This past week (March 1-8) we went on a cruise with Mary and Bob Daniels to the Western Caribbean. Mary and I were actually celebrating our 65th birthdays together so we split the difference and did it now (after her August 9 birthday and before my March 19 one). Of course, our birthdays were just great excuses for a trip! We travelled on the MS Ryndam of the Holland America line which holds about 1200 people.
Our ship!
Dave and Bob find a bar with sport channel.
Mary and I find the mats in the elevators!
First night on board
Sailing under the Skyway Bridge is a really neat experience.
Last week several cruise ships were stranded because of sea fog and couldn’t get in through here for over 24 hours!
Arriving in first port – Key West
We did lots of walking in Key West and since we had all been there before we opted not to do a tour. Bob suggested we visit Jimmy Buffett’s first bar and have a margarita – which we did! Don’t you just love the blender that they use to serve it!
Everywhere you go in Key West there are these rooster/hens and chicks – once a source of food, eggs and ill-fated recruits for the now illegal practice of cock fighting. But slowly, as bigger grocery stores came to the island and made chicken and eggs easily available – and cock fighting was outlawed – the local nests were undisturbed, and the chicken population increased.
Some of the interesting properties just north of Mallory Square
Here I am at Mile 0 – still nursing that frozen margarita!
On the sailing day between Key West and the Honduras we were invited to a Mariner Luncheon with the Captain. About 100 attended but they poured about 50 more glasses of champagne so we were happy to oblige when they wanted to pass out the extras.
Arriving in the Honduras
Waiting to go on the tour of Trujillo
And it was a great tour and soooooooooooooo hot I even had a drink of water.
Statue of Christopher Columbus
Great sign at the bar in Trujillo
After the we returned from the tour we had a late lunch at the Dutch Tea in the dining room – I had wanted to do this on the Panama trip but never managed to get around to doing it.
I said that I was going to try room service on this cruise and I did several times – the first time was later one evening when I needed a little something and had a cheese and cracker tray delivered. What a way to go!
Our port call in Guatemala.
Family playing for us
Dancing and Playing traditional music
Formal Night #1
We woke early on Thursday for our fourth and last port of call Costa Maya – and I was eating room service breakfast when an announcement came over the PA to say that we were experiencing issues with two of the main engines and that the port of call had to be cancelled. To say that we were disappointed is an understatement since it was where we had booked a tour of the Mayan ruins. But as I said to the guy whining in the elevator – There could have been a worse announcement – ABANDON SHIP – so we sucked it up. I figure that Dave still owes me that tour so I will negotiate a trip next year.
Since there was no port visit they arranged several other things for us to do on board. One was a tour of the kitchens – huge area on deck 7 with lots of dishes and plenty of food prep and cleaning going on.
There was lots of time for sun bathing and swimming.
Formal night 2 – more champagne – this time as a sorry from the Captain about missing the port call.
I noticed a seeing eye dog with his Master and wondered about where the dog would use the facilities – toward the end of the week we noticed a box with a few sods on the promenade deck and the mystery was solved.
We were very impressed with the staff especially with Edy who was our waiter in the dining room each evening. Here were are with him on the last night which was International Night.
The last night is a busy one with packing and getting things ready for luggage pickup at midnight. So we got things ready and I had all our stuff organized and ready to go. In the morning I ordered room service and was getting dressed when I realized that I had accidentally packed my capris. There were several moments of pure panic as my mind raced to figure what I was going to wear off the ship. Dave was enjoying every moment of it and could hardly contain himself. I was pretty much figuring that I would have to wear my pyjamas when Dave went next door to see if Mary had anything to spare. Thank God she had a pair of spare capris and all was saved. I think Dave was quite disappointed that I didn’t have to wear the PJs.
If you have not been on a cruise, I highly recommend it. The food and the service are superior, the ports are interesting, and it is the best bang for your travel dollar when you think of what the cost covers.
Since I was born in March the beach didn’t figure into my birthday plans until I began to travel for March Break – but we Pisces love the water no matter what.
Adventure Logan 