Cruise January 2020

Mark & Brenda take a cruise with Vernon & Carol Petre. Freedom of the Seas - Royal Caribbean
Freedom of the Seas (built 2006). 155,890 tons. 1112 ft long. 104,000 HP from 6 diesel engines generating 75,000 KW. 3,507 gal/hour at cruise (20 kts). Cruise ports. Mark, Brenda, Carol and Vernon board the ship. Just on-board, Brenda orders her first wine. At dock in San Juan waiting to depart. At dock in San Juan waiting to depart. At dock in San Juan waiting to depart. Guys helping raise the main sail on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten
After snorkeling on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten After snorkeling on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten. Private yaucht near St. Maarten. Private yaucht near St. Maarten. Carol and Vernon with one of our Golden Eagle Catamaran hosts, St. Maarten Oprah Winfrey's St. Maarten home (upper house with the pointed, angled roof). Oprah Winfrey's St. Maarten home (upper house with the pointed, angled roof). Oprah Winfrey's St. Maarten home (upper house with the angled roof).
Mark and Brenda on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten Mark and Brenda and Carol on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten Private yaucht near St. Maarten Private yaucht near St. Maarten Private yauchts near St. Maarten Private yaucht near St. Maarten Vernon and new friend on Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten Carol and Brenda with new friend on Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten
Vernon with a new friend on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten Vernon with a couple of our hosts on the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten DSC08368 Carol, Brenda Nikki with one of hosts of the Golden Eagle Catamaran, St. Maarten Carol and Vernon getting back on-board at St. Maarten. View from our balcony docked at St. Kitts and Nevis Taking a Catamaran from St. Kitts to Nevis island Rainbow at sea while on the Catamaran at St. Kitts heading to Nevis Island.
Bus tour on Nevis island (Alexander Hamilton's birthplace). Bus tour on Nevis island (Alexander Hamilton's birthplace). Bus tour on Nevis island (Alexander Hamilton's birthplace). Bus tour on Nevis island (Alexander Hamilton's birthplace). Bus tour on Nevis island (Alexander Hamilton's birthplace). Mountain on St. Kitts. Above ground graves on St. Kitts. Oldest church on St. Kitts (people buried in floor and walls, heard that's where "stinking rich" came from).
Above ground graves on St. Kitts. Above ground graves on St. Kitts. View from oldest church on St. Kitts. Brenda and Carol at oldest church on St. Kitts. Above ground graves at the oldest church on St. Kitts. Brenda and Carol with our St. Kitts tour guide. After Nevis tour, Catamaran picking us up from the beach. Pelecans resting off shore on Nevis island
After Nevis tour, Catamaran heading back to St. Kitts. Carol, Mark and Brenda on bus tour of St. Kitts. View of St. Kitts from viewpoint. Donkeys and monkeys on St. Kitts bus tour. Old Rum making facility on St Kitts. Old Rum making facility on St Kitts. Old Rum making facility on St Kitts. Old Rum making facility on St Kitts.
Old Rum making facility on St Kitts. Elevated water duct to feed Old Rum making facility on St Kitts. Banyan tree on St. Kitts. Mark and Brenda back and boarding on St. Kitts. View of St. Kitts from balcony. Carol and Brenda back onboard relaxing after St. Kitts/Nevis tours. Back to room from St. Kitts/Nevis Islands. Nice Rose towels. Mark and Brenda at formal dinner night (OK, I didn't pack a suit but brought nice slacks).
Vernon taking photo of view of St. Johns, Antigua. Eric Clapton's House in Antigua (brown roof on top of peninsula. He leases it out for $6,000 per week when he's not there. Vernon, Carol, Brenda and Mark in Antigua. Carol, Vernon and Mark touring old fort on Antigua. View from old fort in Antigua. View from old fort in Antigua. Older sailing boat at Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua. Brenda on Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua.
Vernon, Brenda and Carol entering the Paymaster building on Nelson's Dockyard (they paid sailors in rum). Vernon and Brenda entering the Paymaster building on Nelson's Dockyard (they paid sailors in rum). Vernon, Carol and Brenda in the Paymaster building on Nelson's Dockyard (getting their pay in rum, 150 proof). Digging sand like Tonya does deepening the port for a new cruiseship dock, St. Johns Antigua. Digging sand like Tonya does deepening the port for a new cruiseship dock, St. Johns Antigua. Digging sand like Tonya does deepening the port for a new cruiseship dock, St. Johns Antigua. Famous twin tower Church in St. Johns Antigua. Back on the ship in St. Johns Antigua.
Back on the ship in St. Johns Antigua (German cruiseship next to us). Leaving St. Johns Antigua at the end of the day. German cruiseship next to us and each boat would honk it's horn and the other would answer, only longer. Everyone on both boats waived and yelled and got pretty rowdy (Germans seem fun people but we all had rum all day too). Back to room from St. Johns Antigua. Nice whale towels. Back to room from St. Johns Antigua. Nice whale towels. On our way to St. Lucia. Going through a rain storm. View from our balcony of St. Lucia. View from our balcony of St. Lucia. View from our balcony of St. Lucia.
Looking back at our ship from St. Lucia. Queen Elizabeth is Queen of St. Lucia. This is the Prime Minister's house. British royalty stays here when visiting the island. View of of a bay in St. Lucia. View from a tour stop St. Lucia Bananas growing in St. Lucia. Blue bags protect them from bugs and weather. Beach on St. Lucia. Brenda shopping on St. Lucia. View from bus on St. Lucia tour.
Tree in St. Lucia. Can't recall what it's fruit is called but I think when it dries it is used for shakers in music bands. The Pitons (twin volcanic mountains) in St. Lucia Bay and village below the Pitons in St. Lucia Vernon taking pictures of Pitons (twin volcanic mountains) in St. Lucia Going up to native foods lunch in St. Lucia. View of the Pitons from our lunch table in St. Lucia. Carol, Brenda and Vernon having native lunch in St. Lucia (didn't recognize it but was pretty good). Vernon, Mark and Carol having native lunch in St. Lucia.
Buildings from old coca and coconut plantation on St. Lucia. Buildings from old coca and coconut plantation on St. Lucia. Only tree that produces a Rose is found on St. Lucia. Our tour guide explains how to make chocolate from a coca plant in St. Lucia. Our tour guide explains how to make chocolate from a coca plant in St. Lucia. Process explains how to make chocolate from a coca plant in St. Lucia. Donkey used to demonstrate how to press sugar cane (he was too stubborn and would not do it) How to husk a coconut with a Spike, St. Lucia.
How to husk a coconut with a Spike. Sign during our tour in St. Lucia. Cold waterfall in St. Lucia. Too cold for Brenda at waterfall in St. Lucia. Too cold for Brenda at waterfall in St. Lucia (many did swim in the pool) Some special and rare flower in St. Lucia (don't recall the name). House of a rich/famous person in Barbados (Rihanna was born in a pour section not far from here). View of Barbados.
Building ruins at Farley Hill Park, Barbados Opposite side of island with continuos wind and waves, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados
Submarine tour down to 150 ft, Barbados Atlantis Submarine Dive Certificate (149ft) Nice towel figure when got back from Barbados. Nice towel figure when got back from Barbados. All Access Tour, the Bridge. All Access Tour, the Bridge (this is the left "wing" of controls. Duplicate controls are Left, Right and Center. All Access Tour, the Bridge (this is the left "wing" of controls. Duplicate controls are Left, Right and Center. The ship's "wheel". It works but is never actually used.
The bridge's main console where the ship is actually run while underway. Autopilot follows a preplanned course. View out front of the Bridge. Brenda in the Bridge. Mark in the Bridge. More stuff on the Bridge behind the main console. Head Officer of the laundry facilities. He ran 4 different laundry facilities on the ship (do NOT cut off your clothing tags) Long hallways below decks during All Access tour. Engine control room. Engineers monitor and control almost all physical functions of the ship from here (Diesel engines turn electric generators).
Engine control room. Engineers monitor and control almost all physical functions of the ship from here (Diesel engines turn electric generators). One of the ship's recycling areas. Another of the ship's recycling areas. Some recycled green glass. The crew sells to vendors on shore. Some recycled glass (clear). The crew sells to vendors on shore. One of the many cold storage rooms. No canned foods, all are freash. One of the many cold storage rooms. No canned foods, all are freash. One of the freezers. No canned foods, all are freash.
Empty storage room being cleaned and disinfected. One of the kitchens (there are 3 major ones). Plates ready for food. One of the kitchens (there are 3 major ones). Preparing shrimp appetizers. One of the kitchens (there are 3 major ones). Preparing shrimp appetizers. Dinner roll dough mixer (there were several). 20,000-30,000 dinner rolls from scratch daily. Roll machine makes 30 perfect individual rolls from a plate of dough in about 8 seconds. Ready for baking. Starting to load plates.
Childrens pool. Many stories down through the ships decks. Brenda getting breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Carol getting a salad chopped for breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Choices for breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Choices for breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Choices for breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Brenda, Mark, Vernon and Carol having breakfast in one of the main dinning rooms.
Full moon from our balcony after day at sea. Rainbow on our way home.