Day 116 May 1 - Ft. Lauderdale–Dallas

Our wake up call was at 7 and it was 73 degrees with 90% humidity under cloudy skies and 6 knot winds.  We had coffee on the verandah on last time before dressing to go home.  We went to breakfast at 8 and then to the aft deck to await our group number to be called.  They finally called it at 9:10 and we went ashore to find our bags among the hundreds in the terminal.  Luckily, ours were all very close together, but it took a long time to find a porter with a large cart for our 12 bags.  Customs and Immigration went very smoothly and we boarded the bus to the airport at 10:15.  Because of some kind of confusion by one passenger, we were delayed leaving the port and were finally off the bus at the airport at 11.  We boarded the  plane at 11:40, took off at 12 and arrived at DFW at 2:15.  We were met by our driver and after the 4 bags we checked came out, we were driven to our house and arrived at 3:15.  Casey, our dog, was very happy to see that we had not been kidnapped by pirates. 

Day 115 Apr 30 - At Sea

Our wake up call was at 8 so I could attend the disembarkation talk at 10.  It was 73 degrees with 80% humidity under mostly sunny skies and 14 knot winds.  We had coffee on the verandah and I went to breakfast at 9:10 while Glenda continued to pack.  I returned to the cabin and picked up my camera and went to the Queen's Lounge to get a seat where I could take pictures.  I came back at 11:15 and to the front desk to get more luggage tags while Glenda called about our safe which we must have locked using the wrong code.  I came back and filled out my survey, luggage tags and customs declaration.  Glenda went to turn in the survey forms.  When she came back, we sealed, tagged, and strapped the shipping luggage and set it outside the door for pickup.  We finished what we could before tonight (2 bags to go) at 1:30 and at 2, we went to the casino where we lasted about 20 minutes and then went to the cabin to update yesterday's blog entry and do email.  I finished at 3:20 and found out that our flight number and time had changed to 1345 and 12:00 noon.  Glenda returned to the cabin at 3:25 and we went to bingo at 3:45 where Don won 33.50 in a split but we got close and failed to bingo again. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Rose, Rene, Marylon, Dave, and Kris & Signe.  After dinner, we returned and talked with Don, Dave & Ron, Barbie, Kris & Signe, and Aart & Ellen until 11 when we went to the cabin and locked the last bag and put it outside.

Day 114 Apr 29 - At Sea

We woke up to Bruce's 9:25 announcement and it was 75 degrees with 76% humidity under mostly clear skies and 4 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah and I went to breakfast at 10:10 while Glenda got ready for last sun bathing day. I returned at 10:35 and she went up to the aft deck while I worked on the blog entry and email check. I finished at 11:30 and went down to pick up a bottle of duty free liquor we had purchased earlier and then I went to the aft deck at 11:50. I worked on crosswords and read while Glenda read in the sun until 2 when we returned to the cabin and packed some more. We went to bingo at 3:45 and returned Peter's abalone shell that we had been airing on the verandah since Cape Town. We did not win at bingo. Tonight's formal theme was the Grand Farewell. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Dave, Rene, Kris & Signe and Marylon. After dinner, we returned and talked with Peter, Don, Kris & Singe, Dave and Char, the future cruise consultant. The members of the band, Serendipity, took a picture with Glenda and I and we stayed until 11:45 when we went to the casino for a 40 minute contribution.

Day 113 Apr 28 - At Sea

Some decorations for the Indonesian Lunch

Phillip Huber

Demonstrating George M. Cohen

The Magician and some of his tricks

At the end, he turns into a dragon

Phillip and Taffy

Glenda says that his tongue feels real

We had a wake up call at 7 for Glenda's 8:45 hair appointment. It was 77 degrees with 85% humidity under partly cloudy skies and 26 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah and watched some flying fish. I updated the blog entry while Glenda dressed for her appointment. I couldn't get an internet connection. Glenda came back at 9:20 and we went to breakfast at 9:45. At 10:40, we went to the Queen's Lounge for a showcase and Q & A session with Phillip Huber and his marionettes. It was fascinating to see it up close. I stopped by the front desk to get come change for tips and to pick up our passports. We went by the photo shop to pick up 3 photos. At 12:15, I went to the cabin to try the internet again, but still couldn't get a connection. I started packing my formal things and other clothing and Glenda came back to the cabin at 12:45 and she packed another bag. At 1:30, we went to the casino to enter the free slot tournament but we didn't qualify. There was another qualifying round after dinner. We went back to the cabin and packed some more and read until 3:45 when we went to bingo. Glenda won the 2nd and 3rd games for a total of $94. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Dave and Rene. After dinner, we failed to qualify for the finals of the free slot tournament again, but the prizes were just caps and shirts and coffee mugs and we didn't need more to pack. Then, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Joost, Dave, Don, Barbie and Peter until 11 when we went to the casino and played for 45 minutes on our contribution.

Day 112 Apr 27 - Castries, St. Lucia

The duty free shops

The "mall"

More shops at the port

Where we had drinks with Rene

Crew cleaning the anchor

Views from our verandah

We woke up to Bruce's announcement at 9:30 that the ship had been cleared. It was 82 degrees with 72% humidity under partly sunny skies and 14 knot winds. This was our last port before we return to Florida. We had coffee on the verandah and went to breakfast at 10:35 and then left the ship at 11:10. We shopped in the duty free shops until 11:55 when we took a taxi to the "mall" which turned out to be a large general store for locals since the stores downtown closed on Saturday at 12:30. We bought another suitcase and returned to the duty free shops for more shopping. We stopped for a drink with Rene and re-boarded the ship at 1:45. We dropped off our purchases while they were cleaning our cabin and went down to the sports bar for about 30 minutes before returning to the cabin. Glenda resumed packing while I updated the blog and checked email. I started packing the 2nd large bag and Glenda finished a medium-sized bag and the Holland America bag we bought earlier. Our toilet was not functioning properly and after calling it in, the maintenance man came and worked on it for about 30 minutes before fixing it. We sat on the verandah and had ginger ale while I worked on the crossword and Glenda read until 5:15. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Dave, Rose, Rene and Marylon. After dinner, we returned and talked with Karen, Dave, Don, Barbie and Peter until 10:45 when we went to the casino for a too quick 20 minute contribution.

Day 111 Apr 26 - At Sea

We woke up at 9 and it was 81 degrees with 87% humidity under partly cloudy skies and 16 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah and went to breakfast at 10:15 and then to the aft deck where I worked on the crossword until 11:10 when I went to the cabin to work on yesterday's pictures and update the blog. I returned to the aft deck to read at 12:15. We read until 3 when we returned to the cabin. The clouds had moved in and the temperature had dropped to 79. We read on the verandah until 3:45 when we went to bingo where we failed to win again. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Dave, Rose, Rene and Kris & Signe. After dinner, we returned and talked with Don, Barbie, Kris & Signe and Peter. I was feeling very tired, so I went to the cabin at 10:45. Glenda stayed until 11:45.

Day 110 Apr 25 - Devil's Island, Fr. Guiana

The main island

The tender dock

Signe

Serendipity Band

Cruise director Bruce

Peter, the birthday boy, and Glenda

Pat in the hat

Emily in the center doing YMCA

Peter reading Don's card and the cake

Dave found a nice nest on the couch

We woke up at 8:15 to the tender operation announcements. It was 79 degrees with 95% humidity under partly cloudy skies and 6 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah, but it was quite hot with the sun on us as the temperature began to rise. We did not go ashore due to the fact that this was our 3rd stop here. Glenda asked for our bags to be brought up from storage and started to dig out many of our purchases and gifts. I went to breakfast at 9:30 and when I returned, I updated the blog and checked email. When the bags finally arrived, she packed one of the big bags. We spent the day in the cabin and verandah reading after she had one bag full. The temperature had eased with a cloud cover and a breeze. It was the coolest weather of our three visits. We were supposed to sail at 3, but there was a problem with the tender gangway door and they had to repair it. The repairs were not complete until shortly after 6. We were having dinner in the Pinnacle Grill with Kris & Signe and Ron & Dave and met them in their suite at 7 and had champagne and snacks until 8 when we went to dinner. Tonight was also Peter's birthday and we had planned a cake in the Crow's Nest. It turned out also to be the Pajama Party in the Crow's Nest, so after dinner, we went to the cabin to change into our silk Chinese PJs. We stayed in the Crow's Nest until 11:10 when we went to the casino for a 30 minute contribution. We got to set the clocks back 1 hour.

Day 109 Apr 24 - At Sea Mariner's Appreciation Day

We didn't get out of the brown water until mid-afternoon

We woke up at 8:45 and it was 81 degrees with 87% humidity under partly cloudy skies and 15 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah while sailing through the muddy water flowing from the mouth of the Amazon River. We had a brunch at 11 for 4 and 5 star mariners and President's Club members. The menu was more suited for lunch or dinner, but we made the best of it. We received Holland America tiles on the table. After the brunch, Glenda sat out on the aft deck while I went to the cabin to update the blog and check email. Then I went to the front desk and exchanged my Real back to dollars. I joined Glenda on the aft deck at 1:10 and worked crosswords and read until 2:10 when we returned to the cabin and read until 3:45 when we went to bingo where we were once again close in vain. The Mariner's cocktail party was tonight at 6:45 where they presented medallions to new awardees. Even though we had notified them that we had already received our 500 day medallions, they called us up as just having received them and they had sent a second set to our cabin. Before the formal dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Kris & Signe, Don and Ron & Dave. After dinner, we returned and talked with Signe, Barbie, Don, Ron & Dave until 10:15 when we went to the casino. Glenda played for almost 2 hours and won $10. I only managed 1 hour on my contribution. Our formal night gifts were 2 Holland America Plates.

Day 108 Apr 23 - Belem, Brazil

Belem from the ship

Our shore side tender

There were only 13 of us on the tender

The tender for the non 4 and 5 star, President's Club, and deluxe suite passengers

Military police were in abundance

Fruit stand at the port

Houses on one of the rivers we passed

Grilling for his restaurant

Graffiti was everywhere including some unlikely places

The street across from the Belem market we visited

A lot of boats under repair at the port

Lots of pineapples on the dock

Melki, our dining steward on the right

This boat doesn't look like it will float again

We woke up to the announcement of the tender procedures at 8. It was 79 degrees with 93 percent humidity under partly cloudy skies and 3 knot winds. We had coffee on the verandah, dressed, and went to breakfast at 9:30. We went down and boarded the tender at 10. As we pulled away from the ship, we created a wave that washed the wooden steps on the boarding platform into the water as well as a bottle of oil from the tender. The crew of the tender rescued tem both and we went back to the gangway to return the steps before continuing on to the port. We arrived at the port at 10:19 and boarded the shuttle bus to Belem at 10:30. The ride into town was 50 minutes and we spent about an hour walking through the market there before re-boarding the shuttle bus back to the port. We arrived at the port at 1:10 and boarded the tender at 1:25. We got back onboard the ship at 1:50 and went to the cabin. I updated the blog and checked email while Glenda read on the verandah. I joined her at 2:30 and read until 4:15 when we went to the aft deck for the sail away. We sat with Ron & Dave and the ship was late leaving due to some guests who were late re-boarding. At 5:30, we went to the cabin to get ready for the evening. Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don and Ron & Dave. After dinner, we returned for 20 minutes before leaving to go see Phillip Huber's second Marionettes show which was even better than the first show. Afterwards, we returned to the Crow's Nest and talked with Don, Ron & Dave, Jan & Jan, Peter and Barbie. We went to the casino at 11:15 and made a 55 minute contribution. We received 2 Steiff Bears in travel cases as our surprise gifts.