Welcome to the Chronicles of
~ the Second Noordam Adventure ~ the 15th Anniversary Cruise ~
12/06/2008 - 12/17/2008
12/8 - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
Good morning all! We are here at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Currently, it is 74F, and the seas are flat calm. Here is the Morning View:
And, if you look a little to the left from the balcony: That is the Westerdam, another of Holland America's ships. She'll be here on Half Moon Cay with us today. And from what some of the other people who have been onboard for the 10 day trip before ours (yes, they did a 20 day back to back cruise - we dobn't like those people!), Half Moon Cay is going to be quite crowded with 2 ships in. Yesterday was an interesting day. Ft Lauderdale was a very busy day. In the hour that we went out, there were 8 ships going to sea. As a result, we left later than what we are used to in NYC. Back in NY, we would have the life boat drill (for those who don't know what that is, it is when everyone puts on their life preservers and goes to their lifeboat stations. One day I will bring a camera, and take some pictures - it is a wildly funny scene) by 3pm, and pull out by 4pm or so. Not here. We had the life boat drill at 4:15pm, and I think everyone was bored waiting for it, so they went to their stations before the alarm sounded. Carol and I were hanging out in the stateroom until the alarm sounded, put on our life preservers, and went down to Deck 3 (our stateroom is on Deck 8). We didn't really dilly-dally at all, and we were among the last to our station.
After hiking back up to the stateroom (forget trying to take an elevator!), we went to the fly bridge (the exterior deck above the bridge - this deck on this ship is not easily or obviously accessible, so it is pretty empty) to check out the view for departing. It was close to sunset when we went out, and since the port is right near the airport, we were watching the planes landing.
They have comfy seating, too, on this deck (not that we used it, so I don't really know if it is comfy or not, but I like the design, and the fact that it has the ship's name on it):
When we left, we got to see a sight you almost never see - these are the 4 ships that pulled out immediately before us, as we were in the channel headed out:
As we were walking around, Carol did find a chair she thought was comfy, and fitting of position as Princess or Empress (depending on the audience):
One comment I should make is that the ship is decorated for the holidays, although in a very understated manner. There are trees in many of the elevator lobbies, and much garland and Christmas balls and lights on the rails, but they have a tree hanging from the big compass that is in the main lobby. It is very pretty, but sways quite a bit in the seas (and last night's seas were less than 5 feet!): Dinner last night was quite good. We are seated at a table for 8, and only 6 of us were there last night. There is a gay couple (at least I presume they are gay), Clay and Dennis who are from Orlando, and there is Don and Mary, and I am not sure where they are from. Don can't hear much, and naturally he was seated at the end of a long table. They were here for the 10 day run before ours (yeah, one of those people we don't like much), and were seated at the same table for their entire cruise (although with a different waiter this leg). Mary's motto is "Get old, then you can do what you want - it just hurts more!" They're retired. Clay and Dennis are in their 50s someplace, I would guess, and have traveled quite a bit, although they don't go for the swim stuff like we do - more history, culture and architechure are their things. Everyone was very nice. The show last night was lackluster. It was okay, but lacked pop. Hopefully, it will get better. There is a comedian tonight, so we'll see how that goes. Well, I think we are going to do a bit of snorkeling today. The private island thing has never been a big hit with me, and we are debating if we have ever been here before. When we were on Radiance of the Seas (a trip I did not blog), we went to one of these islands, and it was okay, but no great shakes. I think it was the same island, and that they have developed it a bit. Carol thinks it was a different island. We'll see. If it is the same island, hopefully I will find the same hammock I found last time, under a swaying palm. We'll see!
3:30pm Okay, I learned a valuable life lesson today. The room keys that you get on the cruise ships do not float! Driver's licenses from the state of Massachusetts do!
We took a tender over to Half Moon Cay. The island is not the same one that we went to onboard the Radiance of the Seas. This is a much nicer island! It is the one that we almost got to go to when we were on the Norwegian Dawn, where the tenders were being swamped (readers of my first blog will remember the story). This place is quite beautiful, with a really nice BIG beach, tons of sunchairs, clamshells, and little shacks that you can rent with a/c and butlers (yeah, that's no typo). THey also have a nice food pavillion and a Ben & Jerry's. Overall, quite nice.
As we were walking down the corridor to the tender, a couple introduced themselves as the people who live in the cabin next to ours. Their names are Greg & Trish. We had a great time with them, used their clamshell to keep our stuff, and they introduced us to another couple who live down the hall, Chris & Jan. We swam together, had lunch together, and might even do some excursions together. So, here we are swimming in this gorgeous (albeit cool) water, when I happen to look to my right, and there are these cards floating int he water. I grab them, and notice that they are my and Carol's driver's licenses! I had them, along with our room keys/boarding-cards/shipboard-credit-cards in my swimsuit pocket. Needless to say, they got put ina zippered pocket after that. So, let my mistake be a lesson to all of you! Massachusetts Driver's Licenses may be used as a floatation device in the event of an emergency!
Here is what the 2 ships looked like from the beach: It was great to be back in the water, even if it wasn't for snorkeling. I got a little sun, got wet, and felt like I was on vacation. It was great! Tomorrow is a sea day, so no swimming, but then we get to St Thomas and our visit to St John. Hopefully we can get a jeep! Tomorrow, we'll do a ship's tour for you guys, room tour (should be interesting, since I left all the wide angle lenses home!), and there is the Cruise Critic Meet & Greet. Tonight, as I think I mentioned, there is a comedy. We'll see how that goes! We have just started heading toward St Thomas, and I think there is a snack in my immediate future! I'll talk to you soon.
7:13pm Well, I had a few minutes before dinner, and I thought I would write a few lines. Since I last wrote, we did indeed go up and have a snack - a couple of slices of pizza. Then I made the mistake of walking the weather decks. You see, the wind had picked up, so being outside really wasn't such a good idea. So we decided to go down to Deck 3 and walk. Unfortunately, Deck 3 has the ship's shopping prominade on it. And naturally, they were having a champagne unveiling of jewelry - in just 15 minutes. Thoseof you who know me well know that the words that stir fear and anxiety in my heart more than any others are "Let's just look." I have bought houses and cars after hearing those three little words, and this was no execption. My only consolation in the matter is that the people that we met at the Cheesecake Factory back in Ft Lauderdale, Chuck and Grace, were there as well. Needless to say, I was not the only one who suffered the consequences of those three little words.
This is our little purchase. It really is quite lovely, and the picture doesn't really do it justice. I guess my anniversary shopping was done for me (not to say that I hadn't already gotten her something, but...) After shopping, the four of us decided that we needed a drink. Okay, Chuck and I decided that we needed a drink, and the girls came with us. We went down to Deck 2, where we found the bar that Linda, Gail, Carol and I used to go to for Grapefruit Cosmos. Now, after our last cruise, Carol, Linda and I (mostly me) tried in vain to recreate this drink. Many grapefruits and ounces of vodka were sacrified to this ultimately unsuccessful effort. We were going back to the scene of the crime to see if the drinks are still as good as they were 2 years ago. Grace and Chuck had never had one of these, so it was going to be an experience for them. I am happy to report that the drinks are still fabulous (and it makes me crazy that I can't do them myself!!!!!), and that Grace and Chuck loved them. We might have found new people to have pre-dinner drinks with. There goes the drinking budget! The winds have picked up considerably this evening, and the seas are whipped up a bit - as in 3-5 feet. It makes a big difference in how the ship moves, even though it is not bad. So far today, it has been really calm. I am really looking forward to our first sea day. Carol just told me that the Culinary Arts Theater is having a demonstration tomorrow, so I might try to see that - they only had one last cruise, and it conflicted with the Meet & Greet I had set up, so I couldn't see it. This should be fun. Also tomorrow is the first Art Auction! Of course, it happens at the same time Carol is scheduled for a pedicure, so I can buy whatever I want!!! For my anniversary gift!!! lol Yeah, right. But I will let you know how it is! Plus, I can tell you how the comedian is tonite. You guys have so much to look forward to - you poor slobs! Talk to you all soon! Til then.... Keep Smiling!!!
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