So, our first cruise.
Read my previous articles about cruises.
Read the previous articles, who is interested, because I will not repeat here, I will go further.
So the first cruise we chose was a trial, the shortest, 3 days, 4 nights, to see what the cruise was and to see if I would get seasick. About my husband, it was not even, he is resistant to everything.
It was early October, the end of the high season, not all cruises and dates were available.
I think we were lucky that first time, because we got good dates, and short cruises were available, and the price was cheaper than in the hot season.
The only time of the day 2 before the cruise is almost over hurricane "Matthew" in Florida. We successfully passed it, somehow missed him in zigzags.
They were on their way back to Miami from Orlando, and he was on his way to Orlando. We normally Orlando went on a bus, 6 hours driving, they arrived, and droplets of rain fell. And the hurricane hit Orlando the next day, where we were no longer.
In Fort Lauderdale, where we lived (40 km from Miami), only a small wing of the hurricane caught in the form of rain and wind all day as we returned. We stayed at home that day, the next day was already a wonderful Sunny weather, and the next day we went on a cruise. And we sail to the Bahamas, where the hurricane has already left, and that there is now, is not yet known.
And here comes to us on the eve of the cruise SMS message that, in connection with the hurricane, "check-in" on our liner will not start in the morning and lunch. Due to the fact that many ships during the hurricane were in the ocean and in safe places, now they are all returning to port. In the port turns out rebooting everything, and piers still few, but the hurricanes are not calculated, so the court will have each other to unload and to boot, the port is clogged by the courts and the people. And they asked not to arrive at the port of departure before their time, so as not to create a collapse among the passengers. It is spacious, but, again, not designed for the elements and force majeure.
I'm loaded with it all. I say to my husband: "Listen, what if the cruise is canceled." He says: "Aha, in a minute, will cancel, there passengers the sea, all tickets are sold out. Nobody will cancel anything. If that, just take you on a liner to sea, ride three days in a circle and bring back. Here's the cruise." Well, really, who's going to cancel for thousands of people.
And truth, no one nothing not canceled.
So, the first day, or rather evening, landing, "check-in".
The port in Miami is very convenient. Each liner has its own berth. Usually boarding begins in the morning, and the output of the liners in the afternoon, in the evening. This is from experience. But that day due to the fact that the liners came late, and while cleaning - unloading - loading, we were asked by SMS to come no earlier than 15-00. We drove up.
Everything is very organized. You hand your bags over to the porters, tag them, and you don't hang around with them. They will then be driven to your room and left near the door. I'm a little worried (I can not do anything about it, the Soviet past), when the suitcases are not with me, but there is no choice, pass everything on Board are already without suitcases.
Customs at the port, like everywhere else. Just go through passport control and security, and climb on Board.
The liner takes you directly to the floor where the reception is located. It was not clear where to go and what to do, but then figured out. We were just launched on the liner itself, and our rooms were not ready yet. That is, people on the ship start, and then gradually announced, passengers some decks and some rooms can take place in their rooms. Also very convenient when you understand.
In the main lobby you can already enjoy the charming view of the transparent elevators, which immediately create an atmosphere of something such, not yet familiar and exciting.
I thought I was taking pictures of the lobby and the elevators, but somehow I can't find the photos from the first night of the voyage. So I'm showing you some pictures from the cruise companies, and I don't think they'll be offended.
It's a hall with stairs and elevators. Here in this hall you enter the ship, sit down in one of those chairs and wait, when your room is ready for you.
At this time, by the way, while waiting, you can freely have to walk the stairs and ride in elevators, no one will stop you. Walk, watch, enjoy the views. You can come on deck.
After about an hour on speakerphone announced our deck and we went to the room. Our suitcases were already at the door. The room key card was given to us on this cruise immediately upon check-in, even before passport control. So we opened the door and got into the room.
We put some things in the room and went to inspect the liner, took the elevators up to look at the port.
Impressions a lot! Port, there are other liners nearby, you're at the top, the liner seems so huge. Wonderful upper deck with swimming pools-the beauty is indescribable. I can't believe you're actually here.
Another point-a mandatory instruction for all passengers in case of evacuation from the liner. It always happens before sailing.
Every card from cabin number has a number from A to something. This is the number of your sector, where you have to resort during evacuation (God forbid anyone but need to know). Therefore, the staff of all passengers displays on the desired deck, each builds in the specified sector, and you have to remember it all. I mean, just given the instruction that shows where a sector, to each explain which sector he is in person and where on the map the key to the cabin he has to watch.
They talk about boats and how to behave, and then they let everyone go, wishing them a good journey. A little noisy, bustling, a crowd of people all over the ship on both sides of the liner, but it is necessary for the instructions.
Then all disperse further to wait for departure.
The departure, the exit from the port, is completely unnoticed. You just suddenly realize that the liner is already moving a little. All who understand it, immediately begin to fuss, take pictures, shoot the departure, the port slowly-slowly removed. Very slowly we leave the port.
And you freeze on the topmost deck and look at the gradually receding port....
Bye-bye, we'll swim a little, see new countries, relax, have some fun, and come back.
To be continued...
To be continued...
All photos are from the author's personal archive.
Some photos I take from official web:
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/enchantment-of-the-seas
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