Trip Report: Caribbean Cruise (Days 9-10)

Day 9:

On Saturday morning we decided to go to the main dining room for breakfast to try something new. We met at 8 like usual and got a table pretty quickly. I liked that there were a lot of options for breakfast, but the service was pretty slow and the food was just mediocre, so I'm not sure if it was worth the extra time. I'm glad we did try something other than the buffet though because I was getting pretty bored with the selection. 

After breakfast we went our separate ways. I had decided to get some packing done in my room since it was our last day on the ship. Once I was mostly packed I changed into my bathing suit and headed up to the pool deck. The chairs were completely packed so I decided to get lunch at Johnny Rockets. Again, I was tired of the selection at the buffet and I also wanted to check out their lunch menu since I've only ever had breakfast there, back when I was on Oasis of the Seas. For Johnny Rockets there's an up-charge of $6.95 but it covers all food and gratuities. When you sit down they bring you a plate of French fries and onion rings right away. Then you can order any other food you want, including dessert. The only thing you pay extra for is your drinks or milkshakes. I thought the food was pretty good, but I was mostly just happy they offered a veggie burger option. 

By the time I was done eating the pool area was even more crowded than before. I knew I didn't want to get any more sun so I was limited to chairs in the shade. I finally found a single chair and set my stuff down. I got in the pool but it was too cold so I tried the hot tub instead. There were too many kids splashing around so I ended up getting out and deciding that hanging out at the pool just wasn't a great idea. I went back to my room and took a shower to get cleaned up. We had tickets for the 2pm ice show and we had planned on meeting at 1:30 to get seats. Apparently everyone else had the idea to show up early because there was a huge line. Thankfully we were able to get four seats together with a good view of the ice, so it all worked out in the end. I thought they did a really good job with the ice show. It was definitely entertaining and fun, so I'd go see it again. 

The show ended at around 3 so we went up to the library and played some Phase 10. We played until it was time to get ready for dinner, so we went our separate ways and then planned on meeting at the dining room at 5:30. It was kind of sad to say goodbye to our waiters because they were so nice to us and did such a great job taking care of us. After dinner we walked up to the helipad to try to catch the last sunset. It was a clear day so we had a great view. We were on the very front of the ship, so it was really cool to be completely surrounded by water and have the setting sun be the only thing we could see. 

Once the sun was gone I went back to my room to finish packing and put my suitcase in the hallway. I had signed up for luggage valet, which means you put your suitcase out in the hall the last night and then you pick it up at your home airport. It's a nice option if you have a later flight because you can go do something without having to drag your suitcase around with you. With my bags all packed I headed to the library at 8:30 and we finished another game of Phase 10. Marisa won the game and by the time we were done it was after 10pm and we all headed to bed for our early morning the next day. 

I wanted to enjoy my balcony one last time so I poured my last glass of wine for the trip and chilled out until 11 before I slept my last night on the ship.

The last dessert of the trip

The three amigos. From top to bottom: Mark, Marisa, Todd

Sunset from the very front of the ship

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Day 10:

Sunday was a long, busy day of travel.  We had a quick breakfast in the buffet and then headed off the ship.  There wasn't a line, so we walked right off, which was a huge improvement from the last time we left a cruise together!  We scheduled an Uber to come pick us up and headed to the airport.  The only bad thing about the Fort Lauderdale airport is that they don't let you go through security until a certain amount of time before your flight, so with having flights later that afternoon we knew we would be hanging out for a long time.  Thankfully, we found a table where we were able to set up and play another game of Phase 10.  It helped pass the time and gave us one more chance to try a new way of playing the game that some of our fellow cruisers had told us about.  

Once we were done playing, Todd decided to head to his terminal for his flight.  The rest of us still had a few hours before we could go through security, so we grabbed another Uber and went to get lunch.  It was Mother's Day, so we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table, but they had a lot of options and the food was really good.  We took an Uber back to the airport and by the time we arrived we were able to go through security.  We grabbed some seats near our gates and spent some time reading and relaxing.  Eventually it was time for Mark and Marisa's flight to board, so we hugged goodbye and they went on their way.  

I still had almost two hours before my flight, so I tried to pass the time by calling my mom and reading a book.  The time went by quickly and soon enough I was on my plane.  I made sure to get a seat on the left side of the plane so I could see the port as we left.  We were just in time to see one of the ships leaving port and heading out to sea.  Having booked two future cruises while on this trip, I knew it wouldn't be too long before it was my turn to sail again!  The flight was uneventful and we landed back in Denver on time.  I grabbed my suitcase and drove home, grateful to see my cats and sleep in my own bed again.

I love seeing the ships in port from planes leaving the Fort Lauderdale airport!

The last sunset of the trip

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So that's it, the very end of the trip!  It took me over two months to post everything, but I'm glad I kept it up.  I hope you enjoyed reading about my latest adventures! I'm already looking forward to my next trip.

In the meanwhile, I'll be trying to put together a posting schedule so I can write something at least once a week.  Like I said in my last post, please leave a comment if there is anything you'd like to see or any topics that might interest you!