FLORIDA REPORT 2--THE CRUISE

I just checked the upcoming weather back in Waukon, and thought I'd better do my next update before the next blast hits.  The Wingers and Waves cruise we took for six days (Feb.25-31) was our fifth.  This year we had about 180 Gold Wingers aboard.  (Quite the motorcycle gang!)  We boarded the Navigator of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) on Feb. 25th at Ft. Lauderdale, FL. and departed for Nassau, Bahamas at 3 PM.  We arrived in the Bahamas at 8 AM on the 26th.  Our shore excursion was a bus tour of the Nassau area.  One of the highlight stops on the tour was the world famous Atlantis Resort.  We got a chance to tour part of the facility and found out to stay in the room that belonged to Michael Jackson would cost $35,000 a night with a minimum of four nights.  (We reserved it for four nights next year.  LOL!)  Here's some photos of Atlantis.

After our bus tour we returned to the ship for our nightly 3 course supper with our Gold Wing group.  As some of you know, the food on a cruise is delicious and plentiful!  We departed the Bahamas at 4:30 sailing for Labadee, Haiti.  The 27th was a day at sea with no shore excursions.  The Wingers had a get-together with 50 & 60's music and dancing.  Each evening there is live entertainment in a huge theatre on the ship.  Tonight it was a very funny comedian.

We made port at Labadee in Haiti on the morning of the 28th.  Labadee is a port area in Haiti that is actually owned by Royal Caribbean.  Our shore excursion was a tour that focused on the history and culture of Labadee.  We were entertained by some of the native Haitians including a live fire eater!

We departed Labadee at 5PM sailing for Falmouth, Jamaica.  Our entertainment for the night was a very professional presentation of the musical GREASE.
We arrived in Falmouth on the morning of the 29th with our shore excursion being a tour and shopping experience.  We stopped at some very scenic spots and learned about some of the historic events on the island.  We stopped at a couple of outlets for souvenir shopping.

WHAT IS THIS WNR SHOPPING FOR??!!

The 30th was a day at sea heading back to Ft. Lauderdale and the Wingers had a Reggae party where prizes were awarded for the best reggae costumes.

We arrived back at the port in Ft. Lauderdale on the morning of the 31st.  We picked up the truck and got back on the moving parking lot (I 95) heading back north bound for Panama City Beach.  We took HWY 98 and passed through Mexico Beach and saw some of the vast hurricane Michael damage.  We arrived back at the condo on Feb. 1st and went for a ride on the trike.  I shouldn't mention it, but this part of Florida has been setting new record high temperatures (80's).  More about the rides here in some upcoming posts.