Elise Ivy World Cruise Hostess

Rick and Elise during the viewing of the WC video

All the crew came out and sang "We are Family"

Capt. Glen thanking everyone for a fantastic WC

Getting Ready for the balloon drop

Bill and I watching the video thanks Becky for the photo!

Friday April 20, 2012
@ sea en route to LA

"Oh my bags are packed"  Wow it seems like yesterday I started this blog with those very words!  We were all excited and eager to start our 94 day journey onboard Crystal Serenity World Cruise 2012.  Well here it is 94 days later and it seems like just yesterday we started out.  It flew by.
 What an emotional day!  Today was the last day on ship, my last memoir writing class and my last day "in the office" with Becky, Pat and Betty.  Everyone was busy trying to get all the photos and stuff done.  Some were still packing.  I had that all done last night except for the carry on!  Hey, I wanted to enjoy today. We watched the morning show and Rick and Elise called Capt Glen to thank him, he turned the tables on them and thanked them first.  Then after the show came Capt. Glen's talk and his thought for the day was "Don't cry because it's over smile because it happened.  Well it just hit me and the tears started down my face.  I composed myself and went to the Bistro.  I had breakfast with Pat and Ray and Bill joined us a little while later.  We all headed into the showing of the WC video.  Rick had the banner from the WC event in Shanghai that they wrote for us that says Bon Voyage Crystal Serenity in Chinese and they decided to auction it off with the proceeds going to the crew welfare fund.  Nice touch.  It went for $2000.00.
Rick and Elise each spoke and before we knew it Elise was crying and the tears started again.  I composed myself one more time.  We watched the video which was so great!  After the video Rick came on stage and introduced the Crystal Sextet who sang "What a wonderful world"  Next thing you know Capt. Glen came up and thanked everyone for a fabulous WC and Rick said we want you to welcome your crew.  Most of the crew came marching into the Galaxy theater while they were all singing "We Are Family"  well this was too much plus the fact that Becky had been crying since yesterday.  The flood gates started.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.  It was very emotional!  When you spend 94 days with the same people you do become "like family".  Of course you don't bond with everyone.  There are some who you wish would leave after the first time you meet them but like family you are stuck with them! But most of the people were so great it is sad to think you might not see them again.  Of course I am crying because now I will have to make my own tea! Pick up my own towels, and make my own bed.  Oh please let me stay!!!!

We had to find our Lido guys to thank them for the fabulous service and of course Harry the Ice Cream man who would find me and tell me he had Cherry Vanilla ice cream hidden for me even if I was just walking through! So what could I do I mean the man went out of his way to find me and bring me the ice cream I had to eat it!

We went to the 5pm show which was great.  Stopped in to say goodbye to Karen and Hubert, and Jeremy and made our way down to the cove where they were going to have a dancing music, singing and balloon drop.  Didn't we just do this like 2 weeks ago.
We sat with Nelda and Sheldon and pretty soon Betty and Kris and Becky joined us.  We had champagne well I had it and the entertainment started.  We had a countdown and the balloons dropped we sang Auld Lang Syne and it felt like New Year's!!!!  Everyone hugging and crying.  I am exhausted but it isn't over yet. We head to dinner.  Augusto made us a Cesar Salad tableside he makes the best!!!! And he made us his special eggplant parmagiana.  I made a comment about how I will miss the salt sticks before I knew it I had a package of them wrapped to go!!!!
I will try to post in the next few days my final thoughts on this incredible journey.  Right now I am sad to be leaving the ship, happy to be able to skype with the kids and grandkids, and thinking that reality bites!!!!!
We must be in the Hollywood Theater tomorrow at 8:45am for our limo to the airport.  Our plane is due to land in Phoenix at 2:10pm. Hopefully it will be on time.
I am sitting here thinking how blessed I am that I had this extraordinary opportunity to be able to cruise this World Cruise.  We have seen so many places on my bucket list.  We have met some wonderful new friends, we have sailed with some old friends.  It has truly been a treasured time.