American Cruise Lines' version of a daily schedule of activities is known as the Ship to Shore and a paper pertaining to the next day was put in our cabins at turndown service each night. Click on each picture to enlarge it for reading.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
American Cruise Lines - Day 15 - Jacksonville
Our two week journey has finally come to an end and we are definitely ready to get home. Included in our price for the cruise was complimentary transfers to the Jacksonville airport, scheduled for 8:30AM. We spend those few last moments in the cabin getting ready and triple checking to make sure we aren't leaving anything behind. Soon we head down to deck 1 to wait for the transfer buses as does about 2/3rds of the ship. There was an option for a light breakfast this morning but I didn't see many taking advantage of it.
For anyone planning to arrange for a private transfer or car service in Jacksonville, here's the docking address:
Seawall at Hyatt
225 E Coastline Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
We enjoyed some last minute chats with new friends Evan and Linda as most everyone had gathered to stare out the windows of the dining salon. There had been some debate about where our gathered luggage would be arranged for pickup and the concerns that it would sit in the small entryway on deck 1. Another concern was the continued grey skies and whether our luggage would be sitting outside on the dock. Turns out it was the latter but thankfully it wasn't currently raining. Deckhands were already outside to help passengers maneuver on the gangway and in theory help with bags so at least the bags were never left alone.
Time continued to tick by and we all watched as the same private driver came, picked up people, left, and came back over and over. But still no sign of buses. We wondered where he was taking people since he was able to come back so quickly. We watched as Ali paced back and forth and would walk up one side of the street and down the other before returning to the ship and pacing some more. I tried not to focus too much on being able to see the side of the ship slowly pulling and floating back into the dock from these windows as I was feeling fine and didn't want to risk changing that.
Eventually, Ali makes an announcement over the ship intercom explaining that due to construction, the buses can't get right up to the ship and have been sitting in front of the Hyatt all this time. Their solution? Have every passenger get off the ship, grab their bags, and walk themselves and their bags the 2-3 blocks up the road to where the buses are parked. Might as well end the way we started I suppose. I guess I can look on the bright side and be thankful it was only about 50 of us by then all pouncing on the baggage area at once. Once at the buses, there was some organization with people checking you off by cabin number and directing you to certain buses based on that but it was like there were other crew members who hadn't been clued in. We sat on our directed bus for another 20-30 minutes while bags were swapped from one bus to the next and about 3 different crew members came onboard repeatedly to call out missing cabin numbers. Once things were finally settled both Cheree and Ali took turns coming on the buses to thank everyone and wish us a safe trip home. Our bus driver kept us all in good spirits cracking jokes during this whole process. We'd learned through pre-cruise research that the airport is about 30 minutes away from where the ship docks and after all that, we made great time.
Check in at Delta for both our flights today was quick and easy and for the first time in ages, TSA did not find some reason to give me any extra security checks! I must have finally broken my bad luck streak of having the body scanner magically find a reason for a pat down or metal detector signaling I'm the lucky winner of a random chemical test screening of my phone and/or hands.
We tried to go to Delta's lounge since the lounge in Hawaii's airport told us our tickets qualified despite not being an international flight. However, this time we were turned away since it wasn't an international flight. Not loving the inconsistency but I reached out to Delta for an explanation and they confirmed that for this trip we didn't qualify as our flights today didn't meet some criteria in their terms and conditions. Instead we ventured over to Chili's restaurant to seek out some brunch.
We each chose items from the breakfast options - a sausage bacon omelet for Dad and French toast with sausage for me. It was nice to have French toast that didn't taste like someone put a bread costume on an omelet.
For anyone planning to arrange for a private transfer or car service in Jacksonville, here's the docking address:
Seawall at Hyatt
225 E Coastline Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
We enjoyed some last minute chats with new friends Evan and Linda as most everyone had gathered to stare out the windows of the dining salon. There had been some debate about where our gathered luggage would be arranged for pickup and the concerns that it would sit in the small entryway on deck 1. Another concern was the continued grey skies and whether our luggage would be sitting outside on the dock. Turns out it was the latter but thankfully it wasn't currently raining. Deckhands were already outside to help passengers maneuver on the gangway and in theory help with bags so at least the bags were never left alone.
Eventually, Ali makes an announcement over the ship intercom explaining that due to construction, the buses can't get right up to the ship and have been sitting in front of the Hyatt all this time. Their solution? Have every passenger get off the ship, grab their bags, and walk themselves and their bags the 2-3 blocks up the road to where the buses are parked. Might as well end the way we started I suppose. I guess I can look on the bright side and be thankful it was only about 50 of us by then all pouncing on the baggage area at once. Once at the buses, there was some organization with people checking you off by cabin number and directing you to certain buses based on that but it was like there were other crew members who hadn't been clued in. We sat on our directed bus for another 20-30 minutes while bags were swapped from one bus to the next and about 3 different crew members came onboard repeatedly to call out missing cabin numbers. Once things were finally settled both Cheree and Ali took turns coming on the buses to thank everyone and wish us a safe trip home. Our bus driver kept us all in good spirits cracking jokes during this whole process. We'd learned through pre-cruise research that the airport is about 30 minutes away from where the ship docks and after all that, we made great time.
Check in at Delta for both our flights today was quick and easy and for the first time in ages, TSA did not find some reason to give me any extra security checks! I must have finally broken my bad luck streak of having the body scanner magically find a reason for a pat down or metal detector signaling I'm the lucky winner of a random chemical test screening of my phone and/or hands.
We tried to go to Delta's lounge since the lounge in Hawaii's airport told us our tickets qualified despite not being an international flight. However, this time we were turned away since it wasn't an international flight. Not loving the inconsistency but I reached out to Delta for an explanation and they confirmed that for this trip we didn't qualify as our flights today didn't meet some criteria in their terms and conditions. Instead we ventured over to Chili's restaurant to seek out some brunch.
We each chose items from the breakfast options - a sausage bacon omelet for Dad and French toast with sausage for me. It was nice to have French toast that didn't taste like someone put a bread costume on an omelet.
Unfortunately, despite the great taste it all ended up being for naught because after eating one piece, I felt instantly nauseous and Dad said all the color had drained from my face. While I never did get sick, I'd just like to point out how being sick to your stomach and having to use the women's restroom in a public place don't gel so well. A lot of hurried walks only to be greeted by a line of 10 women all waiting. After trying to come back and eat some more, I gave up and Dad took care of the $30 bill. Dad picked me up some water from one of the airport stores and I spent the rest of my time today in between flights trying to feel better. A sarcastic thanks to the couple who chose to sit in front of me at the gate and devour their whole extra duffel bag of a picnic lunch. Nothing says a settled stomach like the smell of your homemade potato salad and sliced apples. Thankfully each flight was under 2 hours so I slept through most of the flights. Whether it was the time of day again, the changes in altitude, or the ginger ale I graciously accepted from the flight attendant on the 2nd flight, it was like the flip of a switch and I finally felt relief by the end of the 2nd flight.
We arrived back home around 6PM and I went right into unpacking and sorting laundry mode. Am I glad I tried this new style of cruising and opened myself up to a new way of travel? Yes. Am I glad I visited these ports? Most of them, yes. Were there things that I wished had gone differently or were better? Umm yes, how did you get this far in the blog without knowing that answer? Was there anything I liked on this trip? Yes, of course! Would I sail on American Cruise Lines again? Let me consult my Magic 8-Ball:
Back at the beginning of this review I included a list of items that were to be above and beyond included for being an Eagle Society selected cruise: "These itineraries offer an enhanced experience as they include special features such as a welcome reception, onboard gifts, an exclusive dining experience, and VIP access at a historically significant venue."
Let's tally up what of that actually happened:
1) A welcome reception - well there was snacks put out in the Chesapeake Lounge on day 1 (and day 8) and a ES members only cocktail reception each week. 🤷
2) Onboard gifts - anyone want a spare tote bag? ✔
3) An exclusive dining experience - umm, only dining we had was cocktail hour snacks, twice daily warm cookie promises, and 3 meals offered in the dining salon. I would have expected something like a different menu than everyone got or even better, rented space in a local restaurant for an included dinner in port. 👎
4) VIP access at a historically significant venue - only historically significant venue I saw on this cruise was part of a tour that I paid to go on. Much less get VIP access at any venue. 👎
My intention with this blog is not to convince or dissuade, simply to share and inform about my own personal experiences so that you can make an informed decision about where to spend your hard earned money. Just like the food tastes on a cruise ship, experiences are always subjective. You never know what you could end up loving and wanting more. Try all things that pique your interest. Get out and see the world whether it's across an ocean or in your own backyard. Challenge yourself to experience something or someplace new with this new year and as always safe travels!
American Cruise Lines - Day 14 - Fernandina Beach/Jacksonville
After a rough night that was only so for us due to being out in open water (makes one really thankful for the stability of bigger ships), I woke up feeling better but still made a point of hydrating whenever I could. The sky was overcast and you could feel the outside chill both on the open deck and inside.
Side note: I've heard from some cruisers planning this itinerary that are confused about where the cruise ends because the way the schedule reads. If weather isn't an issue, your last port day (Granted this only works for the southern route like we were on. This cruise also goes the opposite direction back to Charleston.) will be in Fernandina Beach, FL aka Amelia Island. The true last morning of your cruise when everyone has to have debarked unless they are continuing on, you will then be in Jacksonville, FL. Therefore when planning a hotel stay or a flight after your cruise, search for one located in Jacksonville.
Here's a breakdown of what would have been our excursions today if we'd made it to Fernandina Beach, FL:
1) Fernandina Beach Seaport Exploration - $20 per person, wheelchair and scooter accessible, 1 1/2 hours long, activity level 2, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. A leisurely walking tour through the lovely seaport of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. Your walk will begin at the City Marina and will continue on to the seafood house for background on the pelican population and fisherman duties. Stroll through the historic streets and view blocks of restored Victorian homes, inns, churches, and more.
2) Amelia Island River Cruise - $30 per person, wheelchair and scooter accessible, 1 1/2 hours long, activity level 1, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. Explore the backwaters of Amelia Island and Eagan Creek on this narrated riverboat cruise, a beautiful way to learn the history of Fernandina. Highlights will include Fort Clinch, the Amelia Island Lighthouse, and viewing America's second oldest city from the waterway. This is the choice we picked even though neither really struck our interests.
Today was our second "last full day" of the cruise so from 7:30AM to 8:30AM, Cheree set up a table in the 2nd deck lounge for people to come settle their bills. And once again, we were incorrectly charged for Dad's tours. Dad took care of showing the same tours comped confirmation paper again and Cheree removed the charges. When he came back to the room where I was still getting ready for breakfast, he told me that it's a madhouse down at the lounge because so many people have wrong charges. When I later questioned how ACL would charge for these newly made up tours offered today if they'd closed out people's accounts this morning, Dad pointed out that all of our new tour options were considered complimentary for everyone.
Today's new arranged on the fly (or on the ship technically) tours are as follows:
1) Fernandina Motor Coach Excursion from 9AM-12:30PM. Board the motor coach for a 1 hour tour on Fernandina. Upon arrival, you will have the option of getting dropped off at the Maritime Museum, or at Front and Center St. to leisurely walk around the beach front town. If weather permits, there will be a small guided walking tour of Fernandina.
2) Jacksonville Excursion from 2PM-5:30PM. Board the motor coach for a guided tour of Jacksonville. Get the chance to shop around and experience the biggest continental city in the United States.
Already knowing that we didn't care to do the morning tour option, we headed down to breakfast.
He did try to push for me (especially on my own) to go on the afternoon Jacksonville excursion but when it was first described as "a tour to go into town to shop" I wasn't interested. Later we heard it was more focused on city sights and history and Dad regretted not going. I gave him the option at the time to go on his own but he chose not to.
A reappearance of the previously unattended Bingo activity made it on to today's list and by 2:45PM I was going stir crazy in the cabin. Only so many episodes of Friends one can re-watch in a row. It was frustrating to feel fine while in my cabin and be missing activities onboard. Dad decided to come down to play Bingo with me in the Chesapeake Lounge and this time several people came to play. I did take the opportunity of being back near the snacks to get something to eat and more water. On big ships, Bingo is a popular extra fee activity and most of the time it's multi game blocks pulled off a tearpad for you to take in and play after paying. I don't usually spend the extra money to play but I've heard some of the newer ships feature playing on a tablet. Today, the bingo cards looked like they came from a party store set with sturdy cardboard cards featuring little sliding plastic covers over each number to mark them when called.
Guess a dolphin decided to follow me home after all!
Since we arrived in Jacksonville a day early, I was a little surprised at how many fellow passengers chose to get off the ship today instead. I've never had a cruise have to go on to its debarkation port early before but I know that if you chose to join late or leave a cruise on the big lines early, there's a bunch of rules and special permissions if it's even allowed by law in the first place. I don't think it was anyone who'd had a flight home booked for tomorrow like we did. It was mostly those whose plans were to get a hotel in Jacksonville or head on to other Florida destinations after the cruise.
Side note: I've heard from some cruisers planning this itinerary that are confused about where the cruise ends because the way the schedule reads. If weather isn't an issue, your last port day (Granted this only works for the southern route like we were on. This cruise also goes the opposite direction back to Charleston.) will be in Fernandina Beach, FL aka Amelia Island. The true last morning of your cruise when everyone has to have debarked unless they are continuing on, you will then be in Jacksonville, FL. Therefore when planning a hotel stay or a flight after your cruise, search for one located in Jacksonville.
Here's a breakdown of what would have been our excursions today if we'd made it to Fernandina Beach, FL:
1) Fernandina Beach Seaport Exploration - $20 per person, wheelchair and scooter accessible, 1 1/2 hours long, activity level 2, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. A leisurely walking tour through the lovely seaport of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. Your walk will begin at the City Marina and will continue on to the seafood house for background on the pelican population and fisherman duties. Stroll through the historic streets and view blocks of restored Victorian homes, inns, churches, and more.
2) Amelia Island River Cruise - $30 per person, wheelchair and scooter accessible, 1 1/2 hours long, activity level 1, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. Explore the backwaters of Amelia Island and Eagan Creek on this narrated riverboat cruise, a beautiful way to learn the history of Fernandina. Highlights will include Fort Clinch, the Amelia Island Lighthouse, and viewing America's second oldest city from the waterway. This is the choice we picked even though neither really struck our interests.
Today was our second "last full day" of the cruise so from 7:30AM to 8:30AM, Cheree set up a table in the 2nd deck lounge for people to come settle their bills. And once again, we were incorrectly charged for Dad's tours. Dad took care of showing the same tours comped confirmation paper again and Cheree removed the charges. When he came back to the room where I was still getting ready for breakfast, he told me that it's a madhouse down at the lounge because so many people have wrong charges. When I later questioned how ACL would charge for these newly made up tours offered today if they'd closed out people's accounts this morning, Dad pointed out that all of our new tour options were considered complimentary for everyone.
Today's new arranged on the fly (or on the ship technically) tours are as follows:
1) Fernandina Motor Coach Excursion from 9AM-12:30PM. Board the motor coach for a 1 hour tour on Fernandina. Upon arrival, you will have the option of getting dropped off at the Maritime Museum, or at Front and Center St. to leisurely walk around the beach front town. If weather permits, there will be a small guided walking tour of Fernandina.
2) Jacksonville Excursion from 2PM-5:30PM. Board the motor coach for a guided tour of Jacksonville. Get the chance to shop around and experience the biggest continental city in the United States.
Already knowing that we didn't care to do the morning tour option, we headed down to breakfast.
I kept it simple with a cheese omelet and sausage:
I don't know if it was the ton of water I was drinking or a lack of appetite but I only got through a couple bites before I felt full.
The only scheduled activity this morning was a final presentation by Rachel. It was only described as a wrap up from the week. I returned to the room to relax. I had wanted to try going back down for some lunch even if it meant eating light but Dad felt that I should instead skip it. He claimed he wasn't hungry. Drawback to that is one of my migraine triggers is not eating something often enough so by mid afternoon, I had a bad headache though my stomach felt fine. Looking at today's lunch menu though, I'm not sure I'd have wanted anything on it anyway except for maybe the cheese ravioli option.
He did try to push for me (especially on my own) to go on the afternoon Jacksonville excursion but when it was first described as "a tour to go into town to shop" I wasn't interested. Later we heard it was more focused on city sights and history and Dad regretted not going. I gave him the option at the time to go on his own but he chose not to.
A reappearance of the previously unattended Bingo activity made it on to today's list and by 2:45PM I was going stir crazy in the cabin. Only so many episodes of Friends one can re-watch in a row. It was frustrating to feel fine while in my cabin and be missing activities onboard. Dad decided to come down to play Bingo with me in the Chesapeake Lounge and this time several people came to play. I did take the opportunity of being back near the snacks to get something to eat and more water. On big ships, Bingo is a popular extra fee activity and most of the time it's multi game blocks pulled off a tearpad for you to take in and play after paying. I don't usually spend the extra money to play but I've heard some of the newer ships feature playing on a tablet. Today, the bingo cards looked like they came from a party store set with sturdy cardboard cards featuring little sliding plastic covers over each number to mark them when called.
Prizes were basically a table full of ACL branded merchandise including extras of things we'd been given as gifts for being Eagle Society members.
I played a couple rounds but after sitting in the all the way forward lounge for a while, I was starting to feel the vibration of the ship even though it was docked. Having to look down at and constantly hold my Bingo card at an angle to keep those tabs from sliding over was starting to bother my vertigo again. I became concerned that if I did win, I'd be too loopy to walk up to the prize table. Instead I opted to put aside my card and keep Dad company while he played. After another round, I decided being in the lounge was the real issue and assured Dad I was fine to make my own way back to the cabin. Once back on the 3rd deck, I felt more stable and split time between the cabin and the lounge to use the internet. Dad came back up to join me a short while later explaining that they'd only played about two more rounds and he'd lost them all. That's okay, the last thing we need is another souvenir labeled water bottle. When the younger couple each won a round, the new dining room manager running the game offered the option of picking bottles of wine instead. I think a few of the other winners went for that choice as well.
Rachel's wrap up talk was repeated at 4PM. I got a good chuckle when I spotted a funny mix-up in the afternoon talk's description. Here's what is printed on our schedule for this time slot: "If you missed her this morning, join your guest speaker, Rachel, in the Chesapeake Lounge as she gives her final evening Crab and Bacon Risotto, Vegetable Medley presentation to wrap up the entire week." Well gee Rachel, this might just be your tastiest talk yet. This folks, is why there are websites dedicated to hilarious auto correct fails.
I don't know whether it was the time of day like a change in humidity or barometric pressure or simply that I'd spent so much time resting but by 5:30PM I was feeling significantly better and desperate to head down to dinner. Even though tonight's menu looked more in line with a big cruise line's upcharge specialty steakhouse restaurant and one full of choices I'd happily have devoured, I instead chose to play it safe and order off menu.
For an appetizer (and to see if my stomach let me eat more than a couple bites) I asked for a simple plate of fresh fruit. Dad loves melon so he often will ask for this when a fancier appetizer doesn't fit his "sophisticated palate." I'm usually picky when it comes to how tough/unripe melon can be so I was ecstatic when Kevin brought me out a plate of fresh berries. If there was a fruit salad option of just berries, I'd eat bowl after bowl. For the record I also love oranges, bananas, and apples but I'd rather eat those on their own. He was super considerate to us this trip especially after he saw that I wasn't feeling well offering tips and extra things to bring me. I could have eaten this whole plate (there was more on the plate than it looks in this picture) but I made myself stop 2/3rds through to make sure my stomach was still happy.
Here's Dad's order of the Grilled Ribeye Steak:
That little gnome shaped blob was hard as a rock and flopped over when Dad moved it with his fork. I deduced that it must be the blob formally known as the garlic and chive butter although I'm not sure where the Parmesan Chive Mashed Potatoes were either on this dish. He enjoyed the steak though.
What did I get for an off menu entrée? Grilled cheese, a nice comfort food staple. Now if it only came with non kettle cooked chips, just saying. I think they must have gone shopping because I finally got to enjoy a truly crisp dill pickle. I'm not sure what kind of cheese was in this sandwich but it was so delicious with a perfect toasting level and cheese melt ratio. Yes, I can be a foodie and love a good grilled cheese. :)
Chambord Chocolate Mousse - I didn't know what Chambord was so I ordered this based on the other words I recognized in the name of this dish. Turns out it's a black raspberry liquor so that explains why half the cup was covered in the raspberry puree you know I just love (note the sarcasm). I ate down the non puree side and left the rest.
After dinner we returned to the cabin to pack and decided to stay in for the evening. When Dad stepped out to put our suitcases in the hall for debarkation, he discovered our last Eagle Society gifts; a larger tote bag with rope handles and a new friend:
Guess a dolphin decided to follow me home after all!
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
American Cruise Lines - Day 13 - Brunswick, GA (Part 3)
Once we were back in our cabin, Dad was no longer interested in doing the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat tour this afternoon given the colder weather and the grey skies. It didn't take much convincing to agree to drop the tour as well. Especially since it was expected back at 5:30PM. Instead we relaxed in the room until it was time to try once again at getting to see the Pilot House as the rescheduled tour was set for 5PM tonight.
It didn't seem like a lot of people paid attention to the schedule because as they would trickle in to where we sat waiting in the 3rd deck lounge to use the internet, they would be shocked at the mention of the scheduled tour and rush to get their spouses to join us. Third time ended up being the charm as we were finally invited by Captain Gillilan to come on in to the Pilot House for a tour. It started out being a small group so it was like a personal tour. I've seen the bridge on the biggest ocean cruise ships and smaller ocean cruise ships and while the bigger the ship even there had the biggest bridge, I was amazed at how small this pilot house/bridge was.
This Captain had no issue letting us hang out on the bridge wing where the officers step out to view the side of the ship while docking.
You could have a crew of 5 or 6 officers on the big bridge at one time, here if there was more than two you'd be sitting on top of each other. Captain Gillilan explained that when the ship is in motion, it's him and his first mate in the pilot house. He happily showed us how each of the mechanical tools worked and what all the various screens showed. He was a lot more trusting than I would have been with all the cruisers that wandered in and started randomly touching all the various mechanisms on the dashboard. I pictured a Steve Urkel moment where they pushed an important button while asking what it did. "Oh major alarms are going off and the Coast Guard just arrived? Did I do that?"
We learned that Captain Gillilan's former job was piloting a cargo ship that ran between the US and South Africa. In a small world after all moment, we learned that his former employer was the company owned by Tom and Monica, the couple from Norway whom we'd enjoyed getting to know on this trip as well. Shoutout to Tom and Monica, hope your post cruise travel plans went well!
The door was left open while we toured so after a while we had a constant stream of passengers wandering in and asking the same questions over and over. It was during this visit that we became the first to learn the news that due to storms in the area and the necessity to tender in due to the lack of a standard dock, our expected call to Fernandina Beach, FL would be cancelled. Instead of leaving at 3AM the next morning from Brunswick, we would be leaving tonight at 10PM and have to go back out in open water in order to go straight to Jacksonville a day early. The plan was that once in Jacksonville, we would be safely docked and bus people back over to Fernandina for tours. The ship wide announcement was made while we were at dinner.
What I didn't realize until after the fact was that throughout the day I had started getting really dehydrated either from medication or the motion or what was later diagnosed as a bacterial infection of some sort or a combination of all three so by the time we were getting ready for dinner, my occasional vertigo was coming on with a vengeance.
We had previously requested a special order of pizza for dinner tonight after seeing another cruiser having it and I really didn't want to miss dinner. When we pre-ordered, our waiter Kevin gave us an option of single pizzas or one to split so we chose the one to split. Dad assured me that I could leave early if I felt too bad so we headed on down. It wasn't the most pleasant walk to the back of the dining salon but I felt better to be sitting and drinking water.
When our pizza came, I decided to try and eat a little but as soon as I took that first bite, I instantly felt sick to my stomach and had Dad escort me back upstairs to the cabin. All I remember from the walk upstairs is feeling like I was trying to part the Red Sea because at that moment, the masses chose to come down from the cocktail hour using the stairs. All I bothered to look at was people's knees as I pushed my way up the stairs as fast as my arthritic body would let me. I laid out on my bed sipping water and felt like I was having a panic attack with my heart pounding so bad. I was afraid to change into my nightshirt because I was convinced that I'd have to call for medical help. Once I was settled in the cabin, Dad went back downstairs to eat his dinner. After about an hour of laying there, I felt much calmer, clearheaded, and my heartbeat felt normal again. When Dad returned to check on me, he brought up more drinks and some crackers. For the rest of the evening, my stomach felt fine and I wished Dad had thought to bring up the rest of my pizza so I could try again. For the record, he very much enjoyed his half of the pizza.
It didn't seem like a lot of people paid attention to the schedule because as they would trickle in to where we sat waiting in the 3rd deck lounge to use the internet, they would be shocked at the mention of the scheduled tour and rush to get their spouses to join us. Third time ended up being the charm as we were finally invited by Captain Gillilan to come on in to the Pilot House for a tour. It started out being a small group so it was like a personal tour. I've seen the bridge on the biggest ocean cruise ships and smaller ocean cruise ships and while the bigger the ship even there had the biggest bridge, I was amazed at how small this pilot house/bridge was.
This Captain had no issue letting us hang out on the bridge wing where the officers step out to view the side of the ship while docking.
Top left: Looking down the side of the ship from the bridge wing. Top right: The secondary set of steering controls the Captain can use while watching the side of the ship. Bottom left: The walkway in front of the bridge. Bottom right: Dinner bell?
You could have a crew of 5 or 6 officers on the big bridge at one time, here if there was more than two you'd be sitting on top of each other. Captain Gillilan explained that when the ship is in motion, it's him and his first mate in the pilot house. He happily showed us how each of the mechanical tools worked and what all the various screens showed. He was a lot more trusting than I would have been with all the cruisers that wandered in and started randomly touching all the various mechanisms on the dashboard. I pictured a Steve Urkel moment where they pushed an important button while asking what it did. "Oh major alarms are going off and the Coast Guard just arrived? Did I do that?"
Just below the alarm system pictured here (above) was a big box of flashlights. Everyone questioned the Captain about if it was a sign of power outage issues (we'd heard our share of weird noises) and he laughed insisting it was simply that all of the flashlights accompanying the lifejackets were due to be checked and batteries replaced.
I think I need one of those giant arrows that says "You are Here" on this map:
I thought I'd grabbed a better picture of it while I was backed up against the wall during a rush of visitors (directly underneath this display is a sink for handwashing) but that small sheet of paper taped to the wall in the bottom right was a list of emergency phone numbers for the local area. Slight problem was that the numbers were all for Maine where the ship was during their last repetitive runs. Books all about New England area in the lounges and cabins, okay that's understandable but shouldn't the pilot house/bridge have a current and updated list of emergency contact numbers for at least this new Charleston to Jacksonville route they were starting?
We learned that Captain Gillilan's former job was piloting a cargo ship that ran between the US and South Africa. In a small world after all moment, we learned that his former employer was the company owned by Tom and Monica, the couple from Norway whom we'd enjoyed getting to know on this trip as well. Shoutout to Tom and Monica, hope your post cruise travel plans went well!
The door was left open while we toured so after a while we had a constant stream of passengers wandering in and asking the same questions over and over. It was during this visit that we became the first to learn the news that due to storms in the area and the necessity to tender in due to the lack of a standard dock, our expected call to Fernandina Beach, FL would be cancelled. Instead of leaving at 3AM the next morning from Brunswick, we would be leaving tonight at 10PM and have to go back out in open water in order to go straight to Jacksonville a day early. The plan was that once in Jacksonville, we would be safely docked and bus people back over to Fernandina for tours. The ship wide announcement was made while we were at dinner.
What I didn't realize until after the fact was that throughout the day I had started getting really dehydrated either from medication or the motion or what was later diagnosed as a bacterial infection of some sort or a combination of all three so by the time we were getting ready for dinner, my occasional vertigo was coming on with a vengeance.
We had previously requested a special order of pizza for dinner tonight after seeing another cruiser having it and I really didn't want to miss dinner. When we pre-ordered, our waiter Kevin gave us an option of single pizzas or one to split so we chose the one to split. Dad assured me that I could leave early if I felt too bad so we headed on down. It wasn't the most pleasant walk to the back of the dining salon but I felt better to be sitting and drinking water.
When our pizza came, I decided to try and eat a little but as soon as I took that first bite, I instantly felt sick to my stomach and had Dad escort me back upstairs to the cabin. All I remember from the walk upstairs is feeling like I was trying to part the Red Sea because at that moment, the masses chose to come down from the cocktail hour using the stairs. All I bothered to look at was people's knees as I pushed my way up the stairs as fast as my arthritic body would let me. I laid out on my bed sipping water and felt like I was having a panic attack with my heart pounding so bad. I was afraid to change into my nightshirt because I was convinced that I'd have to call for medical help. Once I was settled in the cabin, Dad went back downstairs to eat his dinner. After about an hour of laying there, I felt much calmer, clearheaded, and my heartbeat felt normal again. When Dad returned to check on me, he brought up more drinks and some crackers. For the rest of the evening, my stomach felt fine and I wished Dad had thought to bring up the rest of my pizza so I could try again. For the record, he very much enjoyed his half of the pizza.
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