Day 3, Welcome to the D.R.

 

Arriving Puerto Plata
Dominican Republic
September 29, 2026

Day three dawned with the ship preparing to enter Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for a brief port call. It truly is brief, we arrived at 8 AM and the gangway goes up at 2:30 PM. 

Chris and I are staying onboard today.
This is our third visit to Puerto Plata and the port area is very nice, but we are going to take the opportunity to enjoy the ship while most of the passengers are off.

First Wine Tasting of the Day
Atlantic Ocean
September 28, 2026

Yesterday's sea day was especially fun. We attended two wine tastings and enjoyed a very nice dinner.

The two wine tastings was a complete accident. I had purchased the worldwide wine tour for our afternoon enjoyment and when we boarded we were advised that because of our Captain's Club status we were invited to a complimentary late morning wine tasting. So we wined out for the day.

Tomorrow we visit Tortola and while we do not have an excursion planned, we will definitely get off the ship to explore.

-- Bob Doan, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

And we are off

Bag Drop-off
Terminal AA, Port of Miami, FL
Septemberb 27, 2026

Embarkation Day was not without its challenges. The challenges began right as we dropped our bags off and then had to park. It was not the smoothest process.

Let me explain.

South Miami Beach
Miami Beach, FL
September 27, 2026

I knew that our ship was docked at Terminal AA, and I had previously received a notice from Celebrity that we would also park at Terminal AA. I understood then that we returned that the ship would dock at Terminal A and we would have to schlep our bags to Terminal AA and depart the garage. Well that got changed. We dropped the bags off at Terminal AA and then drove to the Terminal A parking garage and then had to return to Terminal AA to depart. Sound confusing? Yup! And wait, the Post of Miami is a confusing enough to begin with.

The process to board the Celebrity Beyond was very smooth and we only stopped long enough for them to review our passports and verify us as the travelers. With the parling gymnastics wev arrived a mere 15 minutes before our scheduled time. That is the latest we have ever presented ourselves for boarding. 

Being Chased by Icon of the Seas
Atlantic Ocean
September 27, 2026

Our welcome aboard Concierge Class lunch was fantastic, although I didn't understand the non-English words on the menu--we chose wisely.

Our bags were a bit late arriving to the stateroom, but that allowed us to take a nice midafternoon nap. 

We were lucky to be able to watch the tense game between the Cowboys and the Ravens in the sports bar. I felt bad for Chris because the overwhelming majority of those watching the game were Ravens fans. We might have gotten a bit rowdy when the Ravens were the winniers with a 1 second remaining field goal. 

First Impressions: 

The ship is beautiful. It is 4 years old and wears it design well. 

Stateroom Door Secorations
Celebrity Beyond
September 27, 2026

The stateroom, however, is tough to enjoy. It is long and narrow and the much touted infinite veranda is a poor excuse for trying to convince people that dual use space is a good thing. So far, it is not. It becomes a problem when one of us is awake and desiring to sit on the veranda without disturbing the other. The motors for the blind and the window are loud! I am, however, writing on the veranda with the window closed and the blind half down. And it is too small--there are no recliners.

The crew has been fantastic even last evening when I could not find the room service menu to order or the promised bath robes. Within 15 minutes I had everything I needed. 

More to follow. And Monday Musings are on hiatus until next week.

-- Bob Doan, Atlantic Ocean near 2429N 07529W heading 210 degrees

Sunday Follies

 

MSC Cruise Terminal AA
Port of Miami, FL

And we are off. 

Headed to Port of Miami in a couple hours to board the Celebrity Beyond for seven nights of "get away!"

We are, sadly, sailing alone. It has been a very long time since we sailed alone without friends or family. It feels different and we are already missing those with whom we have been sailing. 

Even though we are on a Celebrity cruise, we will be embarking at the MSC Terminal due to some problems with scheduling at the Royal Caribbean terminal. That swap caused me to spend a lot of time trying to discern the proper parking garage. 

Excitement is in the air. The preparations are final. The EV us charged and ready for the round trip to Miami! 

We are looking forward to a sweet Bon Voyage!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Break out the Relaxation

Celebrity Beyond

 Chris and I have been careening down the highway that is the week. Looking forward, on Sunday we will board the Celebrity Beyond for a seven night vacation to the Caribbean. Yay!

All of the planning that began months ago will come to fruition. We began packing yesterday. Packing will be a three day exercise to ensure we take more than enough for the seven-night cruise. 

We have never cruised on the Beyond or any ship in its class. This will be a new experience for us. The Beyond carries about 3200 passengers, which is about half as many as the Royal Caribbean Allure, an Oasis-class ship, on which we last cruised.

We have not planned an aggressive schedule for our three port calls: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, BVI; and Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. We are looking for relaxing. The nice thing about the cruise is that we will be visiting Tortola for the first time!

There is still so much to do to be final and ready on Sunday morning. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Patriot Day Travel

Patriot Day Flag
Baltimore Washington International Airport, MD
September 11, 2026

 Thinking about Patriot Day, while watching hours of remembrance ceremonies yesterday, I still find it hard to believe that 25 years have passed. I have a very different memory from most Americans as I was not in the country at the time and did not directly feel the terror and confusion. I watched the events unfold in TV. It was a difficult time as I was stranded half a world away from my family for an additional week until the airlines resumed service. 

Chris and I flew home to Tequesta yesterday. I used to avoid flying on September 11th. There was extra and obvious police presence in and around BWI airport as we prepared for departure, but we were not delayed by the increased security.  

Our flight to the airport that serves Palm Beach County and the surrounding area was thankfully uneventful. Chris and I were amazed upon arrival at how deserted the airport seemed to be. There were no seething crowds in the terminal nor lines of vehicles jockeying for position outside the baggage terminal. Even the normal Friday rush-hour traffic seemed subdued during our drive from the airport to our home. 

It was a somber day of remembrance. As it should be. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Holiday Travel and Family

 

Finn Relaxing with his Best Friend Kaya
Tequesta, FL
September 7, 2026

It is crazy to travel on the last day of a holiday weekend, right? Especially to drive the beltway around Washington, DC. But that is exactly what Chris and I did yesterday on Labor Day. We drove from Charlottesville, VA, to Glen Burnie, MD, to spend the holiday with family. We departed Charlottesville about 9 AM and enjoyed a very pleasant drive. Yes, really! We were shocked. There were no delays and no spots along the route where we slowed significantly. It was the best drive along that route we have ever made. 

The Labor Day Family
Glen Burnie, MD
September 7, 2026

The drive was so good that the Apple Maps projected arrival time at the beginning of the trip was our actual arrival time! That almost never happens.

Upon arriving at Patrick's house, we were greeted by Beck who continues to grow and has become the dynamo of the family. If only we could harness his energy and enthusiasm! 

Later, during the afternoon, the rest of the family arrived and we enjoyed chatting and being together until evening fell. Once the fire pit was lighted, the evening began to wind down. Beck was in bed and it was just the remaining adults. The fire kept us warm as the temperature fell into the 60s. That is the coldest temperature Chris and I have experienced is a few months. 

We received an image of Finn reclining back hone in Tequesta with his best friend. That made Chris very happy to know he was relaxing and being well taken care of by friends. 

-- Bob Doan, Glen Burnie, MD

What a day it was

 

Empty Booth
Charlottesville Airport, VA
September 5, 2026

It was a generally good travel day yesterday, with two minor exceptions. 

First, for some unexplained reason TSA was checking IDs at the gate as we boarded our flight from the former Palm Beach International Airport to Atlanta. Chris and I had been in the gate area and did not hear the alleged announcement and so we ran amok of the agents who snipped: "We made an announcement." I generally respect the TSA personnel, but since the IDs of everyone in the gate area were checked passing through security, what was the purpose of this added exercise, other than pure harassment at 5:20 AM?

Polo Pony and Rider
King Family Vineyards, Crozet, VA
September 5, 2026

Second, I wrote of the problems we had with Hertz at the Rochester airport during late-May. Yesterday was not as bad, but when we got to the head of the too long line the agent informed me that they had our vehicle, but it was not in the right place and needed to be retrieved. He said wait about 10 minutes. Whereupon he closed the booth and departed, presumably to get my vehicle and one for another traveler to whom he had given a similar spiel. The booth was vacant for 30 minutes before he returned. At least he had my vehicle. As it was a one-way rental, a substitute would not suffice. It was almost like they did not actually expect us to arrive and want the vehicle.

After finally departing the airport and enjoying a nap at the hotel followed by lunch, we headed off to King Family Vineyards to enjoy and afternoon of wine tasting and relaxation. We had a great time and I believe have secured enough wine to suffice for the remainder of our trip. While at King Family, we enjoyed watching the polo ponies work out in a distant paddock. We also enjoyed watching many people other wine loving people who were enjoying a late-summer afternoon at a beautiful vineyard. 

-- Bob Doan, Charlottesville, VA

Fly Day Respite

Out the Cabin Window
Over Southern Georgia
September 5, 2026

Our journey to Charlottesville, VA, is about half complete. Chris and I are in Atlanta taking refuge in a Delta Sky Club until our next flight. It was a beautiful day for flying and we were treated to the sight of some unique storms are the sun was rising in the East--which, of course, is where it always rises.

The storm was impressive and we saw much lightening. Our flight was, however, smooth. We were up about 3:30 AM and off to the airport serving the Palm Beach area by 4 AM. Everything went smoothly and we were away from the gate early. 

View out the Sky Club Windows
Atlanta, GA
September 5, 2026

The flight was not without incident--one of Chris' fingernail polish bottles exploded in her purse. What a mess! But it has been mitigates. Chris stated that she will be buying a new purse today. Probably true.

The dawn arrival in Atlanta was spectacular! It was fun to watch the world waking from the air. 

The Sky Club in Concourse D is recently remodeled and upgraded. It boasts stunning views out both sides. And they are!

We are excited about arriving in Charlottesville because we have not visited there in a few years and there are so many wineries wit which to become reacquainted. Chris often laments that one of the things we miss about living in Florida is being able to head out onto a wine trail--and we will do that this afternoon.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

Chef's Table - Allure of the Seas

 

The Table
Chef's Dinner, Allure of the Seas
July 31, 2026

Chris and I were fortunate to get a seat at the Chef's Table on Allure of the Seas for a sumptuous dining experience. The highlight of the dinner was, of course, the wine pairings. The wine pairings set the Chef's Table apart from the specialty dinners offered across the ship. Additionally, the explanations of the wines by a sommelier and the preparation of the courses by the chef make this dinner truly special.

Chef's Table
Allure of the Seas
July 31, 2026

This is for all the foodies that I know.

We enjoyed six courses and we also enjoyed the other 9 people seated at the table. We all jelled quickly and engaged in wild, fast moving conversations. 

We also thoroughly enjoyed the wine pairings. I was especially intrigued by the pairing of the Sauvignon Blanc with the Lobster Salad--it worked. Pairing the Leviathian with the Grilled Filet Mignon was also a bit unexpected. 

Scallop Carpaccio
Served with Italian Pinot Grigio

I will try to mention a bit about each course.

Smoked Tomato Soup 
Served with Conundrum

Maine Lobster Salad
Served with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Roasted Branzino
Served with South African Chenin Blanc

Grilled Filet Mignon
Served with Leviathian

The World
Served with Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

The scallop carpaccio was one of my personal favorites. The thinly sliced scallops on a cold plate worked very well with the yuzu vinaigrette. 

The smoked tomato soup surprised both Chris and I. It was smooth with a lightly smoked flavor. I would not have chosen Conundrum as a pairing, but it worked very nicely. 

The Maine lobster salad was a genuine treat. Even though I am allergic to shrimp, I am fortunate that I can still enjoy other shellfish and crustaceans. Again, pairing a Sauvignon Blanc with the dish was unique, but it worked marvelously.

Roasted Branzino paired with a nice South African Chenin Blanc was perfect. I am not a huge fan of roasted fish, but the Chenin Blanc made this dish more than acceptable. 

The filet mignon was perfectly grilled to medium rare and it was tender and no knife was needed. I would have usually paired a Cabernet Sauvignon with the filet, but the big bodied Leviathian worked nicely. I think I would still go for a nice Cab Sauv in the future. 

And then there was the dessert. I have already described the dessert in a previous blog. But it was divine. The only problem, there was too much of it coming after the other five courses and I could not help myself. I ate it all!

It has been a few years since Chris and I attended a true wine dinner and we had forgotten how much we enjoy the pairings of wine with each course! 

We will likely avail ourselves of future Chef's Table experiences on future cruises! Yes, they are pricey--but worth it. 

 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Highs and Lows of our Cruise on Allure of the Seas

 

Allure of the Seas
Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis
July 28, 2026

Chris and I cruised on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas from 25 July until 2 August 2026, sailing from Ft Lauderdale's Port Everglades. 

Here are my thoughts on portions of the cruise:

Highs:

The main show: Mama Mia

The Aqua Show

Our Stateroom

Morning Room Service

Anniversary Chocolate Strawberries
Allure of the Seas
July 28, 2026

Chef's Table

Service everywhere was excellent

Weather

Bow & Stern Pub

Orient Beach, St Martin

Trunk Bay, St John

Cleanliness of Allure of the Seas

Anniversary Love Birds
Allure of the Seas
July 28, 202

Fellow passengers

Veterans Recognition and Celebration

Breakfast on the Veranda every morning

Chocolate Strawberries to celebrate our anniversary

Towel Animals

Lows:

The Mason Jar food

The Mason Jar Country Band 

CocoaCay

St Kitts Caribbean Railway Tour

Rightway Parking

Bread served at meals - not warm and often hard and stale

Ship's Elevators

Trying to get a table for 8 on the same day

My Time Dining doesn't take reservations

Kinda middling:

Dining Room menu diversity and selection

Giovanni's Table

Observation: The debarkation and embarkation processes for port days was uneven. There were lines to get off the ship and when returning there were also lines because not all of the scanners were in operation. 

It was a wonderful trip and we had a lot of fun. We were busy, but also enjoyed some free time. We logged a new destination in St John. We look forward to our next trip.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Last Day on the Allure

Last Full Day Breakfast on the Veranda
Allure of the Seas, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

 It is my opinion that the saddest day of a cruise is the last full day on the ship. Actually leaving the ship on debarkation day is sad, but there is so much activity crammed into a short few hours that there really isn't time to think about the day until already off the ship and traveling home. 

Our last day began, as did every day of this cruise, with breakfast on the veranda. I read somewhere that is it believed that for most people paying extra for a veranda/balcony stateroom is a waste of money. Why? Because, allegedly, most people only spend about 15 minutes of the whole cruise on the veranda. Well, I spend a lot more time than that on the veranda and so does Chris. We start the day with room service delivered breakfast. On our last full day of this cruise we were able to watch the ship arrive in CocoCay, Bahamas. 

Wonder and Allure of the Seas
CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

Following breakfast we headed off the ship to spend time with Beck and his parents on CocoCay. CocoCay is not my favorite stop on any cruise. But, having a grandson or other family to enjoy makes the port call palatable. And we had fun!

As I previously wrote, two Oasis-class cruise ships were ported at CocoCay on August 1st. That meant about 12,000 passengers were on the island. It was a gray and overcast day, which made the weather enjoyable.

Happy Hour at the Bow & Stern
Allure of the Seas, CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

After playing with Beck and eating on the island, we made our way back to the ship for showers, nap, and packing. Packing is a necessary evil of the last day.

About the food on CocoCay--avoid if possible! My burger was grossly overcooked and sat in my stomach like a rock for the rest of the day. The corn, well it looked like corn, tasted like field corn. It was terrible. 

The evening began with a trip to the Bow & Stern Pub. The pub was the unofficial meeting place for our family. We got to know the service staff there really well over the course of the sailing. Then we collected for a last-night dinner. All eight of us were able to dine together. It was our third family dinner of the cruise and we had an enjoyable time. 

Dinner ended about 8 PM and we went our separate ways to finalize packing and prepare for the upheaval of debarkation which was yet to come.

It is still hard to believe that the cruise is over. We had been planning for months and it was all done after eight too-short days which rocketed by at hypersonic speed. 

I have a few more blogs to write about the cruise. The highlights and the low-lights are still to come. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 3, 2026

 

Our Spot on CocoCay
CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

1. The first Monday of August has arrived. July is over and done. There are 5 months remaining in the year, but only 21 Mondays. 

2. Travel day, yesterday, was wild. Getting off the ship and getting home was the easiest part of the day. The weather from Florida across the south and to the northeast was not conducive to air travel and our families from Maryland experienced hours long delays. Jeremy and Julie finally made it to their home about midnight. Patrick, Jen and Beck (PB&J), gave up about 8 PM and they returned back to our house with flight reservations for this morning. It was great having them here for the night.

Patrick, Jen, and Beck
CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

3. Perfect Day at CocoCay, wasn't spectacular. It was nice that the sky was cloud filled preventing the sun from baking us. We shared the island with Wonder of the Seas meaning we were there with 12,000 of our new best friends between the two ships. I witnessed a very interesting accident as Wonder was preparing to depart. The ship eased away from the quay while one forklift was attempting to get the last gangway aboard. The gangway slipped off the forks and fell into the water banging against the hull of Wonder before falling. Someone is likely buying Royal Caribbean another gangway. There are a number of videos on YouTube. Gangway falls off Wonder of the Seas.

4. As a fitting end to the cruise, we enjoyed a big family dinner. All 8 of us gathered together and had a great time enjoying the food for our last night together. 

5. I took PB&J plus 1 back to the airport this morning and they made the 7:25 AM flight that took off at 7:42! Yay. 

6. At exactly 2:30 this afternoon [Sunday, 2 August], the President of the United States stopped to share an important message with the world from his private golf course in New Jersey. He had spent the entire weekend there, isolated from the press, but this moment was important enough to break his silence. Donald Trump proudly announced on Truth Social that he had made “The Winning Shot in the Bedminster Club Championship!” He won his own tournament on his own course and needed everyone to know. He went into more detail on this historic win, writing, “Unlike the rest of the field, I’m given very little time to practice, because I’m focused on many other things. It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” (Hope for America) My thought--does anyone remember when Trump pilloried Obama for playing golf? Also, with everything happening in the world that's his fault, should he really be playing golf. Like Nero playing the violin.

7. Today in History. On August 3, 1958, the U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplishes the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole. The world’s first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus dived at Point Barrow, Alaska, and traveled 1,830 miles under the Arctic ice cap to reach the top of the world. It then steamed on to Iceland, pioneering a new and shorter route from the Pacific to the Atlantic and Europe.

The USS Nautilus was constructed under the direction of U.S. Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover, a brilliant Russian-born engineer who joined the U.S. atomic program in 1946. In 1947, he was put in charge of the navy’s nuclear-propulsion program and began work on an atomic submarine. Regarded as a fanatic by his detractors, Rickover succeeded in developing and delivering the world’s first nuclear submarine years ahead of schedule. In 1952, the Nautilus’ keel was laid by President Harry S. Truman, and on January 21, 1954, first lady Mamie Eisenhowerbroke a bottle of champagne across its bow as it was launched into the Thames River at Groton, Connecticut. Commissioned on September 30, 1954, it first ran under nuclear power on the morning of January 17, 1955.

How Iran is widening its pressure campaign to force US concessions - ReutersCapital One says it closed Trump Organization's accounts after antimoney laundering probe - ReutersActing US Attorney General Blanche rescinds 'anti-weaponization' fund before confirmation vote - Reuters
About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington - Reuters
US military asks troops for ‘creative and unconventional’ ideas to punish Iran - CNN
Another eclipse is coming. Make sure to view it safely with these ISO-approved glasses - CNN

A brutal new poll for Trump shows why Democrats must run against his corruption - MS Now

How Trump just hung nearly 25 million seniors out to dry - MS Now

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Last Sea Day

Veterans Recognition
Allure of the Seas
July 31, 2026

 The last Sea Day of our cruise was anything but boring.

We had planned a pub crawl with the family, but that got interrupted as we all decided to avail ourselves of the double points that Royal Caribbean was offering for a booking before the end of the day. 

So we have another cruise planed for late-March 2027!

We also attended the moving Veterans Recognition ceremony. It is always good to see how many other brothers and sisters who were in service to our nation are sailing. It almost makes on forget that we are on a ship registered in the Bahamas. 

The World Dessert
Allure of the Seas
July 31, 2026

We started the pub crawl after the ceremony, but as I wrote, it got interrupted by planning another cruise. We resumed after booking, but in the end we only did about 3 of the 18 bars/pubs on the ship. So we failed pub crawl 101.

Chris and I were excited about dinner at the Chef's Table. It truly was special. The food was perfectly prepared and the wine pairings were perfect. I enjoyed all of the courses, but the dessert was most spectacular. I have never before enjoyed The World, which is Peanut Butter Ganache, Vairhona Chocolate Mousse, and Salted Caramel Gelato. OMG! And when they poured the hot caramel over the chocolate globe, WOW!! Did I mention that it was paired with a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini?

I had to get a video of the big reveal!

-- Bob Doan, CocoCay, Bahamas

St John - Trunk Bay

 We made our first visit to St John yesterday as part of an excursion to Trunk Bay. Jeremy has visited Trunk Bay on other cruises and calls it the best beach in the world. 

It may be. 

Getting to Trunk Bay from St Thomas is no small task. It requires a 30-minute boat ride and then about a 25-minute bus ride to the beach. The total travel time from cruise ship to beach and return is about 2.5 hours--including loading and unloading time, which was exactly the amount of time we were allotted on the beach. 

Chris at Trunk Bay
St John
July 30, 2026

That the beach is part of a National Park was an added benefit.

The beach is a beautiful lagoon. It reminded me of Hanauma Bay in Hawaii. The reef was, reportedly, filled with fish and marine animals to include a turtle. 

And there were other fine sights to enjoy on the beach. 

The water was crystal clear and the temperature was perfect. The only negative was the Saharan Dust sucked the life out of the sky making it more gray than blue. 

Crystal Water
Trunk Bay, St John
July 30, 2026

The boat to St John and return did experience some rough water that most were not prepared for. And I mean waves well over 6 feet. People sitting near the bow were wet--as if they had been swimming, by the time we docked. 

I was disappointed in the shortness of the trip which was because the Royal planned only a 7 hour port call. The back on board time was 2 PM. And we were on the pier by 7:15 to head off to St John. Chris and I would have liked more beach time and time to explore St John as well as St Thomas.

-- Bob Doan, Atlantic Ocean headed for Coco Cay near 214242N 0700901W