Day 1 – Saturday July 8
Ugh! 7:14 am flight to Miami. We were warned that AirTran has been experiencing
delays, particularly early on Saturday mornings, so we got up at 3:00 and left
for the airport at 4:00. Dropped the car off at a park-and-fly and got in line
to check the bags. By 5:00 am, our bags were checked and we had our boarding
passes. Ah well - find some tea and coffee and wait around.
Flight landed at Miami just after 9:00 am, and the first shuttle out to the ship
wasn't until 10:30… more waiting.
Got to the ship - lots of people in line - more waiting.
Got on the ship, cabin won't be ready for a while, so up to the Windjammer
buffet restaurant which was supposed to open at 12:00. More waiting, as it
didn't open until 12:45. By now, we have mastered the art of waiting around, and
we are ready for the vacation to begin.
So, into our cabin to begin our Cruise - with a 2-hour nap!
We decided on Portofino restaurant and the Mystery Dinner Theater for the first
night. A little pricey, but good food and mildly entertaining comedy murder
mystery. Tracy guessed correctly that the brother did it.
Day 2 - Sunday July 9
Port of call: None - day at sea. First full day onboard. Breakfast in the cabin
via room-service. Wonderful sitting on the balcony with our tea and coffee.
Lounged all day by the pool, reading, napping, reading a little more, napping a
lot more. Weather is beautiful.
| Dinner in the main dining room. We were seated at a table with a couple from
Scotland - Jim and Liz. They are about our age, and delightful. Tracy had a real
tough time understanding Jim's Scottish accent - easier with Liz. This was
formal night, and Jim wore his formal kilt, which was quite a sharp look. |
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After dinner we went to a show - some sort of tribute to Broadway, but we were
both nodding off so we didn't stay long.
Back to the cabin, where we found our first ever towel animal (we've been
disappointed not to get them on previous cruises). It was some sort of winged
creature, most likely a bat. Tea and coffee on the balcony, and then to sleep.
Day 3 - Monday July 10
Port of call: Labadee, Haiti - Royal Caribbean's "private island." Very nice
beaches with various water activities, plus lunch and shopping. We relaxed for a
while in lounge chairs, but skipped the lunch (we had a big breakfast) and
headed back to the ship. Sat by the pool for more reading and napping.
| Stopped at the Schooner Bar before dinner and met a very nice German couple,
Frank and Petra. They've been in the US for about a year for Frank's work. Don
enjoyed dusting off some of his rusty German language. They're on board with
their teenagers Frank and Andrea (whom we meet later on). |
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Another pleasant dinner in the main dining room. Jim and Liz are on their 11th
cruise, all with Royal Caribbean, and we enjoy talking about various
destinations they've been to.
Day 4 - Tuesday July 11
Port of call: Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Up and out early (for us, anyway) for
inner-tubing down the White River. Beautiful location with crystal clear water.
Mostly in the shade, and high enough elevation made the weather just perfect.
Back to the ship, where we ran into Frank and Petra at the pool. Sat and chatted
with them, then met up with them before dinner for the Ice Dancin' ice-skating
show. We've met Andrea and the younger Frank by now - terrific kids. It's obvious from the
way Frank and Petra talk about them that they are very proud of their children.
Dinner again in the dinning room. Tried to expand our knowledge a bit (and clear
up some stereotypes) by asking Jim and Liz questions about Scotland. For
example, the typical pubs are NOT little thatch-roofed buildings!
Tagged up with Frank and Petra again after dinner. Watched the Mardi-Gras style
parade in the Promenade, stopped in the casino for a short bit, and back to the
Schooner bar.
Day 5 - Wednesday July 12
Port of call: Grand Cayman. We booked a "Reef and Rays" excursion - snorkeling
at a reef and then a visit to the Stingray City sand bar. Unfortunately, with 3
cruise ships in port there were a TON of people all trying to do the same
things. We had to stand and wait for about an hour, because the tour groups had
gotten behind schedule. Our group alone required 3 busses and 3 boats. Then,
when the boats arrived at the reef, it was like a marine parking lot - there had
to be 20 boats full of groups doing the same thing we were doing. Snorkeling was
okay, but way too many people. It was a little better at the sand bar, as the
stingrays would swim out to us when we stood a bit off from the main group. Note
to Royal Caribbean: maybe offer some excursion packages for smaller, adult-only
groups. Because of the scheduling delays, we were late getting back to the ship.
Of course, we're very important people, so they waited for us before leaving
port.
Another nice dinner with Jim and Liz, and then listened to a guitar player /
singer in the Two Poets Pub.
Day 6 - Thursday July 13
Port of call: Cozumel, Mexico. We wanted to book a "Swim with the Dolphins"
excursion. Royal Caribbean's online booking system had been off-line for a
while, so we booked it through an independent company. Started to get worried,
as they were having a grand-opening (actually, re-opening) due to last year's
hurricane damage. Our dolphin swim was scheduled for 4:30 pm (ship-time), but we
figured we'd head out to the park early and see what else we could do. Arrived
at Chankanaab State Park, and found out we could switch to the 3:00 session -
which was great, as we were a little concerned about making it back to the ship
before the last tender was scheduled to leave. We had about 2 hours to kill, so
we took the shuttle to the Chankanaab beach and rented some snorkel gear.
Snorkeling was not bad, although the area had really suffered a lot of damage,
so much of the coral and marine life had been destroyed.
The dolphin swim was great. About 10 people in our group, and two dolphins. We
were able to pet the dolphins, get a kiss and float in the water with the
dolphin lying in our arms. Then out into the water a ways, and get dragged along
holding onto their dorsal fins. Final trick was floating on your stomach, and
the dolphins push the bottom of your feet, making you stand up in the water. Way
cool!
Back for a little shopping at the pier, and then back on the ship. Schooner bar,
dinner in the dining room, and then some more guitar at the Two Poets.
Day 7 - Friday July 14
Port of call: none - another day at sea. Final full day on the ship. A little
shopping in the Promenade; chatting with our new friends; lounging around the
pool (reading and napping). We watched the "farewell" show in the theater, and
then enjoyed our final dinner with Jim and Liz. We're very glad to have had them
as dinner companions, and hope we keep in touch and see them again sometime.
Met up with Frank and Petra after dinner for a goodbye drink at the Schooner
bar. Also very glad to have met them, and hope we'll see them again as well.
Packed up our stuff - bags had to be ready and outside our cabin by midnight.
Day 8 - Saturday July 15
Port of call: Miami, end of the line. Up and out of the cabin by 8:00 am.
Breakfast in the dining room, followed by an hour or so of final lounging on
deck before getting in line to disembark. More waiting (we've gotten really good
at that), shuttle to the airport, more waiting, got on the plane - delayed for
an hour or so on the runway, back to Atlanta and to see our babies at Tracy's
Mom's house. Dinner with Mom and Robert, and finally back home around 9:00 pm.
Overall, we had a wonderful trip with great weather, great memories and new
friends. Time to start planning the next one! |
