A Tale of two Princesses

[scubacruiserx2]

Really impressed by the quality of your pictures.

 

Thank you easyboy .

 

For an old film shooter like me the digital cameras are a dream come true . With digital you can shoot lots of photos and see the results instantly . Auto focus also helps for people who need glasses like us and you get a second chance to fix photos by editing and sharing with computers . It's the golden age of photography for the average Joe . :) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

Joe, Pat, your family, and of course, all your readers, Barry and I hope you have a very

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

 

Thank you Nancy , and we also wish to You , Barry and all of the readers who celebrate it , a very :

 

 

 

Merry Christmas !!!

[upwarduk]

 

For an old film shooter like me the digital cameras are a dream come true . With digital you can shoot lots of photos and see the results instantly . Auto focus also helps for people who need glasses like us and you get a second chance to fix photos by editing and sharing with computers . It's the golden age of photography for the average Joe . :) :D

 

Your pictures are not 'average' though Joe!

I have just about caught up after our 'present delivery' in Surrey last weekend.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you, Pat & family.

[scubacruiserx2]

I did something on this sail away that was highly uncharacteristic of me . I traded our cozy , quite balcony and my DW for the rambunctious of the party upstairs !!! :eek:

 

 

 

 

 

Why would I do such a thing , you might ask ? (but hopefully , not out loud ) . A good question deserves a good answer , but I don't have any so will you settle for so so answer ?

 

I wanted to experience and video , the true Love Boat sail away and so I choose a place over the Re al Princess sign before it got too crowded .

 

 

 

 

The Koningsdam was the first out of the gate , but we were on the move and right behind .

 

 

 

 

Here's the world premier of a true Love Boat sail away video with a mashup of background music courtesy of the house band :

 

 

Princess Cay , here we come !

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Your pictures are not 'average' though Joe!

I have just about caught up after our 'present delivery' in Surrey last weekend.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you, Pat & family.

 

 

Thank you Jackie and a HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you and your family ! We received a lovely card from our friends the UK , Karen and Ron yesterday .

 

 

 

I love the stamps as I was a collector as a boy and dreamed of traveling to some of those far away places one day !!! :) :D

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

I found this on another thread and liked it so much that I borrowed it .

 

 

The ships : Regal and Caribbean Princesses in Cozumel

 

 

 

The itinerary :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regal Princess 12/4/2016 -12/11/2016

 

Day Port / Date Arrive Depart

1

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Sunday, December 4

04:00 PM

2

Princess Cays, Bahamas

Monday, December 5

(Tender Required) , (Wheelchair Access Limited)

09:00 AM 05:00 PM

3

At Sea

Tuesday, December 6

4

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Wednesday, December 7

07:00 AM 05:00 PM

5

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Thursday, December 8

(Tender Required) , (Wheelchair Access Limited)

07:00 AM 04:00 PM

6

Island of Cozumel, Mexico

Friday, December 9

10:00 AM 10:00 PM

7

At Sea

Saturday, December 10

8

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Sunday, December 11

06:00 AM

 

 

 

 

Caribbean Princess 12/11/2016 - 12/17/2016

 

 

Day Port / Date Arrive Depart

1

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Sunday, December 11

04:00 PM

2

At Sea

Monday, December 12

3

Island of Roatan, Honduras

Tuesday, December 13

10:00 AM 06:00 PM

4

Belize City, Belize

Wednesday, December 14

(Tender Required) , (Wheelchair Access Limited)

07:00 AM 05:00 PM

5

Island of Cozumel, Mexico

Thursday, December 15

08:00 AM 05:00 PM

6

At Sea

Friday, December 16

7

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Saturday, December 17

07:00 AM

 

 

The rooms :

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the blue corner : R-735

 

 

 

 

And in the red corner : B - 755

 

 

[CaliopeQ]

I love all the pictures! The sail away video is fantastic! Thanks for sharing

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

[scubacruiserx2]

I love all the pictures! The sail away video is fantastic! Thanks for sharing

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you CaliiopeQ . On our other cruise on the Regal we videoed from the balcony , but you can't hear the Love Boat theme because of the prop wash .

[scubacruiserx2]

The next ship out of the port was the Silhouette

 

 

 

There were many planes leaving as well and I was struck by the contrast of this one and the clouds

 

 

 

 

The balconies on the aft of the ship are terraced

 

 

 

 

just behind the Silhouette was the Conquest

 

 

 

 

while the sun had settled behind this cloud bank before setting

 

 

 

 

which would be coming soon

 

 

 

 

[trystran72]

Love the sail away video! A wonderful memory worthy of the tranquil sacrifice... :D

[scubacruiserx2]

A couple of photos and videos of the sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

a silhouette of the Conquest

 

 

 

 

in the wake of the sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a video of the sunset :

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Love the sail away video! A wonderful memory worthy of the tranquil sacrifice... :D

 

Thanks Kim , but while the cat's away ...

 

Pat booked another tranquility option for us ... the Enclave ;)

[scubacruiserx2]

After the sunset it was time for diner , but first , can you spot the hidden Conquest ?

 

 

 

We looked at the buffet first and I like this hand washing station there

 

 

 

 

and while there were lines at the buffet , we never saw one here .

 

 

Our MDR was the Allegro in the aft and service was a bit slow on the first evening . Pat's pheasant main course was a little overcooked , but we still had plenty to eat and the chances of us dying of malnutrition while on the Regal , seemed to fade like the sunset .

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had an invite when we returned to our room

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Early in the morning I wanted an eye opener and I got one

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee and ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the International Cafe , open 24/7

 

[WYTinman]

Early in the morning I wanted an eye opener and I got one

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a beautiful photo. I'm loving your review.

 

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

 

Mark

[scubacruiserx2]

This is a beautiful photo. I'm loving your review.

 

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

 

 

Mark

 

Thank you Mark , and we're happy that you're enjoying the review .

 

We would to wish you and all of the readers a

 

 

Merry Christmas !!!

 

and or/a

 

 

Happy Hanukkah !!!

 

[scubacruiserx2]

I had Sony pocket camera with me and wanted to do a quick ship exploration and photo shoot , beginning on the Lido deck .

 

 

 

Seawalk @ night

 

 

 

 

Be careful as the decks are washed down nightly and are slick , especially the glass over Seawalk .

 

 

Main pool

 

 

 

 

aft 'pool'

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Retreat pool

 

 

[TracieABD]

Thank you for the continued updates! I love your photos. The colors are so rich.

 

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

[scubacruiserx2]

Thank you for the continued updates! I love your photos. The colors are so rich.

 

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

 

 

Thank you TracieABC , and the same to you and yours . :) :D

[scubacruiserx2]

I loved these photos from the ship and this is why we SCUBA !

 

 

 

 

 

I also liked this reflection

 

 

 

 

There was now time for me to review the Patter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2016 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

 

 

And the Port guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And with Patty now awake , it was time for a fresh cup of coffee and a sit down breakfast , before heading out for the day !

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

After breakfast we saw a HAL ship turn off toward Half Moon Cay

 

 

 

Returning to our stateroom I packed the Sony in the day back and switched to the Canon for the sail in to Eleuthera , where the Princess Cay complex is located . We could still see the HAL ship in our wake , in the distance.

 

 

 

 

Princess Cay in the distance

 

 

 

and the lifeboats were in the water , being used as tenders

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a map of Princess Cay . The arrow points to where we would be meeting a local guide , thus leaving the complex .

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

A view from the tender

 

 

 

nearing the island

 

 

 

 

the Love Boat Marina

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Princess at rest

 

 

 

 

remains at rest

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

After leaving the Princess compound , we and 2 other couples met our guide for a more natural view of Eleuthera

 

 

 

It's about a 3 mile ride on a very rough road to get to the beach . And while it's not private , you would think that it was .

 

 

 

 

there is a small cliff here

 

 

 

 

 

 

with nice views of the ocean

 

 

 

 

and it's reefs

 

 

 

But don't be deceived by the still photos , the surf and surge can be strong and there are NO lifeguards here :

[scubacruiserx2]

There is a cliff here where you can see several elements of interest in this area

 

 

 

 

from this point , which is the southern tip of Eleuthera , you can see the beach and ocean on the right , an old lighthouse in the center , and a bay on the left .

 

 

 

 

And here's a video clip of the same area :

 

 

The ocean and the cliffs :