Sailing across the sea…

Rain and clouds as we cross the ocean.

The threat of rough seas has subsided for the time being. The ill passenger was dropped off by tender in Bermuda. Within hours the ship was back on course for the Atlantic crossing. We sighed with relief.

When returning from dinner each night we find these little towel characters on our turned down bed.

The Norwegian Epic, rated a five out of six stars by Cruise Critic, lives up to its reviews as a quality vessel with the utmost of amenities and services.  A few items we’ve observed in the three days on the Norwegian Epic include:

1. There are only two banks of elevators resulting in very long walks getting from one end of the ship to the other.
2.  One of the two pools is currently under repair. This is located in an area where hundreds of passengers could conceivably relax on lounge chairs with no pool in which to cool off, weather providing.
3.  The evening meals, in the “included” restaurants, is mediocre at best. Is this a ploy to encourage  passengers to use the “cover charge” restaurants ranging from $10 to $40 per person? Breakfast in the Garden Cafe is quite good, cafeteria style, food is fresh with real eggs upon request and they have smoked salmon, a favorite of mine.
4.  Our prior four cruise ships since January 3, 2013, have had traditional long decks on both the port and starboard sides of the ship, suitable for walking and lounging. The picture we’ve always had in mind, was of crossing the sea, in expected inclement weather, covered in a blanket while lying on a lounge chair reading a book. That’s not possible on the ship.  Lounge chairs are near the pool areas only.
5.  No indoor daytime movies which would be a treat with the cool, windy weather.  Few educational classes are available (although Tom will attend a WWII seminar this afternoon).  Big push for the “pay for” services:  gambling, shopping, spa and cocktails.  None of this is unusual by cruise standards. 
6.   Limited evening entertainment as compared to our experience on the Celebrity ships when each night there was new entertainment options.  We went to the “Blue Man Group” on our first night aboard the Epic, which was quite enjoyable but it repeats every night in the main venue, leaving only two other shows with are included in the cruise fare plus,  one “pay for” option, a Cirque de Soleil type show at $40 per person including dinner for which we won’t partake.
7.  Poor Internet connection, slower than old fashioned “dial-up.”  Price for the Internet at $.40 per minute is outrageous, highest we’ve paid thus far.

This morning we attempted to attend a seminar entitled, “Running a Floating Hotel” presented by three top officers, including the captain.Without a seat available after arriving 15 minutes early, we only stayed a few minutes when Tom was unable to hear the presentation and I preferred not to stand for over an hour in a crowded area. With the older crowd aboard this ship, we will need to arrive at least a half hour early for events in the future.

Some items we like about the Norwegian Epic:
1.  Our cabin steward, Arnold, is absolutely among the finest.
2.  Our cabin has tons of storage space, a huge shower, with a comfortable bed and exquisite bedding with extra pillows.
3.  The entire ship is impeccably clean and organized.
4.   All of the staff is friendly, saying hello when passing, ultra courteous when providing service, referring to us as: Ms. Jessica and Mr. Tom
5.  Last night when dining with yet a new batch of four delightful passengers in the Taste Restaurant, the Assistant  Maître D, Steven Metzger, immediately tended to me when I had requested a gluten free, starch free, low carb, grain-free, and sugar-free meal. He couldn’t have been more helpful, checking back several times during the carefully prepared meal and showing me the next night’s menu to order in advance to ensure my order complies. I didn’t mind ordering in advance when doing so results in less attention drawn to my complicated diet while others are trying to order.  Tonight, when we meet our new friends for dinner, my order will already be posted with the chef, listed under of cabin number, streamlining the process.
6.   Due to the sheer size of this 6000 potential passenger ship (including crew) there’s less sensation of movement. With five days remaining crossing the sea until our first port of call in Funchal Madeira, Portugal, we expect rough seas, as warned by the captain over the loud speaker.  Yes, doors sway open and closed, along with the endless creaking and cracking sounds, day and night. One may feel they’re losing their footing when walking as the ships rocks to and fro. None of this bothers either of us, nor have we had a moment of seasickness thus far.  We shall see how it progresses.
Mr. Penguin.
Overall, we’re pleased to be aboard the Norwegian Epic for the this cruise.
Breakfast this morning in the Garden Café.
Embarking on our next cruise on May 6th, we’ll sail through the Suez Canal to the Middle East, ending aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. We’ll visit Jordan and Egypt ending in Dubai, United Arab Emirates where we’ll stay for 13 nights. 
Next time there’s a seminar, we’ll arrive a half hour early to ensure we are able to find seats.

We’re doing well, meeting interesting people, relishing in our pleasant surroundings, living life one moment at a time, happy to be together and totally in awe of the world around us.  At times, we look at each other, shaking our heads one of us saying, “Can you believe we’re
doing this?”

Ship taking a detour today…Sick passenger being dropped off in Bermuda, plus rough seas…

Our ship, the Norwegian Epic is taking a detour today to drop off an ill passenger in Bermuda. 

This morning, the captain made this announcement as well as warning us we will be approaching rough waters today. He said, “Hang on, folks. You paid for this in your ticket.” Oh.

Plus, our Internet connection is really awful. We will write here with updates but will be unable to post any photos today for this reason.

The weather is very windy and cool. It doesn’t appear we’ll be enjoying any poolside lounging as we sail across the ocean. 

Last night, we had a one hour time change and will experience several more the closer we get to Europe.

Back in touch with updates throughout the day.

Be well.

Published newspaper story about us…

The health club is impressive on the Epic.
 All the equipment I use is readily available, not the case on the Carnival cruises.
 The massage therapists were waiting for passengers to jump on their tables.
The Chanhassen Villager had requested an updated article from us.  On April 4, 2013 they published this story, a second in a possible series.  A friend informed us that they read in the paper. 
 Photo of a photo of the Norwegian Epic on its maiden voyage in 2010.

Here is the actual article, which I wrote based on their request, submitted about a month ago.  I didn’t realize until yesterday that it had been published.

A bar and sitting area.

This story doesn’t include our most recent travels.  Below is the link to the newspaper and the story:

By Jess Lyman | Posted:
Thursday, April 4, 2013 3:12 pm

Editor’s note: Earlier this year, Jess and Tom Lyman, formerly of Chanhassen, headed out on a worldwide travel adventure with no set end date in mind. We’ve kept track of them via their travel blog. This week Jess emailed a commentary on how they’re doing so far, three months into the first leg of their travel. Content to stay home, cooking great meals, visiting with family and friends, spending our requisite lounging time in front of the TV lost in mindless drivel, we were no different than the
average baby boomer population.
Whatever possessed us to sell it all, leaving family, friends and a comfortable familiar life behind escapes us. Now, as we sit on our veranda, less than 20 feet from the Caribbean Sea, the constant calming sound of the sea as background music to our ears.

We left it all. On Jan. 3, 2013, and we boarded the Celebrity Century in San Diego, Calif., on our way through the Panama Canal, to begin a 5- to 10-year long journey that, at this point, knows no end.Health providing, we’ll continue on until we don’t want to any more, until we tire of hauling our luggage, or until we feel a compelling desire to stay put. When this journey began we made a pact; if one of us wants to stop, we will. Plain and simple. We’ll find a place to live for a year or more until we decide on a more permanent home or, perhaps staying put for awhile, we may be ready to begin anew, back to our life
on the move. There’s no need to decide now.

In January 2012, we began our research, deciding to document our discoveries in a blog for our family and friends with the intent that everyone would always know where we are at any given time. Much to our surprise, our blog, www.WorldWideWaftage.com has continued to grow attracting readers all over the world. With over 40,000
visits to our blog thus far, we anticipate it will continue to grow as we progress further along in our travels.

Since leaving the United States on Jan. 3, 2013, its readership has quadrupled! For the past two months since Jan. 29 with two cruises behind us, we landed by ship in Belize City, Belize, in Central America, formerly known as British Honduras, a charming, behind-the-times-digitally, English speaking country of over 350,000, rooted in history, with mixed cultures including Mayan, Creole, Mestizo, Africa, East India, Syrian and Lebanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Mennonites, Korean and the
local Garifuna.

After a four-hour treacherous drive south on the renowned Hummingbird Highway, we arrived for a one-week stay in a cottage on the beach, later to move to the exquisite Laru Beya Resort in the cozy town of Placencia, a narrow, roughly 20-mile long peninsula. Known for its white sand beaches, relaxed lifestyle, exquisite vegetation, and adventure activities geared for the not-so-faint-of heart, Placencia’s quaint little village offers an eclectic selection of restaurants, diners, shops and small grocery stores.

Accommodating a special diet
Twenty months ago in an effort to improve our health, we embarked on a strict low-carb, wheat-free, grain-free, starch-free and sugar-free diet. Tom subsequently lost 45 pounds and for the first time in 20 years, I am pain free. Had we not taken this drastic step, it would have been impossible for us to travel to this extent. Unable to find foods we took for granted in the U.S, we’ve learned to eat differently taking advantage of the local grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and eggs and organic vegetables. We’ve adapted.

What’s next?
Plans after April 9, when we are scheduled to leave Belize? We’re off on six cruises over the next two months, including a trans-Atlantic cruise to Barcelona on April 20. On May 5, we’ll be traveling through the Suez Canal to see the Great Pyramids, Giza and the Sphinx ending in Dubai for a two week stint in the 95-story second tallest residential tower in the world, overlooking Palm Jumeira, the renowned man-made island on the coast of Dubai.

This upcoming summer we’ve rented a 17th century stone villa in Tuscany until Aug. 31 when we’ll fly to Kenya for a three-month stay in an ocean-front house in Diani Beach. After a few safaris to see the Great Migration, we’ll fly to South Africa to live on the edge of Kruger National Park where the animals roam free around the house we’ve rented.

This week we booked a two-and-a-half-month stay in a small palace with a full staff in Marrakesh, Morocco, on our way out of Africa for March 1 to May 15, 2014. The song, the “Marrakesh Express” is spinning through our heads as we’re unable to wipe the smiles off of our faces. We’re very grateful.

Yes, it goes on and on. A dream we never knew we had, a vision for spending the “golden years,” cherishingevery moment, living in the moment and anticipating the next moment to come. So far, life is good on the move.
For daily updates on the
Lymans’ travels visit their blog at www.WorldWideWaftage.com.

Check out the price of Absolute Vodka in the duty-free shop.  We brought one bottle of Cognac which wasn’t confiscated much to our surprise.

During the day today we met an amazing couple from the US, now living in France, Puerto Rico, California and New York, world travelers like us.  Sharing our stories and motivation for stepping outside the box was refreshing and exciting. 

One of the many dining areas below the massive crystal chandelier.

Tomorrow night, the four of us will dine together in the Manhattan Dining Room where we dined last night, having met another enjoyable group of passengers.  The food was mediocre, the companionship…divine!

We changed ships!…Heavenly!..Back to back cruises again, same cabin…

Our new huge ship, the Norwegian Epic with 4200 passengers and 1750 crew. 
Comfortable bed, covers, soft towels, huge shower and vanity area.
 Cruise #1

Norwegian – Norwegian Epic, departs 4/20/13, 11 nights
Day Date Port or Activity Arrive Depart
Sat Apr 20 Miami, FL 5:00pm

Sun Apr 21 At Sea
Mon Apr 22 At Sea
Tue Apr 23 At Sea
Wed Apr 24 At Sea
Thu Apr 25 At Sea
Fri Apr 26 At Sea
Sat Apr 27 At Sea
Sun Apr 28 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 10:00am – 6:00pm
Mon Apr 29 At Sea
Tue Apr 30 At Sea
Wed May 1 Barcelona, Spain 5:00am

Cruise #2
Norwegian – Norwegian Epic, departs 5/1/13, 4 nights
Day Date Port or Activity Arrive Depart
Wed May 1 Barcelona, Spain 7:00pm

Thu May 2 Marseille, France 8:00am – 7:00pm
Fri May 3 At Sea Sat May 4 Palma de Mallorca, Spain 6:00am – 6:00pm
Sun May 5 Barcelona, Spain 5:00am

We couldn’t be more thrilled to be on board the Norwegian Epic as shown above to find it much more modern and classy than the Carnival Liberty.  Also, with a more mature crowd there isn’t the loud blare of rock music filling the air as in typical on Carnival Fun Ships. 

 Our mini suite with balcony.  Plush amenities.

Yes, we are old, preferring the more elegant, quiet, less frenzied pace of this ship.  Initially, we were concerned about the enormous size, but after wandering about for the past three plus hours, we feel we have a handle on the layout.

 Tons of storage space not only to unpack our clothing, but to hide our bags under the bed.
With over half of our bags already unpacked, soon we’ll run to the Internet Café to set up our wireless package.  Once we sail in the next hour we’ll lose our ability to use our MiFi connection and be subject to this ships $.40 a minute charge.  That’s the highest rate we’ve seen thus far. 
  Coffee in our cabin, not available in the past four cruises.
Having budgeted for these expenses, allows us to communicate with loved ones and of course, keep our blog and photos posted on a regular basis.  The connection is secure which enables us to do our banking, pay bills online and check our credit card balances.
All of our credit cards, do not charge an exchange rate.  Thus, we use them for everything we possibly can, paying them off every few weeks, to keep them from accumulating huge balances and avoid interest charges.  So far, we’ve yet to incur a single dime in interest or fees. 
 Easy to use safe, wine cooler/fridge.

Our final bill on the Carnival Liberty came to $672 which included $159 for Internet, $100 for dinner in the Diamond Steak House, $12.50 for contact lens solution, $44.98 for one bottle of Cognac for Tom, cocktails and beverages, plus, the cruise line charged our bill $161.60 for tips plus additional tips we paid as we ordered beverages. 

Oversized shower, vanity with lots of drawers and medicine cabinet plus, an outlet. It’s an odd configuration with the sink in the bedroom and having to walk through the two sections of the bathroom when entering the cabin.

In addition, last night, we handed out additional cash tips to our cabin steward, dining room service staff, restaurant hostesses and luggage handlers.  This totaled approximately another $180, leaving us over by $82. On the prior cruises we were under budget, making it a wash. 

Our balcony for the next 15 days.  Love the two little tables.
Have to run and get to the Internet Café since we’re about to lose our signal.  We’ll be back in touch soon with more photos of this amazing vessel. Tonight we have a reservation to see the Blue Man Group, included in our fares. 
Back in touch soon.

Grand Turks and Caicos…Last port of call before Miami tomorrow…

The beach at Grand Turks and Caicos.

Today, as we spend our last full day aboard the Carnival Liberty, we’re unable to use our WiFi device while out to sea. With only minutes left on the Internet package we purchased on the ship, I’d contemplated not posting
today. Yesterday, we burned up 70 minutes trying to post the  blog and the photos with the ship’s poor signal.

If we were to purchase more Internet time from the ship, we’d pay $.75 a minute, outrageous considering it takes about four times longer to load anything than when using our MiFi when available. For one additional hour we’d pay $45. 
As mentioned in prior posts, Xcom Global MiFi works when we are close to land in most of the countries we’ll visit. The small island country of Grand Turks and Caicos was not one of them. We spotted a few towers but their signal was not sufficient for us to get online. 
The cruise line owned beach set-up with “pay for” cabanas.

Tomorrow morning, we’ll arrive in Miami at 8:00 am.  Once in port, we’ll be able to use our MiFi as we wait for our turn to disembark the Carnival Liberty. Our goal is to be among the last passengers to leave the ship.  Most passengers will have already gone through customs and the lines resulting in shorter lines.

With our next ship, the Norwegian Epic, docked at the pier next door, we won’t be able to get on board until noon, leaving us to carefully time the move from one ship to the other. Refusing to be left standing at the pier for hours with our remaining pile of luggage in tow, careful timing is in order.
 Many passengers got off the ship to bake in the sun. We opted to stay behind and enjoy the quiet time on the ship.

Once we’re situated on board, unpack, attend  the required emergency procedures meeting at our designated Muster station, and sign up for their largest Internet package, we’ll post again. 

Once the ship sails, we’ll only be able to use the ship’s Internet package for the crossing of the Atlantic ocean for a 15 day cruise ending in Barcelona, Spain (one eleven day cruise plus one four day cruise resulting in another back-to-back, same-cabin cruise).
With only one port of call in the first leg of this upcoming cruise in Madeira, Portugal, on April 28, 2013, we’ll have little use of our MiFi. While in Madeira for eight hours on April 28th, we plan to meet with the owner of the house we’ll be renting in Madeira beginning May 15, 2014, when we’ll return for a 2 1/2 month stay in her gorgeous house overlooking the ocean. Gina will give us a tour of the house and the island, a wonderful way to spend our day in port.
 The dock at the beach set-up.

Overall, the two Carnival cruises were fine, although not memorable. The two downsides were the issue with our vitamins and the need to move to a quieter cabin. The upsides, excellent service, extraordinary food at Diamonds Steakhouse, clean environment, no Norovirus and a smooth sailing ship.

Would we book Carnival in the future? Probably not, unless we needed to use it as a means of transportation when no other cruise line was available. Would we recommend it to others? If a party cruise is your style, this cruise line is ideal.  For us, we prefer a more mature crowd and more quiet environment.
Various boats that passenger charter for a number of activities.

Stop back tomorrow to read about our move to the Norwegian Epic, a bigger ship than we’ve experienced thus far, cruise #5 since January 3, 2013.

San Juan, Puerto Rico…Off the ship for new photos…

Tom took this sunrise photo yesterday morning as our ship was a few miles from Puerto Rico.

As we’ve become more experienced cruisers, we’ve learned to determine when it makes sense for us to get off the ship.  For example, yesterday, as our ship approached the port of Puerto Rico, the bustling city attracted our attention, offering plenty of places to walk to explore the nature of the area. 

I’m impressed! His photo taking is improving!

Now, as I write this, we are docked at the pier at Grand Turks and Caicos, a small island country.  All we can see for miles on this clear, sunny day, is once again, a man-made beach, pool, and shopping area, owned by the cruise lines. We are unable to use our Xcom Global MiFi as no signal is available from this small. As a result, we are posting today, using the ship’s WiFi at $.33 a minute for the package we purchased at the second leg of this back-to-back cruise.

Tom took this photo from our balcony of the captain on the bridge, as the ship entered the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico early yesterday morning.

With no respite from the blaring sun, we’ve decided to stay aboard,  use the self-service laundry on our floor in preparation for tomorrow’s packing. This will be the last cruise we’ve booked on which there is self-service laundry. Going forward, we’ll have no alternative but to pay the exorbitant fees to have the laundry done by each ship’s laundry department. 

 El Morro Fort on the island of San Juan.

Again this time, we have some serious rearranging to do, putting all of our vitamins inside the various suitcases,  using the duffel bag for clothing only.  There’s no way we’re willing to experience the difficulty we had boarded this ship as described in our post of 4/10/2013.

 San Juan appears to be a busy business and industrial city. Maybe someday we’ll experience this smaller ship with only 296 passengers with a crew of 207.  Intimate smaller ships are especially appealing to us.

Much to my dismay, my bum shoulder is acting up so much I can barely move my right arm. Taking two Aleve on a full stomach last night and again this morning, I’m hoping to get some relief after a few days of this regime. Moving to the Norwegian Epic in two days, leaves me worrying that I won’t be able to haul my share. 

The Silver Cloud, of Silversea lines, a 296 passenger, 207 crew members on the ship.

This morning, when getting the $14 of change needed for two loads of laundry plus two little boxes of laundry soap, we discovered that this ship will arrive at Pier D in Miami while the Epic will be loading at Pier C. If we plan to be among the last passengers off of this ship when disembarking, and we’re lucky enough to find a porter with a large cart, we’ll manage to move over with relative ease, once we go through customs.

 The busy port of San Juan.

Entering a ship preparing to sail doesn’t require a customs inspection, only a trip through security.  So far in all of our travels, customs had not been an issue. It was Carnival’s onboard security that gave us the difficulties with the vitamins.But we shall see. Nothing in our travels is a certainty. One can never relax anticipating any procedure to be a breeze. This, we’d anticipated and has been confirmed over and again.

As for Puerto Rico, it was a lovely city, clean, orderly, well policed. Modern US  and international stores lined the
boulevard. Vendors were in abundance with little of the expected hawking. A few beggars clinked their near-empty pop cans, hoping to attract a generous passerby, unfettered by the police.

Parrots posing for us as we walked along the boulevard.
Getting off the ship at various ports has been relatively easy, only requiring that we show our “Sign and Sail” card which they swipe through a  scanner revealing our ID and photo. Upon returning, both the card and driver’s license or additional photo ID is required. The lines to get off and on can be lengthy and slow.Our goal has been to leave later and return earlier, thus avoiding the rush of passengers.

In only an hour and a half of walking we’d seen the entire area, not wanting to get too far from the pier with the early 3:30 pm sail time. Content, that we’d seen everything in the immediate area, we returned with ample photos unloaded our stuff and made our way to the pool.

While trying to get a good shot of these parrots, the vendor kept moving the cart, readjusting the cart in the fierce winds, making it difficult for me to get a good shot. Nonetheless, they took an interest in my close proximity. Thanks, Parrots!
Within minutes of arranging our chaise lounges, towels and beverages, a movie began to play on the poolside movie screen, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. A few years ago, I had inattentively watched this movie with my precious granddaughter Maisie, too young to appreciate it at the time. I spent more time watching the expressions on her face than paying attention to the movie.
 Familiar stores lined the streets of San Juan.

As the movie began, I found myself entranced by its sweet story, unable to tear myself away. Tom, less interested in it, eventually wandered to a shaded area to read the latest book on his phone, while I stayed put until the movie ended. At one point, tears welled up in my eyes  not only for the tender story but the memory of the time spent with my granddaughter. Of course, we miss them all.

Equally familiar fast food restaurants were available.

Dinner was pleasant at another table for six in the Golden Olympian while lively conversation ensued among the three couples. My dinner was almost perfect except for the following: I’d asked for Caesar dressing on the side.  The salad was swimming in a thick dressing. I asked for non-starchy vegetables to include cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli and a small amount of carrots. 

 A replica of an old pirate ship.

Instead, my lamb was laying on a bed of puckered overly cooked green peas (starchy) with a single piece of broccoli and cauliflower. My cheese plate was decorated with several juicy pieces of fruit (I can’t eat fruit due to carbs from sugar). 

 Horse and buggy waiting for visiting passengers to partake.

Rather than complain, I scooped the peas onto Tom’s plate and moved the fruit onto my saucer asking for additional steamed veggies which I received  in perfect order. It’s not easy to feel  full and satisfied after a meal when one doesn’t eat bread, potatoes, rice, beans or dessert. Veggies seem to fill the bill for me when a remaining pang of hunger strikes when others are enjoying gooey desserts.

As we approached the  end of the boulevard, we spotted this fountain and began making our way back to the ship to ensure we’d arrive in plenty of time to depart San Juan.

Tom ordered the Seafood Newberg finding the flavor inconsistent from his same order only a few nights ago, liking it much less the second time. We’ve found many inconsistencies in the food on Carnival, although overall, it has been palatable. Of course, nothing so far, can compare to the amazing food on the Celebrity Century with their designated gluten free menu and gourmet flair.

 Tom pointed out the mud stirred up as the ship fired up to depart the port of San Juan.

Off we go, living on ships for the next two months, except for the 13 nights in Dubai. Tom asked me if I’m bored. Ha! First off,  boredom has never been an issue for me. I’ve always been able to find a way to entertain myself when alone and when with Tom, the idle chatter, laughter and banter never ceases, hardly leaving time for boredom.

 The sunlight view as we left San Juan.

For us, where we are is irrelevant, as we easily find ourselves wrapped up in the moment. We even got a kick out of doing our laundry together today. 

Visiting a friend in St. Thomas…Photos…

Note: Due to a poor WiFi connection in this location, we are unable to correct spacing issues.

The view from the deck as we waited for clearance from immigration to leave the ship.

Thirty-three years ago, I met my friend Colleen in Minnesota. She was a successful real estate agent working for me, then a broker for an international real estate franchise. 

Becoming fast friends, we shared many common interests; philosophical viewpoints, health and fitness goals, and a love of people, animals, and the environment around us.

The view from the pier as we walked to the nearby shopping area where Colleen and I met yesterday at 11:00 am at the Dockside Bookstore.

Eight years later, after many meaningful times spent together, she decided to make a dramatic life change; sell everything she owned, leave family and friends behind, and move to the US Virgin Islands.  Sound familiar? 

Over the years, Colleen worked on charter boats, often out to sea for weeks at a time, later as a massage therapist and eventually as a wedding planner for couples preparing to marry in the islands.  Single, with a gaggle of friends, she supported herself in modest comfort, never failing to appreciate the warmth of the sun, the balmy ocean breezes, and the freedom of a simple life.

 Colleen, my friend of 33 years, has lived in St. Thomas for the past 25 years

Staying in touch and, through her visits to the US, we imagined that someday I’d see where she lived.  Yesterday, at long last, I did.

The view from Colleen’s yard, although encumbered with satellite dishes offers a great view beyond the few obstructions.
It was a joy to see my long-time friend. Tom walked me to the Dockside Bookstore in the crowded shopping area where passengers from several ships were shopping in a wide array of stores. He returned to the ship, leaving me with time alone with Colleen. 
  The view of the port of St. Thomas from our veranda.
When our visit ended, Colleen brought me back to the book store, where I walked a short distance to meet Tom at a  nearby fountain. Hand and hand, we meandered through the jammed area, later returning to the ship.
  After my visit with Colleen, we walk back on the pier as we took this shot of our ship, The Carnival Liberty.  Our cabin is eight doors behind the “bridge” (on the right in this photo) on the port side.
Surprisingly there weren’t many photo ops in that area. Mostly, it consisted of relatively modern stores, not of much interest to us. We saw a few locals, as Colleen explained. Locals don’t frequent the shops by the pier, preferring their shops and malls in other island areas.
 Many sailboats were anchored in the port area.
Goodbye, my dear friend. It was good to see you. Maybe somewhere down the road, our paths will cross again, if not in this life, perhaps in the next.
Loud reggae music was blaring from this party boat as it motored beside the ship, as the crowd whooped and hollered.
 The clouds rolled in, and it began to rain shortly after we returned to the ship later in the day.

Cruising right along…Gourmet meal in speicalty restaurant…Off the ship today in St. Thomas…

Please excuse the poor quality of our photos.  I’m still learning.

Mushroom Cappuccino that I was served last night as an appetizer.  Unbelievable!

One of the main reasons Tom and I seldom attended concerts, sporting events, or live shows was our mutual aversion to standing in long lines.  As much as we strive to be tolerant and flexible as we travel, we still avoid waiting in long lines, especially for food.

Luckily, so far, the lines for immigration and boarding over the past four ships have moved quickly enough that we’ve hardly noticed, chatting all the while.

 Tom’s appetizer:  Tenderloin Steak Tartare with Creamy Parmesan topping.

Last night, we witnessed a line that was, without a doubt,  not one we willing to join.  Designated as “dress-up night” with a lobster tail as the main item on the menu in the Golden Olympian Restaurant, the “included in cruise fare” dining option brought passengers out in droves.

As described in yesterday’s post, the lobster option hadn’t been mentioned to me when placing my order for my restrictive food, the required one night in advance.  The thought of standing in a line of hundreds of passengers for one or two hours, dressed to the nines, for my previously ordered a grilled, chicken breast was definitely unappealing.

Condiments served at our table: exquisite tasting unsalted butter, eggplant Ratatouille, and delicious sun-dried tomato pesto.

I didn’t say a word to Tom, in an effort not to complain after all we’ve experienced since boarding on April 9th.  He suggested we get a drink at the bar providing us with a clear view of the line as it progressed, deciding on our next move.  I happily agreed. 

This platter of fresh meats and lobster tail was presented to us before we made our menu selections. The entire dinner was a fixed price enabling us to choose any items on the menu.

With the food issues of the previous night, I would’ve been happy to make a salad at the buffet and call it a night. I wasn’t looking forward to a dry chicken breast while others ate lobster with a buttery bread crumb topping. But, more importantly, the thought of standing in line for two hours while the first batch of diners had dinner, didn’t appeal to either of us, regardless of the food.

Ordering our drinks, we looked at one another, thinking the same thing;  let’s make a reservation in the Diamond’s Restaurant, a fixed price menu in a “reservations only” elegant restaurant onboard. At $35 per person plus drinks and tips, Diamond’s was the same price we’d paid for dinner at Robert’s Grove buffet in Placencia, Belize on Saturday nights. 

My second appetizer was Marinated Pesto Jumbo Shrimp.

With our budget on track, we decided to go for it. Finding a house phone, I called to make our reservation. It was now 6:35 pm. They could either take us right away or we could wait until 8:00 pm.  We opted to go right away.

 Tom’s second appetizer:  Garlic Butter Infused Escargot in Puff Pastry!  He loved it!

As soon as we entered the elegant restaurant, a wave of comfort washed over me.  Looking around at the plates arriving at other guest’s tables, we quickly made an assessment that we were up for a special dinner.

 Our salads: Caesar made table side without croutons, plus extra anchovies for me. 

And special it was!  Most of the items on the menu were already gluten and sugar-free.  Our wait staff consisted of four servers, each with their own specialty, all well aware of their gluten-free offerings.  I freely ordered off the menu, excited over the prospect of a satisfying gourmet meal.

Sitting side by side on the banquet, we lingered over each course, tasting each other’s choice (as allowed for me) marveling over the exquisite offerings, presentation, and service. Tom enjoyed three cocktails while I drank the best-iced tea I’ve had in years, light, refreshing with lots of ice and lemon.

Tom’s 18 oz. “Cowboy Steak” was tender and cooked to perfection, ordered medium-rare.

Every couple deserves a special night and yes, most nights are special for us in our new lives.  But last night’s romantic environment coupled with our dress-up clothes, and our relaxed demeanor resulted in a memorable evening we always cherish in our fast-growing repertoire of great experiences.

Tom’s four chocolate desserts in small crystal glasses, each a unique concoction of homemade ice cream, chocolate, cakes and cream.

Today, we sauntered off the ship to explore St. Thomas and, for me to visit with my long time friend Colleen who moved to St. Thomas, from Minnesota twenty-five years ago. Over the years, we’ve stayed in touch, seeing each other every few years when she’s visited Minnesota. Finally, I was able to see her home, her turf, and the island she has loved for so long. 

Tomorrow we’ll post photos of our visit to St. Thomas, its rolling hills, and panoramas of the Caribbean Sea.  Perhaps, someday, we’ll come back to stay a little longer.

Food?…Problematic for me…

 

I stayed behind while Tom enjoyed the water slide.  We especially enjoy the quiet time outdoors by the pool and in the shade when many passengers went ashore. Many returned with sunburns from the ride on the tender or the time unprotected on the beach.  With years ahead of us in sunny climates, we are careful to avoid overexposure.

Without a doubt, we knew that my strict way of eating would be an issue to some degree as we traveled the world. In Belize, it was a non-issue, buying and cooking most of our meals. 

Aboard the Carnival Liberty, it’s a huge issue at dinner.  Breakfast is easy since I can have eggs,
non-starchy vegetables, meat without sauce or fillers, and hard cheese. Mostly I order real egg omelets as opposed to the “processed” mixture that is full of chemicals and gluten with a side of bacon. It holds me all day until dinner. 
The view of the tip of Half Moon Cay, the Bahamas, a small mostly man-made tourist attraction, owned by Holland Cruise Lines and shared with other cruise lines to enhance their revenue.

Protein eaten with few carbs tends to keep a person full, comfortable, and satisfied all day. I never feel hungry or am tempted to eat off the endless tables of sweets, burgers and fries, tacos, burritos, and wraps. Free
food. Everywhere you turn.

Our first two cruises on Celebrity, the Century, and the Equinox, dinner was a breeze. They had all the gluten and sugar-free items carefully marked on the menu. Once I made choices to be low carb, grain, and
starch-free, I was home free, able to enjoy a number of options. On the Equinox, the pastry chef made me a
special dessert, a sugar and flour free Creme Brule. 

The Carnival Liberty has no such options, no indications on the menu, few cooks with knowledge as to gluten-free. Last night they brought my usual cheese plate for dessert, the cheese atop a pile of bread. Anyone with a gluten issue cannot have bread “touch” their food since the size of a grain of salt of gluten, can trigger a response. They didn’t understand when I graciously asked them to throw the entire plate away and
start anew with just the cheese.
The tenders, preparing to take passengers to the manmade beach.

Moments later, they return with the cheese and fruit. I can’t eat fruit. It has sugar that has carbs. For 20 years, I had excruciating pain. Now, for almost 20 months since I began eating this way, I have no pain.  It’s a no brainer for me.  I’m never tempted to “cheat.”  I consider anything not included in my plan as poison. Why
would I eat poison? 

Am I specific enough with the restaurant staff?  I think so. They have noted our “folio” number that I can only eat meat, fish (any type), poultry, eggs, butter, hard cheese, and non-starchy vegetables.

The tender returning from the small island filled with sunburned passengers. Again, hanging over our balcony as we began to sail away from Half Moon Cay, we were able to get this photo of the officers on the bridge only eight doors from our new quiet cabin.
If one knew food at all, they put a plate of grilled fish, a large salad, and a large side of vegetables in front of me every night with a plate of nice hard cheeses for dessert.  I’d be content. 

But, it’s like pulling teeth, drawing way too much attention to my “condition” making me uncomfortable, treating me like an annoyance and a “freak”, as if I were some picky eater that was eating this way “for fun.”

Once we began this cruise on April 9th, they required that I placed the next night’s order each night at dinner.  What??? This lovely well-meaning young woman, Julia (pronounced Yule-e-a), approaches our table (often we’re seated with other passengers), handing me the next night’s menu, waiting while I place my order. Trying to be considerate of her time, I quickly place the order of salad, meat, and a large side of steamed vegetables along with a plain cheese plate, no fruit, now “no bread”.

Invariably, my dinner arrives with rice, potatoes, corn, peas with the meat unseasoned and overcooked.  Last night I ordered the flat iron steak, rare. My plate arrived with a pile of fried potatoes, a 3 oz. well done rubbery steak and two pieces of overcooked cauliflower. 

The Caesar salad with no croutons was a tiny plate of huge pieces of romaine lettuce, dressing on the side which I had requested since they’d previously smothered no less than 1/2 cup of dressing on those few lettuce leaves. (I can have small amounts of low carb dressings, usually blue cheese and Caesar).
We can see the bridge from our balcony.

So, last night, I asked them to remove the potatoes and bring more steamed vegetables. They
returned the plate minus the potatoes with the same tiny piece of leathery meat with the two overcooked clumps of cauliflower having added a single flower of broccoli. Oh.  I ate all of it.

Thank goodness for the cheese or I’d still be hungry after each
dinner.

A short while ago, we heard that an option for tonight’s formal night dinner is lobster tail which I can have and love. I wasn’t told this last night. It wasn’t on the menu. If I want it, we’ll have to go to the restaurant soon and order it; a plain lobster tail with butter, a side of veggies, a salad. How hard is that?

Most likely their lobster tails have a bread crumb topping. It may be too late to accommodate me. They
cover all of their meats in flour laden sauces and coatings. This way they can hide tough, overly cooked,
unseasoned cheaper cuts of meat with what may be tasty, creamy, or chunky sauces.

Today, we will be contacting Norwegian cruise lines in advance, unaware at this time if they are as skilled as Celebrity was in accommodating dietary restrictions with such ease and finesse.

The pained look on the face of the servers we’ve had when reading the “notes” on me has been more annoying than the food. They keep referring to “your food allergies.”

Through all of this, I remain calm and considerate.  I am not a difficult customer.  In each case, I’ve smiled and kindly asked for the items to be added or removed, without a negative tone in my voice.

We thought that if perhaps I had a small late lunch, I could get by with less in the evening.  As we perused all of the items in the lunch buffet, there wasn’t a single piece of fish, chicken, or meat that wasn’t swimming in sauces or flour coatings. Not one. The only items I could have had were the slices of cheese, lettuce, and a
few raw veggies. Not worth it.

After a lifetime of being a dessert fanatic, having something sweet every night after dinner, most of which I baked with fresh ingredients, I have since let this go.  No longer do I crave something “sweet” or snack at all after dinner. 

Perhaps, I need to rethink my current expectation of an enjoying meal at dinner and focus more on my enjoyable companion, my hubby, and the “table mates’ often sitting with us. Of course, there’s the big glass of ice water to savor since we can’t ever get a server to come to the table to take a drink order.

All in all, we’re content. We can sleep at night.  We have our vitamins back. The shower and sink drain properly (although this morning I had to pour water into the toilet to get it to flush). More importantly, we’re safe, we have our health, we’re staying on track on our budget, we continue to meet wonderful people, we have the world in front of us and, we have each other.

Thumping is over…We moved to a new cabin!…

The luxury yacht we passed as our ship sailed through the channel in Miami to the open sea.

After sleeping for seven hours without awakening during the night, I feel like a new person today after moving to a new cabin last night.

As we traveled through the channel we saw the Norwegian Epic ahead of us.  We’ll be on this ship on our way to Barcelona next Saturday!  Its huge!

After a quiet dinner in the main dining room, we’d decided it would be best if only one of us pressed the customer service desk to give us a new cabin. I volunteered while Tom moseyed over to a nearby bar while I stood impatiently in the long line. (Coincidentally, while at the bar he met a young couple from Maple Grove, Minnesota, only 30 minutes from our old neighborhood. Small world).

Joaquin, our cruise guy was aware of our noisy, drainage-problem cabin from reading our blog, having contacted us by email late yesterday. He was very concerned for us taking the initiative to contact Carnival asking them to move us. They informed him that all of the cabins were booked and we’d have to stay put.

The side view of the enormous Norwegian Epic.

We appreciated Joaquin’s efforts, but we were determined to do whatever it took to move to another cabin in order to get some sleep.  My eyes were bloodshot from only three hours of sleep for four nights and I’d begun to feel out of sorts, comparable to a bad hangover. Having consumed only one beer since boarding the ship on Tuesday, a hangover was not the issue.   

Standing in line for 20 minutes, it was finally my turn. Diplomacy, I reminded myself, was the order of the day.  Taking a deep breath, I forged ahead graciously explaining the difficulty of the sleeping atop the noise thumping nightclub asking for a manager to intervene.
A 50 caliber machine gun was manned by the Coast Guard escorted our ship as we traveled through the channels.  Tom explained that these boats have three outboards each at 300 HP.

An hour later we were packing after a thorough inspection of our new cabin, two floors up, far from the nightclub.

The move was tough. It made no sense to repack all of our unpacked clothes into the remaining five large suitcases. Pulling clothes from hangers, cupboards, and drawers, we hustled while a cabin attendant stood by aimlessly in the hall, waiting for us to hand over our “stuff” as he loaded it onto his cart.

After three trips between the old and new cabins, everything was moved.  By midnight we finished unpacking, exhausted but relieved to finally be in a quiet room. The sink drained when I brushed my teeth before bed;  while this morning the shower water drained nicely. 

This ferry pulled past us with passengers sitting in their vehicles waving at us. Notice the stretch limo in the middle of the vehicles.

Today, anchored a few miles from shore at Half Moon Cay, the Bahamas, the tender boats are taking passengers to the cruise line owned beach and shops.  Once again, we’ve opted to stay onboard having made a definitive decision to avoid gimmicky man-made cruise line owned “spending” traps. 

Our goal is to see nature’s natural gifts of our planet and explore cultures and people.  For us, little is to be gleaned from a man-made money trap.  Also, neither of us is interested in spending a full day sitting on a beach towel in the sand with no respite from the sun, especially with our goal of a maximum of one hour per day of sun exposure. 

This morning, after a great breakfast of “real egg” omelets with mushrooms, onions, and cheese, bacon and sausage, we were content to roam around the ship, go to the health club for my workout, eventually working our way to the pool. Lasting only 45 minutes in the scorching sun, we went to the Serenity Lounge, and in the shaded outdoor area with comfy chairs and fabulous views. It is from this vantage point that I write now.

After yesterday’s errands in Miami and last night’s packing and unpacking, a lazy day is definitely in order. According to my pedometer, we walked over 11,000 steps yesterday.

All of our accumulated snail mail was included in the box of supplies we received at UPS yesterday, most of which were either retirement documents, our new health insurance documents, or duplicates of financial information we’d already reviewed online. 

The cost to ship the two large bags to my sister Julie in LA, totaling 102 pounds, was $202, including the $10 charge for the 24-hour storage of our incoming box of supplies, plus postage for a document that we signed on the spot, to be sent to London for our health insurance.

Prior to leaving the US, we had requested that all mail be sent to us online as opposed to the necessity of our paying our mailing service to scan or snail mail it to us.  Some complied, others did not.  In this age of technology, there’s no need for paper. And yet many companies insist on a “paperful” relationship with their customers. 

Yesterday, we scanned everything we needed to keep placing it in the appropriate folders in our Dropbox cloud while using our tried and true “shredding process” of soaking the paper in water, rolling it into little balls, subsequently tossing the little balls. Considerate of being on a ship, we didn’t flush the tiny balls instead we tossed them into the trash.

With our new camera still in the box, today we’ll begin the process of learning how to use it. For once, I plan to read the instruction booklet.  Hopefully, within a few days, we’ll notice a further improvement in the quality of our photos.  

For the next six days, we’re feeling settled and content. From time to time, my mind
wanders back to Placencia, Belize, our little villa on the ocean, the friends we made, the simple life we lived, and the memories we will carry with us forever.