Our First Days - Finally

View from our rooms balcony.

We arrived in Miami very early in the morning; I think we were in our rooms by about 2:00 am. We slept and then got up and ready to explore a bit of Miami.

Steve, Jodi, Linda and I went down to the main level of the hotel and found a little coffee shop that served breakfast and had a great meal.

Then we walked down to a tourist shopping area they call Bayside and did some shopping. Linda and I mostly looked around; it was fun to see everything and to watch the people. Back at the hotel we got together with Don and Caroline and ordered pizza delivered to our room. We ate pizza and offered toasts on our upcoming adventure.  After a satisfying meal, we said goodnight and went to bed our 21-day journey awaits us the following day.

The following morning we checked out of the hotel and hailed a taxi. Our driver took us right to our embarking pier and we walked onto the vessel that would be our home for the next 21 days. The entry transition was flawlessly smooth. We were greeted and given our access cards, a glass of Champaign and a smiling greeting. We were on board and all was good.

Miami Graffiti.

The information that we received concerning our entry onto the ship said that our rooms would be ready by 3:00 pm. Within an hour of boarding and before we had much time to explore we were told that our room was ready and our luggage was waiting at the door. We arrived at our room and opened the door with expectations based on our previous cruise experience, you know, kind of cramped with a porthole for a window. The room was wonderful. It was spacious, bright and had more than enough storage for our belongings. Linda was ecstatic!  Our balcony seats two with a small table to boot!

Hotel delivery pizza!

The room is just something else. You can have two additional people visit you without anyone sitting in the bathroom. Speaking of the bathroom the shower is probably the best shower I have ever used. It has great water flow and enough space to bend and move, without hitting your head or butt.

Yes, we finally made it.

The bed is spacious enough for Linda and I to sleep without disturbing each other and our steward has provided us with pillows that fit our nightly needs.

We were able to get all our clothes packed or hung up with room to spare.  Linda’s little organizer things have worked out exceptionally well so she is a very happy camper!

The Explorer lounge.

The ship is a beautiful new vessel; I walked around the decks this morning getting some needed exercise. As I walked, I didn’t see a single bit of rust or even scrapes, there is nothing old about the Viking Sun.

Linds posing on her new boat.

One of the things that were touched on and time again by the Cruise Director, Heather Clancy, was the difference between tourists and travelers.  A traveler is flexible and takes things in stride. They recognize that life in other countries is going to be different and they take things as they come because plans may be forced to change. A tourist is not flexible and believes everything should fit their expectations rather than to adapt to the situation at hand.

The further we traveled the more we saw examples of both. We tried hard to be good travelers.

There are so many places to eat on board and the food is fantastic. Last night I had prime rib and several other items. All I had to do was walk up and they presented me with more of anything I desired. I have fallen in Love with Sushi and eat a couple pieces as hors’devours with each meal. It is actually really hard to not overeat. In fact, I spent much of my time trying very hard to not pick up too much wonderful food. It didn’t work very well.

The day we settled into our room I found the hamburger grill. My first meal was a bacon cheeseburger. It made my entire day and started our cruise out perfectly.

Now we are settling into boat life. The crew is exceptionally nice and go beyond expectations to help us. Our steward, Liselle, has been amazing! She remembers our names and has provided everything we have asked for. At this point, I can only foresee one major problem. Linda may come to expect room service at 7:30 am daily once we are back home in Post Falls.

You can see by the photos that we are on a very beautiful cruise ship.

Our cabin.

The bathroom & my shower.

The infinity pool on the stern deck.

The pool area where Linda spent most of her time.

Sailing out of the Port looking at Miami.

Night falls on the first night of our cruise, looking at Miami.