Caribbean Adventure 2019

We stopped to watch performers and those trying to surf on the man-made wave. We had ice cream for lunch before catching the water taxi back into Ft Lauderdale. At our stop we got off and made our way back to the hotel for some pool time. We read and enjoyed the warmth until time to clean up and head out for the evening. At the pool I discovered that the elastic in my bathing suit was giving out and when we arrived back in town I shopped and found a new one for the next 8 or so years. We then caught the taxi for a trip to the 15th Street Fisheries Restaurant for dinner. We ate outside and the food was wonderful. After dinner we looked at the fish while we waited for the water taxi. Back at the hotel we organized our things for our cruise before heading to bed.

This morning we awoke, went to breakfast, and then to a nine-o clock class in the gym. After stretching well, we headed out for a walk on the deck and by lunch time we had all our steps in for the day. We showered and dressed for the day before heading to the Lido for lunch. We went to a wine tasting at 2 and this was one of the best we have ever experienced. By 3 we were sleepy and ready to relax on a deck chair and read. For dinner we again went to the dining room and because it was formal night everyone else was there also. We had about a 20-minute wait and we were seated with an odd mix of people. The service was slow, and we missed the first show. We again found ourselves at the Don’s piano bar and again we enjoyed it very much. We then went to the 10 pm show and it was a comedienne. She was very good, and we were glad we made the effort to go. After the show it was off to the cabin to prepare for our day in Cozumel tomorrow.

We made it to the main shopping area and decided to make a stop at Senor Frogs for something to drink. This was a fun place with music and popcorn served with the drinks. After a rather long break we continued exploring until we had used our time up and had to face the walk back. Funny how the trip back is longer and hotter than the one over. This was a fun stop as we had time to check emails and get some photos. We made it back to our shopping area and had time to look around before getting back on the ship. Back on the ship we rested a bit before showering and getting ready for our dinner in the Pinnacle Restaurant. We did not book this so it was surprise gift from the cruise line. After getting dressed we went to hear the Adagio duet and play some cards before our reservation. Dinner was delicious and as always at these restaurants it took several hours to finish. We then went to the piano bar before making our way to the showroom for our first production show. This group of singers and dancers are some of the best we have seen. We enjoyed the show so much we wished we had been able to see both the 8 and 10 pm shows. It was then time for bed and preparation for the ziplining in Belize.

After changing clothes we were disappointed to see that it was pouring rain. We rain to the dining area and gulped down some food before we had to get back on the bus. When arrived back in port the sun was shining and the tender was waiting just for us as we were over 30 minutes late getting back. Back on the ship we took warm baths to warm up and then went to the Lido for dinner. I went to the Planet Earth show and Hugh watched the college football national championship game. Glad I attended both schools as Alabama took a beating! I also went to the sing along at the piano bar and it was great fun singing the 60’s music. It was off to bed after the game and we stayed up late as we have a sea day tomorrow.

This morning we dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. It was crowded and the service was a bit slow. We had great table mates and we enjoyed talking with them as we waited on our food. We finished just in time for the Cuba shore talk and we were glad we were there to get the tips to make going ashore easier. We then put on exercise clothes and did several miles on the track before resting and catching up on some journaling and bible reading. We ate a light lunch in the Lido and then walked around the ship before settling in and reading and resting. We just relaxed until time to shower and dress for our dinner in the specialty restaurant called Rudi’s Sel De Mer. The service was wonderful and the food was so very tasty. It was a 2-hour meal, so we had only a little time to play cards before the 10 pm show. The show was the production cast celebrating the British invasion of the 60’s. It was wonderful and we still are certain that this is a dynamite cast. After the show we went to the cabin as we lose an hour tonight and it is already after midnight. We got everything ready for our trip to Cuba tomorrow and out went the lights.

There was a lovely cultural building next door and even though it was under construction we were able to climb the spiral staircase to the top for the view. We had to rush back to the bus; but we were not the last ones on, actually the last ones on were very late. After lunch we went to the main plaza and saw a lot of the old colonial buildings. We were able to walk through the market and visit the cathedral also. This is a small city and a little bit like stepping back in time. We saw some old cars but we were told we will see many more in Havana. We made it back to the port and were on the large open-air tender back to the ship. There was great camaraderie and we even talked with a couple that had been on the Riviera (our next cruise later this month) and loved it. Back on the ship we took a few minutes to relax before heading up on deck 11 for the sail through the channel. It was a lovely sail away but after about an hour we decided to head for the showers. It was nice to be clean and we had a late dinner in the Lido before heading to the show. The entertainer from Cuba was ill so we had a comedian. He was ok but he laughed at his own jokes more than we did. I am rather tired of comedians who only talk about how they hate getting old when they are in their early 50’s. We went to the piano bar and both of us were so sleepy we decided to get our wine and head to the room. We prepared for Hugh’s dive in Grand Cayman and then then climbed in bed. We were both asleep in no time.

Today we slept in and then went for a long walk on deck 6. Our goal has been 5 miles each day and we have been pretty consistent. At 11 we went to the talk on Havana and it was just what we needed to get us excited for our port call tomorrow. We then went to the Mariners award ceremony where we received our silver medallion. The lunch following was a lot of fun and a reunion of two of the couple we had dinner with on our first night. After lunch we went to the pool and relaxed and read in the sunshine. That evening we had reservations in the Canaletto as the main dining room is so crowded on formal nights. We did not finish dinner until 9 and we then went to the piano bar for an hour and then it was off to the showroom for a cast production show. What a great day at sea and we went to bed thinking of Havana.

From here we made our way to the Parc Centrale, the capital, and then all the main squares of the city including Armas, Revolution, etc. we had lunch at one of the city’s famous restaurants. We had a typical meal with salad, pulled pork, chicken, black beans and rice, and of course, Mojito’s! We walked from the restaurant to the Cathedral square and there we saw street performers, but the churches are all closed. We were told that Cubans generally do not attend church. Everywhere we looked we saw old American cars painted up beautifully and for hire as tour taxis. Most of them were convertibles and had Fiat diesel engines. We continued our drive around the city stopping at 2 forts, the Christ statue that blesses the city, and we even had time to buy cigars from one of the famous tobacco shops. From there we made our way to the market and walked around for a while. It was almost 6 when we made our way back to the ship. We cleaned up and then went to the Lido for a Cuban dinner. We walked outside and admired the lights before heading to the showroom for Cuban music by the performer that was sick earlier in the cruise. We then went to the piano bar for Jimmy Buffett music and then it was off to bed! We loved our time in Havana and look forward to another visit in 3 weeks.

Today is a sea day and we are happy to have it. The sun is shining and the seas are calm as we made our way around deck 6 for our morning exercise. At 10 we went to the "ask the captain" presentation and enjoyed this very much. Our captain is Irish which is unusual as most of the HAL Masters of the Vessel are Dutch. He is very personable and did a great job of answering all the questions. We then went out to finish our walk before heading up to the pool for some time in the sun. We had pizza by the pool, and I got to wear my new bathing suit. After we had as much time in the sun as the old skin needed, we headed in to journal, read, and clean up for dinner. We went to the dining room for dinner and we were surprised when the only table available was a table for 2. We had a long leisurely dinner and then listened to Adagio some before going to the 10 pm show. It was a variety show with both the pianist and the comedian. The comedian was much better this time around and had us all laughing heartily. The pianist was good, but we decided to head out about half way through. We walked up to the Crow’s Nest and heard the Cuban band and then it was off to the cabin.

Today we awoke in Fort Lauderdale and checked or emails while we had coffee. It seems all is well with the family and we headed to breakfast. We then had to join the group of mariners continuing on the cruise so that we could clear immigration as a group. It went very quickly and we were back on the ship in no time. We donned our exercise clothes and got in our 3 miles before grabbing our computers and going on deck to get some catchup work done. We talked to family and friends and then it was lunch time. We went to the dining room which was open for the passengers continuing on. We were shocked that embarking passengers also were in the dining room and we were seated next to a grumpy couple that did not talk to us or to each other. Our meal otherwise was wonderful. After lunch we walked some more and then went up to the pool to read. It was so bright that reading was difficult so we only made it about an hour and then we retired to our cabin to finish the computer work and read. At 5 we headed up to the 12th deck to watch the sailaway. By 5:30 we were still sitting at the dock so we went down to the 6th deck to continue our walking for the day. The captain announced about that time that we were not sailing until 6:30 because we had to wait on a cargo ship that was maneuvering in the channel. Our ship left port at 6:25 and the lights from the city were lovely to see. We went to the Lido for dinner and then to the 9 pm show. After the show we went to the piano bar and enjoyed Don for a bit. It was a different crowd but there is a fun factor that was missing some nights. The only difficulty we have had on this trip was tonight when I ordered my glass of wine they said my Moscato was no longer available on our drink package. It seems at the beginning of this portion of the cruise they upped the prices. I was disappointed and Saul our bartender noted this. He called the beverage captain and Gregory said for the duration of the cruise I could get my wine that I had been enjoying on our package. Happy me enjoyed my glass and then it was off to the cabin.

Up at a nice time this morning, 7:30, and then to the dining room for breakfast. After breakfast we headed out for our walk and got in several miles before the 10 am port talk. We were excited by some of the things we learned about the upcoming islands and will do some research as to how to spend our time. After the talk we did several more laps before showering and dressing for our Collectors Cruise luncheon. We were seated with Alan and Marilyn from Adelaide, Australia. We had a lot in common and ended up being the last to leave the dining room. We had another wine tasting at 2. We had a nice group to compare wines with and even made plans to meet for dinner. We read and napped until time to dress for dinner. Formal nights require a little more care in what we wear. We met our group for dinner and afterwards the staff said they would save a table for us each night. We went to the piano bar for some music before we eventually made our way to the show. It was a production show and again very good! Then it was off to bed.

Today was a day at sea and we took advantage of it. We slept in and had coffee delivered to the room. We took our time dressing and went to the Lido for breakfast. We then went out on deck to walk and had no trouble getting our 5 miles in as the weather was cool with a nice breeze. We then showered and dressed a little nicer and went to the dining room for lunch. After lunch we sat outside on deck 6 and read and enjoyed the lovely weather. We did a few more laps before heading in to journal and shower. We met our group for dinner and laughed and talked until show time. It was a nice cruise dining each night with Ruth, Mark, Linda, and Susan, all from Delaware. Our table mates do not go to the show so Hugh and I headed off on our own. The show was a comedian and he had everyone laughing. After the show we listened to some more music before heading to bed.

We explored downtown thoroughly and then made our next purchase... hydrogen peroxide and Band-Aids. My knee is not healing the way it should. We then made the walk back to the port and had a late lunch. We were very hot so we cooled off in the a/c before heading back out to get my rings. We checked email and then boarded the ship just before sail away. We decided to rest before dinner but then decided to go up to 12 to see the view. We showered and had time to listen to Adagio before we headed to dinner. Another great meal and company. After dinner we headed to the piano bar for the 60’s sing along and we were surprised when it was standing room only. Don is very popular on this leg of the journey also. We then went to the late show which was a magician. Hugh and I got picked and he made one of my new rings disappear. Fortunately, it showed back up in a box inside a box inside a box. We had a lot of fun and then it was off to bed.

We stopped one more time and checked emails before boarding. We had a late lunch by the pool and then went in to read and journal. We were up on top for the sail away. We enjoyed frozen strawberry marguaritas and made some photos. We went down to the 6th deck and got some lounge chairs while we waited to sail to the Peton’s which took about 45 minutes. Our sail included a view of beautiful Marigot Bay and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Soufriere, which was the capital of the island at one time. The wait was worth it and we made a lot of pictures. The captain angled the ship into Soufriere bay and we stayed for a very long time so everyone got a great view. It is so nice in the Winward Islands not to have to rush as the islands are so close together. We went to hear Adagio before dinner and then went to the piano bar for a 60’s sing along. It was attended by over 100 guests and was standing room only. The show was a jazz musician, Pete Neighbour, and Hugh and I stayed for a bit before heading to the room.

It took a while for the walk and by the time we arrived in our cabin we had to cool off before we could think about a late lunch. After lunch we relaxed and read until time for sail away at 5. We went on deck for the views and last-minute photos. We were late sailing because the ship in front of us was late sailing. We heard the announcements from their ship looking for wayward passengers. As the island faded into the distance we headed to the room for showers and to dress for dinner. We had our usual table but one of our tablemates had a migraine so there were only 5. We made it to the piano bar for Broadway music before going to the production company show at 10. The show was excellent with wonderful costumes. When the show was over we were ready to hit the bed for a good nights rest.

We had a late lunch, edited pictures, and then read until time to go out and see the Carnival parade. We walked back into town and we were surprised at what a production this was, and it all materialized in such a short period of time. We watched what we could see of the parade... the crowds were thick and then we made the dash back to the ship for sail away. We spent time in the library editing pictures while they prepared the ship so sail. At 5 we dropped off the computers and headed up for the views. The sail out was nice, and we then had a 45-minute period while we made the sail to Mount Pele’. We went into the Crow’s Nest and watched the NFL playoff game until we arrived. It was cocktail time and we indulged with a martini for Hugh and a Cosmo for me! By the time we reached the volcano it was after sunset and the light was not great for pictures. We made our shots and headed to the room for the rest of the game and showers before dinner. All 6 were at dinner and it passed quickly. Ruth and Hugh headed to the Port and chocolate tasting, I went to the lounge to watch the 2nd playoff game, and the rest headed for their cabins. At 10 I met Hugh in the showroom for the entertainment. He was a ventriloquist and comedian and it was delightful. Everyone was commenting on how well it was performed. It was off to bed for us after a busy day!

By 12:30 we had exhausted the things that were of interest to us and headed back to the ship. We continue our walking on deck 6 so we would get in our 5 miles for the day. Then it was off to lunch, then the library to edit pictures, and then just a snuggle in to read for a while. Some clouds are out but it is too humid to be outside in the middle of the day. We went back out on deck for the sail away at 4:30 and enjoyed the breeze and views. We settled on deck 12 for a wonderful walk as we enjoyed the sunset. At about 6:30 we headed in to shower and get ready for dinner. It was a nice dinner but we decided to leave early to get seats for the Jimmy Buffet night at the piano bar. We were too late as the place was packed. We ended up sitting on the marble end of one of the banquettes. The music was great and when it ended we went to the showroom for the Planet Earth presentation. The music and the photography for this were amazing and we enjoyed it tremendously. Then it was off to bed.

This morning we slept in and had to hurry to get to breakfast before they closed. At 10 as the Lido was closing we headed to the showroom for a future cruise presentation. It was interesting but not what we had expected. This talked about benefits of booking early and we had hoped they would highlight some of the upcoming cruises. From there we headed out to get a few miles on the track before we had to shower and dress for the Mariner luncheon at 12:30. The luncheon was good, and our table mates were all interesting and well-travelled. After the luncheon the sea was getting rough, so we decided to relax in the cabin and read. It progressively got worse as the day went on with high, 9-12 ft. seas, and high wind. The ship continued to rock but we headed out to walk before dinner. We got in a little over a mile before we gave in to the seas. We showered and dressed for formal night before heading out to listen to Adagio before dinner. We had a great surf and turf meal and then went to the piano bar for the Frank Sinatra night. The music was great and all too soon it was showtime. The presentation was the Veendam singers and dancers and they had a real challenge with the rolling ship. They had completed about ½ the show before they had to call it off. It was just not safe for them to be on stage with all the erratic movement of the ship. We went back to our cabin and happily crawled into bed.

Today was a day we looked forward to from the beginning of the cruise, Half Moon Cay, the Holland America private island. We got up early and had breakfast and went out on deck to walk while we waited on the tender announcement. When the announcement came it was not what we wanted to hear... they cancelled the port as the winds were at gale level and the seas so high and rough that even the large island-based tenders could not get us safely to shore. We had seen the tender that was sent to test the waters bobbing and rolling and thought about how rough it was going to be. The person on the island who runs the tenders made the decision that it was unsafe, and the captain concurred as he could not anchor the ship in the high wind. We then sailed away from the beautiful island and started our journey to Fort Lauderdale. We continued our walk, went to the gym, and then spent some time at the pool before we made the decision to get our packing done. When this tedious task was complete, we went up on the stern of the ship and had pizza and then went to the showroom for "meet the entertainers". While we were waiting I caught up on my journaling and Hugh watched videos. The cast was fun to talk to and Catherine, one of the dancers, was from Jasper, AL and a big Tide fan! After the presentation we went for coffee and then off to read. After reading until nap time overcame Hugh, we finished packing the last few things into the big bags so they can go out as we head to dinner. We are showered and dressed early so out with the bags and off to hear Adagio and enjoy my last Cosmo.

This morning we slept in while all the early fliers made their exit. We had a late breakfast and exited the ship for the last time about 9 am. We said our goodbyes yesterday, but it was still sad to leave our home for the last 21 days. It was a great trip and we look forward to booking our next cruises as soon as we make up our minds. It is cold and cloudy in Fort Lauderdale and not at all what we expected. I am glad I had my jacket and closed toe shoes. Customs line was long but moved promptly. We claimed our bags and our Lyft driver was Johnny on the spot. We were at our hotel in Miami well before lunch. Our room was ready and we moved the bags in and grabbed our raincoats.

The hotel shuttle took us to the Dolphin Mall, an extravaganza of 204 stores. We walked around a bit and then we found a Mexican restaurant and had a great lunch. After lunch we walked around the mall on the outside because it was too cool inside. We warmed up and then walked some more in the mall. After we had covered every inch of the mall we decided to walk the 2.4 miles back to the hotel. It was midafternoon and the sun was out and the temp in the low 70’s. It was a pleasant journey but took us a while as we ran out of side walk for a mile or so. Back at the hotel we read and planned our clothing needs for tomorrows embarkation. We also retagged our bags for Oceania. At dinner time we ate very light and took long showers before bed.

The rain held off for the afternoon so we walked on deck, had a great lunch at WAVES and then sat on our verandah until the wind came up so much we thought it would blow our kindles out of our hands. We just barely made it into the room when the rains came. It was sad that it was at this time as we were sailing away and we wanted to be outside. The wind and rain continued to increase as did the seas. By the time we made it to dinner in the dining room the ship was rolling a bit. We ate with a lovely Canadian couple and finished just in time to go to the show. It was a bad night for a production show because by this time the ship was rolling and tossing so much most people had to hold on to just walk. The entertainers did not let this bother them. They proceeded to give us a wonderful show with all the lifts and turns you would expect. It was standing ovation night just for the effort, let alone the talent. After the show we made our way to our cabin and crawled into bed hoping the weather would improve. The ship was as rough as any we have been on and we were glad about 3 am when it improved and then by morning when it was only about 3 ft seas.

We slept in this morning and then went to the dining room for breakfast. After a nice meal we headed to the lecture on Honduras and Guatemala. I was not particularly impressed with the lecturer but maybe she will improve with future lectures. I then went to the Horizons for a craft class where we made leather bracelets. It was fun but we all left feeling a little inept. Next on the agenda was a cooking demo by the Executive Chef Farid and the Head Chef of Toscano, Luca. We have seen them before, and they are very entertaining. Hugh had me a seat saved and we both enjoyed the presentation. We then left our goodies in the room and went to the dining room for lunch. We sat close to the couple we had dinner with, and it was a lovely time. From lunch we walked for our exercise and then went to the gym. From the gym we went to the room and prepared for our spa afternoon. Hugh had a private class on active and assisted stretching, and I had a deep tissue massage. We both arrived back at the room ready to do it again. Hugh booked for tomorrow but I was told to wait 48 hours. We sat on the verandah, then I had a long soak in the tub while Hugh showered. It was the Captain’s Cocktail Celebration at 6 and we headed to Horizons for the fun. Cocktails were free and the music was great. I had a Cosmo and I did not like this one. It was too much alcohol and not enough fruit juice for me. I got some wine to take to dinner while we watched the band. We had dinner in the dining room with 2 lovely sisters, one from England and one from Canada. We were laughing and enjoying ourselves so much we almost missed the show. Tonight’s entertainment was a singer, Kenny James. He put on a wonderful show for over an hour and got a standing O for the effort. So glad we did not mis this. Then it was off to bed after a very active day at sea.

When we finished our daily 5-mile hike we headed back to the ship. It was time for lunch, and we headed for the main dining room. We had a great view and it was cool and the food was delicious. We walked on the top of the ship at the exercise track for a bit before heading to the room and our own verandah to journal. Hugh left for his stretching and I caught up with my journal and then sat outside and read. Sail away is at 6 so we sat on the balcony and watched as we sailed then went up on top for an overview. We showered and dressed for dinner. We stopped for wine and music before heading to Red Ginger. We ate with a lovely couple from England, David and Jan. The food was amazing and the presentation could not have been better. We were a little late leaving the restaurant but still made it for most of the show, a very funny comedian named Tom...we think he is Cruise Director Dottie’s husband. After the show we headed off to bed.

We ate in the Terrace and had great veggies. We then did some more walking on deck 14 to aid our digestion before we retired to our balcony to read. At sail away we walked some more as we watched the land slowly disappear. We showered and went for wine and music before dinner. We ran into the couple we had dinner with last evening and we were both heading to Polo for dinner. We were able to arrange it so we could eat together again and it was lovely. We made it to the show which was a production show. The dancing was wonderful but the singers struggled with Burt Bacharach tunes. It was off to bed after the show.

We sat on the balcony and watched the Pelicans fish before we headed to Waves for a late lunch. After lunch we sat on the balcony and read as we sailed away from this beautiful island... one of our favorites for the trip. We rested, then showered and dressed for our dinner in Toscano. We had a glass of wine before dinner while listening to music and then off to share a great meal with some new friends. The meal was excellent, and we finished in time to take in the show. It was our wonderful string quartet and we enjoyed the first several songs. Then the air conditioner started blowing down on us and we were freezing. We finally had to leave and in the hallway we met several other couples that left because of the temp. It was off to bed for us!

We had lunch in the dining room before heading back to journal and download pictures. We ended up resting on the balcony and then dressing for dinner. We ate in the Terrace for a change and then went to hear music before heading to the show. This evenings entertainment was Tom the comedian. He was even better than last show and we left with a big grin on our faces. It was a night to lose an hours sleep (time zone change) so we headed back to the room. Neither of us was particularly sleepy so we stayed up reading and looking at pictures.

We slept in today and headed to the Riviera Lounge for church and Dottie did a great job with the help of a retired Lutheran minister who read the scripture. Then it was off to the dining room for breakfast. We went to the enrichment lecture on Cuba a 10 and then it was off to shop. We had over 500 dollars of shipboard credit to spend and we had a hard time deciding on what to get. Once the decisions were made, we then headed up on deck to get some walking in. We have worked hard on getting 5 miles a day of walking in and on sea days it requires walking the track. After finishing our walk, we had lunch and then went to put on swimsuits for some time in the sun. There was a nice breeze, but the sun was high and hot. We lasted about 50 minutes and then headed to our balcony to read. Today was Super Bowl Sunday so we made plans to go to the Terrace for dinner and then to Horizons for the game. This was the lowest scoring and most boring game I have ever watched. If it were not for the popcorn and snacks, I am not sure how many people would have made it through. We lasted the whole time but I think both of us were ready for it to end. It was off to the cabin to prepare for tomorrow’s visit to Havana.

We then headed into the city to one of Hemingway’s most famous hang-outs, The Floridian Bar, home of the Daiquiri. The place was crowded and the bartender was working hard. We saw him pour a bottle of dark rum and a bottle of light rum in the blender at the same time for one batch of the treats. When ours arrived they did not taste as if they were that alcoholic and being a light drinker I would have noticed. After our drinks the tour was heading back to the ship. Hugh and I decided to stay in this area and explore and gets some scenery shots. We had a great afternoon of just wandering through the plazas and into art shops looking for a piece of art to take home to remember our trip. We found one at a gallery on the Cathedral Plaza. After we made our purchase, we headed toward the ship just winding our way through little streets and finally onto Revolution Plaza which is just across the street from the port. If was getting close to sail away time and we were hungry. We made our way to the port and Hugh exchanged our CUCs for dollars and then on to the ship we went. We ate a late light lunch in Waves and then went to our cabin to pack. We finished packing just as we sailed. We went up top for the sail out of the harbor. The light was good and we were able to enjoy the sights. After the sights had disappeared, we went to the cabin and sat on our balcony for the last time. Before we knew it, it was time to shower and dress for dinner. We went for a casual meal as the only clothes we had were our travel clothes, our bags were outside our cabin waiting to be picked up. We finished our meal in time for some picture editing before the show. We sat in the Grand Bar and listened to music as we worked. We arrived at the show in time to get good seats. The show was a Broadway presentation by the singers of the company. They did an excellent job and received a standing ovation. Dottie said her goodbyes and we were sad as we headed to our cabin.

Today we said goodbye to the Riviera. After breakfast we left the ship, claimed our luggage, and cleared customs all in about 15 minutes. Our LYFT driver, Brian picked us up and deposited us at the airport with hardly any traffic and there was no line at the check-in for American. We asked the agent if we could standby for an earlier flight as ours was for 9:54 pm and she said yes we could standby but there was a long list but for $75 we could have a guaranteed seat. We paid the money and were able to get a 12-noon flight. We had a short time to wait before we boarded but it passed quickly. We had bulkhead seats and a very easy flight home. As usual for CLT the luggage took a bit to come out but ours was there and that is what mattered to us. We caught the bus to the parking deck and found our car. Unfortunately for us the battery was dead. I used the emergency telephone, and someone came right away to jump us. We drove home without incident and spent the afternoon and evening doing laundry, sorting mail, and putting everything in its place. We were tired but happy with our progress when we went to bed.