Where In the World Are Tom and Jet

[NMLady]

https://optometricbilling.com/tricare-eyemed/

 

For those of you who want to follow the posts, here is the link for it. You can click on this and then bookmark it as one of your favorites. Also, you can click on the Thread Tools button at the top of the page and receive emails when something new is posted.

 

Thanks for following along as we get ready to start our journey in a few days.

 

Is this the correct link for your CRUISE blog???

[DaveEv]

Sure looks like his business blog....

[bay guy]

NM Lady, sorry for the incorrect link. Not sure you’d be interested in reading about optometric politics :)

 

As someone said, the easiest thing to do is click on Thread Tools and subscribe to the blog.

[bay guy]

VERY GLAD we flew in today. It sounds like we’re going to get lots of snow back home tonight. Traffic and everything else gets ugly real fast there when it snows and we most likely wouldn’t have made it to the cruise tomorrow.

 

We made it to FLL today with only a short delay in Charlotte waiting for a replacement for an ill flight attendant. Pretty chilly here in FLL.

 

After we checked into the hotel, we went down to get some dinner. As we were leaving, another couple stopped us to ask if we were going on the World Cruise (WC). We talked for a while and found out that both couples have the same wedding anniversary date of St. Patrick’s Day!

 

First time that’s happened and Jet feels like it’s a good omen.

 

Well, getting things together tonight to head to the ship tomorrow. Can’t wait!

[bay guy]

We made it!!!

 

It’s been a very long day. We left the hotel around noon and arrived at the terminal quickly. We had to wait in line about 45 minutes to check in.

 

After we dropped our bags by the cabin, we explored the ship a little bit. It’s very pretty and seems to be very well maintained. All of the crew members we’ve met so far have been extremely friendly.

 

One of the things that’s really stood out is the beautiful fresh flower arrangements all over the ship. Whomever is doing them is extremely talented. I’ll try to post a few pictures tomorrow.

 

The food at the Lido cafe for lunch was very good and there was a great selection of hot and cold choices. I found the deli and salad bar sections as well as the dessert area.

 

After we had lunch, we had explored some more and then did the lifeboat drill.

 

By the time we got back to the cabin, more of our luggage had arrived and we unpacked and stashed things all over the cabin. I’ve really been impressed by the amount of closet and storage space in the cabin and the size of the cabin overall.

 

After unpacking, we went to dinner and had a great waitstaff who kept us laughing and did a great job serving us quickly.

 

After dinner, we stumbled upon the going away party in the covered pool area and enjoyed watching people dance and listening to the music.

 

Now it’s off to bed. There is no way I’ll have any trouble sleeping tonight!

 

More tomorrow.

[RuthC]

Congratulations on making it all the way to the start. Now time to relax and have the experience of your life.

Enjoy.

[bay guy]

First full day at sea was busy. We had a Cruise Critic Meet and Greet today and I would say that more than 200 people showed up.

 

We checked out the water painting and crafts classes and they both look like they’ll be very interesting to participate in.

 

Met some nice folks at trivia, one from Virginia and two from Australia. Our team came in second place. Who knew that one of the first things we shipped to Cuba when we started some trade with them in 2001 was several tons of frozen chicken legs?

 

We hope to stop in Grand Cayman tomorrow but the winds are supposed to be fairly high and we have to tender ashore. I know that Captain Jonathan will make sure we’re safe.

 

Starting to get a little warmer. In the 60s today and 77 predicted for tomorrow.

[freestyling]

Following along..thanks for posting your journey

[ski ww]

Going to be fun following along with your cruise. At least the weather will get better.

Allan

[Gaia67]

Looking forward to your second day.

 

 

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[rafinmd]

Very glad you flew in a day ahead. I flew in the day you embarked (boarded Crystal Serenity Friday) and things were ok in Baltimore but we seemed to be a pocket of sanity in an out of control region.

 

Watched your sailaway from the 17th Street bridge and an on time sailaway suggests things are going especially well on your cruise.

 

Enjoy!

 

Roy

[edsal1966]

First full day at sea was busy. We had a Cruise Critic Meet and Greet today and I would say that more than 200 people showed up.

 

We checked out the water painting and crafts classes and they both look like they’ll be very interesting to participate in.

 

Met some nice folks at trivia, one from Virginia and two from Australia. Our team came in second place. Who knew that one of the first things we shipped to Cuba when we started some trade with them in 2001 was several tons of frozen chicken legs?

 

We hope to stop in Grand Cayman tomorrow but the winds are supposed to be fairly high and we have to tender ashore. I know that Captain Jonathan will make sure we’re safe.

 

Starting to get a little warmer. In the 60s today and 77 predicted for tomorrow.

e

 

Glad you guy’s are having a good time

Dorothy & Ed

[bay guy]

Well the day went by quickly. We were at Grand Cayman. The weather was so so. Very cloudy with an occasional sprinkle but about 77 degrees.

 

We had to be tendered to shore and it took the crew a good while to get things operating smoothly. Hopefully, that won’t be an issue at other ports since we have several tendered ports.

 

We went ashore to look around and buy some things, that believe it or not, we forgot to pack even though they were on our packing lists.

 

We’re going to take some watercolor classes and the instructor told us that we would end up getting paint on our clothes that wouldn’t wash out. We were going to get a couple of long aprons but couldn’t find anything like that so one of the store employees suggested a tee shirt. So off we went to find a couple of inexpensive tee shirts for our class. A very helpful young store clerk helped us find exactly what we wanted.

 

After we came back to the ship and had an afternoon snack, we played trivia again and then went back to our cabin to relax and read, with perhaps a short nap thrown in there as well.

 

Right now, we’re waiting for the evening show to start. Last night, they had an ABBA tribute group perform. The two ladies had beautiful voices and the two guys were excellent musicians.

 

We turn time back an hour tonight. Tomorrow is another sad day as we head to Costa Rica on Monday.

[bay guy]

Well. the sun gods blessed us today. 80 degrees and sunny with light winds. We're at sea headed to Costa Rica for our next stop tomorrow.

 

Saw another great show last night. The performer was playing a XyloSynth, which is basically a xylophone that is blended with a synthesizer. He was able to mimic several different instruments while playing it like a xylophone.

 

Today has been busy. We had our first watercolor class. I doubt that our children will have to worry about either of us producing a painting that would ever fetch more than about $1.25 at an art auction.

 

Then we did a craft class where we made small next pouches to carry our ship card and a few other necessary items when we go ashore. The teacher is very enthusiastic. We actually met her while sanding in line to check in the other day and, in the midst of rolling suitcases and other bags to check in, she insisted on showing his her full book of projects. She and her helper have spent a huge amount of prep time getting things ready.

 

Tonight is the Captain's reception and our entertainer is a comedian.

 

Food for all meals has been absolutely fabulous and Jeanette and I are starting to feel like we may have discovered a new favorite cruise line based upon service, food and facilities.

 

One of the young ladies working in the Lido Cafe was teaching us the names used for various members of the family on Bali. We learned that the first born child in the family is Putu and the second is Made. Sometimes they go by that name or they may go by a second name. Very interesting to learn about different cultures.

 

More tomorrow.

[bay guy]

Day 5. Limon, Costa Rica

Sunny, 80+ degrees with cool breeze.

 

Had an interesting day today when we took a tour of the rain forest and along a canal near the Port which is on the Caribbean side of the country. We saw several sloths and a great variety of pretty birds along with some howler monkeys and a crocodile.

 

My impress was that, while everyone we met was nice, it definitely isn’t the richest country with lots of folks living in fairly beat up and worn out houses. Those houses that seemed nicer all had concertina wire strung across the tops of their walls surrounding the house and some even had electrified wire fences on top of their walls.

 

The ship and crew continue to be fabulous. We’re going to need another suitcase just to carry all of the gifts they keep leaving in our cabins at night. So far, we’ve each received a nice messenger bag, which is great for carrying our computers and iPads around, a very nice travelers journal and, since we’re going,to transit the Panama Canal tomorrow, we each received a Panama straw hat.

 

Saw another great show tonight done by the ship’s group of singers and dancers. Some of the dance moves the men did would have landed me in the hospital for a couple of weeks!

 

I’m going to try to attach a couple of ship pictures after I am able to resize them properly.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Just found your WC blog!! Now I have 4 blogs I’m reading! Have a Great cruise looking forward to more reviews.

Denise:)

[bay guy]

Day 7, Transiting the Panama Canal

Sunny w/ occasional rain and 85+ degrees

 

We started our transit at 6 a.m. this morning and finished about 6 p.m.

 

Looking at the dense jungle on either side of the canal, I can’t imagine working here to dig the original canal in the early 1900s. Our narrator said 30,000 people died building the canal which opened in 1914.

 

We went through the locks on the original part of the canal but saw a couple of ships going through the new section built for the Panamax Plus ships which are huge and carry about 11,000 containers.

 

We’re anchored off Fuerte Amador tonight and will tender into power tomorrow. Morning to look around and find a couple of other things we forgot to pack.

 

Saw another great show this evening by the group that did the Abba show the other night. Tonight was Billy Joel and Elton John songs.

 

Until tomorrow.

[ski ww]

I loved doing the canal transit. Spent most of the day wandering around taking pictures.

Allan

[bay guy]

January 12, 2018

We’re now in our second of 8 days at sea until we reach the French Polynesian island of Huku Niva. Who knew such a place existed?

The last 2 days haven’t been the best. Unfortunately, Jet has come down with the flu, in spite of having had the flu shot. I think she may have gotten it from an inconsiderate passenger who was on a tour with us earlier this week who sat behind us on the bus and coughed her head off. I expected her left lung to fly over the seat any second, she was coughing so hard.

As a result, Jet has been confined to the cabin until she is fever free for 24 hours. I can’t say enough good about the staff on this ship. Our room steward has been there at short notice to clean our cabin and change bed linens etc and servers in the dining room that we met only once for a few minutes are addressing me by name and asking for Jet by name as well. They all want to send her food and drink so she gets better faster!

In between shuttling food and beverages to Jet, I have been busy participating in trivia games and have also found my artistic side in both watercolor class and craft class. I actually sewed a small purse yesterday and made a necklace today. Some of the ladies around me have taken pity on me and helped with the sewing, one even threaded my sewing needle for me, and another helped me design a beaded necklace we made in craft class today.

Watercoloring is interesting. The teacher is very good but she reminds me of an old strict school teacher. If anyone is talking, she stops and won’t go on until they stop. One of the friends we’ve made on board commented to me today that she’d never been in an adult course where the students were scolded.

The seas have been very calm the past 2 days and it seems like they’ll stay that way for at least a couple of more days.

 

Well, have to go now. Tine to take Jet to the infirmary for her afternoon temperature check. Fingers crossed that it’s dropped since this morning.

[MereBooty]

January 12, 2018

The last 2 days haven’t been the best. Unfortunately, Jet has come down with the flu, in spite of having had the flu shot.

 

 

I hope she is feeling better. One of the strains going around is a type that is difficult for vaccines to target. It is a bad flu season.

[edsal1966]

January 12, 2018

We’re now in our second of 8 days at sea until we reach the French Polynesian island of Huku Niva. Who knew such a place existed?

The last 2 days haven’t been the best. Unfortunately, Jet has come down with the flu, in spite of having had the flu shot. I think she may have gotten it from an inconsiderate passenger who was on a tour with us earlier this week who sat behind us on the bus and coughed her head off. I expected her left lung to fly over the seat any second, she was coughing so hard.

As a result, Jet has been confined to the cabin until she is fever free for 24 hours. I can’t say enough good about the staff on this ship. Our room steward has been there at short notice to clean our cabin and change bed linens etc and servers in the dining room that we met only once for a few minutes are addressing me by name and asking for Jet by name as well. They all want to send her food and drink so she gets better faster!

In between shuttling food and beverages to Jet, I have been busy participating in trivia games and have also found my artistic side in both watercolor class and craft class. I actually sewed a small purse yesterday and made a necklace today. Some of the ladies around me have taken pity on me and helped with the sewing, one even threaded my sewing needle for me, and another helped me design a beaded necklace we made in craft class today.

Watercoloring is interesting. The teacher is very good but she reminds me of an old strict school teacher. If anyone is talking, she stops and won’t go on until they stop. One of the friends we’ve made on board commented to me today that she’d never been in an adult course where the students were scolded.

The seas have been very calm the past 2 days and it seems like they’ll stay that way for at least a couple of more days.

 

Well, have to go now. Tine to take Jet to the infirmary for her afternoon temperature check. Fingers crossed that it’s dropped since this morning.

Dorothy & I hope Jet feels better and you do not get the flu. In a couple of day’s all will be well and both will enjoy the cruise

Dorothy & Edwin

[edsal1966]

We hope Jet feels better. You stay well. In a couple of day’s all will be back to normal and you guy’s will continue to enjoy your cruise .

We are expecting 1in. of snow this Wednesday.

Dorothy & Edwin

[LabeYoung]

Looking forward to reading about your adventure. Hope to be there for your sail away. Enjoy. Bon Voyage.

Allan

 

 

 

Enjoying reading your post and following you

 

 

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[bay guy]

January 13, 2018

Another calm day at sea with fairly smooth seas and comfortable temperatures.

Just wanted to correct something from my last post. Our first island stop will be Nuku Hiva.

Unfortunately, we spent a good bit of the day in the infirmary. In spite of her improved cough and no more fever, Jet became dehydrated and her potassium levels were out of line so she had to have IV fluids and potassium to get her back on track.

The good thing is that, with her fever being gone, she’s no longer confined to the cabin.

Now we just need to get her energy level back to normal. The doctor says he feels she’s “over the hump” now in her healing process.

We’re very impressed by the infirmary staff. They have 2 doctors who have had a wide range of experience and 3 nurses who have at least 3 years of critical care nursing experience before they are considered for hiring. All of them are very kind and understanding. We’ll have to figure out some sort of gift to give them for their care and kindness.

 

Five more sea days before we hit port.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just got caught up with your "Live" reports.

Great reading.

I am so enjoying reading what everyone is doing on this cruise.