Day 8

Today was 81 by 9:00am, but the only problem was that it was cloudy by 10:00am.  So we sat on the deck for a while, and then went to the Aqua Spa to eat.

After that we cleaned up and and went to a new matinee show – the first time we have been on a ship where they had a production show in the afternoon, so it gave us something different to do.  It was a wonderful show featuring the singers on the ship.

After the show we came back to the cabin and got our packing out of the way.  We then went to the casino where Ed hit for a great streak that put him ahead. 

Back to the room for a short nap before dressing for dinner.

Our new friends from Washington DC joined us for dinner with our original dinner partners from Rhoad Island and we had a good time enjoying each others company.

Then it was on to the casino where Barb lost a little and Ed gave back some of his afternoon winnings.  The good news is that we ended up almost even and built up a lot of time to qualify for our next cruise.

All-in-all it was a relaxing trip and we are ready to get back home and get ready for Christmas.

See everyone soon and this is our last blog for this trip.

Night – on our way to Miami and home.

 

Singers at the afternoon show



Tim and Barb from Washington DC

Arthur and Karen from Rhode Island

Ready to go out for the evening

 

Day 7

Our last of 2 sea days and Ed, as usual got up early to get two good deck chairs.  The weather was perfect with a slight breeze and we stayed out on the deck until Noon. 

Then we went to Aqua Spa for lunch and back up on the deck until 1:00pm when it was time to clean up and go to the Blackjack tournament.

Ed qualified for the finals but, for the first time in three cruises, did not win.  The winner was an individual who we met playing blackjack and ate with last night!  A nice couple from Washington DC.  So we just have to start a new streak for next year.

After walking around a little, we went back to the room for our daily nap and get ready for formal night.

After getting ready, we had our pictures taken and we wanted to play a session in the casino but there was nobody there to play, so we sat and listened to the band play.

The show was early tonight so we went to a great production show at 7:00 pm.  The format of the show was exactly the same as we saw in March last year, but of course the cast was different and it was a fun show to see.

Tonight the casino took us to a fabulous specialty restaurant (which is an extra charge restaurant) called Quisne.  Its claim to fame is that is has great food prepared and served in uncommon ways.  The food was great and the preparation and service was fantastic – it was a wonderful meal.  Also great was that the casino paid for it. 

After eating we went to the casino and both Ed and Barb were up – so it was a great evening.

Then it was time to go to bed and tonight we game an hour of sleep so that will be wonderful.

Night from the sea – heading home – one more day on the ship – too short of a cruise but we have lots of things to do for Christmas.

 

Going out for the afternoon

Our second formal night

9 types of vegetables, 2 filets and 6 more vegetables with the filets!!

The view from our balcony

 

Day 6

Another beautiful day in paradise.  We got up early because we wanted to get to Orient Beach before most of the crowds and also it would be a little cooler.

St. Martins is actually split into two countries, one Dutch and one French and it is a beautiful island that we love to go to.  It does have a lot of the same shopping as St. Thomas, but just on a smaller scale, but our real love is the beach on this island.

After breakfast, we walked off the pier, hopped on a shuttle and we were on the French side of St. Martins at Orient Beach in 15 minutes.

We basically spent the entire day on the beach and lunch was a grilled sandwich and a drink– life is good here.

Pictures are not allowed but you can go on the internet and see what a wonderful place this beach is.

By 2:00pm we had been in the sun long enough so we took a shuttle back to the ship.

The shuttle we took back to the ship was neat because the shuttle driver was giving the other couple a tour of the island, so we listened to their tour as we were driven back.

It was then time to clean up and then take a nap.

After our nap, we walked around the ship listened to music and then went to dinner with a couple we had met in the casino.  He is a retired Colonel in the Air Force and works for a government contractor in Washington so we had fun talking at dinner.

After dinner we went to the casino where we lost a little.

Tonight we are heading back to the United States and will be at sea for two days – just relaxing and enjoying.

Sorry there aren’t more pictures, but we weren’t anywhere to take pictures.

Night from the ocean.

 

Heading to the beach

The back of the ship

Repair store!!
 

Going out for the evening

 

Day 5

What a wonderful view we had when we woke up – the yachts of the island of St. Thomas.  This view sure beats looking out over the corn fields from our bedroom deck!

The main attraction of St. Thomas is shopping as it is the number one island for shopping!!! 

We both slept in for a little and were finally up and off the ship by 9:30am.  It is a short shuttle around the harbor to the town and then it was walk, walk and walk more into lots of shops – just fun.

After being in town, we caught the shuttle back to the port and walked around the port shops.  Across the street, we went to a jewelry store that has always had some good deals on bracelets and rings that Barb likes and Ed likes because that are not as expensive as some places.

Barb bought 4 bracelets, a scarf and a ring – life is good!!

Then it was back on the ship for a short nap and then a 5:00pm departure.

We then went to the early show before going to dinner.  The show was a great show by the cast.  This group is probably one, if not the best of any we have seen on Celebrity.

Dinner was just fine and then it was off to the casino where Ed won finally and Barb was done a little.

We played our allotted time and were able to get back in the room before midnight, a first for this cruise.

An early night tonight and tomorrow is our last island, St. Martins and its famous beach, Orient Beach and we are looking forward to the day.

Night - Night

 

The view from our deck the yacht with the dark hull cost 161 million to build and is for charter.  The white yacht is the 49th largest yacht at 228 feet and is owned by Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas NBA team.

You have to just love shopping!!

One of the many alley ways in downtown St. Thomas

Barb's new ring on her little finger and the new bracelets

 

Day 4

Another beautiful day when we awoke with very little sleep.

The sky was clear, the temperature was in the low 80’s and we were on our way to San Juan.  We ate again in the Aqua Spa and since we had been in the sun enough, we took a nap before we arrived and docked promptly at 3:00pm. 

Our only plan was to hurry off the ship and go to the Presidential Palace where the last tour was supposed to start at 4:00pm.  We made it there by 3:30pm to find out that the last tour had just started and we could see them walking in the main gate and they would not allow us to catch up.

So, what did we do, we went to eat!!  We had heard of a famous place called Mallorca some time ago and have been there a couple of times.  Their specialty is a sandwich called the Mallorca which is flat bread, ham and cheese served hot with powered sugar – wow is it good.  We have never been there that anyone in the restaurant spoke English and it was the same this time.

Then we walked around looking at the shops and bought some Pepsi and Kahula to take on the ship.  Finally we went back to the ship and took a Jacuzzi.  Then it was time for dinner and onto the casino.  We still have not both had a winning session at the same time – but we are having fun.

We left the casino early, at midnight and should get a good nights sleep as we next dock in St. Thomas at 8:00am. 

Night

 

The fort guarding the City of San Juan

Docked and ready to go a shore

The Mallorca and another powered item

Our ship in port

A gift from our rooms steward when we can back to our cabin

 

Day 3

Ed was up early at 8:30am to get the “perfect” deck chairs and Barb slept in and was up by 9:30am.  What a wonderful day.  In the low 80’s and just a little bit of wind. 

We stayed on the deck until noon and then went and ate at the Aqua Spa and then it was back on deck and more sun until 1:00pm.

Then it was time to go to the slot tournament.  Both Ed and Barb qualified for the 12 person finals and Barb came in third but they only paid the first two places.

We both played a gambling session and while Ed had a great table, he was down a little and Barb won at her machine – great for her.

After a little snack, it was time for a nap.

At 6:00pm we dressed for the first formal night and went downstairs to walk around, see some entertainment, and people watch.  Barb is spectacular – no questions about it

Dinner was great and we were joined by one of the two missing couples, Arthur and Karen who are from Road Island.  They have cruised a lot and we enjoyed their company.

After dinner we went to the show which was a major production number and it was a really good show, maybe the best singers we have heard in a long time.

Then it was time for our last casino session of the evening where Ed and Barb both lost.

All in all a nice relaxing day on the sea but we know set out clocks ahead one hour so it is 3:00am and morning will come quickly.

Tomorrow we do the same thing in the morning that we did today and then arrive in San Juan at 3:00pm.

Night from the sea.

Barb with our casino host - Andrea

Our first formal night



Out and about 

Barb with flowers Ed sent

Day 1 and 2

The day before we left for the cruise was a wonderful Thanksgiving with all of the kids, spouses, grandkids, and one great-granddaughter along with 5 dogs at our house.  What a wonderful time we had.

Then we slept in a little on Friday and it was time to finish packing and go to the airport.  We had a great flight right from Bloomington to Atlanta and then to Miami arriving right on time – 6:00pm.  After we picked up our luggage, we took the Marriott shuttle right to the hotel, checked in and went back down to eat.  The hotel is close to the airport and it is on a campus of three hotels, a Marriott, a Courtyard and a Residence Inn.  We were staying at the Residence Inn and the room was great – a kitchen, living room and then a separate bath and bedroom.

We went to sleep early and that was it for Day 1.

For Day 2, Ed woke early and went to the Marriott to eat in their Concierge lounge and then we took a cab to the ship at 10:00am.  We were in our room by 11:30 and went immediately up on deck to eat.  Back to the room, we changed into our swimming suits and went out in the sun.  It was 77 degrees and it was wonderful for a couple of hours and then all of a sudden it rained on us. 

So we went back to the cabin and relaxed until it was time to go to one of the lounges for a Blue Chip Club welcome party.  What fun saying hi again to a number of the staff from the casino including the Manager Annette and our host Andrea, who we had just sailed with last month in Europe.

Then we went to the casino to sign in and get our casino card and cash back from the last trip.

We walked around for a little bit and then went back to the cabin for a nap – naps are good.

No question that we miss our dear friends Jeff and Vera and our new friends David and Barbara from New York, but they had other commitments and couldn’t come on this trip.  We shall miss them.

Tonight was going to be the first time in several cruises that we would have met new people for dinner – however, the other two couples at our table did not show up.  This happens a lot because people have been traveling all day and eat earlier.  So, we will meet them tomorrow.

As we had seen the welcome aboard show just last month, we went immediately to the casino where neither of us did very well.

After gambling we went to the midnight comedy show, which was also not very good.

Tomorrow is a full day at sea so our schedule is going to be very relaxing, which is going to be wonderful – so good night – sleep tight.

 

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

Dad, Olivia and Great Grandmother!!

All around the table

Living room of hotel

Our hotel bedroom

First meal on the ship

 

 

Europe – Day 13

Naples is the port we woke up in and it is our last port and last full day on the cruise.

Naples is a huge industrial city and most people who visit, leave as soon as they can.  We have been here before so we chose to go back to the island of Capri which is about 1 hour off the coast.

We got off very early to catch the 8:30am hydrofoil boat to Capri and the boat which hold 662 people was jammed full in its 3 decks. 

When we arrived, we took the tram up half way up the mountain to the main town of Capri.  In Europe the island and the main town are often the same name.

From the town, we walked through the main walkway and through some beautiful gardens at the top.  At this point we were at the highest part and decided to tale the very winding walkway down to the other side of the island.

After about a 30 minute walk we reached the bottom and a very little tourist town with a number of very, very small beaches.  We ate lunch and then took the local bus back to the town of Capri. 

From the town, we wandered into the heart of the homes within the town and the streets were a total maze.  None of them you could drive a can on and it looked like a set from a movie.  We were lost for a little bit and finally came out in an area that we knew.

Then we took a local bus back down to the main port, walked around looking at the tourist shops and took the hydrofoil back to Naples.

There was no reason to go into Naples so we boarded the ship at about 4:30pm and went up to the buffet and picked out some snacks and sat on our balcony eating and watching the people get on.

Then we packed – UGH!   All packed, we watched the ship sail away and it was time for a nap.

We talked over our balconies with Jeff and Vera who brought us back a very special Christmas ornament – what a special couple they are and we are proud to call them our friends.  We have had such a good time with them and Barbara and David.

After a nap, we got ready and went out to pick up our pictures from the trip and then went to the casino to play a session where Ed was up a little and Barb just cheered.

Dinner was sad for the last night, but we know we will be back and it is time to go home to our family.

Our last stop for the evening was the casino where Ed down a little and Barb was up.

For the trip, in the casino, both Barb and Ed were up so it was a success.

A very special trip with old friends Jeff and Vera and new friends Barbara and David – we are blessed in knowing them.

See everyone at home – night.

Ed's first snack on Capri

Typical shop

The walkway to the beach on the other side of the island

This is where we are going

The end of the walk - the start is at the peak in the center of the picture

Down at the sea

Shops in the harbor of Capri

Part of the harbor

Europe – Day 12

This was our second day at sea and when we awoke it was a picture perfect day.  The sky was clear, the water was smooth and by 10am the tempteture was wonderful.

We were going to eat healthy and go to the Aqua-Spa for lunch but we got there too early so we went back upstairs on the deck and had lunch from the grill. 

We stayed on the deck in the sun until 1:30pm when it was time to clean up and go to the blackjack tournament.

Ed won!!!  The final hand came down three people and Ed was able to bet last.  He followed a person that who was really nice, Stephanie and we had played with several nights at blackjack.  On the last hand, she got a blackjack and the only way Ed could beat her is to double his hand, which was an 8, he did and won!  Another genuine 24 caret plastic trophy.

Then we walked around, picked out our pictures from last night, ate a little snack and took a nap.

After our nap, it was time to dress for formal night.

As always, Barb was stunning and we went first to take some formal pictures and then onto the casino where Ed was down and Barb didn’t play.

Dinner on the last formal night is always great and Barb had lobster and lamb and then Ed had Beef Wellington, of course.

Next was the casino where Ed was up a little and Barb broke even.

Tomorrow we arrive at our last stop, Naples where we have been several times before so we will take the hydrofoil to Capri.

Night for now.

The girls of the casino - Vera, Annettte - Mgt, Andrea - Host, Barb and Barbara

Last night - WOW!! This is a Great Grandmother!!

Pool deck early in the morning

Barb's lobster

A great table
In back are old friends Jeff and Vera and on the right are new friends Barbara and David
What a fun table and great blackjack partners.

Stephanie in 2nd place, Vera, the dealer, Ed and Andrea our Casino Host

Europe – Day 11

We went to bed and got up early because yesterday we did not have enough time to really enjoy the island.  Today we hoped to sightsee, shop and then go to one of the many beaches and just relax. 

It is an old volcanic island and was first inhabited in 3,000 BC.  It is listed as one of the tope 3 destinations in Greece, behind Santorini and Athens, both of which we have just visited.  It is also the most popular Greek Island in the Aegean Sea and is the original party island with all of its beaches.

Finally the October weather caught up with us because when we woke up it was 63 and had just been raining a little.  The forecast was for clearing sky and tempteture up to 68.

We took a chance and packed beach towels and set out to visit the only town on the island.

We found that this was a beautiful island and flat as opposed to Santorini yesterday.  The streets are cobblestone and 99% of the buildings are white, just like a post card.

Then the rains came and washed away our plans for the beach.  We had also packed two umbrellas so we continued to walk the streets, but we did get wet. 

We also visited some of the Greek churches and they are very beautiful inside but very, very small.

We had a snack at a pastry shop and then lunch at a neat little restaurant all while trying to stay dry, which we didn’t!

About 1, it stopped raining and by 2 we were ready to go back to the ship as the winds picked up and the tempteture never did get high enough for us to go to the beach.

So, after we got back on the ship, we spent a couple of hours on the deck in the sun soaking up the rays.

After we came back to the ship of course we did our usual:

1. Relaxed on our deck
2. Cleaned up
3. Took a nap
4. Walked around
5. Played in the casino
6. Picked out pictures
7. Ate dinner
8. Second session in the casino
9. Went to bed late

A very predictable schedule, but what a lot of fun we are having.  Barb is still feeling the symptoms of being sick but is pushing through and hopefully she will be totally well soon.

The casino was a really bright spot tonight with Barb winning $1,000.00 and Ed was really down and then split 8’s and drew another 8 with a double so it was an $800 hand.

Tomorrow is a sea day and should be very relaxing and lets hope we get great weather so that we can be on deck getting some sun as the ship heads back towards Italy and sadly the end of our cruise – for this time.

Night from the sea.

Ed with his $3 umbrella from Rome

A snack - spinish pie

Lunch

Typical street

Windmills

They call this Venice in Greece

Lots of small churches like this one

The town