TUESDAY,  NOVEMBER 6, 2012, SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - As we had planned before leaving home the main activity this morning after breakfast at the hotel was to gather all our dirty clothes and go to a "launderette" and get everything washed and folded before we boarded the ship.  Sylvia had searched on-line and located this "launderette" which was within easy walking distance from the hotel in Southampton.  One day toward the end of the cruise on the Silhouette the ship had advertised a laundry special of $25 to wash and fold everything that could be placed in a medium size paper bag.  We had taken advantage of that special which had helped get underclothes and some other items clean, but after more than two weeks there were plenty of other clothes that needed to be washed.  We packed all the dirty items into a small suitcase and, following our printed Mapquest directions that we had brought from home, started our walk.  In about 1/2 hour we located the establishment and proceeded to fill 6 machines.  When everything was once again clean and folded and back in the suitcase we returned to the hotel and checked out. 

A short taxi ride later we arrived at the dock where the Celebrity Constellation was tied up.  We had traveled on this ship on a previous occasion in May of 2008, our first European cruise, a Baltic cruise with two days in St. Petersburg, Russia.  On that trip we departed from and returned to the port city of Harwick, England.  And, in January 2010, we had traveled on a sister ship, the Millennium, on a Australia/New Zealand cruise.  So, this ship looked very familiar.  However, arriving at the dock check-in area shortly before noon, we were told that we would not be able to board for about 3-4 hours; that the ship was being "cleaned" because on the previous trip many passengers had been ill with a Rivieras.

Initially, we were directed to wait at a nearby hotel that was about 2 city blocks away.  When we arrived there, dragging all our luggage, we found the public rooms of that hotel already "overrun" with a large group of passengers who were waiting.  Eventually we were able to locate some seats in a lobby area and found enough space to stow our luggage.  After about 1 1/2 hours the restlessness overtook us and we made our way back toward the ship check-in boarding area.  This time we were directed toward a seating area and there, along with a few hundred others, we waited another hour or so.  Finally, about 2:30 enough of the "cleaning" was completed that passengers were allowed to begin boarding the ship.  As our row was finally called we made our way toward the check-in area and once our large bags were sent ahead with ship's personnel, we then proceeded to board the ship.  On board we were told that the "cleaning" of the staterooms was not yet completed so we would need to wait in public rooms of the ship.  We proceeded to the Seaside Cafe on deck 14 where the lunch buffet was being served and ate lunch.  Then we sat at our table for another hour or so, until the announcement was made that the staterooms could be occupied.  As we waited, we constantly looked for our friends, Bill & Marie Herrmann and Paul & Carol Melton.  We had met on-line and exchanged pictures  along with lots of emails.

Bill & Marie Herrmann from Buffalo, N.Y.

Paul & Carol Melton from Danville, VA.

 

I jumped ahead and grabbed these pictures taken in Paris so that you would have an idea of the people I was talking about in this narrative.

 

Within an hour of getting into our staterooms the ship sailed and the announcement was made that we would need to gather in our assigned locations for the muster drill.  (For any of you who might not have been on a cruise, the muster drill is the time when ship personnel demonstrate how to wear the life jacket and the procedures to follow in case of an life-threatening emergency).  Our assigned gathering place for this event was a large theater.  Sitting in one of the back rows of seats before the event began, we overheard a woman talking of her planned trip to Paris and it sounded very familiar.  We noted that she was sitting a couple of rows behind us.  When the event ended, we made our way toward this woman and once near her asked her if she was Carol Melton.  And, there was Carol with her husband, Paul.  Carol & Paul had met Bill & Marie earlier in the day and together with Carol & Paul, we were then able to locate Bill & Marie.  And so began a very close friendship with lots of adventures together for the next 12?? days.

 

We returned to our cabins after making plans to meet Bill & Marie and Paul & Carol for dinner in the San Marco Dining Room where we discussed our plans for the next two days.  After dinner we stopped by the ship's customer service desk to inform them that we would be off the ship for the next two days and then returned to our staterooms to prepare for the Paris adventure which included packing a small bag for the overnight trip to Paris.