Aruba and Cartegena.

Location, Home, CA

We arrived in Aruba on Sunday May 2nd at 7:00 AM. Our shore tour left at 7:30 AM so that meant an early breakfast in the Horizon Buffet. Tour check-in was easy as they passed everyone through the Wheelhouse Bar and slapped a tour number on you and then you went forward to the Princess Theatre and took a seat in the appropriate tour row. Soon they called our tour number and we proceeded off ship by one of the gangways. As you leave the ship you insert your Cruise Card into a reader which then displays your photo. It also records that you are off the ship.

Our bus was waiting so we climbed aboard and off we went.

                                   Thomas, I, and Debbie are facing the camera.

                        

The tour passed the local brewery and desalinization plant. All potable water on Aruba comes from the desalt plant and cost .13 cents a gallon. Quit high by most standards.

                          

We stopped at a rock formation which I climbed to get a better view of the surrounding area. I took several photos.

You can see the ship in the distance.

The island is quit dry with lots of cactus. 

Our tour bus.

We drove to the sea shore where a large rock arch had collapsed leaving only a small one still intact.

The beach in the distance is a "locals" beach for surfers.

We visited an Aloe processing plant which was closed but the short tour explained the process of converting Aloe juice to lotion. They have about 100 acres of Aloe plants. Forty percent of the production is sold to tourists while the rest is shipped to a distribution center in Indiana.

We then drove to the tourist hotel area and by the beach where the American girl was killed. We stopped by one of the hotels and a few of us elected to swim for an hour and lay in the sun. As it turns out, this would be the only beach we spend any time at during the cruise.

I did get in the water.

Our ship left the dock at 1 PM and headed for Cartagena, Columbia with arrival expected to be 9 AM tomorrow morning.

Back aboard ship, we attended a wine tasting in the dinning room. The charge was $9.50 each. This wine tasting allows you to judge which wines to buy for dinner each night. Most wines start at $25 a bottle and go up from there.

We arrived in Cartagena, Columbia at 9 AM on Monday may 3rd. Shortly there after we went on a tour of Cartagena. This tour was a little different as the guide provided radios with an earpiece so we could hear him while we toured. It allowed him to keep us together as there were many other tours going on at the same time.

We stopped at the very old large fortress and of curse were accosted by street venders. As soon as you point a camera at them they want money. I think we paid her a few dollars.


                            

Of course, there is the obligatory shopping. This area was next to the wall which surrounded the old city.

Look at all the tour busses!

Clyda and Debbie trying to make a deal.

We did quit a bit of walking while visiting the torture chambers from the Spanish Inquisition and other street sights including this statue of Simon Bolivar

The streets are clean and the buildings colorful.

A sun dial built into the building from Spanish days.

We ended up at the Naval building where a Folklorico dance was ongoing as each tour came in. We were served water, soda, or beer as refreshment.

It was very hot so the beer tasted really good. The brand was Aguila which was also the name of the street we lived on when we first moved here.

Sitting from our group is Frank, Cay, Thomas, and Clyda. The lady in green is not part of our group.

We returned to the ship and departed Cartagena at 3 PM.

Leaving the dock. No tugs used as the ship has thrusters fore and aft.

Cartegena skyline.

In the center is Debbie, Thomas, and I as the ship leaves port.

On to the Panama Canal next.

Cruise on Island Princess Day 1.

Location, Home, CA

We are back from our cruise. We actually returned home on Friday afternoon, thanks to our good friends Peg and Lee who drove to the Port of Los Angeles to pick us up.

We had company arriving Friday evening and stay until this morning. Gary and Cindy came to visit because of a baby shower for a friend’s daughter. We also went to dinner last night with a group of people who had been at the shower earlier in the day.

Now, about the cruise. It was FABOULUS!!!! Where to begin?

We flew to Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday April 28th. It took all day as we changed planes in Los Angeles and Dallas-Ft Worth. Even though our connections were tight we made each flight. However, there was barely time to go to the restroom and no time for food between flights. We knew this would a problem so took granola bars and trail mix with us and that worked out ok.

Our only glitch was the one hour wait for the hotel shuttle after arriving in Ft Lauderdale. It took 2 phone calls before they picked us up. They did make it up to us as they drove our group to and from dinner later in the evening at no cost.

Clyda witing for the shuttle. NO, the wheelchair wasn't for her. It just was convenient to sit in while we waited.

We met with 2 of the 3 couples going on the cruise for cocktails before dinner which was a nice way to start our vacation. The third couple joined us on-board ship the next afternoon.

The hotel supplied a full buffet breakfast the next morning and drove us to the ship at Port Everglades in the afternoon.

Check-in to the Island Princess was a breeze as we had completed all our requirements on-line (now a requirement for Home Land Security) before leaving home.

Walking aboard ship with our friends. Myself, Cay, Jim, Frank, and Michele

Once on board we checked into our cabin and met our room steward. The room is more than adequate with a Queen size bed and plenty of amenities such as 24 hour room service.

Our room with a refrigerator on left with bar and TV above and dressing table to the right. Balcony is behind the drapes.

Looking towards the enrty door with closet and bathroom to the left behind bedroom wall.

Closet with storage shelves behind the double doors.

Bathroom sink with shelves.

Shower on the left (small), and toilet.

Below is a view of the gangway from our balcony. We are on the 12th deck, forward on the starboard side.

Baggage waiting to be loaded aboard.

Thomas and Debbie are aboard!

We went to the Horizon Buffet on deck 14 for a snack and a celebratory drink. I haven’t been drinking alcohol for several years but did indulge in a few on this trip.

A Mojito to start the trip!

The ship left port at 5 PM and we stayed on deck until the Miami skyline faded from sight. We are headed to Aruba as our first port-of-call, 2 ½ days from now.

Leaving Port Everglades.

Miami skyline in the haze.

The two plus days at sea were filled with shows in the Princess Theatre, lectures on ports of call, reading, talking, and eating of course. The time flew by. The weather was warming up as we traveled south with temperatures in the mid 80’s and water temperature about the same. We passed the eastern edge of Cuba which could be seen about 10 miles off before heading more southerly towards Aruba.

Lido deck uncovered pool looking aft. Lots of sunburns by the time we reach Aruba.

Lido pool looking forward. There is also a covered pool forward of this called The Lotus Pool.

Basketball court, shuffle board and large chess set.

This area at the stern is called "The Sanctuary". It can be rented for $10 for 4 hours. I don't think it got much use as the smoke from the stacks drifted over this area.

Ships wake while under way.

Clyda reading on the balcony.

We had our first of 3 formal nights just before arriving in Aruba.