FIRST STOP: FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, AND THE WATERFRONT!

Monday, October 5, 2026
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
87F

We left the house by 4:45 a.m. this morning to be sure we caught our Erie flight to Fort Lauderdale at 6 a.m. (this time TK's rule). We had such easy flights to Charlotte, and then TK told me that he opted for first class from Charlotte to FLL because we got a better deal on all of our luggage.  I'm taking his word for that.  Anyway, after two smooth flights, we were settled in the Hilton on the waterfront by 2:30 p.m. 

The Hilton is a Water Taxi stop and we were off! First stop was Las Olas Boulevard and how that has changed. Great shops (TB, LP, and many more), but I spotted an Italian bakery, Pan'e Dolci Italian Bakery, and they had fresh made sfogiatelle!!  My very favorite pastry!!  Dessert first!

So many lovely homes

$10 million-$43 million +

Or maybe you would like a boat instead??

Janie at Pan'e Dolci Bakery

You know you are going to see

a photo of sfogiatelle.

What did we see while waiting for

the water taxi?

Our next stop was 15th St Fisheries 

for dinner--fried scrumptious 

fresh shrimp for me

and a lobster roll for TK

https://www.15streetfisheries.com/  

More homes on the waterfront

Hard to pick a favorite. New homes are

being built, more concrete to defeat

the hurricanes.

Views from our wrap around balcony---I am writing this blog in the dark to let TK rest. I am sure he has something to say about the day.  He was happy to see Dunkin' at the Charlotte Airport to help wake us up!

Tomorrow, Island Princess, here we come!!

ALL ABOARD THE ENCHANTED PRINCESS, FRIENDS ALL HERE!

Friday, January 16, 2025
Enchanted Princess/At Sea/Atlantic Ocean
64F 

Wow, it was great to see old friends!  After parking the truck at Fort Lauderdale Park n Go and shuttling to the Enchanted, we easily boarded the ship. There is always a security check, just like at an airport, then providing proof of identity (passport) and then we walked onto the ship. 

While we were sitting leisurely in the International Café, Friend Nancy K from California spotted me and gave me a big hug—Brian K was nearby as well as Denise G and her sister Michelle.  It had been 10 years since we saw each other, and it seemed as if no one had changed a bit. 

By noon we had completed our required safety drill video and a little later checked in at our particular muster station (both are mandatory for all before the ship can depart). Our stateroom was ready, we unpacked and headed to the Sailaway by 3 p.m.  with the gang.

Fort Lauderdale while we were still in port

Our stateroom Riviera 205

It is actually a mini suite,

because we can separate the beds from

the "living room" area with a drape.

I love this configuration but our next 

cruises do not have this option

Our sleeping area, obviously

Bye Bye Fort Lauderdale

Leaving Port

I think the blimp wanted a closer look!

We reunited at 5:20 for dinner in the Amalfi Dining Room. There are 12 people in our group on this cruise, four friends of Denise and her sister. We sat with Donna, Lawrence, Brian, and Nancy—nothing has changed. Brian and Lawrence joking around, Brian explaining his cooking exploits with a sous vide, Lawrence making sly comments, everyone chatting, giggling, and laughing ----ten days will fly by.  It was 15 years ago that we all met on the Grand Princess, and the last we saw Brian and Nancy was January 2016 on the Regal Princess.

Nancy and Brian from California

Donna and Lawrence from Wisconsin

Lawrence is holding the mysterious beverage

TK wants to resume his Guess What This Food is contest, and tonight there was something astounding served to Lawrence.  So please text or email your guesses!

GUESS WHAT THIS  BEVERAGE IS!

It is not alcohol, nor a 

any kind of mocktail

Obviously not food,

but a beverage

I forgot to mention yesterday that the newscaster on FLL TV stated that this has been the coldest January in FLL in three years. No kidding. I sure hope it is warmer when we return on January  26.

TK’s Takes:  The fastest we ever got on a ship.  Nice to meet up with old friends.

ADVENTURING TO AVENTURA MALL

Saturday, January 27, 2024
Sky Princess
Stateroom S222/17
Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Sun, 80F

 

Double Rainbow, over the 

Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas

From our balcony

A double rainbow greeted us this morning in Port Everglades! We are sailing on the Sky for one more week, so we are “Guests in Transit.”  We had to get off the ship and go through U.S. customs.  This process is so easy now—one’s photo is taken, matched with records, and within 10 seconds one is free to pass through. Technology!

 

TK surprised me by calling an Uber to take us to the Aventura Mall we heard about a week ago, the 5^th largest mall in the country. 

 

By 10 a.m., we were walking around this beautiful upscale mall. Are you saying to yourself, “What the heck, a mall?”  I can’t help it, I like to walk around malls, and TK doesn’t mind, it is a good workout! I love window shopping, checking out fashions, looking for something different.  I always think I will spring for a Hermes scarf, a Gucci bag, or something like that, but in the end, I don’t do that. 

 

I didn't know that Porsche was into watches 

and fashion too

Penney's!

NOrdstrom

Louis Vuitton

Quite a display for two purses

There's a camo outfit!

Jimmy Choo

If they only had a green and blue scarf!

Tiffany and BMW, sign me up!

This is a $200,000 BMW

About noon, TK called me to meet him near a Macy’s entrance. He did not realize there were two Macy’s in this mall and the one he was at had 4 inside entrances. Believe me, finding him added a lot of steps to my Fitbit!  When I found him, he was excited to show me he had found sfogliatella! My favorite Italian pastry which I wrote about over and over when we were in the Mediterranean. He was very pleased with himself, and he should have been! After eating two (better step up the walking!), we decided to say goodbye to Aventura Mall and return to the ship.

 

Sfogliatella--very much like those we ate in Europe 

(by the dozens)

Nice fresh sandwiches

Mozzarella and Tomato sure look good!

Sfogliatella on the right

Rosetta Italian Bakery!

It was there just for us!

TK called up Uber and away we went.  Sky Princess was waiting for us, and we breezed aboard, ready to sail away again.  We could tell this week the passengers are a livelier crowd. Probably attributed to the “Concerts at Sea, 50s and 60s Themed Oldies Cruise.”  When guests book the cruise, they may also book the concerts. The concerts were full when we booked, but we will experience them vicariously through friends, Jeff P and Doris, who are on this cruise. 

  

Elmer welcomed us back to our table #84 in Soleil Dining Room. He had a little more time tonight to talk to us-last cruise he had 2 large tables with 18 people, plus us so he was very busy. He told us about his father in law’s farm back in the Philippines where they grow coffee plants, papaya, avocados, bananas, and more. Elmer has been working for Princess for 25 years and has a wife back home.  The contracts are nine months long with three months off.

Sugar Free "Lemon Pie"

Watching our calories haha!

After dinner tonight I decided to try the hair salon while TK rested—it has been a very long time since I have done that on a cruise ship.  I hope the styling lasts for tomorrow’s beach/picnic day at Princess Cay. That is kind of a joke because it will be hot and humid there!

Onward to sea we go!

Yesterday was a sea day, and there wasn’t much to tell because we basically read and ate and read and ate. We did go to the Veterans Get Together. One of the ladies and her husband were in the Air Force for 20 years each. There was also a World War II veteran, too.  I love seeing the camaraderie amongst veterans.

 TK’s Takes: He couldn’t believe the Millcreek Mall is the 13^th largest mall in the U.S.

For those who are intensely interested, here is the rundown of some of malls we have experienced:

• King of Prussia Mall, 3^rd largest in USA, 2,793,200 sq. ft., built 1963, 450 stores.
• Aventura Mall, 5^th largest in the USA, 2,700,000 sq. ft., built 1963, 300 stores.
• Sawgrass Mills Mall, 11^th largest in the USA, 2,260,610 sq. ft., built 1990, 350 stores. 
• Millcreek Mall, 13^th largest in the USA, 2,200,000 sq. ft., built 1975, 175 stores.

 

ON THE SEA AGAIN!

Fort Lauderdale / Regal Princess

Sunday, January 24, 2016

45-52 F / sunny

This morning we awoke in Fort Lauderdale. We had breakfast in Horizon Court with friends, omelets made to order, lovely croissants and other pastries, so many choices from oatmeal and grits to English bacon (I think that is a kind of ham) and lox. A huge variety just for breakfast. Many sad passengers were leaving the ship.

Our job today was to go to the Princess Theater to go through customs as passengers “in transit.” The process was a bit touchy as there were 704 passengers staying on the ship for the 2^nd or 3^rd week. The requirement was that NO ONE could go through customs until all 704 people were in the theater. Apparently two weeks ago a fight almost broke out on the Regal because someone held up the process and did not show up for an hour.  When the last few people came in about 35 minutes late today others starting booing. I do think Princess Cruise Lines needs to revisit this process.

Because the weather seemed so cold today so we could not really enjoy the ship like we planned. It was great to talk with R and B and text B2. It is not easy to be offline without communication for a week! Internet circumstances prevented leisurely reading of emails until today. I cannot even access my Gmail account during cruises because it interferes with my blog and uses up so much time. I cannot imagine the ship’s crew and how little they can communicate with families far away. We see crew members in the ports looking for free Wi-Fi. The crew has to pay for their Internet usage onboard minute by minute just like we do. We think nothing of “googling” information anytime, any day—not an option for anyone on board a cruise ship.

Anyway, after an examination of the blog I realized that I have no trouble putting people to sleep and I better start spicing things up or I will have no readers! After dinner (prime rib) we went to the “Welcome Aboard Showtime,” a show we did not see last week. This week’s comedian was quite funny, mostly joking about plenty of old people on the ship—ha ha!  The cruise director said there were about 3500 passengers onboard this week. That means 20% are repeating from last week.  The top five countries of origin are the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, and China.

I hope this week is a little more exciting. Weather and cancelled tours made a difference last trip. W still had fun though. We have a tour planned in St. Maarten with the gang---a beach near the airport with planes swooping in. Shopping is planned in St. Thomas.

TK’s Takes: Today we saw the most passengers ever staying on a cruise ship for a second week. 

OLD AND NEW FRIENDS, MALLS, AND UBER!

Hampton Inn – Fort Lauderdale Airport North

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Saturday, January 16, 2016

80 F

I’m writing this while our family in Erie/Jamestown is snow skiing and snowboarding at Peek n Peak! Quite a contrast!

What a fun day!  We were on the highway before 8 a.m. and the drive from Titusville to Sawgrass Mills Mall took about 3 hours on a perfectly sunny day!  First we hit the Tommy Bahamas Outlet, but there weren’t any deals there that we hadn’t already bought—ha ha!  This mall is huge with 350 stores!  It is the eighth largest mall in the United States, the largest single story mall in the U.S., and the second largest mall in Florida. The upscale stores include Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg, TB, Versace, Prada, and at least 25 more. There are many other shops from Chico’s to Ron Jon’s to Target, and everything in between, except Sephora.  That said, what did we buy? Another suitcase.  Anyone who has seen our basement knows that is ridiculous, but I needed a carry on that would fit my 10 inch laptop, the iPad, and my stuff for my hair, face, and dental stuff. What can I say?

And, if you are anywhere near a Cheesecake Factory, STOP NOW, and try their Lemon Meringue Cheesecake! Oh my gosh, heavenly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheesecake Factory, Sawgrass Mills Mall, Fort Lauderdale

After the mall, we headed for our Hampton Inn to get ready for dinner with our friends at Coconuts on the waterfront. As I was organizing my new suitcase, TK said, “I’m ready, are you?” Well, sort of. He had taken it upon himself to try out Uber and had already ordered it. Quickly we dashed for the lobby. In a very short time a very clean Toyota Prius drove up and Andrew drove us to Coconuts. He was so very friendly and told us that he is a software designer but does Uber in his spare time.  Because of the traffic the drive took ½ hour, but the ride was very pleasant and I sure am glad that TK did not have to drive. Turns out one’s first Uber ride is free!

We were so happy to see Nancy and Brian from Ukiah, CA again (I think this is our 4^th or 5^th trip together). We met their friends, Denise and Mike and Bobbi and Rick, also from California. I sure enjoyed talking with them. It wasn’t long before Colin and Gwenda (England) and Donna and Lawrence (Wisconsin) arrived---what fun to see our friends!!  It’s going to be one heck of a cruise.

Coconuts at the Waterfront, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

http://coconutsfortlauderdale.com/

Image from Coconuts' website

After dinner we walked with Lawrence and Donna and Colin and Gwenda to their hotel where TK ordered our Uber back to the Hampton Inn. He no sooner typed in the information on the Uber app on his phone and a Nissan Sentra drove up for us. I couldn’t believe it! What was even harder to believe was the ride back to the hotel only cost $8.11. Can you believe that? TK sure knows what he is doing!

TK’s Takes: “I haven’t been in an elevator since the trip started.” In reference to the fact that we have been staying on the first floor of our hotels. The mall is too big and it is confusing. [jk note: no, it isn’t]. Finally, “Uber is the best!”

Note to Friend H: Thanks for trying out Uber first! We love it too!

Note to Friend M: I love love love my blue, green, teal fiber necklace!!!

Note to Friend Mj: A comment on my blog! Thank you!