A different day and another story to tell. The ship was already docked when we went to our last Club Orange breakfast on this ship. We were about the first ones there at 6:30am. Thanking every worker there, we said our goodbyes…..so sad. We have really enjoyed our time in here.
We headed back to the room and did the last of our emails and luggage prep. Jonah promised to call us, which she did around 8:45am. Taking the time out of her incredibly busy morning, she arrived by 9am and took some selfies of the three of us and the welcome home door hanging. Then we headed to the elevator, just in time to see a Covid patient transferred to an elevator with the hazmat medical team in tow. Oh boy, de ja vu. Jonah said that there were fewer Covid guests this last cruise. No matter what, every single person has to get off of the ship this morning. Those guests who still test positive for Covid will have to quarantine at a hotel, while those who are negative will be free to go home by land or air.
Jonah stayed with us, but only until we reached the custom's check point. Going any further, she would not be allowed back on the ship, due to the zero count rules. We both got a huge hug from her, reminding us that goodbyes are sad. We would love to see her on a world cruise. She would be a great asset to the hand-picked staff there.
A porter helped with our four bags, surprised at how much they weighed. We did explain we had about a four month stay, then he got it. Going through the facial recognition kiosk was easy, then we were outside. We were nervous about the luggage shipment fellow meeting us, but he was right there just as they promised with our name on a card. Great - those two bags were gone and on their way with Fed Ex.
Waiting for the correct bus to the hotel was a bit more confusing. Luckily, our names were on the girl's list. We just had to wait for a while, which was OK, because we had no idea what time check-in was. Sometimes it is well after noontime. Our friends that were staying for two nights, then re-joining the ship, were here as well. This is when the story got interesting. This group of about 67 guests were originally scheduled for the Renaissance Plantation, like us. Then they got a second letter changing the hotel to the Renaissance Harbor, which was right up the street.
After a long wait, we all boarded the same bus, and the large group got off just a few blocks away from terminal 2. That left just three of us. The driver got on the freeway, and we headed for the Renaissance Plantation where we began our journey back on December 18th. Lucky for us, we were able to check in and get our rooms.
We figured that today would be the best opportunity to look for another piece of luggage at Burlingtons. And we needed to stop at Publix for the final snacks we wanted on the next trip. The walk wasn't too far, as we have done it every time we stay here. The problem was the heat and humidity. According to the local news, the heat and humidity index combined equaled 100 degrees. Yep, the hottest we remember it. Anyway, we found a perfect duffel bag that should hold up to 50 pounds. Along with a few groceries, we had a deli sandwich made, and took it back to the hotel. It had to be a foot long.
On the way back, we heard someone yelling "Bill" from the bushes. It was Howard, who was supposed to be with the in transit group. He told a bizarre story, which we will repeat next. He was most happy when we directed him to the nearby shopping mall.
Job done, we headed back to our air-conditioned room. But when the elevator opened up, there was our friend, Ruth, who was supposed to be at the harbor hotel. We saw them all get off the bus there. Well guess what? The hotel did not have them registered, nor did they have room for them. Wow, someone had really screwed up there. So they loaded up in another bus, and headed to Renaissance Plantation, our hotel. And to really make matters worse, each guest had to pay an additional $11 out of pocket for the ride to the second hotel. Can you believe that? Surely this will be re-imbursed , but it's just the thought of it. Insult upon insult. More bad news was they had to wait since no rooms were ready for them yet. This hotel is one of HAL's pre and post cruise options, so we suspect there are many more of us staying here to board the N. Amsterdam tomorrow.
Lunch in our room was really good. Rearranging the contents of the bags, we ended up with 150 pounds in three of them. Some of that will be gone at the end of the nineteen day cruise…especially the toiletries. We could have stayed inside the room watching TV, but we chose to walk the canal like we always do. We did see a few iguanas along the bank, as well as a few birds. The heat was penetrating and it began to sprinkle, so it was time to head back. Good time to catch up on photos and emails, especially with the hotel's speedy wifi.
By 5:30pm, we headed out to dinner at Bokampers Restaurant and Bar. More of sports bar, one of us had a chicken Caesar salad and one had the cheeseburger. Been dying for a good burger and this was a perfect fix. We shared one slice of Key lime pie, then remembered we had forgotten to take photos. Trust us…it had been a long day.
Back to the hotel after 7pm, it was just beginning to get dark. Hope it cools off a bit by tomorrow. And looking forward to a restful night.
Bill & Mary Ann
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Report #110 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Debark Day And Stay At The Renaissance Plantation Hotel Cloudy, Hot And Humid 85 Degrees
