Cruisin' we are...

Jan 8, 2010 Friday


Left Phoenix at 1:00 p.m. direct flight to a very cold, New Orleans. Or as they say it N’awlins. Picked up our rental car and after a few wrong turns, (GPS not familiar with this part of the world obviously!) we found our hotel. We are staying 2 nights before the cruise at the Hilton Gardens, Convention Center. Out our window we can see the cruise port and currently Carnival is in port.

Mike and Bev arrived earlier today; so after we dumped our luggage we promptly went in search of somewhere to eat. We found “Mothers”, best ham in N’awlins. Mike had the ham, Al and I had fried oysters and they were excellent….some of the best we have ever had. We drove through the French Quarter for a bit trying to get our bearings. After that we headed to the airport to pick up Jerry. Half of us are now here…the rest arrive tomorrow.

Jan 9 Nawlins Saturday

MY, IT IS COLD HERE! 23 degree’s this morning. Very unusual for New Orleans. The locals are just about frozen stiff!!!

After breakfast at the hotel we hopped in the car and drove around the French Quarter again and the French Market area. We stopped at Café DuMonde for bengiets and café au late….YUM. Bengiets are nothing more than fried sweet dough with lots of powdered sugar….but oh so good. We wandered around for a bit, then jumped back into the car to the garden district. The houses are amazing! We stopped at VooDoo BBQ for lunch and it was amazing. Want to go back there again.

Later today we started picking up the rest of the family/friends from the airport. Ric, Janet and Jennifer came in first; got them back to the hotel in time to turn around and go back and pick up Jack and Suzi. I promptly got lost coming back from the airport, so Jack and Suzi got an improtu tour!!! Then it was off to Mulata’s for dinner. Interesting place, very loud and all cajun food. I had the stuffed shrimp, which I didn’t really care for. The fried alligator appetizer was pretty good tho. After dinner Jenn and I took off for the airport to pick up Ron and Melanie. And, I made the same wrong turn coming back to the hotel again; but at least I could find my way back to the hotel in one shot this time. Now, all our kids are here; we are ready to cruise!

Jan 10, Sunday aboard NCL Spirit

Did I mention how cold it is here? The artic air has hit places where it isn’t suppose to be!!!
I started shuttling everyone to the ship around noon today – then Melanie and I took the rental car back to the airport and hopped a taxi back to the ship. After eveyone is on board, we all met up for lunch. Our group is 12, so getting tables together we thought was going to be hard, but so far we have managed just fine.

The weather is still cold, but sunny. We will travel down the Mississippi River for 100+ miles before getting into the Carribbean. As I said, it is cold, probably the coldest cruise we have ever been on so far, but the promise of warm weather awaits. All of us but Al went up on deck to the “Bon Voyage” party…sailing, sailing, down the muddy river!!! Dinner was in the dining room tonight, as usual very good, however, I am already tired of the food! For whatever reason, usually after a few days of a cruise I get tired of the food; but this trip I started out tired of it! Don’t ask! But I am not complaining, just stating a fact.

Jan 11, Monday, somewhere in the Carribbean
It is still a bit cool….especially when you get in the wind, but I do see a few sun breaks between the clouds this morning. The sea is calm and very relaxing, rocked me to sleep last night.

I should mention here that Jenn is sharing our room on this cruise. The room is very small, so last night it was very interesting sleeping. I don’t know if any of us got a lot of sleep!!! We all had breakfast together this morning and now everyone is off doing their thing. Al is resting, and I am about to go for a walk.

Later in the day…..I have done a lot of walking around the ship….this is one of the smaller ships in the Norwegian fleet at 882feet long and holds 2878 people, passengers and crew. It has recently been refurbished, however, it entered service in 2000.

This afternoon Al and Jerry went to the martini tasting; the rest of us gathered in the lobby and just visited. Some went to play shuffleboard, to the casino, the gym and various other activities on board today. We all met up for dinner tonight….this family is crazy when we all get together…lots of laughs.

The weather is turning a bit warmer tonight, however, the sea’s are a little rough today. I don’t mind it at all. It does make walking a bit of a challenge however and especially with Al and his cane. It takes at least two of us to help him walk when the ship is like this.

Jan 12, Tuesday, Costa Mayo Mexico
The ship arrived at 10:00 a.m. and pulled in next to the Royal Carribbean Liberty of the Sea’s….quite a bit larger ship than ours!

Al decided he didn’t think he could do the tour here, so Melanie went with me instead. Jack, Suzi, Ric, Janet, Jenn, Melanie and I did the Chocchoben Mayan tour. Good thing Al didn’t do it…lots of walking over rough ground. When I booked this tour it was described as an “easy” tour…not! Lot’s of Mayan ruins and good history. We also got to see a couple of howler monkey’s in the trees.

Costa Mayo was completely devestated by hurrican Dean in 2007 and we could see evidence of it still. The tour dock and pier have been completely rebuilt and the little “tourist trap” at the end of the pier is brand new.

Dinner tonight for some of us was in Cagney’s Steak house…good, but no one can beat a steak cooked at home!!! Al returned to the room after dinner and I went with Jack, Suzi, Mike, Ric, Janet to the show….a rock and roll revue…which was very good and very high energy.  Nite all...more tomorrow.