"Dude, I am so looking forward to this cruise. Ten days at sea with a
boat load of single women!" Brad exclaimed as they parked their van
in the long-term parking garage.
"I call the top bunk," said Chris.
"Sure whatever, I don't plan to be spending much time in the cabin,"
you say.
"Well, if you get lucky with one of the girls, you'll wish you had the
bottom bunk, Alan," Brad said with a grin.
"No, it just means, you three will be sleeping on the deck chairs,"
was his retort.
"Hurry up, grab your bags and run. We're late!" you say locking the
van and grabbing your suitcase and running.
The others follow. The ship's whistle blows.
A voice booms over the intercom, "All a shore who's going a shore!"
"Hurry!"
You four are briefly hassled by security, but when the horn blows
again. They let you through. You run up the gangway. The man in the
white uniform at the top of the gangway takes your tickets. Then he
consults his iPad. He frowns, and rubs his chin.
"Is there a problem?" you ask.
"You are late."
"So? We are here now aren't we?"
"Well, your accommodations were given to some standby passengers. Let
me see where can I put you."
"Hey, we paid for a cabin - if you're bumping us - it had better be an
upgrade," snapped Brad.
Chris and Alan loudly added their assent. You just want the cabin you
paid for - and say as much.
"Ah, here we go. There, this should do nicely. Steward!" he said
calling over another man in a white uniform, "Here's these gentlemen's
new accommodations. Will you please escort them to their cabin? Thank
you. And sirs, please set your luggage here, we'll take care of it."
"Well,our cabin better be at least as good as the cabin we booked."
"Don't worry, sirs. You have been assigned a very special
accommodations for this cruise," the head steward advised as your
party set down their bags and followed the other steward.