Jim_Iain Apex Key West, TansAtlantic and British Isle with a Week in Amsterdam

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, boxkite said:

Glad you and Iain made it to DFW and have a flight to Miami tomorrow night, enjoy the nice Texas weather tonight and tomorrow.

 

If you are bored tomorrow you can always Uber to Bass Pro Shops and take care of your hunting and fishing needs!

 

May have needed that yesterday in Fort Lauderdale.   I hear that Alligators have been spotted swimming around  on neighborhood streets.

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, hcat said:

JIM

glad you are on your way with several options.. cruise port and cruise lines are following weather, roads  and flooding conditions closely.. They will do all they can to fill the ships and sail away..even with possible delays!

rest well!

 

I can imagine Port Everglades should be an busy port tomorrow. 

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I can imagine Port Everglades should be an busy port tomorrow. 

 

 I have been scouring the news but have not seen anything reported regarding any of the hotels in the cruise port area having issues.  Have you seen/heard anything regarding the conditions at your hotel in FLL? 

 

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, jaapie said:

My suggestion is to go and see the cattle drive at 11:30am tomorrow morning at the Fort Worth stockyards.

Fort Worth Herd Twice Daily Cattle Drive | Fort Worth Stockyards

 now that could be interesting.       It's 9:15 and as everyone would suspect Iain is still sound asleep.   I on the other hand always awake as soon as the sun peeps through the curtains.

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

 So glad you are confirmed into Miami! Even if FLL opens tomorrow, it is going to be a mess, with one runway open.  And as mentioned, more rain tonight.  Can’t wait to follow along on the rest of your trip!

Thanks much.    I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the conditions as the day progresses.

[Jim_Iain]

On 4/13/2023 at 7:44 AM, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi Jim

I was on a Round Britain cruise last year,,if you haven’t booked a tour on Shetland already i would suggest doing it know,,,there is a lack of vehicles on Shetland and tours get booked up quick.

 

I also see your cruise has Cobh overnight,,there is some great little pubs and they put on live music when a ship is in,,,,fiddles and Bodhran at the ready.

I can see lots of unsteady people walking back to the ship that night.

 

With Liverpool,Waterford and Belfast this is a great itinerary.

 

I will be on the Silhouette cruise from Southampton on 3rd,,,the same itinerary as the one you missed with COVID last year.

The cruise last year was a shambles,,,I’m giving X a second chance.

 

Thanks for the recommendations -- we will be in Cobh twice so will have plenty of time to explore-

 

I don't remember what Iain booked but do recall he booked something for Shetland Islands.    I'll have to go look.

[Jim_Iain]

Good morning all -    As was mentioned earlier,  it is a beautiful sunny day here in DFW.   We don't have anything planned and may just hang out around the pool.   

 

I often use FlightAware to check on airport conditions -   While FLL is open looks like there are some major delays -

 

[miguelmia]

Best of luck today, gentlemen! I can tell you looking out my window in Miami it's very sunny this morning and a plane just flew over my apartment leaving MIA. We might have some rain in the afternoon but it shouldn't affect your plans. While FLL was completely inundated this week MIA never closed and is more resilient to this sort of weather, anyway. Worst case you may have to circle over the Everglades for a bit.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Jim_Iain]

Just checking how things are doing at FLL-   Not looking good early morning.

 

[miguelmia]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Just checking how things are doing at FLL-   Not looking good early morning.

 

 

Out of curiosity I looked at MIA's website and see a grand total of 8 cancellations (4 arrivals, 4 departures) and most of those are flights to/from Cuba. I wouldn't worry about your flight today. It'll probably take a day or two for things to fully smooth out at FLL, sadly.

 

[DaKahuna]

@Jim_Iain  We are hoping that by the time of your flight tonight that things will have straightened out quite a bit.  While it may looking like you will be getting in way later than originally planned, the good news is that you will have plenty of time to rest and relax once you step aboard the ship.   Best of luck with today's travel.  Looking forward to reading you post saying you and Iian have arrived safely and are you hotel. 

 

[Jim_Iain]

49 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@Jim_Iain  We are hoping that by the time of your flight tonight that things will have straightened out quite a bit.  While it may looking like you will be getting in way later than originally planned, the good news is that you will have plenty of time to rest and relax once you step aboard the ship.   Best of luck with today's travel.  Looking forward to reading you post saying you and Iian have arrived safely and are you hotel. 

 

 

The other thing we have in our favor is we are on PDT so midnight is on 9PM body time.

[hcat]

in case you have time to read

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/04/14/fll-port-everglades-officials-ask-travelers-to-check-with-airlines-cruise-lines-amid-flood-recovery/

 

some very interesting  photos and links

[hcat]

and....gen info  not verified...

 

 

Royal Caribbean International’s Liberty of the Seas will be in Port Everglades on Friday, April 14, while five different vessels are scheduled for Saturday, April 15: Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, Costa Cruises’ Costa Deliziosa, Holland America Line’s Volendam, and two ships from Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Apex.

Similarly, five vessels are also scheduled for Sunday, April 16: Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess and Emerald Princess, Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas, and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Beyond

[dani negreanu]

 

I'm feeling like reliving @Georgia_Peaches's "adventures" all over again.

 

Hopefully, you'll not arrive at the last moment.

 

 

Wishing you both a very enjoyable cruise/s 🌷

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

in case you have time to read

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/04/14/fll-port-everglades-officials-ask-travelers-to-check-with-airlines-cruise-lines-amid-flood-recovery/

 

some very interesting  photos and links

Thanks @hcat   Incredible pictures.   I've been watching Channel 10 news all morning.   Sounds like things are starting to get back to normal.

 

I just checked and our inbound plane is coming in from Boston and while hasn't departed yet is looking good.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I'm feeling like reliving @Georgia_Peaches's "adventures" all over again.

 

Hopefully, you'll not arrive at the last moment.

 

 

Wishing you both a very enjoyable cruise/s 🌷

Definitely not as stressful as @Georgia_Peaches.    Here's was a nail biter.   

We have a day room at the Hyatt DFW and just sitting around wasting time.   Shortly we are going down to get a $20 hamburger...

 

 

[Oceansaway17]

7 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Definitely not as stressful as @Georgia_Peaches.    Here's was a nail biter.   

We have a day room at the Hyatt DFW and just sitting around wasting time.   Shortly we are going down to get a $20 hamburger...

 

 

wow $20 hamburgers.  gee   hoping the best for you getting on the Apex.   

[Dar & Bob]

@Jim_Iain Hope all goes well for you getting FLL.  We live and Tampa and wish they would have shared some of that precipitation.  Most rain in that period of time in Florida which is saying alot. 

Looking forward to following along.  DH and I will be boarding in Rotterdam when you are getting off.  Hope the rest of the trip is "uneventful"  

Dar

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Oceansaway17 said:

wow $20 hamburgers.  gee   hoping the best for you getting on the Apex.   

 

We had a really nice lunch.    Service was really slow and at the end of the meal the waiter came over to thank us for our patience and said the Manager had comped our lunch.    If I knew that I would have gotten desert.   LOL

 

They are having a Tri-Delta Sorority Conference at the hotel and they are packed with young ladies... Iain was saying they all look so young... Smart A$$ that I am I said yea when you consider they were probably born in 2000.   We both groaned.  

[Jim_Iain]

56 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

@Jim_Iain Hope all goes well for you getting FLL.  We live and Tampa and wish they would have shared some of that precipitation.  Most rain in that period of time in Florida which is saying alot. 

Looking forward to following along.  DH and I will be boarding in Rotterdam when you are getting off.  Hope the rest of the trip is "uneventful"  

Dar

 

Thanks much Dar and Bob.    Looking forward to meeting you.   

 

Know the feeling about rain.    We had a 3 year drought in Northern California but really had lots of rain this year enough that the reservoirs are full again and they are spilling.

 

It's amazing that FLL cold have so much and you are left high and dry.

[Lastdance]

Sending positive thoughts, as you make your way to Port Everglades😀

[Mark.Jules]

@Jim_Iain I am all caught up with the thread and wishing you well on your travels to FLL. I am very interested in following along, We did the Caribbean leg of your trip last year so it will be fun to relive the experience. We are in the Fjords on Apex in June so super excited for this. 

 

Thank you for taking us along with you.

[realnice46]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Definitely not as stressful as @Georgia_Peaches.    Here's was a nail biter.   

We have a day room at the Hyatt DFW and just sitting around wasting time.   Shortly we are going down to get a $20 hamburger...

 

 

That was a nail biter too. It was great how everybody pitched in to help.

[lkj1301]

Hi Jim,

Finally all caught up.  Wishing you safe and happy travels.  Been watching with Ft. Lauderdale weather. We have not been on a transatlantic yet not traveled "across the pond" but are working on at least getting to the Med within the next year or 2 (I finally retired and have the time).

Looking forward to following your amazing cruises and adventures and learning a thing or 2.

 

Lorie