April 26, 2022 – Tuesday – Sunny/Partly Cloudy, mid-80’s
It’s finally here – our return to cruising after 2 1/2 years due to the Covid 19 pandemic! We have back-to-back cruises on the Vision of the Seas: a 14 night transatlantic from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona followed by 8 nights stopping at ports in Spain and France, and ending in Barcelona. We said good-bye to Daniel, Nicole, and Robin by 4:00 PM then Uber’ed to SeaTac. Our first flight to San Francisco was delayed by over 45 minutes but finally took off. We then had about 45 minutes before take off of our second flight so we quickly walked to our gate, which was pretty far – arriving just a few minutes before boarding. Both flights were relatively smooth.
April 27, 2002 – Wednesday – Mostly Sunny, mid-80’s – Ft. Lauderdale
Both of us managed to nap a little bit on the flight. We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale shortly before 7:30 AM. Once we got our luggage and stepped outside, we were finally able to remove our Covid face masks after wearing them for over 12 hours! We soon had to put them on again when we took a taxi ($17.35 + tax) to the Embassy Suites. Fortunately, we were able to get our room even though it was only 8:00 in the morning. The hotel’s hot buffet breakfast was on until 9:00 so we were able to fuel-up after long hours of travel without eating and Pat only having a little bit of water. Satisfied, we stretched out on lounge chairs by the pool, Laurie reading and Pat napping, and both enjoying the pleasant morning and the various birds flying around the palm trees. We had a happy reunion with Mom and Dad in the lobby when they arrived about noon. In the room we relaxed and caught up with each other. Later in the afternoon we did the online proctored Covid tests (Emed) required by Royal Caribbean. We were all negative! At 6:00 we took advantage of the hotel’s free Happy Hour which consisted of one free drink, some veggies and dip, and homemade potato chips. Back in the room we did an online order for Five Guys burgers and fries and then we walked over (about 1 1/2 blocks) to pick up the order. We let our dinner digest a bit before we headed to bed about 9:00.
April 28, 2022 – Thursday – Sunny to cloudy with rain drops late – 80ish – Ft. Lauderdale
Everyone slept well and we went down for breakfast at 7:30. It was a good time because it got very busy a short while later. Filled up with good food and coffee, then we again made use of the lounge chairs by the pool, reading and visiting. Around noon we went to the room to do various things. Before long it was time to head down to Happy Hour with another free drink and salty snacks. We ordered a pizza for dinner from Manhattan NY Restaurant & Pizza nearby. After picking up a wine order at Total Wines we went a few doors down to pick up the pizza, getting rained on a little bit on our walk back. The pizza was pretty good – quick and we didn’t have to cook it. We spent the evening relaxing, chatting, and watching some CNN.
April 29, 2022 – Friday – Partly Sunny, 80’s – Ft. Lauderdale & Cruise Departure
A repeat of yesterday to start our day – good sleep and a filling breakfast. We got our luggage organized and took an Uber to the port ($11 + tip) which was only a few minutes away. Shortly after we arrived we were able to go through security and get checked in showing our passports, negative Covid test results, vaccine card, and Set Sail Pass. Check in went quickly until we were seated in the holding area to await boarding. We were a bit early for our 11:00 boarding time but we ended up sitting patiently until 12:30 when we boarded. Once onboard we were able to remove our masks indoors. We then waited until 1:10 to get into our staterooms. We settled in and relaxed until our luggage came about 1 1/2 hours later so we could fully move in. The four of us met up and relaxed on the deck for a while before heading to the Diamond Lounge for Happy Hour. The lounge is very small but we got seats to enjoy drinks and appetizers. After some good conversation it was time for a steak dinner at Chops, thanks to M&D. We all had their wonderful filet mignon with various sides followed by dessert. It was probably the most food any of us ate at one meal in a long time! M&D went to their cabin while we walked around for a few minutes before doing the same.
April 30, 2022 – Saturday – Mostly Cloudy, 80ish – At Sea
Back to our former cruising routine of rising early (today 5:45-6:00) and going up to the Diamond Lounge for coffee and a view. They also had a spread of pastries, yogurt, meats, and lox. We met up with M&D at 9:00 to go to breakfast at the Windjammer buffet. It wasn’t overly crowded and we enjoyed a window table. Too much yummy stuff to choose from and not enough tummy room! Right after breakfast we went to the casino to participate in a Cruise Critic slot pull we had signed up for online. It cost us $20 each but then we got $19 back at the end (the total group winnings were split by all participants). We relaxed in the Centrum then went to the Windjammer for a nosh before returning to our cabins to rest until Happy Hour. Following chatting in the Diamond Lounge and partaking in appetizers and drinks, we went to the theater for the night’s entertainment: Paul Boland, singer/impressionist/comedian. It was a pretty good show, but nothing outstanding. The rest of the evening consisted of dinner in the main dining room where we met our waiter, Omar, and assistant waiter, Hermant. The beef tenderloin and herb crusted salmon were all delicious.
We also found out today that out of the ship’s capacity of 2,400 there are only 1,300 onboard. It’s really nice not have so many bodies to contend with!
May 1, 2022 – Sunday – Mostly Sunny, 70’s – At Sea
Duplicate start to yesterday. At 10:00 the two of us went to Part 2 of an enrichment lecture in the theater called “The Wonder of Ships” given by Michael Christopher West which was interesting. We then watched the beginning of round one of “Master Chef at Sea: The Officers Competition” in the Centrum before going to our cabin to read. At 2:30 all four of us participated in the Cruise Critic Pub Poker Crawl where everyone puts in $5, then everyone in the group visits various bars to collect 5 cards (one card at each bar). The highest poker hand won $75 and the worst poker hand won $50 – which was Dad! Yay! Late afternoon we all attended the Top Tier Event for Royal Caribbean’s frequent cruisers – something to do for 45 minutes. This led us up to Happy Hour which was spent in the Some Enchanted Evening Lounge since the Diamond Lounge was full. The evening entertainment was a comedian named Greg Vaccariello who was really good. We finished the evening with dinner in the main dining room where we spent a little time chatting with the head waiter, Dominic, who has been very attentive. Omar is providing excellent service but Hement is new and in training and just not very good. (Set clocks ahead one hour at noon.)
May 2, 2022 – Monday – Mostly Sunny, mid 70’s – At Sea
Same start as before. After breakfast Mom went to the spa where it’s easier for her to wash her long hair. The rest of us went to the theater for Part 3 of “The Wonder of Ships”. Afterwards Dad headed off on his own. After a brief stay in the cabin we left to allow the cabin to be cleaned. We relaxed up in the Viking Crown Lounge to read, nap, and take in the expansive ocean view and mostly blue sky. Before we knew it it was time for Happy Hour in the Diamond Lounge followed by the evening’s performers, Alfred & Seymour. High energy, fast talking comedy that was very funny. They especially had fun at the expense of all the people coming in late. Dinner in the dining room was very good, ending with the crew presenting Dad with a candle-lit piece of cake and singing Happy Birthday in honor of his birthday a few days ago. (Set clocks ahead one hour at noon.)
May 3, 2022 – Tuesday – 70ish – At Sea (The smoothest seas we’ve seen so far)
Diamond Lounge, Windjammer breakfast, and Part 4 of the interesting lecture series. An extremely lazy (as opposed to our usual very lazy) day. We read and napped pretty much until Happy Hour. Since there was not a show at 7:00 we had an extra long and fun Happy Hour up until our 8:00 dinner. The food was delicious as usual with Omar’s great service and Hement’s somewhat baffling service. (Such as clearing away the bread basket, bread plates, butter, and S&P before we received our main course, then returning all but the butter a short time later!) There was a 9:30 Love & Marriage Show but, being so full and tired from our trying day, decided skip it and turn into our cabins for the evening.
May 4, 2022 – Wednesday – Mostly Cloudy, 70ish – At Sea
Our routine continues with our early coffee in the Diamond Lounge and joining M&D for breakfast at 9:00 in Windjammer. We spent most the day reading. Part 5 of “The Wonder of Ships” lecture series was moved to 3:30 today due to crew drills this morning. This part on shipwrecks was especially interesting. The four of us briefly parted ways before getting together for another Happy Hour in the lounge. Tonight’s entertainment was a comedy juggler named Billy Prudhomme. He was very funny and a pretty good juggler who turned the occasional mistake into humor. Dinner once again in the dining room. (Set the clocks ahead another hour at noon.)
(Unfortunately, later on during our trip our kindle died with many days of blog entries on it! From this point on we tried to remember a bit about what we did for the rest of our trip.)
May 5-6, 2022 – Thursday & Friday – At Sea
May 7, 2022 – Saturday – La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
The two of us went ashore for a walk while Mom and Dad relaxed on the ship. We had been here and, as before, we walked along Calle O’Daly – the main street of old town shops, bars, and some of the town’s most impressive architecture and sights.
May 8, 2022 – Sunday – Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
We stayed on the ship for this port which we had visited in the past.
May 9-10, 2022 – Monday & Tuesday – At Sea
May 11, 2022 – Wednesday – Valencia, Spain
The two of us took a shuttle that dropped us off near the Old Town area of Valencia after about a 25 minute bus ride. We wandered the narrow, cobblestone streets taking in the amazing architecture of the buildings, including many churches. There was a colorful Central Market selling meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, candy, nuts, spices, and lots of other delectable looking items. Coming into the Old Town area we walked underneath Serranos Towers. On our way out Laurie climbed the many stairs to the top where he had a panoramic view of the city. (These two sets of twin city gate towers are the most tangible remains of the ancient walled city of Valencia.)
May 12, 2022 – Thursday – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
On a prior cruise the four of us had spent a long day exploring this area so we decided to stay onboard to relax on the uncrowded ship.
May 13, 2022 – Friday – Barcelona, Spain
Turnaround day on our back-to-back cruises. We went for breakfast in the Windjammer with M&D. Then we met up in the theater with other cruisers doing the back-to-back cruises so we could get our new Sea Pass cards, then we were all paraded off the ship, then all be paraded back onto the ship. There were 379 of us! Royal then provided a delicious buffet lunch with wine for all of us so we didn’t have to contend with the new cruisers who always seem to head to the Windjammer. We had the same staterooms for this next cruise, so we didn’t have to move our stuff which was really nice.
May 14, 2022 – Saturday – Seté, France
We all set off for a short walk into the town. Seté is known for its network of canals. Crossing a bridge over the first canal we came to we had a chance to see an interesting “swing” bridge which opened by rotating into a position parallel with the shore, allowing boats and ships to pass along a waterway. The second canal we came to was wider and had quaint buildings lining it, kind of like Venice. There were colorful canoes on the water and some people fishing from the shore. It was a very pleasant walk.
May 15, 2022 – Sunday – Toulon, France
The two of us walked the 45 minutes or so to the town along a route running parallel to the water. Along the way was a huge local flea market (extending for multiple blocks) with all sorts of interesting items, new and old. Some items were displayed on tables, others were spread out on blankets. It was fun to poke through. We continued on to Old Toulon which is a typical Mediterranean city, with narrow streets and attractive squares and fountains. We peaked in an old church on a back street as we wandered around, then came across an outdoor shopping market with vendors selling a wide variety of items. We came across another market as we continued on but this one seemed to have mostly food items which all looked delectable. We found our way back to the waterfront where we had a great view across the water at our ship way back at the port. After making the return trek to the ship, we estimated that we covered at least 5 miles.
May 16, 2022 – Monday – Ajaccio, Corsica, France
The birthplace of Napoleon, so of course this city was all about him. The four of us walked to Place Foch, the city’s central square, where we saw an elaborate statue and fountain (Fontaine des Quatre Lions). This was an impressive statue of Napoleon within the four lions fountain.
May 17, 2022 – Tuesday – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
As on the first cruise we remained on the ship for this port.
May 18, 2022 – Wednesday – Ibiza, Spain
Since we planned to do some somewhat strenuous hiking, M&D opted to stay on the ship. The two of us walked the short distance in the port to the local City Boat which we took over to the medieval walled town of Dalt Vila. We entered the town across a small drawbridge then it was a long, winding, uphill walk on narrow cobblestoned streets and walkways to spectacular views overlooking the waterfront. The workout was well worth it! It was a little easier coming down but it was still pretty hot. As we neared the bottom, we entered a plaza that was mostly outdoor seating for a restaurant. Since we were hot, thirsty, and tired we stopped to enjoy a cold, fruity pitcher of Sangria. Rested and refreshed, we made our way back to the City Boat which we took back to the port. It was a wonderful day!
May 19, 2022 – Thursday – Cartagena, Spain
Late yesterday Laurie had a slight sore throat and a bit of a headache. When Pat woke up today she also had a sore throat. We decided to play it safe and get tested for Covid right away. Unfortunately, we tested positive which required that we move to a quarantined room. Since M&D were close contacts, they had to be tested as well. Mom tested positive, even though her only symptom was a slight cough, but Dad tested negative. Dad had the choice of staying in his room by himself or going with the rest of us to the new quarantine rooms. He choose to stay with Mom so we all packed up and they helped us move to other ocean view rooms (we got a handicapped room so it had a little more room). The ship’s doctor checked in on us and then left us to rest (along with a stash of medicine including: acetaminophen, nasal spray, and cough medicine). We were able to order food from the room service menu, as well as from the main dining room menu. They checked in on us pretty often to see if we needed anything.
May 20, 2022 – Friday – Valencia, Spain
Obviously, we didn’t go into port since we remained in quarantine. Since we had visited this port on our first cruise it wasn’t a big deal anyhow. We continued our quarantine – we were rather bored and really not feeling bad. Tonight was lobster night in the main dining room and we were able to get it in our rooms. Yum!
May 21, 2022 – Saturday – Barcelona, Spain
Departure day. They took us off the ship separate from everyone else (along with a few others), and brought our luggage to us in the terminal. We took a taxi to the Ciutat del Prat Hotel which was to be our new place of quarantine until we could test negative, which at that point was still required in order to board an international flight.
May 22-25, 2022 – Sunday-Thursday – Ciutat del Prat Hotel – Barcelona, Spain
Long, boring days. We kept to our separate rooms to keep Dad Covid-free which apparently worked. The two of us double masked and went to the grocery store when it first opened, buying items for breakfast (coffee, OJ, pastries) and sandwich fixings for our lunches. For dinner the hotel had a small but very good menu that we ordered off of and ate dinner in our rooms (Laurie went down to the bar area, and brought them up to our rooms). It really wasn’t so bad.
May 26, 2022 – Thursday – Barcelona, Spain
We all tested negative finally! Our flight is tomorrow but, unfortunately, the hotel doesn’t have rooms for us for tonight. We ended up getting a taxi to a hotel by the airport (Hotel Barcelona Aeropuerto) which had a free shuttle to the airport in the morning. Since we all tested negative we were able to visit in each other’s rooms. Dinner was again from room service.
May 27, 2022 – Friday – HOME
After a long travel day, it was wonderful to be home and see everyone! It was a real adventure.
We started wearing masks when indoors with others just before the end of the first cruise, as we started to hear others coughing periodically and we had also heard that there were a relatively high number of passengers that had tested positive on the previous cruise. Also, this was one of the first ships where they stopped testing people doing back-to-back cruises and we think that was probably why Covid caught up with us.
All the new people coming on the cruise had to test negative to board the ship. If they had quarantined the back-to-back people who tested positive we would have had a better chance of not getting Covid.
Even though we got Covid, we feel that our boosters and masking kept us from having any significant symptoms.