Happy 101st Birthday!

The age range on this ship is phenomenal with Alexi, at age 6 on his second world cruise being the youngest, and Stephen Gettus of British Columbia, also on his second world cruise because his interest in the world continues, celebrating his 101st birthday on February 17. What could create a better photo opportunity than getting those two passengers together in the Pacific Lounge on the day before we docked in Auckland to wish Stephen a very happy birthday and many happy returns? In addition to a packed room of passengers, the Pacific Princess World Cruise 2011 Choir gave the birthday boy a musical salute. With the wild and wicked seas, we all swayed back and forth but not necessarily to the music.

When the "most life-experienced" passenger was asked by Cruise Director Brett what his advice was for living a long life, he quickly replied. "Follow your instincts and drink lots of Scotch whiskey!" Then Alexi presented him with a gift from Princess Cruises and tried to leave. Brett asked him if he wanted to help Stephen open his gift as he would his own birthday. It was a picture frame with Pacific Princess engraved on it. Brett also had arranged for greetings from the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and the president of Princess Cruises who wrote "very few people who have sailed through the Panama Canal this year can say that they were born before the Panama Canal was completed."

Not to be outdone, 101-year-old Stephen, who likes to rhyme words, recited a poem he had written for this day that started with "Why have I lived to be 101 when it's perfectly plain the good die young?" and ended with "I'd rather have you here today for my sake than have you here for my wake!" Then the captain and Executive Chef Antonio Cortese helped Stephen cut into the huge cake decorated with a 101st Birthday sign and a Canadian flag while the choir sang, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

All interested passengers then had an opportunity to take photographs of Stephen and his trophy wife, Mel, who is a young 90-year-old. This is the second marriage for both Stephen and Mel, who was married for 62 years. They met while playing bridge and were married six years ago. Chico and Dawn, a musical duo, serenaded the couple with Canadian Anne Murray's "Can I Have This Dance for the Rest of My Life?" Needless to say, a good time was had by all!