As it turned out, Fort Lauderdale today wasn't as cold as it has recently been. We did make it to the mid-70s, which made for a very pleasant day. We went to breakfast in the Palm Dining Room (my first time in there) and shortly afterward chose to walk off the ship early, not waiting until the in transit walk through of immigration at 10:45am. The immigration line moved fast and we were soon on our way to Walgreens on 17th St. Our timing couldn't have been better; we had completed our errand and returned to the ship right after in transits were allowed to reboard but before the first of the new passengers could. Gotta love those magic "In Transit" slips that allowed us to use the crew security entrance and bypass all lines everywhere!
We were seated in the Coral Dining Room by noon with waiter Ignacio who was showing us photos of his new granddaughter who was 40 days old today and being presented at their church in Mexico at the exact same time friend Suzan was texting me new photos of her 43 day old granddaughter. Ignacio loved seeing her photos too, as they gave him some idea of how his granddaughter is growing and changing weekly.
I spent quite a bit of time this afternoon checking things on the Internet and paying bills and texting friends and talking with the #1 most traveled passengers again next cruise who, amazingly, we hadn't met before this year. They have about 960 days on Princess and spend much of their winter cruising, as do the #3 most traveled with about 550 days. They were all on before us and are staying on longer than we are, as are other passengers we've met. When asked why they're not doing the 10-night Caribbean cruises on the Royal Princess, the answer is always the same: it's a great ship for two cruises but not for two months. That's funny; we kind of felt the same way. But we currently have two sets of friends on the Royal Princess for two months and I'm anxious to eventually get their thoughts, as we're likely going to end up doing the same some year, maybe even next winter.
I got showered and ready for the evening during muster drill and we were on the Terrace Deck for sailaway about 4:45pm. Fort Lauderdale on a pretty winter afternoon never fails to impress
The 17th St. Drawbridge going up with a Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi in the foreground
The Coast Guard boat getting the pleasure boats lined up for a safe passage past the Caribbean Princess before it entered the channel to the Atlantic Ocean
I'm always tickled by how the Coast a Guard boat buzzes about protectively; gun at the ready, but 200 yards later we enter the ocean and we're completely on our own.
We went to dinner immediately after sailaway. Success! We are moved over one table to the left, against a wall (a little more private) at a larger table with LIGHT but still have Marian (that's a guy) and Slava as our waitstaff. Life is so good. The couple who had been seated at that table for the past two cruises complained about everything, but especially that the hot food was not served hot. When we ordered, I told Marian that I was already sure that our cold food would be hot and our hot food cold...it must be something about the table. He laughed and confided that one time he took a plate back to one side of the galley and brought the same plate back out the other side and set it down in front of her, warning her about the hot plate, and then she was happy. I bet these guys could tell some stories!
I ordered all Caribbean inspired menu items tonight; a fruit salad and then a Bahamian soup and crawfish mac and cheese as an entree. Tonight's dessert menu did not offer flourless chocolate cake (what??) so I had sorbet instead. Geesh, I hope I get it one more time this winter. I'm not emotionally prepared for no more flourless chocolate cake.
We sat in the Piazza and listened to Wilson play steel drums for a bit while two little girls danced and did pirouettes in the middle of the floor. So cute! I love that we're seeing lots more kids on this shorter, 5-day cruise. Then we went to the Princess Theater for the Welcome Aboard show and comedian TroyThirdgill who is absolutely harious, one of the best there is doing cruise ships. He'll be back for a longer show later in the cruise and we won't miss it. (I hope it's not on MTP or CCP party nights.)
That was it for the evening. G downloaded some more TV shows from Comsat TV2Go today in Fort Lauderdale, and I'm into another book that will poof off my iPad in 5 days. We're quite content to be early to bed, especially as I was receiving texts about the twins' semi finals basketball game tonight against one of their toughest rivals, and just found out minutes ago that they WON and will play in the finals tomorrow morning!!! Some part of me wishes I was there to see it, but that same part, while doing lots of snow shoveling to dig the car out of the driveway, would no doubt wish it was on a warm beach. Technology is a warm and wonderful substitute; I'll settle for receiving the play by play through iMessage.