Beaches and a Boat--Delays, Mistakes, Forgetting and Fun (and Gambling)

We are on another adventure. I guess the almost monthly thing is a combination of pent up demand from the whole thing going on now and some trips we put off due to my knee replacement in January. Anyway, I am glad my job travels with me because I am sure I would have used any PTO I could have earned. I have been blessed in many ways...

So the title...well, we are staying in Cocoa Beach (just because) and Melbourne Beach (for a delayed HS reunion for my wife's class of 1980). Those stays are bracketing a four day cruise on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. That takes care of the primary part of the name...now the rest...

Delays--we arrived at Hobby early and enjoyed a fine dinner at Pappadeaux. Then we moseyed to Gate 4 to await our flight. No alcohol on SWA flights, so I had a couple of Margaritas to get me by...who am I kidding? I cannot drink on the plane even if they were serving since I have to drive after landing!

Anyway, the flight ahead of us has boarding issues with people not notified of a gate change and clogs the gate. Weill after our departure time, they announce our gate has been changed to Gate 50. We sprint walked over there, not knowing how quick they would start boarding. They finally got us loaded and out to the runway and we blasted off for MCO.

The flight was less than two hours and we headed to baggage claim upon arrival. The bags took forever. It is now after midnight and we are a little tired. Get the bags and schlep on over to Avis. Wait in a line and get a car (10 days in a standard SUV for $578 through Costco Travel). On our way and at the hotel (The Inn at Cocoa Beach) by 2:15 a.m. In bed about 30 minutes later.

I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. because there was a launch scheduled. Well, not exactly. I thought that I set it for a.m. but really set it for p.m. Whoops!

At 5:35 a.m., the world started shaking...seriously...the bed was shaking and there was a deep rumbling noise. So, we got up and watched rocket head down range. So we kind of saw the launch...

 

Mistakes--We are required to have home test results within 2 days of departure. I purchased six home kits that can be proctored as a backup to a test at a Walgreens in the Cocoa Beach area. I got the tests scheduled before we left and we headed out Saturday to find the Walgreens to be tested. Upon arrival, my wife's test was scheduled but mine was not. What? I know I have emails but I cannot find them. We leave after she does her test.

I stop in a parking lot and schedule a test for the next day. Then we head back to the hotel with a drive to look at the ships in port for Saturday departures. It was a nice drive and we are soon at lunch.

I get back to the room and find the damned email I was looking for...I scheduled my test at the same time as hers, but somehow managed to schedule it at a different location. Knucklehead!

I decided to do a proctored test, which was actually pretty easy and we both soon had our respective negative test results and are clear of that requirement (all passengers over 12 have to be vaccinated on this cruise, since that is a policy for the Bahamas.

 

Forgetting--as some of you might remember, our Keys trip last month ended in a hospital stay for my lovely wife for AFib. She has seen various doctors, gotten a few new prescriptions, and is scheduled for a heart ablation early next month. She takes two of the new pills at night because they cause her to feel tired and she sets them out for that reason (the rest are in baskets in a cupboard). Well, she packed them.

All seems well until she goes to take them at 2:30 a.m. upon arrival. Yep, she has them, but one of the prescriptions was obtained sooner than the other after her release from the hospital and there were only three pills in the bottle she brought. She had forgotten to count them... There are 90 at home, but that won't help much! Panic ensued.

The panic was that she did not have the medicine and the literature says that you risk heart attack and death if you stop taking the pill suddenly. Reading that at 2 a.m. will wake you up...

A call to the doctor's office Saturday morning got a new prescription we were able to pick up when we were out and about. Crisis solved.

 

Breakfast area at the hotel. Some very nice ladies serving a Continental breakfast…hopefully they can soon go back to the larger breakfast they used to serve before…well, you know…

 

Filet

Tuna Carpaccio
Bone-in Ribeye
Mozarella with Prosciutto, figs, melon balls, etc.
Dinner at Chef’s Table in Melbourne, Florida. We had a great meal and a wonderful time with a dear friend of more than 40 years…this was the lady who came to visit us in the Keys the day my wife had the heart issue and she helped save the day.

 

Carnival Mardi Gras…their newest ship. Powered by LNG

Carnival Elation

It was almost an emotional thing seeing ships sailing instead of just sitting offshore, as they were when we stayed here in May.

 

Random pictures from the hotel and my wife’s beach walk this morning.

 

Carnival Magic

 

Very nice trip report so far. Glad wife got her meds! Curious to hear about the cruise. Noticeable changes post COVID? Crowded? Buffets? Your thoughts in general.

 

I will let everyone know about the cruise conditions. Supposedly, the Fri-Mon weekend cruise for this ship has had bigger crowds than the Mon-Fri version. Maybe that is fairly normal overall with the number of days off required for many customers, but is probably more noticeable now.

 

MSC Devina

 

Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. She is about two hours late leaving port.

 

Bloody Mary @ Longdoggers in Cocoa Beach. This is a local chain that we enjoy when we visit!
Alligator appetizer at Pappadeaux on Friday night.
Salmon, Shrimp, Crawfish, and Dirty Rice…so good! Salmon was a perfect for me medium…

 

We have boarded Mariner of the Seas. The process was easy. Suite guests and Pinnacle members were allowed to start the process at 11 a.m. It took about fifteen minutes to get from the doors of the terminal to the ship. They did check our Covid tests and cards, along with are boarding passes and passports, about five times in total.

Relaxing with a drink by the pool and then off to lunch…

 

The muster drill is now a combination of online viewing of a video and then going to your station for a brief moment. No standing with everyone…

 

Just got visits from two of the ship’s officers in Jamie’s Italian Restaurant. They were very nice.