Day 8. Back in New Orleans.

It was another successful cruise! We're now playing the waiting game to leave the ship. Our number is 19 and they just called 14. So another half hour or so.

The weather here in New Orleans sucks today (pic. 1 and 2) - foggy, cold and rainy. Hey, I'm used to hot and humid!

As our ship was thrusting into the pier, a Carnival ship (pic. 3) was also coming in to dock.

And finally, two more Christmas trees I saw today while waiting for our number to be called (pics. 4 and 5).

Our next adventure starts April 15 when we fly to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to meet up with Tracy and Melissa and boarding Legend of the Seas April 16 and meeting up with Valerie and Ian and crossing the Atlantic!  See you back here then!

Day 7. At Sea

Blue Friday - Go Seahawks!

It's a little cooler and overcast (pic. 1) out today - definitely getting closer to New Orleans!

It's amazing how small the world really is.  As I was rounding a corner today I ran into a woman wearing a Washington State t-shirt. I said "Go Cougs"! She replied back "Go Seahawks"! She's originally from Yakima. It was fun to chat with her and I was able to give her a few tips on things to do in New Orleans (she's staying 4 days after the cruise).

Tracy and I played some more Cribbage again today.  Hopefully I'll remember everything I learned when we meet again in April for our trans-Atlantic cruise!

I've seen a lot of New Orleans Saints clothing on the ship.  I've also seen Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots clothes. I've also gotten a few Go Seahawks with high 5's!

This afternoon we saw the juggler. He was funny as well as had a good juggling act. Then the final show of the cruise this evening was a comedian and he was pretty funny, too. It was a good day for shows and we didn't take in too many shows this cruise since we went to bed so early every night.

We counted 10 oil platforms tonight out in the Gulf of Mexico. And if I could only stay up another two hours we'd be starting up the Mississippi River but since it's dark we wouldn't be able to see anything anyway.

I forgot to mention that yesterday Jim bought me the Guess purse I've been looking at daily down in the shops (pic. 2)!

It was a fun and relaxing cruise. We all got a lot of reading done. I almost finished crocheting a doily. I learned to play Cribbage. And, oh yeah, we ate good food! Unfortunately, tomorrow it's back to the real world.

Prepared 12/27/13.

Day 5. Merry Christmas!

12/25/13. I was in bed last night by 8:00 and after 11 hours of sleep, woke up to a blustery day with very choppy seas. The ship made it to our destination of Coco Cay but the seas were too high to tender in so we ended up with another sea day.

Majesty pulled away from the island ahead of us (pic. 1). I guess we're just going to slowly make our way back to New Orleans. After we left Coco Cay, we saw a Princess ship way off in the distance as well as a Norwegian ship close enough that I could get a good picture (pic. 2).

It ended up being a very lazy day. We spent time in the Solarium this morning reading (I also did a little crocheting). Then we spent time in our cabin reading,  watching TV and napping. After dinner (yes, they offered turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy), we walked around the shops (still haven't bought anything), walked a lap around deck 5, watched the aerial show "Jack and his magic beans" and made our way to our cabin by 7:40. We're really living now!

Every time I either climb the stairs, or go down the stairs to our cabin, I know I'm on the right deck when I see this wall sculpture (pic. 3).

One of the suggestions I picked up from our Cruise Critic boards for our trans-Atlantic cruise, turned out to be a great tip (pic. 4). I will definitely be using that on every cruise from here on out!

Another tip was using magnetic clips to hold papers,  like the daily Compass. I did buy a couple but they were too small so didn't hold as much as I would have liked.  I'll definitely be getting the bigger ones for our next cruise!

Prepared 12/25/13.

Day 6. At Sea.

Cruising is the life for me! I think we were asleep by 8:30 again last night. The movement of the ship just lulls you to sleep and let's you sleep for hours!

It was a little choppy again this morning and overcast (pic. 1) and it's supposed to be warm and muggy. I'll be staying inside where it's cool! Sometime in the night we passed Key West so we're back in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since we weren't able to make our final port of call, our Captain tried to get us back into Key West today but all the docks were full and there was no room for our ship. So we just kept on cruising.

I actually watched the cruise director,  the food and beverage manager and the head chef participate in a cake decorating contest. The subject picked by a passenger was cruise ship. Believe it or not but the food and beverage manager won the contest (pics. 2 and 3). They really hammed it up! (The winning cake was on the left.)

We also went to the Love & Marriage show (like The Newlywed Game). OMG, talk about hilarious!  The three couples were: 4 months married,  28 years married, and 62 years married. I don't know what was more funny - when the person answered the question or the look of the spouse when they heard the answer the other had given OR when the cruise director made such a big deal about the answers! It was a fun way to spend an hour!

Tracy taught me to play Cribbage today. She laughs at me 'cuz I can't count up the points as fast as she can. Boo on her - at least I'm learning a new game!

We didn't get a towel animal last night. This morning I left Raj (pic. 4) a note letting him know we really missed it. He left a note back (pic. 5).

We went to the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's show tonight before dinner. It was pretty good with lots of costume changes.

Raj left two towel animals as promised (pics. 6 and 7).

We were in for the night around 8:00 to shower and read for awhile. I have lots planned for tomorrow along with packing our cabin up.

Prepared 12/26/13.

Day 4. Christmas Eve in Nassua, Bahamas.

12/24/13. We pulled away from the dock in Key West before the HAL ship (pic. 1) yesterday. The pilot boat picked up their pilot after we'd cleared the harbor (pic. 2). And finally, we watched the beautiful sunset from our balcony (pics. 3 and 4).

We woke up today (Christmas Eve) to another beautiful morning (pic. 5). After coffee, Jim and I walked around the ship and ended up on the heli-pad on the front of the ship (pics. 6 and 7).

As I was wandering the ship this morning,  I came across this gingerbread village (pic. 8).

I've also seen a few art pieces that have caught my eye. This is one of them (pic. 9).

We pulled into Nassau before noon. It was a pretty little harbor (pic. 10) but with 5 ships in Port it was pretty crowded. There were three Carnival ships, our ship, and another Royal Caribbean ship - Majesty of the Seas (pics. 11 and 12).

Tracy and I ventured off the ship but it was hot,  humid and so crowded we weren't off long and the minute we came back on board we couldn't get into the pool quick enough!

All the Carnival ships pulled out between 5:00 and 6:00 (pics. 13, 14 and 15). We were finally able to see Atlantis on the little Paradise Island (pic. 16).

Before I headed to my cabin, I went up top for one final walk around. The Majesty of the Seas was still in Port (pic. 17). She was all lit up!

Finally, Raj left us another towel animal (18).

Prepared 12/24/13.

Day 3. Key West, Florida.

12/23/13. We woke up to another beautiful day in the Gulf of Mexico (pics. 1 and 2).  Still couldn't see land until about 9:30 (pic. 3 - even though you can't see land,  it's there!).

We docked in Key West about 11:00 (pics. 4, 5, 6, and 7). We got off the ship for awhile - I needed a few things at the drug store and had to make a stop at the bank.  We spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool and hot tub until it was time to watch the hoards of people trying to get back on the ship (pic. 8). Crazy, huh?

We're on the starboard side of the ship and that's the side we're docked on as well. This is the view from the port side of the ship (pics. 9 and 10). Beautiful, huh?

While I was off the ship I tried to get a good picture of the entire ship but couldn't so had to take the front half and then the back half (pics. 11 and 12).

I saw this t-shirt in town but didn't want to buy it so snuck a picture of it (pic. 13). Love my Seahawks! 

Well, it's almost time for this ship to leave Key West so it's time to sign off for another day while I still have internet service. Tomorrow we'll be in Nassau,  Bahamas for Christmas Eve. Then in CocoCay for Christmas Day! 

Day 2. At Sea.

12/22/13. After sleeping 11 hours, this was what I saw out my balcony (pic. 1). We only eat in the Windjammer (pic. 2) on these cruises (did the main dining room on our first two cruises and much prefer casual and no specific time) so didn't have to rush around for breakfast.  We sat and enjoyed the view (lots of water! ) while drinking coffee and having my morning oatmeal (or porridge as our friends Valerie and Ian call it)!

On a side note to Valerie and Ian and Michelle, every time we put more than two, or three, or four desserts on our plate,  we say we're Ian'ing it! Plus were not doing ISH since that's only our group thing!

Tracy and I decorated our cabin door and cabin (pics. 3 and 4). We haven't seen any other decorations and our cabin steward, Raj, said there aren't any in the cabins he's responsible for. We did change our door sign for the day in support of the Seahawks (pic. 5).

Our day at sea was very peaceful. The Captain said it was going to be 75° with 3 foot waves and a beautiful sailing day.  We sat outside and read and napped and people watched. I only saw one cloud the entire day (pic. 6).

The only sad thing to report for the day was the Seahawks loss to Arizona. The Saints also lost. Now I'm rooting for the 40-whiners to lose on Monday Night Football.

Our first towel animal of the day (pic. 7).

Jim and I were back in bed about 9:00. This cruising sure makes a person sleep good! It must be the rocking and rolling of the ship!