Jan 26, Florida aka Turn Around Day

We are docked before 7 am, and since our clocks go back an hour to coincide with Florida time we get an extra hour of sleep, but what it is sleep.  In fact I think I hardly slept all night, woke every hour.  For some reason my brain just wouldn’t shut off, don’t even know why since really what do I need to think about while I am on vacation!

We decided to do wash on turn around day, I know we get free laundry service but we really wanted to do some a fresh load and do it in bulk and get it really clean.  I will state that laundry was $2 for washing and $2 for drying, it sure has gone up since we use to do wash.  We got a roll of quarters from the casino.

We dress and head down to the dining room for breakfast where I enjoy the crunchy French toast, one of my favorites.

Today we have made plans to meet up with Alice and take a taxi (since darn it we are at pier 21 which is quite a hike to the exit) to the Publix mall where Alice and I get pedicures and Bernie heads out to get supplies at the Publix, the regular stuff, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc.  Then he restocks on some champagne and wine.  We then head to Starbucks and it is packed, did I tell you there are 8 ships in port!  Yup 8!  It is crazy! 

The next great thing about today is we are going to see Larry and Amy today.  We met them in 2008 when we sailed together on the Emerald, since then we have sailed with them once more and they have come to Vancouver too.  We had a lovely lunch together and got caught up and they were so nice to drive us back to pier 21. 

It was around 2:30 when we were dropped off and it was still crazy busy – what is going on!   When we first got on it was crazy and again today and it is late!  They are lined up out the door for security, we thankfully show our in transit cards and we are lead to the outer line where we can by pass the couple hundred waiting.  A few dirty looks but we really don’t care.  Once we get thru security it takes no time but all the areas are very busy!  

We get on board and see some familiar faces.  We lug our stuff back to the cabin where we meet Efren our new cabin steward who just got on board.  He told us he left the Philippines twenty hours earlier and he is on board right away and off and running.  He is super friendly and we tell him we are still having issues with our pillows and he quickly rectifies it with a pillow that is a dream.  We give him a good tip and we are both relieved to know we will be taken care of very well the next twenty days.

The Muster Drill is going on and I head up to the sun deck to relax and take some shots of the 7 other ships in port.  After the drill the people start filling up the decks and the band starts up and the party begins!

We dance, we say hi to familiar faces, we grab a drink, and let the party begin.

Tonight we head back up to Skywalkers, we hardly even got up here last cruise but tonight we join with Bill and Cathy and Sue and Mike for a drink and some catch up.  Dinner tonight is at 7:30 with Elda and Nathanlian again but our table has grown to 7 now.

I have the spring rolls to start, the broth soup with tortellini, and then the cheese and leek quiche for my entrée, and surprise surprise I had dessert the cheesecake.  All was very very good but I am so full and very very tired and we head back to the cabin to get some sleep.