Dec. 8, 2011 - Fort Lauderdale and Turn Around Day

Last night was fun, around 2 am we feel the ship listing to one side, well we didn’t so much feel it as we heard it.  The perfume and lotion bottle on the shelf slide to one side, and the vase full of flowers slid across the table and dropped to the floor spilling the entire contents of water across the carpet.  Okay we are up, refill the water and place it in a corner with something to prevent it from sliding.

the brown building in the background is where you would have to walk if you wanted to walk to the Publix

We fall back asleep but since we dock so early in Fort Lauderdale we are up at 6 am as we pull into the pier.  Last night we were given a room service card for breakfast, which is the first time that has ever happened because usually on turn around day there is no room service, but since he left it we put it out thinking great we don’t have to fight the crowds in Horizon Court. Early in the morning Bernie heads out to get a tea and my latte and runs into Fernando and he says oh they didn’t pick up your room service card so I delivered it to them saying “hey they are in transit and should get room service”.  And it is delivered to our cabin at the scheduled time.  We love Fernando and he has out done himself again and we appreciate it.  We have been tipping him an extra $10 every other day because of his outstanding service.
 

Our notice says to meet up at 10 am in the Explorer’s lounge but since there are so many we decide to head off the ship earlier and get off around 9 am.  We make a visit to Starbucks where we see Al, Justin and Jocelyn and chat with them before heading next door for a pedicure.  I even talked Bernie into getting a pedicure and he loved it. 

We head to the Ross store where Bernie and I get a few things then off to Total Wine and Publix and we are back on board the ship at 1pm.  This crowd seems a lot older, lots more scooters, walkers and wheelchairs.  But also a few more kids too. 

 

Since we are on a back to back we don’t have to attend the muster drill again, we invite some neighbours over for drinks and also Al and Justin and Jocelyn, after a bottle of champagne, a bottle of white and a bottle of red wine we are all having a good time and getting to know each other.  9 people in total and we still had space!  I could get use to this large room, just can’t afford it.

 

Al is performing tonight in the main show and we told him we would attend so we are going to dress for dinner and then watch his show.

 

We head down for dinner and run into Justin and Jocelyn in the atrium.  They invite us to join them for dinner in the dining room as they don’t have a show tonight.  We gladly accept and get sat at a table for four and have a wonderful dinner.  What I found so amazing is we talked about last night’s show and that he had chosen me from the audience to be part of his show.  I originally thought he chose me because of Al telling him to choose me but no he chose me because I was sitting in the middle near the front and he needed someone close by his wife, Jocelyn, to make the trick work.  I had no idea and laugh to say “hey it was fate” that we met.  We now consider them friends.

                                
For dinner I had the spring roll, the mushroom soup, and the pork, all very good. 
               
Bernie has given me something again, his cold from last sailing.  I am managing it isn’t slowing me down too much but I am stuffed up and have a sore throat and all I want now is to head to bed.  We are sorry Al but we missed the opening show.

Some new things that are on board this sailing are:  a lot of new crew, still no English Breakfast in the coffee bar, Deirdre Doyle the Customer Services Manager is off to the Star and has been replaced by Graham Kelly who we have sailed with before.  Assistant Cruise Director is now Bex.  And most importantly our Captain is now Nicolo Binetti.