Haljo1935

We originally had an earlier flight, but seat selections were limited and prices higher, so we moved it a bit later to resolve both those issues.😏 Last time our cruise ended in FLL, we flew back from Miami, but Luggage Direct is not an option for Miami flights. So, we went w/the later flight from FLL.

You are correct the ship excursions end around noon. Viator and Shore Excursions Group (probably others) have tours all day.

Would love to see the hydrangeas lining the roads in bloom - I'm sure it's incredible. It is a beautiful place - even the garage cans are pretty, lol. And hydrangeas even grow there.

It was beautiful! We ended our day w/cappuccino and cheese at a Cafe across the street from our ship.

We will leave her in good condition for you. 🤭 Yes, you can use magnets on the walls (and doors). Key cards have a hole doors are tap to open.

I've noticed that, too. The movies seem to all be playing in the theater. We have only seen 1 movie playing on the outdoor screen - we didn't watch it, just noticed it when we were getting gelato. With the exception of 1 night, the weather has been great for outdoor movie, so it's curious.

We've been cleared and are making our way off the ship - yay!

So far, it looks like we're going to make it; Web Cam says we're getting close.

Thanks! Bow Cam tells me we're coming into Ponta Delgada, which is our last port, so we're about to truly begin the "crossing" portion. This 2nd week will for sure be different than the first. The flag appears to be blowing straight out, so today should be windy. Oh, fun!

How's the HVAC? Glad you asked - Air vent is on far side of the cabin close to the balcony door; beds configured into twins with a sofa between the bed and the balcony. Bathroom is between the entry door and the bed(s). The bed closest to the balcony stays much cooler than the bed nearest the door. Frequently with the thermostat set just slightlyon the cool side, the person in the bed closest to the bathroom needs only the top sheet while the person in the other bed needs the comforter. Hallways, theater and bars are comfortable with no hot/cold extremes noticed; we've been comfortable watching movies and presentations in the theater w/o jackets. MDR and PG tend to be on the cool side so we wear a light jacket or sweater; CO is a meatlocker. One night, the doors to CO were closed and we were praying they'd invite us back to cook our own meals so we could warm ourselves by the stove, lol. We have only eaten in the Lido twice, but I don’t remember being hot or cold and it seems fine when we pass through. Elevators are hot🥵. High Score (the game room) seemed comfortable, but we weren't there long nor were we being active/playing games, so cannot really assess 🤔 Last cruise (Oct 29 - Nov 10) before drydock, temperatures were about the same. In the cabin, the air vent was a bit more forward but not quite centered. The far side of the cabin was noticeably cooler than the side near the bathroom. We were on deck 6 then; we're on 5 now - both times true aft. Not HVAC, but does involve cooling - the fridge works great!!

TV has a good map showing location of Ponta Delgada on the island.

Correct dates for previous cruise are Oct 26 - Nov 10, sorry.

We're getting close - should arrive at Ponta Delgada as scheduled by 8am. According to The Weather Channel, rain should clear out by 4:30 this morning. Is this a new forecast pattern for "don't know," lol? CD Bettyann says to expect most shops will be closed since it's Sunday. We have an independent excursion booked and are really looking forward to seeing the island.

@SusieKIslandGirlLuggage Direct users can still do excursions before going to the airport; we've been to the Everglades, so we're doing the other one (land and sea tour). Since our flight isn't until 6pm, we may go somewhere else for a bit, as well. Since our luggage 🧳 will already be checked at the airport, all we will have is a carry-on tote each, so it will be easy to get around.😊 We'd prefer to stay on until final group, but really like not messing w/luggage and feel giving up the extra 90 min is worth it. Especially since you can still do an excursion (and have choices for them). FWIW, the FLL airport is very near the port which makes for short travel time.

We did not have an issue when we were on last cruise before drydock (Nov 29 - Dec 9). We were deck 6 then; we're deck 5 now.

Tomorrow's Daily for Ponta Delgada

They're preparing to boot us off.😪 Luggage Direct is a great program; highly recommend if you've never tried it. Put your 🎒 in the hallway by midnight like your fellow cruisers and not mess with it again until baggage claim at your destination airport. So nice to not claim it, tote it, check it then reclaim it. I love Luggage Direct 😊

It was lovely, even in such a contrasting place as BB Kings. It just feels different at sea.

Thanks for the mention - go Texas!!

Thanks for following along - hope this helps in some way give you a feel for their cruise. The ship looks lovely with all the holiday decor, so they are definitely in beautiful surroundings. 😊 Let me know if you want a picture of something specific or have a question - I'll try to answer🤔

Sat mass in BB Kings was well attended, standing room only.

Granted it's early evening, but passing by Rudi's just now, empty (again) but for 1 table.

Currently at CD Bettyann's talk on Punta Delgada; she is insisting we will be stopping as we need fuel. No guarantee we will get off, but we're stopping and she feels pretty confident we'll be allowed to get off. So, Yay!!

Monte Cristo was very good; only deduction (and it's really VERY minor) is the powdered sugar was very very lightly dusted onto the plate before the sandwich was put down w/no sugar dusting on top. Not a big deal to us, but I mention it because it was different than what we expected and some might be disappointed. The bread was crispy - yummy!! The brunch is not called out in the Daily - just look at MDR hours on Sea Days - when you see morning to noon hours (ours are 9am - 12:30pm) you will know that's brunch. There's no additional charge for it: although there are items w/surcharge. Watercolor instructor said they do it every sea day. Here's what my travel mate made today.

In case I didn't already share, here's today’s Daily. Clocks went back an hour...