Tag: Caribbean

Home Sweet Home – Eventually

Friday, February 14, 2025

The nice thing about Port Everglades and the Ft. Lauderdale airport is that they are only 3.5 miles apart, and when the traffic is light, travel can take only about 10 minutes. However, when cruise ships are embarking and disembarking, the traffic is never light.

We have always been fortunate to get to the airport in plenty of time for a 2:00 flight. As a matter of fact, in the past, we could have taken noon flights, but I had never chanced one. Today was the day. Our flight was scheduled to take off just a few minutes after noon.

Our scheduled disembarkation time was any time between 8:00 and 9:00. Since we had a large window to disembark, we decided to eat breakfast in the main dining room instead of the Lido. I should have realized the service would be slow even when we ordered the Express Breakfast. I was not sure we were going to get our breakfast before the 9:00 disembarkation deadline. We did but we had to eat fast. Guess we will just stay with the crazy Lido from now on.

We got back to the room, emptied the safe, and stored our remaining items (toothbrush, paste, hairbrushes, etc) in the backpacks and carry-on. Unfortunately, I had packed our Band-Aids in the large suitcase and Chuck scraped his arm on one of the shelves.

We were having a hard time stopping the trickle of blood. He was pressing tissue on it as we were called to join the long line of disembarking passengers. Fortunately, one of the ladies in line saw his predicament and gave him a Band-aid from her purse. I made myself a mental note to add Band-aids to the backpacks.

We found our luggage section and immediately saw one of the bags. We were searching for the other one when I noticed a bag halfway inside a garbage bag and lying on the floor. I was dismayed to realize it was our other piece of luggage.

A worker said that the luggage had been leaking so they put a bag around it. I knew it was possible since I did have liquids inside but I had thought I had double-bagged all of them. We took the luggage out of the bag, and I didn’t feel that the luggage was damp. Whatever it was, we would just have to deal with it when we got home. I did notice that one of the luggage wheels looked bent and it was harder to push than normal.

Port Everglades uses facial recognition for Customs and Border Protection so we just kept walking through the terminal without the need for our passport. Once outside, we got a taxi. The driver had to take us the backroads to the airport as the highway was at a standstill. She mentioned that last Saturday it had taken her two hours to get a fare from the airport to the ship, the traffic was so snarled everywhere. She wasn’t sure they made their cruise.

We dropped off our large luggage at the outside kiosk and used CLEAR and TSA pre-check to get through security quickly. We were at our gate by 10:20 – plenty of time for a noon flight. Then I got the first text from Delta – our flight would be delayed 30 minutes. That was going to throw our shuttle pick-up time off so I had to make a call and get on the next one.

Thirty minutes later we got another text saying that our flight would not be taking off until 2:00. You could hear everyone’s phone dinging with the same message and a lot of moaning. I felt very sorry for those with connecting flights that I was pretty sure they would not make. I made another call to the shuttle office to change our pick-up time again.

Our next announcement was that we had to change gates. We picked up our carry-ons and went around the corner to a different gate. Got settled in and then we were told to move to a third gate. Luckily, we never had to leave Terminal 2, and the gates were fairly close together.

We finally started boarding a little before 2:00. Then we had to wait on the tarmac because they hadn’t gotten all the luggage loaded. I hoped our luggaqge had made it on. We didn’t take off until after 3:00. I should have already been on the way home by now.

By the time we landed and retrieved our luggage, it was almost 5:30. We had to wait 45 minutes for our shuttle. We were both happy to have our jackets as it was much cooler than the 70 degrees in Florida this morning.

I was happy to be in the shuttle van and that I was not driving the 2-hour drive as the Friday rush hour traffic was bumper to bumper. I got my neck pillow out, leaned on the window, and fell asleep. I woke up about 15 minutes before we arrived at the shuttle office.

We then retrieved our car and drove home. We were met by Pumpkin who alternated between scolding and purring (mostly scolding).

We checked the water. Good pressure – no leaks. We took the water heater off of “vacation mode” and bumped up the house thermostat. I sorted through the mail and then heated up some soup for us. We soon called it a night. It was a very long travel day, and it had caught up with us. I would deal with the suitcases (and whatever leakage we found in the one) tomorrow.

Stopped scolding long enough for some back scratches

P.S. Nothing had leaked in our luggage so I don’t know why we were told it had. However, the bent wheel could not be fixed so a new piece of luggage is in our future.

Until next time –

 “Life is meant for good friends and great adventures” – Anonymous

Sea Day #5

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Today is the last sea day and the last day of the cruise. Time to get that last latte and coffee from the Grand Dutch Cafe.

We had a nice leisurely breakfast in the main dining room. It had to be leisurely since the service was so slow. There were a lot of people who had the same idea as we did so I wasn’t surprised that we had to wait for the food.

After breakfast, we went to the Casino to play off the points we had accumulated all week. We ended up turning the points into cash which was nice.

Now for the always dreaded task – packing. We had to pick out what we would need to keep with us for the evening and the morning. Everything else would be packed. I was happy that we did not have very many dirty clothes that had to be packed so I wouldn’t have much to wash when I got home. I had received two loads of clean, folded clothes yesterday, so they were the first to go into the suitcases.

We had a late lunch at the NY Deli and Pizza. We split a meat lovers pizza and a salad.

Now it was time to finish the packing, weighing, and tagging the bags, enjoy some quiet time on the balcony, and then get ready for the last evening.

We spent some time in the Casino and then had a late dinner in the Lido. We went to one set of the Rolling Stone Lounge band. This band would be disembarking tomorrow, and a new band would be embarking. I hope the new band plays as well as this one does and maybe does less talking and more singing.

Once back at the cabin, we double-checked all the drawers and closets making sure we hadn’t skipped anything and that we had everything we needed for tomorrow. We then locked and pushed the two largest bags out into the hallway. We kept our backpacks and the one carry-on. We would see the large bags tomorrow at baggage claim in Port Everglades.

Tomorrow – Disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale / Traveling Home

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

It was a short port day beginning very early. We had no plans to go into Montego Bay today. Having visited Jamaica many years ago, we had already climbed Dunn River Falls and shopped at the Straw Market, so we didn’t have any pressing reasons to go today.

We spent a lazy morning at the pool and then a Lido lunch. We spent the afternoon playing Rummikub with our friends.

This evening we had dinner at the Tamarind Restaurant – the specialty Asian restaurant. It was very busy and the service was a little slow. However, the food was excellent. Chuck had the Satay sampler and the Panang Red Curry Chicken with Crab Fried Rice. I had the Lobster Shrimp Pot Stickers and the Lamb Chops. We split the scallop appetizer.

Thought the orange strips were carrots. Nope – ginger. Very spicy.

Tonight was the Orange Party. It is Holland America’s celebration of its Dutch heritage and orange is the royal color. Most everyone dons something orange. Some people really embraced the orange.

We spent the evening in the Rolling Stone Lounge. We went to the BB King Lounge to watch the Orange Party. It was very crowded, but people were having a lot of fun.

We called it an evening after the last set of the Rolling Stone band.

Tomorrow – Sea Day

Sea Day #4

Tuesday, February 11, 2024

I made it to the gym this morning. The gym is on the 9th floor at the very front of the ship. I could really feel the wave action. I didn’t spend as much time as I should have because I started feeling seasick. Got back to the room and took a Bonine. Not long before I was ready to go to Brunch in the main dining room.

Chuck and I both had the cheese and fruit plate. I had the mushroom crepe and Chuck had the seafood poutine. He was not happy to find calamari in the seafood. I graciously allowed him to give me all the pieces. 😃 They were delicious.

After brunch, we met up with our friends and they taught us how to play Rummikub. Lot of fun and a lot of laughs.

Tonight was another dressy night. The restaurant was crowded so we agreed to share a table. We had such a lively conversation that I forgot to take photos of the dinner. We did skip dessert so we could make it to the first set of the BB King band.

We went to the main stage to see the new comedian – Tim Nutt. He had a couple of good stories. Unfortunately, they occurred after Chuck had given up on him and left to go play cards.

After the show, I went to the last set of the Rolling Stone Lounge band.

When I got back to the room, I found our towel animal and some chocolates.

Tomorrow – Montego Bay, Jamaica

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Monday, February 10, 2025

The day started out as overcast and rainy. First time this trip that we’ve had rain.

Since our excursion was not until 12:30, we had plenty of time to eat breakfast in the main dining room this morning and spend some time on the balcony once it stopped raining.

The Cruise Director had announced that there was a delay from the port authority so passengers could not yet disembark. The announcement allowing people to leave came about 8:45.

Our HAL excursion was The Tortuguero Canals – 12:30 pm (3 hours)

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – The Tortuguero Canals are known as Costa Rica’s Amazon because of the surrounding rain forest. Heavy annual rainfall fills the area with an extremely rich flora and fauna.

A 25-minute ride from the pier brings you to a dock in Moin. Board a jungle pontoon boat specially designed to cruise in comfort through the jungle canals that form part of a river system running parallel to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coastline.

Watch for orchids and water lilies, birds, monkeys, crocodiles, sloths, and toucans in this unique system of natural and man-made canals, used for transportation and exploration. Wonderful views of the lush jungle foliage mirrored in the canal’s waters will delight you.

Wave to friendly natives in dugout canoes and watch women scrubbing their laundry at the river’s edge while children swim along the bank or dive from tall trees.

After this exciting boat tour, enjoy soft drink and tropical fruits.

Notes: Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.

The sun was out in all its glory by the time of our excursion and it was hot. I went to check us in with the Shore Excursion staff only to be told that our bus was not here yet. We were told we had time to walk through the market. We didn’t find anything we needed.

We kept waiting. One of the Shore Excursion staff finally got on the microphone and announced that because of the delay this morning for disembarking, the morning excursions were delayed. Since the afternoon excursions were using the same buses, we were going to have to wait for them to return. I was thankful that there was a little bit of shade and a breeze.

About 45 minutes after the scheduled departure time, our bus finally showed up along with two others. We had enough people to fill up 3 buses. The guide gave information as we were traveling to the canals but since we were sitting in the back, we could only catch a few words. He needed a better microphone or a quieter bus.

Once we got to the canals, we were given a chance to use the restroom and then we were directed to the pontoons. We were provided with chips, a banana, and a bottle of water.

The first animal we saw was a sloth hanging conveniently in the first tree posed just perfectly for photos. I know they are slow, sleepy creatures but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a stuffed sloth, or a live one put there before the tour to get people excited about the tour. Just seemed too coincidental.

We did see some birds, lizards, and a couple of crocodiles. I was never able to get a decent photo of the crocodiles. The guide also pointed into the trees and said there were monkeys, but I never was able to see them. And we never saw any people in the river though there were some buildings along the canal.

We packed bug repellent but didn’t need it. We also packed our neck cooling cloths and they came in handy.

Once we got back to the pier, we had time to look at the gift shop. We could sample some fruit juice or some coffee. The coffee was very good. We didn’t try the juice.

Back on the bus, the guide tried to talk some more on the way back, but his microphone completely broke down. He even moved to the middle of the bus to try and talk without the mic; however, he couldn’t speak loud enough for us to hear anything in the back. We arrived back at the ship with a few minutes before the all-aboard time.

Once we got back to our cabin, we found a nice tray of candy from the Casino.

We had dinner in the main dining room with our friends from a previous cruise. I was so busy talking, I forgot to take photos of the meal. I had a NY strip steak and a baked potato.

We went to one set of the BB King band and then went to the main stage to see Song and Dance. It was a good show by the HAL singers and dancers.

After the show, Chuck went to play cards, and I went to the last set of the BB King band.

When we got back to the room, we found a letter from the Shore Excursions staff acknowledging the delay of the excursion and having to stand so long in the heat. They applied a $30 credit each off of our onboard account. Nice gesture. 😁 They didn’t have to do anything as it was not HAL’s fault that all the excursions were delayed.

We also found the “Clocks Forward” card. 😣

Tomorrow – Sea Day

The Panama Canal

Sunday, February 9, 2025

I was up at 6:00 this morning so I could follow the schedule of events of when we would enter the Locks. Chuck was up soon after. It was a pretty day and the new locks were interesting although I missed seeing the trams that would use ropes to pull the ships through on the old locks.

Coming toward the Atlantic Bridge
One of the tug boats that keeps the ship from smacking the sides of the canal
Locks closing behind us
Looking down to show how close the ship is to the side
One of the many buildings along the canal
Panama flag
Traffic crossing the canal when the locks close

When we reached the Gatun Lake, the tenders were lowered so people could go on tours – most to go see the old locks. I spent the time on the balcony watching all the different ships coming and going through the lake.

I watched this pelican harass a seagull until the gull dropped his newly caught fish – right to the pelican’s gullet

We went for sandwiches at the NY Deli for lunch and then walked a mile around the track.

We had some more pool time until it was time to get ready for the evening.

We had another Pinnacle Grill dinner tonight. Chuck had the filet mignon and I had the sea bass. I had the creme brulee for dessert and Chuck had the coconut-banana pudding. We also received some macarons.

The main stage was showing the Super Bowl on the big screen. I just popped in to see what the score was. The Eagles were leading.

We went to the Rolling Stone Lounge and then to the Casino.

We get to set the clocks back another hour tonight.

Tomorrow – Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Cartagena, Colombia

Saturday, February 8, 2025

I cancelled a HAL excursion for here on the 2nd day of the cruise because they moved the starting time back to 7:15. I wanted to see the National Aviary, but I didn’t want to leave that early and spend two hours on the bus. We were not really interested in going into Old Town either as we heard the vendors could be pushy. We decided we would go to the mini aviary at the Welcome Center at the port.

They had a number of pretty birds and some other animals and you could just follow the marked path to see them. There was no cost. The path was shady and there was a nice breeze. The path and aviary circled the huge gift shop which was a very good marketing strategy.

An argument broke out

While Chuck was watching a red parrot eat, the parrot decided to crawl up Chuck’s arm and made himself at home on Chuck’s shoulder. He soon became fascinated by Chuck’s lanyard and started chewing on it. While Chuck was trying to figure out how to get it out of the bird’s beak without getting bit, something hit the back of my neck -hard.

I thought someone had thrown something at me. Nope. A small green parrot had decided that my neck would be a great landing space. He eventually moved to my shoulder and dug in. I am not a fan of birds on my person. I moved closer to Chuck to see if he could shoo it away. The two parrots started squawking at each other and flapping their wings. I quickly got away from Chuck. His parrot started chewing on the lanyard again.

Another person was able to coax the green parrot off of my shoulder. Then Chuck realized the red parrot had chewed through the lanyard and was flying away with it – it had his keycard in it. Another guest was able to intercept it before the parrot got away. I was ready to move on from that area.

He almost got away with it
Before he decided my neck was a good landing spot
I am not happy

We soon came to an area where a staff member was holding a small monkey. It immediately jumped to Chuck. The monkey started trying to find something in Chuck’s shirt pocket. Luckily, there was nothing in it. The monkey, being unsuccessful at stealing, jumped to the nearest tree and posed for photos.

One hand in the pocket
A more polite parrot

After we finished walking through the aviary and bought a souvenir at the gift shop, we went back to the ship and had lunch. The afternoon was spent in the pool.

When we got back to the cabin to get ready for the evening, we found that our Mariner tiles had arrived. Everyone gets a tile every cruise. We have so many now that I don’t bring them home any more. We also had another nice gift from the Casino.

We had an excellent dinner at Rudy’s. I had the grilled shrimp Provencale. Chuck had the grilled seafood platter with a lobster tail. We split a bottle of chianti (also complimentary from the Casino). For dessert, I had the apple tart tatin with cinnamon gelato. Chuck had Rudy’s Face to Face Chocolate and Fruit dessert.

After we finished dinner, we went to one set of the Rolling Stone Lounge band and then to the main stage to see the second show of Doc Dixon. He was very good again.

Afterwards, Chuck went to play some cards, and I was ready for some quiet time on the balcony listening to the waves.

Tomorrow – Panama Canal

Sea Day #3

Friday, February 7, 2025

We both slept late this morning. When I finally went to get coffee from the Cafe, I found an invite from the Casino in our mailbox telling us we had qualified for a comp and to come to the Casino to claim it.

We dropped by there before going to lunch and found that the Casino would give us a dinner at the specialty restaurant – Rudy’s Sel de Mer. We had them make us a reservation for tomorrow night. We then continued on to the Lido buffet.

HAL has staff stationed at both ends of the Lido buffet encouraging people to wash their hands at the sinks and use the hand sanitizer. Sad that people aren’t doing it automatically. There are no self-service areas in the Lido at all. Even the dessert cabinets are locked – the horror. Makes it tougher on the staff having to hand people everything but should help to cut down on the transmission of the virus.

After lunch, Chuck opted to visit with people in the Sea View area. I went to the Cruise Director’s lecture on the history of the Panama Canal. He did a very good job on the informative presentation, and I especially liked the historical video portions of the presentation that showed people actually working on the Canal.

I found Chuck in the Sea View area and we enjoyed the warm breeze and good conversations until it was time to get ready for the evening.

We went to the main dining room for dinner. Chuck had the salmon and I had the carne asada. Both were excellent.

The remainder of the evening consisted of listening to two sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge band, two sets of the BB King band, Casino time and watching the main stage show – Class Act. We’ve seen it before but really liked it. The Rotterdam singers and dancers performed it very well.

After the show, Chuck went to play cards and I called it a night. When I got back to the cabin I found a note I did like – the clocks will move back an hour tonight.

Tomorrow – Cartagena, Colombia

Oranjestad, Aruba

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Today is a long port day – 8:00 am – 10:30 pm. We’ve taken the island tour, rode Segways to the Lighthouse, snorkeled, and explored the downtown area – all during the day time. Today’s stop would be the first time we have ever done an evening excursion here.

But first – My day started out as usual with a trip to the Grand Dutch Cafe. I encountered many staff wiping down handrails, elevator buttons, counters, etc. The staff is taking the norovirus seriously. I hope the guests do too.

Once I placed my order at the register and handed her my keycard, the barista said. “Happy Birthday!” Since I didn’t believe she was clairvoyant, I had to assume that the notation popped up with my photo when she scanned the keycard. I smiled and said thank you.

I decided to treat myself and ordered one of their giant raisin buns to go with my latte.

I finally got a raisin bun – a day later

When I received my order, it was not a delicious raisin bun – it was a sad-looking bran muffin. I thought about pointing out the error but then thought about my age and decided she was right – I need the bran muffin. Sigh.

When I got back to the cabin, our disembarkation paperwork had arrived. We still have 8 more days to go, and they are already preparing us to leave. My special day was not going so well.

Chuck and I spent the morning on the balcony reading and harbor watching.

View from the balcony

We had lunch in the Lido and then went swimming. Every time I handed over my keycard, I was wished a very enthusiastic “Happy Birthday.” Always made me smile.

When I came back to the cabin to get ready for our evening excursion, I found a nice treat from the Captain and his crew. A chocolate cupcake beats a bran muffin any day.

I also found two of these insulated cups. I thought they were also from the Captain but it turned out they were from the Casino as part of participating in the Ultimate Game Cruise. Didn’t matter – one of them is mine so I’m counting it as a birthday gift.

Our HAL excursion this evening was titled appropriately – Aruba Sunset Sail – 5:00 pm (2 hours)

ABOUT THE EXCURSION: A friendly crew picks you up at the cruise harbor in a custom-built catamaran.

Sail past Aruba’s famous beaches, along the island’s south coast and up the gorgeous west coast, taking in the spectacular Caribbean sunset. Experience the joy of sailing and take advantage of the many perfect picture opportunities as you glide over clear, turquoise waters past famous Aruba’s Palm Beach.

The crew will keep you comfortable and entertained during the two-hour trip and will return you to the cruise terminal at the end of your idyllic adventure.

Notes: An open bar (except beer) and snacks are included.

I put on my sundress, fastened my Birthday Queen Sash, and placed the tiara on my head. I felt like Amy did on The Big Bang Theory. I was ready for my celebration.

There were a lot of people waiting for this excursion, so I was relieved that two catamarans pulled up to the dock. The dock personnel divided us into two groups and directed us to the appropriate catamaran. Each catamaran was operated by Pelican Adventures. If you are in Aruba and want a sunset cruise, I would recommend this company.

We sailed up the coast for one hour. The first mate told us about Aruba. The other crew member served as bartender serving soft drinks, fruit juices, and mixed drinks. They had a choice of alcohol but mostly rum.

The Captain turned the catamaran around and the crew started serving some appetizers – small empanadas, Dutch bitterballen, cheese, and olives. The bar was still open. Then it was time for the show – the setting sun. It was windy but we were fortunate that it was not an overcast day. The sunset was gorgeous.

Once the sun dipped below the horizon, the crew cranked up the music and we sailed our way back to the ship. The last thing the crew did was to have the birthday girl stand up and they initiated a round of applause and well wishes.

After a pizza at the deli, some casino time, a set of the BB King band, and attending another show by the comedian (wasn’t an improvement over the first show), we came back to the cabin to watch the 11:00 sailaway from the balcony.

I was surprised to see the number of people from the apartment complex across the dock using their flashlights to wave good-bye to us. I used my phone flashlight and waved back.

After that, it was time to take off the tiara and call it a night. It was a very good birthday.

Sea Day #2

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

I could feel that the waves had picked up as soon as I got up. I tried to go out onto the balcony and had a hard time opening the door. I knew that meant it was very windy too. I took a Bonine tablet just to be on the safe side.

When I walked to the Grand Dutch Cafe, I noticed they had the doors roped off to the promenade with signs telling people not to go outside. There are always a lot of people who like to walk laps around the ship on the promenade. Not today.

I also noticed when I got to the GDC that all the creamers and sugars had been taken off the counter and if you wanted any, the server behind the counter would put it in your coffee for you.

Since I know that not having these condiments on the self-serve counter slows down the overall service and it is not the norm, I knew that they were putting in health protocols. It either meant the ship had a number of cases of COVID or a number of cases of NORO – enough cases of either one that it triggered these protocols. Sigh.

When asked about the change, the servers would just smile and say – “we’re happy to be helping our guests.” Good non-answer. Sigh.

Once I finished my latte, I decided to go to the Coffee Chat hosted by the Cruise Director Jayme. Chuck opted to stay in and continue enjoying his coffee and reading.

Jayme was interviewing members of the ship’s Food and Beverage Management Team today. It was an interesting presentation about who they were and what they did. The F&B department is the second largest on the ship – employs 485 people. Housekeeping is the largest.

I noticed that Jayme was not allowing anyone in the audience to hold the microphone when they asked a question. He held it for them. I took it as another sign extra-health protocols are in place.

After the presentation, Chuck and I went to the Sea Day brunch. No salt and pepper shakers on the tables. Sigh – strike 3. I had a Cuban sandwich, and Chuck tried the biscuits and gravy again. The last time he had it, he said the biscuits were too hard and the gravy thin. He got the same result this time.

I enjoyed my sandwich and fries. We also enjoyed the dessert – Hummingbird Cake. It is a spiced pineapple-banana cake with cream cheese icing topped with pecans. I only had crumbs on the fork before I remembered I wanted to take a photo. Below is one from Google –

During the Captain’s daily noon announcements, he confirmed that a number of guests and crew had reported to the ship’s medical office for “gastrointestinal distress.” Okay – so now we know it is the Norovirus.

He said we would see extra health precautions around the ship and that we could help if we would be extra vigilant in washing our hands often. Embarrassing that the Captain would have to tell adults to wash their hands but that is where we are.

At 2:00, Chuck went to the Casino, and I went to the Future Cruise presentation to see if any interesting itineraries would pop up. We had already received a flyer about the 2026-2027 Legendary Voyages HAL was offering. We have a deposit on the Alaska Legendary Voyage in 2026. I didn’t see any cruises I wasn’t already aware of so there is no need to make an appointment with him this cruise.

We went to another specialty restaurant for dinner tonight – the Pinnacle Grill. We both had the crab cakes and split the candied bacon. I had the yellow tail snapper. Chuck had the ribeye. For dessert, I had the key lime pie and Chuck had the chocolate cobbler which tasted like a chocolate lava cake.

After the meal, we went to one set of the Rolling Stone Lounge band and then went to the main stage to watch Doc Dixon – comedian/magician. We really enjoyed his show.

After the show, I went to the last set of the BB King band and Chuck went to the casino to play some cards.

Tomorrow – Aruba