January 17, 2014. Jupiter, Florida. Upgrade.

We have been upgraded. Our next cruise will take us to California, via the Panama Canal, taking the route of the 19th Century. The ship is the Norwegian Star, which is not as new a ship as the last cruise, The Allure of The Sea. I knew the system in the cruise lines, in that the unsold more expensive cabins have people bumped up, so the less expensive cabins will be sold at a bargain. It is smart of the cruise lines because we are delighted to be upgraded. Our new cabin, 4092, is bigger and comes with lots of perks, such as concierge service, personalized stationary, unlimited bottled water and chocolates on the pillow at night. It still has a balcony, which is a good thing. We love to sit and just watch the water going by, always looking for birds and fish. Now we are getting excited. On Sunday afternoon, Dave and Irene will drop us at our motel, which is very close to the docks. Then on Sunday, we board our ship, but now we join the fancy short line for those who have bought suites. And when we get to our cabin, we will be greeted with a bottle of sparkling wine and a basket of fruit. Some days, you just get lucky.