--- CRUISE 2000 - Splendour of the Seas ---

Circle the Caribbean - February 27 through March 10

 

Sunday, February 27, 2000 - Beginning the trip - To Miami -- Linda and I were up and at’em about 4:30 AM. It was foggy and around 39 degrees. Soon the limo arrived to pick us up. A pleasant drive to the airport. Quick curbside check-in and to American Airlines. An uneventful flight.

Arrived at 12:30 PM and were met by Royal Caribbean people and directed to a waiting area. We waited for a short time and then off we went, with about 11 others, to the Hyatt. We scouted around, a little lunch and then a little nap (in the room for me and by the pool for Linda). A nice hotel.

We took a walk along the "Riverwalk". A pretty walk along the bay. Shirtsleeves and shorts. Lots of boats with many huge private vessels - I mean huge. Sunny and warm and we could see all the cruise ships heading out, lots of private boats and jetskis, lots of people and several horse and buggies carrying folks around.

A quiet evening in the room. We ordered some food from room service and watched TV until bedtime.

Monday, February 28, 2000 - To The Boat - Miami -- 8:30 AM and we headed down to "register" with Royal Caribbean. This checks us in so we can go directly on the ship and to our cabin. There was already a line - but not bad. We got through OK. All checked in.

Linda headed for the pool and I headed for the River Walk. I walked as far as it would let me and then back. Lots to see. Boats everywhere of every kind.

We went to the lobby about noon and soon boarded the bus and motored over to the ship. Short lines through security and entering the ship - but it was nice to go directly aboard. Our room is great (#8554). The balcony actually has room to walk around. The bath has an actual tub. Big TV and a large sitting area.

We spent the next hour roaming around and getting a feel for the ship. A small lunch in The Windjammer and back to the cabin to rest a little. The fire drill was at 4:15 PM and we mustered down four decks on the starboard side, station #7. The next event was our departure from Miami. We oversaw the operation from our balcony and it went very smoothly.

First seating for dinner is 6:30. We headed down to meet our new dining companions. We are seated at table #15, the second floor of "The King and I" dining room. It is an eight person table and full. A couple from New Jersey (Val and Greg), one from Melrose, Mass (Joyce and Jim) and another from Port Charlotte, FL ( Linda and Bill). We had a good dinner with everyone choosing prime rib.

To the 42nd street Theater for the Welcome Aboard show. The show was very good and the theater is very nice.

Tuesday - February 29, 2000 - Key West, Florida -- I got out of bed and headed up one deck for coffee. Several other early risers were there already. This, of course, is the extra day we get every four years (Leap Year). We’ll spend it in Key West. I went up a couple decks to watch us approach Key West and see the sunrise. The weather is great.

Breakfast in The King and I Dining room.

Captain’s Report at 11:30 PM.

Moderate easterly breeze
Slight Sea
Air Pressure = 30.2"
Temperature = 73.4 degrees

Linda headed off for a massage and I wandered around until I settled in "The Viking Lounge." It was great - quiet. soft music, nobody there and a great view. I read until 10. Back to the cabin.

Met Linda and we headed off to Key West. When it was time for lunch, we went back to the ship. We had a nice lunch in The King and I dining room with some people who spend their winters in the Ft. Lauderdale area - from Philly

Linda headed out to get some sun and I sat out on the balcony and finished my first book and started a second. Later, Linda went off for Line Dancing and Bingo while I rested my eyes -.

We got to see the Key West sunset as the ship pulled away from the Island. We all gathered at table 15 for dinner at 6:30. Our waiter is Raj - from India, the assistant is Peter from Hungary and the Head Waiter is Mimi from Egypt/Ireland. We had a good meal and the people at the table started to feel a bit more comfortable with each other.

Wednesday, March 1, 1999 - At Sea -- Up and at’em early. To Deck 9 and coffee. Read and watched the early morning folks. The sun came up at 7 AM over Cuba. Linda came up a little later. We had coffee and then headed down to "The King and I" for breakfast. A table of six and all of us were from Massachusetts

Captain's Report at 10 AM:

Heading 234 degrees
Speed 16.6 knots
Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 424 Nautical Miles
Distance to Playa Del Carmen = 263 nautical miles
Temperature = 75.2 degrees
Sunny

A day at sea - a quiet day all around. Linda spent some time out and about - I read and took a little nap.

Tonight was "Meet the Captain" night and formal. We got all slicked up and headed out at 5:30. Took a formal picture with the Captain. Met a nice couple from Vancouver Island.

The Captain says we have 1764 persons aboard (capacity 2087) from 30 countries.

To dinner - everyone was there. Good dinner with lobster tails and Chateaubriand as the features. I had both. Peach Flambe was the most popular dessert.

Soon we were off to "The 42nd Street Theater" for an evening of laughs with "The Shenanigans." Three guys who sang and danced to comedy skits for about an hour. They were very good. We sat with Joyce and Jim. Great show

Thursday, March 2, 2000 - Cozumel, Mexico -- Slept until 6 AM and headed upstairs for coffee. Soon we approached Playa Del Carmen. A large ship came alongside and took on many passengers for tours to the Mayan Ruins. The Splendour then headed to Cozumel. We arrived and were tied up at the dock as we had breakfast in the dining room. We sat with a couple from England, one from Toronto and two ladies from Philly. They were all experienced cruisers and we had a nice breakfast.

Soon we headed ashore. A short taxi drive and we were in San Miguel. We roamed around for about an hour and headed back. Our cab driver this time was Jose Trinidad. A very nice man who is a native of Cozumel - born and raised there. He stopped along the way so I could take a nice picture of our ship with a German vessel - the Arkona. A nice photo op.

Lunch - a nice group of people again. One couple was especially interesting. He is 95 years old and they have been married 10 years. They cruise twice a year. They live in Connecticut/California. Quite a couple. Another couple lives in a retirement community called The Gardens on the West Coast of Florida.

Back to the cabin. Linda watched "A Sixth Sense" and I took a Siesta.

Captain's Report at 4:30 PM:

In Port
Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 698 Nautical Miles
Distance to Georgetown Grand Cayman = 373 Nautical Miles
Temperature = 75.2 Degrees and Sunny

Casual for dinner tonight. Everyone was in attendance tonight and we had a good dinner. It was Mexican night - but none of the entrees were off the Taco Bell menu. The split was even with 1/2 getting the beef steak and the others got snapper. A great meal.

Later, we went to the show in the 42nd Street Theater. We found Jim and Joyce again and we sat together. The show was a Magician and then a Ventriloquist. Both very good.

Friday,-- March 3, 2000, - Grand Cayman -- Up and at’em. Upstairs for coffee and some reading. As the sun came up, I carried coffee down to Cabin 8554 for Linda. She was still asleep - but not for long. We approached Grand Cayman as we had our coffee on the balcony

Nice breakfast in The King and I Dining Room with a group from a golfing retirement community in Western North Carolina. They love it there.

We arrived at Grand Cayman and anchored out. We got off on tender load #20 and caught a taxi to the Colony Beach Club on 7 mile beach. We stayed about 1 1/2 hours and watched all the activity. Very bright and warm. Taxied our way back and got a tender right away.

We spent the afternoon in the cabin getting a little R&R and then it was time to get ready for dinner. A "Smart Casual" night. Good dinner, most everyone got the beef, some got the fresh cooked seafood pasta and I had the duck.

We are now underway to Jamaica.

Captain's Report 8:30 PM:

Speed = 20.5 Knots
Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 1121 Nautical Miles
Distance to Ocho Rios = 229 Nautical Miles
Weather = Clear and 78.8 degrees
Wind = East, gentle

Off to the 42nd Street Theater. They had a "Production" Show. It was very good with lots of high energy kids dancing and singing. A mixed-media show. Lasted about 40 minutes and was over. Called "The Beat Goes On."

To the cabin and to bed.

Saturday, March 4, 2000, Ocho Rios, Jamaica -- This is the half way day. Up and to the Windjammer. I had some coffee as we approached Ocho Rios. Brought some coffee down to Cabin 8554 about 6:30 to wake Linda. We got our act together and headed down to "The King and I" for breakfast. A family group from Iowa dined with us.

Puttered around and then headed down to board another - smaller - boat for the cruise over to Dunn’s River Falls. Nice ride over with some sightseeing and entertainment by one of the crew. Nice visit to the Falls. We walked up using the stairs and stopped along the way to watch others climb up through the falls. Great visit and great weather.

Back to the ship and down for lunch. The group at the table for lunch were from Massachusetts (three ladies from various places on the south shore) and a young couple from Florida (displaced from NJ). Linda headed in to town for some shopping, I read some and took a little Siesta.

To dinner. It was Italian Night and the wait staff was dressed appropriately. The menu was Italian also. An excellent meal and then the staff gathered on the stairs and sang O Sole Mio. Very nice. There are 72 waiters and 52 assistants representing 17 countries.

Off to the 42nd Street Theater for the show. A singer - Lenny Welch - put on a pretty good one hour show. He had a couple hits in the late fifties, early sixties.

Captain's Report at 10:30 PM:

Heading = 128 degrees
Speed = 17.5 Knots
Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 1420 Nautical Miles
Distance to Aruba = 498 Nautical Miles
Weather = Clear and 75.2 degrees
Wind = Southeast, moderate

Sunday, March 5, 2000, At Sea -- Up on deck for coffee. Brought some down for Linda at 8 and we headed off for breakfast.

Captain's Report this morning:

Heading = 138 degrees
Speed = 15.3 knots
Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 1585 Nautical Miles
Distance to Aruba = 333 Nautical Miles
Partly cloudy and 75.2 degrees

Linda spent the morning exploring the various activities. I read and watched the Sunday political stuff on CNN.

I spent the afternoon reading and napping. Linda went sunning and to a craft lesson. She made a "ribbon rose" and it came out great.

I did go to the computer center and dashed off a note to some of the addresses in my "remote" address book.

Soon it was time to dress (formal) for the "Crown and Anchor" Cocktail Party. This is for Royal Caribbean cruise "repeaters." They took a count and found there were many between 10 and 20, three over twenty and one at 39.

To dinner - another good meal with the "March of the Baked Alaska" for desert. Our head waiter, Mimi, was at the head of the parade.

To The 42nd Street Theater for the show. They did a production presentation they called "The Swinging Big Band Show." Very good.

Back to the cabin and to bed.

Monday, March, 6, 2000, Oranjestad, Aruba -- Up to the Windjammer for coffee. We were already tied up at the dock. Got coffee for Linda and then we went down to the Dining Room for breakfast.

Our balcony overlooks a reef and I could see brown pelicans. frigate birds, several great blue herons and terns on and around the reef.

Off the ship and into town. The shopping area was largely closed - but we wandered around anyway. It seems that the "Carnival" parade and party was last night and the shop owners are too tired or hung-over to open up. I headed back to The Splendour after an hour or so - Linda stayed ashore and looked around some more..

To lunch in The Dining Room at noon. Met more Canadians and a couple from Dayton. All experienced cruisers.

Next - we took a taxi over to the West Side where to see all the large hotels. There is a walk that passes in front (beach side) of them. We started at the Holiday Inn and passed them all, walking south - to the Wyndham. They are all very beautiful and would be a pleasant place to vacation.

Back to the ship. I stayed in the cabin for a little R&R and Linda went off to sit and knit.

Captain's Report at 2:30 PM:

Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 1919 Nautical Miles
Distance to Curacao = 76 Nautical Miles
Partly Cloudy
Temperature = 82.4 degrees

To dinner. Caribbean night - the wait staff looked great and did a parade with balanced cakes/bottles and such for us. A good time. Excellent dinner.

To the show. Tonight - six of us sat together (Joyce and Jim, Linda and Bill). The show tonight was a pair of jugglers/comedians, Sean and Dave. They were very funny and an excellent show.

To The Top Hat Lounge. I left about 10:15 leaving Linda to find Joyce and Jim. She did and they watched "The Almost Newlywed Show" and went to Caribbean Night by the pool.

Tuesday, March 7, 2000, Willemstad, Curacao -- I went and got a couple cuppas for us and then we headed for "The King and I" for breakfast.

The ship docked at a pier way up in the harbor, beyond the road bridge. It's about 1/2 mile to the floating bridge.

Linda and I went to the dock and met with the snorkeling tour. We soon boarded a 75’ dive boat and after a 25 minute run SW, tied up for some snorkeling. We both stayed in the water about 45 minutes before we got waterlogged. Great snorkeling with lots of small, colorful fish and a very attentive staff. Had a nice trip back with the rum punch flowing like water.

We took showers, changed and headed for lunch in the dining room. Then we headed in to town for an afternoon of window shopping.

Captain's Report at 2:30 PM:

Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 1996 Nautical Miles
Distance to Miami = 1160 Nautical Miles
Clear and 77 Degrees
Sunset tonight = 7:07 PM
Sunrise tomorrow = 6:47 AM

We relaxed a little after getting back and then watched the ship leave the dock. Prepared for another "Smart Casual" night at dinner.

To the show. "Star Struck" was the productions name. A clever use of video, live and audio recorded media. Good show.

I headed back to the cabin - Linda went with Joyce and Jim to The Top Hat to play "Name That Tune."

Wednesday, March 8, 2000, At Sea -- Up to The Windjammer for coffee. Sun came up to cloudy skies. Headed down to the cabin with more coffee at 7:30. Linda was already up. Breakfast in the King and I. Linda decided to go play the slots for a while - I tagged along. The place was empty - so she picked a machine and started feeding it quarters. After a little while, she was ahead a bunch after hitting for 40 here, 50 there and 160 another time. She decided to cash out - $93. We went to the lounge at to scheduled time for Bingo. We had fun - but - no winners at our table.

To Lunch in The "King and I."

Linda headed off to watch the horse races. I stayed behind and read some more. I did stop by the Computer center and sent off another e-mail.

The Captain's Report at 3:30 PM:

Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 2422 Nautical Miles
Distance to Miami = 734 Nautical Miles
Speed = 20.0 Knots
Temperature = 78.8 degrees

Linda came back after winning $36 at the horses. We puttered around and then got ready for our last "Formal Night". A great dinner with lots of pictures taken. To the show.

The 42nd Street Theater was packed tonight. We got six seats together and watched Dolores Park sing and then Gary Mule Deer (yes that's his name) put on a great comedy routine.

To the cabin - to bed.

Thursday, March 9, 2000, At Sea - Up to the Windjammer. Had coffee and read as the sun came up. Brought coffee to Linda about 8 and we headed to the dining room for breakfast. Next - to Bingo. The Snowball prize is got way up there and the Top Hat Lounge was full. No winners this morning.

Captain's Report at 10 AM:

Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 2805 Nautical Miles
Distance to Miami = 351 Nautical Miles
Speed = 20.4 Knots
Temperature = 73.4 degrees

We went to the Solarium and had hotdogs and fries for lunch. Back to the cabin and some R&R for me and Linda packed.

We’ve been cruising off the coast of Cuba all day. We passed within 6 miles at 3 PM, so we went up and saw Cuba. Next - time for Bingo again. I went down and got Linda seated again. They are holding this one in the 42nd Street Theater - to hold everyone. No winners amongst our circle. They did have two winners who split $9650.

Next - they had the talent show. They had 7 entrants. 1 - a couple from New York, singers. 2 - A lady from Baltimore, singer. 3 - Two ladies from Columbus, Ohio, tap dancers. 4 - An oriental girl from San Francisco, singer. 5 - A man from Houston, singer. 6 - A girl from Virginia, singer. 7 - A group from all over who put together a skit. They were all very good. Good show.

Back to the cabin for a quick change and off to our "Last Supper." We all had a great dinner - the wait staff did another parade and sang once again. Good time. We said good-byes and headed off for the show.

The show was very good tonight. Another multi-media production presentation. Lots of exotic costumes and good singing and dancing. To the cabin and to bed.

Friday, March 10, 2000 - Going home -- To the top deck for coffee. We were approaching Miami as I watched. The Pilot came aboard and we headed into the channel. I got more coffee and headed to our cabin. Woke Linda and we watched as we came in and they turned the Splendour around in a little basin.

Current condition @ 5:50 AM:

Distance traveled since leaving Miami = 3154 Nautical Miles
Partly Cloudy
Temp = 71.6 degrees
Wind = NE, calm

We went down to "The King and I" for breakfast as we docked. Everyone was there except Joyce and Jim. Breakfast service was not as crisp as it has been - but we survived. Said good-bye to everyone and back to our cabin.

We left our cabin about 7:50 AM and found a spot in the computer room to sit. They started calling "colors" (baggage tags are issued in different colors based on when the passengers involved need to be of the ship) to disembark and soon they called us and we were on our way. We gathered our luggage, checked it with American and found our bus. Arrived at the airport at 11:10.

We met Jim and Joyce there. We arrived at Logan in Boston on schedule. We got our baggage and headed upstairs to the limo.

We arrived home at 8'ish. Alice and Duncan were waiting at the door....