🍹North to Bermuda, Mariner Live - Oct 16, 2022

[John&LaLa]

@Sea Dog @ReneeFLL @Ozark_Kid

Permission to come aboard 😁

[John&LaLa]

Let's go to Bermuda. It will be easy they said🤣🤣 More on this later

 

Actually this is my first time, Laura's second. She did NCL Majesty out of Boston in 2003 or 2004.

 

Booked this trip eons ago when first announced. It's a fairly unique itinerary out of PC. Three days in Bermuda plus Nassau and Coco Cay. Mariner has been doing it all summer as far as I know. 

 

 

[John&LaLa]

Our itinerary. 

 

It's actually one full day and two half days @ Kings Wharf. I hope the Red Keep is nearby.

 

 

Obligatory map. And yep, we are indeed going north to start

 

Obligatory stock photo of our ship. I'll try and get some more creative pics in Bermuda

 

Mariner is quite dear to us. She was the first Royal ship we liked, and we brought her from Singapore to Barcelona on the 2018 Not Quite Global Odyssey.  Sailed her a bunch post amp in 2019

[mcgore83]

Looking forward to you sharing with us!

[Ozark_Kid]

14 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

@Sea Dog @ReneeFLL @Ozark_Kid

Permission to come aboard 😁

Permission granted.   Thanks for joining in to keep everyone entertained.   Have a great cruise!

[John&LaLa]

We have a pair of deck 6 hump balconies

Starboard side

 

 

Some cabin descriptions

 

Checked in weeks ago, and got 11:30 arrival.

May show up closer to 11:00. Pinnacle perk gets us on an hour early 👍

 

[John&LaLa]

1 minute ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Permission granted.   Thanks for joining in to keep everyone entertained.   Have a great cruise!

 

As I let some know earlier, I wasn't going to start this until I had our negative tests in hand

[John&LaLa]

Ok now, Bermuda sailings have/had som hoops you had to go thru in order to sail.

 

First a Travel Authorization. That was easy. Fill out an online form, pay $40 pp, and wait for approval. Approval came about 10 days ago.

 

Second a negative covid test, even if fully vaccinated. That was a bit more nerve-wracking. Apparently covid tests aren't as common as before, so our goto Walgreens wasn't doing them anymore. We, and I mean me, opted to go with OnPoint proctored testing. I also chose to schedule 3 days out, because Bermuda TA said we could test 4 days out with PCR test

 

But my at home test is antigen. Oops, that is a 2 day out requirement. No harm, no foul because OnPoint cancelled all of us on Wednesday 😱🤯🤯

 

So our group scrambled and booked CVS for Friday. But it wasn't a rapid test, so for 27 hours we sweated it out. Most of group got cold feet and booked another test this morning. I waited it out and got the good news on the way to the beach. 

 

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Hopefully no more testing in our future. It's nerve-wracking betond belief

 

[John&LaLa]

Bell knows something is up

 

Taking these out brought back sad memories of our August Baltics trip that never was😪

 

Let's hit the road

 

On the BeachLine

 

Made it to Cocoa Beach. Obligatory Ron Jon plug

 

Had to stop and get Key Lime cookies

 

Bell seems happy to be back

[John&LaLa]

Happy Hour at Maria's.  Our former upstairs neighbor. She'll watch Bell in December when we do a 5 day Mariner and the 2 day Wonder trade event. 

 

Beer for me. Duke's Brown Ale. Craft beer from Jacksonville. Very close to old Newcastle

 

Dog treats for Bell in a glass bowl 🤣

 

She also got a lot of that cheese. Not my doing.

[John&LaLa]

Over to Linda's at 3:30 to watch Bama game before dinner.

Beautiful afternoon 

 

That will be us tomorrow 😁

 

Jerry should send me a picture to post 

 

[John&LaLa]

Went nextdoor to the former Doubletree for dinner. Linda's idea, we didn't care. 

 

It's now a Hilton Garden Inn. Seems like a nice remodel. It was closed for almost 4 years after Hurricane Mathew. 

 

Restaurant is named Starlight. It was just ok. Typical hotel food.

 

Nice drink menu

 

I had Tipsy Bartender

 

Laura had Electric Lemonade. Pretty, but not much lemon flavor 

 

Linda had the Margarita, and Jerry a Kona draft

 

Only food pic is of my Po Boy. It was spicy with great fries

[John&LaLa]

Guess that's it for tonight. 

 

I'll load up my snacks in the morning😉😁

 

Thanks for coming along

[perfect match]

I’m looking forward to this Bermuda trip. I’m not sure why I haven’t booked it yet….. 🫤  Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy cruising virtually along with you and Laura. 🛳

[ReneeFLL]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

@Sea Dog @ReneeFLL @Ozark_Kid

Permission to come aboard 😁

Oh boy! I'm going to be reading a lot of CC. Good thing I'll have some sea days coming up in 3 days.

[Tee & Chilli]

Excellent start

[A&L_Ont]

8 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

We have a pair of deck 6 hump balconies

 

 

….don’t make a joke…. Fingers stop typing….😂

 

Give that pup and chin rub and keep us posted on your adventures. I see how one can miss Coco Beach after visiting earlier this month.  Beautiful spot, and the port is steps away. 😁

[John&LaLa]

Not quite sunrise, one of the best parts of the day. Picture wise that is.😉

 

I really miss waking up to this every day

 

Speaking of waking up, Linda took Bell for a 90 minute walk at 5:30 this morning. 😱

 

If she gets 5 with me, that's a lot

[A&L_Ont]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Speaking of waking up, Linda took Bell for a 90 minute walk at 5:30 this morning. If she gets 5 with me, that's a lot

 

Must be making up for the lost time with her? I’m not sure I could do 90 minutes, unless there was a coffee stop on the way. 

 

[OCSC Mike]

Happy sailing John. We'll be crossing paths at PC when you get back on the 24th.

[John&LaLa]

29 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Must be making up for the lost time with her? I’m not sure I could do 90 minutes, unless there was a coffee stop on the way. 

 

 

They stop a lot. I think Linda likes to show her off to the early risers 😉🤣

 

Definitely worn out

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

Just minutes apart

 

 

 

Sunrise photography opportunities don't last long. Sunsets seem to last longer🤔

[molly361]

@John&LaLa  I'll be following along  Literally😇

[Ozark_Kid]

19 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Just minutes apart

 

 

 

Sunrise photography opportunities don't last long. Sunsets seem to last longer🤔

I woke up to late to get one today.  They look good.

[TheSweetPotatoQueen]

We’re on this sailing with y’all. Hope to meet you in person at the Schooner Bar.