Happy New Year everyone! Joyce and I wish you all a very prosperous and exciting 2013.
On New Years Eve Joyce and I went to the Elks Lodge for supper and some dancing. The dinner was good but the guy doing the singing wasn't. We were hoping that they would be doing some boot-scoot'in music but he was doing 50's and early 60's stuff. We left early.
On the 3rd, we drove down to Patrick AFB to spend the night on our way down to Miami for our 3-day cruise. Patrick has some really nice quarters and also retirees can dine in their dining hall which has really good food.
The next morning we got an early start and arrived at the parking lot around 10:30. It was just a short drive from there over to the Royal Caribbean terminal where we boarded the Majesty of the Seas.
Majesty is one of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet and is much smaller than the other ships we have sailed on before. You can actually walk from one end to the other in about three minutes.
Our first stop was at RC's private island, Coco Cay on the north end of the Bahamas. We decided not to even go ashore here and we were rewarded with the ship almost to ourselves.
That evening we went to the Top Tier Reception for Platinum and above members. The captain (who is only 30 years old) presented a talk about the history of Royal Caribbean and what is in store for the future. Two new Oasis class ships are going to be built starting next year. Additionally, RC has decided to build a new Sunshine class that is going to rest between the Oasis class and the Freedom class. During the reception we heard an emergency alarm being announced which got everyone's attention.
During dinner, the captain told us that because of a medical emergency we were not going to be spending the night at Coco Cay but would leave immediately for Nassau. He also said that anyone who would like to go ashore to enjoy some evening entertainment in Nassau could do so after clearing customs. Joyce and I elected to stay on the ship.
The next morning after breakfast we hit the town of Nassau. The area around the cruise ships is all about shopping for jewelry, jewelry and more jewelry. There are a few shops selling t-shirts, hats and other junk and also a few clubs. In Nassau if you want to do some really serious sight-seeing you will need to book an excursion on your ship or do some research about how to get around in the area.
After walking around for a while, we got in a taxi and headed over to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. You've probably seen the commercials about this place on TV but you really can't really see how big this place is from them. It's huge! And to stay here will cost you a huge dent in your checking account as well.
We had heard about the aquarium here so we decided to check it out. We paid $40 each but it was worth that price.
After doing that, Joyce wanted to make a donation in their casino so I went back to the ship. She stayed and actually won $120.
Nassau from the ship
The Masonic Lodge is the yellow building with white trim. Since it was Sunday the Lodge was closed.
In the background, there is a new hotel/casino being built.
Atlantis
At Atlantis. The "bridge" is actually a 5000 sq. ft. suite. $25,000 a night!
1. A 3-day cruise is just too short. By the time you figure out the lay of the land, it's time to get off. Minimum for us is 5-days.
2. The Majesty of the Seas is small so some of the cabins are small as well. We like the medium size ships like the Jewell of the Seas.
3. DO NOT use Primer Parking in Miami! I won't go into the details here but rest assured, you will not like what will happen when you get back into port.
4. The easiest way to do sight-seeing at ports of call is to book excursions with your cruise line. However, they are usually expensive. With some research you can get all the information including downloading guides and brochures.
OK, that's enough for now.
Barry & Joyce
I'd settle for the three day.
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