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International Jaunts 2020

February - November 2020
From the US to Turkey and back ... trips that were realized ... trips that had to be shortened ... trips that were canceled. All during a year that saw the world dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more
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  • International Jaunts 2020
    1
    Day 2

    Reunion in Delray Beach

    February 28, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    In December 2014, we embarked Celebrity Infinity for a cruise that took us from Ft Lauderdale, through the Panama Canal, down the west coast of South America, around Cape Horn, and back up the east coast of South America to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was on the first part of that cruise that we met Brenda and Barry.

    The friendship that developed on the ship continued on Facebook. In 2017, we had an unexpected chance to meet up with Barry again as he happened to be in Belfast, Northern Ireland when we stopped there on our world cruise. Alas, Brenda wasn’t there ... but we made sure we toasted her with a cup of coffee as we chatted with Barry at the Titanic Museum.

    Fast forward to 2020. When I started planning our few days in Ft Lauderdale, I knew it would present us with an opportunity for a reunion with Brenda and Barry. A few texts via Messenger and we had a plan to meet in Delray Beach for lunch.

    Delray Beach is about ½-hour from FLL ... provided you drive up via I-95N ... and provided, of course, that the traffic cooperates. We opted for an alternate route via A1A ... twice as long of a drive, but definitely more interesting. We had a great day for our drive up — blue skies, sunshine, and temps in the low 60F range ... perfect.

    Over lunch at Ruven’s, we had a wonderful opportunity to renew our friendship with Brenda and Barry in person ... and get caught up with happenings in everyone’s lives. Not a moment of lull in the conversation ... plenty of laughter and camaraderie. A great reunion that we hope to repeat again ... though hopefully we won’t have to wait as long to get together again next time.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    5
    2321333
    Day 2

    The Wakodahatchee Wetlands

    February 28, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    After bidding Brenda and Barry good-bye (our reunion story is in the previous footprint), we headed over to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands to see some feathered friends.

    We came upon these wetlands purely by accident when we were in Ft Lauderdale for a pre-cruise stay in December 2007. From what I recall, we decided to take a drive up Route A1A and somehow found ourselves making a stop in Delray Beach ... maybe for a bite to eat. How we got from there to the wetlands is totally fuzzy, but I remember enjoying all the birdlife a great deal.

    So, when I was planning our current pre-cruise stay, it was a no-brainer to include the wetlands as part of our plans ... especially since Delray Beach made for a good half-way point for a meet-up with Brenda and Barry.

    Opened in 1996, the wetlands are constructed on wastewater utility property ... open to the public at no charge. There is a ¾-mile boardwalk that crosses between ponds and islands and shrubs and snags. Each day the local water reclamation facility pumps about 2 million gallons of highly treated wastewater into the wetlands, which act as a percolation pond, returning the fresh water back into the water table.

    The website says that 178 species of birds have been identified at the wetlands, which are part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. I don’t know about that number, but I do know that we saw a whole bunch of different birds here this time than we did in 2007. Also here are alligators and turtles and a bunch of other animals. We saw the alligators and turtles last time ... today I saw iguanas instead, though mom and Mui managed to get a peek at a baby alligator they later told me.

    (Photos from our 2007 visit are at this link: https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Cruises/Panama-Canal…)

    Our visit to the wetlands was a terrific way to end the day ... even though it was a heck of a lot more crowded today. In fact, cars were backed up at the entrance waiting to be allowed into the parking lot. WOW! So different from 13 years ago.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    1113
    Day 3

    Mizell-Johnson SP ... Dania Beach

    February 29, 2020 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    The forecast called for full sunshine. That’s not what we got. Clouds moved in and the sun played hide-and-seek ... mostly seeking. But we had comfy temps with a high ranging up to 70F. A nice winter day by our standards.

    With no set plans for today, we took it easy this morning, leaving the house around 11:00a. First up — a drive on Florida State Road A1A ... aka Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. At that hour the beach was mostly empty ... a situation that would be changing by the time we made our way back three hours later. Plenty of sun-seekers ... no one swimming as the purple flag was out indicating stingers in the water. We headed south as far as we could before cutting inland to Route 1.

    Our meandering drive eventually took us to the Dr Von D Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park [MJSP in the photo captions]. It’s situated on a barrier island with the Strahan River on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. We went all the way to the tip of the island, hoping to see the ship channel through which our ship will depart tomorrow. Alas, the area is restricted use, so our hopes were dashed.

    On the way back, we detoured into one of the many lots, parked the car, and went for a walk. The trail led us to a casual eatery overlooking Whiskey Creek. Perfect ... al fresco dining with a view. And good food, too.

    After we sated our tummies, we headed off on another trail to an overlook from which we checked for manatees in the creek. None to be found ... not surprising as it was rather cool, so I imagine they were in warmer waters. Continuing on, we found a spot that was being frequented by a bunch of pelicans. Turns out there was a fish-cleaning station nearby and the pelicans were hoping for a handout. They were out of luck. No anglers ... and the birds were not interested in the lobster remains a couple of divers were throwing in the water.

    We wrapped up our visit to the state park with a short stroll along the beach. Then, back to the car. Retracing our route, we headed to Las Olas Boulevard in FLL to get ourselves some ice cream from Hoffman’s Chocolates ... highly recommended on TripAdvisor. Parking the car, we walked to the shop ... only to find it closed. The good news — the place had moved just a couple of blocks away and the sign on the door told us where to find it.

    After enjoying our sweet treats, we called it quits on our sightseeing and headed home. A load of laundry ... some chill time in front of the TV for mom and Mui ... some photo processing and writing for me ... a light dinner.

    Thus our time in Ft Lauderdale is coming to a close. One more sleep and then we’re off to embark Allure of the Seas.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    3
    Day 4

    Embarked Allure @ Port Everglades

    March 1, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Up and at ‘em early this morning. Quick breakfast ... quick re-packing of our Florida bags ... we were ready to leave the bungalow by 10:00a as planned.

    After we returned the car to the port rental office, Alamo shuttled us to Port Everglades. Embarkation was easy peasy thanks to the SetSail passes I had on my phone ... the Royal Caribbean app is easy to use.

    The only stop we made on our way to the waiting area was to have our photos taken for our ship’s cards. Had I uploaded photos into the app even that would not have been necessary.

    The ship is sailing full so there was quite a crowd waiting in the terminal to embark the ship. RC had things under control ... designated seating areas by loyalty club level ... we’re considered Diamond thanks to our club standing with Celebrity. Our wait was short and by 11:30a we were onboard and heading to the Park Café for lunch.

    Cabins were available promptly at 1:00p. We’ll get settled in once our bags are delivered. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the veranda and watching the goings on as vessels of all sizes come and go through the ship’s channel that will be our gateway to the Atlantic in a couple of hours.

    Bon voyage to us ... and smooth sailing we hope 🤞🏻    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    2
    Day 4

    Goodbye USA

    March 1, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    And we are off ... at 6:00p instead of 4:30p. Better late than never.

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Day 4

    Fleshing Out Our Sailaway!

    March 1, 2020, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    I quickly posted a couple of videos as the ship was making its way through the channel that connects Port Everglades to the Atlantic (previous footprint). No time to write more at the time as we were already running late and had to date to keep. Now for a bit more detail!

    The muster drill was at 4:00p. Something that was different from all the drills we’ve done during our 19 years of cruising ... NO LIFE VESTS!

    I don’t mean that we didn’t have to take our vests to the drill. Nowadays, many of the cruise lines do their drills without guests having to lug the vests to the muster drill ... though there are exceptions. What I mean is that there are NO LIFE VESTS IN THE CABIN!!! Turns out that all of the vests on this vessel are kept in lockers at the muster station.

    I guess it makes sense and is more efficient to have all the vests in one place. After all, in the event the emergency alarm is sounded, passengers are supposed to go to their muster stations from wherever they happen to be ... without detouring to their cabins. Still, it feels odd not to have those bulky orange vests taking up space either in the closet or under the bed.

    The 4:30p sailaway came and went with no movement on the part of Allure. Not unexpected on a TransAtlantic crossing. Provisioning and bunkering usually takes longer when you have no ports to call on for nine days. No gas stations in the middle of the Atlantic ... nor any grocery stores. You’d better have all that you need before the lines are let go.

    No problem with the delay from our perspective ... Mom and I used the time to unpack our bags and get settled in to our respective cabins. Mui postponed unpacking until later in the evening. As for the tugboats waiting to assist Allure out of her berth — they did donuts and entertained us to ease their boredom.

    Finally, at 6:00p, the ship slipped its lines, backing out nearly the length of the ship basin before pointing the bow towards the Atlantic. As is often the case when departing Port Everlglades, klaxons blared from the high rise buildings lining the ship’s channel. Allure responded with its own salute. People came out on their balconies — both in the buildings and aboard the ship — to wave goodbye.

    As the sun set on the stern of the ship, we began the journey north ... with an easterly heading designed to take us around the Bahamas to get us out into the open sea.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Day 4

    Mamma Mia!

    March 1, 2020, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    One of the interesting things on Allure of the Seas is that some shows require reservations even though there is no charge for them. I’m sure this applies on all the Oasis Class behemoths ... not sure if it’s also the case on the smaller ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

    Reservations make sense ... after all Oasis class ships carry nearly 5,500 passengers (more at full capacity) and there is no way all passengers can be accommodated at once. No worries though. Not only are the shows repeated multiple times, open seating commences about five minutes before showtime. There are also non-reservation shows and music venues sprinkled around the ship to keep everyone entertained.

    We skipped the dining room tonight. My Time dining starts at 6:30p and we knew we’d never make it to the Amber Theater in time if we opted for table service dinner. Instead, we headed up to the Windjammer Marketplace on deck 16 ... this is the ship’s main buffet. A quick bite or two left us with time for a stroll around the Royal Promenade before we needed to head to the theater.

    Tonight’s feature show was Mamma Mia! Yes, the same one that has played on the silver screen and has also graced (and may still be gracing) Broadway and other stages. Just think of the set as a miniature ... everything else is the same. The cast did a masterful job with the acting and the singing ... and the live band was great. I tend not to expect much of the production shows on ships. This one surprised me. Though maybe it shouldn’t have. After all Abba’s foot-tapping tunes are always a delight to sing along to and it’s hard to mess up a romantic comedy.

    (Sorry ... photography and videography not allowed during the show, so I have only the one screenshot from the Royal Caribbean website to share. I’m sure if you go to one of the streaming sites on the internet, however, you’ll be able to find some videos or at least listen to the music.)    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    2
    Day 5

    Exploring Allure

    March 2, 2020, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    A good night’s rest ... the ship’s motion barely noticeable. We all slept in ... and didn’t feel one bit guilty about doing so.

    Delightful weather ... mostly sunny ... comfortable temperatures ... calm seas. Windy, though. Nonetheless, I did manage to sit on the veranda for a bit in the afternoon. I’m not expecting the temperatures to remain as warm as they were today — 75F for a high. We probably have one or two more days that we can count on warm temperatures before the numbers start to drop as we continue north.

    This is our first Oasis Class sailing ... and also our first time on any ship of this size. There was a lot of “getting acquainted” to do. After breakfast, we wandered around the ship to find out what this “city at sea” has to offer. Too bad I don’t have my fitbit with me. It would have been interesting to see just how many steps went into our exploration ... a lot, I assure you.

    We started on deck 16 and moved down to deck 4 ... skipping those decks that have only passenger cabins. Turns out there aren’t many cabin-only decks as public spaces are sprinkled all around the ship.

    This is a ship that gives you two choices ... be as active as you want to be ... or chill. There are plenty of places for people to kick back and relax — the solarium on deck 15 forward being one of the most popular because it is enclosed with tall glass walls that help to keep the wind at bay.

    As for all the things one can do ... let me just mention a few of the more unusual ones one might not expect to find on a ship: the zipline — which Mui tried out; the flowrider (think surfing) — which Mui skipped; a PADI dive center; a rock-climbing wall ... actually, make that two walls; a full-size carousel.

    No cruise ship worth its salt would be missing dining venues, bars, pubs, entertainment lounges ... and a casino. I lost track of the number of venues. Some with cover charges ... many included in the base fare for the cruise. Some are in quiet “neighborhoods” — like Central Park on deck 8 ... where trees sway in the breeze. Some are in busier neighborhoods — like the Boardwalk on deck 6, which has an AquaTheater. And then there is the Royal Promenade on deck 5, which is home to shops and dining venues and more ... including a Mercedes Roadster that is a popular photo op locale. And let’s not forget Rising Tide, a bar that sits over a multi-deck fountain and travels up and down between decks, giving people a ride as they indulge in adult beverages.

    Whew! What a morning of exploration. The sea days ahead of us will allow us to get better acquainted with the ship. In the meantime, we’ve worked up an appetite with all that walking up and down and around the decks. Time to get a bite to eat. I’m sure we’ll find a venue that suits 😉    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    2
    Day 5

    A Promenade with Rules!

    March 2, 2020, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Along the outside perimeter of deck 5 is a two lane wrap-around promenade — one lane for walkers and the other for runners ... 2.4 laps = 1 mile ... 12 laps = 5 miles.

    One of the nicest things about this promenade? There are traffic signs. Or more accurately, promenade walking signs indicating that it’s one way! Even nicer? People seem to be taking the signs to heart and obeying them. That’s a first in my experience! Signs encouraging people to keep walking are overhead ... verbal cheerleaders!

    We skipped the promenade while we were exploring the ship. But I checked it out after lunch. Unfortunately, I didn’t get far — too windy. But I intend to try again tomorrow ... and the next day ... and the next day, etc. etc. etc.    Read more

  • International Jaunts 2020
    Day 5

    Ocean View or Neighborhood?

    March 2, 2020, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    On this cruise, our cabin selection was driven by the need to have two cabins side by side. Since we booked the cruise inside the final payment deadline, there weren’t that many cabins left that fit our requirement.

    7316 and 7314 — or cabins 316 and 314 on deck 7 — are ordinary veranda cabins. Meaning that they face out to the ocean. Huh! Are there any other kind of verandas? On the Oasis class ships, the answer is ... yes. In addition to the “ordinary” verandas, there are ones that face the ship’s interior. Or more accurately, the ship’s neighborhoods — Central Park and the Boardwalk.

    Central Park has trees and greenery and definitely has a park ambiance. The area is open to the sky, so a light breeze at times causes the trees and shrubs to sway gently, adding to the feeling of being in a park. I’m told there are birds chirping in the trees ... piped in, of course. Even though there are restaurants here, it’s a quiet neighborhood.

    Broadway is a busier place with a carousel, several dining venues, a couple of rock climbing walls, and the AquaTheater. Since this neighborhood is situated on the aft half of deck 6, the cabins do get a peek-view of the ocean. They also get free entertainment when there is a show being performed at the theater.

    I debated booking one of these “inside verandas.” But I was concerned with the apartment-building ambiance, with verandas facing each other across the way ... and any noise that might filter up from activities. Admittedly, they probably do make for a better option on cold-weather cruises. Should we ever find ourselves on another Oasis class ship — I’ve learned not to say never — we just might give them a shot.    Read more

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