Test Post with Picture

Okay, I'm still working with the blogging application. I now want to post a picture and see what happens and how the post looks.

Here's a picture taken in Cozumel 2014 of the Ruby Princess (yes, we knew we would be on this ship for 2015):

Don't mind me while I keep editing this picture post. :)

Note to self: captions under picture is not working....

Test Post for Today

This is a test post from a blogging application that I'm using for my Mac. As most know, the Internet connection on the cruise ship is sloooooow. Especially during peak hours in the morning and then throughout the day into the evening. Also, it can be hit or miss in the cabins and depends on the location of their Access Points or APs.

Instead of burning through precious minutes, I'm using a blogging tool/application. I've used this application on last year's cruise, but on a trial basis. My trial has now expired and I've decided to go ahead and purchase it. This application allows me to write my blog posts and add pictures offline. When I make a connection to the ship's Internet, I can tell the application to publish my post(s). It takes a few minutes to automatically login and push the data to my blog. Really cool!

So this blog post entry is my test to make sure there are no issues.

We'll see....

Results: looks like the application by default does not put in paragraphs. My sentences are just one long paragraph. For now, I'll have to add HTML codes to help with the formatting until I learn to configure the application....

Getting Ready for Our Next Cruise!

It's that time again!  Our next cruise starts in a few days.  This is a first for us to be cruising at the beginning of January.  Right after the holidays.

I'm just starting to gather our things.  Tech gadgets first of course.  Clothes next and then toiletries.

We will be heading down to Fort Lauderdale to start our vacation a few days before boarding the ship and to get acclimated to the warmer weather.

We will be sailing on the Ruby Princess.  Our first time on this particular ship.  I've heard wonderful things about the Ruby and I'm thinking this ship will more than likely come close to becoming our favorite ship. Right now, that honor belongs to the Caribbean Princess.

The Ruby Princess will be our home for two weeks.  Yes, we'll be doing a B2B.  Our first cruising week will cover the Eastern Caribbean and include Princess Cays, St Maarten, St Thomas and Grand Turk.  We get to stay on the ship and cruise into the second week which will cover the Western Caribbean.  We will be visiting Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel, and Princess Cays (again).

We are so looking forward to our cruising adventure.  For now, I need to pack and do some paperwork.  Be back soon!

Caribbean Princess: Vines Wine Bar

On the last night of our cruise, we went to the Vines Wine Bar.  It's one of my favorite places on this ship.  The layout and the seating arrangement is very welcoming during the day and in the evening.  It's a great place to have a meet up, read a book, or enjoy the delicious sweets from the International Cafe.  It's a nice place for people watching.

Vines Bar

Enjoyed the seating area here with the huge windows.  Well designed area and loved the wood trims they used.

The Vines seating area...one of the biggest Vines I've seen

The Tapas and Sushi prep area

Taking a peek into the prep area

One wine tasting offered paired different foods with the suggested wines

The wine tastings offered onboard

Wines beautifully displayed.  Behind the fancy doors...more wine!

Hogue wine on display

I just love the glow of this wine bottle....

I was able to get some pictures of the wine menu:

White wine list

Red wine list

Hubby was helping me with the setup for a photo op while I played with the exposure settings....

We ordered some wine...

The sushi was okay for the ship:

...and ordered the complimentary sushi to go with our wine

Vines is one of the many venues we enjoyed on the Caribbean Princess.  Did I mention that it's my favorite Princess ship?!

Snorkeling in the Caribbean and The Second Barrier Reef

Hubby and I have been fortunate to visit some of the most beautiful islands and beaches in the Caribbean.  We've been to the Eastern, Southern, and Western parts of the Caribbean.  They include:  Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, Cayman Island, Cozumel, Curacao, Dominica, Eleuthera Island (Bahamas), Grand Turk, Grenada, Isla Margarita, Jamaica, Martinique, Nevis, Puerta Rico, Roatan, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Kitts, St Thomas, and Tortola.

For many years, we thought the Southern Caribbean was the most beautiful and that included the three Dutch ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.  Aruba for its beautiful beaches.  Bonaire for its beautiful underwater marine life.  Curacao for its beautiful buildings, historical rich heritage, as wells as marine life.  Of the three, Bonaire is my favorite island.  Mostly for it's untouched beauty.

Bonaire is also known as a diver's paradise.  I have to agree, more so from a snorkeling perspective.  I've been told that most areas you can walk off the beach or pier and snorkel and see some of the most beautiful marine life.  That's my cup of tea.

Here's a map of Bonaire:

Bonaire

There's a small island off the west coast of Bonaire called Klein Bonaire where Hubby and I have often drift snorkeled.  The island/beach is so peaceful.

In recent years or more like the last two years, we've uncovered another part of the Caribbean where the marine life was just...outstanding.  That would be the Western Caribbean and the world's second largest barrier reef called the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.  It passes through Mexico, Belize, and Honduras.

Here are some maps of the three islands we have visited on our recent Western Caribbean cruise:

Belize where we've snorkeled at Geoff's Caye and Sergeant Caye

Cozumel Island, Mexico where we've snorkeled at Planacar Reef

Roatan Island, Honduras

For snorkeling, my favorite place so far is Maya Key in Roatan.  That says a lot since we've visited over 20 islands.  Close behind Maya Key would be Bonaire.

Next year when we go back to Roatan, I hope to visit Tabyana Beach (near West Bay) where I've heard you can snorkel right off the beach and the further you go...well it should be pretty spectacular!  Can't wait!

Pancho's Backyard in Cozumel

Pancho's Backyard is located in the Puerta Maya Pier in Cozumel.  It's one of three main dining establishments which also includes Tres Amigos and Fat Tuesdays.  Pancho's is located at the far end of the Puerta Maya Cruise Center.  Walk to the end of the pier (start of the shopping area) and veer left and walk towards Los Cinco Soles.  You will find the restaurant next door at the end of the building.

When we visited the Cozumel the first week of our cruise, we actually docked at the International Pier.  Our port itinerary changed (from Monday to Thursday) and since Puerta Maya was booked with other cruise ships, we ended up at the IP.

We wandered around IP, but did not find a good place to eat.  We headed out of the International Pier and made a right.  We walked for about a mile or two and came to the entrance of the Puerta Maya Cruise Center (the main dock/pier).  We headed into the PM Cruise Center and made a right to find Pancho's.

It was too pretty to sit inside....

Here's Pancho's menu:  

Beautiful artwork on display around the restaurant:

Pictures of the food:

The guacamole was delicious!

For us, Pancho's was the best restaurant when compared to Tres Amigos and Fat Tuesday.  The food was fresh and tasty.  We had a lovely view while dining outside:

After our early lunch, we walked past the tables and umbrellas and headed to a small beach area to lounge and relax in the shade.  In front of us was the Puerta Maya pier:  

To our right and in the distance was the International Pier where our cruise ship was docked:

A Note for Fellow Cruisers:

While we were window-shopping in Dufry's, I uncovered an interesting tidbit of information.  I saw a  small rum cake that I wanted to purchase.  I mentioned that we were on the Caribbean Princess.  I was told I couldn't purchase the cake in the Puerta Maya Cruise Center as our ship wasn't docked at this pier.  Really?  Yes!  I was told I had to go back to the International Pier (where our ship was docked) and make my purchase at the Dufry's there.  I didn't make a rum cake purchase that day.  For my fellow cruisers, if you happen to be visiting another pier where your ship is not docked...just be aware that certain items can't be purchased.

Also, if the two Carnival ships were not in port at Puerta Maya, that cruise center and pier would have been closed.

Comparing the Two Sea Days on a B2B...Friday

I wanted to do a special post of the last sea day of each cruise.  The first week we had cooler temperatures and windy conditions.  The second week we had warmer temperatures and a slight breeze.  

The way that each cruise week ended was dramatically different.   Here's what Friday, January17th looked like coming back into the Gulf:

We enjoyed some quality time on our balcony and the peacefulness of the sea.  

Here's what the Gulf looked like a week later on Friday, January 24th:

We were not able to spend any quality time on our balcony the last day at sea.  It was too chilly and windy with intermittent rain showers.  

Incredible, huh?

Mahogany Beach - Roatan, Honduras

There's a bunch of pictures I missed and have not posted.  I thought I would do a separate post on Mahogany Beach as Hubby and I spent some time here exploring.  Mahogany Beach is part of the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center where the cruise ships dock nearby.  This area is locally known as Dixon Cove.

The Mahogany Bay CC has several shops and a few eating/drinking establishments (e.g. Gelato, Coffee Shop, and Fat Tuesday).  Once you leave the pier and head right past the Fat Tuesday, follow the paved path that leads to the entrance of Mahogany Beach.  To the left is a white building called Dolphin Isle:

Dolphin Isle is a dolphin center where you can swim with the dolphins.  There are no signs from the path or any advertisements.  I only know about it because I saw this from the bridge that leads to Mahogany Beach:  

And curiosity led us to the Dolphin Isle building.  It does cost money to enter this facility.  Whether you swim or observe.  It's free to watch from the bridge.  So, I watched from the bridge...for free.  

Back to the beach.  At the entrance to the beach, you have to flash your cruise card to get in.  As you walk along the bridge, look to your left and you will see the dolphins.  Continue along and you will enter an enclosure that houses the beach shops and rest rooms.  Walk past through this facility and you're at the beach!

There three eating and drinking establishments on the beach:  Hurricane Hole, Playa Tortugas Chill 'n Grill, and the Hideaway Fishery.  Here's two of them advertising food:  

Hurricane Hole with their advertised BBQ

On the second week of our cruise we ate at the Hurricane Hole.  Their Caribbean Jerk Chicken was devine along with their rice and peas.  For $6.95, you can beat the price for home cooking!

We continued down the path for a bit and we ended up at the Cabanas:

From what I understand, the Cabanas can be rented for the day from the ship's excursion desk.  I took a peak inside one of them and it's basically a one room hut with air conditioning and comfy tropical furniture.  Outside one of the Cabanas, I saw this posted:  

We walked past the Cabanas and headed towards the beach front.  What a view!

There's a pier to the left which appears to be semi-private as in you have to get passed a guard to reach it.  This may be included in the price of the Cabana rental.

We turned around and headed back.  Here's a view of the Caribbean Princess from the beach:

Full size chess and checkers that can be played on the beach:

Having some fun along the way!

 Next year, we'll be back for some more Caribbean Jerk Chicken!  Can't wait!

The large gray rooftops are the eating and drinking establishments:

Beach view from the cruise ship:

Having some more fun in Mahogany Bay: