Page 8 of Total Ship Show

The rest of the flight is relatively painless save for a small amount of turbulence and a crying baby. Once we land, I make sure to be one of the first people off the plane and hightail it out of there praying the hot guy behind me doesn’t have to wait for his luggage like I do. I stand next to a random guy so it looks like we could be together and wait for my suitcase to appear. Once I grab all my belongings it’s a quick walk to the cruise line shuttle check-in where I deposit my bags and hop on the bus, choosing a seat close to the front so I can get off quickly. Settled in for the ride, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and relax for a quick cat nap as we make our way to the port.

“Holy shit that thing is huuuuuge.”

“That’s what she said,” an older lady in front of me whispers with a wink as I step onto the gangplank to board the massive ship waiting for all its travelers. Just off to the side of where we’re boarding is a huge sign painted with what can only be described as fuck-me red letters that spell outWhere Lovers Meetunderneath the ship’s logo. Several couples are lined up to get their picture taken in front of that sign but not me.

Where lovers meet…

If only.

I think I’m a little late for that now.

As if on cue, my phone dings in my pocket.

Grace:EEEEEEEK! Ladies!! I can’t wait to see you! Derek and I just landed! We’ll be at port soon!

Hillary:OMG we have another 40 minutes or so until we’re there! Let’s hope traffic isn’t a nightmare! Good thing Ted is driving and not me! LOL. #ragedriver

Jackie:Can’t WAIT to see y’all! I heard from Amanda before they took off. She and Michelle should still be in the air another twenty minutes or so.

Pippa:So excited!!! Bring on the booze and sunshine!

Grace:Adrienne, where you at, girl??

Me:First one here ladies! Dropping my shit in my stateroom and finding the nea

rest bar! Travel safe and see you soon! *Smiley emoji*

As excited as I am to see my friends, the pressure I feel after telling them I had a plus one when I booked this shindig is starting to smother me. Oh, how I wish Joaquin were here with me. He would make sure I let loose and had a good time and I know he would’ve done a damn good job making me look good in front of my friends. If I don’t have a significant other to introduce to them now, I’m going to have to come up with one hell of a good story to tell them. I guess that’s next on my list of things to do before I run into the ladies. Having left my luggage at the cruise check-in back at the airport, I clutch my carry-on bag in my hands and head off to deck five to find my stateroom.

“5246Z,” I murmur to myself as I double check my room number on the paper in my hand. “This is it.”

Letting myself into the room, my initial reaction is a straight up jaw drop.

“Holy…this is gorgeous.”

The pristine stateroom gives off all the modern IKEA vibes with pristine white walls, cabinets, doors, and countertops. The queen bed near the back wall sits against a grey padded headboard and is covered in a snowy white duvet with matching pillows. Two decorative throw pillows lay atop the bedding, one with red and white stripes and the other with navy blue stripes. Having splurged a little for an ocean-view room, I take notice of how the curtains around the small circular window are red on top but blue on the bottom at the exact place the ocean can be seen from across the room as if the entire bottom half of the wall was the ocean.

Sensational!

Indeed, the bold accents of color around the room from the pillows to the curtains to the chair along the wall bring a fun spunky vibe to the place that might otherwise leave the white room looking clinical and drab.

It’s breathtaking.

It’s luxurious.

And it’s all for me!

I free fall backwards onto the bed and release a huge breath. “I think I could get used to this.”

Taking a few extra minutes to myself to enjoy the small view of the ocean from my window and then freshen myself up from a long morning of travel, I finally take a quick look at the map of the ship and locate a bar to hide away in while I sip some liquid courage and come up with my reason for being here alone.

I mosey into the Draught House, which, judging from the brewery ambiance, is the place aboard this floating Heaven to grab a beer. Large silver barrels line the wall behind the bar and a few are scattered throughout the room.

As decoration?

As a tabletop?

Maybe both.

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