This morning Royal Princess continued on a south easterly course aiming for Aruba, then picking up the pilot and proceeding into the buoyed channel for just under a half a mile before berthing at the pier. On the other side of the reef out to sea there are 10 cargo ships. It is overcast, very windy and the sun has a bite in it.

As we have already been to Aruba (16 March) on our original 20 day Caribbean Cruise we didn’t bother with tours. So after a very late breakfast we ventured out to explore the capital city Oranjestad. There are two other cruise ships in port Freewinds a very small line was already berthed when we docked then later Celebrity Eclipse docked behind Royal Princess.

Followed the Streetcar Tram line taking photos with my new Canon camera, as we looked in all the Duty Free shops. I don’t know how the shop owners survive with tourists browsing and like us not really buying. At the Plaza Nikki where the line loops back we walked alongside the canal to the Wilhelmina Park (saw 4 iguanas there) and Renaissance Resort to their protected beach. Very windy on the waterfront taking photos of the resort with Royal Princess in the background then the beach, coastline on the other side of the canal.

Stopped for a coffee at Starbucks in the Renaissance Marketplace for Richard to do his downloads on his IPad. Gave up as it was too slow and the coffee wasn’t that great, plus the other Starbucks over the road was no better.

Walked back along the main road L.G. Smith Boulevard the Duty Free Street to the cruise ship. Seeing it was 3pm had a quick bit before a swim while it was quite and before everyone came back from their shopping or tours.

Before going to dinner in the Concerto Dining Room we stopped at the photo gallery near the Camera Shop and had a laugh at the photos taken of us last night in the Concerto Dining Room and this morning at the Pier. Must say the one at the Pier looked a lot better than the other, old age and wrinkles have set in plus I take horrible photos but Richard looks a bit better.

Now that we know all the staff in the Concerto Dining Room the meal went very smoothly with drinks and four course meal on time. The food melts in your mouth and is a 100% much better than the buffet food at Horizon Court/Bistro plus the scenery is classier.

Didn’t stop for a drink in the Piazza at the Atrium today seeing the Rick Kilburn Quartet were playing, his crooning gets on our nerves. Instead we had a peppermint tea by the pool on Deck16 before retiring to a bit of TV for the night.