EMBARKATION DAY - WELCOME HOME - DAY 7

A Look At What Is Happening Today:

All-Aboard The Crystal Serenity ✔  Getting Settled On The Serenity ✔ Welcome Home ✔  

We are always excited on the day of Embarkation as if this was our very first cruise.  There is the anticipation of seeing the familiar faces of both crew members who we have come to know so well and of fellow guests who we have sailed with before.  At the same time, we know we will get to meet new members of the crew and fellow guest for the very first time and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

We are reminded of a conversation we had with a couple that in 2007 who had sailed several World Cruises.   They were very nice but a comment that they made has stuck with us since that time.  They said they were thrilled to see the excitement from fellow guests such as ourselves who were taking their very first World Cruise, but for them it had lost some of that excitement.

For us we would amend this statement.  Like them, we are very happy to see the excitement of those taking their very first World Cruise.  At the same time, we would say that our excitement is even greater then that very first time.  We look at each voyage as a true adventure and we are "wowed" each and every time we sail the high seas with Crystal Cruises.  Our sense of excitement is only heightened knowing that we will make memories that will last a lifetime and we will see many fellow guests and members of the crew who are part of what we call our Crystal Family.


It seems like yesterday when we were enjoying our final breakfast in our room and we were saying our goodbyes to Rao,  (click on names to see a photo of the person) who was our butler, and to others members of the crew and fellow guests.  As we left the ship and we were walking towards the terminal area we remember looking up to our right and seeing Crystal Society Hostess, Jaque Brown, waving to us from the ship.  A few minutes later, as our luggage was being loaded into our vehicle we remember seeing Cruise Director, Rick Spath, and hugging one another as we said until we sail together again.  The good news is today we sail again.

(Keith With Butler Rao On The Final Morning Of World Cruise 2012 on April 21)

(Instead Of Our Normal Breakfast Of Oatmeal or Cereal

 Our Tradition Is To Have A Final Breakfast Of Pancakes

 For Anne Marie and A Bagel & Smoked Salmon For Keith)

We enjoyed our final breakfast at the Hotel this morning and then we got ready to checkout.  

Overall, we had a very enjoyable stay at the hotel.  We wanted to highlight the room service team.  They are a true asset to the hotel.  Each person is very pleasant and enthusiastic and has been terrific.  We feel the same way about the Hotel Maids.  They have been very helpful and very thoughtful.

We also want to note how much we have enjoyed our time in Miami.  We were fortunate to have good weather which just added to the enjoyment of our stay in this city.  We have enjoyed many nice walks, dining out, visiting some familiar and new spots and also found the people we interacted with to be very warm and friendly.  

After spending six nights at the Four Seasons Hotel it was time to check out of the hotel.

Even though we shipped several suitcases it seems that things multiplied.  Well, not really.  The two smaller bags (Crystal Society Tote Bag and Backpack) contain various liquids that we purchased in Miami.  Also one of two large bags contain lots of toiletries/medicines/cosmetics and other items.  The vast majority of the suitcase will be empty by the time we are ready to leave the ship and can be used for gifts, etc.

Before we checked out of the Hotel Anne Marie spoke with our daughter, Jennifer, and our Grand Son Andre on FaceTime.

After spending six nights at the Four Seasons Hotel it was time to check out of the Hotel.  

We took one last photo inside the Hotel.

Shortly after checking out we made our way to the lower level of the hotel to wait for the arrival of the SUV which would take us to the Port Of Miami.

When we arrived outside our SUV was already there. One of the two large bags is quite heavy.

As we were waiting for the luggage to be loaded, several members of the Chicago Bulls NBA Basketball team were leaving the hotel to board the team bus to head to the American Airlines Arena for their walk-through before their game against the Miami Heat.  Some fans were waiting for autographs.

 We took the same route that we had walked these past few days.

We passed a familiar landmark and then we drove across the bridge.  

We saw the familiar sign indicating were were nearing the entrance to the Port.

We then made our way to Terminal J where the Crystal Serenity was docked.  For those familiar with the Port Of Miami it is located on the right side.

We saw our friend Dave shortly after we boarded and look forward to sailing with Dave during this cruise.

We did enjoy our traditional lunch of a Cobb Salad entree and a flute of Champagne to toast to yet another wonderful adventure together.

We saw many familiar faces that are part of the Crystal Cruises Family.

Enjoying a welcome with Senior Waiter, Jijo, who will be our Senior Waiter for this voyage and who we have had several times before.

Cruise Director Rick Spath, stopped by our room to welcome us on board.

Once again our butler for this cruise will be Rao who just boarded the ship today.

Our Sommelier Jiri

We had a surprise visit from Butler Alex who we have had as a butler on several voyages.  

We then took care of some items before it was time to go to our room.  This included getting our computers and iPads configured to use the ships internet and to sign up for the internet plan.

When Rao came by we mentioned that we didn't yet have our luggage. As an example of going way beyond the call of duty a few minutes later there was Rao with the first of our pieces and then he made several trips until he brought all of our luggage.  As they say, this is not part of his job description yet he went the extra miles (many extra miles) to find our luggage.

We were happy that all of our pieces arrived and that included the six pieces we shipped and the two we dropped off earlier. Two friends arrived in one of the pieces.

Many of you who followed our blog remembered the one on the right and if not you have seen him in movies.  Yes, that is Woody of Toy Story Fame.

If you are wondering who the bear is on the left that is Borus. Borus was a gift from Keith to Anne Marie when she had to stay over in the hospital for two unplanned nights following a biopsy.  

Remember, we all have a "kid" in us and sometime you just need to unleash and bring the "kid" out.  You are as young as you feel.  

While Anne Marie was unpacking Keith went up to the Trident  Grill as friends Ricki and David had a special gift for Keith.  They brought a very large box containing rainbow cookies (a favorite of Keith's from his childhood) from a local bakery.  We are thrilled to be sailing with Ricki and David.  When Keith got up to the Trident Grill, David was on line and Ricki and our   mutual friend Dave were sitting at one of the tables.

Our friends Ricki and David who we also sailed with on the Crystal Symphony in November, 2010.

Ricki, with our mutual and very good friend Dave.

We are trilled to be on the Crystal Serenity.  For us it is truly coming home.  We look forward to an outstanding journey and adventure.

We are going to close for today.  In a few minutes we are meeting friends for a drink in the Palm Court and then we have dinner at 6:00 PM followed by a Muster (Lifeboat) Drill at 8:00 PM.  We have unpacked everything but will organize the rest today and tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we'll post all about this evening.

We have two quotes that we want to share with you is one of our favorites.  We have highlighted a key portion of the first quote which is very meaningful for us.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY............

First Quote
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“I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it’s because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it’s because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, our sweat, and in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came.” – President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, September 14, 1962.

Second Quote

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“One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller

Keith and Anne Marie