My Take on the Sun Princess US Inaugural Voyage

 

We're seasoned cruisers with nearly a dozen trips behind us. At this point, we know what we like and don't like about the different size ships.

In October 2024, we took an inaugural cruise on the Sun Princess which had just completed its European tour. This was the first time the ship was heading out from the United States.

We flew in the night before and enjoyed a wonderful room at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.

The hotel was directly across from the Atlantic Ocean with a beautiful view. The hotel staff was friendly, the room was clean and quiet and we were pleased with our short stay. Walking distance from the hotel, we found the Casa Blanca Restaurant where we shared a burger and glasses of delicious sangria.

Casa Blanca in Ft. Lauderdale

The next morning we took an Uber to the port.

Embarkation day is a big challenge for many of the cruise lines. There are hundreds of people showing up at the same time, all needing to go through processing to get badges, check their luggage, go through security and then walk through the maize of jetways to board the ship.

It was clear this was the first time the port employees had seen such a volume of passengers and they were ill prepared to process so many people at once.

Hopefully, with some experience, they will have ironed out the embarkation issues and have a better method of crowd handling.

The walk back to the hotel.

We entered the queue of waiting people, after making our way all the way to the end of the line which had doubled back on itself. Standing in the tropical 90 degree heat with no cross breeze or fans in the outdoor warehouse-type space was stifling. A couple of times I thought my hubby was going to pass out.

We had checked our roller bags at the entrance, so we were carrying our heavy backpacks as the line crept slowly towards the door.

There's supposed to be a priority boarding for seasoned cruisers who've achieved "Elite" or "Platinum" status due to loyalty or number of cruises taken, but there was no such thing in place.

Once inside, the line crept slowly through a security checkpoint where, everything must be placed on the conveyor belt - hats, purses, phones, luggage, all had to go through the scanner.

It was not the highlight of our trip.

The send-off when the ship first left the port was spectacular. We watched a pair of tugboats gracefully dancing in a performance with water sprays that created a rainbow effect. It was amazing!

The Tugboat Show

We couldn't help but make comparisons to other cruises we've taken. We've been on the Ruby Princess a few times. It's a smaller ship built in 2008, that holds around 3,080 guests plus a crew of  1,200. We love the quaint feel of the cozy restaurants and public places that are welcoming and warm. The Piazza has an ambiance that brings back times gone by.

In contrast, the Sun Princess, the newest ship in the fleet, holds up to 4,300 guests with a crew of 1,600. You'd be surprised at the difference 1,600 extra people make on a ship, even of this size. The shops were crowded, the restaurants had wait lists and even the bars had long wait times for service.

In port at Amber Cove

We found ourselves engulfed in a sea of passengers no matter what the venue, whether in ship stores, dining rooms, bars or at the Piazza. 

The Piazza

Speaking of which, the multi-level seating in the Piazza on the Sun, although convenient and comfortable, lacks personality.

While the super large screen makes it easier to see performances, games or magic shows on the Sun, the comforting ambiance is lacking.

We bought the drink package because we like specialty coffee, premium desserts, and the reserve dining experience where you can dine at anytime without waiting in line. With the new Sanctuary collection, the reserve collection option is removed and passenger's are assigned a restaurant of their own.

This was my dinner the first night in the Sanctuary restaurant. The steak was tough, the baked potato was hard as were the veggies. The hubby sent his Alfredo back as it was hard and cold. The Maître de wasn't too accommodating and we left with food uneaten.

As mini-suite Sanctuary guests, we were allowed to have breakfast each morning in the Sanctuary dining room but mostly skipped the restaurant and went to the buffet where they had prepare-to-order omelets and assorted breakfast food and pastries. 

For specialty restaurants, we had difficulty getting a reservation at our favorite, Catch by Rudi, so we chose the Crown Grill. It was our first time to be disappointed with the service and "quality" of the meal. We ate less than half of the lobster dinner and left before dessert.

We had much better luck with a new specialty dining place called Umai, Teppanyaki which is a hibachi grill-type venue where you sit with other people and the chef puts on a show of cooking, singing and telling jokes. 

The shrimp flipped into the chef's hat trick was different when he tossed in an egg and caught it expertly.

The food was fantastic, the whole meal was fabulous. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

Returning from a tiring day in port, we tried another new place called American Diner. That was far and away from anything resembling a diner that we could imagine. Service was slow - we must have been between shifts because we gave our order to three different people before they finally got it.

Milkshakes were watery and tasteless. The hot dogs were served on a Brioche roll (where's the beef?) with a smearing of "bacon onion jam" which we had asked them to leave off. We left most of our meal on the table.

For us, it's an easy choice to book on the smaller ships. They're more personable, friendly, and less crowded. 

Despite my complaints about this voyage, we remain steadfast cruisers who will continue to sail on the Princess line of ships. Just, for now, not the mega sized ones. See you on the sea.

Zip Lining on a Cruise in the Dominican Republic - Oct 2024

 

At the Resort

One of our bucket-list items was to go zip lining. During our cruise to the Dominican Republic, we signed up for an excursion. 

At the cruise pier we were met by our tour guide, Duran, who claimed us as part of his "family." We were loaded onto an old military style open air truck that took our group from the cruise port to the zip line resort. That was the scariest part of the entire adventure.

In the Dominican Republic, traffic moves incredibly fast. Despite solid center lines and hills with no view of oncoming traffic, other vehicles sped around us to pass. There were goats, cows and donkeys grazing only inches from the side of the road.

The trip to the site took around 45 minutes and took us past a variety of neighborhoods, some well-appointed and others at a level of poverty that made me grateful to live where I do.

Once at the resort, we were given a few minutes to get a cold drink and use the restrooms before touring the gardens and beginning our training. In the first photo, behind the truck in the trees you can see the first platform where the zip trek begins.

After getting instructions on how to hold on and how to brake during the slide, we geared up. The equipment is a bit heavy for someone my size, but manageable. There's a pulley hooked to a harness that goes around your thighs, waist and shoulders, and a crash helmet.

It's a surprisingly simple process to zing across spans of jungle dangling from a cable and a pulley. It was a six-leg journey with platforms between each of the runs. There was even a child among our party. She was fearless.

We're both retirement age which made dealing with the immense heat of the Caribbean climate tough. My husband, got overheated after the strenuous stair climbing wearing heavy equipment.

After 4 legs, we made an early exit down one of the back "secret" stairs. He's had major back surgery and knee replacements. We didn't want to push our luck.

On the drive back to the cruise port after our excursion deep into the jungle the truck started making strange noises. Turns out it got a flat tire and we were broken down in a scary part of town, 

Thankfully the excursion was sponsored by the cruise line, which meant we wouldn't be left behind if we got back to the ship late. As it turned out, we needn't have worried. A replacement truck arrived within 45 minutes to off-load the 30 or so zip-lining participants.

This was our first time to try this type of adventure and it won't be our last. One disappointment was that we couldn't use our Go-Pro camera at that site. 

The thrill of sailing nearly weightlessly across an expanse of tropical forest was indescribable. The pulleys make a sound that becomes familiar as each participant sets off from one platform, zinging across steel cables to land feet first at the next platform. Waiting to catch the arriving zip-liner is a crew of trained professional handlers whose courtesy and understanding was much appreciated.

 

Where the truck transport stopped to fix the tire was a bit sketchy. There was a restaurant across the street, but no one got off the bus to give it a try.

The resort where we were taken was a beautifully decorated, tropical paradise with bathroom facilities, lockers, and a small souvenir shop.

There was a veranda in the back for catered lunches and a shady, covered area after the excursion where we were served fresh watermelon, cantaloupe and soft drinks.

We had a great time and would do this again in a heartbeat. Next time, we're looking for a place that has fewer stairs to climb!

Notes

Requirements & Restrictions: Minimum age – 6 years. All minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Closed-toe shoes are required. Maximum weight – 250 lbs. Hair must be tied for the ziplines. For safety reasons, pregnant women, and guests with back or neck injuries, walking disabilities or other severe medical conditions may not participate in this excursion.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, hair band to tie long hair, and cash for additional purchases.

Good to Know: Tour order may vary. For the zipline portion of the tour, if a child is considered too small for the activities, the child must ride with a guide. Transportation is on an open-air truck and ride may be bumpy.

(Notes from the Carnival Cruise site)

Cruising the Panama Canal December 2023

 

The best trip of our ongoing cruising adventures was our trip to Panama in December of 2023. We were aboard the Ruby Princess, which although it is an older ship, has a charm and appeal that can't be matched by the huge megaships in the fleet.

What made the trip memorable? First of all, our cabin was spectacular. We opted for a full penthouse suite which, if you ever get the chance, is a must-try. As "sweeties" so-named by the Events and Guest Services supervisor, Tina DeBarros, we were spoiled beyond belief.

Embroidered house slippers and luxury robes, umbrellas and a fruit basket waited to welcome us to the room. The towels were extravagantly thick and felt new. The bathroom was beautiful with a full tub and a glass-enclosed shower along with a separate toilet room.

Our balcony was twice the normal size of our mini-suites and the closet space was extravagant. Topping it off, the service by our room steward was impeccable.

But, before arriving at the ship, we were invited to a special gathering at the headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale with a pre-boarding photo session and a spread of delectable food treats.

Staff members answered questions and made dinner bookings for us at specialty restaurants onboard. They labeled our luggage and whisked it off to be taken directly to our rooms.

Before a transport van took us directly to the secret entrance for embarkation with NO waiting in line, we had a fascinating conversation with Tina whose insight about the ports we were to visit was truly enlightening.

Our daily breakfast location was at Sabatini's, reserved for suite holders and Elite level passengers. One morning, I ordered the traditional eggs Benedict meal and it was fabulous.

Throughout the cruise we would run across Tina who never failed to recognize us and give a huge hug. She photobombed our breakfast pics, taken by the Maître D,  Ivan, whose sense of humor had us in stitches.

The ten-day cruise took us to Jamaica, Cartagena Columbia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica and the Cayman Islands. My favorite port was Costa Rica where the tourist shops at the end of the pier offered native artwork, beautiful paintings on wood, hand-made leather items and the usual assortment of t-shirts, hats and carry-all bags.

The nearby shopping area in Jamaica was the only area we explored while there. The merchandise was a bit overpriced, (t-shirts for $38) but if you compared from shop-to-shop you could get a few deals.

Jamaica

Cartagena Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

In Cartagena Columbia, we took a bus tour of the city that stopped at a fort for 10 minutes to explore the area. A bit longer would have been nice.

Flamenco Dancers

We traveled on to a luxurious residence to watch a performance by Flamenco dancers, onward to a cathedral and then to a museum. The outdoor heat was nearly unbearable but the air-conditioned bus trip was well worth the short-lived discomfort.

The tour ended at a souvenir shop where we found magnets, hats and other gift items.

The walk-through on the way back to the ship took us through a parrot and flamingo filled garden where the birds roamed free. It was beautiful.

The actual transit through the Panama Canal was an experience in itself. We stood on the bow of the ship and watched as the locks opened and closed allowing the ship passage through the narrow canal. It was the experience of a lifetime.

Panama Canal Ship Locks

But the very best part of the trip was being with our friends, Renee and Keith whom we'd met on a trip in April when we visited Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan. Our foursome managed to stay awake late enough to close down the dance party in the Piazza when the classic rock band  played.

We enjoyed great food, entertainment, tours, games, invitations to the Captain's party, a private Concierge Lounge a few doors down from our room where we could get coffee in the morning, snacks and drinks at happy hours. It was a fantastic voyage!

The Carriage Driver 3 - Book Review

A collection of uplifting stories where the recently departed spend eternity in the destination of their choice. The Carriage Driver guides the deceased to an ideal future where artists get to paint, compose, sing with the greats. Dancers find new steady legs and music. It's Heaven that we would hope to find.

Have you ever wondered what Heaven would be like? This collection offers glimpses into the realm of possibilities. If presented with an eternal hereafter, the reader must only choose their destination in which to live out their dreams.

These stories are about people who've demonstrated a spirit of love and caring during their lives. For these folks who've crossed over, a better place awaits that matches their talents, interests and desires. For those that promote evil and nefarious deeds, there also awaits a destiny. That is, if you believe The Promise.

This book is the third in a series of short stories about the afterlife by Fiction Award-winning author Michael Friedman. In the Carriage Driver³, the author continues to share glimpses into what might await us in our next life among the stars.

These stories tend to reassure readers about the fate of loved ones who've journeyed to the other side. This collection of stories is delightful and poignant, told by a master at telling tales.

What Happens to Our Pets?

The book opens with a story about a man and his six-year-old Labrador Retriever, who, after losing her master, makes a new acquaintance and finds a new life here on Earth. For pet lovers that wonder what will happen to our pets should we depart first, it gives a sense of peace that all will be well with the beloved creatures we leave behind.

Those guided by the carriage driver and his noble stead will make the journey safely and in good company.

Through these stories we meet Nichole, Ann, Magruder, Betty Lou, John, Annie, Paula; professors, farmers, hippies, pilots and soldiers, children, mothers, brothers and blue-bellied warriors. Some have seen nearly a century of life, balancing their toils with joys, dancing their way across the years while others are plucked early from life by the ruthless, murderous spawn of Satan.

The characters are from Texas, Florida, New Concord, Pakistan, north, south, east and west. They've explored the Euphrates and the deserts. They represent people from every walk of life. Each story has a character with which we can feel a bond, a familiarity and presence of someone we knew or held close.

In one story, the reader meets a character quick with a practiced smile and devilish blue eyes whose penchant and passion included illegitimate schemes for making money. It seems every family has one of these characters that operate the "small cons, even on members of his family."

This particular stocky man, fond of wearing black and tons of gold jewelry, thinks he is in charge of the destiny of others even in the afterlife.

"There would be hell to pay," and his self-assured promises were put to the test when Dottie’s name appeared in “the book.”

A Woman Like Me

Anyone familiar with Goth or Emo will recognize Lisa whose wardrobe consists of a black leather jacket with silver studs, heavy black boots and layers of mask applied over many years. She wears layers of darkness to distance herself and to pull “the cloak of fear” about her.

After she manages to escape on Nuelle the horse, she's comforted by the oracles that take her under their wings. Later, at Elysian fields, they render aid along with a heavy dose of much-needed healing.

Louise

The story of Louise tugs hard on my heart strings as it reminds me of my mother's sister, my maiden aunt whose life was one of gentle simplicity, kindness and charitable actions. In the story, Louise transcends a life where her mobility has been restricted by age. After a life of active sports, dancing and grace, she's confined to a wheelchair. Her vision's been taken away by age-related Macular Degeneration, and at the age of ninety-seven, she's removed from even the simple pleasures of reading, playing bingo or watching her favorite game shows on TV.

Her transition to the afterlife includes a brand new pair of emerald green dancing shoes fit for a ballroom. Like Cinderella, she's transformed from her former diminished self into a new and enchanting world of music and song awaking in a great hall filled with handsome and willing dance partners where they twirl merrily under a galaxy of glittering stars.

The Legend

This story highlights a young musical singer and performer, Chuck Berry, who drew hordes of youth out on the dance floor bopping to his tunes. He brought generations of teenagers together.

Every day in the news we hear of the death of one of our childhood stars or musical heroes. From Elvis, his daughter Priscilla, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Tom Petty, the stars are falling from the sky like raindrops.

In this fictional story, when Chuck Berry's time came to take the ride to the stage in the sky he reminisced with the driver about meeting Elvis, and how the influence of the Beatles, Marvin Gaye and Otis changed the world.

Captain Griffin Chaffey and his trusty steed, Nuelle, travel the skies, transporting dearly departed souls to the destination of their wishes, sharing an apple and small talk while we eavesdrop into their journeys, gleaning a fragment of hope and solace in our hours of need.

For me, this book was a great comfort when loved ones passed away, something that as we grow older, seems to happen with regularity. With this sobering realization comes the importance of making the most out of life and poses the question, "Who goes to Heaven and why?"

It's a book that offers comfort and hope, a book to be shared and treasured. It's a book that explores “our deepest desires for an afterlife free from the stress and the constraints of our earthly bonds.”

I highly recommend keeping a copy of this book on the nightstand to read during sleepless nights.

Bain Honaker House in Farmersville Texas - Historic Houses

Nestled into a quiet rural street east of the Farmersville square, the Bain Honaker house is a reminder of the struggles of daily living in the 1800s. Constructed just after the Civil War, its builder and first owner, Anna Melissa Bain, was the widow of John Alexander Bain, 1823 - 1862. She was a woman of vision who with keen foresight, bought nearly seven acres in a small town fifty miles northeast of Dallas.

Inside the house there's a collection of items from workers, gun owners, revolutionaries, widows, orphans, musical instruments and lasting architectural design. Visitors can browse through antique books, old photos, vintage clothing, parlor-style furniture, and the remnants of lives well-lived.

Decorated in period-correct wallpaper, the interior is warmed by a shared fireplace in the wall between the parlor and the sitting room. 

"Mid-nineteenth-century homes included a formal parlor, sometimes described by social historians as a sacred space, where weddings, funerals, and other public events were held."

At times, it might hold the body of the deceased on display for visitation by friends and relatives prior to the funeral. The parlor was likely the most expensively furnished and elegant room in the entire house.

"The parlor furniture was made of richer materials and included the piano for entertaining guests. The cozier sitting room was used by the family for reading and sewing."₂

A ceramic and enamel container held excess ashes from the hearth. As the fire was the primary source of heat, it would need to be emptied on a regular basis. 

"A family would gather in the sitting room in the evening, drawing close together to share the light of an oil or kerosene lamp.

Reading was a popular activity during which the family was likely to listen to someone reading aloud. Typically, the man of the house would read aloud, while women engaged in some form of sewing or handwork."

A writing desk and a comfortable chair were highly valued items in a sitting room.

Anna Hicks Bain, born in 1834, was eleven years younger than her husband, John Alexander Bain, who passed away in November 1862. A widow at twenty-eight years old, she raised five daughters in the house following his death. She smartly supplemented her income by dividing the 6.7 acres into smaller plots which became commercial properties and by taking in boarders in the spare rooms upstairs.

This room offered entry to the house through the back doors, possibly used as the servant's entrance, or to allow boarders a private access to the stairs. It served as a mud room in inclement weather to store wet boots and outer garments or in summer as a place to cool off. Off the screened porch is a brick path leading to the outhouse and the fresh-water well.

The porch allowed access to the informal dining area, possibly an eat-in kitchen where food was prepared. Cold food was stored in the wooden ice box in the corner. A sign would be put in the window to let the ice man know what size block to bring in from his truck.

Many of the daily chores revolved around cooking, baking, cleaning, washing, mending, raising chickens, planting a garden, gathering the harvest. In the absence of modern appliances, most work was done by hand. Sundays were a day of rest and worship.

When the Bain-Honaker house was built in 1865, it was a time of national unrest with the war between the states just winding down. Supplies were scarce, tensions were high and many wounded men were returning home after battling neighbors and brothers over issues of States' Rights versus Federal Authority, Westward expansion and slavery. The years 1860 - 1864 marked some of our nation's most difficult times, certainly a difficult time to lose a husband and raise five children alone.

Music played a large role in daily life in the absence of telephones, television or radio. Books and reading, singing, sewing and hand crafts kept idle hands busy.

Anna Bain's daughters, Mary and Catherine (Cassia) married brothers Henry Honaker and Andrew Honaker. Cassia lived in the house until her death in 1928. Five generations lived in the house.₃

The bathroom was upgraded over the years. There's an upstairs bathroom with the old cast iron bathtub and another remodeled bathroom downstairs.

The house was donated to the Farmersville Historical Society by a descendant in 1989.

Farmersville, Texas is the place to visit if you enjoy quaint, old-fashioned towns with antiques and curiosities. Located near Highway 380 and Highway 78, the town has friendly merchants, good food, a quiet laid-back environment and the largest yarn store in Texas.

Sources:

1. John Alexander Bain, March 15, 1823 - November 1862. Facts from Ancestry dot com
2. Anna Hicks Bain, 1834 - 1906
3. Collin County Texas dot Gov, Bain Honaker House

Cruising to Alaska in August 2024

July and August, while temperatures swelter in Texas, it's a great time for a cruise to somewhere cool.

Our trip to Alaska started with a trip from Dallas to Seattle. Flying sure isn't what it used to be. Most passengers keep their window shade down during the flight, making the cabin dark and dreary. Electronic devices seem to be more fascinating than the view from 30,000 feet, but not for me.

We spent the night at the Westin in Downtown Seattle. The Uber trip to the hotel was eye-opening. I'd heard about the "housing challenges" but wasn't prepared for the number of unhoused people lurking in doorways, walking aimlessly about and hanging around the area. It was scary enough to make us stay inside at the hotel. 

The next morning during the ride from the hotel to the pier I spotted someone on the sidewalk whose clothes were torn, exposing undergarments. He was gesturing wildly as he walked, as if under the influence.

We won't be staying downtown in Seattle in the future.

The news stand in front of the hotel

At the port, three cruise ships full of passengers were disembarking. The harbor employees did a great job offloading thousands of people at once.

Bonnie, a traffic control lady, made sure people went to the correct areas for ride shares or the waiting area to get onboard. We sat on benches near the action for over an hour as she cheerfully directed people to their proper places. 

As we moved to the entrance of the embarkation building, she came over and gave me an unexpected hug. That was nice.

We also met a drug-sniffing security dog whose tail never stopped wagging.

In line behind us was a family with three teenage boys who were so well-mannered it was amazing. We ran into the Wilsons several times while we were on board, at meals and even shopping in Ketchikan.

Food on the ship was spectacular, particularly breakfast at The Catch by Rudi where we got to know another couple sitting next to us. We enjoyed eggs cooked to order with toast and a fruit plate for my hubby.

We ate at The Catch by Rudy for one of our specialty dinners and wow! The service was amazing, the food was more than plentiful and way too much for us to finish. My Dover sole was deboned at the table with expertise by our waiter, Virgilio, with a nice visit by the Maître d, Johannes who was incredibly personable and a lot of fun.

The ports of Juneau and Skagway were not easily accessible for us. Due to recent damage to the port, a tender boat ride was necessary to get ashore. With the brisk wind and splashing seas, we opted to stay on board, warm and dry. We did make if off the ship for one port, Ketchikan. With an average rainfall of 270 days per year, we were fortunate to enjoy a sunny day with mild temps in the high 60s.

Thankfully, our trip was a couple of weeks before the devastating landslide that damaged property and took lives. A sad outcome in a breathtakingly beautiful place.

Despite the fun, food and friends we enjoyed, a cold cruise would not be the top choice for our next adventure. We were raised in tropical climates and found the temps a bit too brisk for us.

Onward, to the Caribbean in October.

Logging is one of the main industries in AK.

Juneau, AK

Ice chunks in the water

Approaching the glacier

Ketchikan Alaska 2024

Overall, it was a fabulous trip and well worth the cost and the time to check another one off our bucket list.