What a change to a place!
I wasn't going to bother to get off the ship today but I'm glad I did.
The last time we were in labadee was about ten years ago, the difference is amazing.
From a bit of a run down island, with a bit of a shack and a few benches.
RCI have transformed it into a beautiful resort, with a number of wonderful beaches and relaxing woodland walks.
Add that to water sports and zip wires, there is something for everyone.
The title is not a joke.
About an hour and a half out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, we came across three blokes in an upturned boat.
The ship had to come to a stop and send a rescue boat out to take them on board.
It turned out that they'd been there for six hours.
They were taken to the medical centre and checked out and thankfully they were all ok.
About an hour later they were transferred to a coast guard vessel and taken back to Puerto Rico.
Well we got off in St Maarten as planned, but we didn't find the perfume that Sheila was after.
I got my self a Caribbean shirt for $10, and it was Sheila who bargained the woman down from $15.
We bought a few other things, then walked down the beach front and had a beer.
The cafe had free wifi, so we phoned Nic & Neeta on tango, that's an app similar to Apples face time.
The temperature was in the high 80s, but we're made of stern stuff, so we had a leisurely stroll back to the ship.
I know, I know, it's a hard life, but we managed.
In the diamond lounge last night it was the usual debauched mix of booze and chat.
San Juan on Puerto Rico today.
I'll keep you informed.
We didn't get off in St Kitts after all.
Sheila wasn't feeling to well, so I decided to stay on board with her and sun bathe.
We're back here in February so we'll have a look around then.
Today we're in Phillipsburg St Maarten.
We'll definitely be getting off today as Sheila wants perfume for a couple of people back home.
Last night was an uneventful night in the diamond lounge.
Except for the four people who dress up every night.
They were in 60/70s style last night. Not they're best costumes yet, but still great fun.
Sea day yesterday nothing exiting happened.
Except the group in fancy dress were in the lounge again, this time as 80s characters, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Austin Powers and some dude in a pink suit, they looked brill.
I found out that they are on for two weeks and have a different costume for every night!!
After the free drinks in the diamond lounge, we went to the show, a singer called Jackie Michel was on. She did a good variation of songs and was very good.
Today we are in Basseterre on St Kitts & Nevis, will probably get off for a mooch around.
Last time we were here was two years ago with Jennifer & John and we took the ferry over to Nevis, so we didn't see much of Basseterre.
That's all for now....
There are a group of four people who come in the diamond lounge every evening dressed in a different costume.
First night they came as Santas little helpers, last night it was Al Capone and his mob.
They told us they had a different costume for every evening.
They've definitely come to have fun.
Another sea day today so kick back and relax is the order of the day...
Sheila, a lady we've met called Holly and I decided to get off in Ft Lauderdale and have a stroll.
We were the only people walking out of the port, everyone else was taking a cab or minibus.
We got some surprised looks, it seems that walking in south Florida is not the usual mode of transport.
Anyway we took a 40 minute stroll to a local shopping centre, did some shopping, had a coffee in Starbucks, then joined in with the local tradition and got a cab back to the ship.
Seriously, there must have been 3000 people queuing to check in.
We had our in transit passes so we should have been allowed straight in at the front of the queue as we had no need to check in.
But the security guards kept insisting we had to join the line at the back.
If we had we'd have been waiting hours to get back on board, seems like they had no idea what in transit, or a back to back cruiser was.
As luck would have it the head of the ships security was coming out of the terminal, he solved our problem and walked us right through..problem solved..... Phew!
If nothing else this has been an eventful cruise....lol
Yesterday there was a change of itinerary instead of going to Nassau as planed, apparently the port was overbooked!
We ended up docked in Freeport,
which turned out to be a "pretty" cement works.
It was a dump that was about 15 miles out of the town.
Overbooked my arse, more like cheaper port taxes.
Anyway we're back in Ft Lauderdale today and starting the Caribbean leg of the cruise which should be nice.
Getting off for a walk this morning to do a bit of shopping.
Seems like all I'm doing at the moment is moaning, but not only have the beer prices on board come down by almost $2 a bottle but also the duty free cigarettes are $20 a carton cheaper and perfume $25 per bottle cheaper.
RCCL may argue that taxes are different in the US but for 10 days of the crossing we were in international waters, so the European taxes won't count.
Personally, I feel that us brits or should I say Europeans, are being ripped off.
And that's before I mention the cruise prices the Americans pay, which we have no access to..... Phew! End of moan....lol
Other than that we're having a good cruise :-P
Wow! Last night in the diamond lounge was manic.
The lounge was used for everyone from diamond upwards, because the pyramid lounge where the diamond members normally go was being used by travel agents selling cruises, so in true Royal Caribbean tradition they crammed everyone in one lounge.
You'd think that some of the passengers had never seen free drinks before, it was a real bun fight.
We were ok though as the waiters knew us from the crossing and kept us supplied with our drinks.
On the up side it will only be for the three night cruise, then we should be back to normal, fingers crossed.
Today we're at Coco Cay in the Bahamas, it's beach party day so I think we'll be staying on board and enjoy the empty ship and the sunshine.
Well there it was gone, the end of the first leg of the cruise came so quickly.
It was sad last night, saying goodbye to all our friends old and new.
The really sad part is that all of the really fun people that we know are leaving.
We've arranged to meet up with Mo, Joyce, Freda and Nige after Christmas and we've had lots of offers to come visit.
Great people great cruise.
I nearly forgot to tell you, Tom & Albert bought me a T shirt yesterday, in Nassau.
On the front it says "SMILE it pisses people off" they said as soon as they saw it they thought of me.
The gesture really touched me.
As I said, great cruise and really great people.
The change over for the consecutive cruisers was better than the last time we did it three years ago.
Only an hour and a half to get back on the ship, as against 5 hours last time.
Maybe next time they'll have it down to the promised 20/30 minutes.
Another thing, the beer prices have come down by almost $2 a pint, from the prices we were paying when sailing around Europe.
Just another way Royal Caribbean rip off the brits and Europeans.
Not only do the Americans pay less for their cruises but they get charged less for their booze.
Quite simply the meal in chops grill last night was spoilt by the very slow service.
The meal it's self was nice except for the of the soups being cold, but two hours for the first two courses I think was to long.
The problem lay in the kitchen not with the waiting on staff.
On a plus point the company was good and we'll miss them these next eleven days.
Anyway it's Nassau today, I think we're getting off, I'll keep you informed.
Last nights act on the theatre was an X factor finalist from 2008, by the name of Austin Drage.
We went to see him with Freda & Nigel, without any great expectations and we were very surprised with how good he was.
He had a great voice and did a good variation of songs.
I probably shouldn't have been to surprised as I always say if the X factor finalists have anything about them, they can make themselves a good career.
Off to Chops Grill tonight for a bit of a farewell meal with Mo & Joyce and Freda & Nigel as they're all getting off in Ft Lauderdale.
We've had a great crossing with them and we'll miss them all.
Following on from the post title, Albert one of my wacko friends has a fantastic talent in cross stitch.
He showed Sheila and I a cross stitch work he's done, it's of a photo of two friends of his and it's brilliant.
Wish I had some sort of a talent like that.
Changing the subject, this has been another good cruise for company, not only have we had a great time every evening with Joyce & Mo and Freda & Nigel.
But lots of others in the diamond lounge such as Tom, Albert, George, James, Tana and Jerry to name but a few.
Problem is getting out of the diamond lounge it's like a magnet lol.
That's about it for now...
Anyone who's been on the Independence of the seas, will know about the cruise director Joffs progressive quiz and anyone who knows me will know I've been trying to win it for years.
Well this trip is no different to all the others, the quiz is as good and as funny as ever and our team is doing as bad as ever, lol.
But it's great fun and it's something I would recommend doing on any Independence it's cruise.
Joff makes it so funny that even of you're doing bad in it, it's still worth doing for the laugh.
End of RCCL advertisement....lol
The evening drinks event in the diamond lounge is it's usual mix of fun loving wackos (two of them pictured Tayna & Albert) and the snobbish misery arses, who don't appear to want to enjoy themselves.
Luckily us wackos out number them.
Sheila and I went to see the show with Freda and Nigel last night, it was a trio of young girls from Yorkshire, the name of who evades me at the moment.
They did an acoustic session on guitars and violin, with some brilliant vocals.
All in all last night was another great night.
When we got back to the room last night there was a lovely surprise.
The cabin girl had decorated our beds with flowers and things and a little note wishing me a happy birthday, she was actually a day late, but the thought was lovely.
Well we're on our way to the Azores and up to now the weather is quite calm, so fingers crossed for the rest of the crossing.
We've still got the virus restrictions on in the windjammer though, hopefully they will relax them soon, well just have to wait and see.
Oh yes one other complaint, some of the waiters in the diamond lounge of an evening are not very good one of them tried to make us finish our drinks before he would bring us another one.... So no tip for him then lol.
The company each night has been brilliant, which is half the battle for me on a cruise.
It's been a good mix of friends both old and new.
Today is the second day of Joff's progressive quiz which is the usual laugh, I've been trying to win the thing for years without much success..maybe this time you never know lol.
That's about it for now, unless something exciting happens today
I forgot to mention that they had the Norovirus onboard ship on the last cruise, and they've still got the restrictions on in the windjammer.
The staff are serving you the food instead of the usual self service, it's a pain but I suppose it's necessary.
Also the food doesn't seem to be up to the usual standard.
Anyway we are just pulling into Lisbon and the weather has calmed right down, but it's to dark at the moment to tell if it's going to be a nice day.
At least we'll be able to go outside and get some fresh air, which we haven't been able to for the last two or three days.
Moan over speak later lol.
What a night, the ship has been up and down all night. But still not as bad as a couple of years ago on the Oriana, when we had 9 days of bad weather crossing the Atlantic. Anyway back to yesterday evening, we had another good laugh, I met some mad lady who thinks I look like Elton John!!! Is that a good thing or a bad thing? You tell me LOL. I normally get Heston the chef (can't spell his name) or Harry Hill!!! So I suppose it's a step up lol. We went to the show in the theatre later to see the East Coast Boys, who are a Frankie Valli tribute band. They were excellent and I'd recommend seeing them.
Had a brilliant night last night, not only were Tom & Albert and Nigel & Freda on board, but also Maurice & Joyce, who we met about four years ago on the Jewel of the seas.
Then low and behold, up turns Norman & Marie who we met this year on the Independence, also about 10 other faces I knew.
As I said in an earlier post, it's a small (cruise) world.
Anyway six of us took advantage of the 2 for 1 offer in Chops Grill, we had a ball in fact one table commented on how much were enjoying ourselves (I think they were being nice and not complaining) LOL
Btw Ken, Denise, John & Dre, such a shame you guys couldn't make it you'd have loved it.
Anyway it's 6.49ers and I'm just going to get my 2nd coffee of the day...speak later.
