Smooth “Sailing” This Time Around

Amazing how smooth the system can be when nothing disrupts it.


On our cruise last month, the ship was delayed coming to port (due to an unforeseen emergency, of course). Our check in was changed from staggered (we were due at the port at 3:30 pm), to everyone show up at 6:30 pm. We showed up at 6:30, but were closer to being the last ones to arrive (don’t you hate it when people don’t follow directions?). Parking was a nightmare. Bus transportation to the terminal (required in Charleston) was over-logged. Lines crawled. We finally got to board the ship at 11:30 pm (they had hoped to debark at 10—haha!).


Flash forward to yesterday (New Orleans). Our check in time was at 12:30pm (again, staggered). Parking was a breeze. We rode the elevator down to the terminal (from our parked car) a little before our check-in time (15 minutes) and would have gotten there a lot before (60 minutes) if Hubby had his way (don’t you hate it when people don’t follow directions? J). Lines moved quickly and we were on the ship by 1:00pm.


What a much more pleasant experience!


I’d like to say the difference between the two ports is due to the unforeseen emergency at Charleston, but we’d been through Charleston twice before and it’s always been a lengthy check-in. This was our second time out of New Orleans and both times went pretty smooth.


Now, the Steelers game was on while we waited to check in and Hubby (of course) was listening to it on our SiriumXM App. As soon as we got on the ship, he found the bar and—whoo hoo!—they were showing the game on TV (for some reason we get lucky with that; it’s not like the cruise can pick which game is shown, but we always seem to be able to watch the Steelers). So we got to watch the Steelers play in the snow and so thankful we weren’t up there in it! J


And they won! Even better.


Yeah, my daughter said we weren’t allowed to cruise in December. It always seems to snow when we’re gone (which it did, but not a lot). Naturally, she says this every year. Do we listen to her? Of course not! The cruises are cheaper the first couple of weeks in December. Plus, it’s close to our anniversary. We just like cruising then.


Did you know it takes the ship about 8 hours to navigate the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico? I didn’t. Just throwing a bit of trivia in there.


So… Do you think you’ll ever take a cruise? Where would you like to cruise to?


Happy Monday! Hope you’re staying warm. I know I am! Hahahahaha!


Stacy