Yesterday four cruise ships sailed from Port Everglades to the Caribbean islands, while having a quiet drink at La Patisserie the Coral Princess made its way out of the harbour (can see lots of people fishing and waving goodbye from the long rock grove) before disembarking the pilot and altering course to starboard. Can see Miami in the distance as we set a south easterly courses through the Straits of Florida towards the Old Bahama Channel, as we make our way towards Aruba again for the fourth time.

After passing the Santaren Channel, Coral Princess will alter to an easterly course as we enter the Old Bahama Channel, which lies between the Great Bahama Bank and the Northern coast of Cuba. Once clear of the channel, Coral Princess will continue to set south Easterly courses along the Cuban coast which we see throughout the day on the starboard side before rounding Punta Maisi at the eastern end of the island. We then pass through the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti, after which we begin setting a south easterly course towards Aruba.

First day at sea and like everyone else there was no need to get up early. Late breakfast in a very busy and noisy Horizon Court thankfully there was muesli, oatmeal not proper rolled oats and fruit. Can’t handle the hot fatty foods the Americans love to pile high on their oversized plates. Met the Executive Chef who gave me a bowl of walnuts and sliced almonds, which they don’t put out for breakfast like the Royal Princess. Once again the loud voices of the Americans is a bit too much, so we went to our balcony suite to have our coffee in peace.

Relaxed exploring the ship a little more before lunch, found something to eat but the bulk of the dishes hot/cold have sauces or oily or casseroles from leftover meats or fish.

Time slipped by raced down to Deck 7 Princess Theatre at the front of the ship for the Captains Circle Welcome back party at 4pm. Sat at the back for the usual show of missing out on being drawn for a bottle of champagne and privileges of an Elite Cruise Card, but we did get two complimentary drinks to the value of US$8.95.

Tonight is formal, so one does not go near the Atrium from 5pm onwards due to formal portraits photos being taken, Captain’s welcome aboard party with free champagne and lastly the Champagne Waterfall and more photos. All this we have seem a few times on the Royal Princess.

On Deck 14 we walked from the back of the ship to the front looking for a good position to view the Locks of the Panama Canal. The wind was very strong on Deck 16, Splash Pool at the very front of the ship nearly blown away. Can always feel the wind when we pass through the Lido Pool area on Deck 14 to the Horizon Court for our meals. Very silly design, if you don’t want to wreck your hairdo you go to Deck 12 walk along the passage to cabins then up the stairs to Horizon Court.

Before dinner made my way through the nicely dressed formal passengers (Americans love the Tux and long dresses) to the Bordeaux Dining Room only to be told to come tomorrow night when we have dinner and make my dietary requests with the F/B Supervisor then. What a pain as it takes ages to have your three course dinner, I know from the Royal Princess.

Dinner was great had prawns and calamari cooked for me and bok choy, plus spotted some walnuts and pistachios, which I loaded into a bowl. Exchanged travel stories with a couple of Aussie battlers from Mackay in NSW, they have travelled a lot on Princess and are Elite Cruise Card passengers. Thought they were older than us but were younger made us a bit embarrassed, so being 9.30pm it was time for us to exit stage right. The swell has picked up a bit difficult walking along the passage to our Balcony suite. Richard checked the swell from our balcony plus next door the dividing partition was banging in the strong wind, had to get the Steward to go into their cabin (Red and Sharon) seeing they weren’t in to close the partition door.