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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

HAL Zuiderdam 2024

The HAL Zuiderdam can hold 1,916 passengers and 842 crew. Our captain was Frank Van der Hoeven, the hotel director was Glenn Cowley, our Cruise director was Karlijn Verpalen, and when Karlijn had to leave for a family emergency, Glen Michaels the Entertainment Director took over. Our inside cabin was 7132 and our cabin stewards were Johan and Matt. We had dinner at table 23 in the Dining Room 3rd deck. Our servers were Apri and Desri.

Day 1: Embarkation - Saturday, November 23, 2024

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We left our FL house at 9:30 and made it to the port by 10:30. There were no lines for dropping off bags and when we got to the parking garage, we found a spot on the 2nd level. Embarkation went very smoothly and we were on the ship by 11:30.

After lunch, we walked around the ship and dropped our stuff off at our cabin. Since our luggage wasn’t there yet, we walked around and got a couple of drinks. We found our dining room table (it was a table for 4) and we also checked on our shore excursions. When we checked, my suitcase had arrived so I put away my clothes. At 1:30, we did the safety drill which meant we had to go to Deck 3 and check in. Once we saw our lifeboat (section 16), we could leave. We watched the safety video on our TV and that was it. Don’s luggage had arrived so we put away his stuff. Then we went up to the Crow’s Nest to watch us leave (supposedly at 3:45). By 4:30, we left to get our jackets for dinner and went to the dining room.

We sat at table 23 and it was only the 2 of us. For dinner, we started off with French onion soup (for me) and a beet, orange salad (for Don). Don had Ocean Hake (fish, muscles, and clams) for the main entree, and I had the NY Strip Loin. We both had a cookies and cream sundae for dessert.

After dinner, we went to the Captain’s reception for 3, 4, and 5-star mariners. I got a picture with the captain. We went to the Crow’s Nest to get a cappuccino and then returned to our cabin so Don could watch football.

Day 2: Sea Day - Sunday, November 24, 2024

After breakfast, we walked for an hour around Deck 3. There were a lot of walkers out there with us. At 11, we went to the talk about The Caribbean Up Close: Water Works with Karlijn. I realized that we had been on the Rotterdam with her in 2022. She did a great job! I left at 11:30 to meet up with knitters and 6 others showed up. At noon, I met up with Don for lunch. At 2pm, we heard Karlijn talk about the Caribbean Up Close: Treasure Islands. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar and had a couple of Bloody Marys before dinner. I enjoyed dinner in the dining room and our servers are excellent. After dinner, we went to the show: Emile Diego Doles, Tyler Michael Breeding & Company in Song & Dance. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar for one last Bloody Mary before heading back to our cabin. Before going to bed, we watched DeadPool.

Day 3: Sea Day - Monday, November 25, 2024

After breakfast, we walked for an hour around Deck 3. There were a lot of walkers out there with us. At 11, Don went to the talk about The Caribbean Up Close: The Islands’ Spirit with Karlijn while I went to the Crow’s Nest to meet the knitters. After lunch, I went to a watercolor class on painting jellyfish. That was a lot of fun. At 3pm, we went to the Rolling Stones Lounge to hear Karlijn answer questions about St. Maarten. When we got there, Glen Michaels, the Entertainment Director, was in her place due to a family emergency. He was very good! On the way out, I gave him a gnome as a thank-you for jumping in to help Karlijn. After that session, we went to the Pinnacle Bar for pre-dinner cocktails. Dinner was very good again and after dinner, we went to the show: The Alans, a husband-and-wife team. He was the magician, and she was the mentalist.

Day 4: St. Maarten - Tuesday, November 26, 2024

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We met on the dock at 8:15 for our shore excursion: Under Two Flags, Island Drive. We got on the bus and our driver was Nicholas. We drove through Philipsburg (the Dutch capital) and headed to the French side. We passed by Orient Beach and stopped in Marigot (the French capital). We walked around for 45 minutes and found the post office but we didn’t buy anything since they didn’t accept US dollars. We stopped by Maho Beach on the way back to Philipsburg. We arrived back at the ship around 11:30 and felt this excursion was well worth the $30 pp that we paid.

After lunch, we sat on the deck and relaxed for a little while. Then we had a couple of drinks before going back to the cabin for a shower. After that, we went back out for another drink and then to the Lido deck for French fries. By then, we walked around until it was time to change for dinner. Dinner was prime rib which I enjoyed but Don’s prime rib was tough. At 7:30 we went to the show All That and enjoyed the show because we recognized all the songs. When we got back to the cabin, we watched the movie Avatar, the Way of the Water.

Day 5: Antigua- Wednesday, November 27, 2024

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We got off the ship around 8:30 and walked to the post office. Don bought $2 worth of local stamps. Then we walked to the Central market, the meat market, and the fish market. We got back to the ship around 9:30. We sat on the Lido deck and had some cool drinks while we waited for lunch to open. After lunch, we went to deck 3 to sit in the lounge chairs with a beer. Eventually, we had to move because they were cleaning the lifeboats so we went to the Pinnacle Bar and sat for a while. Then I sat with some knitters before going back to the cabin for a nap. At 5pm, we had a reservation at the Pinnacle Grill.

For dinner, we had lobster bisque as a starter. For the entrée, I had a 15 oz. boneless ribeye and Don had the Chilean Sea Bass. For dessert we had crème brulee. Our whole dinner was fabulous!

After dinner, we watched The Alans again do their magician mentalist show. It was entertaining.

Day 6: St. Lucia - Thursday, November 28, 2024

It was raining when we could get off the ship so we ended up staying on the ship all day. It pretty much rained all day until it was time for us to leave the port. We were glad that we had been here many times so we didn’t feel like we missed anything. In the morning we sat out on the Lido deck and read until lunchtime. After lunch, we spent the afternoon in the Pinnacle Bar listening to podcasts and I knit. After dinner we went to the show – Class Act which features songs by well-known women (Bette Midler, Enya, Helen Reddy, Ann Margret, Tina Turner.

Day 7: Dominica - Friday, November 29, 2024

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We had to get up early because we had a shore excursion scheduled – Dominica’s Favorite (4.5 hours for $60 pp). We met on the pier and got on the bus very quickly. Our tour guide was Corey and he was fabulous. About 15 min. into the drive, our bus broke down. We were right in front of the water treatment plant. 30 minutes later a replacement bus was sent and we were on our way. Some people needed to use the restroom so he stopped at a small store and asked if people could use the restroom. They came back and said that there was no seat and no toilet paper and it didn’t flush. I’m glad we didn’t need to use it. Our first scheduled stop was at the Emerald Pool. It was about a 15 min. walk to the pool downhill which means it was uphill on the way back but it was well worth the hike. Our next stop was at Trafalgar Falls and it was a 10 min. walk uphill which made it a lovely downhill walk on the way back. Our last scheduled stop was at the Botanical Gardens. At one of the Powder Puff trees, the hummingbirds were all over it. Before heading back to the ship, we went to the top of the mountain and got a lovely view of our ship and the town of Roseau. When we got back to the ship, Don and I went to the General Post Office which was a 2 min. walk from the ship. It was really hot and sunny outside. We weren’t sure where to go and the security guard asked us if we were looking for the post office and welcomed us in. It was nicely air-conditioned! The lady in the post office was patient and nice so we ended up buying $7 USD worth of stamps. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at the supermarket.

When we got back to the ship and went up to the Lido deck, it was just closing. Don was able to get a salad right before it closed. I went to the Dive In and got a hot dog and French fries. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar for a drink before returning to our cabin to clean up for dinner.

After dinner, we skipped the show because we both were pretty tired from our busy day. We went back to our cabin and finished watching the movie Avatar. Then we went to sleep early.

Somebody told us that they went to Champagne Reef and went snorkeling. The cab driver wanted $100 but they negotiated down to $60. The driver dropped them off and then came back for them. Maybe next time we will give it a try.

Day 8: St. Kitts - Saturday, November 30, 2024

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We had to get up early again because we had a shore excursion scheduled – St. Kitts Railway (3 hours for $130 pp). We docked later than expected because it was very windy. It took 3 pilots and a tugboat to get us docked. We got off the ship around 8:30 and rushed to our meeting place on the pier (we were supposed to meet at 8:15). After a 10 min. bus ride, we got to the Needmust Train station where we got on the train. We stayed downstairs because it was air-conditioned. They gave us unlimited drinks (rum punch, punch, soda, or water) and a sugar cake (a candy mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) We got back to the ship around 12:30 and got on board to have lunch. After lunch, we sat in the Pinnacle Bar until it was time for dinner. After dinner, we went to the show featuring comedian Bill Boronkay. When we returned to the cabin, we watched the movie, Arthur the King which was very entertaining.

Day 9: St. Thomas - Sunday, December 1, 2024

We arrived in St. Thomas around 8am but we didn’t get off the ship. After breakfast, we sat out on deck 3 and enjoyed the scenery. I knit, read, and listened to podcasts. Around 11am, we went up to the Lido deck to claim our table for lunch. After lunch, we went to the Pinnacle bar to have a couple of Bloody Marys. Then we went back to the cabin to watch the Bridge of Spies. At 5 we had dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and then we went to the show featuring a Celtic violinist, Mairead Nesbitt who was very good. They showed a video of scenery (probably Ireland) while she played almost nonstop for 50 minutes. She was very lively and energetic as she played. We had to turn our clocks back an hour when we went to bed.

Day 10: Sea Day- Monday, December 2, 2024

Today we relaxed all day on the ship. We sat on deck 3 and relaxed until lunchtime. Don forgot his hearing aids and had to go back to the room. Then he had trouble finding his way back to me. I don’t know if his sugar is up or if he is dehydrated which may be causing his confusion. After lunch at 1, we went to Ask the Captain. At 3, we went to the Royal Dutch Tea. After dinner we went to the show Hey Mr. DJ which was very good. We sat with Mari and Viji again and I learned a little more about them. They are fascinating to talk with!

Day 11: Half Moon Cay - Tuesday, December 3, 2024

When we arrived at Half Moon Cay, it was windy and overcast so we decided to stay on the ship. We sat on deck 3 until lunchtime. After lunch, we went back to deck 3 where I read and Don walked laps. Then we went to finish packing our suitcase which didn’t take long. We also worked on a letter to the hotel director complaining about the deceptive advertising of the specialty restaurant. Then we relaxed in the Pinnacle Bar until it was time to get ready for dinner. After dinner, we went to the show which was a combination of the comedian and the violinist. Viji and Mari sat with us, and they gifted me a beautiful pair of earrings! I enjoyed the comedian because he used new material, but the violinist played the same songs that she played the other night. When we returned to the cabin, we put out our suitcases and finished watching the movie Horizon Chapter 1 and it was a horrible movie.

Day 12: Ft. Lauderdale - Wednesday, December 4, 2024

I got up at 4am and then went to the Lido deck. I saved our seats and went back to the cabin at 5:30 to make sure Don was awake. We got everything together and went for breakfast. Since we are 4 star mariners, we were able to get off the ship at 8:15 and we were on the road by 8:30. It was a very smooth debarkation!

Things I Learned:

• St. Maarten – cab ride to the boardwalk is $3 each way; water taxi is $4 one way/$7 round trip. $2 public bus ride to Maho Beach.
• Antigua - Someone recommended going to Jolly Beach so maybe next time we will take a cab there and check it out.
• Dominica – there is a mountain covered in grass and when the rocks get hot, the grass catches on fire and burns. Then the seeds that didn’t burn eventually grow and cover the rocks in new grass.
• We liked Dominica and want to go back.
• St. Kitts – the St. Kitts scenic train ride was bumpy but fun. The view would probably be better upstairs, but the downstairs was air-conditioned.
• I messed up and saw we were charged for Pinnacle Grill last night. I read on the Have It All package that we got 2 nights at the specialty restaurant. Apparently, it is only 1 night at the Pinnacle Grill and 1 night at Canaletto. So we had to pay for last night. I still feel like they misled us on purpose but I learned my lesson for next time.
• I’m glad I brought my magnets with hooks for me.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

HAL Rotterdam

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This was our first cruise since the pandemic hit 2 years ago (our last cruise was in November 2019). We were supposed to sail on the HAL Rotterdam for an 11-day cruise beginning on Wednesday, November 9. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Nicole was heading her way to FL and Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) was closed on the day we were supposed to leave. We were told to be at the port on November 10 by 4pm. This is the first cruise that we have ever had delayed. We watched the Port Everglades webcam and watched the ship arrive at the port at 11am.

 

The ship can hold 2668 passengers. Our captain was Bas Van Dreumel, the hotel director was Wessel van Oorschot, Food and Beverage Director was Saurabh Vaishampayan and our Cruise and Travel director was Karlijn Verpalen. We were at Table 202 on Deck 3 Dining Room and our servers were Eka and Ipan. Even though we are at a table for two, there is another couple at a table next to ours that was so nice to talk to at dinner. They were Sharon and Doug from Dallas, TX (see picture). Our cabin was 11053 and our cabin stewards were Dada and Nocodemus. We enjoyed ourselves and glad to be cruising again!

Day 1 Thursday, November 10, 2022, Embarkation

We watched the ship arrive at Port Everglades at 11am. We left the house at 1pm and arrived at the port at 2pm. We got on the ship by 4pm. We went to our cabin to get our keys and meet our cabin stewards (Dada and Nicodemus). I was surprised that our luggage was already there! After that, we went to find some lunch. I had pasta from the pasta bar and Don had fish. Then we had to go to our muster station (Deck 3) to get our key cards scanned. We walked from Deck 3 to Deck 11 where our cabin is. While we unpacked our suitcases, we watched the safety video. After that, we went to have dinner on the Lido deck, and I was excited to get my sirloin steak there. Then we walked around the ship. There was a sail away party on Deck 10 at the Panorama Bar at 8pm and there was a great turnout. Ruth (and her husband Larry) organized the party, and she was the perfect hostess! We also met Dorothy and Keith (Macon, GA), and Connie and Tom (central FL) and others but I can’t remember their names. Then we went back to our cabin, and I had no trouble falling asleep!

 

Day 2 Friday, November 11, 2022, Sea Day

I was up by 5am and sat on the Lido deck working on my computer, reading, or knitting until Don joined me. I had an omelet on the Lido deck and then we decided to go to the dining room, so I had French toast there. After breakfast, we walked on the jogging track. At 11:15, there was a lecture by Karlijn about The Deep Blue, and it was excellent. She talked about sea turtles and sunken treasure. Then we went to lunch on the Lido deck. I went to the Cabin Crawl at 1:30 (Don took a nap) where people volunteered to let us look at their cabins. Ruth did a great job organizing this with a sign to keep us all together and a list of the rooms for everyone to have in case we got separated. After that, we got ready for Dressy night and headed to the Billboard Onboard bar for Happy Hour (50% off). Don had vodka on the rocks, and I had a bloody Mary and it cost $10.33. We met a nice older man named Art who talked Don’s ear off about the Navy. At dinner, we ate with 2 other couples in the dining room. Karen and Steve were from Canada near Niagara Falls. The other couple was from Peachtree City, GA. After dinner, we went to the show Humanity by The Step One Dance Company which was very good.

 

Day 3 Saturday, November 12, 2022, Grand Turk

After an early breakfast, we got off the ship and went snorkeling at the beach right by the ship. We didn’t rent any chairs (I heard the guy tell this couple they were $30) so we just set our stuff in the sand. After 2 hours of snorkeling, we went back to the ship and cleaned up. Then we sat by the pool and relaxed (reading) until lunch opened. After lunch, we went back to the room and watched Romancing the Stone on TV and napped. We went to Happy Hour before dinner again. We went to our correct table for dinner this time and had a table for 2. Beside us was another couple from Dallas – Sharon, and Doug. They were going to charge Doug $8.50 for a shrimp cocktail, so he canceled that. After dinner, we decided the Captain needed something to brighten his day so we gave him one of my knitted gnomes. Then we went to the Captain’s reception by the pool and met Ruth. She is the Group and Events Director. She told us that the critically ill people were not from the same cabin but were in the hospital at Grand Turk and were much better.

 

Day 4, Sunday, November 13, 2022, Sea Day

The morning started off exciting! Around 5:30am, they closed off the back deck on Deck 9 to prepare for an emergency airlift off the ship. Around 6:30, we didn’t see the actual airlift but you could see the wind from the helicopter causing the artificial trees to really whip around. Later in the day, the Captain announced that three people were airlifted – the sick passenger, travel partner, and doctor.

 

We ate breakfast in the dining room and had a nice time with the other people. Then we walked on the jogging track until it was time to go to the lecture Unexpected Heroes which talked about the love and talent behind sports in the Caribbean. After lunch on the Lido deck, we went to another lecture – The Caribbean Spirit that told the story about rum. By then it was time to prepare for dinner and go to Happy Hour. For dinner, we had prime rib and it was very good. After dinner, we went to the show Timeless by Cantare which was 4 nice-looking men singing love songs. I enjoyed it more than Don of course!

 

Day 5, Monday, November 14, 2022, Barbados

We got off the ship around 10am and walked downtown. It was very breezy but hot in the sun. We walked along the water to the historic bridge and then around the town back to the ship. We walked about 6 miles. I stopped at this store and bought a Coke No Sugar and a White Rock Ginger Ale for $3 US and got .80 back in Barbados money. We were told that the exchange rate was $1 USD to $2 in Barbados currency. When we got back to the port terminal, there was a free shuttle back to the ship so we took it. We were back on the ship by 12:45 and went to the Lido deck for lunch. After lunch, we sat on the deck and relaxed until it was time to get ready for Happy Hour. After dinner, we went to the show theater to see the movie Top Gun: Maverick at 8pm and it was a really good movie.

 

Day 6 , Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Martinique

We arrived in Martinique at 7am. We walked around town until 10am. People were not overly friendly here. When we tried to buy a soda in the grocery store, they wouldn’t take US dollars. We sat on the deck until lunchtime and returned again after lunch. Before happy hour, I went to get our luggage tags for disembarkation and was able to pick the group according to the time we wanted to get off the ship. We had happy hour and then dinner in the dining room. We went to the show In Tandem by The Step One Dance Company. There was this cute little girl who just had to dance in the aisles and was enthralled with the dancing!

 

Day 7, Wednesday, November 16, 2022, St. Kitts

We got off the ship at 8am and walked around until 11am. We bought 2 sodas for $3 in the grocery store. Then we found the Fabric Store (Church St. and Cayon St.) where Don buys his postcards. The artist wasn’t there and was told she was quite elderly and didn’t come down much anymore. Then the lady in the store offered to take the four postcards ($1 each) upstairs to her and asked her to sign and date them. We walked near the cricket stadium, and the police car stopped us telling us we shouldn’t go any further and suggesting we go back to the tourist area, so we did. We walked around some more before finding a post office. The girl was so nice and patient with figuring out how much each sheet of stamps cost in US dollars. Don ended up buying $32 of stamps. We returned to the ship for lunch and sat on the deck until happy hour. After happy hour we went to dinner and the show which featured the illusionist, TJ Tana.

 

Day 8, Thursday, November 17, 2022, St. Thomas

We got off the ship in St. Thomas at 8am and walked around until 9:30. We went to the Pueblo supermarket to get some soda for $1. This was the first time I saw a diet Pepsi on the whole cruise! We got back on the ship and relaxed on the deck until lunchtime. After lunch, we relaxed on the deck until it was time for happy hour. After dinner, we went to the show All In by Cantare. I enjoyed the four men singing better than Don did. Then we went back to the room and finished watching Aladdin with Will Smith. We also watched a movie called American Underdog that told the story of Kurt Warner, a pro football player.

 

Day 9, Friday, November 18, 2022, Sea Day

Today was a sea day so we didn’t do much. I partially packed my suitcase today. We sat on the deck and relaxed all day until happy hour. After dinner, we went to the show Musicology featuring the dancers.

 

Day 10, Saturday, November 19, 2022, Half Moon Cay

We were going to get on the tender at 9am but then it started raining. Instead, we sat on the deck and relaxed all day. I did go to the NY Deli and got us 2 bagels. They scan your card but it doesn't cost extra. Then they give you a device that vibrates when your order is ready. At 4pm we went to the enrichment lecture The Origin Story which told the history of Holland America and it was very well done. After dinner, we packed our suitcases. Then we went to the bar for a drink before coming back and putting our suitcases out in the hallway. We watched movies until bedtime.

 

Day 11, Sunday, November 20, 2022, Ft. Lauderdale

We had breakfast at 6am and then we got off the ship at 8am. I liked that we could choose what time we wanted to get off the ship and got the luggage tags for that time. It was well organized for getting off the ship and we got our luggage quickly. The line for customs was fast because we didn’t need to show our passports. They used face recognition machines and then we were done. Parking cost us $150. We were on I-95 by 8:30.

Changes we noticed:

• Turn-down service in the evening for your cabin has to be requested and is not automatic.
• The Lido deck didn't have as much variety as it used to have.
• The dining room dinner sound (xylophone) isn't used anymore.
• After dinner, there used to be a guy in a bellman's uniform that passed out mints, ginger, and dates but not anymore.
• We didn't see on the dining room menu the following items: Beef wellington, creme brulee,or baked Alaska.
• The shrimp cocktail was an extra $8.50 if it wasn't on the dinner menu.
• The pasta bar on the Lido deck was there but the guy didn't really make any fresh pasta for you. He told you to get what was already there.
• There was only 1-hour happy hour in 2 specific bars each night and none in the Crow's nest.  

Things I Learned:

1. To get on the internet on my computer I have to go to: http://navigator.hollandamerica.com
2. The internet was $179 for the premium package.
3. There was no movie theater on this ship.
4. They will turn you away from the dining room if you have shorts on.
5. On some ships, the Lido deck service is better than the Dining room but we enjoyed the dining room on this ship.
6. I like happy hour with 50% off better than the old $2 off the second drink or 2 for 1.
7. I don’t mind missing ports if it is for a medical emergency. I am always thankful that that emergency wasn’t for me.
8. I need to bring heartburn medicine for Don when we travel.
9. There was Dim Sum and fresh stir fry on the Lido deck for lunch every day.
10. I love having an omelet made for me every morning!
11. It was easy to walk into town when we got to Barbados.
12. Barbados – 2 sodas cost $3 USD.
13. You cannot wear anything with camouflage when you get off the ship in Barbados.
14. Martinique was not very friendly, and they don’t take US dollars.
15. St. Kitts – 2 sodas cost $3 USD.
16. St. Thomas – Pueblo supermarket – Diet Pepsi was only $1!
17. We like the cabin on deck 11 which opens right out to the jogging track.
18. Don't always depend on the menu on the Navigator app. The last night's menu was wrong.

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Carnival Magic May 2017

Last week we cruised on the Carnival Magic out of Port Canaveral. We drove down on Friday and stayed at the America’s Best Value Inn ($121 which includes parking our car and the shuttle to and from the ship). The shuttle picked us up at 9am and got us to the port by 10:15.

Our Captain was Antonio Marchetti, Hotel Director was Carlos Santos de Melo and the Cruise Director was Eversen Bevelle. We were in cabin 9204 and Dyanna and Earl were in cabin 2202. Our cabin steward was Suarzo. Our dining room table was 590 and our servers were Efraim, Zeno, and Ni. The internet cost me $136 for the week with unlimited wifi.

Embarkation 5/13/17:

It was so organized and smooth to get on the ship. At 10am, we went through security and then they checked us in right away. We boarded the ship around 11am. Our cabin was ready so we dropped stuff off and went straight to the Lido deck for lunch. We got in line at the Mongolian Grill since the line was short. After Dyanna and Earl finished lunch, we brought their stuff to our room. Then we had a bucket of beer ($27) before the muster drill. Our drill was in the showroom and was quick and easy. After that, we went and had another bucket of beer but it was so noisy, we left. We went back towards our room and found one suitcase at someone else’s door. Then we met our cabin steward and told him to look for the other suitcase. After unpacking Don’s suitcase, we walked around the ship and had one more bucket of beer. Dyanna texted me that our other suitcase was at our room so we went back and unpacked. Then we went and had a snack on the Lido deck before going back to the room and taking a nap. At 8:15 we had dinner and then went to bed.

Sea Day 5/14/17:

We had a wonderful sea day brunch where I had my steak and eggs. After that, we walked on the track for an hour before I went to the slot pull. The slot pull took about 3 hours! At first it was limited to about 60 people but she ended up opening it up to 94 people at $21 each. Then they had to go to guest services to put $1974 on her card and then back to put the money in the machine. The machine would only hold $1000 at a time. When it was all over, we all split the credits which was $16 each. After that we went to the pasta bar for lunch and then rested until it was time to get ready for the Captain’s cocktail party. I loved showing the captain a picture we took with him on the Dream in 2012. We also met DiMa, the housekeeping manager and Monica, the HR director.  After that we had more cocktails and listened to music until dinner. For dinner we had prime rib and lobster tails. At 10:15 we went to the show, Country Roads. Near the end, the dancers went around and grabbed people to dance in the aisles and one got us to do this!

Grand Turk 5/15/17:

We got off the ship at 8am and was in our beach chairs by 8:15. Even though it was overcast, we had a great time in the water. We noticed more colorful fish in the water than the previous times we were here snorkeling. We came back to the ship around 11am and after cleaning up, we had lunch. Then we sat out on the deck and relaxed before taking a nap in our cabin. At 5pm, I went to a Cruise Critic meet and mingle which was nice.

San Juan 5/16/17:

In the morning, we left a bag of laundry for our cabin steward. We got off the ship around 1:30 and walked to Castillo San Cristóbal and showed the kids the dungeon. Then we walked to the other fort but the kids were hot and tired so we didn’t go there. We walked around town and stopped at a place for mallorcas (which were like cheese sandwiches) and very good. We ended up walking about 7 miles but the kids were hot, tired, and cranky but we weren’t. We laughed that they needed a nap! We sat on the deck and relaxed until dinner time. The dining room crew sent us a bottle of wine which was really nice.

St. Kitts 5/17/17:

We got off the ship around 10:30 and walked around town. Don found the artist who turns her prints into postcards. He buys some from her every time we come to this island. We bought some beer to rehydrate because it was cheaper than soda. Soda was $2 each and the Carib beer was 3 for $5 so we bought the beer. We went back to the ship for lunch and relaxed on the deck until dinner. We brought our bottle of wine to dinner and shared it.

St. Maarten 5/18/17

We got off the ship around 8am and took the water taxi to the beach. We got our chairs in front of Caribbean Blend by 8:30am (2 chairs and umbrella for $15). At 9:30, we went up and said hi to Sue. Then we spent the day playing at the beach and drinking beer ($10 for a bucket of 5 Coronas). My friend, Suzette from Caribbean Blend gave me a dress as a present! About 3pm, we headed back to the ship. Even though we all put on sunscreen, we all got burned! We ate a sandwich from the deli and then took a nap until dinner. Don was freezing but I think he got dehydrated.

Sea Day 5/19/17:

We went to the sea day brunch where I got my steak and eggs for breakfast and then we got a bloody mary. We also left a bag of laundry for our cabin steward. Then my daughter and I met up with a group to learn how to make guitar string charm bracelets which was a lot of fun. After that we sat around the pool and read before going to a late lunch. Since it was formal night, the kids decided to skip dinner in the dining room and go to the outdoor movie theater around the pool to see the movies: Arrival and Hidden Figures. We went to the Alchemy Bar for pre-dinner cocktails and then had dinner in the dining room. After dinner, we went to see the show Flick which was pretty good.

Sea Day 5/20/17:

After our sea day brunch, we went to look for a chair by the pool to relax and read. We had a late lunch again and then relaxed until the “Platinum and Diamond Levels” party which was nice. As a diamond level guest, we had to go on stage in the show theater and stand with the other diamond members. All day long I had people say hi and that they saw us on the stage. After the party, we went back to the room and started watching Return of the Titans (with Denzel Washington) which we have seen before. Then we went to dinner. Since they hadn’t delivered our liquor before dinner, we had to go back to the room to finish packing. Because of this, it was too late for us to go to the show. Then we had to put our suitcases in the hallway before 11pm.

Debarkation 5/21/17:

We had breakfast on the Lido deck at 5:45 and then met near the shore excursion desk at 7:15. Around 7:40, they called us to get off the ship. We found our luggage and went through customs which was quick and painless. I was surprised that we no longer need to fill out custom forms unless we are over the limits. There was chaos at the shuttle desk but we finally got on the shuttle around 8:10 and headed back to our motel where our cars were. When we left there, we headed south to visit my parents for a couple of days.

Things I Learned:

1.     For the price, I would stay at America’s Best Value again.

2.     The slot pull was fun but I probably won’t do it again if there are more than 50 people involved.

3.     We need 2 bottles of water in San Juan.

4.     We need 2 bottles of water in St. Maarten

5.     The internet was well worth the money. People had trouble with the $5 chat.

6.     I enjoyed making the bracelets and want to try making more jewelry.

7.     I really enjoyed being a part of the Facebook group.