At Sea, May 2, 2023

Today, we are At Sea again. A welcome day to relax and gain our strength back from our arduous day trekking all over San Francisco! But the Entertainment Crew onboard has fun and games planned! We find a spot midships in the atrium to watch the Fruit Carving Demonstration.

Some fun times on board and time to kick back. I will admit to one of my weaknesses to have a cocktail or two while relaxing on a cruise ship! So hate me, LOL! And my love with a “Titanic Moment?”

Then it’s off to a show in the ship’s theatre for the evening!

Goodnight All! Tomorrow is a port day!

May 1, 2023 — San Francisco

We wake up in time to step out on our balcony to watch us sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. The skies were calm yet menacing as we approached the city!

Okay, time to walk around and check out the sights of the city! From the docks to cable cars to views of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Then we take a Hop On, Hop Off Bus ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to a small park where there are views of the Bridge and the Bay and The City! It was cold and windy but don’t let that slow us down!

We cross back into the city on the bus and get off at Golden Gate Park. One place that is on our list. Eclectic artwork everywhere. Middle of the streets even! Chef Dog statues that we can’t explain. Walkways. Lawn displays everywhere. An enclosed Botanic Garden that is closed today. A florally painted piano that a local tourist played for me! A floral clock! And a message of love spelled out in large building blocks!

Our legs are exhausted. But we find ourselves only a few blocks from another San Fran Icon, the Haight Asbury neighborhood! So we walk on our tired legs! And we grab the Hop On Hop Off bus for a couple blocks. Famous images we have only seen in history assault our senses!

We wonder where we’ll get the energy to return to our ship. But we find the Hop On Hop Off Bus Stop and board the bus again! We tour through famous old residential neighborhoods! We finally get back to the area near the docks and get off the bus.

Now we have to decide whether to go back to the ship or not. But our internet has suggested a wine tasting store only a few blocks from the docks and it twists our arms. We trudge the few blocks and locate the store. Wow! What a find! We buy a wine tasting for a measly $10 per person and we are treated to a 5, that’s a FIVE Flight tasting! Now here’s the kicker… Wait for it! The youngest wine we taste is 10 YEARS OLD! A few were 20! Tell me you’ve gone wine tasting and had 20 plus year old wines! I’ll wait.. Anyone? I didn’t think so!

Then, on weary legs, we trudge our way back to the ship, but not until we stop at Boudin’s for some Chowder in a fresh Sourdough bread bowl!

Back to the ship on shaky legs and we board. Dinner and a glass of wine and I can’t wait to lay my weary body down! But before I do, I go back up on deck for our departure from this famous City By The Bay! Of course I have to take photos of our departure at night!

See you all tomorrow! This weary body needs to sleep!

At Sea

Today is another day of familiarizing ourselves with the layout of the ship. In the afternoon we find a Martini Making Demonstration midships! So what do you do when you are learning about martinis? Why, have a Martini of course! I had a “Midnight Sun” (with chocolate and cream) and Elee had a “I Wish I remember What this is Called!” (LOL, we don’t remember!)”. But they were interesting!

So, another Day At Sea comes to a close. Fun times!

Los Angeles

April 29, 2023 — to the docks…

We get a ride to the ship from our friend Tony. Once on board it’s time to get to know the ship. Even found an event in the center of the ship where passengers spent some time filling a stack of glasses with champagne!

The ships gets underway in the evening and we start to meet other passengers! Then we check out the show in the theatre and turn in for the night!

The trip home, Easter Sunday, Apr 9

We manage to get 6 hours of sleep in our cubicle Citizen M Hotel and we check out and walk our bags to the terminal. We were here 9 years ago on our return from South Africa, but somehow we don’t remember the vastness of Schiopol Airport! At least there were flower displays on the short walk to the terminal!

But we manage to get through security and find our Gate and Plane and all is good. Well so we thought. As we go through the line to board the plane, Elee goes through and I am right behind her. But they pull me aside due to a designation on my Boarding Pass. It seems the Italian Agent yesterday that failed to bully us into checking our carry on bags found her revenge and flagged my Pass with “SSSS” or “Selective Security Screening System”. We are convinced she did it out of spite.

But hey, when detained by Security in the Airport, the best you can do is go through with it calmly. Even the Officer inspecting my luggage and making me take off my shoes chuckles a little because we can only guess he knows the situation. So he swipes my hand, socks, belt and other parts of me with his explosives wipes and finds nothing. He wishes me well on my way and I wish him a Happy Easter!

So the Agent Lady in Italy probably assumed that we would get delayed enough that we would have to check at least one carry on bag. But the joke’s on her as we boarded the line early. We were in line with Zone 4 tickets and were right behind Zone 2 passengers! Had we waited for Zone 4 to be called, it is likely she would have won! This is also a flight tip for passengers. Always get on line at lease one Zone early as the check in personnel rarely care. Don’t jump the line too far as when they catch you very early, they’ll make you stand there and wait forever.

So we’re on the plane and the flight is uneventful and we land in LAX 30 minutes early! Our son has a day off and comes into the airport to pick us up. Another car ride of just over an hour and we are home sweet home!