Key West, Florida

 

Back in the USA, Temporarily

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (not the case), I would be arriving in Miami, Florida today. This was planned to be a short stay, just one day, to pick up more passengers. Personally, I was planning on flying to Istanbul and starting the cruise at the beginning. It would have saved me money since I wouldn’t have had to pay rent on my home. I also would have been able to visit Istanbul for the first time. That was exciting.

I’ve never been to Miami before, although I have been to Key West three times. Love it there. My favorite place being the Butterfly Conservatory. Because our time was short on this cruise, I planned to visit very few places. I wasn’t sure if we would be able to leave the ship for long, since our “pods” were being loaded onto the ship while at port.

These pods are shipping containers about the size of a small closet. The plan was to pack our clothes and other necessities in the pods at home. They would be picked up and shipped to Miami for loading. This would eliminate the need to bring lots of luggage on board. I did buy a new backpack to carry all of my tech, CLICK HERE  (ad). I thought using pods was a brilliant idea, although it would cut into shore time in Florida. There’s a trade off for most things. I didn’t mind this one.

There are several butterfly gardens along the coast in Miami. I intended to pick the one closest to the dock where the cruise ship tied up and visit it as early in the day as possible. The Roots Collective Butterfly Garden, the MLK Butterfly Garden and the Wings of the Tropics Butterfly Garden are the closest to where the ship might land. I bought a cane with a seat, CLICK HERE (ad) so I could sit down if I became tired.

If there was enough time after visiting the butterflies, I intended to go see the Art Deco district. I love this type of architecture and was looking forward to seeing it in person. I would have taken a tour, if available, or hired an Uber.                           

                                   

I don’t think I would have been able to do more, but it would also have been nice to see Little Havana. I know there are tours there, and would have taken one, to have control over my time. Then a quick ride back to the ship would be necessary. Unpack the pod, and go have dinner. I believe the ship would be setting back out to sea by nightfall. I might have gone up on deck to watch the sunset. It was fun to do in Key West, and would also be enjoyable in Miami, I’m sure. 

The next stop would have been this coming Tuesday, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, also part of the U.S. I’ve never been there either, so it was something I was looking forward to seeing. Better luck next time.

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Sea Days, the Atlantic

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (they didn’t), I would be cruising the Atlantic, on my way to Miami, Florida right now. Sea days are my favorite part of cruising. I love the motion of the ocean and the smell of the salt air. It doesn’t take much to make me happy when it’s a sunny day, even better when that day is spent at sea.

Whenever I picked a cruise, I made sure there was an outside deck circumnavigating the ship. I love walking outside and feeling the breeze. One place that’s especially enjoyable is the bow. It’s great to see where we’re going (and to be King/Queen of the World). But I also love the stern. You can see the power of the engines churning up the wake. It’s less windy there, and peaceful.

There are times when wildlife is attracted to the ship. I’ve seen turtles up close. For more on sea turtles CLICK HERE (ad). They don’t seem to be afraid. Despite the obvious size and power of the ship, they come near, and we are able to get a good look. Birds also come along for the ride. I think perhaps there’s an air current created by the movement of the ship. I’ve seen birds glide along and skim the surface of the sea. Sometimes they do acrobatics for us. It’s thrilling.

If I tire, and the wind isn’t too cold, I find a deck chair or chaise longue, to relax and enjoy the scenery. I don’t need to do anything, or chat with anyone, although that’s fun too. Since I enjoy traveling to and from foreign countries, I have met lots of people who are not from the U.S. Since I speak several languages, I’m usually able to communicate with them.

Sometimes, however, it’s too cold or windy for me, so I go inside. There’s usually a comfortable spot with a view where I can read. This one was in a passage between two restaurants and a lounge/bar. Another convenient location is inside nightclubs. They’re usually unlocked when not in use during the day, and passengers often go there to read, play cards, or board games. For board games suitable for travel CLICK HERE (ad). It’s quiet and peaceful, often with a great view out picture windows.

I’m sure if my 3-year cruise had gone as planned, I would be doing all these things this week. While others onboard would be looking forward to land days, I’m happiest at sea. From what I’ve learned, the proposed ship hasn’t been purchased yet, despite November 1 having been our scheduled departure date. I’m sad for those passengers who didn’t cancel. Imagine having sold your house and most of your belongings, and the cruise company can’t even give you a date certain as to when you will be leaving.

My first inkling something was wrong was when I learned the company didn’t provide trip cancellation insurance, and no outside company would sign us up. My second bad feeling was when I discovered the cruise line didn’t make arrangements with a medical insurance carrier to sell us a 3-year policy at a reasonable price.

The coup d’état was the management group deciding not to collect our first large payment. They had lost faith. I trusted them, so that was it for me too. When they pulled out, so did I. It’s sad, as I said, sea days are my favorites, but the mountain view out my living room window isn’t half bad.

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Have K-12 kids? Then you'll want my book, Free College, to show you how to help your kids earn lots of college scholarships, CLICK HERE.

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