 |
| The colorful video presentation of Le Petit Chef dinner in Qsine was delightful and truly memorable. |
Here are the expenses for our 15-night cruise from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida:
| Expense | US Dollar |
| Cruise Fare | $ 3,814.30 |
| Airfare – none – drove to Southampton |
$ – |
| Hotel 2 ngts- Southampton-with discount |
$ 187.06 |
| Taxi | $ 22.00 |
| Cabin Credit | $ (400.00) |
| Wi-Fi on ship (inc in fare) | $ – |
| Gratuities (inc in fare) | $ – |
| Cruise bill for purchases |
$ 664.59 |
| Total | $ 4,287.95 |
| Avg Daily Cost – 15 nights |
We’re currently situated in comfy chairs at Fort Lauderdale Airport, awaiting our flight to Minneapolis via Detroit with a long layover. It appears our outbound flight is delayed on Delta Airlines (not unusual), but luckily our long layover in Detroit won’t cause any time constraints for the next leg of the flight.
Yesterday, we’d prepaid the baggage fee of $140 to avoid delays at the airport. With curbside check-in available, getting boarding passes and checking our bags was seamless, and we were whisked through immigration and security without incident.
When going through security, I asked if I could be frisked instead of going through that invasive x-ray machine, explaining I have trouble (which I do), raising my arms over my head since the surgery. No problem. They complied with my request and tested my fingers for explosive materials.
 |
| The display left us totally in awe over not only the visuals but also the fine food. |
We found electric plug-ins at the chairs at our gate, and with the flight delayed, we’ll be waiting here for over two hours to board the flight. It will be easy to entertain ourselves while we’re able to be online and plugged in.
It will be a good time for me to enter the cruise expenses on our spreadsheet, so by the time we reach Minnesota, I’ll be free to start accumulating USA-related costs as they occur.
Disembarkation from the ship was slick with no delays whatsoever. The level of organization was spot-on, and the lines of over 2200 passengers flowed with ease.
It was less than 25 minutes from when we left the ship until we reached the taxi stand and waited for a taxi no more than five minutes. With our three 50 pound bags and three carry-on bags, we engaged the services of a porter from the baggage pickup area to the taxi stand.
 |
| Tom never wiped the smile off his face, nor did I. We had a fantastic cruise. |
It’s simply too much for us to haul entirely on our own, especially since I’m of little help in carrying anything at this point. Then again, Tom always was the “pack mule,” as he calls himself, and has handled the bags since the onset of our travels.
Sure, we wish we had less stuff, but we’ve whittled it down as far as we can, considering the varying seasonal clothing we need from location to location throughout the world. Many have suggested we buy what we need as we go, leaving it behind when we leave. Ultimately, that would require too much time shopping and looking to find what we need which is seldom avail considering many of the countries we prefer to visit.
I couldn’t find a single pair of comfy pajamas in South Africa without driving for five hours. After the surgery, I borrowed pj’s from our friend Lynne who so kindly provided me with exactly what I needed.
 |
| We had a fabulous night in Murano Specialty Restaurant, celebrating our seventh anniversary of world travel aboard the ship. |
Thus, we have what we have, and although we’ll replace several items in the US during this visit, we don’t need much. Moreso, we need new laptops and phones are our top priority.
Speaking of phones, this morning, we accidentally left behind Tom’s old phone on the desk in the cabin. He thought I grabbed it, and I thought he did. This was unusual for us. We rarely forget anything.
His new google phone is awaiting him at friend Karen’s home now, and my new phone will arrive in about three days. We’ll be fine in the interim. In the next few days, we’ll contact Celebrity and have them mail the phone to our mailing service in Nevada so we can dispose of it properly.
Once we arrive in Minneapolis, we’ll stop at a market for a few items to bring to Karen’s house, mainly food for breakfasts and beverages. It will be wonderful to see her and her significant other and stay at their lovely home.
We’ll be back tomorrow with photos and more!
May your day be pleasant!
Photo from one year ago today, November 8, 2018:
 |
| We encountered this stunning scene of zebras and wildebeest from the fence at Marloth Park. One reason zebras and wildebeests hang out is that they love to eat the taller grass and wildebeest the shorter grass – it’s a type of symbiosis. There is no competition regarding food. Also, wildebeests have a better sense of hearing, while zebras can see very well. It’s always great to have an ally to warn of any impending danger. Another reason is zebras and wildebeest prefer to be in the open savannahs…the concept of safety in numbers comes into play. For more, please click here. |