Saturday, February, 18, 2023 Amtrak Ride from FLL to HAM

I was not going to blog today because it is a day for riding the train. However, this ride is very different from our ride down. Today, before we could even get on Amtrak, we were met with negativity and what seemed to be hostility. Because we were going to Hamlet, NC, which is an unmanned station, we could not check out luggage and have them store it. So that was a no. Then, the mean lady named Linda said we would have to store our bags in our room. My husband had a sea bag, a book bag, a smaller piece of luggage and a camera bag. I had a 29 inch suitcase and a book bag. So in a room that would hold 2 bunk beds, she expected us to keep all of our luggage there. When we took our luggage to our room, it fit, but then we didn’t. So, she came back and said this was our lucky day, she had a roomette where we could store our luggage. I tried my best not to get upset with her. I thought, no this is not our lucky day, you are just doing your job and finding a place to store our luggage. Now, if we had purchased a regular seat, we would have put our luggage in the back of the car. But because we have upgraded accommodations, we don’t have a place for our luggage? How crazy does that sound to you? Needless to say, hubby and I are contemplating our next journey with Amtrak and if we even want to be bothered with such rudeness. We will let you know what we decide. But today, Amtrak has put a bad taste in our mouths! We are first contacting them by email and their response will determine our next transaction with them. PS. I said I would update you about what happened. Well, today, 3/22/23, I received a call from one of the managers in the company. They were calling to have a conversation with me and to let me know my voice was heard! I appreciated that. They also assured me that my husband and I would not have to go thru that again. I really did appreciate the excellent customer service on that call. I did mention we will be on Amtrak again next month and hoped our trip would be a good one. He assured me that it would. He also mentioned they have a chief on board now to prepare the meals and we would really enjoy that. So I am looking forward to riding on Amtrak and will let you know how it goes this time.

Friday, February 17, 2023 Celerity Apex Cruise

Today is our last day at sea. We will be getting in to the Fort Lauderdale cruise port better known as Port Everglades early tomorrow morning. Today we had breakfast and a light lunch and plan to meet up for dinner with a couple we met while onboard. So we finished packing, collected our photos and were ready to get off the ship. Tagged luggage has to be outside of the room tonight at 10pm. There were so many things I did enjoy about the ship. One thing I noticed right away was the lack of photographers everywhere. They would be standing near the place they were to photograph you but they would only take your photo if you asked them. They also had a studio where you could take photos in front of a green screen. Then they would give you different backgrounds to choose from. If we had known that, we would probably made an appointment and did the photo session, so we could have at least, gotten a photo with the ship. On other ships, the photos started when you got to the ship and were at each port. Not Celebrity. They allow you to be in charge of the photos and we appreciated that. I have learned a lot about Celebrity, more that just the book knowledge. There is a specific clientele Celebrity caters to. However, if you are looking for an upscale experience with really good food and great customer service, Celebrity may be for you. They have beautiful art for sale as well as perfumes, Tag Heuer and Cartier watches, Effy jewelry stores, Bvlgari jewelry, designer handbags and so much more. We did try all of the restaurants included in the price and a few of the specialty dining restaurants. All of the food is very good, so even if you don’t try the specialty restaurants, I believe you will be pleased with the food. Even the food at the buffet is good. So, when you go, make sure you try something different from your normal menu. Who knows, you may have something new to add to your likes. Tonight, our last night aboard, we went back to the Normadie. This time I had the Turkey Terrine & Radish Carpaccio and the Grilled Chicken Breast. Hubby had Escargot a la Bourguinonne and the Duck Breast with veggies.

Thursday, February 16, 2023 Celebrity Apex Cruise

Today was our first of two days at sea. For me, it was a late breakfast and then lounging before heading back to the room for some much needed sleep. After napping for a few hours, I was ready to roam the ship and see what was going on. We had dinner reservations at Rooftop Garden Grill. Hubby was able to get it moved from 9pm up to 6pm. That was great because the four course meal lasted almost 2 and a half hours. The food was very good. And the portions were more than enough. After dinner, I came and dressed down for the theatre production called “Uptown”. It was Motown favorite by a trio of men who sang everything from The Jackson 5 to Stevie Wonder. It was a very good production. The singers has so much energy and really got the crowd up and dancing. We met up with a couple we met while on this cruise and tried to go to another show at a space called Eden but it was packed. So, we sat outside the area where the show was held and talked until almost midnight! Tomorrow is our last cruise day so we will see what they will offer. Each day has been full of things to do at various venues. So, there is never a dull moment, unless you want it to be. Dinner Thursday was at the Hilltop Garden Grill. It is a specialty restaurant. It was so good. And there was plenty of it. I had some awesome dry rub smoked chicken wings, a build your own “chop chop” salad and a half rack of mesquite baby back ribs with Mac and cheese and grilled asparagus. Hubby had the train wreck fries, Caesar salad and the seafood kabob.

Wednesday, February 17, 2023 Celebrity Apex Cruise

Today we visit Basseterre, St Kitts which is in the West Indies. When I tell you this is the place to come visit, believe it! This is my first time here and when I get the chance to return, I will do so. It was a wonderful experience for us. We first went on a quick shopping excursion as our train excursion was at 9:45am. We got in port at 7am and could get off the ship at 7:30am. The real name of St. Kitts is really St. Christopher named after Christopher Columbus. We had about a 30-40 minute drive to the train. Along the way we learned much history about the island. We saw white Egrets (birds) who nest in trees. They came up from South Africa ahead of the hurricanes. We learned that sugar used to be the main export from the island. Now they make their money from tourism. When sugar was the main product, there were over 200 sugar plantations on the island. Now the only remnant of the plantations are large smoke stacks. There are green velvet monkeys that live on the island where gas is $6 a gallon. We got on the train to see the island and were treated to an 18 mile trip. We waved at school children who looked excited to see us on the train. They are in school from 8:30am until 3:30pm and all children wear uniforms, both private schools and public schools. There was something they do that I find encouraging and genius. They have projects there which from what I could see are single family units. The only people they allow to stay there have the ability to pay a mortgage. Once they pay for 25 years, the home becomes theirs. How awesome is that. Think of how great it would be if that could be done in other places. The minimum wage there is $400 a week in their currency. In our currency, that equals about $150 a week. Their currency is 2.67 to one US dollar. So Government workers who make $3,000 a month, that would be about $1,100 in US currency. Although they are poor, they are friendly and I am sure they make the most out of what they have. I saw a lot of homes that we would call sub-standard my some terms. Our tour guide even told us about a place where the homes were over $100,000 to live there. Even in the small county town I live in here in North Carolina, the average home costs more than that. One other fun fact I learned is that they keep the cows chained up! If not, they would roam around and tear up the area. Bad cows! I also saw a pig, dogs and goats while touring. Next time I would like to visit Nevis, which is only 10 miles away. Tonight, dinner was at Cyprus. I had a Greek Mezze Board and the Cypriot Short Ribs. Hubby had Grilled Octopus and the Greek Style Slow Braised Lamb Shanks.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 Celebrity Apex Cruise

Today was our day to visit Tortola which is in the British Virgin Islands. You can see several of the other islands, British and US, from there. Our tour was called Town and Country Open-Air Bus. Let me just say, if you are afraid of heights or narrow roads, do not take this tour! Our driver took us all around the island while other drivers were doing the same. And that doesn’t count the locals who were driving too! One think that threw me off is that they drive on the left side of the road. Here in the US, we drive on the right side. The rules we learned in drivers ed seemed moot as I had a firm grip on the bar to my right. To say I was frightened would be an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, the driver, Donald, was excellent. He maneuvered those curves and winding roads like a pro. When he said at the beginning, “Whatever happens, don’t panic!”, I knew I was in for an adventure. When we stopped, we saw some of the most breathtaking, beautiful views of the islands. But getting there had my nerves so tore up, I could not truly enjoy the view. Well, just a little. I just wish it were another way to see the island besides using those roads. With all that being said, it is a beautiful island with beautiful people. Everyone I came in contact with was friendly and had a pleasant smile. If you have the opportunity to visit, by all means, do so. And if you are adventurous, take the tour. It will leave you speechless, either by its beauty or by the hills and valleys you have to navigate. Dinner at Tuscan Restaurant. I had the Eggplant Caponata Bruschetta and the Grilled Cobia. Hubby had French Onion Soup and Pappardelle Alla Veneziana.

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 Celebrity Apex Cruise

After a breakfast of assorted fruit and a waffle, we went to watch a DC movie. After watching a few minutes of it, I sought shade one floor below. I found a lounge chair and had a nice, relaxing time feeling the breeze and watching the water. I was highly anticipating our visit to Puerto Rico because we have an excursion to view the city by bus. I will take as many photos as I can to show you what this beautiful place looks like. We had a beautiful time touring San Juan. The gentleman who was our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the island. He made the tour fun, enjoyable and interesting. So if you are ever in San Juan, make sure to take a guided tour of the island. Dinner tonight will be at the Cosmopolitan Restaurant. Dinner was very good. I had the Turkey Parmesan with Spaghetti and hubby had the Duck breast with veggies.

Sunday February 12, 2023 Celebrity Apex Cruise

Today was our first day at sea. So, we got to sleep in late and then got breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe for a nice breakfast. I was able to collect three lockets for my charm today. so that was great! I listened to live music with a band called The C-Notes from St. Lucia. They played different genres, from the 50’s and 60’s to soul, Motown, disco and Caribbean music. We also took in a history lesson about Puerto Rico, our first stop tomorrow. We learned about the people, how they got there, and their history right down to our times. While he was peaking, the speaker said we were going to go over the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest point of this ocean, with water depths of over 8400 meters or miles just before reaching port. Today is Super Bowl Sunday and the event was held in The Theatre. Of course, the screen was huge and they also had party food, hot dogs, chicken wings and more. Several desserts were also available. So I am sure those who attended had a great time. I did go for a few minutes to take photos of the screen and catch a few minutes of the game. Going to dinner was my treat for the day. We had reservations for speciality dining at Le Grand Bistro. We had an animated experience called Le Petit Chef. Images were projected to our plated with narration by Le Petit Chef. He showed us, in animation, how the meal was made. Afterwards, the actual meal came to the table. It was a 4 course meal and each course was animated. It was a nice experience although the menu was choosing between two items for each course. For my main course, I had pan-seared Mediterranean Branzino with asparagus and mashed potatoes. It was my first time trying the fish and it was extremely good. While wandering after dinner, I found the silent disco. There were headphones and everyone got a pair. There were three different channels to choose from. So you listened and danced to whatever type of music you liked. And of course, you could change your channel at any time. It was fun watching people on the dance floor grooving to their own beats! I even joined in for a few minutes. Because of the time zone change, we will move our clocks ahead one hour tonight so I had better sleep fast to make up for the lost hour. Tomorrow, Puerto Rico, our next adventure.

Saturday, February 11, 2023 Our First Day on the Celebrity Apex

We are sitting here in the room getting ready to take transportation to the port. Just as a reminder Fort Lauderdale port and Port Everglades is the same thing. So if you hear either, just know they are interchangeable. So today I will fulfill a desire I have had for over 12 years. Years ago, I completed the educational classes for this cruise line and always wanted to sail on one of their ships. Today I will be able to fulfill that desire. I am thrilled to be able to share my adventure with you! We went to dinner at Normandie Restaruant. My husband ordered Escargots A La Bourguignonne and I ordered the wedge salad for the appetizers. For our entrees, he ordered duck breast and I ordered turkey parmesan. Both meals were very good. For desert, we had chocolate cake and strawberry angel food cake. Whew! All I can say is, if this keeps up, it’s going to be a long week of great food.

Courtyard By Marriott

We have to be at Charlotte Douglas Airport early in the morning to fly out for our cruise. So hubby suggested we come to Charlotte and spend the night. Hey, why not? We are already loosing an hour tonight so, we found a hotel close to the airport and I booked it. We are at the Courtyard By Marriott Charlotte Airport here in Charlotte. It is a very nice hotel. It has a restaurant attached. It was beautiful but we did not try the food. The room is nice and spacious. The shower is definitely for two people! 

Here are some photos:

Learn To Play While You Work!!

Being a travel agent is fun but it is also hard work! So, while I work hard to learn and take in information that will help my clients, I always take time to smile and enjoy my surroundings! Here are some of the fun moments from the Outside Agent Conference in Universal Orlando.

Universal Cabana Bay Resort Orlando, Florida

At the Outside Agent Conference at Universal, Orlando earlier this nonth (Jan 2023), I had the opportunity to look at the hotel I was staying at in more details. Here are some of the photos I took while touring the property.