Cruising the Caribbean - Day two - Leaving Miami

[Ste]

27th September 2008

Been waiting for this day for 9 months.. It was finally here! SHIP DAY!
Woke up at around 6am to spot the sunrise of the city.



Planes were going right past our window, which was cool to see. Had a walk around the hotel, it was gorgeous. At the back was a golf course.



We had a buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurante, it was gorgeous. After that we sat out by the pool and a river. Which had signs for Aligators and snakes. We didn't see any , but our soon to be dinner friends did.



Sat here for a few hours.. and watched the live webcam from the port of Miami - I could see her!

12pm approached.. 2 coaches pulled up.. it was time - We're off!

The driver gave us a really great our of Miami - Great city! ( From on the bus lol)

This is where it gets exciting... My first view of the beautiful Liberty of the seas. My stomach just flipped.





Got to the pier, checked in within minutes , had our seapasses and on our way up some escalators.. Here we gooooooooooo!

Get on board, have our pictures taken, didn't buy them. We boarded at the forward gangway. Our cabin was on deck 10 , a D1 balcony. Room #1236 - just behind the bridge. Went up in the lift, found the room walked in.. and wet myself with excitement! ( OK exageration!) - first thing I wanted to do was walk on that balcony...





Bathroom.


After months of reading Cruise critic , I knew it was now time for foooooooooooooooooooooood! ( Minutes after getting on!) - Headed up to the windjammer for the first of many meals of the cruise.

Sights on the way.

The Adults only Solarium main pool.



1 of 2 hot tubs hanging over the side of the ship.




Continued below..

[Ste]

Oh yes I could sit here for a while...


The main pool - open 24hours a day.





The kids water zone - H20.



I bought the soda package - so had unlimited Sprite all week, yay!

Fooooooooooood! Great view. Loved the fruit punch too!


For dessert..


Ice sculpture.


After a great first meal we wanted to go and see the dining room - see our table , which was 285 and in the Rembrandt.



The dining room was so gorgeous. Our table was a table of 10 and on the starboard side by a window ( Which was to give excellent viewings to a hijack by birds and lightning storms.)



The menu - Don't know if it's too small ?


Continued below...

[Ste]

We went back to our state room - grabbed out life jackets and made our way down to our muster station , which was on deck 4. I was dreading this so much , yet turned out to be soooooooooo much fun!
It was over very quickly and now I have the ships muster horn ( 7 short blasts and 1 long blast) as my ring tone! Woo! After the muster drill we walked all the way back upto deck 10 ( Remember I am with my Nan!) , grabbed my 2 cameras and went to deck 12 for sailaway. Which was - AMAZING!





Skies were dark, but only produced a splodge of rain.

The horn sounded and away we went.. Down past all the celeb homes!


South beach


The Sailaway party was great.





The sunset was how I imagined it to be - Amazing!



You can see Miami..





Continued below...

[Ste]

We had a pre dinner show this evening ( We were on the late dinner seating)

The Platinum theatre was huuuuuuuuuge!


The show was the by the cruise director - James Andrews, funny top bloke. Followed by a juggler and the funniest comedian EVER!





After the great show - it was finally.. DINNER TIME!

Literally had to run from one end of the ship to other! I was really dreading this part, meeting our table mates. Really nervous! Only 4 of the 10 seats were occupied. A Scottish couple and a baby , and an newly wed Irish couple - Very quiet the first night. Made amazing friends by the end of the week.

The Head waiter, Waiter Madhu and Assistant waiter Carolina introduced themselves - Fab people!

I ordered some kind of cheese pie thing - it was very nice! (OMG look at all the forks.. Eeeeeeeeeee!)


Entree was a prime rib - I really really didn't like it after a couple of bites. I felt terrible, so it went into the bin I guess..



Dessert though was a Chocolate cherry cake - OMG! Nicest dessert ever! ( I was to say this every night lol)



There was a parade tonight on the Royal Promenade - pretty cool.




It was now gone 11 and really tired. My Nan went to bed but I spent 2 hours just wandering the almost empty quiet ship.. an amazing experience on the top deck. Not a light in sight.. Just stars and the sea.

An amazing start to our cruise! Day 3 to follow soon.

[Ninja]

Oh wow Ste it looks absolutely fantastic and bless yer nan going up and down all those decks no wonder she went to bed at 11 lol x Fab pictures x
Lol at you and your phone ring

[Strommie]

Fantastic Ste, the ship is amazing

[TimP]

What fantastic pictures, still not sure on a cruise though!

Claire

[dave and lesley]

Fab pics Ste, great report, what a stunning ship.

Looks absolutely fantastic, the food looks yummy

[pepsicube]

Oh no, I want a cruise now.
That looks amazing.

[juless77]

Great reading fantastic piccies ...