Today's tour options are (both $50/per person):
Naval Station & MacArthur Memorial (wheelchair accessible, scooter accessible, 2 1/2 hours, Level 1 in physical activity, cameras permitted, and restrooms available). This tour had two time slots available, 8:45AM and 1:15PM. Described as a narrated tour of Norfolk with a stop at the Naval Base and ending at the MacArthur Memorial which is within walking distance to the ship. When MacArthur Memorial is closed, we will visit St. Paul's church where you can walk the cemetery and grounds, and if there is no service being conducted within the church, you are welcome to enter the building. A note is added that we must being picture ID for Naval Station. The preceding was what Ali included in the daily schedule for today. In the tour descriptions page we got on day 1, it says nothing about St. Paul's Church possibly being substituted for MacArthur Memorial.
Virginia Beach & Botanical Gardens Exploration (wheelchair and scooter accessible, 3 hours long, a 3 for physical activity rating, cameras permitted, and bathrooms available). This tour also had two time slots, 8:45AM and 1:45PM. Described as a relaxing riding tour through the beautiful port including a stop at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Due to the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse being under renovation, you will be able to view grounds, the exterior of the lighthouse, and have free time in the gift shop. Dad had surprised me when he said he wanted to sign up for both tours today as he's not really a "go look at pretty flowers" kind of person. Hours later he changed his mind and tried to visit the office multiple times between embarkation day and this morning to tell Ali that we were canceling the afternoon session of this tour. He ended up leaving a note for her in the drop box on the door yesterday and told her about the note when we saw her in the hallway. She had no knowledge of the note but didn't have any issue with us canceling.
Dad loves military history and war museum type tours so we definitely were going for the Naval Station option. I'm not as into the topic but I highly recommend the World War II museum in New Orleans as it is really well done and arranged. Book tickets in advance and devote several hours to a full day there. Since we had initially considered booking both tours, we chose the 8:45AM Naval Station time slot. Because of the early tour time, Ali changed the breakfast times to 7AM to 9AM.
Went simple today with scrambled eggs and sausage. I did notice during the cruise that sometimes the sausage looked different so I'm guessing it was either different brands or one was pork and one was turkey. If you have religious or dietary objections, I advise asking which it is that given day. My fruit garnish looks so naked without a tiny skewer stuck through it.
After breakfast we headed to the gangway and discovered that due to the tide, we were now disembarking from deck 2. Now I see why the onboard gym doesn't have a Stairmaster, they just use the gangway.
When we got on the pier there was a small group of passengers crowded around a guide so we hung around waiting for direction. Soon this guide explained that she was there for the Botanical Garden excursion but encouraged everyone to check out the Nauticus museum and the USS Wisconsin that was our neighbor when I stepped onto the balcony this morning. We were really interested in that idea and decided to check it out when we returned from our tour.
Since we were a relatively small tour group of 10, it didn't take long to get settled on the bus and ready to go. Our guide took a head count and called roll as he had to turn in a sheet with our names on it to the Naval Station when we arrived. As we started the drive and passed by Nauticus, he mentioned the museum and lamented that it was too bad we were here on a Monday when it's closed. Dad and I just looked at each other flabbergasted. It's closed on Mondays? Why would the other guide be encouraging us to check it out if it was closed today? We also were annoyed that no one on the ship bothered to point that out. Even more so when I posted the above picture to Facebook prior to our tour and later read a comment from a local to Norfolk friend who commented about how unfortunate we were there on Mondays when it's closed! I shouldn't have to look up every place these pre-arranged tours are visiting just to make sure they are really open that day! That's something the other local guide should have known, much less the cruise director.
We arrived at the Naval Station early so we had to sit on the bus waiting while they finished their own morning roll call. Our guide helped pass the time by telling a joke about a retired military man who took a job as a Wal-Mart greeter when he decided he was too bored sitting at home. The veteran was loved by all the customers and enjoyed the job. One day the boss calls him in to his office and the veteran is sure he's going to be given a promotion. The boss praises him for his work but asks what they would have said to him if he'd been coming in late everyday to his military job like he has been to Wal-Mart. The veteran's reply was "They'd say Good Morning Admiral, would you like some coffee?"
Once we were given the go ahead to head inside the visitor center style building, our guide led us off the bus and quickly ushered us through two metal detectors. Those with joint replacements and pacemakers were asked to identify themselves and be wanded by hand. Our guide jumped in to hand out little baskets to hold our purses and phones etc so they wouldn't trigger the metal detector. We filled each basket and handed them back to him. Once our bodies passed through the metal detector, he'd hand us back the basket. The basket and its contents never got scanned or checked. Neither did our picture IDs we were told we had to bring. After we were each through the metal detector, we were given the chance to use the restrooms. A few of us wandered into the gift shop just beyond the metal detectors. I stopped to chat about the game with the couple we'd talked to about it at dinner the night before and before I even had a chance to browse the shop, our guide was hurrying us all back onto the bus. Really wish I'd had the time to pick out one of those NCIS branded shirts.
Once back on the bus, we were joined by a young female Navy sailor. She now provided the commentary as we drove throughout the base seeing planes, housing, and their own shopping, restaurant, and movie theater all seen through the bus windows. Our guide did another head count but seemed convinced that we were missing someone. It was suggested that he call roll again but he said he couldn't because he had turned in the list of names when we arrived. After a bit of recounting multiple times, he declared that "we'd pick them up on the way back" and off we drove. Due to security restrictions, there is no getting off the bus to explore or get further pictures.
We learned that they transport planes down the roads within the base so they put the traffic lights down low to the ground so the plane wings can clear over them.
Above: Memorial to the lives lost on the USS Iowa.
Below: Memorial to the lives lost on the USS Cole.
We were allowed to take as many pictures through the window as we wanted until we reached a giant parking lot adjacent to the battleships and aircraft carriers lined up along the water's edge. The Navy sailor warned that as we left the parking lot and drove around to get a closer view of the ships, if anyone took pictures after that, their camera would be confiscated and this tour would be over. Thankfully everyone followed the rules. We stopped back at the visitor center long enough to drop off our sailor guide and got back on the open road. Guess our mystery tour member is lost forever to the arrival of common core math.
Expecting to be visiting now the MacArthur Memorial, our guide soon announces that we're going to St. Paul's Church next. Someone asks about the memorial and he replies "It's closed." Once at the church we head inside and meet a parishioner that the guide seems to know personally. We all pile into the pews as this parishioner gives a lecture on the history of the church. It's famous for having a cannonball from the war still lodged into an outside wall. The parishioner finishes his speech and checks in with the guide expecting us to be leaving now. The guide tells him that we've got plenty of time and to keep talking. You could tell this parishioner was put on the spot and was making up things to talk about as he went.
Eventually we were sent off to look around inside the church with the promise that we'd be soon led out to view the cannonball. Several of us took the opportunity to duck outside and find the cannonball on our own.
In case you get lost walking around the brick pathway surrounding this church, there's a sign to point out said cannonball.
I noticed a few grave plots in the cemetery had the larger headstone and then a little flat but upright stone at the bottom. Curious to know the explanation behind this. They didn't seem to have any writing on them so I don't think it was a second person's grave marker.
As we waited in the front graveyard for everyone else, I used my phone to look up why the MacArthur Memorial was closed. I expected to find that it's closed for restoration or construction. Nope, closed simply because it's Monday!
Once back on the bus, our guide admitted that we were finished really early because he was used to having to push groups of 40 people through the metal detectors. Apparently our small group was too efficient for him.
Loved the mermaid depictions throughout the city:
Back to the ship where I worked my glutes climbing back up to deck 2 on the gangway until the passengers in front of me stopped short near the top. Okay, guess it's working glutes and core now as I was stuck mid climb until they started moving again.
We headed down to the dining room for lunch. Today's lunch service hours were also modified due to the afternoon tours, 11:30AM to 1:30PM.
I skipped the salad appetizer in favor of having the Marinated Steak Salad entrée. Is there some law that every dish has to include blue cheese on this sailing? I don't normally choose blue cheese at home but I'm pretty sure I morphed into a giant block of blue cheese by trip's end. This was a nice balance of salad and protein.
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