Bahama's Excursion - Day One

                                    Bahama’s Excursion

Thurs. Dec 23^rd, 2021- Day one- Estero, Florida

         We were up early this morning. Finishing packing, we loaded our gear into the car and drove over to Rick & Linda Monzon’s place. They were going to spend the next four days with us, on a four-day excursion aboard the Celebrity Millennium. Everyone was apprehensive because of the massive onset of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus. We had all received our three vaccination shots and tested negative on a rapid covid test.

        That had been a story in itself. The ship required all passengers to have a negative Covid test performed 48 hrs. before boarding. Dutifully, we made an appointment at the CVS Pharmacy for a drive-up test on Tuesday. It was quick and uneventful. They promised results in one to two days. Well, of course, you know that at 5 P.M. the night before leaving, we had not received the test results. Scrambling around, we found a small pharmacy nearby. The Dr. promised to stay open for an hour, if we could scurry over. We did. The man did as promised, and charged us $65 each for rapid results, which happily were negative. We would have paid him a lot more than asked for the tests. We were in a bind. Naturally, when we arrived back in the condo, our CVS results had arrived via E-Mail, also negative.

           After picking up the Monzon’s, we drove South on Rte.#75 and crossed the Everglades via “Alligator Alley. I always find it restful here, to gaze on the blowing grass and wind weaving trees. Bird life is always everywhere about you. Sometimes, the gators line the banks of the twin canals Other times, you see nary a one. But you know they are out there, along with Panthers, Black Bears, Burmese Pythons, four types of poisonous snakes and all manner of other creatures. It is interesting, riding through the wilds, while safely ensconced in your vehicle.

          At the other end of the alley, crossing the Miccosukee Reservation, we could see the raised, skeletal high way systems running down the East Coast of Florida. This narrow strip of land is packed with residents. The highway here is always an adventure of white-knuckle driving. A short distance south, we exited onto the Everglades highway and found our way into the fenced and well-guarded area of Ft. Lauderdale’s Port. A three-lane custom’s gate screened our entry. We needed photo I.D.s and a. record of vaccinations for entry.

       A mile over, we came across the Dock # 25 area. The Millennium hovered over us. We found a parking garage, already crowded to the max. A spot was open on the sixth floor of the ramp and we squeezed the chariot into the narrow slot. We had to walk a few hundred yards, to the harbor bldg. that fed the entrance to the ship. A series of I.D and negative Covid inspection stops led us onto the second floor of the complex, where a few hundred of our companion passengers waited to boar ship. We sat idly and chatted for a bit before joining the line to board the twelve deck Leviathan. I.D and vaccination checks were casual, but thorough. We sere soon aboard. Fortunately, our cabins were ready. We had carried our small bags with us. We took the elevator up to Deck # 7 and found Cabin # 7361. It was fresh and ready for us. We met our steward, Angel.  We unpacked our gear and settled in. Our Balcony faced out on to the ocean, so we could look out onto the azure Atlantic and watch any number of local water craft pass by.

        It was after 1 P.M., so we made our way up to the Deck # 10 Oceanview café, and settled in with some pretty decent salads, with good coffee and a chocolate chip cookie. Everyone was newly arrived and most marveled at the wide assortments of food laid out in the many stations up and down the café. You could eat until you fell over here if you chose. By their looks, some apparently did. A glass of wine, as we sat topside watching the comings and goings all around us was pleasant. There are hundreds of stories here.

        Back in the cabin, I wrote up my notes and we settled in to watch an old Movie, ”Heaven Can Wait.” We also watched the emergency departure video, featuring alarm signals and floatation device securing, as required by Law. Later we would stop by the Deck #4 Life Boat station and sign in, signifying we had watched the video and knew where our Lifeboat station was. This was a welcome departure from previous practice. Usually, shortly after embarking, you had a mandatory lifeboat station drill, where everyone on the ship assembled at their station. Any missing passengers, were sought out by the crew and escorted to their stations.

       Four-thirty in the afternoon, found us topside with a glass of cabernet in hand. It was our custom, on cruises, to stand top-side and watch the great ship leave port, bound into the deep Atlantic. The small tugs acted as Terriers to guide the great ship through the narrow passageway of the harbor and out into the Atlantic, bound for the small, sandy Atoll of Bimini, in the Bahamas. There were always all manner of smaller craft watching the ships leave. It was a ritual of sorts and one we always enjoyed. The sun was shining. It was in the mid-eighties out and a glorious afternoon on the open Atlantic. Does it get any better than this?

     In the cabin, we prepped and readied for dinner. We were meeting the Monzon’s at 6:30 P.M. in the Deck #4 Metropolitan Restaurant for dinner. Most of the passenger list had signed up for either the 6 or 8 P.M. O’clock seating. We had elected the “anytime dining” status. We stood in line briefly and were escorted to our table in the busy restaurant. Some of our fellows were casually dressed. One short, stocky individual had on a “wife beater” tee shirt and baggy, denim shorts. The maître ‘d asked him to don a shirt. Unfazed, the man asked his wife for her red and black flannel shirt and put it on. Sigh, formal dining styles have markedly diminished.

      The meal itself was wonderful. We enjoyed a  decent Pinot Noir while perusing the extensive menu. The garlic escargot, with seared salmon and potatoes was wonderful. We elected to have decaf coffee and vanilla ice cream for desert. Calories, shipboard, can soon get quickly away from you. The ambiance was busy shipboard, but we  enjoyed the meal and the conversation. Afterwards, we passed on the ship’s various entertainment venues. These cowboys were already yawning for sleep, after a busy day. We returned to the cabin, reading Edward Rutherfurd’s “China,” and drifted off to sleep, amidst the gentle shushing of a great ship at sea.

                                              -30-

                                       ( 1,157 words)

                                    Joseph Xavier Martin