Planes, trains and automobiles—we used them all to reach Miami, where we met our cruise ship and headed out to see the world. On December 7, 2023, we left our home in Hershey and traveled by car to the Middletown, PA, train station, where we caught an Amtrak train to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. From there we changed trains and hopped a SEPTA local to the Philadelphia Airport, where we overnighted at the airport Marriott. Early the following morning we took an American Airlines flight to Miami and shuttled to the Intercontinental Hotel, our home for the next two nights. Cruise check-in was at the hotel, which made boarding on the 10th a breeze. Our fellow passengers were all staying there, and the lobby was abuzz with anticipation and excitement.
The Intercontinental is only a short walk from the water and provides a marvelous view of the cruise port. We filled much of our time in Miami exploring, browsing the shops at Bayside Marketplace, and picking up some last minute items at Whole Foods and CVS.
The climax of our pre-cruise time in Miami was a grand bon voyage gala in the hotel ballroom on the 9th. We joined 663 of our fellow passengers for dinner, where we heard from Royal Caribbean bigwigs including their CEO and entertainment director. The highlight for me, though, was the stunning henna dragon tattoo that Michele got on her hand and wrist during the cocktail hour. The artist, who was from India, was very talented, and Michele will enjoy showing off her dragon on the ship for the next few days.
We boarded the ship on Sunday morning, December 10, when it finally began to sink in that we’re actually doing this. We used Luggage Forward to send four of our six suitcases ahead, and were happy to find that they were waiting for us in our stateroom when we got there. Speaking of staterooms, we have a very nice, if modestly sized room on deck three, not too far above the waterline. And while we don’t have a balcony, we have a large window that affords plenty of light and a great view of the ocean. All in all, we’re quite happy with our accommodations for the next nine months.
From now on my posts will be from a cruise ship at sea, and I’ll be sure to bring my camera along so you can share the adventure with us. Next stop, Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island.
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