April 10 Cruise, Ft. Lauderdale to Rome – Monday, April 10

After our stormy arrival at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday night, we retrieved our bags and grabbed a cab for the short ride to the hotel, passing the cruise port on the way. Many cruise ships depart from and return to Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, and ours was scheduled to dock by 7:00 a.m. Monday morning.  

Passengers who rounded the southern tip of South America and sailed north to Ft. Lauderdale would disembark, and typically by 11:00 a.m., passengers bound for Rome (us) would begin to board. It is a logistical feat to feed breakfast to and remove roughly 1900 passengers along with their belongings, clean the cabins and prepare lunch in time to welcome another 1900 four hours later. 

Our boarding was delayed for a couple of hours due to a required Coast Guard inspection and drill, so we left the hotel for the port at 1:15 in an Uber in the pouring rain. We had readied our bags to be handed off to a porter by attaching preprinted Holland America luggage tags that displayed our cabin number. Crew members would then deliver them directly to our cabin prior to departure. 

Sometimes you wonder whether to tip in various circumstances as you travel. In this case, the porter made things crystal clear, letting us know loudly and repeatedly that “this is the place and now is the time to take care of your porter”.  I love it when people are helpful like that! 

The boarding process was well organized; lines moved quickly, boarding passes were scanned, digital pictures were taken to identify us as we got on and off the ship at various stops, and our keycards were waiting for us by our cabin where we arrived in time to unpack, relax, and head for the dining room at 5:30.  The ship cast off about 6:30 while we were having dinner – later than scheduled, and we immediately noticed more rocking and swaying than we had experienced on previous cruises. 

What we did not realize, and learned during a later talk by the captain, was that we were being impacted by a low pressure system that shut down the Ft. Lauderdale airport for days and produced the most rainfall in the history of the area – more than 26 inches of rain in 24 hours!

During our departure from port we were actually towed by a tug as the ship could not safely maneuver out with engines alone. We sailed straight into the face of 35-40 mph winds and 13 foot swells that caused the Captain to cut speed to 12-14 knots (typical is 18-20), engage stabilizers, and change direction in order to reduce motion for the ship. 

After dinner, Genny and I wobbled back to our cabin where we donned our “Sea Bands”, elastic bands with a button that puts pressure just above your wrists and helps to alleviate/prevent seasickness, something to which neither of us are typically prone. But this was a good bit more movement than usual, and we actually each took a Dramamine as well – and took to our beds early just to sway in one spot.  

This “extra motion” continued throughout the night and all day Tuesday as the captain adjusted course and speed against wind and swells to hopefully keep to our itinerary without causing illness or injury to crew and passengers. Genny and I adapted well, moving about when desired, just with extra caution. We had breakfast delivered to our cabin and spent much of the day reading and relaxing, coming out for meals and a little exploring of the ship. Genny is still recovering from foot surgery and rotates from boot to regular shoes, so walking around the ship between our cabin and dining rooms on the back (see how that works?!) and the main stage on the front keeps her practicing. We have also walked on the deck after things calmed down where she wears her real shoes.  Three laps around equals one mile. 

Unfortunately, on Wednesday morning I became overconfident and stood on one foot in the bathroom while propping the other on the toilet lid to inspect my toes. Just as I said to myself, “you need to keep both feet on the floor”, the ship lurched down, I went up, and flew backwards and into the bathtub (fortunately it was empty!).  Also fortunately, nothing is broken, just badly bruised back ribs – and ego – that slowed me down to Genny’s boot speed for a few days. The cabin stewards brought me a foam mattress topper, so now I feel like the Princess and the pea when I climb in to bed! 

Obviously, vessels handle conditions at sea according to their size, structure, condition, load, etc., and the various tools and crew they have been given. Most importantly is having a captain who knows the ship, understands all of these elements, and can apply them to make for a safer and more enjoyable voyage. 

During his presentation, the Captain talked about weather, radar, charts, shipping lanes, information gathered from other ships that have gone before us, and how he makes decisions for our good and the good of his “Kingdom” and its people. I was reminded of how each of us sails through this life with only small insights into what is ahead. But, trite we have an experienced Captain available to us, one who can see it all, who has gone before us, who can read the charts and the weather, who can quite literally calm the storm – or take us safely through the threatening seas. He has even given us a guidebook, the Bible, to enable us to study on our own. And I find that the more I read it and discuss it with Him, the better I know Him, and the more I trust His guidance and decisions for His kingdom and its people.  

Thanks for sailing with us. May you have fair winds and following seas, and when not – may you trust the Captain who will always guide you safely through the storm.