The Crossing

Well we are aboard the Seven Seas Mariner in Ft Lauderdale awaiting departure for our first stop in Hamilton, Bermuda. Port Everglades where we are moored at the moment is the largest cruise port in the world hosting 14 individual cruise lines and processing over 3 million passengers per year through its piers. It is home to the newest, largest cruise ship in the world Oasis of the Seas a 220,000 ton ship with a 5400 passenger capacity and measuring well over 1000 ft in length! Our little Mariner with around 500 passengers looks like a pilot fish along side the Oasis.

We boarded around 1 pm through a security process much like the airports. Document check followed by x-ray checks and then a health screen prior to ship check in. They only screened for a runny nose or loose bowels! Heart attacks must be acceptable at sea. Interesting to watch the ship being re provisioned for our voyage across the Atlantic. Every pallet brought on board was checked by a sniffing dog...who was hopefully in good form.

Our luggage came aboard after X ray screening via this large basket. It was placed in our room by 4PM just in time for us to "muster" for our lifeboat drill.








We exited via the port channel and dropped our harbor pilot off on his boat while making 20knots... like a grab and go Somalia pirate.









Weather is 69 deg, mostly overcast, but improving and seas are 10 feet. The ship does a slight rock like a baby's cradle.

The Mariner is truly living in the lap of luxury. The Regent line is an all inclusive cruise line covering air fare, all excursions, food, adult beverages and has a no tipping policy. My wallet went into the drawer and will not come out until we reach Monte Carlo.

More later.