Enchanted Princess

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The Enchanted Princess can accommodate 3,660 passengers and 1,346 crew members. Our captain was Raffaele Di Martino, the hotel director was Miguel Rocha, and our Cruise director was Tee Ayoub (from Brazil). Our interior cabin was C131 on deck 10 (Caribe deck).

Day 1: Ft. Lauderdale 1/6/26

Donna and Bob drove us to Port Everglades. We left at 8:45 and got there about 9:45. We were on the ship by 10:15. We peeked to see where our cabin was, but it wasn’t ready. Then we found a bar and had a beer. We checked into our muster station before heading to lunch. Lunch was on the Lido deck. After lunch, we walked around the ship and then spent the rest of the time at the Seaview Bar. We went back to our cabin and unpacked our suitcases. We had dinner on the Lido deck and then went to the Gelateria for our premium sundaes. After the sundaes, we went to the Princess Theater to watch Reggie Rice, a comedian/magician. After the show, we walked to the atrium and watched the dancers. As we walked to the Vista Lounge, we heard that someone had a medical emergency. They set up privacy screens around the incident (tablecloths, etc.) and treated the man. After that, we returned to the cabin with our cappuccinos.

Day 2: Princess Cays 1/7/26

Click here for pictures of Princess Cays.

We got our tender tickets at 9:15 and were on the island around 9:30. We played in the water for about an hour and then walked around the beach area. At 11:00, we decided to go back to the ship. After lunch, we had another premium sundae. Then we went to the bar for a margarita. While we were there, I checked my folio and saw where we were charged $5 at a bar, so we went to guest services. The girl explained that we were charged for canned drinks, which are not part of our package. I explained we didn’t know that, and the day before, we had gotten several cans of soda at no charge, so she took the charge off. From now on, we will ask if our drinks are included in our drink package. Then we went to another bar and relaxed with more margaritas. Before dinner, we stopped at our cabin and got our jackets because the theater is chilly. We had dinner and got to the theater about 6:30. The show, Spotlight Bar featuring the singers and dancers, was very good. Before we went to bed, I had to turn our clocks forward one hour.

Day 3: At Sea 1/8/26

After breakfast, we went to the session “Discover Caribbean with your Princess Insider,” which was okay but not great. Then we walked on the jogging track until lunch time. After lunch, we thought about going to the session on “An overview of Philipsburg, St. Maarten,” but decided to get our sundae instead. Then we went to the tail end of the session. Next, we went to the bar and had a Bloody Mary, but it wasn’t that great. We went to the session on “An overview of Basseterre, St. Kitts,” which was really boring. We decided to hit our favorite bar, the Seaview Bar, and have another Bloody Mary. The bartender, Imran (Bond), made us a Bloody Caesar using Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Then we decided to try Sex on the Beach, which was really sweet. By then it was dinner time, and after dinner we went to the show, Lovena B. Fox. She was a singer and had a great voice. After the show, we returned to our cabin to watch the Fiesta Bowl (Ol’ Miss v. Miami, FL)

Day 4: San Juan 1/9/26

Click here for pictures of San Juan.

We got off the ship by 10:15 and found our meeting place for our shore excursion. As we got off the ship, we watched an ambulance arrive at the ship. We went to the El Yunque Rainforest ($129 pp), and it was scheduled for 4 hours. We had a really nice bus ride, and our first stop was at the observation tower. Then we stopped at the big swimming pool, which was built by the CCC. We saw a couple of waterfalls. While we were at the swimming pool, it poured down rain. As we descended the mountain, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. We got back to the ship around 3:30. We went to the Lido deck and had a late lunch. Then we stopped to eat our daily sundae before going to the bar for a drink. Soon after that, we went to the theater that featured Yuri and Nato, an acrobatic duo. After the shop, we went to the Salty Dog and had French fries. Then we returned to our cabin to watch the Peach Bowl (Indiana vs. Oregon).

Day 5: St. Maarten 1/10/26

Click here for pictures of St. Maarten.

We got off the ship around 9:45, and instead of walking into town, we turned right out of the port gate. We walked towards a residential and business area until we reached the beach on the other side. It was really hot outside, so we returned to the ship by 11:15. After lunch, we went to the Seaview Bar, but there were no seats, so we went to the Good Spirits at Sea Bar. I went back to the cabin and took a shower. When I returned to the bar, we had another drink before going back up to the Seaview Bar around 3:30. I got some French fries from the Salty Dog Café. After dinner, we went to the show, “5 Skies,” which I enjoyed. We stopped to get our sundaes after the show, when I realized I had lost my medallion in the theater. After finishing our sundaes, I stopped at guest services, and someone turned in my medallion. Then we went back to the cabin and watched Jerry Maguire.

Day 6: St. Kitts 1/11/26

Click here for pictures of St. Kitts

We got off the ship at 8:45 and walked around the town until 10:30. It was overcast and even showered a little bit while we walked around. After lunch, we got a sundae. Then we tried to sit around the pool, but the chairs were uncomfortable, so we went to the Good Spirits at Sea Bar. It was frustrating when, after I had to do a 2-handed wave to flag down the bar waiter, he nodded that he saw me and then disappeared. I ended up having to go up to the bar to get Don’s martini. Then we went back to the cabin to relax and finished watching Jerry Maguire. After dinner, we went back to get our 2nd sundae of the day and listened to the music in the atrium. On the way back to our cabin, we got 2 lattes: a honey lavender latte and a chocolate chip latte. We watched Finding Dory.

Day 7: Antigua 1/12/26

Click here for pictures of Antigua

We got off the ship by 8:30 and walked to the post office (1.5 miles away). On the way there, we heard a parade band playing outside the police station. It looks like they were having an inspection. At the end, they all got on buses and left. The lady at the post office was very nice, and Don bought about $60 worth of stamps. On the way back, we took a flatter route and went by the place where the post office used to be. Then we decided to get back on the ship and had lunch. After lunch, we sat by the pool and relaxed until dinner time. After dinner, we had a sundae and then went back to our cabin to watch Oppenheimer. In the middle of the night, around 1:20 am, the captain announced that there was a fire alert malfunction, but now everything was okay.

Day 8: St. Thomas 1/13/26

We didn’t get off the ship today and sat by the pool until lunch time. Don took a break from relaxing and walked on the jogging track. After lunch, we had a sundae and then went back to the cabin to finish watching Oppenheimer and Avatar. We had to stop Avatar when the captions didn’t match the lips or the audio. We watched Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief instead. After dinner, we went to the show, featuring Tommy J, a comedian, juggler, and unicyclist. He had appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, and he was very entertaining. I had to frog my socks that I was knitting because somehow, I added 9 extra stitches to them, and they were too big.

Day 9: At Sea 1/14/26

Today was a lazy day. While I was waiting for Don to show up for breakfast, one of the crew members, Caroline from Kenya, stopped to talk about the socks that I was knitting. She is a knitter but has never made socks before. We are going to exchange contact info tomorrow morning, so that I can help her learn how to make socks. After breakfast, we walked on the jogging track. Then we sat by the pool and relaxed until lunch time. After lunch, we got our sundaes. Next, we went back by the pool and relaxed until late afternoon. We went to the Piazza area and watched the people doing ballroom dancing, but then Don got cold, so we moved back up to the pool area until dinner. After dinner, we got popcorn and coffee before returning to our room and watching movies. We watched Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and Arthur the King, about a dog. I was able to knit my socks back to where they were before I had to frog them. I did more knitting today than I have the whole cruise.

Day 10: At Sea 1/15/26

Today, after breakfast, we walked on the jogging track. Then we went to the culinary demonstration at 10, which included a galley tour. After that, we got our seats for the Lido deck for lunch. At noon, they were having a special seafood and pastry buffet. I got my regular roast beef at 11:30, and then at noon, I got the black forest cake and tiramisu. After lunch, we returned to our cabin and packed our suitcases. We watched The Verdict with Paul Newman until dinner time. After dinner, we finished our last-minute packing and then put our suitcases out in the hall. We had to turn our clocks back before going to sleep.

Day 11: Ft. Lauderdale 1/16/26

I got up early to get our seats for breakfast around 4 am. Then I came back to the room to make sure Don was awake by 6. We were scheduled to get off the ship by 8, but they were ahead of schedule, and we were off the ship by 7:30. Bob and Donna picked us up by 9 am.

Things I Learned:

• Check my folio every day for odd charges somehow added to my account. It is easier to take care of them as they appear than wait for the last day.
• We talked with a couple who were wearing Hoka sports shoes, and we want to give them a try.
• I like the premium sundaes that are included in the drink package.
• If the drink package wasn’t a special included in the price of the cruise, I wouldn’t get it. It is $65 per person each day, and both people in the cabin have to get it.
• I’m glad we used our shipboard credit for an excursion to El Yunque Rainforest.
• Carry business cards with my contact info with me every day in case I want to exchange info with new friends.
• Put the picture of my luggage tag on the lock screen of my phone. Even though this time, I didn’t lose my phone on the ship, it could have happened. Then they would know who owned the phone.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

1998 Prohibition Enforced (US #3184c)

On January 16 every year, Prohibition Day is remembered.

The Prohibition Enforced stamp (US #3184c) was released on May 28, 1998, in Chicago as part of the Celebrate the Century 1920s series. This series highlighted important events from each decade of the 1900s. The stamp for the 1920s shows a police officer pouring alcohol down a drain. This picture represents the start of Prohibition, a time when making or selling alcohol was illegal in the United States.

Prohibition began on January 17, 1920, after the 18th Amendment was passed. Many people believed banning alcohol would help reduce crime and improve families’ lives. But instead, it created new problems. Illegal bars called “speakeasies” became common, and people found secret ways to make and buy alcohol. Organized crime groups also grew stronger by selling alcohol illegally. Prohibition ended on December 5, 1933.

The Prohibition Enforced stamp helps remind us of this unusual time in American history. By showing law enforcement in action, the stamp teaches us how the government tried to control alcohol use. Today, the stamp is popular with collectors because it captures an important moment from the 1920s and is part of a well-known stamp series.

References:

• United States Postal Service, Celebrate the Century: 1920s Stamp Series
• National Archives, “Prohibition: The 18th Amendment”
• Smithsonian National Postal Museum, Celebrate the Century Collection
• https://nationaltoday.com/prohibition-remembrance-day/

Christmas Week, Boca Raton Bowl, and the Beach

On Monday, I went for my third PT session. I think it is helping because I’m not in severe pain like I was.

Tuesday was the Boca Raton Bowl hosted by Bush Beans. First, we got gas at Costco and thought about going inside until we saw the crazy crowd, so we left. We headed to Boca Raton around 10:15 and found a great parking spot right outside the stadium for $20. The Fanfest started at 11, but we were able to walk around the booths and talk with people. We stopped at the Air Force table and registered for free to do the performance lab. We entered the trailer, where three video game-like tests were administered to measure our focus and other skills. The last was a virtual reality where you drove a jet through a canyon. At another place, we spun a wheel and won Bean hats (we actually ended up with a lot of them). We also took a picture with a Can of Beans mascot and Duke the Dog. We got a lot of swag from vendors and had to take it all to the car since we couldn’t take anything into the stadium. I ended up buying a t-shirt and having to go back to the car again. When we finally went into the gates, we were handed another Bean hat, which was nice during the game when it got hot. The game was between the Louisville Cardinals and the Toledo Rockets. We were pulling for Louisville, which was good since we ended up sitting among Louisville fans. We took our time leaving the stadium so most of the traffic would be gone. Then we took Hwy 1 all the way back home and got home about 7pm.

On Wednesday, I was tired from the day before, so I just relaxed and knit. Started needle felting a raccoon from a kit that I bought at Dollar Tree.

Thursday was Christmas Day. We spent the morning at the beach. It was beautiful weather, and we even went swimming. We found a shark’s tooth! I finished my raccoon, and it turned out really cute. After lunch, we spent the rest of the day watching Christmas movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, and Red One. I didn’t even cook any dinner, and we just ate junk food.

On Friday, I went shopping with Donna. We were surprised there weren’t big crowds buying last-minute deals. I spent most of the day knitting on my sweater.

Don and I went grocery shopping early in the morning on Saturday, before the crowds woke up. Then we watched football bowl games on TV for the whole day. I finished my sweater and am already thinking about my next projects.

On Sunday, I went shopping with Donna again. I didn’t need anything, but it was nice to get out of the house. I also washed and blocked my sweater so I could take a photo of it. Then I prepped my yarn for a pair of socks to do on our January cruise.

It was a wonderful week. I think my shoulder is getting better slowly. I feel impatient, but then I realize I only went to the doctor two weeks ago and have only been to three PT Sessions. Hopefully, it will continue to heal.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

2025 Christmas Newsletter

Here is my Christmas newsletter to friends and family. We had a wonderful 2025 with lots of things happening and a big trip.

January:
We enjoyed watching the fireworks usher in the new year! We visited the Manatee Lagoon and saw lots of manatees. On the way home, we stopped at the Jupiter Lighthouse and took the tour. We also watched the inauguration of our newly elected president. We also went to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands. My online graduate classes started this month and lasted through April.

February:
We visited the Kinetic Art Show in Boynton Beach, which we always enjoy. We took a 5-day Celebrity cruise to Key West and Nassau. We had wanted to go to Key West, and this was better than driving the long distance. Of course, we didn’t even get off the ship in Nassau. We also attended the Lake Worth Street Art Festival, which spans two days. We watch them get started and then go back the next day to see the finished artwork. Don celebrated a birthday at the end of the month.

March:
We started off the month by walking around in the Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area, which is near our house. We also spent a week in Orlando attending Kaeli’s softball tournament. Deanna booked a 3-bedroom condo, so Lauren and her family joined us. We got to know her husband, Ed, and her two children better. We loved spending time with Harley and Milo!

April:
We returned to South Carolina in time for Easter. We were able to get the huge pecan tree that fell during Hurricane Helene removed, and we got our HVAC system replaced. I’m glad we had it removed before the annual Easter egg hunt that is held in our backyard. I also sent Stephanie’s children the knit octopus that I made, and they liked them! At the end of the month, we met Lauren and Stephanie’s families at the Riverbanks Zoo. It was wonderful getting to spend the day with all of them!

May:
We went with the senior center members to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. We had never been there before, so it was a lot of fun. On the way home, we stopped at the Varsity for dinner. We also finally got our roof replaced on our house after 14 months! I was so excited!

June:
Most of the month was spent repairing our kitchen. We had the ceiling replaced and painted. Then we painted the kitchen cabinets and got a new gas stove and gas dryer. Sometime during this time, Don fractured his back and was unable to do much else after that. He was in so much pain that he couldn’t even put on his socks and shoes. Thankfully, physical therapy and time helped him heal.

July:
My friend Sheila came over to watch the fireworks with me. Our town has a wonderful firework show. I also taught my Furman practicum class online during this month so we didn’t get to do much. At the end of the month, we went to Charlotte for the stamp show and had a lot of fun. We saw a friend from our FL stamp club there.

August:
This month involved a lot of physical therapy and dental appointments. At the end of the month, we went to Atlanta to the postcard show there. We also saw a friend from our FL postcard club there. My wedding gown was displayed at the history museum in the vintage wedding gowns exhibit.

September:
We hiked with our friends in downtown Greenville at the beginning of the month. In the middle of the month, we went to my knitting retreat on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We hiked during the day and I knit in the evenings. It was a perfect time for both of us. When we left the retreat, we headed to Washington, DC, and spent the week there. We stayed in a Hyatt near the Dulles airport and rode the metro into the city every day. What a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday! On the way back to SC, we stopped to visit my knitting friends, Marlicia and Tahlia, in Front Royal, VA.

October:
In mid-October, we returned to our Florida house. It was nice to go where it was warmer than SC. We were able to go to the beach and go swimming. It was great to see our neighbors and visit our favorite restaurant again.

 
November:
We went on our first Viking cruise. We flew to Paris and spent 2 days there. Then we got on the ship in Trier, Germany, where we cruised down the Rhine River ending up in Basel, Switzerland. After 2 days in Zurich, we flew home to FL. It was a fun but exhausting trip!

December:
Time to decorate the inside and outside of the house. I didn’t have time to do it last year so I’m glad we did this year. We are visiting places nearby that we enjoy and just plan to enjoy the season.

We hope you enjoy this holiday season and that it is filled with lots of love and laughter!

2025 Year of Gnomes

I joined a knit-a-long where you knit a gnome every month. It’s a lot of fun so I thought I’d share my gnomes with you. 

1. January 2025 gnome, 2. 2/20/2025 February gnome, 3. March 2025 Gnome, 4. April 2025 Gnome, 5. 5/2/2025 May 2025 gnome, 6. June 2025 Gnome, 7. 7/5/2025 July gnome, 8. August 2025 Gnome, 9. 2025 September gnome, 10. 10/10/25 October gnome, 11. 2025-11November, 12. 2025 Santa gnome