2016-08-07 - Sunday - End of the cruise

Sunday we got off the ship and headed home, but not before standing in long lines at customs. That's always fun.

We took our bus back to our car and headed north from Port Canaveral. It's about a nine-hour trip and we were glad to be home at the end of it.

My final thoughts on the trip were that I would not do a Caribbean cruise again. I am not a sun-worshipper like the folks partying on the deck, and I don't have too much to do on the islands. I would love to have tried some snorkeling, but the ulcer on my foot was acting up again and I couldn't do it.

The standouts for me about St. Thomas and St. Maarten/St. Martin were the iguanas and the bus tour, respectively.

I enjoyed the food and entertainment on the ship, but the best part of every day was sitting down with my family and in-laws at one large table and enjoying each others' company while eating.

Just like we do in PA and at the NJ shore.

Bon voyage.

2016-07-31 - Sunday - Cruising

Sunday we got on our ship, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas to cruise the Caribbean for seven days. My in-laws came with us and we had eleven people all together.

We left out of Port Canaveral and were headed to Cococay in the Bahamas.

Our schedule was:
7/31 Port Canaveral
8/1   Cococay (Bahamas)
8/2   day at sea
8/3   St. Thomas
8/4   St. Maarten
8/5   day at sea
8/6   day at sea
8/7   Port Canaveral

These cruise ships are getting larger and larger and they carry a small city. The Freedom of the Seas is 1112 ft long, 185 ft beam, 28 ft draft, and has a crew of 1360. That's a small town by itself, add the passengers and you have a city.

Our cabin was 159 sq ft, and half of it was beds.
The kids bunks came down from the ceiling.

A Carnival ship left first.

Watching us turn around and head out.
Eva, Justin, Scott, John, Ryan, Meredith, and Stephanie.

The Flow Rider was fun to watch.

The main promenade inside.

Scott and Rich on the bridge.

Meredith and Ryan walking the deck.

Cruising off into the afternoon.

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