It was a different travel day. We were on a Saturday mid-afternoon flight. The Southwest flight from Baltimore to West Palm Beach was not full and the flight attendant came buy and asked the third person in our row if he wanted to move to a row with only one person in it so we all could have a more comfortable flight.
That was unexpected.
To make the flight even better, Chris and I decided to have a glass of wine. Surprise, I had upgraded to the more legroom seats and we were told that drinks, even alcohol, were included. Yay!
That made the flight one of the best we have experienced lately. We were in boarding group 2, but there was only one A-list and two Group 1's. That was also weird.
Although it is good to be home, we will miss our family in Maryland. We had a great visit and spent time with all of them. We especially enjoyed our time with Beck. We went to Costco with him yesterday and I had forgotten how interesting it could be to shop with someone who wants to be a part of everything happening around them. We had fun and he was in a great mood.
During February, the National Zoo welcomed a newborn Asian Elephant. Chris loves elephants and we heard about the birth of Linh Mai when the zoo announced that she was ready to receive visitors during April. Well, being in the D.C. area, we had to go to the zoo to meet the young pachyderm.
Yesterday was zoo day.
Panda National Zoo, D.C. June 4, 2026
I was fortunate enough to obtain parking and entrance passes in advance, so I saved $10 off the parking cost and admission was free, but entrance passes were required. The actual process of parking was smooth and easy. We parked very close to one entrance to the zoo.
Getting to the zoo is, however, a process. Driving across the D.C. metro area is a scary slog. Using the Metro would solve the driving issue, but the closest station is a long walk from the zoo entrance. Once at the zoo there is a lot of walking to access the enclosures and exhibits and it is up and down hills. Wear appropriate shoes/sneakers. We walked about 2.67 miles while we were in the zoo. Yes, I turned my tracker on.
Baltimore Oriole National Zoo, D.C. June 4, 2026
The Zoo is great! We had a fantastic time and were able to see Linh Mai as well as both pandas, which are of course the marquee attractions. There is a lot of construction at the zoo as many enclosures are being upgraded and that is good, but it did limit some of the viewing. I thought the aviaries and bird displays were spectacular. We got up close to some birds and even those in outdoors enclosures were close enough to be enjoyed. I spent a lot of time getting an image of the Baltimore Oriole, the bird was very busy flying around the aviary.
The zoo offers an overwhelming array of attractions that are simply too many to experience in a single day. Despite spending three and a half hours there, we barely managed to scratch the surface of what the zoo has to offer. Exhausted and eager to avoid the traffic congestion in D.C., we decided to leave.
Delta MD-80 Landing at Atlanta Atlanta, GA May 29, 2026
Travel yesterday went mostly smoothly. The flights were on time and very nice. Chris and I enjoyed an airline other than Southwest where the boarding in not chaotic and it seemed that we were actually appreciated as passengers and not self-loading cargo.
We landed in a driving rainstorm at Atlanta, where we had to change planes to continue onto Rochester, NY. I watched a jet land on a parallel runway. I had forgotten how huge is Atlanta Hartsfield, we taxied for what seemed like 20 minutes after landing to get to the gate.
Out the Hotel Window Henrietta, NY May 30, 2026
The concourse at Atlanta was, as usual, a nightmare. People everywhere. The mix was humorous. People from the north were wearing coats and those of is from the south were in shorts. Fortunately, I brought a coat.
We had just enough time to traverse the concourse as we arrived at one end and were departing from the other. We did not need to hurry, but we also did not have time to explore.
Arriving in Rochester, we had a terrible tome at the Hertz rental counter. I'm a gold member and for some reason they did not have my reservation tagged properly. But, it seems that I was not the only person with issues. Long after all of the other auto rental desks were empty, there was an hour long line at Hertz with two harried employees trying to process people! Ugh.
But, we finally secured a vehicle and joined up with family for the afternoon and then back to our lodging for the night.
Today, we go to the cemetery for Dad's inurnment and then back to my sister's for afternoon festivities. We had waited for the inurnment, hoping for warm weather. Well, we see how that worked out. The high today is forecast to be all of 60 degrees in this region! So much for shorts and sandals.
It is going to be quite a weekend and I am glad that we are not traveling until next weekend, maybe the craziness will subside.
Today is a boat day. Chris, Finn, and I will be heading out on the ICW for some enjoyment. It should be a beautiful day and we will enjoy some beach fun on North Jupiter Island followed by shopping and lunch in Stuart.
I was encouraged by some things that happened in the Congress yesterday, especially concerning the $1.8B slush fund that the Acting Attorney General and Trump want to establish. It was reported as follows:
Republicans were angry they had no advance warning about the plan, questioned the legal basis for the fund, were unhappy with Blanche’s descriptions of how payments would work, and said they wanted no part of it. As former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put it: “So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong—Take your pick.” (Letters from an American)
Then, Congress departed for the holiday weekend a day early.
But before they left, the House Republicans managed to cancel an important vote on the Iran War.
House Republicans on Thursday abruptly canceled a vote on a resolution directing President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran or win approval from Congress to continue the war, after it became clear they lacked the votes to defeat the measure.
The retreat was a striking setback that exposed fractures within the G.O.P. over the conflict at a moment when the party has begun pushing back forcefully on Mr. Trump and his agenda. (NY Times)
Maybe there is some positive change afoot in Congress.
I had read a lot about this relatively new attraction right in the Everglades and I determined it was well within a full-charge of our EV. So, we headed out on an adventure to discover the attraction.
View of the Everglades Everglades Elevated Boardwalk May 21, 2026
It was about a 90-minute drive, each way, using the Florida's Turnpike. Fortunately the traffic was normal and there were none of the typical traffic disasters to slow our journey yesterday. The boardwalk is located off I-75, Alligator Alley, and we had never driven on this portion the road. I was unaware of the toll, but since we live in a state with no personal income tax, I have come to expect a lot of pay-to-play opportunities.
Finn and the Gator Everglades Elevated Boardwalk May 21, 2026
The boardwalk was well marked on my Apple Maps and it directed me right to the parking lot. The boardwalk is located at a large rest stop, which is great because there are restrooms and vending machines available. The site is nicely maintained and almost beautiful. It is not authentic Everglades, however. It borders on the Everglades and does provide some nice views of the real authentic Everglades. Some people think the Everglades is a lot of nothing, but the density of wildlife and plant-life is really astounding.
There were plenty of dragonflies keeping the mosquitos at bay. We did not need bug spray, although we had packed some, just in case. The Everglades can, at times, be overwhelmed by mosquitoes and other biting insects. There is precious little shade, however, and sunscreen is a must!
A view of the boardwalk Everglades Elevated Boardwalk May 20, 2026
Walking the elevated boardwalk is interesting and fun. There is signage to help visitors understand the what they might be seeing. It being late-May, the animals were scarce. We saw a small 4-foot gator swimming in the lagoon, but aside from a small turtle and some mosquito fish as well as the usual birds, there was not a lot of wildlife happening.
We were lucky with the cloudy day, which kept the searing rays of the sun at bay.
I had planned an hour or two for the stop based upon the website. In actuality, we were there for about 45 minutes. And that may include the restroom break.
Recommendation. This is a great rest stop activity while journeying along Alligator Alley, I-75. It is not a suitable as a destination for a drive of much over 45-minutes. This would be a nice stop for people planning an airboat adventure in the Everglades I noted airboat docks in the area.
From the Deck of the Titanic Boynton Beach, FL May 13, 2026
Yesterday's highlight was attending the Titanic: An Immersive Voyage in Boynton Beach, Florida. The location was a short 45 minute drive away and well worth the wait. I had hoped to have attended the experience during March, but it was sold out. I secured the yesterday's tickets well over a month ago.
The Narrative
The timed entry was strictly enforced and we were ushered into the displays right on time. A nicely formatted 24-part audio narrative was provided on our phones with air pods connected. The instructions provided with the tickets advised people to bring headphones or AirPods to be able to access the additional historical information.
The voyage began by standing on a reproduction of the bow of the Titanic for a picture and then examining a number of static displays accompanied by a wealth of information about the ship. There were also images of the interior of the ship, but much of the information presented was from or based upon the movie.
Scene from the 360 degree movie Titanic: An Immersive Voyage
There are three unique highlights of the voyage. First was a 3D tour beginning undersea exploring the actual wreck and then progressing through the recreated interior of the ship through to the sinking. It was a mini Titanic movie.
The 3D experience was unique but I felt it had a couple of flaws. The scaling for some of the video was too much larger than life and detracted from the story and in places the video moved too fast through the ship and was disorienting. Do not misunderstand, I enjoyed the 3D experience and wearing the special goggles, but I also noted that there were definite places where the program interpolated the scene causing some small disconnects. I give them an A+ for effort but only a B for execution. They could have ended the session better by transitioning back to real footage of the wreck and then resurfacing to complete experience that was started.
First-Class Dining Room Titanic: An Immersive Experience
The second highlight was the 360-degree movie experience sitting in a comfortable room with an actual-size modified lifeboat. This was a true 360-degree experience and added a lot to the overall experience of the day. I learned a lot of factual knowledge from the movie, for instance the reports of icebergs from other vessels in the area were never forwarded to the captain for action form the radio operator. I also learned about the poor quality rivets that were used.
The third highlight the experience provided was the name and information about a real passenger. Our task was to check their status of that person on the Memorial Wall which was the final exhibit in the show. That was a sobering experience.
From the 360 Degree Movie
My assigned passenger was 18-year old First Class traveler, Daniel Warner Marvin. Checking the wall for his name, I searched the rescued area first and found an 18-year old woman with the same last name. I then found him among those who were lost. I surmised that they were married. But there was no information available at the exhibit to confirm that hypothesis. The hook is to go online afterwards to find out more about the passenger. And I did! They were newlyweds ending a three-month honeymoon. He is reported to have told his wife as he loaded her into a lifeboat: "It’s alright, little girl. You go. I will stay." His body, if recovered, was not identified. His wife was pregnant at the time and later gave birth to a girl.
My final observations about the experience concerned the physical space. The static displays were too close to each other, the gift shop was too large for the amount of items they offered and the Memorial Wall did not have nearly enough space. Adding a small research center for those wanting to explore more about their passenger or even about other aspects of the disaster would be a nice touch.
So, my recommendation--this exhibit at $45 is a bit pricey given the total time to visit is about 1h20m. but, the senior discount made it worth the visit. Overall, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Let me say that Chris loved the entire experience!
Boat on North Fork Loxahatchee Tequesta, FL May 5, 2026
Yesterday was a beautiful morning, perfect for a bike ride. I managed to get out on the streets and enjoy the day. It was great to ride for the second consecutive day! The image is from Tuesday when I spotted a boat motoring up the North Fork of the Loxahatchee.
I am spending a lot of time travel planning. Chris and I are traveling a lot and finalizing plans for even more adventures. Travel planning can be complicated. I'm finding that travel options, lodging options, and then activities while traveling can begin to fill binders of information. Of course the binders today are online, but that doesn't make the process easier. Information sandwiched among hundreds of other pieces of info in a computer folder can be frustrating to recall and find. Sometimes it seems easier to print the information and keep it in piles/physical folders.
As the plans for one trip are finalized there are more to plan. I just, finally, I think, finished planning our late-July cruise, but funny enough I still have not completely planned our June trip to Vegas! Ugh. And then there is a trip to NOVA happening during early-September, followed by an as yet undetermined cruise in the late-September/Early October timeframe, a possible New Years cruise and, oh yes, and a possible Ireland cruise during June 2027.
I remember my first flight. I was in high school and I flew from Rome, NY, to Ithaca, NY, in a turboprop aircraft on Allegheny Airlines. I had gone to Griffiss AFB, in Rome, NY, for a series of tests which ultimately resulted in being awarded a four-year AFROTC scholarship. My parents drove me to the air force base, I believe it was a Thursday afternoon, and I flew back to Ithaca on a Saturday afternoon. I had never flown, yet I knew I wanted too be a pilot in the Air Force. My first flight, after the testing, confirmed my desire to slip "the surly bonds of Earth."
Flying can still be exciting, but more and more it has become a series of mundane patience tests and wasteful waiting. I wrote of my most recent flight yesterday, but read that perhaps Southwest has also noted that they have extinguished the fun of flying through some of their new policies. Their approach to solving one problem is a bit draconian, but maybe it will smooth the boarding and deplaning issues. Southwest will be strictly enforcing the carry-on size limits and requiring payment for oversized baggage that is checked at the gate.
I also read about people on late-arriving flight who, because they were seated in the back of the airplane, took 30 minutes to deplane and almost missed their connecting flight by 2 minutes. The gate attendant knew they were coming, but did not hold the gate open. Someone with a brain, apparently, created a phantom mechanical issue which forced the gate to reopen and the party was able to board.
Lamborghini on the Road West Palm Beach, FL April 30, 2026
The fun of flying is gone. It's a business and don't forget it!
Southwest used to be fun to fly. No more.
I did get a great image of the clouds yesterday. That was the view out the window for most of the flight.
Once we were out of the airport terminal and on the road, Chris and I spied a really hot Lamborghini. It was hard to miss in the vibrant green color. The car brightened our day.
The good news is that we are going to be home for almost a month before hitting the airways again. I hope our next experience is better.
Chris and I were up early this morning, 5:15 AM, to catch a 6:15 AM Uber to the airport for our 8:20 AM flight to West Palm Beach and home. Like most nights before a trip, we did not sleep very well even though we had enjoyed a marvelous evening with Patrick, Jen and Beck.
The Uber was on time, which was very nice. It was about 50 degrees when we got into the car for the ride to the airport.
BWI was a mess, well, I should say Southwest at BWI was a mess. It took us over 30 minutes to get our bags checked and processed. Lots of people were flying. The counter was understaffed. Proceeding to the concourse, the TSA-pre line was longer than the non-TSA-pre line, but moved fairly quickly due to some apparently newly deployed equipment that processes people faster.
Although we enjoyed an on-time take-off, the Southwest boarding process has become very slow because there is not enough overhead space now that the airline charges for bags and more people are trying to carry their bags onto the plane. It really slows both boarding and deplaning.
Storm off the Carolina Coast April 30, 2026
It was not until late in the flight, as the low clouds broke and I noticed we were flying over Lake Okeechobee that I began to understand why we we going to be late landing--the course was radically different. The normal route is nearly due south, coasting out over South Carolina and flying direct to PBI over the ocean until just before landing. Today, however, we flew almost to Tampa before crossing to the east coast of Florida.
Self, I asked, why would we do that? The flight had some mild chop at times, but was not a severely bumpy ride. So, I checked a weather map and saw a huge very mean-looking storm right over the usual flight track. Aha! That's why we are going to be late landing. It was interesting that although we were coming in from the west, we flew to the south of PBI, I saw the field out the window, and out over the ocean to land heading west--which added more than a few minutes. The new approach from the east actually flys to the north of PBI to avoid Mar-a-Lago necessitating a slight roll out during final approach to the field. I am sure the people living under the new flight route are not happy!
I noted that as Chris and I departed the jet, we were in row 11, that the time was already about 11:25 AM and the jet was supposed to take off for a return trip to Baltimore at 11:40 AM. That was not going to happen. I looked it up, they did not take-off until 1:22 PM--an almost 2 hour delay. I am very happy we took the first flight of the day. It is going to be a long day of flying for a lot of people.
Bay Bridge Aloft over South River, MD April 22, 2026
We experienced a long travel day yesterday, mostly because I had booked a 3 PM flight out of Palm Beach International which did not arrive in Baltimore until almost 6 PM. And then we attended a high school baseball game that went until after 9 PM.
10 Minutes before Pushback PBI, FL April 22, 2026
Our Southwest flight was fine, with the exception that it was delayed and Southwest did not provide timely advice as to the delay. It turned out to be 39 minutes delayed minutes delayed and even 10 minutes before the scheduled door close time, the sign in the airport still showed "on-time". That meant a lot of needless standing around near the gate. Anyone who knows Southwest procedures knows that by 10 minutes before pushback we should already have boarded the jet.
The flight itself was great. It was a smooth ride and I again secured the larger legroom seats which are more comfortable. I was able to get a nice image of the Bay Bridge as we were approaching BWI.
Jax on the Mound Joe Cannon Stadium, Hanover, MD April 22, 2026
The excitement for the evening, however, was attending the Arundel High School baseball game against Old Mill. We arrived at the beginning of the second inning with Old Mill leading 2-0. I guess we were good luck because Arundel met the moment by scored 2 runs in the top of the second inning and going on to win a hard fought game, which was tied 4-4 at the end of 6 innings, by a score of 7-4. Jax pitched 6 strong innings to earn the win. He threw 96 pitches allowing 4 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned runs, walking 2 and striking out 6.
It was a busy travel day that began in Florida and ended in Maryland!
Planning for summer travel is a continual process, it seems.
Chris and I have many travel and activities in various planning stages--it really takes a lot of time. The biggest time sink seems to be cruising on one of Royal Caribbean's big ships, which we are doing during late-July and early-August. Already I have to plan the onboard entertainment, gone are the days of just showing up at the venue. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoy the smaller ships.
Travel planning is, at the same time, both fun and frustrating.
Fun because we plan to travel to different locations, but frustrating because it seems to be never-ending until we are actually on the trip. I hope I am not becoming an over-planner. I wish, sometimes, that I could just head-out and enjoy whatever happens, but then I would miss the activities that require advance planning because there are throngs of others who are traveling.
Air travel is not easy. Trying to match the best fares with the most convenient travel times is not easy.
And multiple destinations become a real problem. Do I mix airlines? What about rental cars and lodging? Ugh. So many options.
Hard work at planning hopefully results in an enjoyable trip.
Shortly After Departing BWI Somewhere over Virginia April 7, 2026
Travel Tuesday was, by all accounts, relatively smooth with only a few bumps. We arrived at BWI about 10:10 AM for our expected 11:55 Southwest flight to find it had been delayed until 1:10 PM. I actually knew this before we departed for the airport, but I also know that Southwest does not honor delayed times and so we headed to the airport as if the flight were on schedule.
In the end our flight departed only 25 minutes late. If we had delayed arriving at the airport, we would have felt rushed.
There were no lines and no waiting either to check bags with Southwest or to clear security. It was a very pleasant experience and is part of the reason I am choosing to fly in the middle of the day (which is a bit more expensive).
Beginning Descent into PBI Atlantic Ocean Near Ormond Beach, FL April 7, 2026
Southwest's new boarding process is a slower, I think, than the previous because people have to find their assigned seat rather than take the next open seat. I used free upgrades to secure extra legroom seating. I suppose it's nice, but not worth the money. I don't envision myself paying the extra for the seat, but it was nice to get Boarding Group 2 and Row 5.
The weather on departure was light overcast with some wind. It was a bit bumpy, but nothing too concerning. The flight was nice and the Captain was good about turning the seatbelt sign off, and on, and off, and on as the weather along the route varied.
Descent and arrival into PBI was overcast with storms. We were seat-belted a bit longer than normal for the turbulence which turned the rush to the restrooms upon landing like a foot race.
Unlike BWI, PBI's baggage handling was efficient and our bags were on the conveyor as we walked up. Additionally, our ride home, provided by friends, was also almost instantly available and we were on our way within about 25 minutes of landing!
It is good to be home! But we miss our friends and family in Maryland. Thanks to all of you for your continuing support of our comings and goings. I want to especially recognize and thank Nicole and Mike for lodging, Jeremy and Julie for transportation, and Patrick and Jen also George and Sue for their incredible hospitality! And of course Fran and Mary for retrieving us from PBI.
I thank God that the Iranian/Persian civilization was not destroyed overnight. But that is a story for another day.
We were fortunate. Our travel day was mostly the same as any other travel day. It was a beautiful day for flying!
There were no lines for security screening (TSA-pre) at PBI Concourse A/B. The line for regular screening was not as long as I have seen it in the past. The actual process for security screening was smoother than normal. We were relieved, but we cleared security almost two hours before our flight and were lucky to find space in a lounge to grab some drinks and lunch while waiting to board.
It is important to note, that we arrived at security about 1:20 PM on a Tuesday for a 3:15 PM flight. We were not there during the morning rush, thankfully. But, the iFly app was accurate about the wait times.
The airline has cheapened itself in an effort to adopt a new profitability standard to please ownership. That is sad. Losing "Bags fly Free" and choosing your own seat as you boarded were two things that made Southwest a preferred airline for many travelers.
Check-in was smooth at PBI. Boarding was confused and people stood around like on so many other airlines with multiple numbered boarding groups. Although we chose our seats in advance, I still got to ride in the center seat for most of the flight. I am getting used to being in the center seat. The FA's were great, but apparently the new boarding approach takes longer and Southwest has not updated their ground stop times as we were 22 minutes late departing, mostly due to the slower boarding process.
It should be noted that Chris and I checked two bags and I only had a backpack while Chris only had her purse. That meant we did not experience any shortage of overhead bin space, as has been reported by many people.
Baggage remains a problem in Baltimore. It is incredibly slow and believe it or not confusing. We were originally told that bags would be on carousal 6, but at the last minute were moved to 8. We waited a good 20 minutes for our checked bags.
And that was our travel day. We arrived safely--which is the most important thing, and the lines and waiting were mostly normal despite the partial government shutdown which has prevented TSA personnel from being paid.
Projected Wait Times Palm Beach International March 24, 2026
With everything being reported on the airport security front, Chris and I are more trepidatious than we have likely ever been before about flying. I suppose we are fortunate not to be traveling from one of the "big" airports, but PBI can still be a nightmare under the wrong conditions.
The security forecast looks good, until, of course, it doesn't. I am happy to be flying mid-day as usually there is less congestion than for the early morning flights trying to get out right after the TSA lines open.
I have read that the Wait Times projections are woefully inaccurate. For example, BWI was showing a 20 minute wait time on Sunday which in actuality was over an hour as multiple checkpoints, including TSA-pre, were closed there.
I suppose I need to write my senators again and implore them to do something for the good of all Americans and accept the Democratic deals rather than continue to blindly follow the urgings of our increasingly reckless president. TSA personnel are suffering because Republicans do not want to make ICE agents conform to accepted police standards. Funny part is, ICE is funded through the big bill passed last summer--they are getting paid while TSA personnel are not!
The middle day of the week is upon us. I'm glad everyday that I am happily retired and don't work through the workweek the way I used to.
George and Sue departed yesterday after spending a great week with us and the house seems very empty this morning. They had both a good and bad trip home, as it was relayed to me. Getting through security and the flight was great, the fact that the battery was dead in their car on arrival to Baltimore was bad. Fortunately, they had a portable charger in the car and were not long delayed on their return home.
Traveling comes with a lot of challenges.
Pelican at Jupiter Henry Starter Norton Museum of Art March 8, 2026
I was happy to hear that TSA-pre is still functioning as Chris and I have planned travel for the Easter holiday. Hopefully, things will go smoothly for us.
It is orchid season. We were out the other night and I was very impressed with Mary's orchid. It was stunning and I had to get an image of it.
While at the Norton Museum of Art on Sunday, we toured the permanent collections after visiting the Rembrandt exhibit. I came across this painting with the Jupiter Lighthouse as a subject. It was done by Henry Starter in 1935. I found the depiction of the lighthouse to be very interesting because there is no large tree around the base. Any modern image of the lighthouse will show the base obscured by a huge ficus tree.
Breakfast on the Veranda Utopia of the Seas near CocoCay, Bahamas January 7, 2026
What I treasure most about cruising is the opportunity to savor breakfast on the veranda. Chris and I order coffee, fruit, and pastries delivered to our stateroom and, weather permitting, we relish breakfast while watching the sunrise, the ocean, or other captivating scene that graces our view.
It is a perfect way to start the day.
We sit and chat about the plan for the day and discuss some of the overnight news and happenings. But mostly, we just look out at a scene we only occasionally are fortunate enough to enjoy.
Back home, our condo has a very limited view from the veranda. Mostly we enjoy a few plants, and ferns and a large green hedge. The occasional squirrel, bird, or lizard often become topics of conversation.
Shipboard, it is a whole different environment. And we make sure to enjoy it. I fear too many cruisers pay for the veranda but never venture outside of their cabin. I get the veranda because I want to use it! And we do!
It was 39 really cold degrees when I woke this morning.
Yes, the iguana alerts were out. Beware falling iguanas and don't bother them as they can still defend themselves. (Newsweek)
Chris and I are fortunate in that we do not live in an area where we see many iguanas, but they are around nearby. Given the cold, it is unlikely that I will attempt a bike ride today unless it is later in the day after the temperature had risen and the iguanas have awakened.
Iguana on Welcome Sand Art CocoCay, Bahamas January 7, 2026
We were surprised last week when we were visiting CocoCay to see an iguana on the sand art welcoming people to the island. It was a bit humorous. What was even more amazing was the number of people who barely even noticed the lizard sitting in the sun on the sand art. Totally oblivious. I think it added something to the experience. I enjoyed seeing the iguana hanging out there just looking at all the people.
The cruise was great, short, but great. We always seemed to be busy doing something. I took a book to read and never opened the cover.
Beck in the Baby Pool Utopia of the Seas January 8, 2026
Chris and I had plans to spend time in a hot tub in the Solarium, the adult pools--never happened. We were too busy enjoying the precious time we were able to spend with Patrick, Jen, and Beck. And we departed yesterday at the cruise port wanting more time with them. We didn't wear it out. Yes, there were good-bye tears amidst the hustle, bustle, and crushing traffic.
Utopia of the Seas is a great ship! The only negative I have is that it is too bad it is sailing the twice weekly "weekend" cruises. I would love to enjoy an 8-night or longer cruise on the ship. We only just began to find our favorite spaces and the cruise was over. There is so much to do, and yes, there are quiet places even with about 8,000 passengers and crew all together.
Together on Shore CocoCay, Bahamas January 7, 2026
The specialty restaurants have become a bit expensive, perhaps that is why they were mostly empty the two times we enjoyed their service. But, the service and the food was fantastic! The crew was, likewise, fantastic. They seemed happy and were dedicated to providing the best experience possible.
Finn after the Welcome Dance Tequesta, FL January 9, 2026
I highly recommend sailing on Utopia of the Seas.
We had a great time; too bad that it is over.
BTW, Finn was VERY happy to see us. So happy that he went to sleep in a chair shortly after we arrived and he had danced at our return for about 10 minutes!
Patrick and Beck at the Baby Pool Utopia of the Seas January 8, 2026
We were off the ship by 7:15 AM this morning and ready to head south to home. After dropping off the carseat and cover to Patrick and Jen, who had separate transportation to the Orlando airport, we headed south on I-95 for about two hours.
Peek-a-boo at Dinner with Beck Utopia of the Seas January 8, 2026
We drove the Mustang Mach-e and charged it at the hotel--for free! Yes, I was excited. And it worked. It was very nice to get into the car this morning and know that we had enough charge to get home. We charged it overnight the night we stayed at the hotel.
It is always sad when a cruise comes to an end. And that was the same this morning.
But, it was fun. Last evening we enjoyed a rousing game of peek-a-boo in the main dining room during dinner. Beck was in great form and makes the game very enjoyable. He loves food. All kinds of food, but once he is full, well he needs something to do while the adults complete their meals. Peek-a-boo was a diversion.
We spent time in the baby pool yesterday as well. As it was a sea day, the pools were all very full. Beck loves the water and was all over the pool.
Last evening, I was sitting on the veranda after dark and notices a large vessel traveling north as we were. I checked my maritime app and determined it was another cruise chip headed to Port Canaveral, as we were. Looking further at the app, I was stunned by the number of cruise ships on the screen. I checked each one, and except for one duplicate, all of the blue triangles are cruise ships! We were effectively in a group of five cruise ships headed to Port Canaveral. I guess, given that there are three major cruise ports on the Florida east coast, it is to be expected that there are so many cruise ships plying the waters of the Western North Atlantic.
Port Canaveral, FL January 9, 2026
We made port this morning just before 6 AM. It was dark. I enjoy taking pictures at night when the water reflects the lights.
We made it home safely and now are thinking about planning our next adventure.
Chris and I enjoyed a great gift last evening. Patrick and Jen allowed us to spend an evening alone with our youngest grandson, Beck. Yes, we spent the evening in a stateroom babysitting whilst they celebrated their anniversary with an "alone" dinner. Those of us who have been blessed to have children understand how precious "alone" time can be. Babies are demanding. Chris and I both had fun playing with Beck, he enjoyed it a bit too much and didn't want to go to. bed, but that also is how it is sometimes.
Beck in the Sand CocoCay, Bahamas January 7, 2026
Earlier we had fun at Perfect Day at CocoCay. We all enjoyed returning to the scene of the wedding, three years later almost to the day. And then it was off to the beach to introduce Beck to the wide open ocean. OK, it a was smallish lagoon. The waves were very tame. He loved the water, but was not too amused by the soft sand.
I guess, in retrospect, it was Beck day at CocoCay! We had a lot of fun interacting with him, and his parents, from morning until bedtime.
Chris reminded me that during our evening time with Beck we reconnected with The Wiggles! It has been about 15 years since we viewed an episode of The Wiggles!. If you have been around babies and small children, you probably have been exposed to The Wiggles, and I don't just mean the worm-like body movements they do when protesting getting into clothes or diapers.
Utopia and Liberty of the Seas CocoCay, Bahamas January 7, 2026
CocoCay was busy! Two big ships were there, not three as I thought yesterday. I should have known better as the quay will only support two ships. But that still meant a lot of people on the island. Even so, we found beach chairs available at both of the places we settled. I am still not all that impressed with CocoCay, this being my third visit there, but it is a lot better than Labadee, Haiti, that is for sure.
Today is a sea day as we begin to return to Port Canaveral, although at this moment we are heading south just churning circles in the water. Tomorrow we return to life and will miss the fun of a cruise.
I have been keeping tabs on the news and decided not to ruin my cruise by dwelling on the first six days of 2026 and the events which have so far transpired.
Both Chris and I are thankful for the images we have been receiving from our friends caring for Finn!
Posts
