Tuesday, January 11, 2022, Miami
This was the beginning of our first out of the country adventure in 2 years… darn Covid! We spent the night in Charlotte, NC at a motel and watched the University of Georgia beat the University of Alabama to claim the college football national championship. We were up at 4:15am and on the shuttle at 5am. We arrived at the airport and went through TSA precheck in record time. Then we sat and waited. We had planned to have breakfast, but nothing was open including Starbucks. Our flight was on time, and we boarded and had the whole row to ourselves. The flight was easy and we arrived in Miami 20 minutes early. We made our way to the exit and we were in our LYFT before the other passengers' luggage was delivered. We arrived at the Homewood Suites and were surprised that our room was available even though it was only 9:45 am. The room is large and well appointed but we had a city to see. We grabbed what we needed and headed out to Brickell Village. It was the perfect temp and we enjoyed our walk. By 11 am we were starved, the coke and cookie on the plane had worn off and we had been up for 7 hours. We stopped at a lovely Italian restaurant and enjoyed a great meal. We continued our walk and even had the time to shop for a few items that we needed. We ended up on Biscayne Bay and had great plans to go to the waterfront park but it was shut down for Wondapalooza, whatever that is. We kept walking but by 2 we were exhausted and headed to the hotel for a nap. We showered and dressed for dinner but found that it was torrentially raining and decided to stay in. We used Uber Eats and enjoyed a lovely and delicious Thai dinner while watching a mystery. I think we will have another early night. Tomorrow is a new day with a Covid test and then a visit to Biscayne National Park before we end up in Key West.
Miami pictures
Wednesday, January 12, 2022, Biscayne National Park & Key West
Today we slept in a bit then quickly showered and had breakfast. We were still packed so is was easy to get ready for our day. We checked out and called LYFT for our ride to the airport to get our rental car. There was no traffic and we arrived in record time. I now know why Hertz is number 1 in the rental industry. It was efficient and organized and soon we were driving away in our new Rogue SUV. We headed to Homestead with a short detour to downtown because of a GPS error. We arrived at Walgreens for our Covid test an hour early but no matter, they let us go right through. Again, efficient and we had our negative results in less than an hour. We then headed to Biscayne National Park. It was very close, and we spent about an hour exploring there. They were doing some rehab on the trails, so we spent our time exploring the museum and looking in the water for fish.
Then it was off to Key West for us. It is a long drive at slow speeds. The weather was wonderful, so we enjoyed the drive. We arrived in Key West around 4 and found a parking place quickly and checked into our B&B. It was well situated for walking and that is what we did. We walked to our departure for the Dry Tortugas and then we just explored. It was not as busy as other times we have visited. We had no dinner reservations but were able to get into The Grand Restaurant and have a fabulous meal outside on the verandah. We continued to walk around town after dinner and enjoy people watching. We ended our night around 10 and were soon asleep.
Biscayne Natl Park pictures
· Key West pictures
Thursday, January 13, 2022, Dry Tortugas National Park
Our day started early around 6 am. We loaded the car and drove to the parking garage at the dock area. We checked in and we were able to get a $30 refund because of our national park passes. It was a short wait until we boarded the large ferry to the Dry Tortugas. It is a 2.5 hour ride and we were served a breakfast snack and all the coffee and tea we wanted. It was very comfortable and not at all crowded. They enforced the mask rule inside and we felt very safe. We had about 45 minutes of very rough seas and there was a lot of barf bags being used. Hugh and I weathered it well and felt fine when we arrived. We arrived a little before 11 and we got off the ferry and explored the island before lunch. We took some nice beach walks and saved the fort exploration until most people were done. They served us Jersey Mikes subs, chip, and cookies for lunch and we enjoyed ours at a shady table with a beautiful view. After lunch we spent the rest of our time exploring Fort Jefferson and reading about its history. We walked around the top and explored all the ruins of the barracks and parade ground. The day was sunny and just the right temp to allow us to explore without being too hot. Hugh took a short nap in the shade, and I made some pictures of fish that were swimming around the docks. We boarded the ferry at 2:45 and were on our way back to Key West at 3. The trip back was much smoother and we both took short naps. We arrived back at 5:30 as advertised and Hugh and I headed to the car for the long trip back to Homestead. We needed to be on the mainland tomorrow because our rental is due back at 10. The drive was slow but uneventful and we arrived at the Hilton Tru in time for bed. We were tired but happy that we had seen on of the more remote national parks.
Dry Tortugas National Park pictures
Friday, January 14, 2022, Embark on Riviera in Miami
Today we woke up and efficiently showered and dressed for our embarkation day on the Riveria. We did not get breakfast at the hotel so we stopped for breakfast sandwiches on our way to the airport to return our car. We arrived in plenty of time and as advertised Hertz check-in was fast and efficient. We had time to kill before heading to the dock, so we made our way thru the airport to the Global Entry office to see if we could do our renewal interviews. The appointments are so hard to get near us and it would be well beyond our expiration date if we wait. We arrived and were told we could wait, and all the appointment people would be handled before us. We had the time so we sat down and they were very slow getting things going but at 10 the new people arrived to man the office and the pace picked up. They asked for our cards, and it was not long before I was called back and then Hugh followed. It was a very short process, and we had another problem solved. New cards should be waiting when we get home. We made our way to the exit level and called for a LYFT. He came very quickly and we were off to the port. It was a short drive and soon we were in the line to get our Covid test. It was much more efficient than I had read about on Cruise Critic and within 30 minutes we were tested, forms filled out, and temperature taken. Our results came in shortly and we exited to the Oceania check-in area. This took about 5 minutes, and we were on our way on the ship. The only thing that was frustrating was they never asked for the results of the Covid test we had independently... oh well it was free! We had our rollaboards, but they proved to be no problem and we checked into our muster station and then made our way to the Terrace for lunch. We sat by the window and enjoyed the view as we ate and before we left the dining area, we were told we could go to our cabins. Ours is 8075 and it is lovely. We have lots of storage and plug-ins. We had all our luggage with us so we unpacked and were settled in very quickly. I even pressed to couple of pieces that needed it in the laundarette. We then went out to check out the renovations to the ship. We stopped for coffee at the Barista’s Café and then continued to explore. We went into Red Ginger to see about specialty restaurant reservations and we were able to get Red Ginger for tonight. The ship holds 1200 people but they are only sailing with 600 so it is not crowded at all. There are a lot of changes in the ship since the last time we were on in 2019. Some are from Covid and some are updates from the renovations. We must wear our mask outside our cabin unless we are actually outside the ship and able to distance. There will be no captain's welcome party or hands on experiences in the culinary center. No one is complaining and it is lovely to have this large ship with so few people. We feel very safe. The staff is excellent, and we like our Cruise Director Paul. We eventually made our way back to the cabin and dressed for dinner. At 6 we went up for the sail away from Miami and then headed to dinner. We shared a table with a lovely couple from Denver, Ron and Chris. The food and the company were wonderful, and we lingered until 9 in the restaurant. We had time for one hand of cards before heading to the show. It was an intro show and we met all the ships entertainment staff minus the headliners that rotate on. After the show we walked around some and then headed to bed. It was fabulous being back on the seas.
Saturday January 15, 2022, Cruising the Old Bahamas Channel
We slept in this morning and then made our way to the main dining room for breakfast. It is a sea day, and we have no major activities until the afternoon. After breakfast we went to deck 14 and walked the track until time to go to the 10:15 lecture. The lecturer on this trip is an oceanographer from the Scripps Institute. He was a great speaker and I look forward to his other lectures. We then made our way to our cabin and sat on the verandah and I blogged and Hugh just rested. It is a beautiful day and the seas are smooth. We went to lunch in the main dining room and it was delicious but very few people. After lunch I worked on the art scavenger hunt and Hugh went to his wine tasting. I sat this one out as it was on red wines. At 3:45 I went to my massage and I can tell already I am going to love the 2 free spa treatments we get with each cruise. We rested and I took a long shower to get off all the massage oil before we headed to the Polo Restaurant for dinner. We shared a table with a nice couple from Charlottesville, VA and it was showtime, 09:30 before we left the restaurant. The show was a comedian/magician named Levent. He is quite famous with the Penn and Teller set and we enjoyed it very much. We then sat and listened to some music before heading to our cabin.
Sunday, January 16, 2022, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
We awoke to a bright sunny day in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic. We had breakfast as we finished our docking procedure and then we headed out. We have been here before and done a tour of the town so today we decided to walk through the town and then head out on a long walk along the coast. There is a wonderful sidewalk and we made 3 miles before we turned around. We made some pictures and talked to some people as we made our way back toward the ship. We made it back to the ship in time for a late lunch at Waves. When we started our adventure we had not planned to be gone so long but we were happy that we got our walk in. After lunch we began the ship's Art Scavenger Hunt and we were a day behind everyone else. We usually do not like these games but this one is quite challenging. The small pictures often are of small snippets of very large paintings, obscure signs, or carpets patterns. You have to be able to imagine it reversed or up side down. Everywhere you look there is a couple or a single person examining art that they would just pass by routinely. We did not get as much done as I would like but your eyes cross after a while. We sat on the balcony and I read and Hugh watched videos. We rested until sail away and then we went up for some pictures before showering and dressing for church. Our cruise director Paul did a great job and even though the number of attendees was small the hymns were lovely and the message was just right. We had some time to kill before dinner so we walked around looking at that darn art. We eventually ended up in the main dining room. We had a table for 2 and enjoyed a relaxed meal before heading to Martinis for a name that tune. We were late and sat with another couple that came at the same time. We had fun guessing although we could not win. We went to the show at 9:30 and the performer was Linda Gentile, and she was fabulous. She is a pianist who trained under Roger Williams and played with Liberace. She received a standing ovation. It was well deserved. It was late and we were tired so we headed to the cabin.
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic pictures
Monday, January 17, 2022, At Sea instead of Jan Juan, Puerto Rico
Today is an unplanned sea day for us. We were supposed to dock in San Juan Puerto
Rico but because of the amount of covid there we are skipping the port. No one seems upset and they have lots of things for us to do one board. We slept in and then had breakfast outside and it was lovely. We changed into bathing suits and sat by the pool until lunch. At 1 pm we went to the lecture by the oceanographer and enjoyed it very much. We then went art scavenging and got some more of ours filled in. Its funny how it often takes 2 sets of eyes to see what is right in front of us. We got frustrated after a while as it all starts to look the same. We headed to the cabin to read and then shower for dinner. It was the main dining room again and the food and service were excellent. We finished in time to play several hands of kings on the corner before heading to the encore performance of Levent. This show was more magic intense and we enjoyed it a lot. There was a Beatles review in Horizons but we decided to skip it and head to the cabin.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022, Phillipsburg, St Maarten
Today we awoke in Phillipsburg, Sint Marten. We have been here many times so we took our time getting out. After a delicious breakfast in the main dining room, we ventured off the boat for a good walk. It was a bright sunny day and there were 5, yes 5, cruise ships in port and we were the smallest. We were amazed as we walked through the port area and into town that it was not crowded. It was hot though!!!
We made some pictures as we walked seaside and then headed to Front Street and the shopping that they are so famous for. I love to look but rarely ever buy. This trip I negotiated on a David Yurman bracelet that was in the new collection. I loved it but they could not come down to price I was happy with, so the bracelet stayed and we headed back to the ship. We had lunch inside to cool off after our hot walk. We went to a documentary presentation on chef Jacque Pepin and it was wonderful and very timely as we are having dinner in his namesake restaurant tonight. We then looked for art and found several more of the items on our list. We are down to just a few to find but they are the truly difficult ones, at least they are to us. We went back to the cabin the middle of the afternoon to read and watch videos. It was a beautiful sail away at sunset and we enjoyed it before showering and getting ready for dinner in Jacques. We thought our reservation was for 7:30 but at 7:10 Hugh noticed our card said 7. We rushed to the restaurant but our tardiness was not a problem. We were supposed to share a table but they seated at a table for 2. Our dinner was 4 courses of excellent food and wine. Because of our later sail time the entertainment was a movie that we were not interest in. We went to the cabin and I blogged and Hugh did pictures on Adobe Lightroom Classic. This was a much-needed evening as I was several days behind. Tomorrow, St. Johns, Antigua!
Phillipsburg pictures
Wednesday, January 19, 2022, St Johns, Antigua Instead of Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe
This morning we had a leisurely breakfast in the grand dining room because we knew exactly what we wanted to do on land. We have been here several times and we have a walking route we like. After breakfast we headed out and there were several other large ships in port and we knew it would be crowded. We made one mistake today, we decided to wear hats and it is very windy. We fought them all day! We quickly made our way through the port shopping area and ended up in the hills on the local's side of town. We had walked this area before and knew it was safe and definitely not filled with cruisers. After we found our way to the stadium we turned our steps to the cathedral that was being restored the last time we were here. It is huge and behind a very high wall. We made our way in to see the progress and the inside was looking amazing. It you just look at the building you would say Catholic but it is an Anglican Church that has its roots from 1683. The building we see today is from 1848. It is stucco and stone on the outside and beautiful woods on the inside. The exterior is still be restored from an earthquake and the grounds are still littered and in need of work. We went inside and the gentleman who was policing the wearing of masks and sanitizing of hands told us that all the hardwood was imported and the altar of mahogany was the prize piece. This is the 3rd Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to stand on this spot. From here we started down the hill to the museum. There are some old steam engines here and some very old British mailboxes. We love to check them out each trip. We continued our walk and ended our time in the port area. As we were making our way back to the ship I saw a store called Sunseakers, a bathing suit for every BODY. I have such a hard time finding a suit that fits well, I decided to stop in. A lovely lady waited on me and soon I was trying on suits that actually fit. She was very good at her job. I decided on one although there were several I could have chosen. After purchasing and getting our tax back we made our way on the ship for a late lunch. After lunch we did our art scavenger hunt, and we are down to 2 pictures... neither of which we can find. We have dining reservations in The Polo Restaurant tonight, so we decided to skip the tea and all its treats. We read and rested and showered. Once we were dressed for dinner, we headed out for one last look for those darn pictures. We had a table for 2 and ate too much and enjoyed our wine. We went to the Grand Bar and played Kings on the Corner until time for the show. One thing I should mention, all our ship entertainment has disappeared. We suspect Covid but have heard nothing on confirmation of this. All the guests seem to test negative and go on about their cruise, but the string quartet and the production shows are nowhere to be seen. Also the casino staff are all absent since the second night. Tonight we are having an encore presentation from the pianist. She was fabulous the first time, so we expected a great show. It was good but not of the same high energy as the first. We were planning on going for the Abba show at 10:30 but found out it was a dance party and the ship was moving too much for these old-timers to go dancing. We headed to our cabin but checked out artwork on our way.
St Johns Antigua pictures
Thursday, January 20, 2022, Bridgetown, Barbados
Up to another sunny day and a new island to explore... today we are in Bridgetown, Barbados! We had a leisurely breakfast in the dining room and then headed out to get some steps in. We have been here many times and knew we could walk along the shore and into town with no problem. When we cleared the port area we thought we could remove our masks but found all the locals wore theirs all the time so we did also out of respect. We stopped along the way to watch the sailboats and then we walked into the park in town and then we just wandered until time to head back. When we arrived in the port Hugh sat and used the internet and I headed back to the ship. I needed something cold to drink and enjoyed sitting on the balcony sipping a Diet Coke and reading. It was late when we headed to lunch and then we just enjoyed our balcony and people watching. It was a restful afternoon and soon it was sail away time. I sat and waited, and waited, and waited. We did not sail. I showered and dressed for dinner and we headed to Martinis for the piano music. Just as we sat down the captain came on and said because of rising covid cases in Grenada they had decided to skip that port and we would remain docked in Barbados another day. No problem, warm weather and blue skies here! We did move to another docking berth but it was a short move. The Queen Victoria also is staying in port but they had to anchor (we are told the ship is empty). We played Kings on the Corner and listened to music until time for our dinner in Toscana. We shared a table with a fun couple from England, Barry and Chris, who were just our age and loved to travel. They had been aboard for the previous 11 day cruise and only were able to go into three ports. We talked and ate and closed the restaurant down. We were late for the show but enjoyed the part of it that we saw. It was a violin virtuoso and she played a variety of music. Then it was off to read and rest. I just love vacation!!!
Bridgetown Barbados pictures
Friday, January 21, 2022, Bridgetown,Barbados Instead of St George's Grenada
This morning we got up and dressed to walk. We went off the ship and had to take a shuttle to the port. Not as convenient as yesterday but fine! We got some miles in before heading back to the ship and a very late breakfast in WAVES. I decided to do some laundry and while the washer was going I typed in my journal and Hugh read. We had a very lazy day spending a lot of our time reading and relaxing. The perfect day! We love our balcony and the view cannot be beat. We had dinner in the main dining room and then went to the show. Not a lot to say about today but it is what vacation is meant to be!!
Saturday, January 22, 2022, At Sea Instead of Kingstown, St Vincent
We slept in this morning and only got up when our coffee was delivered to the room. We sat on our balcony and drank our coffee and enjoyed the gorgeous blue of the Caribbean Sea. We went for a long walk on top before we enjoyed our breakfast. We attended the oceanographer's lecture on corals and it was very informative with lots of wonderful pictures. Today was an unexpected sea day because of our altered itinerary. We were prepared for this and it has not been an issue. We took this cruise as a tune up for our longer one in March and we knew it would not go as planned. We are sorry to have missed some islands we have not been to but the weather is lovely and warm and the views magnificent so nothing to complain about. Hugh would be happy to just enjoy the wonderful meals no matter where we are. This was the perfect trip to have a verandah and we have enjoyed ours. Today we saw a lot of flying fish and they were such fun to watch... some flying a long way! We had lunch, lay in the sun, and read until we were red and then went in to cool off before showering. We had dinner in Polo at a table with 3 other couples and this was a first for this trip. It was a lot of fun and we stayed until time for the show. Tonight’s entertainment was a comedian, and he was hilarious. It was a wonderful sea day and we went to bed happy!
Sunday, January 23, 2022, Phillipsburg, St Maarten Instead of Fort de France, Martinique
This morning we awoke in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten for the second time this trip. It is a beautiful day and after coffee on our verandah we headed to the dining room for breakfast. We decided to get our walk in before it got busy and we made it through the port and all the way through town without seeing very many people. The downtown area was closed up tight for Sunday with signs that they would open after noon. It was warm already and we were pretty sweaty when we arrived back at the ship but something cold to drink and time in the shade and we were good to go. We read and journaled until time for a late lunch. We sat on the back of the ship and enjoyed the view and the food. After lunch we donned our swimsuits and made our way to the pool. We took some time in the hot tub and then lay in the sun until its was just too much. Hugh made it longer than me but not much longer. We have a little time before showering and getting ready for Church so we sat outside and read. Paul our cruise director did a fabulous job with the service and we sang two of my favorite hymns. Not a large crowd but well received. We had time to play some cards and talk with new friends before we headed to dinner. We ate in Jacques and expected a sharing table but were seated at a table for 2. It was a lovely meal and we tried some new dishes. We then walked around the shops before heading to the show. It was the violinist and we made it for the beginning this time. She is an excellent musician but does not have very much to say to keep the show lively. It was off to bed afterwards and we are happy to say that we finished our art scavenger hunt. Yes, we found everyone!!
Monday, January 24, 2022, Tortola, British Virgin Islands Instead of Castries, St Lucia
Today we awoke in the Bristish Virgin Islands. After breakfast we took off for a long walk. We have not spent time exploring Road Town as we always go to the Baths or bareboat charter our own sailboat here. The sun was up and bright and we were thirsty by the time the road started up a steep hill and the sidewalk ended. We stopped for sodas and visited a really nice home decorating store. I would have made several purchases if I could have gotten the items home. We walked briskly back to the pier and cooled off in our room before going for lunch. After lunch we headed out again, on of the perks of being docked in town, and went in search of the Moorings. We can see their boats from our stateroom, but everything was fenced off and we could not find a building that held the offices. We tired of looking and took a different trek back. We got in all our steps today and spent the late afternoon on the verandah reading or watching videos. It was free drink night and we joined everyone in Martinis. Hugh had martinis and I had a fruit punch and a virgin frozen daiquiri... both very good. We had a lovely bar maid and she promised me delicious frozen creations anytime I came back. On the way to dinner I stopped to see Alex the future cruise ambassador and had him note that we would celebrate our 49th anniversary on our next cruise. He promised to take care of planning something special for us, can’t wait. We had dinner in Toscano and finished in time for Chris Burks show. He is a good singer but tonight his choice of songs was a little strange. After the show we wandered the shops checking out the merchandise. We have a lot of shipboard credit to use and tomorrow will be the perfect time to shop!
Tortola pictures
Tuesday, January 25, 2022, Gustavia, St Barts
We were excited to open the window today as we are in St Barts, an island we have never visited before. It is a tender port so we are not rushing. The planned tours always go first as they should so we had breakfast on the bow watching the coming and going of all the multimillion dollar yachts in the harbor. The sky and sea are so blue and the island looks like a jewel with a lot of mountains and forts to be seen. After breakfast we received our tender passes and waited our turn. The sea is a bit rough today and it is taking a little longer. As we prepared to board there were several people that got out of line because of the bobbing and banging of the tender. It was a leap of faith to get on and stand upright but we made it. The ride started out so rough that my watch asked me if I had fallen. As we gained speed it smooth out and it was a much easier disembarkation. The main street is filled with Rodeo Drive type shops and a marvelous view of all the yachts. We decided to walk to one of the beaches but we stopped a lot to make pictures and admire the scenery. Everything we see here shows wealth; prices are high even for food. We walked to Fort Karl and climbed to the top. The view was amazing and we saw some plants that we had never seen before including a tree that was so toxic that the sign said not to seek shelter under it during rain. We saw the beach that we were walking to and it was short and narrow and it was called shell beach for a reason, no sand just shells. We decided to explore more of the town of Gustavia and skip the beach. We saw the school and a lot of the simple white houses with red roofs. We made it back into the main part of town and stopped for a soda and some shade before we journeyed on. It was early afternoon before we caught the tender back to the ship. The seas had calmed and this was a much easier trip. We went to the room and Hugh rested for a bit as his tummy was a little queasy from the ride. We headed to the stern of the ship at the Terrace and had a great lunch just marveling at the wealth displayed before us. We decided to head back to the cabin as my vertigo was acting up and Hugh longed for a nap. I sat on the verandah and read the book I have been trying to finish for several days. We took our time getting ready for the evening and I even enjoyed a long soak in the tub. We did some shopping in the boutiques before going to the main dining room for dinner. We still have more money to spend but there is always tomorrow. Dinner was delicious and we stretch it out until it was almost show time. We played a couple of hands of cards and then we went to the showroom for the production company’s first show of the trip. We have missed them and are so happy that we will get at least 2 of their shows. Tonight was the singers with a Broadway show and they did a wonderful job. After the show we walked a bit and then headed to our cabin. What a great day!
Gustavia, St Barts pictures
Wednesday, January 26, 2022, Cruising the Atlantic Ocean
Today we started with breakfast served in our stateroom and eaten on our verandah in our jammies. It was the perfect temperature to just sit and enjoy watching the birds and flying fish. A little before 10 we dressed and headed to the Rivera Lounge for the lecture, Waves and Currents. The lecturer, Dr. Richard Moll, is very good and people ask most interesting questions. We then headed to Horizons for coffee and a view while we typed and edited pictures. I am caught up with my journal now and with sea days ahead the content will be sparce. We are enjoying just relaxing and really having a vacation. After lunch I am scheduled for a facial and a massage and I can’t wait. What a nice way to end a trip, being pampered. My spa experience was amazing, and I arrived back at the stateroom glowing, some from the oil used for the massage and some from the facial which made my skin feel like silk. I sat on the balcony and read for a while, Hugh read and rested. We showered and went to tea and it was wonderful with a lovely duet providing the music. After tea we went to the showroom for a predinner concert by Bellissima Strig Quartet playing rock music in a classical way. It was amazing and they even made Jimi Hendrix sound great. After the concert we went to Martinis to hear the pianist and play some cards before dinner. Hugh had a martini, and I had a virgin frozen daiquiri. We went to the main dining room for dinner, and it was great food and service. We have felt very special on this ship as the crew have tried very hard to say thank you for cruising with excellent service. We finished dinner just in time to go to the show. Tonight, was the second show of John Joseph the comedian and he was hilarious. He ran long and no one cared as we were rolling in our seats. After he left the stage, we had a thank you video from the staff since we were not able to gather to say goodbye in person... too large a group. It was late when we headed to our room and settled in. We read our new Currents for Thursday and immediately set our clocks back thinking we were being so good. Another great day!
Thursday, January 27, 2022, Cruising the Atlantic Ocean
We awoke to our coffee delivery this morning and thought it was 7 am and that they were way too early. We quickly found out the time change is tonight and they were on time and we were lazy. We had coffee on the verandah one last time and just enjoy the sounds of the sea and ship. We barely made it to breakfast in the Terrace but enjoyed sitting outside with our food. After dining we headed to the showroom for a cooking demo with the head chef Frederic and the chef of Toscano, Victor. They made 5 dishes and each looked wonderful. They worked together well but Frederic being very French gave Victor a hard time because he is an Italian chef from Mexico. They were so funny, and they received a standing ovation when they were through... very enjoyable. Now we are hungry! We made our way back to the cabin to pack. Such a sad job but it must be done. We took turns packing and it took each of us about 15 minutes... everything has been worn and will need cleaning so why worry. Once the bags were stored for morning, we went to lunch in the main dining room and just enjoyed the food and service one more time. After lunch we read and rested before showering and heading to tea. The string quartet serenaded us and the view was wonderful. We walked around the ship and then back to the cabin to journal and read. I saved my bath until now and luxuriated in it before dressing for dinner. At 6 we headed to turn in our art scavenger hunt sheets and get our prizes. We were able to get Big O points that we can use on our next trip. Hope they have a scavenger hunt. Tonight we had dinner at Red Ginger and enjoyed every morsel. We finished just in time to make the entertainment group's big show. It was wonderful and we hated for it to end. It was off to the cabin for last minute packing and a good night’s sleep.
Our Ship, Oceania Riviera
Friday, January 28, 2022, Disembark Riviera & Fly Home
Up early this morning and dressed before our breakfast was served. I was packed and Hugh finished after we ate. We left the ship at 8:15 after saying goodbye to our cabin stewardess NI. We called a LYFT and were at the airport a little after 9. We decided to try to fly standby on the 10:19 flight and American worked it out for us with seats together. We made it to the gate with time to spare. We had a very easy flight and found ourselves landing in Charlotte a full 38 minutes before we were to take off in Miami. We made our way to the hotel shuttle stand and had to wait 45 minutes on our ride. It was very cold, and we were not dressed for it. Fortunately, when it arrived the van was very warm. We got to our car and headed to the Burg. We made it home and found everything to be in great shape. We took our bags upstairs but decided to play around with our packing, so we did not get anything out except what we needed like toiletries and my purse. We got our mail sorted, bills paid, and when we decided to rest we had everything done that we needed. It was a wonderful trip and we are looking forward to our March adventure.
