A day at sea was the perfect way to end the cruise. Not that we were exactly tired having done virtually nothing yesterday, but we welcomed the chance to pack leisurely, enjoy the beautiful weather, and have one last indulgent double date.

Happy fifth anniversary to Matt and Emily! 

Matt and Emily napped and read away their morning as did Dan. I decided to take advantage of a backstage tour being offered by a few of the vary talented singers and dancers. They showed us the dressing rooms, costume storage, laundry, etc. and answered all our questions about getting hired, contract length, and so forth. I also enjoyed a navigation lecture by the could-be-a-stand-up-comedian captain. He explained that there are no paper charts on our ship, only electronic; Celebrity has the first female American captain; and what happens should the main steering mechanism fail. Downright riveting information presented in a humorous way!

Just before noon we four met for the Top Chef @ Sea Quick Fire Challenge. First order of business was to get two teams of two to compete to participate in the Big Challenge. Our cute little anniversary gal was chosen for one team! When the clock was set, she and her guy partner had to peel three potatoes, grate a block of cheese, squeeze a full glass of OJ, and separate eggs and whip them into a meringue…by hand. Poor Emily did the meringue and I have no idea how her arms did not play out. Her partner did the other three things. Bottom line…they won with us cheering enthusiastically. The other couple (the losers) left the stage and then it was time for Emily to compete against her former teammate, the guy who grated the cheese, squeezed the oranges, and peeled the potatoes. The clock was set for something like 12 minutes and they each had to cook, plate, and name their filet and fresh vegetable dish. A chef was on hand to coach each contestant. Three judges taken from the audience scored the entries and sadly, in spite of our spirited encouragement from the sidelines, Emily came in second by one iddy bitty point. No matter, she got to keep her Top Chef apron, chef hat, and got a bottle of champagne.

By the end of the contest it was time, by darn it, to eat again. After lunch we went our separate ways for the afternoon. Matt napped, Emily and I read, and Dan headed to the casino where he won! With our Bingo take and this, we were up a whopping $240.

We met for our usual cocktails, four course meal, and entertainment. Kudos to our wait staff who picked up my not so subtle hints that it was M&Em’s anniversary. A cute little cake and candle were presented with the dessert course. A great last day!