Pre-cruise...I worked until Thursday. We booked the cruise back in February and I had counted down ever since! Unfortunately I woke up Thursday and I was sick. :( As the day went on I got more achy and more sick. Came home and slept for a few hours. I had planned on doing last minute things, being giddy and excited...UGH!! It was a real downer. It is what it is though and nothing I could do. I was sick all through Thursday night and planned I would go to doctor if still feeling this way on Friday. Friday rolled around and by the time I dragged myself outta bed, I just felt like I had a cold of sorts. Skipped the doctor and did a lot of running around. Had my nails down nice and Carribbean-ish (haha). French tips with pink and black swirly things and a hint of glitter. They were cute!
We woke up around 3am on Saturday, September 12th as we were flying out of Washington - Reagan National, Washington, DC on Saturday morning. Our flight was at 7:59am on Delta. Unfortunately I was NOT feeling well. I was blowing my nose a lot and just felt utterly crappy. We left our home in Maryland around 5:15am. We were at the airport around 6am and on the bus to take us to out of the long term parking by 6:20. The airport was not busy at all so we had no problems. I did online check-in the night before for our checked luggage. There was a 15$ per bag fee that I also had already paid online so we could skip all that and just get the printed slip and put it on luggage and boarding passes and be on our way. It was simple. We have not flown Delta before. We have flown US Airways most of the time and once on Northwest. We were very pleased with Delta. Only reason flying them this time was they had the best price for us. We paid $298.20 each for roundtrip from Reagan National airport to Atlanta (about an hour layover) to Puerto Rico. We had a layover in the Atlanta on the way back as well. Only problem with flight is that my ears would NOT pop and along with being sick my ears were stuck and I couldn't hear right and when I talked I felt like I was talking soooo loud! ugh!
Our flight landed in Puerto Rico around 2:30pm. Original plan was we would get there with time to still see something in the evening, but with me being sick it wasn't happening. That's ok, we made the best of it! I have no regrets (except should have made hubby take some pics at hotel!). There is a taxi stand right outside the airport, we went up to the stand, told them where we were going, they gave us a piece of paper with the amount we would pay and we agreed. It aws 12$ to get from airport to Embassy Suites and we had two pieced of big luggage. I was happy with this. Only thing we were not sure on is how much we should be tipping the taxi drivers. We always gave at least $5 as a tip. I hope that was ok. I should have looked into that. The ride from the airport to the hotel was seriously less than 10minutes. Possibly just 5. The hotel was really close.
We did walk around near the hotel for a couple blocks. I didn't feel like doing much. I did see Ponderosa, Subway, Burger King, Walgreens...all this was with within walking distance if you have a need for any of those. We ended up just eating at the Outback Steakhouse which is inside the hotel. I am a picky eater and I also hadn't thought to look at recommendations on where to eat near the hotel. We were fine with this. My ears were so messed up and I was sick. We didn't even really talk during dinner, I felt like I was yelling and everyone could hear me everytime I talked. LOL.
We spent after dinner taking an extended nap, like 4hrs. Seriously. We were going to go to the managers reception where you can get complimentary drink but the line was SO long when we came out from dinner that we just skipped it. The goal from the nap was that hopefully my ears would be fine when I woke up. No such luck. I finally got the laptop out and googled everything under the sun about getting them to pop. I read that when you're sick it's even worse. Boo. I tried some wierd suggestions to get them to pop...but nothing. Next step was to go to Walgreens in the morning and stock up on meds and get nasal spray which I read would help.
Sunday, September 13th 2009:
Woke up around 8am on Sunday morning. I had to keep taking breaks from getting ready as I didn't have much energy. At one point I thought I was going to need a doctor in Puerto Rico. The good news is that one ear had popped, still had the other one to deal with but at least I could hear and speak semi-normal!! There was a free breakfast buffet at the hotel. I told dh we should go to it as I wasn't sure how long before we would get to eat and how long we'd be at pier to board ship. From our room when we looked over the balcony into the lobby I could tell the breakfast was pretty big looking! This wasn't just some donuts and little cereal packets set out! We went down and they would make you custom omlets! There were pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, potatos, fruit, muffins...to me it was great for being complimentary! I'm a picky eater - but more so in the way that I like my things bland...so maybe to me this was fine. haha. I didn't mind it though. I was just surprised they did all that complimentary...wasn't expecting it.
After breakfast we went to Walgreens and spent $24.00 on meds. I got some sinus meds and nasal spray and some cough meds. My other ear was starting to get better thankfully.
We checked out of the hotel a little before noon, just by calling down to the front desk and letting them know we were leaving.
Outside the hotel there were employees who were motioning for the taxi's to come up. We took a taxi over to the Pan American Pier and I believe it was 24$ but I can't find my slip so I migh be wrong...maybe it was only 15? Someone else hopefully will have the price or I can update if I find my slip. It was more though than from the airport to hotel. The ride from hotel to the pier only took about 15mintues. There was not much traffic at all!
We pulled up to the pier and there were plenty of taxi's unloading but it was not crowded at all in my opinion. I was expecting a long line at the pier. It was around noon. There was no line outside at all. Employees directed us where to drop our bags (they ask your room number and put a bag tag with your room number on it on your luggage). We walked right in the Pier terminal building after that! Inside the building there was a long desk area where they had employees at computers where we could check in. I had checked in online for the sea pass three days prior (you have up to three days before to do it, I thought I had missed the cut-off but guess I didn't). We gave her the printed sea pass I had printed out. She had our cards ready and then looked at Public Health form we filled out and saw that I had been sick within the past 7 days and so could not issue us the cards right away. I was honest on the form about having been sick. I'm guessing some folks are not, but I was sick and I was not going to lie about it. The employee directed us over to the side where I would have to wait for the ship doctor to see me. I kinda felt silly, waiting on him, like we were being disciplined but I don't think anyone knew what we were standing there for Haha. We probably waited around a 20min-1/2hr for the ship doctor to come over. He basically just looked at me and asked me some questions...he was really not personable at all. I was intimidated! I answered honestly and he said I was ok to board (I did have to report to medical facility in morning to have temperature taking by them).
They were not boarding the ship yet. I had read reviews where people said they were on the ship and eating in the Windjammer by like 12:15 but that was not the case this time around. We boarded around 1:15. In the meantime they had a bunch of chairs set up and some snacks set out while you waited. We found two chairs and waited. Wish I would have brought my book to read while waiting but I had put it in suitcase not thinking which they had.
We were glad we got to the pier though when we did, even if we had to wait around an hour in the building till we could board. Only because they stopped letting people in the building and a line formed outside. That line got very long we noticed once we were in our balcony room and looking out. I would definately go early again!
Around 1:15 they started the boarding process. YAY! It was VERY organized. I was worried they would announce we could board and everyone would go running and stampeeding for the ship. Thankfully RC employees had it under control. They dismissed you by rows of seats. :) I still saw people trying to cut in and get on the ship as if it was going to pull out of port any minute. HAHA. :)
You walk on some walkways to get on the ship. They check the RC card issued to you and your passport as you get on. There are a couple different checkpoints for this. I was very pleased with their security. It might seem a pain to have several checkpoints...but hey they are doing their best to protect us! There is also an xray machine everytime you get on that scans your carry-ons and purchases. I'm ok with that. They have their photographer waiting for you before you board on one of the walkways to take your picture by the Royal Caribbean sign...they swipe your card before they take it so that your card is linked to all your pictures they take in case you want to buy any. Once at the ship you slide your card in a little slot and look at a camera and it takes your picture. So anytime you board after that and slide your card it shows your picture to the security on the other side. I like this...obviously if someone picks up my card and trys to get on board, hopefully I'm assuming this would show them that 'oh wait that's a male using a females card'. That's the idea I got anyways?? :)
This whole process took about a 1/2hr to get on the ship after they started boarding. It was 1:15pm when we were allowed to start and it was 1:45pm when we entered the ship. I remember because when we got to the 6th deck, we were told we had 15minutes till we could go into our rooms. :) It didn't seem like it took a 1/2hr to board as we were talking and looking in awe at how big the ship was from where we were outside and such. The employees were doing a good job for the boarding process!
We're on the ship!!!!!!!
- To be continued -
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