Back in Ft. Lauderdale

After an uneventful, if full, flight to Florida, we once again found that those little Nexxus cards we got last year are a real time-saver. Our flight was post-clearance, which means that we didn't go through customs at home, as usual, but cleared customs and immigration when we landed. Since we hadn't had to do this for many a year, we had no idea how long the lineups might be, but hoped that the Nexxus Trusted Traveler cards would help out. Sure enough, there were quite a few people ahead of us, but we passed the entire line by and did our thing at the Global Entry kiosk. We were at the baggage claim within about 10 minutes of leaving the plane!


The Lago Mar Resort and Club, where we decided to stay instead of Pier 66, is relatively small, but very nice. There is a good sized pool area, tennis courts, shuffleboard, a couple of beach volleyball courts, and direct beach access with private canvas cabanas and lounge chairs. Here are a couple of photos:

Our room is actually a small suite – separate bedroom, bathroom, small kitchenette area with a bar fridge, microwave, Keurig coffee maker and sink, and a good sized living room including a round dining table, couch and chair. The balcony is also a nice size, and although we are on the third floor, we can't see the ocean because of the palm trees around the pool.

Last night we had dinner in the Acquario Restaurant here in the hotel, and it was so good that we decided to go back tonight. There aren't any restaurants in the nearby area that are as good as this, and the prices are very reasonable. The resort is privately owned and you can see it from the attention to detail, the friendliness of the staff, and the prices for services and food. It is definitely a keeper for future trips to the area.

This afternoon we drove up to Boca West to visit with Judith, one of the Crystal Cruise Critic people who Larry corresponds with on a regular basis. We had a great time talking about cruises – we'll be seeing her in September on the Symphony trans-Atlantic crossing from Dover to New York.

When we got back, we walked down the beach – for the SECOND time today, Eric – to the entrance of Port Everglades, and sat on the rocks to watch the cruise ships head out. There were seven ships in port today, including Oasis of the Seas, so it took about an hour and a half before they were all off to their first ports of call.

Dinner was as good tonight as it was last night. One of the specials was fresh Stone Crab Claws. As everyone knows, we LOVE stone crab, and it is one thing it is very hard to get at home. So we each had a dinner portion.

Then, after going through an extensive list of dessert offerings, our waiter brought a Coconut and Mango Sorbet in a coconut shell for Larry, and mixed berries for me...and added a whole martini glass full of whipped cream!! So much for light and low calorie!

Tomorrow about Noon we board Ruby Princess. We have a large, aft-facing Suite for this trip. More tomorrow from the ship.