner. During the day, The Patio is the ship's pool grill, but in the evening, it is now transformed into a casual bistro with a small, but interesting menu. Our waiter brought us each a glass of the day's complimentary wine, red for me and white for Rickee. Rickee was not too hungry so opted only for a visit to the salad bar and a baked potato. I ordered the lamb medallions with sauteed mushrooms. My lamb was cooked perfectly. The Patio is a new concept, and apparently, a popular one. By the time we left, the tables were beginning to fill.
Sunset on Azamara Quest
After dinner, we made our way back to Cabaret Lounge for the evening show. Due to some technical difficulties, the planned show had to be postponed. Fortunately, comedian Rich Shidner was able to help out by making us all laugh with his comedy routine.
Comedian, Rich Shidner
Tomorrow, we will enjoy another day at sea as Azamara Quest heads towards Cartegena, Columbia.
