LAPTOPS IN THE SAND

It is good to be back home again

Promendae 1	This is your Captain speaking	Promendae 3
Isaac's Diningroom	Second Serving of Lobster	Shower Stall Measurements
Ice Skating Show	Flowrider	Deck 11 Whirlpool overhanging the ocean
	Arcadia Theather Panoramic

Bicycle Tour Santurce	Bicycle Tour 14	Bicycle Tour 11
Calle Luna	Calle San Francisco	Old San Juan
Fort El Morro	Santurce Market	San Juan Harbor

Philipsburg Harbor	Marigot Harbor	Guavaberry Stand
Marigot Marche	Rosemary's Seafood and Creole Cuisine	Creole Mahi Mahi at Rosemary's Seafood
Overlooking Indigo Bay	Palm Bay Beach Club	Palm Beach at Sint Maarten
Panoramic 6 Cruise Ships at Sint Maarten	Palm Bay Beach Club	Palm Beach Panoramic 2

Freedom of the Seas February 2015

This was our second cruise on Freedom of the Seas. Freedom had just returned from dry dock. A new feature added during dry dock was the Sabor Restaurant.

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS SHIPBOARD

Leonardo's	Promenade 2015	Windjammer
Stateroom	Men's Head	Superbowl in Studio B

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS FOOD

Sunday- Mojo Pork Chops	Monday Night - I don't remember	Tuesday - Pork Scalapini
Wednesday - Tiger Shrimp	Thursday - Lobster Tail and Shrimp	Friday - Sabor
Saturday - New York Strip Steak	Saturday - Key Lime Pie	Breakfast at Leonardo's

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS SABOR

Chicken & Roasted Corn Empanada	Guacamole on Tortilla Chips	Jalapeno-Garlic Shrimp
Oaxacan Ceviche of Red Snapper	Tres Quesos	Sabor Dessert Tray

COCOCAY BAHAMAS

CocoCay Dock	CocoCay Tee Shirt Shop	Freedom of the Seas from CocoCay
Kayaking at CocoCay	Kayaking Group	Kayaking Island Stop

FALMOUTH JAMAICA

We tied up in Falmouth Jamaica.  Right off of the pier is a market place.  We took a van from Falmouth to Prospect Plantation. Prospect Plantation  It was a 90 minute trip that took us along the northern coast of Jamaica.  Along the way, we saw many children in uniform leaving school.

The reason for going to Prospect Plantation was to attend the Flavors of Jamaica cooking class.

Before the class began, we took a tour of the plantation and garden.

Backing into the Falmouth Pier	Freedom of the Seas at Falmouth Jamaica	Jamaican Handbags for Sale
The Great House from the Garden	Great House Garden	Inside of the Great House
Overlooking the Caribbean Sea	Charcoal Grill Overlooking the Caribbean Sea	Jerk Chicken, Callaloo, Coconut Shrimp, Festival

GEORGETOWN GRAND CAYMAN ISLAND

The last time that I was on Grand Cayman Island when I was evacuated during Hurricane Island in 1980.  At that time Georgetown only had a few shops.  See Dream 28.  Now it is a thriving town supported by  banking and the tourist industry.  When I was there, Grand Cayman's claim to fame was the  Bob Soto Dive Shop and Holiday Inn on Seven Mile Beach.  Seven Mile Beach is now loaded with hotels.  I rented a moped and rode from Georgetown to the East End on the left side of the road.  I had my first conch and Turtle Florentine on Grand Cayman Island. 

My wife does not dive so we took a snorkel trip off of the Westin Beach Resort. The photographs in Dream 28 were taken with a Nikonos II whereas the photographs taken on this trip were with disposable underwater camera.

It’s hard to imagine that the Cayman Islands, a prosperous nation built on the success of its international tourism and finance industries, laid the foundation of its vibrant economy only 30 years ago.    Grand Cayman History. 

Georgetown GCI	Seven Mile Beach	Coral
Coral	Dive Boat	USS Kittiwake AR13

COZUMEL MEXICO

This was our second trip to Cozumel.  The highlight of this trip was the Salsa, Salsa Margarita cooking class.     Day 9 and our last island before the two day back to the States. I am writing this three months after the end of our ship. Some of the memories are running together. "Columbus spotted Antigua, named it and then ignored it. The native Caribs were so determined to keep the colonists at bay, that it took well over a hundred years for any kind of settlement to take shape. The first group of English settlers arrived in 1632, the plan was to grown tobacco. One day a man named Sir Christopher Codington decided that sugar might be a better way to go. So successful were his efforts that sugar mills started popping up all over the island, and Antigua became a thriving sugar-making machine. A century later in 1784, yet another man changed the island's destiny. Admiral Horatio Nelson's mission was to establish the British naval base in the Caribbean. Nelson's Dockyard became home to the illustrious British fleet, and is now one of the biggest attractions in the Caribbean. " Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas Cruise Compass Tuesday April 5, 2016. With sugar plantations can massive slavery. By 1678, half of Antigua's population was African slaves. Although slavery was abolished in 1834, Antigua's sugar productions remained an economic mainstay until the 1960s when it was replaced by tourism. Many of the slaves once emancipated returned to the plantations because there were no other alternatives. A good source of information is Micheners's Caribbean. I was reading it for the second on the cruise. It gives a good perspective on the slave history. We also stopped at Shirley Heights a complex named after Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands. From Shirley Heights, I could see Montserrat. I had been to Montserrat before the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 The last stop on the last island was Nelson' Dockyard It illustrated the power of the colonists at that time. .. This brought closure to a cruise that I viewed from a historical perspective.. On the way back to the ship our tour guide said that if we came to visit her, she would serve funji Antiguan Fungi Day 9 and our last island before the two day back to the States. I am writing this three months after the end of our ship. Some of the memories are running together. "Columbus spotted Antigua, named it and then ignored it. The native Caribs were so determined to keep the colonists at bay, that it took well over a hundred years for any kind of settlement to take shape. The first group of English settlers arrived in 1632, the plan was to grown tobacco. One day a man named Sir Christopher Codington decided that sugar might be a better way to go. So successful were his efforts that sugar mills started popping up all over the island, and Antigua became a thriving sugar-making machine. A century later in 1784, yet another man changed the island's destiny. Admiral Horatio Nelson's mission was to establish the British naval base in the Caribbean. Nelson's Dockyard became home to the illustrious British fleet, and is now one of the biggest attractions in the Caribbean. " Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas Cruise Compass Tuesday April 5, 2016. With sugar plantations can massive slavery. By 1678, half of Antigua's population was African slaves. Although slavery was abolished in 1834, Antigua's sugar productions remained an economic mainstay until the 1960s when it was replaced by tourism. Many of the slaves once emancipated returned to the plantations because there were no other alternatives. A good source of information is Micheners's Caribbean. I was reading it for the second on the cruise. It gives a good perspective on the slave history. We also stopped at Shirley Heights a complex named after Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands. From Shirley Heights, I could see Montserrat. I had been to Montserrat before the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 The last stop on the last island was Nelson' Dockyard It illustrated the power of the colonists at that time. .. This brought closure to a cruise that I viewed from a historical perspective.. On the way back to the ship our tour guide said that if we came to visit her, she would serve funji Antiguan Fungi http://userpages.umbc.edu/~jchris1/fungi.php?parent=Antigua  If you would like a recipe, go to this site.  Salsa Recipes    Since my return, I have made Oaxacan Guacamole at home.  There is something special about making your own salsa.
The class was held at the Hotel Cozumel and Resort.  Hotel Cozumel  It was a lot of fun.   For proprietary reasons, you will not see photographs of recognizable faces or people dancing.  This was also my second Salsa dance class.    The previous one was on last year's Freedom of the Seas cruise.    I made my debut at Boleros.    A friend later said, "You have the moves but are not following the steps".   I need another cruise for another lesson.

Burro Art	Hotel Cozumel & Resort	Salsa
Ingrdients	Some Non Drinkers at This Table	Salsa, Salsa, Margarita Cooking Class

Serenade of the Seas April 2016

Our last two cruises were on Freedom of the Seas.  We had to adjust to a smaller ship.  At first, it was disappointing but later we found it to be more intimate.  We were constantly meeting friends that we have previously met.  This was our first balcony compliments of Royal Caribbean Cruise points; there were no additional costs.

1. Fort Lauderdale Florida
2. Day at Sea
3. Day at Sea
4. Oranjestad, Aruba
5. Kralendijk,Bonaire
6. St. George's Grenada
7. Bridgetown, Barbados
8. Castries, St Lucia
9. St John's Antigua
10. Day at Sea
11. Day at Sea
12. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Our Stateroom	Atrium	Morning view from our bed
Fitness Center	Pool with HDTV	Jogging Track

SERENADE OF THE SEAS FOOD

Monday-Marinated Pork Chops	Monday Night - I don't remember	Tuesday - Pork Scalapini
Thursday- Kenshi Jena at Iguana Joe's	Thursday - Lobster Tail and Shrimp	Thursday-Tiger Shrimp
Thursday-Cobbler with Ice Cream	Friday-Steak Diane	Sunday - Chicken Cordon Bleu
Sunday-Crabcake with corn	2nd Monday- Baked Cheese Canneloni	2nd Monday- Smoked Salmon Carnaccio
Sunday-Crabcake with corn	2nd Wednesday -Giant Apple Pie	2nd Wednesday-Lobster
Rita's Cantina	2nd Thursday - Rita's Nachos	2nd Thursday - Rita's Fajitas

Orangestad Aruba

This was our second trip to Aruba.  We had taken a our of the island on a previous trip.  We walked around Orangestad and stopped by Iguana Joe's for Kenshi Jena.   I was wearing an Iguana Joe's T-Shirt so the manager jokingly told me to get back to work.   The highlight of this trip was the sunset cruise on a catamaran with island music.   It was cloudy, so we did not get any photogenic sunsets.

Royal Plaza Mall	Blue Horse on LG Smith Road	The View from Iguana Joe's
The View from Sunset Catamaran 8	The View from Sunset Catamaran 10	The View from Sunset Catamaran 12

Bonaire is one of the premier diving sites in the world.    My wife can't dive but we do snorkel together.    She said that Bonaire was absolutely the best snorkel site to which she has ever been.   "It was the best".  So, when you say Bonaire, you say SCUBA/snorkel.    What made it even better was our dive operator and our dive master,  Gea.   We sailed aboard the Sea Cow which was an old restored Venezuelan fruit boat.

After our dives, we went back to the ship for lunch and then toured Kralendijk.    It is a small town of a little of three thousand people and diving is  their economy   We stopped for ice cream at Gio's.    Gio's has a variety of interesting flavors.   Gio's Ice Cream

Sea Cow Snorkel Boat	Puerto Rican Butterfly	Parrotfish
Julio A. Abraham Blvd	Gio's Outside Sign	Gio's Ice Cream Choices

St. George's Grenada

Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace of which it is one of the world's largest exporters.  Its size is 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's.   We tied up at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal across the Esplanade Shopping Mall and downtown St. George's.  Granby Street was loaded with activity and in front of the mall, we were met by a gospel group singing.  One lady decided to help my wife walk across the street.  I was skeptical and kept my eye on her.  No problem, she was just friendly and welcoming us to her country. We took a tour through the city to the mountains to Fort George, Clarke's Court Rum Distillery and ended up at Grand Anse Beach.   We did not get into the water but I did have a Mackerel sandwich prepared by one of the local stands at the beach.   I met a young man at the beach and his mother cooked the Mackerel for me.

St. Geoge's Harbor	Granby St St. George's Grenada	Hillsborough St St. George's Grenada
Grand Anse Beach	Grand Anse Craft & Spice Market	Preparing a Kingfish sandwich for me at the beach

Bridgetown Barbados

Musical and joyous, Barbados is a vibrant cultural mix of island warmth and English heritage.   Fifty years after independence, Bajans uphold many traditions that help define its personality--sophisticated, yet never stuffy in Bridgetown, discover 400 years of history along streets lined with both stately colonial buildings and colorful wooden homes.

Having said that, the ship tied up a taxi ride from Bridgetown.   We had booked an excursion on a tour bus.   What we saw of Bridgetown was through the window of a tour bus.   We did not get to interact with the people of Bridgetown as we did in Grenada.   However, what we did see was a beautiful tropical paradise.

Bridgetown from inside of the tour bus	Bridgetown from inside of the tour bus 2	View from inside of the bus
Orchid World	Bathsheba Beach	Bathsheba Town

Castries St. Lucia

When we woke up in the morning of day 8 of our cruise, this is what we saw.     What a beautiful view from our window.    

It got even better as we toured the island.

The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than most Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie at 950 metres (3,120 feet) above sea level.   Two other mountains, the Pitons form the island's most famous landmark.  They are located between Soufrière and Choiseul, Saint Luciaon the western side of the island.  Saint Lucia is also one of the few islands in the world that boasts a drive-in volcano.

Our tour took us through Sulphur Springs, the world's only drive through volcano, a roadside spice shop and bakery, a fishing village, Anse La Rey, the rainforest, Diamond Botanical Gardens, and a creole lunch at Villa Des Pitons  overlooking Soulfriere Bay and the Pitons.

Castries	Marigot Bay	Roadside Spice Shop
Anse La Rey 10	Anse LaRey 6	Anse La Rey 9
Diamond Botanical Gardens Amaryllis	Diamond Botanical GardensWaterfalls	Diamond Botanical Gardens White Petunia

St. John's Antigua

Day 9 and our last island before the two day back to the States.   I am writing this  three months after the end of our ship.    Some of the memories are running together.
"Columbus spotted Antigua, named it and then ignored it.   The native Caribs  were so determined to keep the colonists at bay, that it took well over a hundred years for any kind  of settlement to take shape.    The first group of English settlers arrived in 1632, the plan was to grown tobacco.   One day a man named Sir Christopher Codington decided that sugar might be a better way to go.    So successful were his efforts that sugar mills started popping up all over the island, and Antigua became a thriving sugar-making machine.    A century later in 1784, yet another man changed the island's destiny.   Admiral Horatio Nelson's mission was to establish the British naval base in the Caribbean.   Nelson's Dockyard became home to the illustrious British fleet, and is now one of the biggest attractions in the Caribbean. "
Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas Cruise Compass Tuesday April 5, 2016.

With sugar plantations can massive slavery.   By 1678, half of Antigua's population was African slaves.   Although slavery was abolished in 1834, Antigua's sugar productions remained an economic mainstay until the 1960s when it was replaced by tourism.    Many of the slaves once emancipated returned to the plantations because there were no other alternatives.    A good source of information is Micheners's Caribbean.  I was reading it for the second on the cruise.    It gives a good perspective on the slave history.    We also stopped at Shirley Heights a complex named after Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands.   From Shirley Heights, I could see Montserrat.    I had been to Montserrat before  the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995  The last stop on the last island was Nelson' Dockyard  It illustrated the power of the colonists at that time.     This brought closure to a cruise that I viewed from a historical perspective.   On the way back to the ship our tour guide said that if we came to visit her, she would serve Antigua Funji

Saint John's Dress Shop	Saint John's Harbor Shops	Steel Drum Welcome
View of Montserrat from Shirley Heights	Nelson's Dockyard IV	Nelson's Dockyard VI

Pride of America June 2017

After we stopped comparing the Pride of America, to Royal Caribbean, we were able to enjoy the ship.  There is a spirit of Aloha onboard.  Everyone, crew and passengers would greet each other with Aloha and Mahalo.  There was Hawaiian music playing and Hawaiian Art on the bulkheads.  It was peaceful and quiet. None of the passengers were uptight.  Complementary dining was slow and the meals were not cruise ship quality.  I was told my one of the food services officers that the galley and dining rooms were unstaffed by over 100 people.  So I will give them a break. We only ate in the dinning rooms twice.  However East Meets West was excellent but it was difficult getting reservations.  We had scheduled a bicycle excursionn down the Haleakala Volcano.   The bicycle ride required closed toe shoes of which my wife does not own.  One of the staff members lent a pair of closed toe shoes to my wife.

1. Honolulu, Oahu
2. Kahului, Maui
3. Hilo, Hawaii
4. Kona,Hawaii
5. Nawiliwili Kauai
6. Honolulu,Oahu

 

 

Grand Staircase	Aloha Cafe	Our Stateroom
Skyline Restaurant	Pride of America in Nawiliwili	BBQ Cookout on Deck 11
Hawaiian Dancers onboard	Coconut Man	Meatloaf

Go to  Dream 61 for the Hawaiian Islands visited

Empress of the Seas September 2017

 

Empress of the Seas is the smallest ship in the RCL fleet with the biggest heart.  Lunch set the tone for the cruise to La Habana. We had paella, Cuban Pork Loin, and fried plantains.  After 13 cruises and with the exception of Pride of America, we decided to try MyTime dining.  We made friends and scheduled same time same table with our new friends for dinner. After a number of cruises, cruise food begins to taste alike.  Not with Empresss,  it was excellent.  We changed our excursions package because the Malecon and Finca Viagia (Hemingways' home) were inexcessible due to Hurricane Irma damage.   This turned out to be to our adantage as we went on the Best of Havama excursion at a reduced price.  With two different tour guides, we heard two different perspectives on Cuba.

After our return to the U.S., I did some research on pre Castro Cuba. That is Batista/Mafia/corrupt businesses and Castro/Che Guevara.  Signs of the revolution are all over the place and in their art. It was an eye opening experience.

1. Tampa Florida
2. Day at Sea
3. Havana Cuba
4. Havana Cuba
5. Day at Sea
6. Tampa Florida

 

 

Empress of the Seas - Our Stateroom	Empress of the Seas- Paella, Pork Loin, Shrimp	Empress of the Seas - French Onion Soup
Empress of the Seas - Beef Tenderloin	Empress of the Seas - New York Strip Steak	Empress of the Seas - Onion Tart
Empress of the Seas - Lobster Tails	Empress of the Seas - Hamburger	Deck 10 in the morning
100th Voyage Celebration	100th Voyage Celebration Cake	Emrpess of the Seas Elevators
Empress of the Seas - Gym	Empress of the Seas - Gym2	Empress of the Seas - Last Night Onboard

 SLIDE SHOW

Serenade of the Seas April 2018

This was our second cruise on Serenade of the Seas.  After sailing on Freedom of the Seas twice, Serenade seemed like a small ship.  However, our cruise prior to Serenade was on Empress of the Seas, the smallest ship in the RCL fleet.   This brought Serenade back to what we were familiar.   This was a 16 night Transatlanitc cruise to Northern Europe. This was not a flipflop cruise.

1. Fort Lauderdale Florida
2. Day at Sea
3. Day at Sea
4. Day at Sea
5. Day at Sea
6. Day at Sea
7. Day at Sea
8. Ponta Delgada Azores
9. Day at Sea
10. Day at Sea
11. Cork Ireland
12. Day at Sea
13. Paris (Le Havre) France
14. Bruges Belgium
15. Amsterdam Netherlands
16. Day at Sea
17. Copenhagen Denmark
18. Hotel in Copenhagen Denmark

But first, what did I eat?

SERENADE OF THE SEAS FOOD

First Friday French Onion Soup	First Friday Horseradish Salmon	First Saturday Beef Tenderloin
First Saturday Strawberry Chocolate Cake	First Saturday Grits at Sea	First Sunday Fillet Migon at Chops Grille
First Sunday Crab Cake Chipotle at Chops Grille	First Sunday Lobster Bisque at Chops Grille	First Monday Crabcake
First Monday Slow Roasted Center Cut Pork Loin	First Tuesday Apple Dressing Mashed Sweet Potato	First Tuesday Crispy Coconut Shrimp
First Tuesday Roasted Turkey	First Wednesday Artisan Cheese Plate	First Wednesday Charcuterie
First Wednesday Seared Australian Bass	First Thursday Apple Coffee Crumble	First Thursday Crabcake with pickled mango
First Thursday Marge's Chicken Kiev	First Thursday Shrimp Ravioli with Lobster Sauce	2nd Friday Chocolate de Creme
2nd Friday Veal Saltimbocca	2nd Saturday Beef Bourguignon	2nd Saturday Ceasar Salad
2nd Satruday French Onion Soup	2nd Saturday Trifle	2nd Sunday Beef Tenderloin
2nd Sunday Salad	2nd Sunday Shrimp Appetizer	2nd Monday Grilled BBQ Baby Back Ribs
2nd Monday French Onion Soup	2nd Monday Key Lime Slice	2nd Tuesday Ceasar Salad
2nd Tuesday Garlic Tiger Shrimp	2nd Tuesday Giant Apple Pie	2nd Tuesday Salmon Tartare
2nd Wednesday Chicken Cog Aun Vin, Beef Bourguinon	2nd Thursday Cream of Asparagus Soup	2nd Thursday Fried Wild Mushrooms
3rd Friday Broiled Lobster Tail	3rd Roasted Tomato Soup	3rd Saturday Apple Pie Ala Mode
3rd Saturday Shrimp Cocktail	3rd Saturday Greek Salad	3rd Saturday Road Beef Tenderloin

 

SERENADE OF THE SEAS SHIPBOARD

Our Stateroom	Welcome Aboard Cake	Chops Grille
Church Service	Shower	Solarium
Officer's Cooking Contest	5 Meter Waves	Atrium
North Atlantic Moon	Gym	Windjammer Cafe

Ponta Degada Azores

Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel Island, is the capital of the Azores archipelago of Portugal.  The striking, 3-arched city gates and the Gothic-style Church of St. Sebastian are near the harbor.  The Convent and Chapel of Our Lady of Hope houses a revered image of Christ.  The Carlos Machado Museum offers diverse artifacts of Azorean culture.  The city is a gateway to the crater lakes of Sete Cidades, to the northwest.  Ponta Delgada Azores was our first port after 7 days at sea.  Our statement attendant was from Brazil and told us to try a Portugese dessert, Pasteis de Nata.  We tried it and brought one back to the ship for her.

Coffee with Pasteis de Nata	Church of San Sebastin	Chops Grille
Largo Visc Bensaude	Largo da Matriz	Largo Visc Bensaude 2
Ponta Delgada 6	Ponta Delgada 3	Ponta Delgada 4

 

Cobh Ireland

After two more days at sea, we arrive at Cobh Ireland.  Cobh is the port city of Cork.   We went through some rough seas outside of Cobh with 5 meter waves.  Cobh , known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a tourist seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland.   Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in  Cork Harbour  and is home to Ireland's only dedicated cruise terminal.  Tourism in the area draws on the maritime and emigration legacy of the town.  It was associated with the RMS Titanic, which was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland.  We tied up just outside of the Titanic Museaum but did not attend because we had seen the Titanic Museum in Orlando Florida.  I do have to comment on the how friendly the people are

Annie Moore Statue	Harbour Row Cobh Ireland	Inside St. Benedicts
Inside St. Benedicts 3	Irish Coffe at Rob Roy's	Pease Square Cobh Ireland
Street behind St Benedicts	Titanic Sign	View from St. Benedicts

 

Paris France

After two more days at sea, we arrived at LeHavre France.  Le Havre is the second largest port in France behind Marseille.  It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux.  We did not visit LeHavre but rather took a two and one half bus ride to Paris.  Unfortunately for us, the A/C did not work on the second deck of the bus. It was a long ride with a bus tour of Ville de Paris ending at the boat for our lunch cruise down the river Seine.

Our Bus	Avenue de la Bourdonnais 3	Bourdonnais de la Tour Eiffel
Bourdonnais de le Tour Eiffel Pastries	Burgman in France	Eiffel Tower & Statue from Seine River Boat
Eiffel Tower from Seine River Boat	Le Louvre	Notre Dame from Seine River Boat
Seine River Boat Lunch	Seine River Boat Raspberry Dessert	The Seine River

Bruge Belgium

The next day after Paris, we were in Bruge Belgium.   It was a pleasant surprise because I did not know what to expect except for Belgium Waffles which I did try.  My only other experience in Belgium was the train station in Brussels.  We tied up in Zeebruge which was a 20 minute bus ride to Bruge.   There was a huge traffic jam on our return trip which held up the ship's departure.  It pays to book excursions through the ship otherwise, the ship had no obligation to wait for us.   Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North.  Bruges has a significant economic importance, thanks to its port, and was once one of the world's chief commercial cities.  Bruges is well known as the seat of the College of Europe, a university institute for European studies.

Boudewijnkanaal Bruge to Zeebruge	Bruge Canal	Boudewijnkanaal Bruge to Zeebrugel
Bruge Canal Boat Ride	Bruge Canal Boat Ride	Markt Bruge
Belgium Waffle	Our Lady of Bruge	Panoramic of Markt
Walplein Sqare	Zues, Leda, Promethus, and Pegasus visit Bruge	Belgium Cookies
Belgium Cookies through The Window	Belgium Beers	Belgium Pastries through The Window

Amsterdam Nederlands

When you say Amsterdam, you are saying bicycles and more bicycles.   When you walk across the street, look both ways.  Look for cars, look for people and look for bicycles.  They don't stop and they are moving fast.  There are 881,000 bicycles in Amsterdam.  That is four times the number or cars.  

Amsterdam is both the most bicycle-friendly capital city in the world and, with an urban area population of over 1.1 million people, it is also the most bicycle-friendly city with over a million people in the world.  In Amsterdam, over 60% of trips are made by bike in the inner city and 40% of trips are made by bike overall in the greater city area.

Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, has more than one hundred kilometers of grachten (canals)), about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges.  The three main canals (Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht), dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel.   Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings. The 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, contributing to Amsterdam's fame as the "Venice of the North".

First-time visitors to Amsterdam or its coffeeshops may be confused by the terms used for different establishments. An important thing to remember is that a licensed seller of cannabis products is always referred to as a coffeeshop.
Furthermore, a koffiehuis (coffee house) differs from a café, which is a casual restaurant or bar. If you're still confused, just look for a green and white sticker in the window, a license which designates the establishment as a coffeeshop.

Amsterdam Bicycles	Bicycle Galore 2	Bicycles Galore 3
Bicyles Galore 4	Bicycles Galore	Bicycles in front of Train Station
Amsterdam Coffee Shop	Cannabis Lollipops	Another Head Shop
Another Head Shop 2	1 Euro for Toilet	Amstel Canal
Kaaskelder Cheese Shop	Approching Train Station 2	Damstraat Cheese Shop
Anne Frank's House Amsterdam 3	Dutch Apple Pie	Pringracht Canal 2
Lunch Cafe Studio 2a	Lunch Cafe Studio 2b	Lunch Cafe Studio 2c

Copenhagen Denmark

Copenhagen  København and most populous city of Denmark.  The city has a population of 775,033 (as of January 2018), of whom 613,288 live in the  Municipality of Copenhagen It forms the core of the wider Copenhagen urban area  (population 1.3 million (as of January 2018) and the Copenhagen metropolitan area (population approx. 2 million). Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of the island of  Zealand; another small portion of the city is located on Amager, and is separated from Malmö  , Sweden, by the strait of  Øresund

 Øresund  Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road.
Originally a  Viking fishing village established in the 10th century in the vicinity of what is now  Gammel, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the early 15th century. Beginning in the 17th century it consolidated its position as a regional centre of power with its institutions, defenses and armed forces. 

 

Copenhagen was our last port.   We took a bus tour of the city and stopped at a couple of tourist sites.  We spent the night in a Danish designed hotel in Kastrup Denmark.  Kastrup is a small residential section outside of Copenhagen.  It was Sunday and most of ths shops were closed except for the Supermarked.  We just walked around. We watched "Property Brothers" in Danish because there was nothing else to do and we were tired.  There was public transportation to Stroget, the shopping street.  It would have taken mutilpe trains and transfers.  I am normally adventerous but I was not comfortable with a language unlike any that I have heard before and different currency.  I did not know when the trains would stop running.   All I wanted was an openfaced sandwich, a Smørrebrød.   The next day, we went to the airport.   While we were there, there must have been some sort of security threat as an armed SWAT team went through their tactical formations.   Three hours before our flight time, we were allowed to go to the second deck only to be surprised by a huge shopping mall with many upscale stores

 

Amalienborg Palace 3	Amalienborg Palace 4	Amalienborg Palace 6
Amalienborg Palace Guard 2	Amalienborg Palace Frederick V	Amalienborg Palace Guard 3
Langeline Lystbadehavs Badelavin Copenhagen	Copenhagen Mermaid	Magasin du Nord
Opera House	Stroget 1	Stroget 3
Stroget 4	Tourist Fart Bus 2	Quality Airport Hotel Dan Entrance
Quality Airport Hotel Lobby	Quality Airport Hotel Bedroom	Property Brothers 1
Property Brothers 2	Scenes around Kastrup Denmark 1	Scenes around Kastrup Denmark 2
Cafe Le Perr	Cafe Le Perr Royal Beer with Fries	Salmon and Avocado Open Face Sandwich (Smorrebrod)
Copenhagen Airport 11	Copenhagen 14	Copenhagen 12
Copenhagen Airport Security 1	Copenhagen Airport Security 2	Danish Sandwich for Lunch at the Airport

Oasis of the Seas February 2019

 

1. Port Canaveral Florida
2. Nassau Bahamas
3. Day at Sea
4. Charlotte Amalie ST. Thomas
5. Philipsburg Sint Maarten
6. Day at Sea
7. Day at Sea
8. Port Canaveral Florida

This was our third cruise to Nassau Bahamas, Saint Thomas USVI, and Phillipsburg Sint Maartens.    We chose this cruise for the ship, Oasis of the Seas.   Oasis is 1185 feet long, beam 154 feet and 16 passenger decks.    I don't think that we saw all of the ship or restaurants.   With over 6000 passengers, they weren't noticeably  except at the elevators or jewelry sale.  

On the first day,  we went through a storm and it rained on the Boardwalk and Central Park.   The ship gave us complimentary umbrellas.   We strolled through Central Park in the rain.   On our relaxing nights, we sat on a bench in Central Park and listened to live violin concerts.

This was our third trip to Nassau.    We walked from the ship across Paradise Island bridge to Margaritaville for a Jimmy Buffet Tee shirt.   I get 3 credits toward a degree Advanced Retirement Arts for every Margaritaville tee shirt.  Retirement Arts

On the way back, we stopped at award winning McKenzie's Fresh Fish and Conch.   It is located in Potters Cay.

On Saint Thomas, we took a boat from the ship to Charlotte Amalie Harbor.   On the way, we sailed past Villa Olga where I took an underwater photography class in 1981.

Phillipsburg Sint Maartens was the highlight of the islands.    We took a 3 hour bicycle tour riding on the streets and through the tourists at the boardwalk.    Mid way, we stopped at the beach for rum punch.

I would sail on Oasis again with a different itinerary.

But first, what did I eat?

OASIS OF THE SEAS FOOD

Sunday - Paella	Birthday Cake	Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
Monday -Seafood Linguini	Tuesday - Cherries Jubilee	Tuesday - Salmon Tartare
Tuesday - Steak Diane	Another Birthday Cake delivered to our room	Wednesday -Wild Mushrooms Mascarpone Risotto
Wednesda y -Apple Pie Ala Mode	Thursday - Ahi Tuna	Thursday - Maryland Crab Cake NOT
Thursday - Trifle	150 Central Park-Making Caesar Salad	150 Central Park Caesar Salad
150 Central Parl Lobster Thermidor	150 Central Park Pan Seared Halibut	150 Central Park Fried Cheese Cake
Saturday Morning Breakfast in the Diamond Lounge	Saturday Roasted Turkey	Saturday Lunch at Park Avenue Cafe

OASIS OF THE SEAS SHIPBOARD

Deck 12 Passagway	Our Stateroom	Jogging Deck 5
Diamond Club Entrance	Park West Gallery	Inside Diamond Club
Central Park I	Central Park II	Central Park at Night
Central Parl	Aqua Theater	Aqua Theater Intro
30 Foot Bell Rock Climbing Wall	Deck 16 Pool	Diver at the beginning of dive
Dreamworks Parade II	Dreamwork Parade III	Dreamworks Parade V
Prmenade	Ice Skating Show III	Zumba Class III
Tropical Theater Show	Flowrider	Solarium II
150 Park Avenue Entrance	Inside Park Avenue I	Inside Park Avenue II
Jewelry Sale III	Jewelry Sale IV	Zipline

Nassau Bahamas

 

Oasas of the Seas in Nassau	1st Place Conch Salad Competition	Bay Street Nassau
Boats from Paradise Island Bridge	Fresh Conch	"McKenzie's Fresh Seafood and Conch" Conch Fritters
Margaritaville Paradise Island	Nassau Police	Paradise Island Marina
Potter's Cay	Paradise Island	Paradise Island Marina

Saint Thomas USVI

Charlotte Amalie Harbor	Cay Bay Charlotte Amalie	Charlotte Amalie Dancer III
Charlottel Amalie Dancer II	Charlotte Amalie Dancer on Stilts	Charlotte Amalie Saxophone Player
Donnigens Gade Charlotte Amalie	A.H. Riise Mall	Main Street Charlotte Amalie
Pulling into Charlotte Amalie	Veterans Drive Charlotte Amalie	Water Taxi
Husband's Day Care	Leaving Charlotte Amalie View from Our Stateroom	Havensight Point Charlotte Amalie

Philipsburg Sint Maarten

Pulling into Philipsburg Sint Maarten	Cruise Port Philipsburg Sint Maarten	Oasis of the Seas Cruise Philipsburg Sint Maarten
Bicycle Ride at Philipsburg Sint Maarten II	Bicycle Ride at Philipsburg Sint Maarten III	Bicycle Ride at Philipsburg Boardwalk II
Bicycle Ride at Philipsburg Boardwalk III	Bicycle Ride Tour Guides	Bicycle Ride at Philipsburg Boardwalk
Philipsburg Beach	Philipsburg Front Street	Philipsburg Festival Village
Philipsburg Salt Pond	Stop for Rum Punch III	Stop for Rum Punch Market II
Stop forRumPunch Market	RumPunch	The Spice Shack

Majesty of the Seas May 2019

 

We had booked Majesty of the Seas previously but the cruise was cancelled due to hurricane Irma.   This was our second cruise to Cuba. We had booked an excursion to Henningway's House on our first cruise.  We booked the Hemmingway House on this cruise but it was cancelled due to renovations so we booked The Art and Dance of Havana featuring Lizt Alfonso.  This too was cancelled at the last minute so we booked the Culture of Havana.  Our tour guide was fantastic.  This tour included lunch at La Floridita.   We got a little bit of the Hemmingway experience. Lunch consisted of lobster and daquiri's.  We ended the first day with Salsa dancing at Cafe Taberna which was a lot of fun.  One the second day, we walked along Calle Obispo which was very lively and interesting.

On the way to La Habana, we stopped at Key West for snorkeling.  This was our first cruise that stopped at Key West although we had been there eight times.  We used to camp at Sugarloaf Key, MM17

The Food Section

Monday - Shrimp Cocktail	Monday - Braised Beef	Tuesday - Pie Ala Mode
Tuesday - Beef Carpaccio	Tuesday 50 Year Anniversary Cake	Tuesday - Seafood Linguini
Wednesday - French Onion Wild Mushroom Soup	Wednesday - Chicken Marsala	Wednesday - Pear Blueberry Cobbler
Thursday - Galician White Bean soup	Thursday - Chicken Vaca Frita	Thursday - Tres Leches Cake
Friday - Shellfish Broth	Friday - Broiled Lobster Tail	Friday - Cherries Jubilee

Around the Ship

Our Stateroom	Majesty of the Seas Bow	First Morning Exercise
Deck 11	Elevator Bank	Shower
Chorus Line Theater	Centrium	Windjammer
Diamond Club	View from Diamond Club	Diamond Club Horderves
Centrium Music Poster	RCL 50 Year Anniversary Cake	Diamond Club Free Margarita

Key West

Front Street Statues	Conch Train	Front Street Statues II
Inside Shellman	Staghorn Coral Christmas Tree	Inside Shellman
Majesty of the Seas in Key West	Mallory Square	Sloppy Joe's
Sailing into Key West	Full Sail	Majesty of the Seas from Fury Catarmaran
Snorkel Scene I	Snorkel Scene II	Snorkel Scene III

Havana

1947 Chevy	1953 Mercury	1952 Chevy
1953 Cadillac	1953 Chevy	1955 Chevy
1955 Chevy Original Straight 6	1956 Chevy	1956 Buick
1958 Chevy Impala	1959 Buicl	1958 Dodge
American Embassy	Am a Jesus	Behind the Cigar StoreI
Behind the Cigar Store III	Behind the Cigar Store II	Behind the Cigar Store IV
Behind the Cigar Store V	Hupmanin Cigar Store	Hupmanin Cigar Store
Fusterlandia I	Fusterlandia III	Fusterlanda II
Fusterlandia IV	Coconuts at Fusterlandia	Callejon De Hamel V
Callejon de Hamel III	Callejon de Hamel IV	Callejonde Hamel I
Calle de Hamel VI	La Floridita Outside View	La Floridita Outside View II
Inside La Floridita	Our Table La Floridita	Our Table La Floridita II
Lunch at La Floridita Tapas	Lunch at La Floridita Sopa	Lunch at La Floridita Lobster
Lunch a La Floridita Hemmingway Daiquiri	Lunch at La Floridita Helado	Musicians at La Floridita
Calle Obispo I	Calle Obispo II	Calle Obispo III
Calle Obispo IV	Calle Obispo V	Calle Obispo VI
Calle Obispo VII	Calle Obispo IX	Calle Obispo VIII
Calle Mercaderes La Havana	Calle Mercaderes La Havana III	Calle Mercaderes La Havana II
Calle Mercaderes La Havana IV	Calle Mercaderes La Havana V	Calle Mercaderes La Havana VI
Calle San Ignacio I	Calle San Ignacio II	Calle San Ignacio III
Christ of Havana	Havana Harbor	Calssic Cards
Cafe Taberna Outside View	Friday - Broiled Lobster Tail	Cafe Tabera Tapas
Inside Cafe Taberna I	Inside Cafe Taberna II	Inside Cafe Taberna III
Inside Cafe Taberna IV	Inside Cafe Taberna V	Inside Cafe Taberna VI

Harmony of the Seas June 2022

 

This was our second cruise on an Oasis Class ship. I was also our third trip to Saint Thomas but first trip to Saint Kitts. It had been three years since our last cruise and we wanted to cruise on an Oasis class ship. We had our anniversary dinner at Jamie Oliver's in Central Park.

 

1. Port Canaveral Florida
2. Perfect Day at Coco Cay
3. Day at Sea
4. Charlotte Amalie St Thomas
5. Basseterr e St Kitts
6. Day at Sea
7. Day at Sea
8. Port Canaveral Florida

Food Section

First Night Windjammer Lunch	First Night Jerk Pork Chops	First Night French Onion Soup
First Night Maryland Crabcake	First Breakfast	Bratwurst on the Boardwalk
Seond Night Marge's Banana Foster	Second Night Marge's Creme Brulee	Second Night Russian Stroganoff
Second Night Trifle	Third Night New York Strip Steak	Third Night Peach Shortcake
Johnny Rockets Breakfast	Breakfast 1	Breakfast at Central Park
Fourth Night Slow Roasted Prime Rib	Fifth Night Lentil Bean Soup	Fifth Night Lobster
Sixth Night Fish & Chips	Sixth Night Shrimp & Potato Salad	Sixth Night Apple Blossom A La Mode
Seventh Night Jamie Oliver Photo of Gennaro	Seventh Night Inside Jamie Oliver's	Seventh Night Jamie Oliver Meat Plank
Seventh Night Jamie Oliver Penne Carbonara	Seventh Night Jamie Oliver Pan Roasted Salmon	Seventh Night Jamie Oliver Tiramisu

Around the Ship

Our Stateroom 12612	Balcony View of Mariner of the Seas	Boardwalk
Boardwalk Merry Go Round	Casino	Dining Deck Below Us
Flowrider	Harmoneez Band	Harmony of the Seas Stern Damage
Jogging Track	Overlooking Central Park	Overlooking the Golf Course
Park West Art Show	Pool Deck	Robotic Bar
Solarium	To Be is to Do	Towel Art

Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Coco Cay 1	Coco Cay 2	Coco Cay 4

Saint Thomas

Charlotte Amalie 1	Charlotte Amalie 3	Charlotte Amaile Dancer
Inside of the tour bus	Plantasea Plantation 2	Plantasea Plantation Bougainvillea
Plantasea Plantation Coconuts	Plantasea Plantation Heliconia	Plantasea Plantation Parking
Saint Thomas Airport	Saint Thomas Mountaintop Daiquiri	View from Saint Thomas Mountaintop 3

Saint Kitts

Pulling into Basseterre	Welcome to St Kitts	View of Basseterre from our stateroom
View from our truck	View from our truck 2	View from our truck 7
View from our truck 3	View from our truck 8	View from our truck 22
View from our truck 13 Monkey Man	View from our truck 14 Monkey Man	View from our truck 18
Romney Manor 1	Romney Manor 2	Romney Manor 4
Romney Manor 5	Port Zante 1	Port Zante 2
Basseterre Food Court 3	Basseterre Food Court Dancers 1	Basseterre Food Court Dancers 2

Allure of the Seas August 2022

 

This was our third cruise on an Oasis Class ship.   This was our second trip to Costa Maya and third trip to Cozumel.   This was our first trip to Roatan.    We hadn't cruised since 2019 due to COVID.   It was good to get our sea legs back. We went to Izumi's for my wife's birthday.

THE HOTTEST SUSHI SPOT AT SEA

From delicious sushi rolls to fresh sashimi and nigiri, Izumi serves up an exotic Asian-inspired dining experience.  Savor izakaya-style appetizers and rolls that range from classic to imaginative.  No matter what you order, you’re in for a far out, Far East feast filled with incredible flavors from Tohoku to Tokyo.

 

 

 

1. Fort Lauderdale Florida
2. Day at Sea
3. Roatan Hondoras
4. Coasta Maya Mexico
5. Cozumal Mexico
6. Day at Sea
7. Fort Lauderdale Florida

Day One

Cruise Compass Day One	Our Stateroom 9612	American Icon Our Assigned Restaurant
Antipasta Appetizer	Herb Crusted Salmon	Pear Blueberry Cobbler

Day two

Day One

Day 2 Cruise Compass	Diamond Club	View from Diningroom Table
Treadmill	Sorrento's Pizza	Allure's Merry Go Round
Parade on Deck 5	Day 2 Breakfast	Scott Cavanaugh Juggler
Izumi Lobster Roll	Izumi Poke	Izumi Sake

Day 3

Cruise Compass Day 3	Solarium Breakfast	Solarium
Solarium 4	Sailing into Roatan	Roatan Welcoming Band
Allure of the Seas Roatan Pier	Bethesda Methodist Church Flower Bay Roatan	Flower Bay Roatan Honduras
Flower Bay Road Roatan Honduras	Caribbean Culture Park 2	Caribbean Culture Park 4
El Velero Restaurant at Las Palmas Beach Resort	El Velero Restaurant at Las Palmas Beach Resort 2	Quesadillas at Los Palmas Beach Resort
Las Palmas Beach Resort	Las Palmas Beach Resort 2	Las Palmas Beach Resort 2
Mama Mia 1	Mama Mia 3	Mama Mia 4
Day 3 Moroccan Spiced Ahi Tuna	Day Banana Foster	Pina Colada

Day 4

Cruise Compass Day 4	Cabin 9612	Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets Breakfast	Deck 9 Passageway	Schooner Bar
Costa Maya Cello in the Pier	Allure of the Seas at Costa Maya	Costa Maya Flamigo
Salsa Ingredients	Salsa Ingredients Uncovered	Mortar and Pestle
Guacamole	Donde esta el bano	Hhombre con Machete
Costa Maya in the Rain	Costa Maya in the Rain 2	Day 4 Towel Art
Day 4 French Onion Soup	Day 4 Fish & Chips	Day 4 Apple Blossom a la Mode

Day 5

Cruise Compass Day 5	Allure of the Seas at Cozumel	Breakfast Day 5
Cozumel Margaritaville	Cozumel Margaritaville 2	Cozumel Pier
Quintana Roo Cozumel	Quintana Roo Cozumel 2	Spice Market Cozumel
Tiendas Tropical	View from our truck 14 Monkey Man	Day 5 Windjammer Hamburger Lunch
Day 5 Dinner Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup	Day 5 Dinner Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup Recipe	Day 5 Dinner Shrimp Ceviche
Day 5 Dinner New York Strip Steak	Day 5 Dinner Royal Cheese Cake	Love and Marriage Show 2

Day 6

Cruise Compass Day 6	Britto in Central Park	Caribbean Rythms Band
Pool Deck	Tribute to Veterans, First Responders, Fightfigther, Policemen	Promenade Deck
Day 6 Breakfast Biscuits,Gravy, Hash Browns, Bacon	Quintana Roo Cozumel 2	Day 6 Dinner Minestrone Soup
Day 6 Dinner 2 Lobster Tails	Day 6 Dinner Baked Alaska	Marge's Nada Strawberry Daquiri

MARINER OF THE SEAS 2023

This was our second cruise on the Mariner of the Seas.  It has changed a lot since 2005.  Mariner was refitted in 2018.  After three Oasis class ships, it seemed small.  The beam on the Mariner of the Seas is 127 feet whereas the beam on the Oasis is 213 feet.  The noticeable difference was in the width.  We just wanted to sail and sail to new locations. We had our anniversary dinner at Izumi's

 

1. Port Canaveral Florida
2. Cruising
3. Puerto Plata Dominican Republic
4. Labadee Haiti
5. Perfect Day CocoCay Bahamas
6. Port Canaveral Florida
Day One

Stateroom 3728	Port Canaveral	Britto on the pool deck
Mariner of the Seas Pool Deck	Crispy Crabcake	New York Strip Steak

Day Two

Anniversary Sign on Door	Anniversary Treat from Housekeeping	Bratwurst con Cerveza
Fried Rice with Vegetables	Filipino Japenese Chef Cooking Meats	Fried Rice with Vegetables on My Plate
Fried Rice with Vegetables	Filipino Japenese Chef Cooking Meats	Fried Rice with Vegetables on My Plate

Day Three

Albert Lucus	Anniversary Cake	Bridge
Building next to Fortaleze de San Felipe	Diamond Club	Elevator Shaft
Fishermen	Fos'cle	Malecon
Mariner of the Seas at Taino Bay	Meeting Cigar Club	My Time Dining
Puerto Plata Pink Street 2	Puerto Plata Pink Street	Puerto Plata Umbrella Street
Taino Bay 2	Taino Bay 3	Taino Bay
Towel Art	French Onion Soup	Rustic Chicken Korno

Day Four

Haitian Artist	Haitian Band	Haitian Beach
Labadee Harbor from Diamond Club	Labadee Harbor	Labadee Marketplace
Labedee Marketplace	Labadee Panoramic	New York Strip Steak
Labadee Zipline 3	Labadee Zipline 4	Top of Dragon Zipline 2
Top of Dragon Zipline 3	Top of Dragon Zipline 7	Mariner of the Seas at Labadee
On Island Dragon Cafe	On Island Lunch at Dragon Cafe	Tuesday in the Elevator
Waldorf Salad	Lobster with Mac & Cheese	Apple Crumble with Ice Cream

Day Five

Ice Skaitng Show 3	Ice Skating Show 4	Urinal overlooking the Ocean
Mariner of the Seas Pool Deck	Lasagna	Tiramiso

Day Six

Bahamian Band	Coco Cay	Map Of Coco Cay
Path Back to Ship	South Beach 2	South Beach 3
South Beach Panoramic	South Beach Sea Gulla	South Beach
Mariner & Independence of the Seas	Lasagna	Grits
Ceasar Salad	Peacon Roasted Salmon	Crema Catalona

Wonder of the Seas 2023

This is our 23rd cruise and it was on the largest cruise ship in the world as of this writing .  This cruise was for the ship with repeat cruise terminals, Saint Thomas and Sint Maarten. &NBSP  At Saint Thomas, we took a boat over to Saint Johns and had lunch at the High Tide Restaurant for Marge's 76th birthday.   It had the feel of this is where  Mainlanders who have moved to the island go.   We had mahi mahi fish and chips while overlooking Cruz Bay.&NBSP  

On Sint Maartins we looked for the Guavaberry Juice Factory but it had gone out of business.  Nick Maley's museum was closed for vacation.   So we spent our time going in and our of shops looking for Guavaberry Juice.   The only thing that we could find was Guavaberry Rum.    We did find Guavaberry Juice in the back of a souvenir shop.    We met a few Nigerians on the ship and some of store operators in Philipsburg were Nigerian. 

We had booked a kayak and snorkel excursion but it was cancelled due to rough water.     That may sound like a bunch of disappointments.   But remember, this cruise was about the ship.     We ate at their specialty restaurant  which was very New England.   This ship was huge, with 18 decks and a number of new shows especially inTENse

 

1. Port Canaveral Florida
2. Perfect Day at CocoCay
3. Cruising
4. Charlotte Amalie St Thomas
5. Philipsburg Sint Maarten
6. Cruising Florida
7. Cruising Florida
8. Port Canaveral Florida

Day One

Sailing Away from Grills	Our Stateroom	My Closet
Deck 6 Passageway	Day 1 Menu	Crispy Crabcake
New York Strip Steak	inTENse e	inTENse

Day Two

Approaching Coco Cay	Coco Cay Skippers Grill Cuban Sandwiches	Coco Cay Skipper Grill My Lunch
Towel Art	View from the Elevator	Interior Balconies from the Windjammer
Windjammer Breakfast	Central Park at Night	Central Park Musicians
Day 2 Menu	Minestrone Soup	Lasagna al Forno
Classic Tiramisu	Wonder of the Seas at Coco Cay

Day Three

Royal Caribbean APP	Bratwurst	1965 Mustang
Crown & Anchor Society Surprise Dessert	Down Elevator Shaft Deck 16	Rising Bar
Parade	Parade 2	Parade 3
Solarium Breakfast	Solarium Breakfast 2	Solarium Breakfast 5
Entrance to Hooked Restaurant	Hooked Menu	We had the Captain's Platter
Hooked Hand Tossed Salad	Hooked Clam & Crab Chowder	Hooked Captain's Platter
	H
Hooked Hand Tossed Salad	Hooked Clam & Crab Chowder	Hooked Nautical Decorations
Hooked Overlookng the Solarium	SPA	Schooner Bar
	Tuesday

Day Four

Charlotte Amalie from our balcony	Charlotte Amalie USVI	Breakfast at El Loco Fresh c
Breakfast at El Loco Freash a	Breakfast at El Loco Fresh d	Deck 6
From Inside Boleros	Windjammer Lunch	Ice Cream with Fudge & Apples
Boat to St Johns	Ferry from St Thomas to St Johns	High Tide Restaurant Cruz Bay
Where is Duval Street	High Tide Restaurant Fish & Chips	High Tide Restauant from the beach
High Tide Restaurant Red Stripe Beer	High Tide Restaurant Roosterr	High Tide Restaurant Waterfront
	H
High Tide Restaurant Entrance	High Tide Restaurant Inside	Mongoose Junction Cruz Bay
Leaving Cruz Bay	Leaving St Thomas	Native Son
Put Put Golf	Zipline	Saint Thomas Dancer

Day Five

Day 5 Menu	Crispy Coconut Shrimp	Jerk Seasoning Pork Chops
Pineapple Sunshine Cake	Guavaberry Factory out of Business	Guavaberry Factory Out of Business
Guavaberry Factory out of Business	I found three bottle so Guavaberry Liquer	Liquer Store Stilll Selling Guavaberry Liquer
Looking for Guavaberry Store	Philipsburg Beach	Philipsburg Broadwalk Street
Philipsburg Front Street b	Philipsburg Front Street	Rising Bar
Santa on a Cruise	Tap Factory Energy Machine	Tap Factory Energy Machine 3
Tap Factory Energy Machine 4	Wonder of the Seas at Sint Maartens	Passageway Art

Day Six

Johnny Rockets Breakfast	Johnny Rockets Breakfast 2	Day 6 Menu
French Onion Soup	Main Lobster	65 Mustang
Central Park from Rising Bar	Promenade from Rising Bar	Schooner Bar from Rising Bar
Effectors Crash and Burn Tap Dance	Ultimate Abyss	Towel Art

Day Seven

Breakfast Burrito at Park Cafe 2	Day 7 Menu	Day French Onion Soup
Chicken Chettinad	Ceasar Salad	Grilled Mediterranean Steak
Windjammer Breakfast	Diamond Club	View from Diamond Club
Jog around the Track	Sorrento's Pizza	Veterans Celebration
Veterans Celebration 2	Wadsworth Saying	Wonder of the Seas Tee Shirt

Around the Ship

Deck 5 Track	Diningroom Window	Diningroom
Little Girl Dancing	Promenade Party	Men's Head
Treadmill	View from the Gym	Rising Bar Deck 5

SUMMARY

We have been back for one week today.   I have read my mail and paid my bills.   I am ready to go back.  Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world as of today. This was our fourth Oasis class cruise ship.  This was our 4th cruise to Saint Thomas, 4th cruise to Sint Maarten and 7th cruise to Coco Cay Bahamas.   This cruise was for the ship and not the itinerary.  This ship had 18 decks and was 1187 feet long.   This cruise was for my wife's 76th birthday which we celebrated at High Tide Restaurant at Cruz Bay Saint Johns USVI.   https://www.hightidevi.com/ We booked our next which sails out of Rome on June 6, 2024. SUMMARY We have been back for one week today. I have read my mail and paid my bills. I am ready to go back. Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world as of today. This was our fourth Oasis class cruise ship. This was our 4th cruise to Saint Thomas, 4th cruise to Sint Maarten and 7th cruise to Coco Cay Bahamas. This cruise was for the ship and not the itinerary. This ship had 18 decks and was 1187 feet long. This cruise was for my wife's 76th birthday which we celebrated at High Tide Restaurant at Cruz Bay Saint Johns USVI. https://www.hightidevi.com/ We booked our next which sails out of Rome on June 6, 2024.  

S.V. Yankee Clipper

This was actually my first cruise.  It is a Marconi rig schooner.  I sailed from Fort de France Martinique to Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes, Monserrate and back to Martinique.   It was a working cruise.

Port of Departure: Fort de France Martinique

Built in 1927, CRESSIDA, was one of the only armor plated private yachts in the world.  Confiscated during World War II as a war prize, she was later acquired by the Vanderbilts and renamed PIONEER.  Racing off Newport Beach, California, PIONEER was considered one of the fastest tall ships on the west coast.  In 1965, she joined the Windjammer fleet and was christened YANKEE CLIPPER.

Berths: 64
Crew: 30
Length: 197 Ft
Beam: 30 Ft
Draft: 17 Ft

Mariner of the Seas

CLASS Voyager

Port of Departure: Port Canaveral Florida

Ship Facts

Maiden Voyage: November 16, 2003
Passenger Capacity: 3,114
Godmother: Jean Driscoll
Gross Tonnage: 138,000
Length: 1020'
Max Beam: 157.5'
Draft: 29'
Cruising Speed: 22 knots

Ship Highlights

Ice-skating rink
Rock-climbing wall
In-line skating
Royal Promenade (open 24 hours)
Johnny Rockets® '50s-style restaurant
Portofino Italian Restaurant
Café Promenade
Ben & Jerry's® ice cream
Vintages wine bar
Boleros Latin-theme lounge
Themed bars and lounges
Casino RoyaleSM
Golf simulators
9-hole miniature golf course
Adventure Ocean® youth facilities, including teen-only areas, Fuel and Living Room
Day Spa and Fitness Center
Full-size basketball court

 

Grandeur of the Seas

 

CLASS Vision

Port of Departure: Baltimore Maryland

Ship Facts

Maiden Voyage: December 14, 1996
Passenger Capacity: 2,446
Godmother: Aviva Ofer
Gross Tonnage: 74,000
Length: 916'
Beam: 106'
Draft: 25'
Cruising Speed: 22 knots

Ship Highlights



Rock-climbing wall
Casino RoyaleSM
Themed bars and lounges
Eight bars and lounges
Stunning Centrum, an open atrium featuring shopping and more
Outdoor pool
Indoor/outdoor pool in a Solarium with a sliding roof
Adventure Ocean® youth facilities
Day Spa and Fitness Center

 

Brilliance of the Seas

Seas CLASS Radiance

Port of Departure: Barcelona Spain

 

Maiden Voyage: July 19, 2002
Passenger Capacity: 2,501
Godmother: Marilyn Ofer
Gross Tonnage: 90,090
Length: 962' Beam: 105.6'
Draft: 26.7'
Cruising Speed: 25 knots

Ship Highlights



Rock-climbing wall
Portofino Italian Restaurant
Chops Grill
Seaview Café
Latté-tudes,SM a specialty coffee house featuring Seattle's Best Coffee®
Themed bars and lounges
Casino RoyaleSM
Indian Raj-themed Solarium
The Colony Club, a unique British colonial-style lounge with self-leveling pool tables
Indoor/outdoor country club with golf simulator
Adventure Ocean® youth facilities
Day Spa and Fitness Center
Sports court with basketball/volleyball court

 

Monarch of the Seas

Seas CLASS Sovereign

Port of Departure: Port Canaveral

 

Maiden Voyage: November 17, 1991
Passenger Capacity: 2,744
Godmother: Lauren Bacall
Gross Tonnage: 73,941
Length: 880' Beam: 106'
Draft: 25'
Cruising Speed: 19 knots

Ship Highlights



Rock-climbing wall
Jade sushi bar and Asian-fusion restaurant
Latté-tudesSM coffee house featuring Seattle's Best Coffee®
Ben & Jerry's® ice cream
Casino RoyaleSM
Themed bars and lounges, including Boleros Latin lounge 2 outdoor pools
2 whirlpools
Adventure Ocean® youth facilities, including teen-only areas, Fuel and Living Room
Day Spa and Fitness Center
Open-air basketball court

 

Carnival Dream

Dream CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: September 21, 2009
Passenger Capacity: 3,652
Godmother: Marcia Gay Harden
Gross Tonnage: 130,000
Length: 1004' Beam: 122'
Draft: 27'
Cruising Speed: 22.5 knots

Ship Highlights



ENCORE (Main Show Lounge)
THE GATHERING (Lido Restaurant)

• Pizzeria
• Burrito Station
• Pasta Station
• Mongolian Wok
• Indian Tandoor
• Taste of Nations
• New York Style Deli
• Dessert Station
• Grill

SCARLET RESTAURANT
CRIMSON RESTAURANT
THE CHEF'S ART
JACKPOT CASINO
BURGUNDY
CALIENTE (Dance Club)
OCEAN PLAZA (Piazza)
THE LANAI
RENDEVOUS (Lounge Club)
THE SONG (Live Music)
PLAZA CAFE (Patisserie)
DREAM BAR
SAM'S (Piano Bar)
THE PAGE TURNER (Library)
THE CHAMBERS (Conference Room)
CLOUD 9 SPA
FUNHUB (Internet Stations)
WASABI (Sushi Bar)
DREAM STREET (Upper/Lower Promenade)
PLAZA BAR
WATERPARK WITH MULTIPLE SLIDES
CITY SPORTS PARK

• Jogging Track
• Basketball Court
• Volleyball Court

 

Caribbean Princess

Grand CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: April 3, 2004
Passenger Capacity: 3,100
Godmother: Jill Whelan
Gross Tonnage: 130,000
Length: 952' Beam: 118'
Draft: 26.2'
Cruising Speed: 22.0 knots

Ship Highlights



Princess Theater (Main Show Lounge)
Sabatini's ( Restaurant)

• The Sanctuary
• The Piazza
• Movies under the Stars
• Lotus Spa and Fitness
• Wheelhouse Bar
• Churchill Lounge
• Crooner Bar
• Palm Dining Room
• Coral Dining Room
• Island Dining Room
• Crown Grill

 

Sapphire Princess

Gem CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: May 16. 2004
Passenger Capacity: 2,670
Godmother: Nancy Murkowski
Gross Tonnage: 166,000
Length: 950' Beam: 121'
Draft: 26.0'
Cruising Speed: 22.0 knots

Ship Highlights



Princess Theater (Main Show Lounge)
Sabatini's ( Restaurant)

• The Sanctuary
• The Sabatini's
• Movies under the Stars
• Lotus Spa and Fitness
• Wheelhouse Bar
• Churchill Lounge
• Club Fusion
• Grand Casino
• International Dining Room
• Neptune's Reef Pool
• Crooner Bar
• Pacific Moon Dining Room
• Santa Fe Dining Room
• Savoy Dining Room
• Vivladi Dinig Room
• Wake View Bar
• Wheelhouse Bar
• Wedding Chapel
• Youth Teen Center
• Skywalkers Nightclub

 

Freedom of the Seas

Freedom CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: June 4,2006
Passenger Capacity: 3,634
Godmother: Katherine Louise Calder
Gross Tonnage: 154,407
Length: 1112' Beam: 126.64'
Draft: 28.0'
Cruising Speed: 21.6 knots

Ship Highlights

• Broadway Theater
• Portofino Italian Restaurant
• Crops Grille Steakhouse
• Jade Sushi
• Sorrento's Pizza
• Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
• Windjammer Cafe
• Leonardo's Dining Room
• Isaac's Dining Room
• Galileo's Dining Room
• Casino Royale
• Cafe Promenade
• Britto's art Store
• Park West Art Gallery
• Sky Bar
• Schooner's Bar
• Connoisseur Club
• Bolero's Latin Bar
• Champagne Bar
• Viking Crown Lounge
• Plaza Bar
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Bull & Bear Pub
• 4 Pools
• 6 Whirlpools
• Vitality Spa
• Flowrider Surf Simulator
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Ice Skating Rink
• Mini Golf Course
• Full Sized Basketball Court
• Full Sized Boxing Ring
• Dreamworks Experience

 

Serenade of the Seas

Radiance CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: August 1, 2003
Passenger Capacity: 2,490
Godmother: Whoopi Goldberg
Gross Tonnage: 90,090
Length: 962' Beam: 131'
Draft: 28.0'
Cruising Speed: 25 knots

Ship Highlights

• Broadway Theater
• Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
• Crops Grille Steakhouse
• Izumi Asian-fusion Restaurant
• Rita's Cantina
• Windjammer Cafe
• Reflections Dining Room
• Casino Royale
• Park West Art Gallery
• Sky Bar
• Schooner's Bar
• Connoisseur Club
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Bull & Bear Pub
• 3 Pools
• Vitality Spa
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Mini Golf Course
• Full Sized Basketball Court

 

Pride of America

Norwegian America Line CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: 2005
Passenger Capacity: 2186
Godmother: Elaine Chao
Gross Tonnage: 80,439
Length: 920' Beam: 106'
Draft: 26.2'
Cruising Speed: 22.2 knots

Ship Highlights

• Hollywood Theater
• Dolce Gelato
• Moderno Churrascarla Restaurant
• Sushi Bar
• Teppangaki Restaurant
• Cagney's Steakhouse
• Jefferson's Bistro
• La Cucina
• Aloha Cafe/li>
• Cadillac Diner
• Key West Bar & Grill
• Liberty Main Dining Room
• Skyline Main Dining Room
• Oasis Pool
• South Beach Pool
• 3 Bars

 

Empress of the Seas

Sovereign CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: June 25, 1990 as Nordic Empress
Passenger Capacity: 1840
Godmother: Gloria Estefan
Gross Tonnage: 48,563'
Length: 689' Beam: 100.72'
Draft: 23.29'
Cruising Speed: 19.5 knots

Ship Highlights

• Royal Theater
• Starlight DiningRoom
• Windjammer Cafe
• Chops Grille
• Chef's Table
• Cafe Royal
• SchoonerBar
• Viking Lounge
• Centrium
• Rock Climing Wall
• Pool
• Outdoor HDTV
• Boleros
• Casino Royal

 

Oasis of the Seas

Oasis CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: December 5, 2009
Passenger Capacity: 6,296
Godmothers: Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.
Gross Tonnage: 225,282
Length: 1,865' Beam: 154'
Draft: 30.6'
Cruising Speed: 22.6 knots

Ship Highlights

• Opal Theater
• Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
• Crops Grille Steakhouse
• Izumi Asian-fusion Restaurant
• Silk Restaurant
• American Icon Restaurant
• Windjammer Cafe
• 150 Central Park Restuarant
• Jamie;s Italian Restaurant
• Wonderland Restaurant
• Hook's Seafood
• Johnny Rockets
• Park Cafe
• Samba Grill
• Coastal Kitchen
• Mini Bites
• Dog House
• The Cafe@Two70
• Cafe Promendae
• Solarium Bistro
• Sorrento's Pizza
• Vitality Cafe
• El Loco Fresh
• Casino Royale
• Park West Art Gallery
• Sky Bar
• Schooner's Bar
• Diamond Club
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Bull & Bear Pub
• 3 Pools
• Vitality Spa
• 43 foot Rock Climbing Wall
• Mini Golf Course
• Full Sized Basketball Court
• Flowrider
• Zipline
• Ice Rink
• Aquatheater

 

Majesty of the Seas

Sovereign CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: April 4, 1992
Passenger Capacity: 2744
Godmother: Queen Sonja of Norway
Gross Tonnage: 73,941
Length: 880' Beam: 106'
Draft: 28'
Cruising Speed: 22 knots

Ship Highlights

• Chorus Line Lounge
• Starlight DiningRoom
• Moonlight DiningRoom
• Windjammer Cafe
• Chef's Table
• SchoonerBar
• Centrium
• Rock Climing Wall
• 2 Pool
• 4 Hot Tubs
• Boleros
• Casino Royal
• Sorrento's Pizza
• Johnny's Rockets

Harmony of the Seas

Oasis CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: May 29, 2016
Passenger Capacity: 5479
Godmothers: Brittany Affolter.
Gross Tonnage: 226,963
Length: 1188' Beam: 156.6'
Draft: 30.6'
Cruising Speed: 22.6 knots

Ship Highlights

• Opal Theater
• Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
• Crops Grille Steakhouse
• Izumi Asian-fusion Restaurant
• Silk Restaurant
• American Icon Restaurant
• Windjammer Cafe
• 150 Central Park Restaurant
• Jamie;s Italian Restaurant
• Wonderland Restaurant
• Hook's Seafood
• Johnny Rockets
• Park Cafe
• Samba Grill
• Coastal Kitchen
• Mini Bites
• Dog House
• The Cafe@Two70
• Cafe Promendae
• Solarium Bistro
• Sorrento's Pizza
• Vitality Cafe
• El Loco Fresh
• Casino Royale
• Park West Art Gallery
• Sky Bar
• Schooner's Bar
• Diamond Club
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Bull & Bear Pub
• 3 Pools
• Vitality Spa
• 43 foot Rock Climbing Wall
• Mini Golf Course
• Full Sized Basketball Court
• Flowrider
• Zipline
• Ice Rink
• Aquatheater

/

 

RMS Titanic

Port of Departure: Southampton England

Nationality: British
Owners: White Star Line
Builders: Harland and Wolff yards in Belfast, Ireland
Captain: Edward John Smith
Port of registry: Liverpool, England
Laid down: March 31, 1909
Launched: May 31, 1911
Christened: Not christened
Maiden voyage: April 10, 1912
Fate: Hit an iceberg at 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912. Sank on April 15, 1912, at 2:20 a.m.; wreck discovered in 1985 by Robert Ballard.

Gross Tonnage: 46,328 GRT
Displacement: 52,310 Long Tons
Length: 882 foot 9 inches (269 m)
Beam: 92 foot 6 inches (28 m)
Draught: 34 foot 7 inches (10.5 m)
Power: 24 double-ended and 5 single-ended Scotch boilers at 215 psi.  Two four cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engines each producing 16,000 hp (12 MW) for outer two propellers.  One low-pressure (about 7 psi absolute) steam turbine producing 18,000 hp (13.5 MW) for the center propeller.  Total 50,000 hp (37 MW)
Propulsion: Two bronze triple-blade side propellers.  One bronze quadruple-blade central propeller.
Speed: 23 knots (42.5 km/h) (26.4 mph)
Number of Passengers (Maiden Voyage): 1912 - Total 2,208

First Class: 324
Second Class: 285
Third Class: 708
Crew: 891
Passengers and crew who survived: 712
Passengers and crew who were lost: 1,496

 

Allure of the Seas

Oasis CLASS

 

Maiden Voyage: December 1, 2010
Passenger Capacity: 5484
Godmothers: Princess Fiona
Gross Tonnage: 225,282
Length: 1188' Beam: 154'
Draft: 30.6'
Cruising Speed: 22.6 knots

Ship Highlights

• Amber Theater
• Giovanni's Italian Restaurant
• Crops Grille Steakhouse
• Izumi Asian-fusion Restaurant
• Silk Restaurant
• American Icon Restaurant
• Windjammer Cafe
• 150 Central Park Restaurant
• Johnny Rockets
• Park Cafe
• Samba Grill
• Coastal Kitchen
• Dog House
• Cafe Promendae
• Solarium Bistro
• Sorrento's Pizza
• Vitality Cafe
• Park West Art Gallery
• Sky Bar
• Schooner's Bar
• Diamond Club
• Vintages Wine Bar
• Bull & Bear Pub
• 3 Pools
• Vitality Spa
• 43 foot Rock Climbing Wall
• Mini Golf Course
• Full Sized Basketball Court
• Flowrider
• Zipline
• Ice Rink
• Aquatheater
• Rising Bar
Wonder of the Seas
Oasis CLASS
 
Maiden Voyage: January 27, 2022
Passenger Capacity: 5734
Godmothers: Marie McCrea
Gross Tonnage: 236,877
Length: 1187' Beam: 155.5'
Draft: 30.5'
Cruising Speed: 22knots
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