Day 2 - Sail Away

Are you still with us in Miami? We’re up early this a.m. to watch a beautiful sunrise until we decide to check the outdoor pool out. As we stand waiting for the elevator we glance out of the casement window and see...a large crocodile lazily swimming his way up the canal between the pool area and the golf course next door. Now that’s a start to your day! A quick dip in the pool which can only be described as bracing but the sun tempts us so we decide to perch here after checkout until it’s time to make our way to the pier. We get a start on our vitamin D enhancement, have a delicious lunch (chicken quesadillas and discover that our new favorite food is key lime pie) as the Wyndham has great food. A brief stop at the lobby internet stand to send a short message home - hope there’s not too much snow. He He. When we go to retrieve our bags the clerk is a philosopher who tells us “there is no happiness, only happy moments” We decide there is as much Spanish spoken in Miami as in Cuba. A quick change like Superman in the booth and we’re off. A Haitian cab driver (all taxi drivers are Haitian we’re told) who gives us the history of Haiti on the way to the ship.

There is the cruise ship pier - now we’re getting excited. The check in experience is very well organized and efficient so it’s onto the ship. It’s immense, a floating city of approximately 3,800 passengers and 1250 crew. We check out the Promenade (mall) bars and restaurants (very classy) and wander a bit. It took us a while to find our stateroom but it was worth it - what a set up. Take a look - here is stateroom 8310 our new home away from home for the week, complete with balcony and a huge king size bed.

We retire to the balcony to do some fun planning and review our information. My travel mate says “oh it says to sign your Sea Pass Card” and grabs it signing her name on the back. In the meantime I am frantically searching the room for my Sea Pass. After locating her reading glasses it’s apparent that my room mate has signed MY card - one of the hazards of 50 year old females traveling together! Thank goodness one of us can see close up and the other far away - what a team we make.

Our suitcases arrive in stages thanks to our stateroom attendant (Joel from St. Vincents) so we can get things put away. We assure him we're not married so we don't need the large bed but decide in the end it's too much work for him to take it apart. First order of business is a safety drill at the muster stations and then a quick tour of the ship to try and orientate ourselves. The pool deck was the place to be for sail away - great live music and frozen marguerites - yeehaw! Checking out the man made islands as we leave Miami harbour - how the other half lives. What a beautiful sunset.

A tour of the spa, fitness center, bars and promenade (window shopping for end of season sales) and then checking out our dining room. Back to get ready for the show and supper. We share our table with two couples originally from Puerto Rico who now live in the Bronx. Had a great time getting to know them and the food is great - onion tart, spinach salad, prime rib, baked potatoes, veggies, roll and a squarin (dessert) and tea. Thank goodness for elastic waistbands.

Off to Dizzy Gillespie’s bar to listen to Latin music (those table mates sure can dance salsa) and enjoy the view. The musicians introduce a passenger named Mario Salcedo who is on his 100th cruise with Royal Caribbean. We decide we have to find out how he does it. We can't decide if he's a 'gentleman host without a name tag' or just someone who cruises to pick up chicks but he says he’s semi retired and cruises one week (he’s a dive nerd) and works the next. Mind you, guys on cruise ships say lots of things and deciding what to believe is always the problem. He has lots of info about the cruise though and we have tickets to the ice show and Portofino’s (Italian restaurant) for Wednesday by the end of the discussion so we're pleased with our efforts. An expresso in the V.I.P. lounge at 2 a.m. leaves my travel mate so wired she’s shopping from the onboard catalogue at 3:30 a.m. My nerves.