Winter Getaway to the Caribbean

Saturday, 23 January 2016 (Part I)
Green Caye RV Park – Dickinson, Texas
Temps: Hi 62F (17C) / Lo 34F (1C)

A week ago at about this time we were sitting in the Grand Pacific Dining Room aboard NCL Jade.  Not for a meal, mind you.  Rather, we were there to attend the required muster drill before the ship could set sail from the Port of Houston for our seven-day winter getaway to the Caribbean.

We returned home this morning.  The bags are unpacked and the first load of laundry is in the washing machine.  I managed to stay on top of my journaling during the cruise, so I’m ready to write all about it.

A seven night cruise with three ports of call for fun.

So let’s embark Jade and seek some warmth and sunshine!  At least that was the plan.  I have to admit the weather did not cooperate — at least not like it has on past cruises to the Caribbean.  What can I say?  Blame it on El Niño … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Saturday 16 January …

Although the online documents suggested we arrive at noon to embark the ship, I had checked the Port of Houston webcam and knew Jade was in port.  So, at 10:00a we left the motorhome plugged in at the RV park and headed to the Bayport Cruise Terminal where we joined up with the Z’s to check in for the cruise.

Hello Jade!  We’ll be aboard soon.

When we booked this cruise a year ago NCL had a sale on suites.  Since this was also a birthday gift of sorts for Mui — the big 6-0 don’t you know — I splurged on one of the aft suites.  I had heard that NCL does suites right … starting with a suite check-in desk and lounge, which kept us out of the long lines at the regular counter.  I appreciated that convenience, but can’t say that I liked the way they handled the boarding later when our escort simply cut into the passenger queue on the gangway, calling out that he had priority passengers and to let us through … it was embarrassing to say the least.

Jade reflected in the windows of the Bayport Cruise Terminal.

Anyway, once aboard Jade, we dropped off our bags in our suite and headed to the Cagney’s Steakhouse.  An otherwise fee-based specialty restaurant, this venue is open to suite passengers for breakfast and lunch.  Together with the Z’s, we enjoyed a quiet meal … and a very tasty one at that.

A quiet embarkation lunch at Cagney’s.

After lunch, we headed to our stateroom.  We were on this ship for the TransAtlantic that returned us to Houston last November.  Our cabin on that cruise was an aft cabin as well.  In fact, it was the cabin adjacent to the one I booked for this cruise.  I didn’t care for the décor last time; nor did I this time, but at least I knew what to expect when we stepped into 10166.

10166 … as seen from the entry leading into the cabin.

The en suite and dressing room are behind the wall next to the bed.

Left: Dressing area with small closet and drawer space on the left.
Center: The main closet can be accessed from either the dressing room or the entry.
Right: a coffee/tea machine is one of the suite perks — Mui will enjoy that.

A three section en suite … would have preferred a shower, but I’ll make do.

An oversized veranda … my favorite part of the suite.  The cabin we were in for
the TransAtlantic is on the other side of the white panels behind the chaise lounge.

Our bags arrived after the muster drill, so we left the unpacking until after the 4:00p sailaway.  Unfortunately, it was pouring rain at the time Jade threw off her bowline and headed off into the bay, so it was a rather soggy departure.

First time we’re having to resort to using an umbrella on the veranda.

The rain let up not long after we were on the move.  By the time we were passing Galveston the overcast and rain were no more, and we got to enjoy a gorgeous sunset … which I chose to take as a good omen for what the Caribbean had in store for us … HAH!

The E’s and the Z’s, just a few staterooms apart, bid each other happy cruising.

A colorful postcard from sailaway.

Passing Galveston, which we recognize from our week-long stay there earlier this month.

It wasn’t long before Jade started rolling gently.  The Captain had advised that we would have some rough seas on the way south, but I wasn’t expecting this much movement in the bay.  Certainly there was enough of it that Mui had to come up with a way to keep the door from banging shut with each roll while we were on the veranda enjoying the sunset.  No, keeping the door closed was not an option — we tried, but each time the ship rolled the other way, the door just slid open … it was a no win situation ;-)

Mui’s ingenious solution for keeping the veranda door from sliding open or closing.

Dinner was a quiet one with the Z’s.  We went to the Garden Café buffet for something light as no one was in the mood for a full blown meal.  Our post-dinner stroll on the deck 7 promenade was cut short by a stiff, cold wind, so we returned to the cabin to unpack and settle in.

Like a cradle, Jade rocked us to sleep when we finally called it a day.

Sunday, 17 January … At Sea

We had one day at sea before our first port of call.  It didn’t take us long to slide into our routine for days at sea — a two-mile walk on the deck 7 promenade … once the seas moderated a bit; table service breakfast at Cagney’s; quiet time reading on the veranda; a second walk on the promenade for me.  I had to wrap beach towels around my legs to sit outside in the morning, but by the time the afternoon rolled around, I no longer needed them to keep warm.  We closed the day with another lovely sunset.

I’ll leave the rest of the cruise to the next post …

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