Cruise recap – day three to eight

Day 4 Harvest Caye, Belize

In the morning of day 4, we anchored up in the harbour of Harvest Caye island, in Belize. Not much to say about this island, other than it is a small island where all is built up to serve Norwegian Cruise Lines. The island is privately owned by NCL.

There was nothing more to do than walk ashore, pass all the stalls trying to rip off your money and lay down on the beach. We had one drink each to an unthinkable price. This is what can be done when there is no competition.

A bit of excitement came to life when I found my key card was missing. Must have lost it on my way from the ship to the beach. This is an item you cannot go without. Your card has to be presented at all times when you do something, all from disembarking to embarking the ship to having breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks etc. It was in addition illegal to leave the island to walk the walkway to the ship. Luckily I had my passport and managed to persuade the security guy to pass. The same procedure had to be repeated when embarking the ship again. Luckily someone must have found my card as I was given it back in the reception.

Day 5 Costa Maya, Mexico

Costa Maya was the trip’s stop I looked most forward to. This was because we had pre-booked an excursion to a Mayan historical site. When travelling, Tove and I always try to see some historical sites.

Our excursion company had their office outside the enclosed port area. Just finding it was not easy, like moving thru a maze ( the port area with stalls). This took a while, but once get going we were quite happy. Our driver, unlike the one in Honduras, was knowledgeable and did his job with pride. Driving to and from Chacchoben, the Mayan site, we drove along the longest straight piece of road I have ever seen. From what I could see from maps, the distance was about 50 km dead straight, unbelievable .

Day 6 Cozumel, Mexico

In Cozumel, Mexico, we had pre-booked a trip on a catamaran including a snorkling event and a beach party, see https://www.furycozumel.com/ .

Unfortunately, the memory card on my GoPro clone that day decided to say thank you and good bye. Therefore no pictures or fottage of pretty coloured fish at the reef where we snorkelled.

The catamaran was a real party boat. Loud music all times except during the safety demonstration, something the company took seriously. After the safety talk, the bar opened. All inclusive again!!! The Margaritas, we’re in Mexico, were pre-mixed in large cooling barrels.

The trip was a success, had a lot of fun and definitely a venue I would love to return to. One of the things I will never forget, was when some really nice looking, curvy, bikini dressed, young ladies were dancing on deck. Out came another lady, in bikini, not so young and rather chubby , and danced along. Turning her back to us, we saw she had tattooed a word on her back, Happiness. Surely made my day. You can see her in the pictures below.

Day 7 At sea

This day we sailed again in the Mexican Gulf on our way back to Miami. The issues this day were mostly these

• Relaxing on the upper sun deck consuming frozen Margaritas and Strawberry Daiquiries
• Packing our suitcases
• Dining

This day, allthough sunny, was a bit windy, but we found a place on upper sun deck were we lay down on sunbeds sheltered for the wind. These frozen drinks went well down.

During early evening, before dinner, we had to clear the cabin, pack all down into suitcases again. Strange how much you manage to drag along for only 1 week. All suitcases had to be outside the cabin by mid night labelled with correct colours, depending on where you headed next morning.

We had selected the best restaurant for our last day and met up for pre-dinner drinks in the neighbouring bar ??????. Had a good bottle of red wine to go with our food, outside of the all inclusive selected wines.

After the meal, when sitting in the bar again, I decided to have a look at the special offers in the ships shopping department. The advertised special discount on selected goods like watches. I decided I needede a new wrist watch.

As Derek had been there shopping earlier during the day, we asked him to follow us and be our special adviser. After some discussions we found 2 watches, one for Tove that she liked and one that Derek thought would make me look better. After coming home, I started to investigate the watches just to see if I have saved some money. It was then I found out, Derek, you made me buy a ladies watch!!!!

I will guess Tove is happy now. She got one new watch on the cruise and will have another one new for Christmas ??

Day 8 Miami, dis-embarkation

This was the day all happened. As our flight back home was late in the afternoon, we had booked an excursion to Everglades. This excursion was going to take us by bus to Everglades, have a look at the wildlife, go by this propelled flat bottomed boats, and then at last be dropped off at the Miami International Airport.

We were up early, before 7 am to get breakfast and meet at the rendezvous point in the District Brew pub. All passengers with kind of excursions like hus, had to meet there for a joint disembarkation and pick up of our luggage. Before that we had checked the cabin, emptied the safe and made sure all was cleared. All of us, around 100 persons were checked on a list, and after a long time we were escorted thru some corridors and stairs down to the passport check area. By some reason unknown, it all stopped. No one was let thru, probably because of chaos outside when 4200 is leaving. We stood in the corridor, sweating for 45 minutes. It was then I discovered, my wallet was gone!!! Hand baggage was searched, but no wallet. I managed to get hold of one of the crew who escorted me back to the cabin. There was our cabin, with door open, all beddings taken out, the safe open, and there in the open safe was …. MY WALLET ???

Everglades

Everglades was fantastic. It has been on my bucket list for a long time, now ticket off. Everglades is a wast area with shallow water and grassland. We had a fantastic guide who was with us from the port thru Everglades and to the airport. The area is populated by a wildlife, consisting amongst others alligators, snakes, birds and fish.

There was a kind of special feeling when skidding around over the water in the air propelled boats. I had no idea that they could go that fast… This trip is recommended for all lovers of nature and wild life.

We also attended a show with alligators. Quite strange to see alligators reacting to their names and also the sound of their jaws clapping together when food was thrown into their mouth.

By the way, we also got the explanation of the Miami name. The name Miami derives from Myaamia (plural Myaamiaki), a tribe’s autonym (name for themselves) in their Algonquian language of Miami-Illinois.  Meaning Sweetwater!!! Nice to know for Sweetwater Bayers ?

Travel home

Because we have had no internet while on cruise, we did not know until this day that we were upgraded on SAS from Go to Plus. When we found out, there were only separated seats available and we were forced to sit apart. Not a big issue, but when on an 8,5 hour flight you would like to sit together. However, SAS service is really good, cannot be compared to so-called low cost airlines. All crew friendly, all food and drinks inclusive, no stress with selling items etc. I’m just happy to be back with SAS.

On out flight from Copenhagen to Oslo, the captain made the announcement of arrival information to Oslo. He did this in declaring a poem, in Norwegian and the same in English, and quite a lengthy one. No need to say he received clapping and ovations from the passenger, a very special experience

Another issue of service attitude was how they handled one of my suitcases. Coming back to Oslo, it looked as in the picture below. We took it to the counter, the man looked at it and said, ‘what brand is it’ and ‘sign here, please’, disappeared on to the back office, and came back with a brand new similar one. Only difference was the colour. He’s only comment was, ‘you need to re-pack’.

This is good service