Curtis FFF 2022 - Cruise

In early February while thinking about our summer schedule, we realized we had a narrow 2 ½ week window where the kids were available for vacation between the girls finishing up their school years and Cate's graduation ceremony. A number of ideas were considered but it didn't take long to arrive on the idea of a cruise, despite some serious misgivings about scheduling such a trip amidst the lingering effects of the COVID Pandemic with recollections of the infamous COVID cruise stories. Without listing the Pro / Con list, we eventually conceded that being vaccinated and double boosted controlled our serious health risks to a practical degree. Still, we took out a travel insurance policy for the first time to ease the concern of needing to cancel, as we ALL had to test negative for COVID before boarding the boat.

WHERE we were going was really a distant consideration. It came down to the only cruise that Princess was offering in our window of opportunity within driving range using the liberal Curti scale (i.e., Fort Lauderdale at 1250+ miles over 19 hours seemed completely reasonable with the same on the return. We raised long distance warriors, so is it any wonder they're ok with going a state or 7 states away to college?).

So once again where did we go? 4 stops over 8 days/7 nights :

1. Princess Cay
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico
3. Maimon/Amber Cover, Dominican Republic
4. Grand Turk, Turk and Cacos

After we announced we were going to the family, Bethany's folks Amy and Alvan and her Uncle Barry and Aunt Clarice decided to book as well, making it more of a family gathering like our previous cruises, though the other siblings with younger kids weren't able. For the first time, the Curti also opted in upgrading their bargain room rate with the free drink/internet/tip included package. Being able to connect via text with the kids was the main justification as we didn't think we would or had any desire to come anywhere near the 15 drinks a day limit for that portion of the package.

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 1 - Thursday, May 12

AIS [Ass in Seat - Everybody Loves Raymond] at 620 am and all four of us were on our merry way with minimal delay. The Curti are seasoned road warriors and were mentally ready for a full day of driving past fields of agricultural at 6 to 12 MPHs past the posted limit depending on who was at the wheel, listening to popular songs from the 40s to the 90s (also a function of who was driving). Perhaps the most musically in sync moment came as the whole car sang to the 1962 Anything Goes Cast Recording, with particular happy vigor of Its Delovely. It brought happy tears to at least on parent as they decided they had brainwashed their kids properly.

We intended to get some super cheap gas at very trendy Buckee's north of Atlanta but "somebody" missed the exit. This is sort of akin to missing the exit for Meramec Caverns after 40+ miles of billboards. Let's not point fingers at who was navigating and just say mistakes were made. We did find out that the next exit, gas station had gas for 3 cents a gallon cheaper. You might want to spring for the extra 50 cents on a fill up if you use the bathroom though. 😳

We stayed at the Macon, GA Marriott, where we faced the trip's moment of truth: the COVID test within 48 hours of departure. We all tested negative allowing for a huge exhale of relief, as we knew the trip was going to happen. In particular this lifted the massive burden that Bethany had been caring as she hadn't allowed herself to really look forward to it. It was the second time for tears of joy that day.

4 negative COVID tests

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 2 Friday, May 13

A half an hour out of Macon, we experienced the American decadence of Buckee's gas station / travel center, shamming all suburban Quick Trips to a "Well yall tried" mediocre status. What separates a Buckee's? Many things including: its super clean bathrooms, and wide stalls (Perfect for those needing a wide stance and privacy…). As for food, there's the wall of jerky treats, both pre-packaged standards and Buckee's fresh ones; freshly cut meat sandwiches and most every chip and snack food you can think of. A third of the store is a kitschy mix of Cracker-Barrel down-home schmaltz decorations along with the Six Flags like mascot merchandising. The everything is bigger in Texas mindset hindered our satisfaction as it completely overlooked the southern Georgia gas station snack staple: the crocks of boiled peanuts in plan and Cajun varieties. With the thousands of square feet of display space how could they overlook this regional element was astonishing. Another jarring note: the inclusion of hard corn deer feed and deer feeders, including a 55-gallon drum 10 feet in the air on a large tripod. When I explained the purpose of such things to girls, they were dully horrified and aghast. Should we be surprised with the glorification of the center meat court? We bought some pickled eggs and drinks and were pleased with the bathrooms but weren't transformed devotees.

Being in the heart of Georgia Peanut Country, and feeling cheated at Buckee's, we stopped at the Georgia Peanut Commission headquarters to get some boiled peanuts or a recommendation on where to find them. The former sorority girl manning the visitor's desk was very kind but when the boiled peanut question came up, she noted that they weren't in season and you weren't likely to find any stand offering them at this time of year, except for maybe getting frozen ones from the Publix. The canned varieties weren't even acknowledged as she implied without saying that only trashy people would lower themselves to such indulgences. I bet we got a "Bless their hearts" after we left with our sample packs of peanuts and Jiff creamy peanut butter.

We drove a dozen or three miles further down the interstate speculating which gas stations might offer the regional delicacy when multiple signs for Jim's Texas Brisket, Dairy Twirls and Hot Boiled Peanuts popped up. This stop once again allowed us to fulfill the unofficial family motto of: Nothing but the second best for us Curtis's.

In Florida, Google Maps directed us off Interstate 75 and had us drive through 30 minutes of private single wide trailers to affluent horse farms, some with visible jumps well maintained yards and fences south of Ocala. We got to the southern end of The Villages and Amy and Alvan could hardly have been happier to see us. After the tour of their place (much larger and airier than expected; very nice overall), we got the guided tour of their area before going to the Brownsville town square for dinner at the Mexican restaurant. It all had a fine, but somewhat unreal, vacation resort feel to it.

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 3 - Saturday, May 14

Purchasing the $15 Sun Pass Pro toll responder from the nearby Publix was painless. Getting it set up took 45 minutes of frustration as it was much, much harder than it needed took be.

The Princess Cruise line Fort Lauderdale berth is the former Naval Section Base Port Everglades, a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), which fortunately Randy didn't confirm until later, thus sparing all another lecture about past military properties across the US. We dropped off our luggage with the porters and parked in the garage. An hour or so in the on boarding line wasn't so bad with our phones and once we got to our rooms, the bags were already there. This put us ahead of Uncle Barry who attempted to smuggle on booze and got busted and they held his bag until just before dinner.

In line to board

Princess Cruises naughty note for attempted bootlegging

We meeting up with everyone before the Sail Away gathering on the upper decks as we left Port Everglades for the open water.

Leaving Port Everglades	The Curti leaving Port Everglades

We had an 8 pm seating for dinner with the Curtis women all looking very good. Cate in particular brought her A game. The group gathered at the Explorer's Lounge a half an hour or more before dinner, which become the established daily routine as we sampled a variety of cocktails because we already paid for them. A cornucopia of choices that made the full adults happy with the young adults opting for the safety of Fettucine alfredo. They also liked the fancy deserts. The five courses of dinner lasted two hours leaving little time for most of the evening entertainment options.`

Meeting at the Wheelhouse before dinner

2022-05-14 Cruise meeting at the Wheelhouse.jpg

Cruise Desert

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 4 - Sunday, May 15 Princess Cay (Bahamas)

The itinerary for the day was stopping at the ~20 acres Princess Cay beach, Princess's private beach at Bannerman Town in the Bahamas. Officially, you could leave the compound but they hardly made that evident. We all slept late, discovering the other advantage of the interior rooms besides being significantly cheaper: the darkens affords a particularly good night sleep. We left on the Walrus shuttle (Group W or the 23rd one of the day).

20 acres Princess Cay beach

Before leaving for the day, Randy discovered he neglected to pack the one specific item that is usually required for a Caribbean vacation: swimming trunks. Too late for a Wal-Mart run, he was able to find an XL swimming suit with styling from the 1980s for $30 on the island allowing him not to not go in his cargo shorts. His sense of success was short lived as he discovered they weren't an XL by any American standards as they were maybe 36 inches in diameter which he last saw a decade or more previously. They were crazy uncomfortable to wear for the one time on the Cay.

The ship from the beach

While Bethany found a lounge chair away from the crowds, Dad and the girls rented a Hobie Cat sail boat for an "hour". With Jane's sailing class at WPI, she was clearly the choice for skipper and the first 10-15 minutes with the wind at are backs were terrific. Tacking our way up wind to the docking point again was something else. It was certainly more difficult than doing so on Quinsigamond Lake at Worcester, MA. As we nearly ran aground, guys on jet skis assisted us with an occasional nudge of the nose of the jet ski like a friendly dolphin. Getting back took over an hour and the last jet ski of shame stayed with us until we got back ashore 40 minutes after our 1-hour rental was over..

Lounging on the sun

Let's go sailing now!	Ocean Sailing - Wooo

Shoreline? What shoreline?	Don't look at me in my 1980s style trunks are 2 sizes too small No, really I'm afraid to move

Helpful jet ski following us like a friendly dolphing making sure we're on course	Jet ski of shame circling like a Great White Shark making sure the boat gets back

Barry and Clarice greeted us and we happily had drinks before getting back on the ferry boats to the ship.

Back onshore with refrshing beverages and the gang	Curti all smiles after the adventures on the low seas

Returning on the last boat of the day	Same boat different seats

Dinner began at earlier 7:20 pm to allow for more entertainment options. Bethany ordered the prime rib as her entrée which was hanging over the edge of the platter like she was Fred Flintstone. Randy enjoyed finishing off the last 2 /3 of it along with his meal. The post dinner planned entertainment was a comic that Jane quickly determined was telling tired jokes, 30 years behind the times and she suggesting we move on before we even found a place to sit. The retreat to the Cruise Director hosted Yes/No game at the Explorer's Lounge was plenty cheesy but not as casually misogynistic.

At the Wheelhouse before dinner

with the wandering rubber duckie of mystery

2022-05-15 Princess Kay Wheelhouse before dinner.jpg

Bethany and Randy bed time ritual was watching a Love Boat episode with Randy going to sleep shortly after it started and not feeling like he missed anything as it was clear how each story line would be resolved as the characters and storylines were introduced. Was it a function of having seen it four decades earlier before or the utter formulaic nature / predictability of the storylines? Familiar fun.

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 5 Monday, May 16 At Sea

Our first at Sea Day was a relaxed one with general lounging together and apart throughout the day. The girls and Barry and Clarice took Cha-Cha lessons. We had high hopes for the Princess messaging app that allowed you to contact your shipmates and track their location on the ship. The messaging was spotting and sporadic to the point of being pointless. The ship wi-fi did allow us to use Instagram and Cate brought the Sage Brothers up to speed on this more reliable form of texting each other while on board.

1, 2 Cha, cha cha	3, 4 Cha, cha cha

First formal night at dinner and everyone getting dressed up for dinner

2022-05-16 Formal JnC 3 counter view.jpg

Cheers!	Nostrovia!

After dinner we enjoyed the mis-advertised Rock and Roll review that was actually a Tina Turner tribute show by a former American Idol contestant. That she was able to do it ALL BY HERSELF was clearly an achievement.

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 6 Tuesday, May 17 San Juan, PR

Our whole group disembarked at the same time at San Juan, PR so we could all get us into the National Park Service (NPS) Spanish fortifications up the hill from the cruise port for free using Amy and Alvan's lifetime NPS Senior passes which they got for free a decade earlier. Once inside the FUDS (which Randy avoided pointing out), we all paired off with Jane and Bethany together and Cate and Randy exploring Castillo San Cristobal (e.g., cannons, WWII era Fire Control Station, cannon ball piles and iconic Sentry Boxes).

Panorama looking east to south from old San Juan from Castillo San Cristobal

And this one is ours	Iconic Sentry box

Water Cistern at Cristobal	Cannonballs...hopefully all solid shot ones

After the first 45 minutes, the full group divided into half with some wandering old town back to the boat and the others(Randy, Cate, Barry Clarice) hiking to the northern fortification: Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro), where we talked Barry into getting the $80 lifetime Senior Pass. Wandering back to the boat we went through old San Juan, passing by the various monuments (500-year anniversary), State Department and City Hall before grabbing some overpriced Coronas at a cafe a few blocks from the boat (Cate's first legal beer at a bar).

Bethany, Jane and the A Sages exploring old San Juan

Overlooking the cemetary next to El Morro	Cate taking the St Peters Sages picture in El Morro

El Morro RnC	In Old San Juan getting Cate's first legal beer

At Wheelhouse before dinner

This evening the Curti had complementary reservations at the upscale (normally up charged) Italian restaurant. We were grateful for being spoiled in St. Louis the casual high quality Italian restaurants as many of the courses at this restaurant disappointed us but the deserts were terrific.

One of us really enjoyed the fare at the upscale Italian restaurant

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 7 Wednesday, May 18 Dominican Republic

Our shipped docked at the Amber Cover cruise ship tourist destination of Maimon, Dominican Republic. Randy and the girls signed up for a "4 hours Kayaking with Manatees" shore excursion to the Santuario De Los Mamíferos near Punta Estero Hondo.

Can't be Forced Family Fun on a cruise shipwithout the hats	Disembarking at the Dominican Republic

Google Maps plot of our trip to the manatee sanctuary

2022-05-18 DR mantee sactuay map vicinity.jpg

Map of Santuario De Los Mamíferos near Punta Estero Hondo

Our Runners Adventure started out pleasantly in the comfort of the 21-passenger air condition tour bus. Sightseeing the country side from the comfort of easily the most expensive vehicle we saw all day was the best part of the excursion. Viewing the poverty lining the road for our hour and half ride to the sanctuary along on the improved two lane "highway" 30 which had a top posted speed of 60 km was eye opening. Cars and motor bikes parked on the side of the road along with open range cattle completely blocking traffic several times. The numerous family produce stands lining the road adjacent to one another, offering the same limited fruit items and maybe bottle carboys of water reminded us of easy life in the States was. We saw lot of idleness of a people with not a lot of purpose. It was disheartening

Upscale bus interior	Goofy face Selfies to pass the time

Home next to highway (about 20 feet)	Free range cows on the highway (imagine driving at night at any speed)

Once we got to the sanctuary, the beach was beautiful and the rudimentary toilet stall much appreciated. What it didn't have was kayaks. We milled about for nearly an hour on the beach and enjoyed finding some baby hermit crabs before they loaded us in an open safari style viewing truck a couple kilometers up the estuary to a viewing platform where we got to see another tour group kayaking looking for manatees. We wondered if the fine print on the excursion signup package promised us only viewing Kayaking with Manatess and specifically that we would be in the kayaks.

Jane feeling refreshed after a restroom visit	Baby hermit crab

On the beach, waiting for kayaks

Our 2nd bus, which is what we expected from the get go	Sitting on the mantee lookout waiting log

Meanwhile back at port, Bethany enjoyed the local sites and drinking with St. Peters Sages before reboarding the Caribean Princess.

2022-05-18 DR B and the Caribean Princess.jpg

Back with the Manatee crew, after 45 minutes or so, they loaded us back in the truck and we lingered about while the other group finished and we got the second shift in the boats. The kayaks were tandem sit on tops which we would normally turn up on nose at but at this point whatever. Despite a lingering tiff between the girls, they quickly conspired to share a tandem kayak leaving Dad to make a new friend with another dad whose family did the same thing to him ("Let's put the two largest, oldest guys in the same boat to paddle steadily in the estuary for a half an hour out and then back …). The kayaking portion of the trip essentially started when we were supposed to be back at the boat.

JnC ready to see manatees	Paddling off the estuary

Although there may have been 450 manatees in the sanctuary, there were very limited sightings by our group. The tour guides weren't clear about it but latter reading on the internet indicated that that early afternoon was the absolute worst time to try and see manatees despite that being most conducive time for the cruise ship passengers to get there and back. Damn Manatees can't be more compliant. The Baby Boomer speculated that was the reason the ST Louis Zoo didn't have manatee shows to complement the Chimpanzee, Elephant and Seal Lion shows. The Gen Z types only got a hint of this 20th family entertainment norm at the bird show at Grants Farm.

Let's put the two heavist and oldest guys in the same boat (and yes I'm aware of which end is sitting lower)	Jane and Cate paddling back

After a bit of lounging on the beach, they provided us a "complementary" lunch of a juice box, water, banana, raisins, and a crustless ham sandwich (because crustless is fancy). The girls enjoyed their juice boxes.

The return trip had a 15-minute stop ostensibly to allow us to use a restroom but the real reason was a chance to funnel us into a shop for alcohol, cigars and other souvenirs from somebody's ‘cousin. There was some anxiety we'd miss the boat leaving port. As an official Princess excursion, the experienced traveler (Dad) wasn't too worried. Still, we only had 20 minutes to spare and that included hustling the half a mile from the parking lot onto the ship.

A worthy and memorial experience/adventure overall but not for the advertised reasons.

Complementary lunch at ~2:45 pm	Ready to head back

Our post dinner entertainment included the Elton John musical tribute followed by Music Trivia in the Explorers Lounge at 1015 pm. Much to the chagrin of the primarily Baby Boomer audience and the disbelief of the assistant cruise director host, the Curti dusted the competition with a 90% score. It helped to have a spread of knowledge over ages, though Cate's knowledge of 1950s music more than held her own against those alive when it came out. Suck it, Karens!

Curti Music Trivia Winners	Music Trivia answers

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 8 Thursday Grand Turk

Our low energy "another day, another island" resulted in the most cursory of visits to GT, the island with the shortest cruise dock lane. After an obligatory reccy of cruise terminal shops and pool taken over by the raucous passengers from our mirrored itinerary Carnival Mardi Gras ship, we spent most of our time reading the kiosk for the John Glenn Mercury splash down that occurred off Grand Turk.

Grand Turk Cruise Port disembarking	With Mercury 7 Astronaught John Glen statue

Afterwards, we partook in some overpriced water and beer at the Beached Whale beach bar. Jane bought her first legal drink by herself: a frozen margarita.

Janes first legal drink

At the Beached Whale, beachfront bar	Drinking at the Beached Whale (or not)

Curti at Grand Turk Note: Beached Whale to left	Posing in front of the cruise ship

After taking some pics, we all decamped back to the ship where already paid for the drinks, food and Pounce.

Pounce - Day 1

In line for dinner	Curti at 2nd Formal Night

Clarice and Barry	Cate providing Tech Suupport for Instagram

Post dinner entertainment was the big show with 22 performers in the Princess Theatre: Bravo. The mis was an eclectic mix from opera to a James Bond melody with Skyfall and Thunderball. They know their target demographic. We adjourned for drinks in the Wheelhouse afterwards, with Randy, Bethany, Barry and Clarice talking to the next morning and closing it down.

Post entertainment Wheelhouse gathering

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 9 Friday At Sea

Our second and final at Sea Day, a lazy day of sleeping late, reading and lounging. The highlight of the day was playing Pounce in the cushy seats at the aft end of the ship.

Pounce - Day 2

The Love Boat	Reading on the promanade

Fancy drinks in unfancy clothes	Heading to dinner (yes this is the previous night but it make a clearer contrast to their day wear)

That evening we nudged one another to visit the late night Skywalkers Lounge at the high point of the ship cantilevered over the back of the boat. We represented a third of the clientele at 11 pm. The reason for the sparce attendance was unclear: average age of ship attendee being ten years past Rn B; passe nature of a disco or lingering COVID cultural limiting enthusiasm for dancing in tight proximity to strangers. We enjoyed having the run of the place and not being exposed to others.

Outside of Skywalkers	Monopolizing the dance floor

Curtis FFF 2022 Day 10-11 Saturday and Sunday, And Back Again

Like nearly all road trips, the journey back was very anticlimactic, filled primarily by wishes the fun could have lasted longer with an even stronger desire to be home again. On Saturday, we reached the Fairfield in Dalton GA at sunset exactly 12 hours from getting to our disembarkation station on the boat. We arrived on home to two very happy dogs the following afternoon.