Sunday, 4-18 Carolyn took Daddy and I to the port of Galveston. We arrived at the pier about 11:30 and started the check-in process. Before we were finished, I asked if there were any upgrades available. (Upgrades were available because of a volcano erupting in Iceland and spreading ash throughout Europe. The ash was too risky to fly in, so about 300 people from UK were not able to fly out.) I had booked us an inside guaranty for $479 per person. We were able to upgrade for a total of $500 to a balcony! Wow, we were lucky!!! We finally got on board about 1PM. We found our room, #9372 on starboard side and then went to eat lunch in the Windjammer. After lunch, we went back to the room to regroup. I went to explore things and found our luggage had been delivered to our old room #6713. I explored some more and went back to the room to unpack. We ate supper in Windjammer again and we were in bed by 10PM!
Captain Frank
Monday, 4-19 Today was just an easy day. Didn’t do anything major except read. We did eat supper in the Magic Flute Dining Room. We ate with 2 sisters, one from Indiana and one from Clear Lake. After supper I went to the show which was a South American Goucho dressed comedian. He also played the heck out of the piano. He was very entertaining.
Tuesday, 4-20 After breakfast I laid out by the pool for a few hours. While I was out there, there was an announcement from the captain “alpha, alpha, alpha”. Daddy and I did not know what that meant. I went to the gym for a little workout and it was there that I found out someone had had a heart attack and a helicopter was being sent from Key West. A Coast Guard helicopter landed about 4:50 and left about 5:30 with the patient. I went to see the “Original Drifters” after we ate supper, but it wasn’t really knocking me down, so I left after about 15 minutes. Back in the room I got ready for our trip to Nassau on Wednesday.
Coast Guard Helicopter
Wednesday, 4-21 I could see land when I awoke from my bed vibrating! We were backing into the dock area. We ate breakfast and then headed to Deck 1 to go into Nassau. We walked to the shopping area and went in and out of a lot of shops. We bought a few postcards. We found out where to get your passports stamped, so we had that done and then hailed a taxi to go to the Crystal Palace. Daddy wanted to gamble and I wanted to hang out on the beach. After about an hour there, we got another taxi and went to Fish Fry, which is an area that has a bunch (20-25) stands that sell conch fritters, fish, fries, etc. Next, we caught a cab to the Straw Market. Wow…my friend, Brad, was right…it was a bunch of junk! BUT, if you want a knock off purse or wallet, then THAT is THE place to get them! When we got back on the ship I went to the pool area and got into the hot tub for a while. It was close to time to leave (4:30) so I went to see if anyone missed the boat. Well, evidently there were some special people (25ish) that did not miss the ship, because we were still there. The last couple came on board at 4:55! Look, I had the same amount of time to be off the ship and back on by the appointed time of 4:30! Annoying!! While using my cell phone after getting back from Nassau the dang thing died…dead…It was great for communication with Jordan, Hailey and Jim. I guess I’ll get on the ship’s internet and email them to let them know.
Nassau
Liked this sign
Atlantis
Thursday, 4-22 I slept in until 10 today! Actually woke up at 8 and dozed until 10. Today was the ship-famous belly flopping contest. It was very funny. One man actually took off his bathing suit and belly dived with his bikini underwear on! There were 3 men and 2 women. I attempted to stay by the pool and read, but it was too cool. There was a jewelry making class at 3, so I went up to deck 14 and sat with Diana, from Dallas. We made earrings and a bracelet. I’ve really been wanting to take beading classes, so I was interested in even the basics! There will be a necklace making class in a few days. I walked a mile on the track on deck 12 and then it was time for the show in La Scala room. It was a performance by the RCCI Singers and Dancers. We enjoyed it. The sunset was really good today, so I went up to deck 12 and took some photos.
Friday, April 23 We had breakfast in one of the dining rooms (Carmen). It was a nice change from the Windjammer. I started reading the book by Andrew Young about John Edwards by the pool. Back in the room we got ready for a quick supper before going to the nightly show. Mark Donaghue is a multi-instrumental artist. He played the fiddle, harmonica and piano. The orchestra was playing with him. It was a great show! We still have 3 more days before we see land!
Saturday, April 24 There was some sun peaking through, so I laid by the pool for a while until it got too cool. The ocean was getting bigger swells and you could feel it when walking down the halls or up front. At 3pm there was another jewelry making class. This was one of the formal nights, so we dressed up and ate supper in the Magic Flute dining room. I had lobster!!! We didn’t go to the show, so I just cruised around and went to the library and sent the family an email. I had started the Andrew Young book about John Edwards, “The Politician” on Friday and finished it tonight. Since the dawning of the computer, I haven’t read a lot, and I enjoyed it!
Sunday, April 25 After breakfast, we went to the La Scala to hear Captain Frank answer questions about the Voyager. It was very informative and interesting. He is also funny. One person asked the Captain how he determined the size of the waves outside…and he said he looks out the window! After a rest and some lunch we went to the Schooner Bar and watched some people play Name that Country Tune. I searched the library for another book to read. I brought 2 books and have already read them both. I never did find anything to read. Got in the hot tub for a while before going to supper in the Windjammer.
Monday, April 26 First time to have room service on a cruise. I’m glad we got it, because I found out that the coffee is better than in the Windjammer! During lunch we saw a bunch of flying fish. One man said he had seen a couple of whales, also. After lunch I laid out by the pool (with shorts and a sweater on!) The water in the pool was sloshing out and making waterfalls over the side! At supper in the Windjammer, we saw a lot more flying fish. Tomorrow we will be in the Azores. The islands belong to Portugal and are 800-900 miles from the coast.
Flying fish
Water coming out of pool when we were in high seas!
Tuesday, April 27 The Azores Island of San Miguel was in front of us when we got up. The wind was really blowing and Captain Frank was not sure if he would be able to dock or not. The pilot captain came aboard and guided us to the dock. About 12:10 we got off the ship and went into the town of Ponta Delgada. We walked around town for several hours. We bought some postcards and after cruising around, we came back to the ship for some lunch. I finally found a book in the library to read. I sat there and read for a few minutes and kept dozing off so I went back to the room to take a short nap…slept 1 ½ hours! I woke up in time to go watch us leave port. We left the dock at 7pm. The Captain said there were dolphins and some whales in front of the ship, but I did not see any. We have two sea days before getting to Malaga, Spain.
Arches in Ponta Delgada, Azores
Waterfront in Ponta Delgada, Azores
Wednesday, April 28 Sea Day I laid by the pool for a couple hours and then got ready to go to the show. Jonathan Kane does an entire show as Elton John. He is the only tribute act endorsed by Elton John. It was a good show. Checked my email. I do not like having to pay 58 cents per minute to get on the internet that is slooooow! But, I will continue to pay it!
Thursday, April 29 Breakfast. There was a “scooter parade”. Since this was pretty much a “geriatric” cruise, there were a lot of scooters on board. One of the scooter riders suggested to the Cruise Director to have a parade. So, they lined up in front of Cleopatra’s Needle on Deck 5 and proceeded down the Promenade in true parade fashion. Too cute! The nights’ entertainment was by the RCI Singers and Dancers. They danced and sang Broadway songs/movies. It was a very good performance. At 9:45pm, there was another parade. This one was called “Island Frenzy Parade”. It was African themed and was done down the Promenade, also. It was an awesome parade. We stayed up late because we were going through the Strait of Gibraltar. We could easily see Africa and some very distant lights in Spain, but we never actually saw the “rock”. We passed another cruise ship as well as some other ships while going through the strait.
Friday, April 30 Malaga was the Port of Call. Because we had stayed up so late to see the Strait of Gibraltar, we slept in. Got up at 10am, showered, had breakfast and then got off the ship to go into town. We bought tickets for the Hop On, Hop Off, (hoho) bus. We got off at the castle and toured around it before getting back on another bus and going to a fortress, a Picasso Museum, Cathedral, ate at McDonald’s, and shopped. We were back on the ship about 5pm. Daddy bought me an amber key/lock pendant to put on a necklace and some amber earrings. The entertainment was by Il Divo Forever. It was great! Had supper in the Windjammer and went to the business office to get on the internet.
View of Malaga from the castle
Bullfight ring in Malaga
Saturday, May 1 Cartagena. Woke up at 7am pulling in to the port. After breakfast we walked into town. May 1 is Labor Day in many countries and therefore, most of the stores were closed. We did find one where everything in the store cost 2 Euros. That is about 2.70 in USD. I bought 4 bracelets and 1 necklace. Daddy wanted to sit for a while, so I continued down the street and found a few more stores that were open. Cruised back towards the ship and about 11:30am got back aboard. Cartagena is where the Navy is in Spain. There were quite a few ships in port and one in dry dock. BINGO had a jackpot of over $6,300!!! We waited in line for 20 minutes to even buy our tickets. The normal wait was 3-4 minutes! A girl from Houston won the jackpot. After BINGO, we packed our suitcases and had them in the hall by 5:30.
Statue on waterfront in Cartagena
Sunday, May 2 Barcelona We had breakfast in the Windjammer and got off the ship about 8:30. After going through Customs and Immigration we got a taxi to take us to our hotel, Hotel Jazz. It is a very cosmopolitan hotel. The room was done in black and red and the window overlooked a garden area. We were in room #417 on the 4th floor. It was too early to be able to get into our room, so we stored our luggage at the hotel and found out how to get to the Hop On, Hop Off city bus to tour the city. After walking several blocks, we found the correct bus (blue bus). We bought our all day ticket for 22 Euro and boarded the bus to go to Gaudi Cathedral. Wow. What a piece of architecture! Gaudi was a 19th century architect that designed many odd buildings in Barcelona. After walking around the Cathedral, we boarded the bus again and road around seeing the sites of the city. I just couldn’t get over what my eyes were seeing. The bus provides earphones so I was able to listen to what we were seeing. We got off the bus at the waterfront and ate a Barcelona hot dog. I’ve had better! We cruised around the waterway as there was a small art show. We got back on the bus and rode to another point and got off to ride the red route. After having a full 6 hour city tour, we headed back to the hotel. For supper we found a small restaurant a few blocks from the hotel and then found a bakery for a little dessert. Back in the hotel I was enjoying having access to FREE internet! I had spent about $175 on the ship for the internet because my phone battery had died while we were in Nassau.
Gaudi Cathedral
Monday, May 3 Montserrat We got a bite to eat next door to the hotel and then went back to the Hotel Jazz to be picked up at 10AM by Spain Day Tours to go to Montserrat. It was raining, so I borrowed an umbrella from the hotel. Armando was our driver. There were 2 other couples on the van that were also on the cruise. It took about an hour to get to Montserrat. Armando told us a brief history of Montserrat Monastery. Because of the rain, we were not able to have a full view of the mountains. No words can describe what we were eventually able to see. We got out of the van and took a small shuttle up to the monastery. Upon entering, I just knew that I was seeing the most beautiful place on Earth! My Dad has been to the Vatican and he said this was probably more beautiful. When we went into the cathedral I knew I had to start taking pictures, so I pulled out my camera and was ready to take some when a finger was pointed at me to not take photos. The Monks were in the middle of a service, so I understood. This man was certainly the camera police. He even would put his hand in front of a camera that was poised to take a photo. When the service was over we walked down to the small store to buy postcards since I was unable to take the photos that I wanted. I wouldn’t have been able to take photos to do the place justice, tho! We bought a small snack and a Coke and went back to the cathedral because there is a boys choir that sings at 1PM on most days. We found a seat in one of the back pews and people continued to pour in! Daddy said there was probably 2000 people in there during the singing. It was beautiful sounding and the acoustics were great. After listening to the singing for about 15 minutes we left so we could meet Armando. We loaded up and left Montserrat leaving the beauty behind. Armando stopped at a house that was about 1000 years old. It was amazing seeing something that was still standing and seemed to be in good shape that could possibly be that old! The rain continued to come down as we rode back to Barcelona. As we approached the city, I asked Armando if he would take us to the mall that was near the hotel. We had not shopped much at all since leaving Galveston and I needed some shopping time. We went to a store much like Macy’s. We shopped for about an hour and then walked back towards the hotel. We found a restaurant to eat supper so we stopped in. Daddy ate half of a baked chicken and I had paella. It was most delish! We knew we had to get our suitcases packed, so we went back to the hotel to do just that. We had everything packed and ready to be picked up at 7AM by Armando for our trip to the Barcelona Airport.
1000 year old house!
Mountain at Montserrat...Montserrat means "jagged mountain"
The Black Madonna
Montserrat Cathedral...I'll never see anything more beautiful than this!
Tuesday, May 4 Armando picked us up at 7AM and it was still raining. It was about 30 minutes to the airport. He dropped us off and we headed to Swiss International. We got through security and went to find something to eat. We found a McDonald’s!! After getting a bite to eat we went to our gate to wait for our departure at 9:45AM. It was still raining and our plane was late coming in from Zurich. We ended up leaving about 45 minutes late. When we arrived in Zurich, we had a very long way to walk to get on our plane to Chicago. I mean a very, very long way to walk. There were quite a few people from the cruise that was on our same flight. At security we were told that our plane was waiting on us. Security in Zurich was different than in Barcelona because we were flying to the US. Unfortunately, I had not asked Daddy if he had all his stuff packed properly and he did not. He had a bottle of water in his jacket pocket, a can of shaving cream that was too large, all of his liquids were not in a quart size baggie and the big deal…he had a knife! Oops. They put the knife in a clear box that had knives about 8” deep in it! We finally got on the plane and took off for Chicago. It was a 9 hour flight! Swiss International is a very nice airline. Of course, we ate several times and had several snacks. We also had a good selection of things to watch on our own personal screen. I watched a couple of movies and read a book that I bought in Barcelona. We finally landed in Chicago with one hour and 20 minutes to get our luggage, go through Customs, recheck our luggage, ride a tram to another terminal, go through security…AGAIN and then get on the plane. They were holding the plane for us along with others from the cruise. Arrived in Houston about 7:45PM and Hailey picked us up. When we got home, I was just delirious! We had been up for about 22 hours at that point. Sleep was gonna be good!!!
What I learned about Spain:
When you go shopping you take your dog.
When you go shopping you take a rolling suitcase.
You can drink beer with your meal at McDonald’s.
Their postcards are not the standard 4x6 size as in the USA.
The sun sets on another great trip!
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