Cruise - Oct 31

Boarding a boat is similar to boarding an airplane. There is just more space involved, a larger number of people and security is there but they get you through faster. They also take your luggage to your room for you and don’t charge for heavy bags or for any bags for that matter.

The aft deck awaiting passengers



Penny and I cruisin'

all aboard!





We got on board early before our cabin was ready so we gathered on the Lido Deck and got some food at the cafeteria-style restaurant there.

It was fun watching the boat leave the dock, back up and turn around and head out the channel.


bye-bye Tampa



Joe and I watching us shove off



We took an orientation tour of the ship. It started by taking us through the spa and gym to show us all the programs we could sign up for. We also got valuable tips about getting around the ship as well as seeing where all the major facilities were located.



Kathy and Joe try out the spa

Afterr we got underway it was time for our first visit to the dining room .We met the 2 other couples who would be our tablemates all week. Fortunately they both were friendly and interesting. If not it would have been a crummy week.


The sun set as we ate and we saw Egmont Key go by as we were finishing dinner. We could just make it out in the dark.



The next big event was passing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge but Penny and I were distracted from that. There was a liqueur tasting (free) going on and our timing was such that I was tasting flavored vodkas at the time we passed under the bridge and only saw it before and after we passed under.

I mentioned before that we were some of the youngest passengers on the boat. I found it interesting that most of the men I talked with throughout the week had significant armed service experience in their lives with the most talkative having served in the Korean War. Most were much better off than us and had several cruises under their belts. In fact a number of couples were on the cruise just for the cruise experience and didn’t bother with going ashore at the ports we stopped in. They had been there and done that and didn’t want to go through the trouble of getting on a tender and going ashore.



Since it was Halloween and we had brought our scrubs Halloween costumes with us we put them on after dinner and went to the orientation briefing in the ship’s theater in costume. The Halloween party followed at 10:30 PM in the ship’s Crows Nest Lounge.

Darth, Cruella and Dr Paul



us playing doctor



Dr Penny and Cruella


Yes, that means Penny and I went to a party that started past our normal bedtime. We danced and had a drink and stayed up past midnight. It was not a bad start for the cruise.