March 31 - Day 12 - Ocho Rios, Jaimaca

 

 

I got up at 7:15 and went to breakfast at7:45.  I went ashore at 8:45 and bought a shirt and walked around and took photos.  The walk from the ship to the exit of the port was very long and the humidity very high.  The breeze helped but I only managed about 1 and a half miles and returned to the ship at 9:50 after many offers of tours and souvenirs.  I went back to the cabin to cool off and download my photos.  Jeff called and he and Ann are not going to the dining room tonight.  Worked some crosswords and  a catamaran party past by the ship about 2:30 and I captured some photos of it.  At 3, I went to the sail away and had a Bahama Mama and sat in the sun for about 30 minutes before going back to the cabin.  The internet was a bit sketchy this afternoon.  I went to dinner at 6:15 and had Jeff's table all to myself.  After dinner, I returned to the cabin to find that we will lose the hour that we gained earlier.  We are now on Eastern Daylight Time.  Tomorrow is my Covid test for the next leg of my cruise next week.

March 30 - Day 11 - Georgetown, Grand Cayman

 

 Sunset from our dining room table

I got up at 6:55 after the time change.  We were anchored  next to the Celebrity Reflection.  I went to breakfast at 7:40.   Afterward, I went by the service desk to get the daily crossword and then back to the cabin to gather my things for going ashore.  I went down to get my tender ticket at 8:20 and waited about 15 minutes for my number to be called.  We boarded a large Carib boat and it took about 20 minutes to load and we got to shore at 9.  I bought a t-shirt and then walked around and took photos for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  I then went back to the dock and caught the tender back.  I was onboard at 10:35 and went back to the cabin to download my photos and fill in the blog.  I worked the daily crossword and a couple of more that I brought with me.  I read for a while and then got ready for dinner.  Jeff, Ann and I went to dinner at 6:20 during the really nice sunset.  After dinner, I returned to the cabin to update the blog and read.  I received my continuing voyage letter and my covid test will be Friday April 1 before Key West. 

March 29 - Day 10 - At Sea

 

 

I got up at 8 and went to breakfast at 8 and went to breakfast at 8:20.  After breakfast, I went to the service desk to get the NY Times crossword and then to the cabin at 8:45.  At 10, I went to the reception and sat with Gene and Rita who happened to be on the 2020 World Cruise as well.  As I was leaving, I happened to see Ron Markby and sat with him and talked for about 30 minutes.  Apparently David had slept in.  I returned to the cabin at 11:45 and worked crosswords and checked email until 1:50 when I went to the wine tasting.  I had 4 different wines which were all very good.  Afterward, I talked with Ron and David for about 20 minutes.  I returned to the cabin at 3:25 and worked crosswords and got ready for another gala night.  The other decided not to do the dining room tonight and are going to the Lido.  I went to the dining room intending to use Jeff's table, but they already had seated someone else there.  I was added to another table for 6 with a couple from California, a couple from North Carolina, and a retired university administrator name Ron from Boston.  It was an interesting meal.  After dinner, I returned to the cabin to find that the clocks were to be set back one hour overnight.  I had a new towel sculpture but not sure what it is.  Tomorrow is a tender port at Georgetown, Grand Cayman and I plan to just go ashore and walk around some and take some photos.. 

March 28 - Day 9 - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

 

One of the options on shore is horse back riding

We were anchored next to the Nieuw Statendam

The Nieuw Statendam used tenders to take guests back and forth while the Rotterdam used a local boat which was much larger

 

I got up at 7 before our arrival at 8.  I stayed on board today.  I put on sunscreen, dressed and went to breakfast at 8 as they were announcing tender service starting.  After breakfast, I went to the service desk to get the NY Times crossword puzzle and returned to the cabin to work on it.  At 9:25, I went down to deck 3 and did a walk around the deck and took some photos.  The Nieuw Statendam was anchored near us.  I did one mile (3 laps) and returned to the cabin at 10 to work some other crosswords.  At 12, I went up to the Dive In and had a Jack Knife (Bratwurst sausage, curry ketchup, curry power sprinkles, crusty roll and Dive In sauce) Then I went to the bar and had my free Mariner's Special Cocktail.  I returned to the  cabin and took some more pictures from my verandah.  I worked some more crosswords and at 3 I went to the port talk for Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.  I returned to the cabin at 3:45 and found an invitation to an exclusive reception for 4-star, 5-star, and President's Club members from 10 to 11 tomorrow.  I worked some more crosswords and got ready for dinner.  After dinner, we went to the B. B. King Blues Club since they have a female singer since the last time I went.  She was extremely good and I stayed through the first set.  I returned to the cabin at 9:10 and worked on the blog.  I had another invitation to a complementary wine tasting tomorrow afternoon. 

March 27 - Day 8 - Fort Lauderdale

 

 

These are the photos from the aft pool this afternoon

 During the sail away

This was my gift from the Hotel Manager

 

I got up at  6:40.  We were docked and they were getting busy unloading baggage and loading supplies down on the pier.  Disembarkation began at 7:25.  I went to breakfast at 7:30 and then went back to the cabin as there was a lot of congestion in the common areas with people waiting to disembark.  At 9:15, I went down to the Pinnacle area to wait for Jeff but at 9:30, I got a nervous and decided to go down to the World Stage as my letter had instructed.  I was near the last row of the 200+ guests who were staying on board but were not going ashore.  We sat for about 45 minutes while they tried to find people who were not there as they should be and at 10:15, we left to go through the Customs facial recognition process and then we re-boarded.  I was back on the ship at 11 and returned to my cabin to make phone calls home.  I went up to the Retreat to verify our reservation time for dinner in the Pinnacle tonight (6) and then checked out the menu at the Dive In (Burgers and Hot Dogs) for later in the week.  I went up at 3:30 to the aft pool, got a beer and took some pictures of the waterway traffic.  At 4:15, I went back to the cabin to get ready for dinner tonight.  I went down to meet Jeff at 5:30 and Cathy arrived a few minutes later.  Ann cam a bit later and we had drinks until time to go the Pinnacle Grill.  When we were seated, we were greeted by several of the staff (due to Jeff, Cathy and Ann) and the meal was great.  I had a shrimp salad, a filet mignon with a baked potato, and a chocolate souffle and a glass of red wine with my steak.   We net the couple at the next table who followed Jeff's blog and were on the 2020 World Cruise with me.  After  dinner, Jeff, Cathy and Ann were going to the B. B. King Blues Club again and I passed and returned to the cabin to find chocolates as a gift from the Hotel Manager.  I turned in at 9:45 to read for a while.