Travel Tips

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People getting off the ship

We pulled into San Juan before dawn on the morning of the 19th, and we had to go through security (Immigration) after having been at St. Kitts just like we did in St. Thomas after we 'visited' the Bahamas. This time they called the end of the alphabet first so we were the last called.

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From the deck looking over to the ferry dock

When I walked out on deck, it was quite hot and humid, and we were docked on the far pier - three over from where the Crown had been when it was in San Juan. I had intended to ride the ferry at least, but it was too hot to walk over there, so we just looked from the deck.

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Tanker truck on the pier

We saw the ship was discharging something into a tanker truck through a green hose. Don't know what it was. We could also see the US Custom and Border Protection office on the second floor of the building next to the ship.

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Do Not Enter sign through our window

he NCL Jewel came in and was docked between us and the ferry dock. Our ship maintenance people were working on chipping the paint off the railings outside of our room and repainting them. Later they took that section of the railing out and hung a chain across the gap with a sign that said "Do Not Enter". I thought that was amusing since all that was on the other side was the ocean.

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Chilled cranberry soup

The Maasdam was scheduled to leave around lunchtime, but we went up to the Rotterdam dining room anyway, as I thought I would run outside to take pictures of El Moro when the time came.

I had chilled cranberry soup with yogurt in it (very good), and a corned beef sandwich on toast. Bob had the Caribbean Burger, and he told them he didn't want the bun or the cheese (a cheeseburger without cheese), and they brought it on the bun with cheese anyway. When he removed the bun and cheese the waiter was astonished and has remembered Bob and every time he saw him afterwards he said "Cheeseburger with no bun and no cheese".

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Picture of El Moro from in the dining room

I was under the impression that we would be back to San Juan (we would not), so when we cast off from the dock, since it was quite overcast and the light was flat and not at all dramatic, I just took some pictures from inside the dining room.

For dessert, we had what they said was pineapple upside down cake, but it wasn't really. It was a cupcake sized sponge cake sitting in chocolate and vanilla sauce with a round of pineapple and a cherry in the middle on top.

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San Juan from the ship as we left port

For dinner, I started out with bay shrimps cocktail (tiny little shrimp in an individual metal compote) and Bob had Citrus Delight with Amaretto (orange, pineapple and grapefruit with cranberry apple viniagrette). Then we both had the chilled cranberry soup again. It was good. Bob had the Medallion of Veal With Lemon Caper Sauce and I had the Roasted Quail Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese for dinner. For dessert, I had Sachertorte, and Bob had a sundae.

Next, changing rooms in Norfolk