It’s embarkation day! We left the hotel around 8:30 (we were scheduled to board between 10a-12p) but ended up getting there early, so we did a loop around the Tampa/St Petersburg bridges.
A panoramic view from a rest stop
This is the shortest cruise we’ve been on--5 days, partly because Amy is a first-time cruiser, and wanted to get her feet wet (not literally) first. The cruise will take us to Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, with two days at sea (in the Gulf of Mexico America). We’re going on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas, one of the smallest and oldest ships in their line (similar to our first cruises--it’s still 2500 passengers).
It was very easy to get on the ship (much more streamlined than our last cruise in NYC), but the initial lunch buffet was another matter. It felt like a chow line at Ellis Island. Keep in mind it was the only dining available, and everyone was waiting for their rooms to open (you generally don’t get access to your room until mid-afternoon).
Speaking of the rooms--I would call ours “cozy”. No balcony this time—just a window. It also came with all of two electric plugs, one of which was being used for the mini fridge they provided for my medication. We unpacked and found places for everything.
Then we picked up our cups to be used for the “refreshment package" (pre-paid drinks), which took multiple attempts. The process involved paper forms, carbon paper, and I believe onionskin and clay tablets. There are Coca-Cola Freestyle machines throughout the ship, and a chip in the cup allows you to dispense all you can drink.
There are at least two other cruise ships at port with us--another Royal Caribbean ship (Radiance of the Seas) and a Margaritaville ship.
We set off around 4:00p. Tampa Bay is not the most picturesque place to take off from--lots of industry. But it's very pretty once you get into open water. We went under the same bridge we traveled over earlier today.
Dinner---we decided to go with the same time and table for our dinners each night. It’s also a table for four, so we don’t have to endure small talk with strangers. Our waiter Agung and his assistant Yoga made sure we were satisfied--Agung is VERY enthusiastic (every few dishes came with an “ooh la la!”). Crab cakes, artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, strip steak, fried chicken, and key lime pie. It was all very good.
I pooped out not long after that, while the girls went to see a comedy show. They later reported it was OK (which kind of defined the onboard entertainment).
Tomorrow, we’re at sea.