Celebrity Constellation Southern Cruise November 29 - December 12, 2024

 November 29, 2024 - Marietta to Ybor City (Tampa) FL

   After a wonderful Thanksgiving with T & Alan, we departed at 0900 from Marietta to the Port of Tampa Bay.  Luckily, the traffic was extremely light, and other than the last 30 minutes of rain and limited visibility, we enjoyed a stress-free drive.  After unloading at the Holiday Inn & Express, we ventured to downtown Tampa to have an awesome dinner at Harry's Crab House. Bedtime was early in preparation for tomorrow's adventure.

November 30, 2024 - Port of Tampa Bay sail away on the Constellation

     Our drive to the port was simple and uneventful.  We dropped T and Rob off at check-in, along with our luggage, while Alan and I parked in the nearly full garage across the street. After a very speedy check-in, we were walking across the gang plan to board the ship at 1135! We dropped our carry-on luggage in Cabin 7172 and headed to Cafe al Bacio for coffee.  We enjoyed a tasty lunch and returned to our room for Rob's nap while I awaited luggage delivery which didn't happen until 1600.   Our sunset was breathtaking this evening. After unpacking and a quick shower, I met the Stewarts for our first happy hour at the Martini Bar.  Rob joined us for dinner at Table 314 where we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with exceptional service! Rob returned to the room while T, Alan, and I enjoyed the silent disco.  What a perfect way to begin Bonus Cruise #7.  Grateful!

December 1, 2024 - Day at Sea

     Oh, how we love our days at sea! We had breakfast, enjoyed coffee/tea, read, relaxed, did needlework, and simply enjoyed the company of dear friends. Back in the room, I worked on the blog, only to have it disappear! Groan, the Internet while at sea isn't the greatest!  So, I decided to spend some time on our balcony enjoying the lovely weather. I managed to fit in a workout in the gym before showering for Happy Hour and dinner.  We are so happy that we can have the same table throughout our cruise!!!! Tonight I returned to the room with Rob to read before bed.

December 2, 2024 - Grand Cayman Island

     The weather prediction was wrong as far as the rain, but the winds were quite strong.  Getting onto the tender was a bit of a challenge, but once we were ashore, we were very grateful for the delightful breeze to keep us comfortable.  We walked around the town, did a little shopping, and returned to the ship around noon.  Rob joined us for lunch and coffee at our favorite Cafe al Bacio. He returned to the room for his nap while I worked out at the gym. Dinner was wonderful again.  Poor Rob had a difficult time eating and choked, causing pain in his chest.  I am concerned that he may have aspirated some food into his lungs. We returned to our room so he could take some medication and rest.  I stayed awake for a while, reading and watching him, because I was concerned.

December 3, 2024 - Day at Sea

     Another relaxing, restful day.  Rob didn't eat much at breakfast and is still uncomfortable from last evening's incident.  Luckily, he did enjoy his cappuccino while visiting with Alan.  Now, he's napping again while I give this blog a second attempt.  Fingers are crossed that it works!

     Yep, I was successful! T and I went to the 2:30 Matinee of Unique3, a trio of very talented young gals singing various popular songs. I went to the gym for my workout, which was much more comfortable today. Dinner was a struggle for Rob again.  Luckily, his protein shakes are still easy for him.

December 4, 2024 - Cartegena, Columbia, South America

It is supposed to be 90 degrees today, so T opted to stay on the ship. Alan and I had breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe before going on our excursion - Best of Cartegena. Fortunately, our small bus, driven by Hector and our lovely guide, Anna, was right at the ship as the humidity was insane.  We drove to the fortress for pictures, then on to Old Town where we shopped for 20 minutes, then back on the bus to drive to another part of Old Town, the Republica Square honoring Simone Bolivar. We visited a cathedral where the Christmas decorations were flashing and the temperature was stifling! Alan and I toured the Emerald Museum and Shop, walked around the square, and then parted for a while.  I went into the Starbucks and also did a little window shopping.  Our next stop was the Museum of the Spanish Inquisition which was in Columbia, Peru, and Mexico for over 200 years.  It was quite gruesome and depressing. Our tour was 4.5 hours and truthfully, I was ready to get back on that air-conditioned bus to return to our climate-controlled ship. 

     Rob was just waking up, so we all went to lunch together. Next, we went to al Bachio for coffee/tea, reading, needlework, and relaxing! I was absolutely bushed from being in the sun, so I listened to my book while Rob napped until it was time to shower.

     I cut Happy Hour a little short so I could prepare Rob's protein shake for him. He decided to take it to dinner since eating solids has become a challenge.  Dinner was delicious, and afterward the Stewarts went to listen to music while Rob and I returned to read.

December 5, 2024 - Cartegena, Columbia, South America

We overnighted in this port, so after breakfast in the Ocean View Cafe, T and I took the shuttle bus over to the shops and Aviary on the cruise terminal.  Rob wanted me to buy an emerald bracelet, but the ones I tried on just didn't catch my eye.  I did purchase Christmas tree ornaments, as well as took several more pictures of birds! We were back on the ship in an hour. Rob was just waking up, so I made his morning shake, then worked on this blog!

Happy Hour was at the Martini Bar and dinner was fabulous, as awesome.  Afterward, the Stewarts and I attended the last part of the Billy Joel Tribute performance.  I was thrilled that he sang "River of Dreams" my absolute favorite Billy Joel song.

December 6, 2024 - Port Colon, Panama

Just like the last time we were in Panama, the weather was off/on rain all day. We decided that we would explore the cruise terminal in the late afternoon.  Something must have happened from the last time we visited Panama, which was just a month ago, because everyone was required to bring passports while going ashore.  After breakfast, we spent a couple of hours relaxing in Cafe Al Bacio until Rob wanted to take his nap. T, Alan, and I went to Future Cruises, but couldn't find a Celebrity cruise that met our needs for Jan/Feb 2026.  I called our Travel Agent's office to see if Michael can find a cruise for us during that time on Holland America. We ate a quick lunch, then walked over to the new mall being developed at the cruise terminal.  I found some Christmas tree ornaments. We found a nice grocery store, Super 99 where we made a few purchases.  I bought coffee beans. We returned to the ship to relax before I needed to get ready for Sabbath Services.  The Constellation did a fabulous job on the challah, truly, it was some of the best I have ever tasted.  We had a small crowd, eight humans and one service dog, but we all enjoyed an abbreviated service and fellowship.

Dwi was a server for Happy Hour, so he gave us excellent service, and even brought me another cocktail past my "Elite Happy Hour time". I made Rob a shake for dinner, which he enjoyed.

December 7, 2024 - Port Limon, Costa Rica

I grabbed a quick breakfast at the Ocean View Cafe before heading to the Theater for my 7:15 excursion to the Sloth Sanctuary/Canal  Cruise Trip down the Toulagage.  Once again, we had a small group, about 20 people, and a lovely air-conditioned bus. Our guide made a very wise decision to change the itinerary because it had been raining for days, as well as the previous night.  He thought that we would have a better chance of seeing more animals since they had probably been avoiding the rain. Man, was he spot on.  Immediately, we spotted a cayman (crocodile) and sloth, along with gorgeous birds. I lost count of the number of sloths we saw, plus spider monkeys, blue butterflies, LOTS of birds, and caymans. The canal cruise ended too soon! Luckily, the weather was perfect with a gentle breeze, and before boarding the bus we were given a box of delicious fresh fruit and cold water. Next, we traveled to the same spot I had visited with HAL last month.  I had a coffee sample, then went outdoors to take pictures of the various trees before hiking to the banana grove.  We hiked through cacao trees and colorful foliage before reaching the banana grove. We learned so much about the banana industry. As we drove to our next destination, we passed the Chiquita Banana Plantation. The Sloth Sanctuary was fascinating, but the mosquitoes drove me bonkers.  I finally put hand sanitizer all over my legs and arms which helped a little. I must admit, I enjoyed seeing the sloths in the wild much better.

Back on the ship, I met T and Alan for lunch at the Ocean View.  Once I returned to the room, Rob was awake, so I made him and shake and we all headed to Cafe Al Bacio.  After, a couple of hours, T and I went to the gym to walk on the treadmills before getting ready for Happy Hour.

Once again, Dwi took good care of us. Rob had a couple of bites of dinner and had his shake.  Suta, Suzy, and Ricky was truly the "A" team and make our dining experience a joy!

December 8, 2024 Day at Sea

Ahhh, wonderful sea days - a leisurely breakfast in the Main Dining Room, coffee/tea at Cafe al Bacio, walking around the shops, and then returning to the room to work on this blog. The wifi at sea is a bit challenging, but I try to remain patient.  Rob napped while I had lunch with the Stewarts, and then he enjoyed his protein shake.  The gym was relatively quiet, so I could get my workout done in record time.  After my shower, I met T and Alan for Happy Hour.  We were lucky to find a spot at the iced Martini Bar tonight. After dinner, the clocks were moved forward one hour.

December 9, 2024 - Happy 6th Birthday, Andi Rose on this Sea Day

It's amazing that six years have flown by since I first looked at the picture on my phone of Peter holding sweet Andi Rose! Rob skipped breakfast today because he had a rough night last night thus did not get a good night's rest.  I came up to the room to keep an eye on him. He woke up around 11:00 and had a shake.  I skipped lunch today since I had waffles for breakfast and was still quite full. We lounged around the room, reading, checking our email, and relaxing. Around 3:00 I got us both gelatos which we really enjoyed. By the time dinner arrived, Rob felt good enough to go to the dining room. He did manage a few bites.

December 10, 2024 - Cozumel, Mexico

Rob skipped breakfast again, so T, Alan, and I grabbed a quick breakfast before heading into town.  I was amazed at how much the little town has developed.  I bought a few ornaments, t-shirts, some other gifts and vanilla. Rob wanted to buy me a new piece of jewelry, preferably something with emeralds but simply had not found anything I loved.  I looked at Diamonds International and found a nice bangle bracelet, but the price tag was over $11,000. No thanks.  T suggested that I call our favorite jeweler, Alpha Jeweler, in St Thomas, which I did.  I described what I wanted, and within a couple of hours, Victoria texted me a bracelet that was exactly what I wanted and for so much less!  Rob insisted that I immediately order the bracelet which will have to be custom-made, taking 6 - 8 weeks. He does spoil me!!

We returned to the ship before the weather became scorching. We had lunch and then went to Cafe Al Bacio for coffee/tea. Around 4:00, T and I went to the gym for our workout before getting ready for dinner.

We enjoyed a wonderful happy hour near the Martini Bar. It was  a "classy chic night" so the menu was heavenly.  I truly enjoyed my lobster tail and kale salad.

December 11, 2024 - Day at Sea

Our last day before debarkation - grrrrrr. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast before heading to al Bacio. I worked on all my compliment cards and turned them into Guest Relations. Rob and I returned to the room for his nap while I packed for tomorrow's journey home. I met T and Alan for lunch, made Rob a shake, and returned to the room.  Rob read and I worked on my needlework sitting on our sofa, watching the water and rain. This weather is making me sleepy.  Time to nap!

Holland America Southern Caribbean Cruise, Rotterdam, 27 October - 8 November 2024

 October 26, 2024 Marietta to Fort Pierce, FL - Bonus Cruise #6 as we leave Marietta, we're smiling!!!! We decided to drive to this cruise because we'll stop by to visit with Barb and Frank Tricomi on the way home. Also, we wanted to see if driving was easier than the hassle of flying. Amazingly, the traffic was light, and we encountered no problems driving to Fort Pierce, FL to spend the night at a Fairfield Inn. We enjoyed a large lunch on the way down, so neither of us was hungry, but we felt we needed to eat something. We located a Starbucks near us, so we had "breakfast" for dinner. We went to bed VERY early since I had only been home one day from my Hussy Trip from Italy, and Rob just tires easily these days.

October 27, 2024  Fort Lauderdale, FL - Upon the suggestion of the sweet hotel receptionist, we took the FL Turnpike most of the way to Fort Pierce.  Getting to the cruise terminal was simple, and we were checked in with Holland America in no time.  We had to wait an hour before boarding the Rotterdam due to a US inspection of the ship which had arrived from Europe that morning.  We came straight to our suite, Cabin 5125, to drop off our carry-on luggage, then went to the Lido for a light lunch.  By the time we returned to our cabin, our luggage had arrived, so I unpacked while Rob napped. I walked around the ship for a while and then made a few last-minute phone calls before sailing.  We enjoyed our first night's dinner with a sweet couple from PA and another Canadian couple from Vancouver.  Both couples had traveled extensively, so it was fun listening to their travel adventures. After dinner, Rob and I returned to the room ready to rest after our day of travel.

October 28, 2024 - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas -  We arrived this morning to a sunny, glorious day with the gorgeous Caribbean Sea glistening all around us!  I had an excursion, so I left after breakfast on the first tender.  My Eco Bike and Hike was wonderful! We rode old fashioned bikes with no hand brakes for about a mile to our first stop, a lovely lagoon, unspoiled by humans! We hike to the highest point of the island, 60 feet above sea level, stopping along the way for photo-ops and mini-lessons.

Next, we rode for about another mile to the horse stables.  The scenery was gorgeous!

Our next stop, after about a mile, was the sting-ray adventure area.

Last stop, was for cold water, which I truly appreciated!  I LOVED watching the black chickens!!

After the excursion, I rode the tender back to the ship. Rob was ready for his afternoon cappuccino, so we visited the Grand Cafe.  I enjoyed the best split pea soup and grilled ham/cheese sandwich!

Afterward, we both took naps before getting ready for dinner.  We had a table for two tonight. I went to the show which was fabulous featuring the dancers and singers, which I felt were the best I've ever seen on a cruise ship!  The two male singers had incredible voices, and the dancers were extremely precise! It was the perfect way to end a fantastic cruise day!

October 29, 2024—Sea Day—Since we were both up early, we decided to enjoy breakfast in the dining room. We had oatmeal and English muffins—which truly did not resemble nor taste like English muffins! Afterward, we ventured up to the Explorers Lounge for cappuccinos and tea.

We visited with a lovely couple from Kentucky, and simply enjoyed relaxing on this wonderful sea day.  Eventually, I went to the gym, while Rob took a nap.

I watched the performers and when I returned to the cabin, Rob was watching the World Series Dodgers vs Yankees, where the Dodgers lost their first game!

October 30, 2029 - Sea Day

Today, we decided to sleep in, skip breakfast, and have lunch in the dining room. We went to the Crow's Nest, where we both read and sipped cappuccino/teas until lunchtime. In the dining room, I enjoyed a Greek Salad, Fish Tacos, and chocolate banana cream pie.  Rob ordered a celery soup, beef panini, and the same pie.  His soup was delicious, but the panini was on HUGE focaccia bread, so he decided to just eat the inside of his sandwich. Afterward, we returned to the room for Rob to nap while I checked out the various shops until going to the gym to work out.

We chose a "sharing table" for dinner where we met two delightful gals, Audrey and Evelyn, from Florida.  We enjoyed comparing notes on all our combined travels. After dinner, Rob returned to the room while I went to the Island Magic Steel Drums concert. It was positively incredible!! The selections played was Memories, Phantom of the Opera, Don't Cry for Me Argentina, the Can Can, and several classical pieces.  I am really looking forward to watching them perform later in the cruise. 

Once back in the room, we watched the Dodgers come back from the Yankeess 5 - 0 lead, to win the World Series!!!

October 31, 2029 - Willemstad, Curacao - Happy 49th Anniversary to us!!!!!

We docked at 8:00 AM this morning, but I decided to stay on the ship with Rob for a while, so after breakfast, we went to our usual morning hangout, the Crow's Nest. Around 11:00 I decided to venture downtown because I had read about this famous synagogue that I wanted to visit. Luckily, as soon as I was off the ship, there was a lovely gal at an information desk who gave me great directions.

 As I approached the gated wall, I noticed a security guard who let me in, but needed to take a picture of my driver's license before I could enter Mikve Israel Emanual Snoa. I purchased my ticket and entered the beautiful old sanctuary with a sand floor.

It was so hot inside.  I can't imagine being in dress clothes, while attending a service in that sweltering heat.  Next, I visited the air-conditioned museum where I was not permitted to take photos.  I returned to the gift shop to purchase a dreydel and bracelet for Lily.

Next I wandered around downtown, but finally decided to go back to the ship because the heat was absolutely oppressive!

I rested for a while, and then went to the gym for a workout. We had 8:00 PM dinner reservations at the Pinnacle Grill, but they called around 7:30 to tell us that our table was ready.  This restaurant is my absolute favorite speciality restaurant on any cruise line.  I especially enjoy the maple candied bacon served as an appetizer!

We enjoyed an amazing dinner!!  We shared a baked potato, filet mignon and halibut. I had the chocolate souffle for dessert while Rob opted for butter pecan ice cream. 

It was a perfect way to celebrate our 49th Anniversary on our 80th cruise!

November 1, 2024 - Sea Day

The clocks were set back an hour last night, so we were up before the alarm. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast with a couple of Rotterdam, Netherlands, and another couple living in the US, but originally from Canada. After breakfast, we went to the Crows Nest to relax and enjoy coffee/tea.

 Then Rob returned for a nap while I worked out. We skipped lunch, but decided to have a small bowl of the ships's delicious split pea soup in the Grand Cafe. Now Rob is napping while I am catching up on this blog.

November 2, 2024 - Cartagena, Columbia

We arrived in Cartagena, Columbia, this morning to rain, but no worries, as HAL provides an umbrella. As we drove to Columbia's National Aviary, the traffic was insane, the paved roads full of potholes, and the remainder of the drive was in mud. After this one-hour drive, I will never again complain about Atlanta's traffic or the conditions of the highways.

The actual aviary was lovely with recycled plastic boardwalks. We saw so many gorgeous birds.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

Peacocks roamed freely everywhere, much like our pigeons.

Here is my absolute favorite:

I need to include a couple more favorites:

When we returned to the ship, I was drenched because my umbrella was broken.  I changed into dry clothes, dried my hair, and then Rob and I went in search of soup!

We had a sharing table for dinner, and we enjoyed the company of a single Quebec gentleman and a lovely couple from California.

Noember 3, 2024 - Scenic Cruising of the Panama Canal and Lake Gatun

Early in the morning, the Rotterdam passed under the Atlantic Bridge and Entered the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal.  Since we had previously cruised the entire Panama Canal, I opted to take an excursion to go monkey watching on Lake Gatun. When we arrived at Gatun Lake, our group took a tender to the port where we boarded a bus. I sat next to a very entertaining gentleman, Chuck, who was fascinating and funny. The first part of our excursion included driving around the lock so we could see the operations from a different perspective. On our drive to the next destination, included a pit stop at a Panamanian truck-stop.  I was quite impressed with the facility, as well as the excellent condition of the roads.

We then drove to a resort where we boarded boats for our monkey-watching. As we sailed along the lake, we saw a crane that initially belonged to Hitler.  After WWII, the Panamanian government purchased the crane for $1 to help move the large doors for the locks.

Our first animal spotting included cute (?) rodents with a bird picking off insects.

We spotted several birds, including this vulture:

Finally, we found monkeys! Three species reside in this area:  the spider monkey, the white-faced caspian, and the infamous howler monkey.  We heard the howler monkeys long before we spotted them!

I was quite entertained by the monkeys UNTIL they decided to hop on board our boat.  We were warned that these critters would try to steal your hat, phone or glasses.  I quickly put my brand-new phone away after capturing a few photos.

Soooo many monkeys everywhere:

We did find an iguana, resting on a limb.

Our final animal spotting was a croc waiting for us on the bank:

Lovely excursion.  Our ship was waiting for us back at the dock in Colon.  Today is one of Panama's two Independence Days, so as we walked through the shopping mall back to the ship there was a huge parade which was a bonus.

We enjoyed a sharing table with a nice widower named Bob.  Another wonderful day on The Rotterdam!

November 4, 2024 - Puerto Limo, Costa Rica

We arrived in Costa Rica to glorious sunny skies. After breakfast, getting Rob settled in the Crow's Nest, and preparing his protein shake for the afternoon, I dashed to the small excursion van waiting at the end of the dock.  Because I was the last passenger to board, I got the only remaining seat, next to the driver.  I had some maneuvering to get into my little perch, but the view was perfect!  Our tour guide, Chris, was a young man who gave us lots of info regarding Costa Rica on our way to the Nature Rescue Center.  There are no zoos in Costa Rica, only rescue centers.  When injured/sick animals are brought in, the main mission is to restore them to help and return them to the wild.  If that is not possible, they build a permanent home for their new residents.  We would only see the permanent residents today since the ones returning to the wild need limited exposure to humans.

Our guide, Luis, from Venezuela, was extremely knowledgeable.  He explained the sad stories about many of the residents, staring with the slider turtles.

Next we saw the beautifully colored birds.

The sloths, my personal favorite, were next.  They truly were hysterical to watch because they honestly move so SLOWLY!!!!

Of course, there were also some uninvited guests.

And some scary residents:

Brown-footed boobies.

Costa Ricans are not permitted to have "exotic" animals as pets.

Our next stop was to the Cahuita National Park for a jungle hike.

We walked along a lovely boardwalk made of recycled plastics.  It was pretty toasty, but their jungle serenade was amazing.  The loudest participants were, of course, the howler monkeys.  They were quite entertaining as they swung from limb to limb, often by their tails.

I regretted not bringing my nice Nikon camera with the long telephoto lens, but my new phone's camera did a fine job:

We hiked a couple of miles before returning to our bus/van to visit a lovely fruit plantation and coffee tasting.  I did a bit of power shopping in our limited time. I managed to get a couple of photos of cacao pods.

As we're driving back to the port, our bus/van has a flat time. I was expecting a lengthy delay, but instead, it felt as if we were in a speedway pit stop as a group of mechanics quickly changed our time. Meanwhile, I was entertained by this sweet dog.

Rob and I enjoyed another delicious dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.

November 5, 2024 - Sea Day - Election Day

We slept in today, which was lovely. Rob continued to rest while I went to have brunch in the Lido. I can honestly say that I am very grateful to be out of our country for this election. When Rob felt like eating, we went to the Grand Cafe for split pea soup and his favorite, a cappuccino. I then went to the gym for a work out before getting ready for dinner.

It is a glorious sea day, which seems quite strange since we are dodging Hurricane Rafael, currently in the Caribbean.

We had met a sweet couple at lunch one day, and they were in line ahead of us for dinner.  The gentleman asked if we would like to join them for dinner.  We were delighted and especially happy that our seating would be on Deck 3, where we had not dined. Sadly, my meal wasn't that great (tough, dry tenderloin) but Rob enjoyed his sea bass, so that was good.

Afterward, I went to see the second showing of Island Magic Steel Band performance.  It was truly fabulous.  The last number, Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" gave me goosebumps!

November 6, 2024 - Trump wins!!

The first thing I did this morning was grab my phone to check the election results.  What a relief! The last time Trump won, we were on a cruise in the Galapagos, so I think I see a pattern.  The Kleimons need to cruise for good election results.

We were supposed to be at Grand Cayman today, but due to the hurricane, it was canceled. Actually, it's a tendered port, and we've been on other cruises where this stop was canceled when no hurricane's were around.  I do feel bad for the folks looking forward to this port.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Taramind,  Rob ordered lobster/shrimp potstickers, baramundi fish, and a sorbet, which he ate every bite!

November 7, 2024 - Sea Day - Final full day of our cruise

Today was HAL's "On Deck for a Cause" walk at 0900.  It was a sunny day with high humidity. After the walk, I had to shower because I was drenched! I made Rob a shake, then went to get a Caesar salad with grilled chicken, and returned to our cabin for our in-room picnic! After lunch, I packed (groan) and spent a few minutes on the computer. We've decided to eat an early dinner to get a good night's rest for tomorrow's drive to the Tricomis.  

We've had a wonderful cruise, and the only thing that makes it easier to leave is that we're going to visit dear friends!