Day 4 - Sat 23rd Mar 2024
Participants: Tam & Kev
I'm awake at
4.15 am and lie there until 6.30 am. We turn on the TV and
realise how lucky we were with the weather last night as there is
coverage of some serious flooding just south of us in Miami.
We are off to the Ruby Princess this morning to start our cruise
from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles, so we pack and go down to
the lobby at 8.00 am where we share a rather limp ham and cheese
croissant and both have a coffee. We call an Uber and are on our
way to the port at 8.30 am. I can't say I'll really miss the
Ramada by Wyndham Marco Polo Resort. It's a long name for a very
basic hotel.
The Uber costs $30 and we give the young driver a $10 tip as he has to wait around awhile to drop us off. It's a bit chaotic with people getting off but we manage to find the right line for those queueing to get on. We are permitted into the cruise terminal building at 10.00 am. The reason we arrived so early (apart from being happy to leave the hotel as early as possible) is that we want to book some afternoons in The Sanctuary. This is an adults only quiet area at the front of the ship with well seperated padded sunbeds. It usually gets booked up very fast as those in suites can book before they board, so we need to be amongst the first onboard in order to stand a chance.
We are quickly
processed through and pick up our medallions. These are small
discs that hold all your infomation and you use them to pay for
everything onboard - they even open your stateroom door for you,
as you approach the door unlocks. We are in the first boarding
group and are onto the ship at 10.45 am, remarkably efficient.
It's raining quite heavily as we rush to The Sanctuary and manage
to book the 3 afternoons we want. It's $40 per person all day or
$20 for a morning or afternoon.
We also book a speciality restaurant (Crown Grill) and the Caymus
Wine Dinner for later in the cruise. We are all done and dusted
within 30 minutes of boarding. We've already pre-booked some
other meals including a private dinner on our balcony for Tam's
60th birthday. Hmmm ..... I probably should have mentioned that
sooner! We left home on my birthday (20th March) and will be on
the cruise for Tam's 60th (3rd April).
We explore for a bit and then have lunch at the Botticelli
Restaurant - salmon and orange souffle for dessert with a glass
of Chardonnay. We have the plus drinks package that allows drinks
up to $15. It is limited to the amount you can have, but I'll
think we'll manage to stay within the 15 drinks per day maximum!
The atrium is quite impressive.
As the sign says, it's the Salty Dog Gastropub. There's an additional cost for this one.
The Crown Grill speciality restaurant.
One of the clubs where they had various events.
This is the Adagio Bar. It was always quiet for some reason. Notice the good looking guy with the camcorder. None of these newfangled phone type things for me. Moving pictures are meant to be captured on a device made for that purpose.
One of the main swimming pools. These things are always busy on sea days. Not for me thank you - too noisy and I never win the knobbly knees competitions.
The other main pool. This always had films showing. We actually used this more than I thought we would.
The stateroom is ready at 1.00 pm and we are in C255 on Caribe deck. We booked it as they have extra large balconies on this deck. Once again Princess have been remarkably efficient and the suitcases are already there. While we are unpacking our stateroom attendant (Joseph) introduces himself and leaves us a kettle. I guess they assume all Brits will want to drink tea regularly.
The stateroom is more traditional than our last Virgin cruise and there's no sofa, but it's perfectly nice enough. The main thing that lets it down is the awful blue flooring on the balcony. It's plastic and rather ugly.
Lord knows why Tam brought this captain's hat along, but I feel I added a certain gravitas to the proceedings.
We go for an explore, but Tam is feeling a bit tired, so we go back to the room to change into our swimwear before going to The Retreat Pool as it's stopped raining and the sun is out. This a a small pool at the front of the ship that is primarily for those using the spa, but not many people know that it is open to everyone, so it is rarely very busy. It's even quieter as it's embarkation day and Tam and have the pool, sunbeds and hot tub to ourselves. With quiet music playing it's a lovely relaxing start to the cruise.
At 4.10 pm we sailaway and we watch from a rail on the top deck. It's very similar to sailing out of Miami as you you move down the inlet out into the open sea and you can see right along the coast. We get a margarita and a French martini and return to the pool for a while. It is without doubt the most laidback start we've ever had to a cruise.
It always amazes me how these monster vessels move around. It turned through 90 degrees to head out to sea.
This was quite a nice view as we sailed along the coast past Miami.
We return to the room to shower before heading out to the Good Spirits bar where I have a cocktail made with rum and cinnamon. It's not the best. On to Vines (the wine bar) where we pick up a glass of Chardonnay before heading to the Michelangelo Restaurant. We're seated after a short 5 minute wait at 7.30 pm. Tam has the Mahi Mahi and I have the Cajun Fried Chicken - both are nice.
After dinner we
go to the Wheelhouse Bar where a guitar/violin duo are playing
and then across to Crooners where a guy is playing the piano and
singing. I have a Rusty Nail and Tam has the French Martini. It's
always fairly busy around the atrium, so we have plenty of time
to people watch (aka being nosey). It's definitely an older
clientelle. We've seen a handful of children and not many adults
under 50. I would say that the average age would be above 60.
Strange that I find nothing wrong with that now I am myself in my
mid 60's!
We have a coffee and small cake from the International Cafe to
finish the evening and are in bed by 11.00 pm.