I woke up at 7:00 but thanks to the great time change forward – it’s 8:00. Too late for breakfast in the main dining room but not too late for coffee from the Explorations Café.
When I got back to the room, I found some paperwork stuck in the mail slot – all from Shore Excursion department. Two of our shore excursions have time changes and one excursion has been cancelled – The St. John’s Snorkel to Trunk’s Bay. It has been changed to the St. Thomas catamaran snorkel to Honeymoon Beach in St. John’s. Oh well. Not the first time there have been changes to excursions.
After a breakfast in the Lido, I went to the gym and Chuck decided he needed some more sleep (long night in the Casino). He was happy that he made it to Round 2. He was 99th of the top 100. Another step closer to the big money!
I thought the gym was well equipped. The room wasn’t crowded either. We have gone to the gym on other ships and there were very few pieces of equipment available to use. Another sign that this ship is definitely not at capacity.
Another nice afternoon of sun and swimming topped off with two scoops of ice cream from the Lido. Chuck played in the second round of the slot tournament.
I missed the Future Cruise presentation in the main theater, so I watched the replay on the television while I was getting ready for dinner. I didn’t see any cruises that I hadn’t already seen on the Holland America website. Usually, they have a few future cruises that are a surprise to the audience.
Our reservation was confirmed for 7:00 so we had time for slots and a drink at the Half Moon Cay bar. We really like the servers there – Angel and Paula. They remember our preference as soon as we walk up. They are not the only ones that have such great memories. Never ceases to amaze me how the wait staff can do it.
We were seated at a table for two but the table was so close to another couple we might have well shared a table for four. They were a nice couple. He had been in the slot tournament also but did not make it to the second round.
Chuck had the Beef Wellington and I had the Chile Relleno. It was very good but I bit into a jalapeño which I instantly regretted.
We went to the first set of BB Kings again before we went to the main stage to see the musical performance of Cantare. They are a quartet that have been with Holland America for 10 years. Another excellent show. Again, no video of the performance but I found a clip of a previous show on You Tube.
After the show, Chuck went back to the casino to see if he made it to Round 3. I went to the Lido to get a cup of decaf hot tea and a piece of cheesecake. Brought it back to enjoy on the balcony. So nice to end the day this way.
Not sure if it was exhaustion from not sleeping well the last few days, the rocking motion of the ship, or both, but I slept really well last night and didn’t wake up until 7:00. The Explorations Café is on the 12th floor in the Crow’s Nest so just a quick elevator ride up.
In addition to the Explorations Cafe, the Crow’s Nest has great views, lots of soft chairs and couches, games, puzzles and the WIFI is very good in this area. It has a great model of the Rotterdam there too.
I really enjoyed drinking my morning coffee on the balcony while watching the ocean go by. Hope I can do it every day.
Wasn’t long before I noticed that there were a number of birds that liked to fly in our wake trying to catch fish that jump up in the froth.
We ate breakfast in the main dining room. I have missed those Holland America raisin buns.
After breakfast, Chuck went to the casino. I went to Guest Services to add our gift cards to our account. We’ve had the cards since Christmas 2019. Glad to finally be able to use them.
Chuck and I had some pool time for a while this afternoon. I was glad that the hot tubs were very hot. I thought the aft pool was too cool for swimming, but Chuck liked it.
Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for the first Gala night. Our reservation in the main dining room was at 7:00 so we had time for some slot play and a drink at the Half Moon Cay bar. We have had drinks at the Ocean’s bar on past ships but for this cruise, there are slot machines in the Ocean bar to help with the slot tournament.
We were seated at a table with four single people – two women and two men – who spent most of the time sizing each other up – practically citing resumes and backgrounds. Everything but net worth. Awkward.
The special on the Gala night menu was filet mignon. I never like the way it’s cooked, so I ordered the sword fish. Chuck got the filet mignon and again, it looked too red for me. I thought the sword fish was excellent – very mild and flakey. Looked like a pork chop.
After dinner, we went to the first set of the BB King band. Then we went to the main show – Humanity by the Step One Dance Company. I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but the interpretive dance, music, and special effects were great. We were not allowed to take pictures or videos of the performance, but I found this clip on You Tube for you to see.
After the show, Chuck went to the casino to see if he made it to Round 2 of the tournament. I called it a night to listen to the ocean from the balcony. We move the clocks forward an hour tonight. Glad tomorrow is another sea day. 😐
Didn’t realize how many people staying in the hotel were cruisers until we came down for their noon shuttle to the ship. The lobby was filled with people and luggage. Luckily, there were two vans outside, and we were all going to the same ship.
Once we arrived at the port, there were a lot of people that welcomed us but the signage directing us to the various checkpoints was lacking, so I felt we wasted time trying to find the correct lines. Hearing any of the announcements was difficult too because of the reverberation in the building. However, unlike other embarkations, we never sat down to wait for our number to be called. We did just keep moving from checkpoint to checkpoint until we found ourselves in our ship’s cabin. And it was a great cabin!
As I mentioned previously, I was worried about the room layout. However, I should not have been worried. I loved the layout.
It felt so very roomy, and the balcony was awesome – so big and had a great cover so plenty of shade and privacy. It was above the lifeboats but unless you were leaning over the balcony, you could not see them. I plan to ask for this room again any time we sail a Pinnacle class ship.
We had a relaxing lunch in the main dining room. We sat with a couple who said they are planning to go on the 2022 Voyage of the Vikings. We are also hoping to do that cruise. Small world. Though the service was a little slow, I think it beats the madhouse of the Lido deck on the first day and the food was very good.
Our next stop was check-in at our muster station which happened to be the World Stage – the main theater. Once we verified that we were on the ship with the safety crew member, we had to go back to the room and watch the safety video. If you don’t watch the video, the television won’t allow you to go to any other channel or feature. Diabolical.
I was pleasantly surprised that our luggage had already arrived. It was easy to get everything stored well before the sail-away. We met our room steward – Agus. His assistant is Farid.
It was a beautiful day for a sail-away. Warm, breezy, and clear blue skies.
Once we were in international waters, the shops and the casino opened. We went to check on Chuck’s casino account. There were many signs welcoming the slot tournament players. Chuck got an invitation, but we decided to book the cruise under a different promotion that offered more benefits. However, when he found out that the casino had given him the free play money that was part of the casino offer, he decided to check about an entry to the tournament.
The tournament directors checked his booking date and found that he had booked the cruise within the promo offer time frame so …. He’s in! They told him he would play his first round that evening. Only 100 people would advance to round two.
I had made dinner reservations for 7:00 in the main dining room. Tonight, it was changed to 6:30 but close enough. We could have cancelled and tried the walk-in option, but no big deal. Since we will not have a set waitstaff on the cruise, I will try and take a picture of their table name plate so I can be sure to give them credit on the satisfaction survey we get at the end of the cruise.
Tonight, Chuck had the corn chowder and the jerk chicken. I had the French onion soup and the Greek Moussaka. Very good.
After dinner, Chuck went to the casino to play in the first round and I went to the Rolling Stone Rock Room to listen to the band. They played some great 60’s and 80’s classic rock. This is the first ship that we have sailed with this venue. We also went to a set of the BB Kings Blues band. We have sailed several ships with this venue. This band was as good as the others we have seen.
After listening to one more set from the Rolling Stone Rock Band, we enjoyed star gazing on our balcony. No towel animal tonight. Not sure there are going to be any on this cruise.
Tossed and turned all night. Was just glad to go on and get up with the alarm. Lots of last-minute items to do – the most important one was taking our proctored on-line COVID tests. If we failed those tests, the other items didn’t matter. But we passed!
It was soon time to head for the airport shuttle. Unlike the last time we rode the shuttle to the airport, this van was full. Once we made it to the ground transportation area, we only had to wait about 5 minutes until the Hyatt Place shuttle arrived. I used the Hyatt app to bypass the check-in process and the phone unlocked the door. Love technology when it works.
Ate at a near-by restaurant – The Burger Place. Wings, Burger, and drinks – $70. Welcome to the big city.
We were back at the hotel at 6:30 but it sure felt later. Spent the rest of the evening getting our stuff organized for tomorrow and watching some TV. Hope to sleep better than last night.
Nov 30, 2021 – Travel to Ft. Lauderdale
This was our first attempt at flying into Ft. Lauderdale. In the past, we have driven to St. Augustine and then the next day driving on to Ft. Lauderdale. We would leave our car at the hotel for the duration of the cruise. Coming home, sometimes we would try and make it all the way home but most time we would have to stop and stay somewhere near Macon. Always exhausting.
Today, after eating the hotel breakfast, we caught their 8:00 shuttle to the airport. We are CLEAR members, so we could by-pass the long general boarding line. The last time we flew, my backpack was diverted and searched. Today, my purse was diverted and searched. However, Chuck walked right through the machine with a pocket full of change and absolutely nothing happened. Go figure.
Flight was packed. Glad it was only a little over an hour. We didn’t have enough time for a movie, but I did get to watch three Simpsons episodes before we touched down.
After retrieving our bags, we followed the signs to the hotel shuttle pick-up. I called the hotel only to find out that the driver wanted to pick us up at Door 22. What is that? We had to go back to the airport building, go up one floor and back outside to find Door 22. The area is advertised for quick drop-off. I don’t know if the intent was to also pick-up but that is what he did.
It didn’t take long at all to get to the hotel about 1:30. I was glad the room was ready. The hotel is undergoing some renovations. It was noisy while they worked but the front desk personnel said the renovators finish each day at 5:00. The hotel and rooms definitely need some sprucing up.
We signed up for the hotel shuttle to the port tomorrow. Our check-in time at the port is 12:20 so we will catch the shuttle leaving at noon.
Once we got situated in the room, we decided to walk to McDonald’s down the street to get some fries and a Diet Coke. Then we walked across the street to the shopping center just to stretch our legs after all the sitting. One of the stores was a Dollar Tree where we were able to pick up a couple of things we had forgotten. We also found the Slackers Bar and Grill. We decided we would come back at 5:00 for the Happy Hour and get an early dinner. Also met a new friend.
Once we got back to the hotel, we sat outside by the pool and enjoyed the nice weather until it was time to go back over to the Bar. The water was too cool for swimming but felt great on my feet.
As we were sitting by the pool, all of a sudden, a flock of small green parrots flew overhead. I couldn’t believe I was seeing parrots until I Googled “parrots in Florida” to find out that they are not native but are common in South Florida as descendants from escapees from pet shops and homes. Learn something new every day.
Photo by Google
Even though it was in a shopping center surrounded by hotels, the Slackers bar appeared to be popular with local people. Lots of people greeting each other like they see each other often. Maybe people who work at the other stores in the Center? Maybe it was just the happy hour. I found it interesting that the bar was decorated with Packers paraphernalia. I thought it would be decorated with Florida teams but no – just the Packers and some Florida State stuff. Definitely no University of Florida stuff to be seen.
Beer and wings for dinner – the dinner of champions!
Rest of the evening was spent watching TV. Tomorrow – Embarkation!
Travel Trivia
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Known as the Venice of America due to its extensive canal system.
Fort Lauderdale was originally not one, but three forts during the Second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale (1782–1838. He was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict.
After the war, the Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale’s oldest building, was built in the 1890s. The house served as a trading post for the area and quickly developed into the city center along the New River.
Fort Lauderdale was featured in a popular 1960s movie, “Where the Boys Are,”about a college spring break. Soon college students flocked to the area en masse for a sun and sand filled getaway and still do today.
Just offshore, following the 24 miles of beach, is a coral reef tract. These coral reefs are a part of the Florida Reef Tract that run from Dry Tortugas to St Lucie Inlet (360 miles), the third longest barrier reef system in the world.
Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 109,000 jobs in the county. With its many canals, and proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean, it is also a popular yachting vacation stop, and home port for 42,000 boats, and approximately 100 marinas and boatyards. Additionally, the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the world’s largest boat show, brings over 125,000 people to the city each year.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and information provided by the hotel
Very excited to be taking our second cruise since the cruising industry has opened back up. We learned a lot about the COVID protocols and restrictions during our most recent cruise.
Our most recent cruise was with Carnival to the Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean. Our last Holland America cruise was June 2019 when we cruised Scotland and Ireland. This Holland America 11 day cruise will go to the islands that are considered Southern Caribbean.
Our ship for this cruise is the Rotterdam which is Holland America’s newest ship and is a Pinnacle class ship. We have not sailed this class ship before. So, we have not experienced the Dutch Cafe or the Rolling Stone Rock Room entertainment venue. I am looking forward to both.
We have been to these islands before but we will be doing different activities. If we took an island tour the last time, we are snorkeling this time and vice versa. The only island we have no plans for at this time is St Maarten. I would like to go to Maho Beach to see the planes come in but Chuck is not as enthusiastic.
We will also be flying and not driving to the port, so I need to be more deliberate in the packing. We are notorious over-packers. We have free laundry with Holland America so we should pack for a 7-night cruise and use the laundry service to get through the rest of the cruise. That is what we should do. Will we? No guarantees.
We also have to pass our COVID antigen test. It must be taken two days prior to embarkation. If either of us fails, the whole trip is off and then a whole lot of paperwork to activate the insurance. Nerve-wracking.
Did get a nice upsell offer from our inside category N guarantee room to a category V balcony. On Holland America, we do usually book a guarantee lowest category room with an upgrade willingness noted. Only once have we not been upgraded – sometimes its an upsell we accept, sometimes its a free upgrade but you typically stay in your original category – just a better location or maybe slightly larger.
You can also book a cruise and choose your room during the booking. Doing that may increase your initial cost but you know where you are going to be on the ship. If you want to be in the back, middle, front or on a certain deck, picking your room is best. If you really don’t care, taking a guarantee for a reduced price is okay.
Chuck loves the inside rooms for the darkness and the price. I love balconies to relax on and drink morning coffee and an evening cocktail. I also find it easier to get up in the mornings when the light comes in. But, I do agree that inside rooms are wonderful for afternoon naps.
The configuration of this room on the deck plan shows a large balcony but the room configuration looks different from the others around it. I hope it is okay. It is also across from the elevator but our travel agent said she has had no complaints from her clients about noise. We’ll see. But if we had ended up in our category N room, it would have had the same configuration just no balcony and under the kitchen. It is noted that this balcony room doesn’t have a bathtub but only a shower. We are fine with only having a shower.
Also, today I was looking at some things on the Holland America app. I noticed that the app shows changes to our itinerary – according to it, we are not going to Martinique but to Dominica and the days of St. Kitts and St. Thomas have been swapped. However, my booked excursions haven’t changed. Dominica still shows my Martinique excursion. I checked the itinerary on the website and it has not changed. Strange.
In addition, all of my dining reservations for the 11 days have been removed. I booked the main dining room for 7:00 every night and one night at the Pinnacle Grill. I hope they show back up in the app. I did print out the confirmations I received so will use them if I have to do so.
However, until then, the countdown to fun in the sun is still on.
I was up at 5:30. I was hoping that I would be able to charge our last 2 large coffee shop coffees so I wanted to be there when they opened at 6:00. Yes! One large coffee and one large vanilla latte to start the day.
The Lido was as busy as expected. I wasn’t that hungry so I just got a bagel and some fruit. Chuck didn’t want to deal with the Lido lines so he went to the Blue Iguana for a breakfast burrito.
We were docked and hoped it wouldn’t be long before we would hear that the ship had been cleared.
Came back to the room, rechecked the closets, drawers, and the safe. All clear. Rolled the suitcases down the hall and lucked out being able to get an unoccupied elevator to go up one floor with our suitcases.
The meeting room was already packed with people and their suitcases. They called us to disembark at 7:40. So much better than the delays last time. As anxious as everyone was to leave, it was an orderly line. We made it outside to the shuttle pick-up point at 7:55. The wind was blowing and it was cold.
The shuttle driver who brought us to the port said there would be shuttles waiting at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00. We had our round-trip receipt. We had our suitcases. There was no shuttle. I called the shuttle number at 8:15. They finally showed up at 8:30. Luckily, there were a few seats left because they picked up the people on the Carnival Mardi Gras.
By the time we got back to the hotel and retrieved the car, we were on the road a little after 9:00.
We stopped for gas before we came to St Augustine. So glad we did because it started pouring rain at St. Augustine. We had to travel through Jacksonville and all the way down I-10 in torrential rain. For some reason, our GPS took us off I-10 briefly but we could never figure out why. The rain finally eased up once we were traveling north on I-75.
We tried stopping at a Wendy’s for a late lunch near Valdosta but it was drive-thru only. We drove across the street to the McDonald’s so we could sit down.
It was slow going through Atlanta but at least we kept moving. We saw stopped traffic on I-75 South. Wasn’t sure what caused it.
Finally got home a little after 7:00 and it was very cold. Pumpkin meowed at us for a while and then went outside. He continued to come in and go out and fuss at us for the rest of the evening. We decided to wait until tomorrow to change all the clocks back. We are going to enjoy the extra hour of sleep. We are going to need the extra sleep to be able to tackle the dead tree that fell down in the yard and also deal with the cold temperatures predicted. Welcome home.
This adventure has come to an end. Mindy’s Travel Journal is now complete.
The last sea day. The last day of the cruise. The dreaded packing day. We all know it must come.
We went to the Sea Day brunch. We had to wait for a table longer than we have had before. Then they wanted to seat us at an already crowded table so we went back to the maître d to find us another table. We were finally seated at a less crowded table. Meal was as good as ever.
It was a little overcast but the pools were crowded. I decided I didn’t need any more sun time. We did walk a mile around the track.
We had some good luck at the machines in the casino. Wish we had that luck all the week. But it was a great way to end the cruise.
It was soon time for the Diamond/Platinum party for this week. The guitarist played music, the ship’s officers were introduced, we cheered for the ships we sailed, and the drinks keep flowing. There were so many people on this cruise too. I still believe they are going to have to re-think the rewards levels.
Now came the worst activity: packing up. We are taking our bags off tomorrow ourselves so we do not have to tag them and leave them in the hallway tonight. This process works well if you can handle your own luggage during the entire process including getting them down the escalator. I am glad I do not have to worry about packing for a flight. I can just cram the clothes and stuff in the suitcases.
We had dinner that night in Arsen’s section again. I had the burrito and Chuck had the beef ribs. This last evening meal was as good as the first evening meal. Know I have put on some pounds.
We played slots a little while and then cashed out our cards. If you don’t cash out at the casino cage before the casino closes that night, you will not get your winnings.
It was an early night since we had to be up, eat some breakfast, and then go to the Platinum meeting point by 7:30 to do self-disembarkation. Been a great cruise.
It was very overcast today in Costa Maya. We got up late and ended up skipping breakfast. We walked a mile around the track. It was very wet and there was water standing in the mini golf course so it must have rained hard during the night.
We were docked in Costa Maya next to the Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas. I believe it is their newest ship. It was huge. It had a bubble observation crane that took people up for what must be amazing views. I could see that it also had a flo-rider and a ropes course. Looked amazing. I won’t be going on it but families will probably love it.
The weather cleared so I was able to get some pool time for the afternoon.
The back on board time was 1:30 which is very early. We watched six pier runners racing madly for the ship as it sounded its horn. I bet they didn’t realize their phones changed times because Costa Maya is one hour behind ship time. We cheered and clapped loudly for them. Know they appreciated the support.
Tonight was an Elegant night again. The menu featured filet mignon which is what Chuck had. I had the shrimp dish. So good.
The show tonight in the Showtime Theater was 88 Keys. Since we saw it on the previous cruise, we skipped tonight’s performance. Instead, we opted to listen to the Magic Rock Band play some country music. They were fantastic. Had everyone dancing.
After that set was over, we went to the Casino and had some luck at the machines. We have enjoyed playing a lot of different slot machines that we have never seen before – panda themed, pig themed, cow themed, and pirate themed. One machine malfunctioned and even set itself back showing the coding. Never had that happen before. At least it let me keep my winnings.
Tomorrow is a sea day and the last day of this cruise.
Belize is a tender port. You have to take a small boat (tender) from the ship to the port. Carnival calls them water taxis. Sometimes, the tenders are the ship’s lifeboats. Other times, the tenders are provided by the port.
To have priority on a tender, you have to be a Platinum/Diamond member or be on a ship excursion. Otherwise, you have to go stand in line that morning and get a time ticket. Once the ticket number is called, you can go to the gangway to get on the tender. Sometimes, the tender ride is less than 10 minutes (Grand Cayman) or can be 30 minutes or more like today (Belize).
I was very glad that we did not have any plans to go to Belize today. We have been to the Mayan ruins, taken a city tour, and snorkeled twice. One of these days I would like to do the cave tubing but not today. It was torrential rain this morning and did not look like it was going to clear up any time soon. However, the tenders were running so people were heading out. Maybe it wasn’t raining as hard by the time they reached Belize.
We went to the ship’s gym today. We should have been going every day. They had a nice assortment of aerobic machines, weight machines, and free weights. They also offer different courses during the day such as yoga, or aerobics for an extra fee. We spent about an hour in there. There were a few people in there with us.
It continued to rain after lunch so we found a nice covered area on the promenade deck to read and drink coffee. I tried the Chocolate Lover’s coffee and Chuck had the Irish coffee. Very peaceful way to spend the afternoon.
We were back in Arsen’s section in the 4th floor dining room tonight. I had the strip loin steak and Chuck had the salmon. We commented on how good the food has been on this cruise. We’ve seen some of the chefs around the ship and have told them how much we are enjoying it. Salad bar is very fresh in the Lido. Lots of choices on the buffet.
We noticed that one of the Asst. Maître d’s is constantly walking around. He stops the staff and points. He is also always on his phone. I didn’t notice that happening on the third floor restaurant. The waiters work so very hard and running back and forth to the kitchen area. I hope he doesn’t make them nervous and upset.
We had two new comedians board yesterday. They did their first shows in the Showtime Theater tonight. There is Karaoke singing in the Comedy Club tonight. They were both very funny and the Theater was crowded.
Called it a night after the two shows. Hoping the weather is a little nicer tomorrow for Costa Maya, Mexico.
First thing Chuck asked me this morning when I brought in the coffee was if I heard the loud “Happy Birthday” song next door in the hallway at the crack of dawn. I did not – earplugs do work sometimes. I did notice that there are balloons on the door.
We had breakfast in the dining room this morning. The service was slower than previously. We did hear dishes crashing to the floor. Could have been our breakfast so they would have had to start from scratch. First time I have ever ordered a yogurt parfait. It was mostly granola and raisins – very little yogurt and very chewy. I don’t think I will order it again.
The cruise director has announced several times that Cozumel is one hour behind the ship time and to stay on ship time. I noticed that my Fitbit and phone have changed times even though I have it on airplane mode. I hope people who have gone ashore notice if their phones have changed or have worn regular watches.
Cozumel is notorious for “pier runners.” Those people who spend too much time in the local bars or shops and/or get mixed up on the ship time vs. local time. There are many YouTube videos of people who have to run down the long pier trying to get back on the ship before it leaves. Some people don’t make it. On one of our earlier cruises, we actually met a couple on one of our ships who had missed their ship. The Captain of our ship graciously allowed them to board our ship and stay in an open room.
At least they weren’t stranded in Mexico. However, their ship was due back in Port Canaveral the next day and they had a flight to their home that afternoon. Our ship was due in Tampa on the following day. They were going to have a lot of logistics to figure out. Big price to pay for being late shopping for trinkets.
We walked a mile around the track. There were two Royal Caribbean ships in port and one Holland America ship.
There was plenty of space around the aft pool. It was a nice afternoon to relax. When we went to the Alchemy late that afternoon, we heard about 11 names being called to contact guest services. Usually, those people are ones who haven’t boarded at least 30 minutes to all aboard. Some get there right at all aboard. Today, we had some pier runners who should be glad that the Captain didn’t leave right away.
We had dinner at the restaurant on the 4th floor again. Looks like it is going to be our restaurant during this cruise. Chuck had the beef tenderloin. I had the fried chicken.
After dinner, I watched the Electric Violinists play Bee Gees music. They are a unique group. Played all types of music on the violins during the cruise.
Afterwards, some casino time and then went to the Mega Deck party. Did a little line dancing.
