Day 115 - April 30 – Ft. Lauderdale to DFW to home

Our wake up call was at 7:30, but the disembarkation announcements began at 7:15.  We ordered our last large pot of coffee for the room and dressed.  It was 73 degrees under cloudy skies with mist.  We were group 1 Grey with an estimated call time of 9:45 – !0:30.  Our call came at 9:35 and after claiming our luggage and clearing customs and immigrations, dropping off our 7 shipped bags at the FEDEX truck and boarding the airport shuttle bus, we arrived at the airport at 10:55.  We could not check our bags for our 6:40 flight until 2:40 but they  put us on standby for the noon flight and that let us check our bags and go through security.  We did manage to get on the noon flight and arrived at DFW at 2:20.  After getting out checked bags our driver got us home at 3:40.  I started going through the mail to eliminate the junk mail and glance at the more important stuff.  Glenda had a jury summons for Tuesday the 5th.  I started gathering all the income tax forms despite having a racking cough for the last few days.  It will probably take a week to get everything back in order.

Day 114 - April 29 – At Sea

We woke up at 8 and it was 75 degrees under partly cloudy skies and fairly calm seas.  We had coffee, dressed and prepared the rest of the shipping tags.  I posted the blog and we went to breakfast at 9:45.  We went to the aft deck after breakfast and worked crosswords until 10:30 when we returned to the cabin to lock, tag and strap all of the shipped luggage and placed it in the hallway by 11:45.  We read until 2:15 when we went to the casino for $10 work of slots and then to the Dancing With the Stars finale,  It was very well done and Stephanie Wilson, one of our younger passengers, won.  We returned to the cabin and read until time to get ready for the evening.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow’s Nest and visited with Don, Tom & Karen and others.  After dinner, we went to the casino and played slots for 45 minutes before going back to the Crow’s Nest and visiting with Peter, Barbie, Tom & Karen, John & Kathryn, Ann, Cathy, the St. Johns, Diane and Stephanie until 11:15.  We returned to the cabin to finish packing the bags for the plane and putting them our.

Day 113 - April 28 – At Sea

We woke up at 7:50 and it was 72 degrees under cloudy skies with more moderate swells.  We had coffee, dressed and went to breakfast at 9:45.  After breakfast, we went to the aft deck and I worked the crossword and we visited with Don and Karen until 11 when I returned to the cabin to post the blog.  Glenda came back at 11:15 and we packed some more and read until time for the free cruise bingo game at 2.  We did not win the cruise, but at least a regular bingo player did.  We went to the casino and played slots for an hour and returned to the cabin.  We received our picture from the Recognition Party that was delivered to our cabin.  We read until time to get ready for the Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party at 7.  We also gat a letter that stated that we would receive a corrected World Cruise 2015 plate in about a month mailed to our home since the ones given out on the ship had the incorrect ports listed.  We went to the Crow's Nest and skipped the farewell party.  At dinner, they had a parade of some of the crew.  After dinner, we went to the casino where I had no luck so I went up the Crow's Nest at 9:30 and visited with Tom & Karen, Don, Barbie and Peter until 10:30.  Glenda came back to the cabin at 10:40.  We had chocolate candy bars and 2 World Cruise 2015 coasters as gifts.

Day 112 - April 27 – At Sea

We woke up at 8:25 after a bumpy night which continued today.  The verandah was awash in water but it was 73 degrees under partly cloudy skies with a forecast high of 63(?).  Apparent winds were 50 knots head on.  We had coffee, dressed and I posted the blog.  They came to the cabin next door and vacuumed the water up.  We went to breakfast at 9:50.  After breakfast, we went to the aft deck until 11 when we went to the front desk to get additional luggage tags and ten back to the cabin to pack some more and prepare luggage tags and customs form.  We worked crosswords and read until the guest talent show at 3.  It was a great show and we returned to the cabin at 4:30.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow’s Nest and visited with John & Kathryn and Don.  The bartenders made us a pair of chairs with an umbrella on a coaster.  The chairs are made from champagne bottle clamps and the umbrella is mounted in a cork from a liquor bottle.  The Crow’s Nest was to be closed for a crew party after dinner and the regulars were told to go to the Ocean Bar for a free drink after dinner.  We got our drinks and went to the Piano Bar to listen to Debby play and she gave us a picture card from her pictures taken along the cruise with a personal note.  We ran into Barbie and Aart there and we went back to the Ocean Bar where Peter was and Ellen joined  us and we visited until 11:40.

Day 111 - April 26 – At Sea

We woke up at 7:45 and it was 66 degrees under cloudy skies with strong winds.  The forecast high was only 63.  We had coffee, dressed and went to breakfast at 9:45.  After breakfast, we went to the aft deck for a while to allow the room to be made up.  We returned to the cabin and did some more packing.  I updated the blog and we read until bingo at 1.  We each got 5 extra cards for the last game for our 5 start Mariner status and we got close several times but did not win.  Next, we went to the final qualifying round of the slot tournament where I failed to make the board but Glenda made it in 4th place.  We played slots while we waited for the finals.  Glenda did not finish in the top 3 and got no prize.  We returned to the cabin and read until time to get ready for our last formal night and the Mariner's Recognition Cocktail Party before dinner at 6:45.  We received our platinum medallions for 700+ days with Holland America.  They were delivered to our cabin yesterday and they only called us up for our picture with the Captain and the Hotel Manager.  At dinner, we received masks for the Mask Ball and after party.  After dinner, we went to the casino for 40 minutes and then to the Crow's Nest and visited with Diane, Vicki, Tom & Karen, Peter, Barbie, Ann, Cathy, Jacques and John & Kathryn until 12.  We got 2 itinerary plates as gifts but the ports listed were not correct.  We got to set the clocks back one hour.

Day 110 - April 25 – At Sea

Our wake up call was at 8 and it was 63 degrees under cloudy skies and windy.  Glenda had a 9:45 hair appointment and we had the Mariner's Appreciation Brunch at 11, so we dressed and had coffee before she left for the spa.  I updated the blog and Glenda went to her appointment while I went up the the Crow's Nest with Don and read for a half hour before meeting Glenda and returning to the cabin.  Bagus had brought in the remaining shipping bags and we went to the brunch at 10:55.  We had a nice meal and met some new people at our table.  We returned to the cabin at 12:40 and resumed packing until time to go to the Filipino Crew Show.  The show was at 3, but we went at 2:40 to get a good seat and the auditorium was almost full already.  After the show, we went back to the cabin until 4:30 when we went to the AMEX cocktail party.  We went back to the cabin at 5:35 and read until time to meet the gang for Peter's birthday dinner.  We visited with Leslie & Handler, Vicki, Don, Barbie and Peter.  We had a great dinner and many people stopped by to offer best wishes to Peter.  After dinner, we went to the casino and I went back to the cabin at 10 while  Glenda stayed until 11.  We got to set the clocks back another hour.  The Achmed family had left us a goodbye note as they were having to leave.

Day 109 - April 24 – At Sea

We woke up at 8:25 and it was 61 degrees and of 63.  We had rough seas all night and they were supposed to calm later in the morning.  The internet was down, so I couldn't post the blog.  We had coffee, dressed and went to breakfast at 9:45.  After breakfast, we went to the aft deck and I worked the crossword.  At 10:40,we returned to the cabin to find some of our suitcases and Glenda began to pack a few of the ones for shipping.  I made a list of purchases for customs when we get back.  We  filled up 3 bags and at 2, we went to the second qualifying round of the the slot tournament.  We didn't make even half the points needed to get on the board so we played slots for a while and had no luck there either.  We then went to the Indonesian Crew Show which was one of the better ones we have seen.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and visited with Tom & Karen, Ed, Leslie & Handler, Ann, Cathy and John & Kathryn.  After dinner, we went to the casino and I played slots for 30 minutes for $20 and Glenda played for over an hour and was even.  I had gone ahead to the Crow's Nest and visited with Barbie, Peter and Tom.  Glenda came up, but decided to go back and try to lose her $20.  I stayed until 11:15 and found her in the cabin.  We got to set the clocks back one hour.