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MITSUGIRLY'S birthday cruise on the JADE review/pictorial


mitsugirly
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I totally understand not wanting to report your steward while you are there because he has the key to everything you own and could really mess with your vacation if he wanted. There was no way to lock him out or be safe if he got mad. I was thinking about how it feels to have someone be able to walk in to your private life any time he wants. I agree that now that you are home you need to write and report him so that next time he doesn't go too far and really abuse a cruiser. He was totally over the top.

 

You are right, I probably should have reported him at the time and I really do need to write NCL about him. I have just never experienced something like this. The NCL crew have always been simply amazing and bend over backwards for you. It was just so odd.

 

I found it! Glad I saw your comment about needing to finish this review on your other thread. I'll start reading tomorrow when I have the time.

 

Oh, belated Happy Birthday! You got to go on a cruise so I'm sure it was a happy one. :D

 

 

Yippe! You found it! :D (I put a link in my signature after you said something about it). Thanks for the bday wishes. :)

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Mermaids must be popular right now. SNL had a mermaid skit last night. Three fishermen rescued by 3 mermaids. One mermaid was part blob fish. It was funny.

 

 

Oh that's funny. Yep, they seem to be the "in" thing these days. :) There's a lot of mermaid shows out too that she watches and a series as well.

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DAY 5 ROATAN

 

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I set the alarm for 6:30am and we headed to the buffet for breakfast in search of eggs that were not runny. I was NOT successful.

 

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I settled for the cholesterol rising french toast, yummy sugary whipped cream and the I'm gonna be a diabetic soon syrup.

 

Here we come Roatan...WITH my pool towels this time!

 

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We have arrived...like seriously...we're here...where we will stay...in the water docked. Darnit. We would be tendering this time around thanks to the Dawn getting priority and they are not even here yet.

 

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They lowered the life boats and the hubby said we would be using those. I informed him that they do the life boat drills every week and that's probably what they were doing. (I was wrong and he rubbed it in of course).

 

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Thanks for looking out for me. I have seen that before, but with it being crocheted, she wouldn't be able to swim in it. (I'll let you in on a little secret, I bought her another mermaid tail for her birthday coming up AND I found that they also sold mermaid blankets and bought one of those. They are called cuddle tails http://cdn.finfunmermaid.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/295x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/m/e/mermaid-tail-blanket-fuchsia-teal_1.jpg) :D

 

 

 

Yeah....I assumed the crochet version would be used as a blanket when she's at home and doesn't have access to water. 😉

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We headed back to the room to pick up our bags (and towels) and headed down to get off around 8:15am. We were up on the pool deck and I swear they did not make an announcement that we had been cleared and could leave. I just happened to look over the edge and seen them letting people onto the boats to take them over to the port. Grr.

 

We flashed our VIP Platinum Special People We've Spent So Much Money With Your Company cards and we were directed toward the line for the tenders. We made it to the steps and stopped, without moving, for a good 5 minutes. The wonderful crew member at the bottom of the stairs informed us that the Dawn was making her grand entrance and taking the "parking spot" at the dock and there would be a delay. This guy was so funny and kept us entertained while we waited. You know, what we are normally use to with the NCL crew, unlike Rasfah. I'm just glad we stopped on the steps...it gave me a place to rest my newly 50 year old legs until they were moving again.

 

It was a short tender ride over. Sakari insisted on stopping for pictures after getting off the boat because these were the friendly characters.

 

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The dancers were out in full force and wanting your tips.

 

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We would quickly wind our way out of the port area and onto the street to look for our tour guide and van.

 

 

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So once again, we are headed to Little French Key for the (I think) 3rd time. There are so many changes each time we go it's just simply amazing. You think they can't do any more and then they prove you wrong. This is seriously the most beautiful place on earth.

 

We made it outside the port where we "normally" meet Dave or Larry and immediately seen their bright shirts with LFK on it. They took our group waiting down the road...and down the road...and ???? I was wondering where we were going since we were walking into the little town. This was odd. We have always waited directly outside the gates for the van to pull up and get in. This time we would have to go into town and wait. I believe I overheard one of them saying that there was an issue with pulling up at the gates now and were forced to go down the road...but then again, they weren't talking to me, so I was just catching parts of the convo.

 

A van pulled up and people piled in. Once again, we were first in line and everyone had managed to get in front of us and now the van was packed. Off they went. We were assured that the other van was just parked across the street and now on its way over. It arrived and we all piled in. The hubby always gets the front seat in everything we do. I have to laugh about this. LOL

 

Then we were off and seeing the sites along the way. We pulled away at 8:50am.

 

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Mitsugirly , do they give you the platinum card or did you have to ask for it? We will become platinum on our up coming cruise. I'm thinking I will have to wait until it's over but that is the first I've heard of a card showing platinum. I love your review but I think ....actually I know I would have reported that room steward...keep the review going! Thanks

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I have to mention that we got stuck behind a car that was going SO SLOW and it was quite aggravating. I just wanted to get to paradise ASAP and it wasn't happening as quickly as it normally does. This person in front of us was ridiculous. We were 4 cars behind him. One by one the cars in front of us started passing this slow car. Then it was finally our turn. Yippee!

 

We were passing Carnivals Mahogany Bay at 9:03.

 

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So, if you are on Carnival and docking at Mahogany Bay, lucky you. It's a much shorter ride for you guys. The first time we ever went to LFK, we were docked here and you can tell it's a shorter ride. Well, you cut at least 13 minutes off the ride.

 

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This is the mayors house. I over heard someone (on our ride back) saying that the driver told him the house was up for sale. They mayor couldn't afford the payment on it so he was selling it.

 

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We are heading into "Spanish Town", which is where the Mexicans live here. Now when we get that close, I know that the turn off to LFK is right up the road. This little town is for Mexicans ONLY. The driver said "No people of color are allowed here". While it's great they have a little community of their own, I found it weird that they still have some segregation there.

 

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We pass the huge shopping "Mega Plaza"

 

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Considering all that has been going on with LFK and their animals over the last year, I found it odd that they were able to put up a sign in town, but it did catch my eye.

 

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I immediately know where our turn off is located and I threw my hand up and pointed right before we got there. I don't know why I did it. It was just a reaction. People in the van looked at me weird. I crawled back into my hole of happy places and continued taking pictures.

 

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One of the luxury hotels along the way

 

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When you head down that road, you immediately notice the houses getting nicer and bigger with plush yards and landscaping along the way. You know you are getting close.

 

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Then boom! You hit the gravel pot holed road that leads to LFK. The driver would swerve back and forth to avoid hitting the holes and allow us to remain in our seats instead of on the roof. The hubby said "I don't know why Kevah (the owner of LFK) doesn't just pave this road". I quickly reminded him that we have new houses going up 3 doors down from us, which is making such a muddy mess on our street, and he doesn't take his own money to clean the street every day for the neighbors, so why would Kevah use his money to pave a road that's not his? "Hmm, good point" he replies.

 

The place at Frenchy 44 has really grown up as well. They did have these stables last time we were here, but everything is matching with the restaurant, houses and everything...they match over at LFK too.

 

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Oh, I forgot, we pulled up at LFK at 16 minutes after passing Mahogany Bay. So it's about a total of 29 minutes to get to LFK from Coxenhole...give or take the traffic.

 

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We head over to the desk at the restaurant on the water to check in. I noticed this sign on the roof was new.

 

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If you are a return customer at LFK, you get a 10% discount. If you want to change your package once you get there, you can.

 

We headed to the barge boat to go over to the island after paying.

 

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It only takes a couple of minutes to get across the water to LFK. Last time we were here, they had made a new dock on the side of the island that faces Frenchy 44's. I really liked when they use to pull up in the lagoon area. It was just a great first impression pulling up there in the beautiful light blue water. Although I completely understand the reason they moved the dock since that's where most of the action is at (in the lagoon) with swimmers and the jumping dock. But I still miss it.

 

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I did notice they have a lot of new signs up everywhere. They have also added a lot of safety signs and evacuation route signs as well.

 

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Once everyone was off the boat, someone started talking to the crowd and telling them about LFK and started giving them a tour. We have been here enough times to know our way around, so we left the group and decided to check out the animals and see for ourselves what was left here. There's still a lot of animals, but there are also a lot of empty cages as well. It was pretty sad I have to say.

 

We made it down to Lawrence the lion's cage. One of the workers was playing with him and it was so fun to watch their interaction. You can tell that he just loves this guy. It's amazing to see how far along Lawrence has come since they first got him. He was so abused before. He looks healthy and great now after his surgery. You can tell he's one happy lion.

 

He was just running back and forth chasing the worker and jumping up on the fence to be petted. The guy told us that he loves to be petted, especially on his nose and told us that anyone could pet him and he was very friendly.

 

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After watching Lawrence be the king of the jungle, we headed on over to check out what other changes had been made.

 

This small secluded little area was very pretty and new.

 

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This seems to be the area that we always head to first. I'm honestly not sure why because honestly, it's probably my least favorite area. Not much snorkeling in this area except along the walls you may find a few fish and the mangroves, but I think it's the area that is the least prettiest of the island. Somehow...we still end up here to start with.

 

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Maybe it's because there's plenty of shade and the hubby likes the shade.

 

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We settled in and picked our "spot" and immediately I put on my mask and headed out to snorkel some while Sakari grabbed the mermaid outfit and the hubby just chilled on the chair.

 

I found a conch shell with the conch still in it.

 

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I snorkeled around the area, but really didn't find too much to see. A few fish here and there over by the mnagroves, but I wanted to explore a little more and headed over to the beach to the left.

 

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I decided I would head across the water and go toward the lagoon. There's a new bar that was built from before the last time we were there and I was now in this lagoon area in front of it.

 

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Sorry for the water spots...

 

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I climbed out of the water using some steps that I didn't realize were there last time. These steps led up to the deck that was in the area of the lagoon (the pretty part). I walked across the deck and over to the lagoon side and back in I went.

 

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Last time I was here, there was a Lion Fish hanging out at this rock in the lagoon area that is an area that somewhat separates the sandy beach area from the area that dips up really shallow with sea grass. I found another Lion Fish at this same exact spot, but he was a little bigger. I wonder if it's the same Lion Fish as before and he has just grown up?

 

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This little fish kept following me around. He stayed at my feet a lot. I stayed really still for awhile to see what he would do and it was fun to watch him dart back and forth, getting closer and closer to my fins. He was exploring and probably trying to figure out what I was. That or maybe he was a she and I was getting too close to her eggs or something.

 

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These were some pretty nice sized Banded Butterfly fish.

 

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There were plenty of surgeon fish in the area.

 

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I love the blue surgeon fish (Blue Tang is what I always called them when I had them in my salt water tank). I hope to some day run in to Dori.

 

 

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