Apr 21, 2017 – May 13, 2017
We booked this cruise on Apr 28, 2016 – and now, after waiting nearly one year we are ready to depart! We leave Friday for the overnight flight to Fort Lauderdale where we meet up with Mom and Dad to board the ship on Sunday for the 2-week cruise. The itinerary is as follows:
Captain: Espen Been
Cruise Director: Michele Scarpato
Activities Director: Jerry (?)
Waiter: Dorin Lupsa
Ass’t Waiter: Oral Cole
FRIDAY, APRIL 21
Ubered to SeaTac for our 10:40pm flight to Ft. Lauderdale. Flight left a few minutes late. Just a little bit of turbulence. Cabin was kept dark the entire flight but neither of us slept much.
SATURDAY, APRIL 22
Flight made up time in the air so we arrived about 30 minutes early. Flight landed about 7:15 am, an
d arrived at Embassy Suites about 8:00. Our room wasn’t expected to be available until later in the afternoon so we stored our luggage, 
enjoyed their extensive complimentary breakfast, napped by the pool, and observed their large koi pond. Saw geckos, a 2-1/2 foot iguana, and parrots on the property. Mom and Dad arrived at the hotel about 1:00 pm. We spent time by the pool visiting, went to the complimentary cocktail reception – then had dinner at Five Guys (about a block away) followed by a quick shopping trip for wine and water.
SUNDAY, APRIL 23
Ubered to the port, which was only a couple of miles away but took us about 20 minutes to get there because of not knowing which terminal to go to (new Uber driver). Got on board around noon. 
Rooms were not ready yet so we went to Windjammer for lunch until getting in our rooms around 1:00 pm. Our luggage arrived shortly afterwards and we were able to unpack, then spent some time relaxing until the muster drill at 4:30 pm. Departure was delayed until about 7:15pm because of having to wait for the ship ahead of us (Celebrity Silhouette) to depart. We went up on the top deck to try to wave at the kids on the port camera but we may not have been visible. It poured off and on all day but we were lucky and it stopped raining when we got on board, and for our departure. Dinner was fantastic at Chops. We all had delicious Filet Mignon, soup or salad, various sides, and desserts. Retired to our cabins about 10:30.
MONDAY, APRIL 24
Laurie was up early, went for a walk and brought back coffee. We then 
had a mid-morning breakfast where we hooked up with Mom and Dad. The ladies went off to the check out the shops, and then everyone met up for the Cruise Critic Reception. M&D worked their “magic” and we all got into the Diamond Lounge for drinks and appetizers. Afterwards, we returned to our cabins to rest and change for dinner. We picked up cocktails on our way to the formal night dinner in the dining room. At 10:15, we went to the “Marquee” show in the theater, which was a wonderful medley of songs and dancing from Broadway shows. The show was outstanding with some very talented singers. We retired to our cabins about 11:30.
TUESDAY, APRIL 25
Dad’s (aka: Grandpa’s) birthday! It was an extremely windy and slightly rocky night, which continued into the day. Outside decks, including all pools, were closed for safety reasons. Laurie (up early) brought back coffee, fruit, and pastries. At 9:00, we went to a speaker on Lisbon, which ended up being about the history and culture rather than sights to see. We joined M&D for breakfast in Windjammer. M&D went off to the casino, while we went to our cabin to relax and read. M&D brought us cocktails from the Diamond Lounge late afternoon. We all wandered around the promenade and looked at the pictures that the ship photographers had taken of us so far. The four of us ended up booking another transatlantic cruise for next spring from San Juan to Rome since we don’t have to commit until next February. Dinner was fabulous at Giovanni’s Italian restaurant
. We shared salad and many appetizers, then had soup, entrees, and dessert. Dad/Grandpa received a piece of cake on a decorated plate and had Happy Birthday sung to him. At the next table was a man and his mother from the UK. He is an entertainer/singer with the ship and will be performing Friday. His birthday is tomorrow. They were great people and we chatted with them for a while, parting with hugs like old friends. Tonight’s entertainment was Karen Grainer, a female impressionist/entertainer. She has a wonderful voice and did impersonations of both male and female singers including Cher, Barbra Streisand, and Whitney Houston. Her own voice was beautiful as well.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26
We started the morning with coffee and pastries that Laurie went out for, and then met M&D in Windjammer for a late breakfast. Dad/Grandpa went to the library, 
Mom/Grandma to the casino, and we went to the pool for the belly flop competition. It’s in the lower 70’s and windy. The sun made it comfortable when it wasn’t behind the clouds. Late afternoon, we returned to our cabin to relax and read. We booked a second cruise for next spring from Tampa to Amsterdam since we couldn’t make up our minds without investigating hotels and airfares, which we’ll do when we get back. M&D brought out drinks from the Diamond Lounge, which we brought back to their cabin. We went to the dining room for dinner then retired early since we were all tired.
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
We had early coffee in our cabin then joined M&D in Windjammer for breakfast. They went off to the casino and we went wondering around the ship. It was very windy up on deck. We relaxed in our cabin until the 2:00 Freedom Show (singing & dancing) in the theater. We stopped by Windjammer afterwards for a snack and some coffee. In the late afternoon, we met M&D outside the Diamond Lounge and took our drinks into Sorrento’s where we had some lively conversation and many laughs. Mom and Pat had an especially good time. At 7:00, we went to see Farrell Dillon who performed an entertaining magic/comedy show. Dinner was in the dining room. We retired early.
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
We all went to the Windjammer Café for breakfast. From there Mom and Pat went to a Slot-Pull Tournament held by Cruise Critic.
It cost $20 to participate. Sixty-six people participated. The machine did not pay out very well but we all got $7 back. While we were there, Laurie and Dad went to a luncheon with some of the officers of the ship for a nice lunch. Then we relaxed in our cabins until an early cocktail hour since we had 5:30 reservations at Chops where we had another fantastic dinner. We went back to our cabins until it was time for the 10:00 show with the singer (Paul Baker), who we had met at dinner earlier in the week. He had a wonderful voice and was very emotional when he sang various songs from shows he had performed in such as Les Miserables, Chicago, and Lion King
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
As usually, the four of us had breakfast at the Windjammer Café. Afterwards, Mom went off to the health club to wash her hair in the larger showers there, Dad went to the casino, and we went back to our cabin to spend a little time on the computer and read. Today we decided to try the dining room for lunch. 
It was open seating so the four of us sat at a table with two other couples. There was a salad bar where a crew member adds into a bowl everything you point out and at the end they chop it with a blade. There was also a pasta bar as well as a menu to order from (the Singapore noodles were very tasty). M&D went their way and we went for a walk outside. It was less windy but the air still had a chill in it. We picked up some coffee and headed back to our cabin. Met up with M&D for cocktails and took a couple of pictures on our balcony. Tonight was the second formal night so we dressed up for dinner in the dining room. Mom was tired so she went to the cabin and the rest of us went to see a juggler/comedy show (his comedy was more entertaining than his juggling but we still enjoyed it).
SUNDAY, APRIL 30
Met with M&D for a late breakfast. Afterwards, they headed off to the casino and we went wandering around the ship. We found the helicopter pad on the front of the ship, which is as far forward as you could go on the ship, with fantastic panoramic views. We had a lazy afternoon before we met up for cocktails followed by dinner at Giovanni’s. As usual the meal was delicious – and way too much food! At 10:00 there was a variety show with previous performers Paul Baker and Kathy Grainger which we all enjoyed.
MONDAY, MAY 1
Breakfast together in Windjammer. M&D did their thing (casino and Portuguese lessons) while we went to an afternoon showing of “Dr. Strange” in 3-D. It was pretty good. On our way out through the casino we met up with M&D. They took us into the Diamond Lounge where we had drinks and appetizers. At 7:00 we saw the ice show “Freedom-Ice.com”. It was an entertaining show with some good music. This evening we ate dinner in the dining room.
TUESDAY, MAY 2
Our first port of call – Lisbon, Portugal. We were up early to watch as the ship went under the April 25th Bridge (the 3rd longest suspension bridge in the world) and then pull into port. 
We all headed off the ship about 8:30. The weather was sunny and in the 70’s. 
We took a taxi (about 5€) to the Castelo de S. Jorge since it was at the top of a hill with steep, winding cobblestone streets. Since we arrived about an hour before it opened, we stopped in a tiny local place where Dad had espresso and a custard tart (which is a Portuguese specialty). While waiting for the castle to open, we were able to observe the neighborhood families on their way to school along the cobblestone streets. Drivers zip around these narrow streets, most only barely wide enough for one car. The castle, built in the 11th century, was amazing to walk around. The site also provided outstanding panoramic views of the city and water. All the red tiled roofs made for some beautiful pictures. On the long, winding walk from the castle back to the ship we walked through the Alfama quarter, 
Lisbon’s oldest quarter. Although the walk was downhill, most was on uneven cobblestones with lots of staircases. The old houses in the quarter are packed into the narrow streets, many with tiny balconies. A lot of them have massive, old doors with no windows. We were thirsty and hungry by the time we returned to the ship in the afternoon and immediately went to Windjammer. We all rested until cocktail hour then headed to the pre-dinner show of David Knight, one of the UK’s leading stage hypnotists. He hypnotized some members of the audience – but we were a bit skeptical. Then we had dinner in Chops Grille once again. All the food was delicious and, as usual, we all ate too much.
WEDNESDAY, May 3
We arrived in Cadiz, Spain about 10:00 this morning. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day but very windy. We had a light breakfast in Windjammer then headed off exploring. We started off wandering around observing statues and buildings. 
In the Central area we saw many stores of a wide variety. We found a little café where we could sit outside and relax with beverages. For one beer, two sangrias, and a tapas (potato pie) 
it was only 6€, and was delicious as well as refreshing. Then we headed to the Plaza de San Juan de Dios. It’s a large plaza where the impressive city hall building is, with a lot of restaurants overlooking the square, and is the starting point of some self-guided tours. You can get a map with colored lines on it and there are corresponding colored lines on the pavement to follow. M&D opted to rest here (long climb on cobblestone streets to get to the cathedral) while we went off to see the Cadiz Cathedral, begun in 1722 and finished in 1838. The cathedral is massive with a beautiful yellow tiled dome. On the way back from there we stopped at the Gades Roman Theater, a Roman ruin from the 1st century BC. 
We visited the ruins outside as well as the exposition inside where they had depictions of what the theater would have looked like in it’s prime and gave more information. We joined up with M&D to walk back to the ship where we had lunch in Windjammer and went to our cabins to relax. M&D brought out cocktails from the Diamond Lounge which we took into Sorrento’s to sip and chat. Dinner was in the dining room this evening. We decided not to go to the 10:00 show, which was a pianist, and headed to our cabins for the night. It became extremely windy shortly thereafter. We could see a lot of whitecaps on the water and the wind was very noisy. Surprisingly, the ship only had a little bit of movement despite the high winds.
THURSDAY, May 4
Today we went ashore in Malaga, Spain about 8:30 am. It was another perfect, sunny and warm (and windy) day. We took a cab (10€) into the town center. 
We decided to go to Alcazaba, a Muslim fortress ruin from the 11th century. The cost was 2.20€ each. It required going up many ramps and stairs through various rooms and plazas but the view from high up was rewarding. It was good that we were there shortly after it opened at 9:00 am as tour groups and school groups came in not long afterwards. While we went through the fortress M&D went to the Picasso Museum (5€ with senior discount) which they enjoyed, although they had the same problem with school groups soon after it opened. We stopped in a café overlooking the square to rest and had small cups of Americano coffee along with very flaky croissants. The pair were 2.20€ each. We walked all the way back to the ship, which was pretty far but on level ground at least. We then went to our cabins to 
relax for a couple hours. As usual, we met in Sorrento’s for cocktails which M&D brought from the Diamond Lounge. At 7:00 we went to the visual comedy and mime show of Daniel Zafrani. It was a great show that we all enjoyed. No “painted face” or “stuck in a box” acting – so it was different than we were expecting. He imitated an ostrich laying an egg, hatching it, and taking care of the baby. He also had volunteers come up and participate which was very funny. Afterwards we had our last specialty restaurant dinner at Chops. George was our waiter again. His service and personality were outstanding again.
FRIDAY, May 5
Today was a day at sea with mixed sun and clouds and a temperature of about 70 degrees. We met up with M&D for a late breakfast in Windjammer. In the afternoon we watched the guests Talent Show in the Arcadia Theater. The acts were all pretty good except for one guy who sang an Indian love song a bit off key.
Our waiter – Dorin Lupsa
Assistant waiter: Oral Cole
There was a pianist who was exceptionally good when she performed as well as when she played for a couple of other acts. After resting in our cabins we met up with M&D in Sorrento’s at 6:00 for cocktails. Tonight’s show was The East Coast Boys. They were fabulous and sounded just like Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. All the songs were upbeat, the dancing was great, and the guys seemed like they were having a blast performing. It was the third and last formal night in the dining room – Lobster! Our waiter, Dorin, served us really fast so that he could go back to the kitchen and snag a second lobster tail for each of us!
SATURDAY, May 6
Arrived in Mallorca, Spain early but were delayed docking because we had to wait for another ship to leave. We were up and ready to go so we headed to Windjammer for breakfast and then left the ship at 9:45. We took a taxi to the Plaça de Cort, 
which was the old Jewish Quarter. We saw Palma Cathedral (called La Seu by locals) and walked through Parc de la Mar along a man-made lake. We stopped at an outdoor café for Sangria and anchovies in vinegar with bread. On the way into La Llotja, mom stepped on an oddly placed ancient curb and twisted her ankle. Although sore, she kept on going, and we went inside to see the amazing detailed arches supporting the building. This building was a seat of a merchants’ guild in the 15th century. 
We returned to the ship mid-afternoon and went to Windjammer. Afterwards we went to our 
cabins, mom to rest her ankle. We met at Sorrento’s for cocktails, then saw the musical “Once Upon a Time” in the theater. It was our last dinner in the dining room and time to distribute tips and take pictures with our servers, Dorin Lupsa (waiter) and Oral Cole (assistant waiter). We were able to pick out two free pictures in the gallery thanks to M&D’s Diamond Plus status. Mom’s ankle was hurting but she managed to slowly get around.
SUNDAY, MAY 7
Barcelona, Spain and the end of the cruise! We were out of the cabins just after 8:00 and headed to the Windjammer for breakfast. We departed the ship about 9:15 at which time there were long lines for passport control, and even longer lines for taxis. It took over 1½ hours to get a taxi, and then we saw the lines we even worse after we left! We arrived at the Hotel Continental Barcelona late morning. The 
rooms weren’t ready so we left our bags with the hotel, and had breakfast/lunch in the hotel’s free buffet. The buffet is open 24 hours, and always has soft service ice cream, soda, juices, beer, wine, and coffee machines that made various espresso drinks. 
We sat out on the back terrace until our rooms were ready about 1:30. It was a very cute hotel with an ancient elevator. The rooms were very modern (recently remodeled) but in the common areas it seemed that every possible surface was covered with floral wallpaper. Our rooms were on the 3rd floor with small balconies that looked out on to La Rambla. After resting, we walked to Plaça de Catalunya about ½ a block away. The plaza sits at the center of Barcelona, dividing the older (south) and newer (north) parts of town. The plaza is 22 acres and is filled with statues, fountains, benches, and thousands of pigeons which a lot of people feed. We sat on a bench and people/pigeon watched. On the recommendation of the desk clerk at the hotel, we walked a little further to Cachitos for dinner. We had 2 delicious types of paella and a refreshing pitcher of sangria. Then strolled back to the hotel.
MONDAY, May 8
Our day started with breakfast at the hotel’s buffet. We walked along La Rambla looking at the vendors and building architecture. 
We wandered through L
a Boqueria Market observing all the colorful, perfect fruit arrangements, and many other food venders including meat, fish, spices, nuts, and chocolates. We headed to the Barri Gótic/Gothic Quarter where the old Jewish Quarter was located. The buildings were all very close together and ancient looking. 
We visited Sinagoga Major de Barcelona, one of the oldest synagogues in Europe, 
and listened to the history by a presenter. The synagogue was very small because in ancient times it couldn’t be larger than the smallest church. The floor was several feet below the current street level because that was street level long ago. We returned to the hotel, had snacks at the buffet, and went to our rooms to rest. M&D received an email stating that their VISA card had been compromised by someone. Laurie worked with Dad to make phone calls to try to straighten things out. It was very emotionally-draining and then we took a bottle of wine downstairs for a quiet dinner at the hotel buffet. Afterwards we took a short walk on La Rambla before retiring.
TUESDAY, May 9
Breakfast at the buffet. A sunny, warm day. We took a taxi to Park Güell to see some of Gaudi’s work. 
The Monumental Zone, where all his mosaic work was, didn’t have tickets available until 8pm at night! We parked M&D on a shaded bench and went off to explore the free part of the park, which had many trails and stairs as well as some stonework 
that Gaudi designed. We were able to get glimpses of the Monumental Zone. Then we took a taxi to Sagrada Familia Church to observe the architecture designed by Gaudi from the park in front of the church. From there we took a long walk to Casa Milá/La Pedrera and then Casa Battló, houses designed by Gaudi. 
Almost in front of t
he hotel is the Font de Canaletes, which we all drank from (superstition has it that this ensures that we will return to Barcelona in our lifetime). We then had a small snack at the buffet and got some rest. On a recommendation from another hotel guest we went to Restaurant Elisabets down a side street very close to the hotel. We shared an assortment of 8 different tapas and we all had drinks. The tapas included a very tasy “Patatas Bravas” (potatoes with a smoky-mayonnaise-tomato sauce), anchovies, tomato bread, sandwiches, and bambas. The entire meal was only about 35€ for all four of us! We went and sat on La Ramblas to people watch, as well as watch the illegal vendors trying to stay one-step ahead of the police. What a wonderful, full day!
WEDNESDAY, May 10
A slightly hazy day – warm and a bit humid. Started with breakfast at the
buffet. After a jam-packed day yesterday we took it a little easier and aimlessly roamed the Ramblas and side streets, shopping for souvenirs while observing people and architecture. We saw an old Roman necropolis 
which was several feet down from the current street level and had above ground stone crypts. Time for a bathroom break so we stopped in a little place called La Granja, which dated to 1872 for hot chocolate (thick and extremely rich but yummy) and coffee. We ventured on and saw the beautiful Cathedral of Barcelona and the lively square in front of it where there was one “living statue” and another person completely covered in flowers. Then, back to the hotel for snacks and rest. We enjoyed Restaurant Lisabets so much yesterday so we went there again after sharing some wine at the hotel. More wonderful tapas and sangria with another low bill of about 40€. Retired early since we had to get up at 4:30 tomorrow morning.
THURSDAY, May 11
Travel day. Out of the hotel before 5:00am! Interesting people on the street. One was a scary looking beggar who was in our faces saying “please, please” over and over. Another was an old man who kept asking where our room had been in the hotel (apparently he thought that since we had paid and were now leaving, there was a paid-for room available for him). The flight from Barcelona to Frankfurt was uneventful. At the Frankfort airport, we went into the Senator’s Lounge as guests of M&D to await our flight to Chicago. They had a buffet with assorted snacks and drinks. We had to show passports again at the boarding gate. However, somewhere between that point and getting on the plane Dad lost his passport. Traveling International Business Class was wonderful! Lots of great food, drinks, pillows, blankets, amenity bags, seats that adjust including lying flat, large TV screens, movies, games, etc. We landed about 30 minutes early. It took a little time to deal with Dad’s lost passport at O’Hare passport control, but not too bad. Took a taxi to M&D’s. Had Portillo’s for dinner – shortly afterwards we we all fell asleep on the couch, then moved upstairs to sleep.
FRIDAY, May 12
Lox and Kauffman rolls for breakfast. Then we met Mark at The Bagel in Old Orchard. He looked well and we had a nice visit – too short but better than nothing. Lou Malnati’s pizza for dinner. Yum! The rest of the day was relaxing and visiting.
SATURDAY, May 13
Another great breakfast of lox and rolls. We spent more time visiting until we had to leave at 4:30. 
We waited in the United Lounge until our flight. Our flight back to Seattle went smoothly and we arrived a little early. Took a Lyft car to the house. Nicole greeted us when we got home about 11:15pm. Daniel worked until midnight so we waited up to see him. It was great to see them and be home! It was a great trip overall – now looking for our next one!