Day 19: Fort Lauderdale

Today was the final day as we pulled into port this morning. We packed up and caught an Uber to the airport for the trip home to Dallas. 15 Days at sea with only 4 port stops, was more of a boat ride in a Hilton Hotel with all you can eat and drink buffets all day. Most the trip was cold and windy, and the stops were short and crowded. So in a nutshell, I would say, this kind of cruise sailing is not for me. Too much food and bling, not enough R&R on the beach. Too many people at the pool and where ever you went. Way too many people in too small a space, no wonder we all got Covid on this trip.

Day 18: The Boat Race

After Grand Turk, we have a full day at sea before we make land in Fort Lauderdale the end of our trip. This day was the day of the big race. The boys have been working on the boat for the past week. The girls also helped collect supplies from bottles, to olive stickers, to eating tools to help build the boat. Spoiler alert, we swept all categories of design, performance, and seaworthyness. The crowd voted as best in design. For performance, I had to pull the boat across the pool 17 times with sinking or taking on water. For seaworthyness, we loaded it down with 6 cans of coke and it had to float for 2 minutes. First place medals all around.

The girls sporting the medals

Winning boat on display

Boat Yard

The performance test

Day 17: Grand Turk

Short stop in Grand Turk, another ship is already in port, so it is busy. We wait until afternoon when the other ship pulls out before we go ashore. We walk the beach, hit a few shops, but not much of a trip late afternoon with sun going down and mostly tourist stores open with high priced stuff.

Day 16: San Juan PR

Today we went a shore to old San Juan Puerto Rico. It was a beautiful day for a long walk. We shopped, we ate, we drank, it was good times. I really liked old San Juan. I even scored me a new hat with hair.

Day 15: Sint Maarten

Today was supposed to be a beach trip with some scheduled Kite Surfing but we had no wind. So we rented a car and Pincey gave us a tour of the island. We stopped in Maho Beach for lunch, watched commercial plane land over our heads, and made it back around the island in one piece.

Day 14: Antiqua

Finally, our first port, we booked a kayak and snorkel trip so we met the bus and drove across the island to kayak and snorkel. Fun trip in the van with other travelers as we had it packed to the brim.

Day 5-13: Still at Sea

Day 7 was scheduled to be our first port stop in the Azores, but the pilot boats that guide the ships to dock went on strike, so the captain had no choice but to skip the port side stop. Bummer, been at sea for 3 days, now 6 more days to our next port. Atlantic crossing cruise we are on, and that is what we are getting. So back to the daily schedule of Sleep, eat, drink, shows, pickleball, repeat. All you can eat ice cream was more than I could stand, had to take a break after 5 days. We saw some good shows as 2-2 were scheduled every day in different lounges and on the main stage. It was still cold and windy so swimming was out, but I did get a few dips in the hot tubs scattered around the decks. Yoli still not well, and Tom got sick too. He decided to go to the onship doc and that was a mistake, he had Covid, quarantine for 5 days for you! He did sneak out and watch the Cowboys game on the big screen, but will miss our first port stop tomorrow in Antiqua. We also got to watch a helicopter extraction as someone on the ship need medical care. The captain actually turned the boat around and headed back to Azores to meet the Helicpoter. They had to fly him back to Azores, then another u-turn and we were back on our way south to warmer waters in the Carribean.

We celebrate pincy's 69th birthday and attend more shows while at sea for 9 days, and of course ate and drank way too much.

Helo rescue

Tom and Nan Kicking it up

leaving southampton

Too much ice cream

Dinner with the gang

Fresh wood fired pizza!

Cutest Couple

Pincey #69

Dinner out, again

Alan Yoli

Tom & Nan

Captain Pics

Christmas Photos

Pincey & Arlene

Sushi Night

Pincey Potion #69

Team Anchor Boat Builders