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December 27, 2002 –
Friday
Today’s the big day! We are leaving for our cruise! We woke up at 4:00am and finished packing & leaving last minute instructions for Bob. Bob is taking care of Maggie and Stormy while we are gone.
We left for the airport about 4:30am . To save money (so Niki can spend more!) we left our car at Thrifty Valet Parking, and took their shuttle bus to the airport. The new security measures are in effect now, so we are instructed to make sure our bags are all unlocked in case they need to be inspected. We proceeded through security without any problems.
While walking to our gate (K8) we ran into David Patek (a former co-worker of mine/Karen). He and his wife were headed to Hawaii for a delayed honeymoon! Talked to them for a couple minutes and proceeded to the gate.
Our flight left on time (which is good, since we have to connect through LaGuardia). Flight was uneventful. Our connecting gate was right next to our arrival gate. We only had a 10 minute wait before boarding our flight to Ft. Lauderdale. But our fight was delayed about 40 minutes due to ground/air traffic (crappy controllers!).
We arrived safely in Ft. Lauderdale about 20 minutes behind schedule. Unfortunately, our bags did not. They apparently did not make the connections in NY as easily as we did!
After filing the forms, we were told our bags would be on the flight from LaGuardia, arriving about 6:30pm and they would be delivered to our hotel 1 to 3 hours after they arrive at Ft. Lauderdale.
We checked with AA at 7:00pm and yes, our bags had arrived at the airport. At 9:00 the bags were on a cargo truck for delivery. Dave kept calling and at 12:00am, the bags were stuck on a broken truck, but would be delivered within the hour. At 1:45 they were finally delivered to the hotel. Actually, they arrived an hour earlier, and Dave had to go downstairs and pick up the bags himself, as the bell captain was “nowhere to be found.”
December 28, 2002 –
Saturday
We slept late today if 9:00am is considered late, and decided to wait until we got on the ship to eat lunch. We checked out at 11:00 and took the short cab ride from the hotel to Port Everglades. We had to wait about q/w hour for the doors for embarking to open. Once they did, it was a breeze. Registration was by deck so there wasn’t a line at all! Since all our documents were completed before hand, we simply collected our key/ID cards and proceeded through security. We ended up in a waiting area till right about noon when we were allowed to board. As we were waiting to board, Dave’s parents showed up. All present and accounted for!
On board, we were easily able to locate our rooms. C242 and C246 on the Caribe Deck (deck 10).
The cabins are wonderful……larger than our cabin on Carnival. And, the balcony is also much larger! While waiting for luggage, we decided to get some lunch and explore the ship.
Our bags were delivered by 4:00pm and we were able to unpack. We met our cabin steward, Ronald. He was a really nice guy, of Asian decent. At some point he delivered a couple bottles of wine sent by Sand, our travel agent. He knew right away that we were traveling with our parents, and what rooms they were in.
We have Personal Choice Dining, meaning we can eat when we want. We all decided to dinner at 6:00pm.
Before we could get underway, we had our life boat drill. When you hear 7 short blasts and 1 long blast of the horn, collect your life jacket and proceed to your Muster Station. Ours was the Princess Theater. Once there, additional instructions would be given, in the event of a real emergency.
After completing our drill, we returned to our room to watch as we pulled out of Port Everglades, with a blast from the ship’s horn. We were on our way at 5:00pm.
Niki had a great idea of going up to the Sun Deck so we all went up there for a great view. The ship first had to reverse to be able to get into the channel that would lead us out to the ocean. We waved to those watching us depart and we were on our way!
We had dinner in the Bernini Room. It was wonderful. It only took an hour for dinner, as apposed to the 2 hours it took on Carnival. After dinner, Mom, Dad, Nancy, Eldon, and I went to the opening show. It was basically an introduction to the cruise staff, followed by a juggler. Very entertaining!
After the show, I decided it was time for bed. The late night at Ft. Lauderdale was catching up with me. The seas also became pretty rough. A lot of rocking and rolling, but so far every one seems to be doing fine.
Niki and Sean love their room next door. We are connected to them through the balcony.
December 29, 2002 -
Sunday
The seas calmed a bit last night, so it’s not quite so rough. We had breakfast with mom and dad Clavel, and then stacked out a few chairs by the pool. Dad and Sean decided to go swimming, but the water was pretty cold, so we settled for the hot tub. We stayed there for a couple hours enjoying the sun and music
Dave and Sean eventually took off for the Arcade. By noon it was time to eat again! This afternoon, they were showing Spiderman in the Princess Theater, so Niki, Sean, and I went. I hadn’t seen it before. It was a pretty good movie. After the movie, Dave and I went to the casino. I think I won $1.00. Dave’s mom had already won the nickel jackpot ($260).
Tonight is formal night and the Captain’s Cocktail Party. We again decided to eat about 6:00pm. Mom and Dada went to the cocktail party and had a good time.
The seas have picked up again, and Nancy has purchased these wristbands that are supposed to help with the motion sickness she is feeling.
Everyone looked real nice in their “dressy” attire, and another wonderful meal was served.
After dinner, I went to the show again. This one, called “Lights, Camera, Action” was a singing, dancing show, and featured the movies. It was a great show. Dave doesn’t like that kind of stuff, so I went with mom, dad, Nancy, and Eldon.
Also tonight, the Bears are playing on ESPN! I was able to sit in the room and watch the Bears loose for the final time this season! It was great watching all those “cold” people at the game in December!
December 30, 2002 -
Monday
This day was spent at sea. The seas seem even rougher today and although it is warm, it is humid! I decided to catch up on my journal sitting on the balcony. The wind is blowing and the waves beneath the ship are crashing, but it feels great. I’m waiting for Dave and the kids to wake up to get the day started.
Today is another day at sea. Nancy has become sea sick but was up and about by early afternoon. We spent a fairly relaxing day. Dave hit the casino and I took an afternoon nap. I went with my mom and Nancy and Eldon to the 4:00 showing of “The Bourne Identity. It was a good film, but sometimes a little difficult to follow. We had a 6:15 dinner and Niki and Sean decided to pass. They were going to go swimming. The ship was rocking so much that the water in the pools was splashing over, but all the kids seemed to enjoy it!
After dinner, Dave and I went to the casino and played some slots. We called it a day about 10:00. The kids were hungry (again) so Dave and I went and got a couple of hot dogs and some fruit.
December 31, 2002 –
Tuesday
We arrived in Philipsburg at 7:00am this morning. We were up to watch the boat dock. The bay is quite calm, compared to the rough seas the past 2 days!
We only have 1 shore excursion today…..snorkeling at Shipwreck Cove. So we spent the morning in town and picked up a couple of souvenirs. Niki is looking for sapphire jewelry. I don’t think she realizes the cost! She found a necklace and earrings and bracelet all for only $1,100 (special discount of $925). We told her that would be spoiling her. Now she’s a bit “mopey!”
This afternoon was our snorkeling trip to Shipwreck Cove. Although we were in a cove, the water was still pretty rough. We separated into groups – experienced, advanced, intermediate, and beginners. We chose group 3 (intermediate/beginner) since we’ve only been snorkeling once before. The water was 15-20’ deep and there were several sailboat wrecks to see. A few people, including Sean, were brave enough to dive to the wreck for a closer look. I had enough trouble just trying to keep the choppy water from going into my snorkel! Plus, the rough water was making me feel queasy (or that combined with the salt water). Our guide, Walter, took us to a couple areas in the cove. One was a place where you could feed the fish (little spiny creatures!).
After an hour or so, I had enough and went back to the boat. The trip was extended when they gave us a tour of the coastline of St Maartin. I probably would have enjoyed it if I wasn’t so worried about really getting sea sick. We arrived back to our ship around 5:00, showered, and changed for dinner.
After dinner, I went to the show with mom and dad / Nancy and Eldon. Tonight featured a comedian and it was fun!
Since it is New Year’s Eve, there are tons of dance parties going on. The biggest was located at the “aft” of the ship. They had a band playing and lights up that said “2002.” This party was also broadcast on TV in our cabins. By 11:30 I was ready for bed, so I finished watching the party on TV. At midnight the lights changed to read “2003” and the captain was at the party too! I sure hope he didn’t drink and drive! By 12:30 I was out! I don’t think Dave made it much later.
January 1, 2003 –
Wednesday
We arrive early in Charlotte Amaliek, St. Thomas, USV1. For some reason we all have to go through customs this morning before anyone can leave…..probably because we were entering US territory after St. Maartin. It took only a matter of minutes to walk through, show the customs agent our passports and receive a green card authorizing us to disembark.
Dad, Sean and I had a tour scheduled for 8:15 this morning, so it was tough getting going. We went on the Water Island Bike & Beach Adventure. This is a small island approx. 1 mile by 2 miles and only has about 120 residents.
Our bike ride was approx. 5 ½ miles and although it was mostly downhill (and some of the down hills were pretty steep!) there were a couple of up hill climbs. But it was a lot of fun. After the ride, we were able to spend about an hour on this gorgeous beach! This tour was a lot of fun. Also, there were only 15 of us, so it seemed more personal.
We arrived back at the ship at noon…..time for lunch. Niki and Grandma Clavel did the Atlantis Submarine dive. They said it was a good time. Dave decided to take the day off and do nothing but nothing.
This afternoon Nancy, Eldon and Mom did a tour of St. Thomas, while Dave, Dad and I hit this little dockside mall. Not as exciting as going downtown, but I was able to pick up my St. Thomas t-shirt.
We decided to eat at the buffet for dinner tonight. Nothing special, but it was quick! I wanted to get to the show tonight call, “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” It was a walk through the 50’s and 60’s Rock and Roll era. Very entertaining! Dave and the kids went to see the magician.
At Sea………………We slept in a bit this morning. The day started out cloudy and rainy, but by noon the skies cleared and the sun was shinning!
I thought I would sit on our balcony to get some sun, but there was no breeze and it got very hot really quick.
In the afternoon, Dave and I decided to go to the art auction. It was the first time we’d gone and it was really interesting. We ended up buying a piece “blind.” We were told the retail of the painting was about $500, and the opening bid price was $160. Anyone who wanted it could have it for $72 (we still did not know what the painting was, although we were told it was in the style of Thomas Kinkade. It is a beautiful painting! We had dinner in the dining room tonight, as it was “lobster night.”
After dinner, I talked Dave into going to the show with me. It was a tribute to Broadway. It was really good! Dave told Niki she would love it, so I went a second time to the late showing with Niki.
We arrived at Princess Cays this morning, and boarded the tender for the ride to the island beach. Princess Cays is the cruise lines private island (beach) with beautiful white sandy beaches. We arrived on the beach about 9:00am, and staked out an area under a palm branch umbrella. Sean and Grandpa Clavel spent time snorkeling and Niki went and got her hair braided. There was a bar-b-que lunch served on shore. Dave returned to the ship after lunch. Shortly after, we were hit with a rain shower. The kids and Mom and Dad and I finally decided to leave at about 1:00. We waited in line for a tender and headed back towards the ship. The waves started to get pretty rough but we made it without a problem.
Shortly after we got to the ship, we were hit with a storm squall! Several hundred people were stranded on the shore as it was too dangerous to transport them on the tenders and unload them. These poor people spent an extra 2 hours on shore while the storm passed and the tenders were finally able to get them back to the ship.
We were supposed to be underway at 3:30, but were delayed by 2 hours as the tenders were trying to get everyone back from the island to the ship. We should still reach Fort Lauderdale in time tomorrow morning.
We ate dinner at the buffet and then finished packing to have our suitcases out tonight. I then went to the early show for “Friday Night Live.” Afterwards, I walked around a bit with mom and dad, and then was off to bed.
January 4, 2003 –
Saturday
Unfortunately, we did not make up any time at sea. We were scheduled to arrive back at Fort Lauderdale at 6:30, but it was 8:30 before we pulled in! Then we had to wait for our luggage to be off loaded, and our disembarkation “color” to be called. We have a 12:00 flight and by 10:00 we were getting worried. Dave finally talked to the Purser and he gave us the next “color” to disembark. We were off the ship and had collected our luggage by 10:15. We had purchased a transfer to the airport but the bus was not full. Sever others waiting on the bus also had 12:00 flights. The driver finally left at 10:30 for the short drive to the airport. The check-in line at the airport was a mess! We finally got checked in and through security by 11:15, only to realize our flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until 12:30! We boarded the flight in time, but were delayed in taking off until 1:00 due to excessive traffic. We are scheduled to get to LGA at 3:30 with our connecting flight at 4:00. This will be interesting! Even if we make the flight, we may loose our baggage again!
Well, we lost Niki’s bag, and were bumped to a later connecting flight. Dave, however, wrote a letter of complaint to the CEO of AA and received a $300 voucher toward our next vacation.