Yesterday was a challenge! We arrived in Miami at around 7 AM. When we got our luggage, the representative from Holland America found us in the Baggage Claim and told us where to get breakfast in the airport. Of course, we had to take our cart with all of our five suitcases with us (I had 2 plus my carry on, Grandmama had 1 plus her carry on).
After breakfast, we wandered around the airport, window shopping but not buying. Sat for a few minutes in comfortable chairs in the hotel lobby in the airport, and then wandered back to the Holland America desk around 10:15. They let us get on a bus around 10:45, and we made it to the port in Ft. Lauderdale by 11:30 AM. However, that's when the waiting began.
I guess they were still disembarking passengers from the "Round the World" cruise (105 days) and the port area was a real mess. We waited in line for over 45 minutes just to get our bags x-rayed and go through the magnetometer ourselves. Then we sat in a very crowded waiting area (at least it was air conditioned) while they finished up the last cruise, and brought their computers back up for this cruise. We took a number, and waited for our number to be called, around 2:00.
The ship's crew came out with trays of cookies, croissants, juice, water. We had held onto some fruit from breakfast, so we weren't starving. We finally got through the line, got our ID badge, had our pictures taken, and onto the ship by 2:30 PM. Finally in our room, we relaxed, waiting for our luggage to get delivered to our room. It only took an hour or so, but Grandmama decided to unpack rather then take a nap. Our nap time was interrupted by a mandatory lifeboat drill at 4:15, before we left port, After we got back to our room, we finished unpacking and went to dinner. We have the early seating for dinner (6:15 PM). Our dinner table mates were from Vancouver (both B.C. and Washington) and San Francisco... all married couples. Grandmama and I both had the prime rib for dinner. It was delicious!
After dinner, I took Grandmama on a tour of the ship, which is laid out exactly like the Rotterdam, which I was on last year. So we found the exercise room and I made a reservation to get my nails done today. Grandmama was pretty tired, so we didn't go to the show. We went back to our room and she went to bed. I grabbed my computer and went to the 5th deck, where there is wireless Internet. I signed up for my 500 minutes for the rest of the cruise. Then I did a little investigation about the Q & A I need to do on Friday, May 11 for this conference in Finland. I sent them the video (on DVD and uploaded to by web server). I found out that I will have to make a phone call... that they block audio and video conferencing because of bandwidth issues. So, I'll buy a phone card for 12 minutes ($25) to be able to make that phone call. Let's hope I get the time right and that the phone call goes through. We'll be in transit between Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas that day.
We both slept in until after 7:30 AM this morning. We went to breakfast around 9 AM and then went up to the exercise room, where I walked on the treadmill for more than 20 minutes (1 mile) and Grandmama rode the bicycle. Then we went to the theater where we heard a speech about the history of Panama. We figured out that there were not going to be any tours at the Panama Canal. We are going to be spending all day on Friday making the crossing. So, I'll be taking videos and pictures all day!
We also studied the shore excursions, and decided that the only one we were interested in might be an afternoon tour of Acapulco. Other than that, we might get off the ship at each port, but would only spend a little time on shore. The tours don't interest us that much.
After lunch (lite soup/salad bar), Grandmama found the room where the bridge players were gathering, and I am getting my nails done. That's where I'm heading now! Tonight is formal dinner night. Time to get all dressed up!
