10/30 - debarkation and Canaveral

Musical Cue:  Jimmy Buffett, "It's Been a Lovely  Cruise"

Debarking from Freedom of the Seas was fairly easy.  We waited in the theater until our number was called, walked right off the ship and collected our luggage. Paid a porter to take all the bags, which meant we cleared customs fairly quickly.

Our plan was to pick up our rental car, drive across the state, and spend a few days with our friends who live outside Tampa. 

But first ...

Musical cue:  David Bowie, "Space Oddity"

When we cruised out of Port Canaveral back in 1987, our vacation package included admission to the Kennedy Space Center.  We decided it was time for a return visit.

You can tell where you are even from the parking lot:

Admission is expensive, but includes a bus tour of the campus as well as all the major exhibits.  We paid an additional fee for a guided bus tour, which includes additional stops.  Our tour guide, John, gave us lots of insights into the comings and goings at Kennedy Space Center, as well as the projects that NASA and private contractors are working on for 2018.  We're going back to the moon!  And that will be the first step in going to Mars.

Vehicle Assembly Building, as viewed from  the bus:





Launch pad:

And up close:

 

 

 

 

 

The various missions:

Musical cue:  Frank Sinatra, "Fly Me To the Moon"

The bus tour ends at the Apollo-Saturn V building, where it's 1968 again. 

One of the best displays in this building has you seated in the control room during a rocket launch.  It includes news footage of the launch as well as activities you'd find in the control room during countdown.

You'll see the rockets, the lunar module, suits worn by the Apollo astronauts.  You can even touch a moon rock. 

We grabbed a couple of burgers here, then took the bus back to the main complex.

Musical Cue:  Elton John, "Rocket Man"

The bus drops you off at the entrance to the building that houses the Atlantis Space Shuttle, the largest exhibit in the main complex.  Outside the building you will see a full-scale model of the rockets that were used to launch the shuttles.  Inside you will find Atlantis, as well as numerous exhibits explaining the shuttle program, and saluting the men and women who flew the shuttles. There's even a simulator that allows you to experience a rocket launch. 

The rockets:

Atlantis:

We'd seen the shuttle prototype, Enterprise, at the Intrepid Museum in NYC, but that display did not allow us to see inside the space craft.  This was fascinating.

Next we walked to the back of the complex to see the memorial:

We realized, at that point, that we'd spent the entire day at the space center, and yet had not seen all of th amazing exhibits they offer.

We paid a visit to the rocket garden on our way out.

 

 

Musical Cue:  Willy Nelson, "On the Road Again"

 

And then it was time to drive across the state to Tampa, and the second half of our vacation.

Sea day 10/29

Our second sea day, and our last full day aboard ship.  The weather report was not promising -- cold and rainy all day.

We started our morning with room service.  And then it was time for the All Access Tour.

We'd done the Carnival Behind the Fun tour when we were on the Valor, and we wanted to see how Royal Caribbean does things.

We were a small group, maybe 13 of us.  The tour took us through the galley, storage areas, engineering, the laundry, the backstage areas of the ice rink and the theater, and finally up to the bridge.  Department head explained how the various functions of the ship are run.

Yes, those are windshield wipers on the windows of the bridge.  We met Captain Toni Calne.  The captain told us this weeks' weather was the worst he had seen in the Caribbean in ages, so bad that he was contemplating port changes for the next cruise to avoid bad weather.

After the tour we headed to the dining room for lunch.  I wish I could tell you what I had for lunch...but I took a few bites, then excused myself and headed back to my cabin with a pounding headache.

Two Advil and a long nap later, we headed to the lounge for some Harry Potter trivia.  Kind of wished my daughter, the Harry Potter expert, had been with us for that one.

We picked up some snaks from the coffee shop and headed back to the cabin to ...sigh...pack.

Lunch main dining room.  Great food.  Headache. Nap.  Harry potter trivia. Snacks from coffee shop.

Our last dinner aboard ship.  Earlier in the day, the chef told us that tonight's special would be fried fish.  Of course I had to try it, along with the French onion soup.  The Pirate King opted for the scallops appetizer and lamb shank entree.  I had key lime pie for dessert, he had the strawberry souffle.  We were both feeling a bit drained, and stuck to Coke instead of cocktails

the evening's entertainment was provided by comedian Jimmy Carol.  frist he did a family-friendly show, which included a performance by the ship's singers and dancers.  Later he did an adult show, which was just slightly risque.

We ended the eveing on the balcony, enjoying the wet and windy weather.

Towel animals

Before I move on to our last day at sea, thought I'd share with you all of the towel animals that graced our cabin. There was one more, a bat we found hanging from the drapes, but the photo didn't come out.

Mexico 10/28

Musical Cue:  Jimmy Buffett, "Mexico"


You must understand that the Pirate King and I are very much into history. When we did our first Western Caribbean cruise, six years ago, we knew we'd have to do an excursion to Mayan ruins.  We looked into several excursion in the Yucatan, but wound up doing a beach day at Isla Pasion (loved the Twister!) and visiting ruins  at Altun Ha in Belize instead.  Labadee was supposed to be our beach day this trip (laugh out loud time), so we planned to visit Mayan ruins in Mexico.  We considered Tulum, but opted for Chichen Itza.

When the ship arrived at Cozumel, we could see that we were not alone -- the Carnival Dream and Liberty of the Seas were with us. After a quick breakfast in Windjammer, we headed to the theater to meet our excursion group.

Musical Cue:  The theme from "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Be forewarned, the excursion to Chichen Itza is not undertaken lightly.  You will be the first off the ship at Cozumel, and the last to arrive.  Your tour will be very, very structured.  You will spend most of your day in transit, you will eat your snack and lunch while traveling, and you will not have time to shop.  Not in Cozumel, not in Playa del Carmen, not even at the site itself.  The trip is worth it to some, but not to all.

The theater was the meeting point for all excursions to the mainland, all excursions that required a ferry ride.  We were given numbered stickers to wear on our shirts to identify which excursion we were on.  We were given an opportunity to buy bottled water and to take seasickness pills.  And let me be clear:  if you have even the slightest tendency towards motion sickness, take the pill!

When our number was called, we were led to the gangway, to the pier, and through the port area to the ferry.  We found seats quickly, and got comfortable.  The ferry crew handed out plastic seasickness bags to all of the passengers.

I will say it again:  if you have any tendency to motion sickness, take the pill.

The ferry got underway, and the water was very, very choppy.  Perhaps more so than usual, given the bad weather in the Caribbean that week.  Neither the Pirate King nor I was affected  by the motion -- despite the fact that we didn't take the pill -- but we pretty much knew we could handle the ferry.  Alas, we were in the minority.  there were at least 8 people who should have heeded my advice:  take the pill!

I would have loved to spend some time in Playa del Carmen, it seemed like a lovely town, but no sooner did we get off the ferry than we were hustled to the spot to meet our tour guide.  I did get a chance to take a picture before we boarded the bus:

We were each handed a paper bag as we boarded the bus. The bag contained a corn muffin, a banana, a bag of chips and a juice box. 

(Yes, I took a picture.) 

We happily snacked while our tour guide, Qualtemo, gave us a lesson in Mayan culture. Temo's lecture was humorous and entertaining and very detailed. 

Once we got to the site, Temo became "all business".  Each of us was handed a radio and headset, so that we could hear Temo wherever we were at the site.   Yes, even in the restrooms (and ladies, you might want to bring some Charmin or Contonelle with you on this excursion!)  Temo kept talking from the moment we entered the site until the moment we re-boarded the bus, explaining all that we were seeing. El Castillo.  The Temple of Warriors.  The Great Ball Court.  The intricate detailing, the carvings. 

It is a truly magnificent site. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although we didn't have time to shop, somehow the Pirate King managed to purchase  a model of El Castillo, which has now joined the souvenirs from Altun Ha on his mantle.


Back on the bus, we were given an authentic Mexican lunch -- a hm and cheese sandwich and a can of "real" Coke, made with sugar cane and not corn syrup:

Temo suggested we each take a siesta on the long ride back to Playa Del Carmen.

Musical Cue:  Supertramp, "It's Raining Again"

Although it was sunny at the site, by the time we got back to Playa del Carmen, the weather had changed.  Temo walked us back to the ferry, and handed each of us a ticket as we boarded.  The ferry ride back to Cozemel was worse than the trip earlier in the day, with high winds making the seas even choppier.  But no, still not seasick. Others weren't as lucky.

Dinner that night was in Chops Grille.  I think this may have been the best meal we ate aboard ship -- he ordered the scallops appetizer, the onion soup and a steak.  I had the crab cake and a veal chop.  And the most decadent dessert. 


There was no entertainment in the theater that night.  Instead, the skaters performed in the ice rink.  We opted out. 

From our balcony we could see the lights of the Mexican coast.  And a single star.

Grand Cayman, 10/27

Musical Cue:  Johnny Nash, "I Can See Clearly Now"

And then we were in the Cayman Islands. 

We'd been here before, in 2010.  And once you've been to Hell and back, there really isn't much to see on Grand Cayman, so we decided to make it a leisurely shopping day.

So we started with a leisurely breakfast in the main dining room.  What a pleasure to have someone serve breakfast, instead of grabbing it from the buffet.  And the Pirate King was ecstatic, he ordered his favorite Eggs Benedict. 

And then it was time to head over to Georgetown.   I've read that the government of the Cayman Islands recently approved building a pier dedicated to the cruise ships that make port here, but for now we were compelled to board a tender. 

We spent some time exploring the shops, looking a jewelry and watches and inexpensive clothing.  I just loved seeing chickens and roosters run around the street of downtown Georgetown. 

Got a really good view of our ship, sitting alongside a Carnival ship:

And then we found ourselves over by the courthouse.   Sort of a "busman's holiday" for me. The Pirate King is a high school teacher, and history is one of his subjects.   There's a mural on the courthouse wall, painted in 2003 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Caymans, portraying all the major events in Cayman history, some details of which fascinated the King so much that he'd shared the stories with his students.

 

 

As we tendered back to the ship, I noticed that the seas were rougher, the wind had picked up, clouds were rolling in.  And then the tendered...stopped.  We just sat out there, on the water.  And my mind drifted to a horror story I'd read on Cruise Critic, how one of the tenders took over 45 minutes to dock with the ship in bad weather. 

It seemed like an eternity, but it really was only about 15 minutes, and then we were docking with the ship.

Musical Cue:  CCR, "Who'll Stop The Rain?"

It started to rain just as we got back aboard the ship, and I found myself singing....

"Long as I remember the rain been comin' down
Clouds of mystery pourin' confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages tryin' to find the sun.
And I wonder still I wonder who'll stop the rain?"


So yes, another rainy day aboard Freedom of the Seas. 

Musical Cue: Lovin' Spoonful, "Do You Believe in Magic?"

Johnny Rockets is one of our favorite hamburger chains.  We love the feel of the 1950's diner, the oldies music playing while you eat.  We knew we'd end up in Johnny Rockets eventually, so a rainy afternoon was the perfect time for a burger and fries. 

The only seats available when we got there were at the counter, but we didn't want to wait for a table.  Good thing we chose the counter --- within a few minutes after we sat down, there was a long line of people waiting to come in. 

And then we noticed that the musical playback was caught in a  loop, playing the same song over and over again.  "Do you believe in magic in a young girls' heart..."  they didn't fix it until it was time for the wait staff to do their line dance. 

The menu here is a bit more limited than in a typical Johnny Rockets, but there were plenty of items to chose from.  We ordered burgers, fries and onion rings.  And yes, some of the waiters made the ketchup smilie face to serve with the fries.  Everything tasted as expected, except for the cheese sauce -- the sauce was bland, almost tasteless.It was the second formal night, and lobster tail was on the menu!  The waiters will bring you as many servings of lobster as you can eat.  But the couple at the table next to ours shared a rumor that Royal Caribbean is planning to drop lobster tail from the main dining room menu....
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Musical Cue:  The Monkees, "I'm A Believer"

The show that night was called "Once Upon A Time", and was a reworking of various fairy tales set to pop hits.  Rapunzel's Prince sang "Hair", Sleeping Beauty was serenaded with "Mr. Sandman", and Red Riding Hood's wolf sang...you guessed it..."Hungry Like the Wolf".  It was a high energy show, much more creative than the Broadway show earlier in the week.  We really enjoyed the performances.

 

Jamaica 10/26

Jamaica, mon!


Musical Cue:  Bobby Bloom, "Montego Bay"

Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line to make port in Falmouth, everyone else goes to Montego Bay or Ocho Rios.  Our cruise director Casey Pelter explains that we're halfway between the other two ports, giving us access to more attractions.

Musical Cue:  Jimmy buffett, "Jamaica Mistaica"

Our excursion this morning is to the Green Grotto and Dunns River Falls.  The bus took us to the caves first, and we all donned hard hats.

As we walked through the caves our guide explained their role in Jamaican history, from pirates to slaves to James bond movies.  Bats ere flying around as we explored the rock formations.

These are the stairs that did me in.  They are wet and neven, and there are no handrails.  I got about halfway down before I abandoned the effort.

Musical Cue:  Joni Mitchell, "Help Me"

And then it was on to Dunns River Falls.

I climbed Dunns River Falls!

On the steps, that is.

I planned to climb the falls.  I really wanted to climb.  But I put one foot in the river, slipped on a rock...and that was it for me.

The Pirate King climbed, and I met him at the top.

Back on the bus, we dined on jerk chicken, curried goat, and rice and beans.

Musical Cue:  Bob Marley, "One Love"

Wherever you go in Jamaica, you are going to hear Bob Marley.  It's like a rule or something.

We did a little shopping, then headed back to the ship.  It sarted to rain while we were on the pier.

Musical Cue:  Harry Belafonte, "Jamaican Farewell"

It was a very relaxed evening aboard ship.  We found a bartender on the Promenade, selling Bahama Mamas in a souvenir glass.  Of course we had to indulge.  In the dining room, the waitstaff were wearing Hawaiian shirts instead of uniforms.  I hadn't realized that the three dining rooms -- Galileo, Isaac and Leonardo (named for three famous scientists) were really one huge space.  the waiters performed a dance on the floor of Leonardo, and those of us in Galileo went to the balcony railing to watch.

The show that night was Edge Effect, five guys who sing a capella.  Their repertoire includes Michael Jackson, the Beatles, and other pop artists.

Musical Cue:  the Sandpipers, "Guantanamera"

We ended our evening on the balcony.  It was too overcast for stargazing, but we were able to see another cruise ship, and the lights of Cuba.

When we were on the Carnival Valor in 2010, as we sailed past Cuba I thought: "This is a close as most Americans will ever get to the island".  Funny how things change.