Off Destiny 12-13 Billy Clubs In Nassau!!

[spideyfam]

Off the December 13th sailing on the Dentiny, Had a great time. Food and service were great like usual. No sewer smells to mention. Had an aft wrap.

 

Spent an hour trying to get to the very front of the ship (Lido deck and above), but could not figure it out. We like to stand at the front and take a picture of where we are going. Especially on top of the bridge on the over hang. If anybody knows how to get there, let me know!

 

Half Moon Cay's beaches are like fine sugar. The best sand I have ever seen in all my travels. We did the hour long bike ride for $19.95. We had a tour of the island with a guide. Went to the horse stables, hiking path, and believe it or not, the airport! (actually it is a lagoon where sea planes can land if there are any medical emergencies)

 

We snorkeled in Grand Turk through a carnival excursion. The seas were a little choppy so we had to go to a secondary site. Originally we were supposed to go to a shipwreck. The replacement site was a nice reef. Plenty of fish. Then we went to a private island where Iguanna and other wild life was. Very nice island.

 

Purchased a $300 underwater camera two days before we left. Took 3 pictures under the water then it stopped working. It was a defective camera. Did bring it back to where we bought it and got replacement when we got home. But did not have camera for the last two days of vacation.

 

The most excitement on the trip was in Nassau. Was walking down the street (the street where the back entrance to the Straw Market is). There was a man leaning up again a car with 5 of the traffic cops around him. I don't think they are real police, but maybe I am wrong. They are the ones dressed in red.

 

The man leaning against the car started yelling. All I could get was F this and F that. Then a "no search me". I think he was going to be searched and he didn't want to be.

 

Well next thing you know he pushes one of the cops that was in his face. Next thing you know all 5 of the cops were trying to get the man on the ground. The man was not giving up without a fight. Finally the cops got him on the ground and start pounding him with their billy clubs. A local woman screamed "He is human, you can not treat him like that!" Finally they got cuffs on him and took him away in a car (which did not look like a police car).

 

I had my camera ready to take pictures or video but I chickened out. I was afraid they would take it way from me if I was caught. Wish I dared to do it now, after the fact. Would have made an interesting thread here on CC.

 

After the cruise we had a very late fight at 4pm out of FLL. We decided we didn't want to sit at the airport for five hours so we did the Carnival excursion to take a tour of South Beach which would then bring us to the airport. Very interesting. They dropped us off right at the beach and we had about 2 hours to walk around.

 

Looked for a nice place for lunch (warning-go to bank and take out a loan if you want to eat in a local eatery). Did not want to spend a lot of money so we ended up a TGIF. I know we have one 2 miles from my house here in Maine but it was reasonable.

[richbum]

Wow! I wouldn't want to have been that guy! Great review, and sorry about your camera. We are also from Maine, and will be on the Destiny next week.:D (different itinerary though).

[LBumb]

thanks for posting

[spideyfam]

 

The beautiful beach at HMC

 

 

The airport sign

 

 

 

The horse stable

[spideyfam]

 

Also rode our bikes to the stingray adventure

 

[slmwo]

Can't help but notice the guy in the sweatshirt - was it cool there?

[spideyfam]

 

The boat we took on the excursion

 

 

This was the last picture I took with my camera before it broke

[spideyfam]

Review within a review. Flew into FLL at 8pm on Saturday night. Drove to Orlando and stayed at a Rodeway Inn for $24 a night. Got up early and went to the Magic Kingdom. Spent the day there with a couple we met at our CC Meet and Greet from our Miracle cruise last march. They live in Orlando and met us there. Wayne and Helena (WackeyWayne)..... thank you for being such good friends. We had a great time.

 

 

Self picture in front of castle.

 

Group photo. Misted the entire day. Was a tad chilley (50s) so we wore the ponchos to stay dry and warm

 

Castle at night lit up with "ice"

[spideyfam]

Can't help but notice the guy in the sweatshirt - was it cool there?

 

 

Being from Maine we didn't think it was really cold. High 60s or low 70s or so. It was the wind that chilled things down a bit.

[Sugaraynh]

Hey Spidey!

 

Greetings from NH! I am spending a few days in Orlando prior to my cruise in Feb. Rodeway is one of the hotels I am looking at and the reviews are about 50/50 online...can I get your thoughts? Was it clean? Good area? Would you stay again or would you recommend a higher placed hotel?

 

Also, how long did it take you to drive from FLL to Orlando?

 

Thanks in advance!

[spideyfam]

Room 7325 Aft Wrap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lorijeannj]

Did you try the doors in the showroom (left and right side of stage)to get to the bow.

I know on the Fantasy ships they lead to the bow where not many go.

[spideyfam]

Hey Spidey!

 

Greetings from NH! I am spending a few days in Orlando prior to my cruise in Feb. Rodeway is one of the hotels I am looking at and the reviews are about 50/50 online...can I get your thoughts? Was it clean? Good area? Would you stay again or would you recommend a higher placed hotel?

 

Also, how long did it take you to drive from FLL to Orlando?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Regarding the Rodeway Inn. We booked it through Priceline for $24 a night. We knew it was not going to be a Hilton when we booked. We were only using it a a place to sleep and shower. It did the job. Would I stay there for a week in Orlando? No. But using it to sleep at only, was worth it. I would stay there again just for the price alone. Also, it was right next to a 24 hour Walgreens, so that is where we bought our two 12 packs of Coke.

 

We rented a car directly through Budget. We booked it in September. We checked a couple times a week and the price went from $104 to $54 for the almost 2 days. We kept booking and cancelling. It would be worth checking often.

 

It took about 3 hours to drive from FLL to Kissimmee and 3 1/2 hours to drive from Kissimmee to MIA. We brought our GPS from home and it brought on the Florida Turnpike. One toll was $13.95. So it was almost $17 total EACH way. But it was an easy drive. I just found the Budget receipt. It was 462 mile round trip.

[spideyfam]

Did you try the doors in the showroom (left and right side of stage)to get to the bow.

I know on the Fantasy ships they lead to the bow where not many go.

 

No I didn't. I didn't know there were doors that could go outside there. Wish I had tried them.

[Sugaraynh]

Regarding the Rodeway Inn. We booked it through Priceline for $24 a night. We knew it was not going to be a Hilton when we booked. We were only using it a a place to sleep and shower. It did the job. Would I stay there for a week in Orlando? No. But using it to sleep at only, was worth it. I would stay there again just for the price alone. Also, it was right next to a 24 hour Walgreens, so that is where we bought our two 12 packs of Coke.

 

We rented a car directly through Budget. We booked it in September. We checked a couple times a week and the price went from $104 to $54 for the almost 2 days. We kept booking and cancelling. It would be worth checking often.

 

It took about 3 hours to drive from FLL to Kissimmee and 3 1/2 hours to drive from Kissimmee to MIA. We brought our GPS from home and it brought on the Florida Turnpike. One toll was $13.95. So it was almost $17 total EACH way. But it was an easy drive. I just found the Budget receipt. It was 462 mile round trip.

 

Thanks for the info. We will only be there for 3 nights, so with your review, I think we will book the Rodeway! It's worth it to save the extra money if it is a halfway decent place to stay!

 

Thanks for the tips on the car rental and drive times as well! We were thinking of going to Medieval Times the night we arrived and wanted to make sure we would have time to drive, check in to the hotel and get to the show! We'd be cutting it close, so that was very helpful!

[Julitta]

Great photos, the sand looks amazing!

 

Police are different in different parts of the world. In the Mexican Riviera they stand around in large groups with black uniforms and sub-machine guns, watching to make sure nobody starts anything with the tourists. I once saw a local beaten with clubs, hog tied and thrown in the back of a police pickup truck. I didn't see what he had done.

[Froufie]

Great pics! and too bad about the underwater camera! :(

 

Wondering if you went to the farewell party (last night/free drinks)? If so how was it?

 

Also the 'secret' doors are at the very front of deck 9 - you need to push really hard to get out! Great view from on top of the bridge!

[5waldos]

Is that a typical picture of HFC? I always imagined it more open and less crowded- but maybe I'm imagining it to be another island we used to spend time on.

[jerseygirl79]

It was nice meeting you on board. Your cabin was awesome!!!

[zippybossrock]

Small world....we were on the same cruise and also witnessed the beating that man took in front of the bank in Nassau. We had a our 2 girls, 10 & 6, with us and I pushed them back so they wouldn't see what was going on.

It was very upsetting for my 10 yr old and this was only 10 minutes off of the ship!!!! We were heading to the straw market when we saw this.

[Lyncoya]

WOW, HMC looked INCREDIBLY crowded. We were there in April and it wasn't like that. Was there more than one ship in port that day?

[spideyfam]

Is that a typical picture of HFC? I always imagined it more open and less crowded- but maybe I'm imagining it to be another island we used to spend time on.

 

 

That was only about a third of the beach. About half way down the beach they are building a shipwreck. You can see the top of the lookout in the trees. It's right in the middle of the cabanas. I will post a picture of the whole beach tomorrow after work.

[spideyfam]

Was there more than one ship in port that day?

 

 

We were the only ship. Not sure how that island could handle more than one.

[spideyfam]

Small world....we were on the same cruise and also witnessed the beating that man took in front of the bank in Nassau. We had a our 2 girls, 10 & 6, with us and I pushed them back so they wouldn't see what was going on.

It was very upsetting for my 10 yr old and this was only 10 minutes off of the ship!!!! We were heading to the straw market when we saw this.

 

 

I only saw a 12 - 18 tourists in the area. Not really the kind of thing Nassau wants us to see. They did take him away pretty quickly after they subdued him.

[spideyfam]

It was nice meeting you on board. Your cabin was awesome!!!

 

 

It was great to have the two meet and greets. Maybe we will cross paths again onboard!