[CaptJohn]

Happy Birthday! Here's to a lot more! .....or if you prefer

[swrinfla]

Thank you all so much! I enjoyed my Special Day on the last night of a cruise aboard Holland America's Ryndam headed back to Tampa after a week exploring Key West, Roatan [Honduras], Santo Tomas [Guatemala] and Costa Maya [Mexico]. My fellow passengers and wait staff provided a grand chorus of Happy Birthday, and I thoroughly enjoyed my Baked Alaska.

Non-cruisers must know that on at least some cruise lines the last night is traditionally Baked Alaska night. In the old days, the dining room lights were turned down, the wait staff marched in with each Baked Alaska aflame. Later, the "aflame" turned to sparklers. Nowadays, safety precautions dictate that most of the dessert is quietly delivered to the serving stations, and the parade is unexciting, except for the napkin-waving guests!

My personalized birthday cake did have one candle on it, which a waiter did actually light - I'm sad to think that even that small touch will disappear one day soon!

Still and all, it's huge fun to celebrate a birthday on a cruise ship!

Again, thank you all!

SWR