Fort Lauderdale – Turn Around Day – Fort Lauderdale

A quick shower when we wake and Bernie takes two loads of clothes to the laundry.  Yes Princess gives us free laundry services but there is something about throwing it all in a washing machine (we bring our own detergent) and getting everything washed/ironed/folded for the next leg.

We are once again moving cabins but we are literally just moving from 411 to 105.  Yes we are all the way forward.

Originally we were to be in the same cabin we had on the first leg but when we saw that it had two upper berths folded up into the side walls.  To save our heads and shoulders we knew we needed to see if we could move cabins for the fourth leg.  I contacted our travel agent 20 days ago to see about moving and 105 was open.  It is not a inside sideways that we would of preferred but it is a quiet regular inside and that works out fine for us. 

We move our suitcases and clothes on the hangars very quickly.  Yes Princess will move us if we need them to but we can move it and we don’t have to be anywhere and since they are so busy we gladly move it ourselves.

The new cabin is not completely ready so we just put the bags in the closet and head ashore just prior to the in transit meet time of 9:30.

I haven’t mentioned that today is Sunday and boy is Port Everglades ever busy!!!  The Regal is at Pier 2, and the Crown Princess is at Pier 1. Also Allure, two  Holland America ships, and a Celebrity ship.  CRAZY.

Of course with this many ship in port it impacts the whole city.  It is busy, taxis are busy, custom agents are spread thin and it is really not something we enjoy.

Normally we stay on board and just do in transit but we have things to do ashore. 

We get in the queue for customs and it is long but moving and before it snakes back and forth we are able to go into the Global Entry line and we are thru within 2 minutes.

Once at the pier side we were going to take a taxi but the queues were very long and then we saw the port shuttle, which is complimentary.  This is here to move people who parked at Pier 2 which we left from.  We get on and then get off at Pier 2 and just walk in from there.

It is very hot and humid (there was a quick shower first thing this am). 

We walk to Publix and stock up on a few items (toothpaste, shampoo, cough drops for a crew member, and another essential oil for the cabin).

We tried to get our nails done but they don’t open till later today and when we do stop in later they are busy and ask us to come back in an hour but that won’t work for us.

For lunch we went to the Boatyard and enjoyed a lovely drink and meal.  We needed this bit of peace as the whole day just felt crazy. 

Now what to do?  We are just outside Wallgreens and another couple from our ship need to get back to pier 21 too. Yes you could walk as there are sidewalks but it is a long distance and would take about a half hour at least.

 

Bernie flags down a taxi and he pulls into Wallgreens and picks all four of us up.  I noticed that the taxi had not turned on the meter and mentioned it to him, he said he had (but he clearly had not).  I know there is a sign on the back seat saying if the meter is not on call this number and get the ride for free so we knew we were covered.

When he arrives at Pier 21 he says it is $9 which is what I would expect so we gladly pay.  He then says it is an added $10 and we say why and he says because I picked you up at Port Everglads (it is a minimal fee of $10 if picked up at the pier or airport) but I said you picked us at Wallgreens and last I looked the ships don’t dock at Wallgreens. We stood our ground and paid him and left.  And they wonder why we don’t like taxis and embrace Uber.  Note most times it is not an issue with taxis and most are fair.