Videos from our Cruise in October 2019

Our cabin on the Freedom of the Seas - a Junior Suite

The Parade on the Promenade

The floating bridge in Curacao

Eating lunch in a small town in the mountains of Puerto Rico

Breakfast at the Marriott

A brief shower during breakfast

Lunch at a roadside stand outside San Juan

Twilight on the beach from our balcony at the Marriott

Our room at the San Juan Marriott

At the port of San Juan from our balcony

Day 13 – Monday, October 28

Sadly our last day for this trip.  Of course the weather was great.

We went down to the restaurant and sat outside for our breakfast and just relaxed and enjoyed.

As our plane was early in the afternoon, we basically did nothing at all except relax and pack for the trip home.

The trip home was uneventful and we arrived home at about 10:00pm.

Another fun cruise with friends and memories that we will always cherish.

Breakfast on the last day of the trip

Packed for the trip to the airport

Day 12 – Sunday, October 27

The ship was docked by the time we woke up and other than a brief rain shower at 8:30am, it was a perfect day.

Barb and Tim had what is called a Grand Suite and with that came the privilege of being escorted off the ship in a private group.  The person reasonable for that level of cabin also thought we were in one as it was his lounge that we had drinks and snacks in each night, walking in with Tim and Barb.

Our small group of people left at 8:30am and there was a fast lane for us to depart the ship, get our bags and get through security and customs.  We were probably 15 minutes from leaving the ship to our in a cab to the Marriott.   The regular lines were probably taking an hour to get out.

We had asked our contact at the Marriott to allow us to check in at 9:30am and our room was ready when we arrived.  Barb and Tim put their bags in our room and we took a Uber to Old San Juan so that Barb and Tim could have the famous Mallorca sandwich.  

After that early lunch we walked to the San Juan Cathedral for Sunday service.  It was in Spanish but we enjoyed it.  The church is the second oldest church in the Americas and it was in amazing condition.

After church, Barb and Tim went back to the hotel and we went to the gift shop for the church.  There we met a man who was working on the restoration of the church and he gave us a tour of the parts of the church that the public doesn’t get to see – it was wonderful.

Then we shopped for a bit before taking a Uber back to the hotel where we changed into swimming suits and went down to the big pool.

Barb and Tim left about 3:30pm for their flight back to DC and we later changed and went to dinner.

Dinner was a wonderful Puerto Rican meal. 

Then we played a session in the casino and Ed lost and Barb broke even. 

That’s all for our gambling on trip and while we didn’t win much, we did come out ahead.

We did get some bad news this afternoon,  a your friend, Mike Moss who we knew from our days at the Covered Bridge Festival lost his battle for life and passed away on Saturday – so sad to lose someone who was so young.  Our prayers go out to his wife and two children.

This will be our last blog before we get home; however, I will add videos later in the week.

About to leave the ship

Lunch of Mallorca sandwich

Getting ready to go into church

The door to the orginal part of the church

The view from our room and the Marriott

Dinner - Fish on top and pork on the bottom

Day 11 – Saturday, October 26

We arrived early in the morning at St. Martin, one of our favorite islands.  Normally there are a huge number of cruise ships docked here, at least 4. 

Today, when we docked, we were the only ship here!

We got off at about 9am and shopped around the pier shops for a little bit and then took a cab to Orient Beach, one of our favorite beaches.

We had been here before just after the last hurricane and then a year ago.  The beach is slowly rebuilding but a lot of the businesses are just not here at all. 

Anyway, we had fun on the beach and ate at our beach chairs with take-out from one of the only restaurants that has re-built.

Then we took a cab back to the ship and packed for getting off the ship tomorrow.

We met Barb and Tim at 6pm in the casino before dinner and Ed lost a little and Barb didn’t play.

Dinner tonight was at one of the specialty restaurants, an Italian restaurant and the food was very good.

Then we went to the show and was just a fun fairy tale production number.

Finally we went to the casino for the last night and Ed won nicely and Barb broke even.

The comedian that we saw last night was having a late night adult comedy hour so we went to see him and he again was really, really funny.

Finally after midnight we went back to the cabin to finish packing for departure tomorrow and head back to the Marriott in San Juan.

Heading for home in one more day!!

Miss everyone.

Tea in the morning on our deck!!

Welcome to St.Martins

Our final night out on the ship

Day 10 – Friday, October 25

Our second to last day on the ship and it is a day at sea which is great because after 3 islands in 3 days, we need some time to just relax.

We stayed up on deck until 11:15am and then came in and got ready for lunch with Tim and Barbara at the buffet.

At 1pm was a blackjack tournament and Ed tied for the 7^th spot and in a playoff, didn’t make it.

Then at 2pm we all played in a slot tournament and again, none of us won.

After that we played a session in the casino and Ed had his biggest win and Barb didn’t play.

At 4pm we went to see the ice show and it was a good show on a very small ring.  Apparently the only ice rink on a cruise ship.  It is also open for public skating but we have not been interested.  Why go to the Caribbean to be cold!!

We left the cabin at 6:45pm and met Barbara and Tim for drinks in the lounge before going to dinner.

Dinner tonight was back in the main dining room because it was formal night and the cruise ships always put out a great menu on this night, the last formal night of the cruise.

The show tonight was another comedian who was very, very good and will have a late night show on Friday, should be great

After that we went to the casino where Ed had a huge run includng 4 blackjacks on $100 bets!  AS best we can remember it was a run of 11 or 12 hands in a row.  As the run happened in the first couple of hands in the first shoe, Barb get to play.

After gambling we went up to the entertainment area where they were having a 70's party and people watched.

Time for bed as tomorrow we go to St. Martins and one of our favorite beaches, Orent Beach.

Night

The ice show

Going out for the evening

We have a wonderful cabin attendent!!

Day 9 - Thursday, October 24

The last of the ABC Islands –Bonaire 88 degrees at 8am and a great looking day as we docked.

Since we have been here before, today we rented golf carts and drove to an interior island town, seeing the countryside and then going to a very local restaurant.   We ordered Ox-Tail stew with rice and beans and it was very good.  Barb and Tim decided not to eat!!

We also stopped at a local distillery which made liquor from cactus, had some samples and bought a couple of small bottles to bring home.

We took a different way back and were back to the port city by the middle of the afternoon.  We parked the golf cart and walked around and bought a few trinkets but nothing big.  

We took the golf cart back and they took us to the ship and spent the rest of the afternoon eating again and since the ship was still in port, we laid out on our big balcony in the sun just relaxing.

At 5:00 we went to the inside promenade and watch a Marti Gra type parade inside the ship – what fun it was.  While we were waiting for the parade to start, we also book a Venice to Venice cruise for October 2020 on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship, but again a suite so that Barb can have her walk-in closet!!!

Before dinner we went to the main show to see a magician and he was so bad we walked out and went to dinner early.

For dinner we had a complementary dinner at the specility restaurant the Chop House and had a great meal.

After dinner we went to the casino where both of us won so it was a nice day.

Tomorrow is a day at sea before out last island – Saint Martins.

Night

leaving in the morning

A normal yard with a nice house in the country

The city where we had lunch

The church in the city

The best restaurant in town

Our waiter and Barb choosing drinks

Lunch - Ox Tail Stew and it was very good

Our waiter with lunch

A local soccer field

The parade

Going out for the night

Our ship

Day 8 - Wednesday, October 23

Curacao – another Dutch Island and one of our favorites!!

So very pretty, so very clean and actually south of the northern tip of South America so it is really hot here at this time.

After breakfast we got off the ship and took a taxi to the Curacao Liquor Distillery, took a tour and sampled several different kinds of Curacao Liquor.  We ended up buying a bottle of a type that is not imported into the United States.

Then we took a cab to the center of the city and walked across the pontoon bridge to the part of the island connected to the cruise ship.

We had a coupon for $10 or free slot play at their casino and we played the free credits but didn’t win anything.

After the casino, we walked back to the ship and had lunch.  Of course the next thing was going up to the top deck to get some sun.

Before dinner, we met Barb and Tim in the Suites lounge for free drinks and then went to deck #2 for an ice show – what fun to see skaters perform on an ice rink.

Dinner tonight was in the main dining room and it was good.

Afterwards we went to the casino where Ed and Barb both lost a little.  This has not been one of our better cruises in the casino, but we are having fun.

Tomorrow is our last of the ABC Islands Bonaire so night for now.

Curacao liquor

Having a Mango Smoothie

The pontoon bridge leading into town

Going out for the evening

On the bridge

Another towell creature