Day 1. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Sail Away 7:00pm
Day 2. Key West, Florida Arrive 8:00am Depart 1:00pm
Take the Conch Train or the Trolley Tour ($26) for a good overview. See the Little White House of Pres. Harry Truman and muse on how complicated life has become in the US in the last fifty years.
Day 3. 3-7-06 Cozumel, Mexico Arrive 8:00am Depart 7:00pm
Cozumel was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma Oct. 2005. It lost the new pier, but with tendering the tourists are returning. See the local San Gervasio Ruins and the Folkloric Show ($72). Snorkeling is great here, but for those who cannot swim go to the Sea Trek Helmet Diving tour ($88).
Day 4. At sea
Day 5. Ocho Rios, Jamaica Arrive 8:00am Depart 5:00pm
Dunns River Falls is the highlight to see; climbing them is a must for those with able bodies.
Day 6. Georgetown, Grand Caymans Arrive 8:00am Depart 5:00pm
Once again there is tendering in order to go ashore. Here among the favorite tours are those which include swimming with the Stingrays.
Day 7. At sea
Day 8. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Arrival 8:00am
Conclusion
It is always pleasant to return to a ship we have already sailed on before, where most probably we'll be welcomed by some of the crew and officers we had befriended on earlier cruises. This was true on this cruise, where we encountered Captain Garbarino, Hotel Director Ann Ryan and Maitre d' Luigi Cuomo, all of whom we had met on previous cruises on the Mediterranea and other Costa ships. Needless to say, they welcomed us as old, special friends and made our cruise a great one. We have cruised on about three dozen ships of nine cruise lines, but we tend to cruise more frequently on those lines that offer special perks to "frequent floaters," such as occasional upgrades, Champagne, fruit basket, a Concierge, VIP treatment, etc. Costa is one of our favorite lines. We'll be cruising on Costa again, but our next cruises will be on Carnival Triumph, May 13th, on the Caribbean Princess, Sept. 23rd and on the new Freedom of the Seas, Oct. 15th. However, we'll keep our eyes open for special sales during the summer for a last minute booking. Happy Cruising!
