PinkSandGirl

Hello from 34,000 feet +- above. Some turbulence along the way. Have to stay seated. Friendly flight crew. I feel us descenting already. The pilot is getting us in way early. We ate. Have had some cocktails. They are out of Woodford now between my dad and I and another guy in the cabin. 😂 A rainbow. Saw multiple ones. Did you know they are circles from above? I learned that when I was in Maui. 🍹

Just pushed back. Did I say I get nervous when flying? Especially take-off. Used to love it when I was little. I pray, make the sign of the cross ✝️ 🙏 and hope all is well. Here we go! Next stop...Fort Lauderdale, FL. 🍹

Pre-boarding Woodford & Ginger 🍹

Current view. 🍹

Just boarded. Oh boy... 🍹

Hi! On our way to the airport! ✈️ Craziness always to get ready but it always gets done. 🥳 🍹

Flight ✈️ Checked ✔️ In. Have Boarding Passes. Crazy is an understatement for how I feel right now. 🤣 🍹

Oh boy... it's getting closer. ✈️ Just checked and the Terminal and Gate at both airports are now showing. I know they may change but the fact they are showing means it's getting closer. Did I mention I get nervous when I fly? 😆 No, I didn't. Remind me tell you the 'adventure' from my last flight. 🍹

Packing Notes When checking more than one bag I distribute everything evenly between the two so I don't have all, say shorts in one bag and all shirts in the other. Why? In case one is delayed. I'm not a packing cube person. I know people love them and I can see how they are helpful but when you bring what I do and need to get it all in, I have become very creative with a combination of rolling, folding, you name it. 😂 My carry-on has 'Must Have' items. There are clothes that will be shifted to the checked bags for going home which in turn gives some room for souvenirs. If I buy any type of liquor (from islands) that of course goes in a checked bag. Since staying at a hotel pre-cruise, I make sure what I need is easily accessible but with 2 nights, I'm going to have to dig a little deeper in my suitcases. Hehe Why do I have so much? I honestly would love to bring more. Clothes. I need multiple outfits for each day. Not being able to wash clothes and being in a hot climate, I don't wear shorts twice. Plus, I like the way they fit and feel from just being washed/dried (hung or dryer). A skirt for dinner? That's easy to wear twice. I normally wouldn't but on a cruise I only have it on for a few hours. I will send at least one bag of laundry out and there are items I'll wash in the sink. One item I have cut back on: Shoes. My first cruise, I brought 10 different pairs. 10! ...for a 4-night cruise. 😂 I learned. I don't bring that many now, even for a 10-night cruise. Toiletries. I have many. I'll leave it at that. 🤣 🍹

The ships or seasons? 😉 Winter and Summer Solstice come easy to my mind but you can think for S - (S)summer (S)olstice and the season opposite it is winter. They are either the 'longest' or 'shortest' day. Equinox think Equal and spring and Fall (Vernal & Autumnal) have about equal amounts of daylight and night hours. ☀️🍂❄️🌷 🍹

Solar Eclipse. Solar Eclipse. Solar Eclipse. Just wanted to see who was paying attention. 😆 🍹

I know. Thank You. I knew solar and typed Lunar, must have had the moon in my mind. 😆 I corrected it but I see it didn't save it. Solar Eclipse. Solar Eclipse. Solar Eclipse. 🍹

I love all kinds of music. A favorite band for decades now 😆 and one of my favorite songs...especially live. Bluetooth speaker volume is up. 😉 Ok. Back to packing. 🍹

Hi! Updates will be sparce and sporadic until we are on our way to the airport. 😉 'Lots to do. Here was my view of the Lunar Eclipse today. 🌘 Clear skies, clouds then came, they would clear and roll back in but it made it neat. Wherever any of us may be we all see the same sun and moon whether on land or while at sea. 🌎 🍹

Hi! It feels like we're leaving tomorrow...that's the craziness I feel with getting things ready and packing! Thankfully tomorrow isn't travel day but I have to work so that throws a wrench in my momentum. 😆 Still doing more tonight but needed a 5 minute break. 😉 🍹

Hi! Enjoy your cruise! 🥳 Silhouette was my first Celebrity ship. 🥰 I've eaten dinner at The Lawn Club Grill on the Silhouette & Reflection and we had lunch there on the Reflection. The burger (back in 2017) was very good. We all customized our burgers. I think the waiter was expecting we would each order a burger by name as is on the menu (without modifications) but not us. 😂 People really like the Luminae burger (not bad but not my favorite). Lawn Club burger definitely out ranked Luminae. It was neat the first time I went up and made a pizza and my boyfriend helped on the grill, everyone else watched as we worked. Hehe. It's not like we never made a pizza or grilled but to do it at sea, that was a first. 😉 Do they still allow that? I never ate at the Porch. I don't eat fish/seafood but I see there are other options. I love that it is outside. I love dining al fresco. 🍹 P.S. Great pictures. You have a knack for capturing nice shots. 📸

Thank You! Enjoy your B2B. How fun! 🥳 🍹

American First Class. Included for each person: 2 checked bags up to 70lbs each. 🧳🧳 🍹

Each bag. 😉 It's a 10-night cruise and 2-nights in a hotel pre-cruise. I tip porters well and warn them. They also have a 'HEAVY' tag the airline attaches. 🍹

Luggage 🧳 For me: ● 2 checked bags that come in just under 70lbs ● 1 Rolling carry-on that stays with me at all times (overhead bin on plane) ● Backpack (Personal Item on the plane) ● Pocketbook (If flight attendants give me a problem then I try to get it in my backpack or someone else's traveling with me) 😉 * I also bring a luggage scale. After a return trip from St. Thomas, the check-in counter lady said my bag was overweight and I had to pay like a $110.00. One more pound and it would have been $200.00 she said. After hearing the story, a friend bought me a luggage scale that I now use before we fly and before we come home. ⚖️ I used to carry a tote rather than a backpack but I find the backpack very helpful to have my arms free. I still would bring a tote if I was able to get it on the plane. 😉 I honestly could use another checked bag but I have to handle all of my luggage myself. That's how I control what I bring. 😆 Everyone else has their own luggage to wheel/handle. Everyone else each has 1 checked bag, a rolling carry-on and personal item, either backpack or tote. Our friends from Florida have more luggage than me but they are driving. 😆 Luggage Tags. Will be another post. Of course TSA approved locks on all luggage. 🍹

I think what's frustrating is there isn't a consistency, even on the same ship. 🤞 Great service and food. 🤞 🍹

I wondered if they will get them right, like the room temperature 😉 but I filled it out. I'll report on what happens. 🍹

Celebrity is consistent on being inconsistent. 😆 🍹

Transportation 🚐 Airport We have a car service to take us to the airport and then pick us up when we come home. We could drive and park in the garage right at the airport which we also do but for this trip we decided otherwise. We'll have a Mercedes Sprinter since there are 5 of us and a lot of 🧳 luggage. I'll go over what I take in a different post. 😉 So, there are 6 of us going on the cruise. 4 of us flying. 2 others who live in Florida so they will drive and park at the port. The 5th person going to the airport is a very good family friend who is going to see family in Naples so she is flying with us, staying at the hotel and then being picked up to go across Alligator Alley. She would usually fly into Fort Myers but hasn't flown for a few years and was a little nervous so I came up with this plan. She was very happy with the idea and coordinated going so it lined up with our travel dates. She'll meet back up with us when we disembark and we'll all fly back home together. To the Hotel Hotel Shuttle. * I'll post Hotel info in another post To Port Everglades Uber. I like to use local places and had a company I previously used in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. All good. Have some funny stories but worked well. Had him booked in Oct '21 but he wasn't showing up. He had someone else coming, not him. We waited. I called and eventually said we would find another way. We used Uber. So, Uber it now is. Leaving Port Everglades and then getting to FLL We have a late afternoon flight so we are all going to lunch (friend meeting us). Will use Uber to go to lunch and then to FLL. Home from the airport Same car service 🍹

Lists have lists. Today and tomorrow are full on 'Get ready for the Cruise' days. I have been doing things and checking off my lists but this weekend...some serious prep work has to be done since we fly on Wednesday and my To-Do List still has many things that need to be checked off! 📑 🍹