ONE OF THE CRUISERS’ ADVENTURES INCLUDED A VISIT TO ANCIENT MAYAN RUIN.
No matter how many Caribbean cruises I go on there’s always something new or old to see. Apparently, I had never been on Princess Cruise Lines ship. I thought I had tried them all. The Star Princess offers a “medallion” that you can wear on your wrist to pay for anything and unlock your stateroom door. That was very convenient. Even though it wasn’t a “mega ship” there was a lot of winding your way through cabin corridors to get to public areas. I don’t remember so much of that with other cruise lines. But the food and entertainment were worth the walk.
The ladies of neighboring Magnolia Landing have taken a group Princess cruise three years in a row, and they really know how to plan a “party.” This year they invited Sabal Springs ladies and a half dozen of us joined in the fun. Fifty-four ladies boarded a bus and headed to the Port of Fort Lauderdale wearing duck hats, duck shirts, duck P.J.s, and ducky jewelry. Yes, there was a duck theme and there was a lot of “ducking-around” on board. We even had a “duck walk” and we crowned “Miss Duck America” thanks to a clever activity devised by Terri Marotta on Mellow Yellow Night.
INTO DONNA MILBEE’S
POCKET DURING A VISIT TO
THE MONKEY & SLOTH SANCTUARY
Our seven-day voyage included a stop in Roatan, where we booked a private tour through Viatour to take us to areas we hadn’t been before. The itinerary included a Monkey & Sloth Sanctuary, a Rum distillery, and a chocolate factory. I couldn’t tell you which I liked best but, I recommend guarding your possessions well at the sanctuary — a clever monkey stole a pill case from my pocket without me even knowing.
In Belize we took an excursion to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins via bus wending our way through villages and lush countryside and then a pontoon up the New River to reach the 3,000-year-old site. The native tour guide told us all about the history, government, and education of the country. Surprisingly, English is the official language, but natives speak an unrecognizable Spanish/Creole dialect with their families.
I wasn’t surprised that I was the oldest person to sign the waiver to climb 110 feet to the top of the Mayan Temple, which is one of the few you are still allowed to climb. My plan was to go as far as I could to take my photo then descend. I was concerned about coming down without a handrail. However, the climbing and descending is done on a staircase, erected behind and out of sight, including handrails. So, I have some beautiful photos from the top.
Cruising never gets old. Before the bus arrived back in North Fort Myers the ladies were already looking for next year’s destination. It was such smooth sailing that I’ll be back on board for sure.
DOWN THE 110-FOOT RUIN
A GUIDED TOUR INCLUDED A RESTAURANT IN ROATAN WHERE THE GROUP ATE IN THE TREES OVERLOOKING THE BAY, AFTER VISITING A RUM FACTORY, A CHOCOLATE FACTORY AND JUNGLE ANIMAL SANCTUARY.
