scubacruiserx2

We had a 2 day cruise to one of our favorite islands - Bermuda coming up next .

A map of Nassau https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cruise+Port,+Nassau,+Nassau,+The+Bahamas/Fish+Fry,+Nassau,+The+Bahamas/@25.0658668,-77.3514724,14.06z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x892f7d4a48959425:0x1464342772704690!2m2!1d-77.3398253!2d25.0824406!1m5!1m1!1s0x892f7d2752ea6adb:0xf208e74b33db1629!2m2!1d-77.3583928!2d25.0799068!3e0?entry=ttu

A quick walk thru of FV 7199 . The door has a private hall that help keep the room quite . Lots of closets Main BR and looking to the 2nd BR with a sliding door and the balcony Looking back at the closets and bathroom and big screen TV Second BR with pull out bed and TV. We found a video on Youtube that shows the room after an upgrade that shows it better .

Our first port was South of us on the next morning in Nassau . From the ship we could see Atlantis But our hearts and stomachs were set on lunch at Fish Fry https://www.eater.com/2016/11/10/13557214/fish-fry-bahamas-nassau We did take the bus there but someone from there had passed away and the funeral was that day so all the people that normally work there were going to the funeral , so they were closed for lunch . We went back to the ship and considered the Pirate Museum but we're not big fans of Pirates so it was lunch on the air conditioned ship and a nap instead of the heat .

8 baby pineapples so far .

We certainly understand and share your your love of TA's and balconies . Our first visit to Europe was on NCL in 2006 and we had a forward facing window , but no balcony . It was a common overlook that functioned as a common balcony , so no privacy or meals there . And so we learned . When we took our first TA in 2009 it was from West to East so no red eye flight to Europe . We had booked a balcony on the Celebrity Constellation from our home port of Ft. Lauderdale to London in April . We watched for an upgrade and when they released a Family suite for about $ 300 more we pounced on it . It was our first Aft facing balcony and it was huge , #7199 ! In Ft. Lauderdale And breakfast at sea and room and time to sun ourselves !

Good morning @valemart_1 . Today is officially Spring with 12 hours of daylight and night here in Palm Beach County . Sunrise and Sunset are 0730 and 1930 . It is 0500 here so I'm still on BA time ! I know you and your husband must be excited about your TA and visit to Portugal and we are excited for you also . I know that you like a good story so I will share one . It's a way that we have got a good room for not much money in the past and it still works today . We were booked on the Star for a trip to Iceland in the same cabin that we had in Argentina - at a higher price from May 18 - May 20th . We went to Antarctica instead of course , but I decided to try to book the same cruise this morning . The most expensive was a Penthouse balcony SC at $8179 344 sq ' with a 65 sq ' balcony . But if we wanted a larger room at a lower price we would pick a Family Suite SP . $ 5979 for 495 sq ' . So if you wouldn't miss a balcony you could have 100 more square feet for $2000 less !

As an American citizen of the US I believe in the Bill of Rights attached to our Constitution . It has 10 amendments and the first one says : Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. I worked for the National Government ( US Navy ) and the County Government Miami Dade Fire Rescue . I was trained to help ALL people medically and not to discriminate . Thus I honored the Constitution and God and believe in freedom of speech and religion - even ones that differ from mine . I risked my life many times to help people that I didn't know . When NCL ships were in the Port of Miami they followed our countries rules to receive help from us . They do make the rules at sea . But we didn't like being lied to by NCL . We were told a couple of different stories of why we couldn't use the Freestyle Daily . 1 . Miami is the headquarters of NCL and RCI and we were told that they wouldn't allow it . I have responded on numerous calls to these places in Miami and they should follow the American law in their property . 2 . We were told by another authority on the ship that the Freestyle Dailies were pre printed before the cruise and loaded on the ship in BA . This isn't true . When changes at sea were made - the Freestyle Daily reflected the changes . How could pre printed reflect changes that hadn't occurred yet ? On my job as a Paramedic I was not allowed to wear a cross or to share my faith ( Christian ) or discuss my faith unless asked by the patient . But I was allowed to pray silently and as the treatment medic I always faced the people when started IVs , or giving meds and when riding in the back of the truck with them to the hospital . If I had a free moment I might bow my head in silent prayer . Many people did ask me to pray with and or for them aloud or silently and I did . Or listened or talked about my savior - if they wanted to . Both my wife and I were raised Roman Catholic , she attending Catholic school until High School . We were not practicing Christians when we met and married . But after about 2 years of marriage I knew something was missing beside my life . I was still an Alcoholic and Drug addict , trying to numb my abusive childhood when I began reading the Bible for the first time in a Fire Station on my free time . One of my coworkers asked me if I was going to heaven when I died . I told him that I thought so . And he told me that I could know for certain . Well I was never taught that in Catechism or Catholic church . So with much prayer and Bible reading I discovered that to be true and accepted the Gift of Eternal Life on September 13 , 1979 . When I told my wife that I was going to heaven she thought that I was crazy , because she was a much better person than I . But she did notice the change in my behavior as I lost my addictions and she too trusted the Lord's promise as well . When we went and talked to a Priest he refused to acknowledge that we were even married since we were not married in the RC church . When I asked him if he was going to heaven he said that no one can know for certain . I told him that wasn't the blind leading the blind , and if he as a man of God didn't know where he was going , how could he show me the way ? Thus we found Jesus and a church that taught his word and haven't looked back except to see where we came from .

Snowy Egret with it feathers ruffled Roseate Spoonbill with Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Eagle on the nest We will rock you Anhinga swimming Feed us

Working on it's suntan Sandhill Cranes and chick Snake bird mode Osprey landing and perching Water lily

One of my favorite photos of birds was this pelican who had caught a fish . It was going down tail first so it stuck out it fins so the pelican couldn't swallow it . The bird coughed it up and had a few friends waiting for the fish to come out so they could steal his meal . But the crafty bird moved and was turning the fish to go head first . I didn't have a flash so it's hard to see him but the fish is in his mouth ready to go down like Jonah in the great fish .

Thank you both . In the event you are in Ft. Lauderdale in the Spring we will tell you where the place is less than a hour away . I was early as the eggs have not hatched yet so we will go again in about a month . Fewer people then since winter visitors will return to where they live when it gets hotter and more humid . We did find it strange that there was no Bible in the night stand next to the bed . We have always found one in every hotel and cruise ship that we have ever been on before . Here's a couple more bird shots from home . They are all from our house . The first one is a Swallow - Tailed Kite ( Like a child's toy ) . We see then in the winter or Spring soaring high up on cool days . A Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker that we see in our conservation easement . They are funny to watch looking for a mate . The Red Shouldered Hawk lives here year round and eats our lizards or mice if they see them .

The little sparrow is a Grasshopper Sparrow and the Orange Iguana is an Albino .

The bird place part 2 with the new camera and an old 300 mm telephoto lens . You will see some serious birders and camera equipment here in addition to cell phones . Wood Storks on their nest Snowy Egrets Nest building During the late 1800s, five million birds a year including Snowy Egrets were killed so their feathers — and sometimes even the whole birds — could be added to the hats of fashionable ladies in Europe and America. In 1886, Snowy Egret plumes were worth twice as much as gold.Sep 20, 2019 What Lizard ? Black Bellied Whistling Ducks are snow birds that some have retired and stay here all year long . Fly over Great Blue Heron . We used to see these big birds as neighbors frequently but the new people in our neighborhood have destroyed their habit by killing all of their trees on their property and planting grass . For 25 years we had no neighbors but in the past 2 years , 5 houses have been built destroying hundreds or thousands of old tall trees . We have a1acre conservation easement on our property set aside for animals of all natural land and trees , with no invasive species 23 year ago . It was given to the county with no building ever in exchange for a tax break on that part of our land . It has been more populated with animals that have moved there when the machines destroyed the nearby land . We have nicknamed it ( not officially ) Joe's Jungle . Anhinga with their green mating masks on . Female with the brown neck is on the nest . A sloppy eater drooling Some others

I was up early yesterday to drive and arrive at the bird place before sunrise . It is about 45 minutes South from where we live and about 45 minutes North from Port Everglades . I haven't been there for years but I needed and my new camera wanted some exercise . First up I will show my pocket camera . I got a close parking space near the entrance and bathrooms . Some loud people scared the alligator away before I could get my big camera defogged . Here comes the sun

It sounds like a great trip in the Spring . We have never been to any of these ports except Lisbon and that was back in Spring of 2015 on the Eclipse . You can see our visit there and what we did there here : Begin with post # 540 - 595 .

Sorry , we've been busy including a pre dawn 1 hour drive to shoot some birds with the new camera this morning . Tomorrow is our annual case of 1 hour jet lag called Daylight Saving Time where we move our clocks ahead 1 hour . We don't care for it and wish our government would live time alone We don't know how a standard balcony would be but the price is right . If thinking Antarctica or the Malvinas , we looked at more time in Antarctica like Princess , Celebrity or HAL but they cost more . We knew that we would do Patagonia and we had 4 1/2 days on the Zaandam and saw the Malvinas before so we didn't mind 2 days as much as others did . Regretfully , people behind our cruise didn't get 2 full days and may have missed the Malvinas .

Pat's true beauty comes from what is inside . Her appearance was the first thing that I noticed because I only dated attractive women . But looks do fade like photos , so it's the heart and spirt that last much longer like a lifetime and beyond . So we don't always agree but she is my wife for life . 💗

We just submitted our review of our cruise on the CC reviews . This is the unedited narrative followed by the ratings . We didn't use the Family or Fitness so we didn't review them thus a 1 star. We have cruised NCL 5 times before but not recently . We prefer HAL Neptune aft corner suites with a budget of 1 K per day per suite . Like the Star , we are older 67 and 73 . We choose it for the price and destinations . 1st choice was May with a visit to Iceland , Norway and the UK and a weeks stay in Iceland post cruise . It was expensive and the local guides unwilling to work with us . We had chosen a nice suite and booked it . In the meantime we looked at other destinations on the Star and liked the one that we chose in January . The guides and post cruise stay were half the price and the same cabin was available for the same price and air fare was less . Thus we canceled Iceland and choose Antarctica . We have been to South America 3 times so we knew the drill . It's not easy with a storm destroying part of embarkation station . You must surrender your passports for the cruise and be bussed from the station to the ship . It was semi controlled chaos with no apparent line for suites . There appeared to be nobody from the ship there . We finally found the line and waited for a Spanish speaking line to empty before they spoke to us . We were sat in a large common area and told that we would be called for Blue # 1 bus . It wasn't long but hey called for Blue # 1 and White #1 . Too many people rushed the bus and there were more people than seats leaving people standing - an unsafe practice for the 10 minute ride in traffic to the ship . There were left over people and another bus behind us . I carried a carry on bag with valuables between my legs like I always do while some loud mouth lady lectured me telling me NO Bags . I told her to tell the driver and other people with bags . At the ship , the majority of the people were non suite (White ) and went to the 1st ramp including the lady next to us . The few suite people went forward to a less steep ramp . This problem could have been solved by boarding all of the priority people ( Blue first ) and then filled the remaining seats with White and no standing . I was a Firefighter/Paramedic for 28 years in Miami responding to the Port of Miami cruise ships and safety and ordering scenes that were chaotic was an everyday part of the job . Entering the ship was like Dorothy entering Munchkin Land after being in a tornado . They were organized and it showed . The room was great and they showed us to a suites lunch in a private room with people being well behaved . We ate most of our lunches there at Cagney's and met the Concierge , Monica . Breakfasts were next door , again private for suites and elites at Moderno . The cabin was the best that we ever had and the Butler Vonn , Concierge Monica and cabin attendant Arlene were excellent . The Itinerary was excellent except they should have spent more than 1 or 2 days in Antarctica which was the real Star of the ship . The ship was in pretty good shape for an older lady . Now for the constructive critic . The food could be better quality , embark and disembark streamed lined like in our home port of Ft. Lauderdale . We missed Punta Arenas for the 1st time in 4 trips mainly because we didn't dock , we tendered and it's always windy there and not the place to tender . If they must tender , it wasn't so bad that they could have done it by using the leeward side to tender first , and turning the ship 180 degrees leaving the other tenders now in the leeward side . If we had to use them as lifeboats this is what they should have done , as a real life practice in the event of an emergency like an iceberg strike . Thus we missed a port and they missed a good drill . We didn't care for the shows and the policy that says no photos , something that we have always done on land and sea . There was no Bible in the night stand and we tried 3 times before and during the cruise to meet for an interdenominational , self led bible study and or service for 3 days . They did give us a place but refused to allow us to put up a sign in public . They also prohibited us from allowing it to be announced in the Freestyle Daily . They did allow Friends of Bill W a public place to meet ( the Library ) and the LGBTQIA+ group a busy public place with a band at the intersection of 2 restaurants in Gatsby's . They were both daily and advertised in the Freestyle Daily . Additionally , the Jewish group met at the same place as us on the Sabbath , but they were given their books for their service and advertised in the Freestyle Daily . We hold no ill feelings against these or any groups but would only like equal treatment for our group . HAL does it and has a Mass daily for Catholics , so why not NCL ? This is our 1st CC review as we usually do photo travelogues as our reviews . Overall 4 Cabin 5 Dining 3 Embarkation 1 Entertainment 3 Family none so we gave it a 1 Fitness didn't use so we gave it a 1 Pubic Rooms 3 Service 5 40+ Cruises Partly handicapped 3 bad knees sometimes needing a walking stick for balance

Tomorrow we will attempt to write a review using a Cruise Critic style format slightly modified .

It's funny the way that some things work out . Like Susana I began University to study to be an Architect . But my lack of understanding higher math stopped me and another incident changed my direction . My brother had a serious accident with an almost miracle recovery and I became a Carpenter for a couple of years before joining the Navy to become a Naval Corpsman ( Medic ) . After that I joined the Fire Department as a Firefighter/Paramedic to help save lives the way that people helped my brother . Our unit was the unit to go to the Port of Miami to help and transport people from cruise ships or industrial accidents . The same year in 1976 that I was in Fire College I had met my future wife in Michigan on vacation ( the best souvenir that I ever picked up ) and I lived in Florida - over 1200 miles away! She moved to Florida that year and brought the only snow ever in Miami when I was in Fire College . This photo of her was 10 years after our 3rd child and 10 years of marriage Later I later worked on the Fire Air - Rescue before I retired at 55 .

We also had heavy seas going around the Cape on the HAL cruise to Antarctica and going to Antarctica . The Captain made this announcement . The result ? An extra half a day of some of the best weather of the trip . A little later we heard this announcement by the Captain about an Iceberg . Why is it so windy in Patagonia ? This article from Wikipedia shows . They are part of Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties of Latitude .

We have done that cruise on the Zaandam in 2012 but in the opposite direction and without the Falkland Islands . That one required Antarctica in 2018/2019 . We did get close to the memorial and could see the funicular .

Thank you for sharing these personal photos of Peru , part of South America that we have only seen from photos from our son and DIL . They have been to several of these places and our son still says that the best Pizza that he has eaten was at Lake Titicaca ! Is that a photo of you and your husband in the boat ? If it is then you resemble the maker of our favorite Malbec , Crios . It's a great story of the first female winemaker .