The Wandering Disciple

Miami, Florida: One of the busiest ports in the world, the Port of Miami is home to both passenger and cargo ships. Over 4 million cruise passengers and 7.5 million tons of cargo pass through the port each year. Mother Nature helped to create the port in the early 1900’s. A hurricane hit south Florida and separated the southern end of Miami leading to what is today the port. The newly created channel now known as the Government Cut was then dredged and the leftover soil became Dodge, Lummus and Sam’s Island which is now the site of the present day Port of Miami. As the business at the port began to pick up, the port needed to be expanded. The city government passed legislation to expand the port by land filling the three islands into one and increasing the overall size of the island. Today the port contains eight passenger terminals as well as an extensive collection of cargo equipment. It is also the headquarters for some of the cruise lines including Royal Caribbean. Future ...

Miami, Florida: We awoke to find Majesty pulling aside the terminal in Miami. We headed to breakfast and then to our disembarkation staging area, the Schooner Bar. Disembarkation was a pain, not just because of the reality that the vacation was over, but the fact that it seemed very unorganized. We were tagged for disembarkation at 8:15-8:30 and we headed into the line at that time, but the overflow of the “Express Check-Out” spilled over and backed up all of the color tag disembarkation. Once we hit the gangway, we proceeded to the baggage pick up area. Seemed like an eternity for the bags to arrive. When they did, my wife’s new suitcase looked like it took a long fall off the side of the ship, folded like an accordion with multiple tears in the fabric and the frame cracked. Note to self, next time use priority and carry the suitcases off yourself, faster disembarkation and you are responsible for your luggage. Finally we cleared customs without a problem and headed to the ca...

Cococay, Bahamas: Nestled among the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, Cococay is a private island owned by Royal Caribbean International. It is located a little over fifty miles north of Nassau. The island is a private island stop for guest traveling on cruises operated by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines. The island was once known as Little Stirrup, was once operated by Admiral Cruises. In 1990 the island was acquired by Royal Caribbean who claimed exclusive rights to the island and its use. Today the one mile long island features plenty of watersports and beach activities for its guests. Guests can swim, snorkel, scuba dive, parasail, hike on nature trails or just kick back and relax on the sandy beaches of the island. The island even contains a straw market with Bahamian souvenirs. Because the waters around the island are shallow, there are no piers for the cruise ships to dock at. They operate three two-story tenders to shuttle the passengers from the anchored cruise...

Cococay, Bahamas: Our final full day on the cruise had us visiting Cococay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. The ship will spend a full day at the island leaving for the return to Miami around 4:30. We headed to breakfast first thing in the morning so we could avoid the rush to the tenders. Afterwards we headed to Deck One and were on one of the first tenders to the island. Once the tender docked at the island, we headed straight to the beach. My wife and son played in the water while I toured the island and took some pictures before returning back to help my son build a sand castle. After swimming and shell collecting, we took him to Adventure Ocean to play with the kids and work on the project for a little. While he was there, we kicked back on a chair and relaxed. We then picked him up and traveled across the island to the race track where he got to race a four wheeler around the track. Then we browsed the Straw Market before returning to the ship. After we ...

Nassau, Bahamas: A haven for the pirates, its only fitting that there be a museum devoted to the legend of piracy in the Caribbean. The Pirates of Nassau museum tells the story of those swashbuckling pirates that ruled the open seas. The Golden Age of Piracy lasted for more then thirty years and during that time Nassau was home to some of the most notorious pirates. The location of the island combined with the depth of the harbor made it a favorite to the pirates. By 1713, they declared Nassau a pirate republic and ruled the island until being overthrown by British soldiers several years later. Today you can tour the museum in the heart of downtown Nassau. Enter the moonlit dock and board the replica pirate ship “Revenge”. Witness life onboard a pirate vessel. Learn what it was like to be a pirate and see what happened once the law caught up with the pirates. Along the way there are artifacts recovered as well as a few live actors to enhance the exhibits. At the end of the mu...

Paradise Island, Bahamas: More then a hotel, Atlantis Paradise Island combines world class accommodations with water adventures, marine life, shopping and casino into one of the world’s premier travel destinations. Atlantis is ranked one of the most expensive hotels in the world with the Bridge Suite going for $25,000 a night. Atlantis was developed on Paradise Island by Kerzner International Limited. Seeing the potential of the property, Sol Kerzner purchased the property from Merv Griffin in 1994. The planning and development of Atlantis had begun. It took four years and 800 million dollars for the visions of the mythical city of Atlantis to take shape. The Beach and Coral Towers were first to open. By 1998, the Royal Towers were completed and the resort took on its iconic appearance. Then in 2007, the resort expanded again with the opening of the Cove Atlantis. Today the resort features close to 3,00 guest rooms. The crown jewel of the resort is the aquatic attractions. Fe...

Nassau, Bahamas: With the threat of war loaming on Great Britain and its territories, the need to fortify their positions became more important with each passing day. Lord Dunmore felt the need to protect the eastern side of the harbor and Fort Fincastle was constructed. In 1793 the fort was constructed on the top of Bennet’s Hill. It was located to the east of the Government House and in conjunction with Fort Charlotte, helped protect the capitol city from attacks at sea and on land. It was also crucial in the protection of the armory on nearby Hog’s Island. No shots were every fired from any of the Nassau forts and Fort Fincastle was eventually decommissioned. Today what remains of the fort is available to tour. Its close proximity to the Queen’s Staircase and the Water Tower makes it a popular stop for tourists and a sure stop on most city tours. For photos of the fort, visit my Fort Fincastle photo gallery.

Nassau, Bahamas: Located on the western boundary of Nassau, Fort Charlotte was constructed by the British to protect the harbor. Following the fortification of the Windward Island, the British leaders decided they needed to defend their island and Fort Charlotte was born. The fort was constructed under the orders of Lord Dunmore and was completed in 1789. It protected the island with an arsenal of cannons. The fort itself was protected with a moat and drawbridge. It also features a collection of ramparts and dungeons. Fort Charlotte was decommissioned by the War Office in 1891. The cannons were removed and the island was no longer fortified. During World War I, cannons were added but later removed after the war was over. Today the Fort remains in operation as a historical museum. Tour guides lead visitors on a tour of the fort along with the dungeons. From the top of the fort, visitors have a breathtaking view of Nassau and the harbor. To view photos of the fort, visit my For...

Nassau, Bahamas: With its close proximity to the United States, Nassau has become a major port of call on many cruise itineraries. These cruise ships depend upon the deep waters of Prince George Wharf to bring thousand of passengers into the city daily. The port is capable of serving up to six cruise ships at one time. The harbor was also recently dredged to allow access to the largest passenger vessel, Oasis of the Seas. The port is located in the heart of historic Nassau and within a short drive or water taxi from Paradise Island. As passengers arrive at the port and head towards the city, they enter through Festival Place. The brightly colored Festival Place welcomes the visitors to the culture of the city and features shopping, dining, information and transportation at one spot. After passing through the Festival Place, travelers exit into the city and begin the journey. Many of the major cruise lines offer a Bahama itinerary that calls on Nassau as their main port of call....

Nassau, Bahamas: The day at Nassau got off to a later start since the ship wasn’t due in port until noon. So we decided to sleep in a bit. Once we woke up, we headed to Windjammer for breakfast. Then I went to the Explorations Desk to book excursions for Nassau. Our intentions were to do another walking tour, but after the toll the walking tour took on us in Key West, we thought it would be best to do a driving tour here in Nassau. We booked the Nassau and Paradise Island tour and also tickets to the Pirates of Nassau museum. Once Majesty arrived in Nassau, disembarkation was chaos. I don’t know if it was the popularity of the port or the fact that it was noon and more people were awake, but the line for disembarkation started on Deck Two and extended to at least Deck Four where I could no longer see it from my location. Disembarkation was delayed and mass of people waiting were getting agitated making for an uncomfortable waiting time. Then once off the ship, the tours were r...

Key West, Florida: The island of Key West began to flourish once Henry Flagler opened the Overseas Railroad, connecting the tropical oasis with mainland Florida. Its only fitting that tourist today tour the island on a modified train. Conch Tour Trains offer riders a ninety minute tour of the island, enriching its passengers with the history and folklore of Key West. The Couch Train took passengers on their first tour in 1958. Since then over fifteen million passengers have taken a ride on the train. Guest board an environmentally friendly trained fueled by propane to take an inside look at the island. The tour focuses on Old Key West. During the ninety minute journey, riders will see the sights and hear the stories that make Key West famous. Embark on the journey from the Front Street Station. From there the tour will wind through the streets of Key West, passing by some of the island’s landmarks including Duval Street, Bayview Park, White Street Pier, Casa Marina, Southernmo...

Key West, Florida: The southernmost point of the continental United States, Key West has one of the most colorful histories of the south. The laid back island of today was once the site of a nation succession and a prominent military occupation through many of the major wars. The five and a quarter square mile island of Key West was originally inhabited by Calusa Indians. They lived here until Spanish occupation in the early 1500’s. Juan Ponce de Leon was the first settler to land in Key West in 1521. The Spanish established the settlement of Cayo Hueso which translated to Bone Island for the numerous Calusa Indian bones found on the island. The Spanish established a fishing village on the island The Spanish controlled the island until 1761 when Great Britain took over. The Spanish settlers and remaining Calusa tribe were relocated to Cuba. Great Britain remained in control of the island for twenty years before being transferred back to the Spanish. The island was eventually t...

Key West, Florida: Today was our first port of the trip, Key West. We were scheduled to be in port from 7-3:30. We woke up early and headed to the Windjammer for breakfast. While in the restaurant enjoying breakfast, we watched the ship pull into the port. What a great location for the restaurant, right in the front of the ship with floor to ceiling windows so you can enjoy the view. Following breakfast, we were one of the fist people off the ship. As always, I researched the stop before we left and I downloaded a walking tour of Old Key West. The Pelican Path Walking Tour is a tour of the historic structures located in old town. It has fifty structures on the path that encompasses the oldest part of the city. In addition to these sites, I added a few of the major ones as well including the Southernmost Point, Hemmingway House and Lighthouse. Wow, what a walk, felt like we walked 15 miles by the time we were done. Aching feet and all, we decided to hop aboard the Conch Train ...

Miami, Florida: At one time, the Majesty of the Seas was one of the premiere cruise ships in the fleet. With the advancements in cruising, the Majesty does not have all the features of its sisters in the other classes, but it is still a prominent member of the Royal Caribbean fleet. Built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the Majesty was the third and final ship of the Sovereign class. The class featured large atriums, glass elevators and an entire deck of balcony rooms. They were the first mega-ships and led the industry through the early nineties. The Majesty set sail on its maiden voyage on April 26, 1992. The Majesty measures in at 880 feet in length and weighs over 73,941 tons. The ship has 14 decks containing 1,829 staterooms capable of providing accommodations for 2,744 passengers. The ships cruises at a speed of 18 knots and employs 4 stabilizers to aid in smoothing the ride. The Majesty features a few of the popular amenities that are known to the Royal ...

Miami, Florida: We hit the road heading to Miami to take a four night cruise to the Bahamas aboard Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas. The four night itinerary will take us to Key West, Nassau and Cococay. This is our second cruise and we are looking forward to exploring the ship and the ports of call, The drive to Miami was long and uneventful as the vast stretch of Alligator is one of the dullest drives in all of Florida. Mile upon mile of Everglades and not much to see. Once we hit the east coast, it was white knuckle driving the remainder of the way to the port as the driving in Miami is crazy, many lanes and a multitude of kamikaze drivers. As we pulled up to the port, Majesty was the first ship as we crossed over the bridge. Though its not as large as the Voyager class ship we sailed on before, the Majesty was much larger then I anticipated. Boarding the ship was a breeze. We checked-in online a few days before the cruise and it saved time in the terminal. We walked u...

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Charlotte Stone Crabs took a 1-0 win over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Saturday night at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs had an assist from Mother Nature as heavy rains ended the game early. Both starting pitchers, Frank De Los Santos for the Stone Crabs and Graham Johnson for Jupiter, controlled the tempo of the game. They kept the runs off the scoreboard by going pitch for pitch and keeping the hitters at bay. The Stone Crabs broke the scoreless game ion the fourth inning. Kyeong Kang and Henry Wrigley got things going with back to back singles. Matt Sweeny drove home the run with a sac fly to center that scored Kang and gave the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. Shortly afterwards the skies opened up and the rain began to fall. The grounds crew covered the field but the damage was already done. The umpires called the game completed and the Stone Crabs took the 1-0 win. For more photos from the game, visit my Stone Crabs/Hammerheads photo gallery.

For those of you that follow the site, you will know that I have been in discussions with Royal Caribbean International in regards to the issues we encountered during our cruise in 2006 aboard the Navigator of the Seas. If you are not familiar, you can read about it here . Several years later and hour and hours of talking to different members of the RCI staff, we have reached an agreement. Special thanks to Jamie Silva of the Royal Caribbean executive customer service team, they have agreed to reactivate the cruise vouchers that were promised during the original sailing. We have opted to apply the cruise vouchers towards a 4 night sailing aboard the Majesty of the Seas. The cruise leaves Monday from the Port of Miami and will be visiting Key West, Nassau and Cococay. We hope to have a great time and that Royal Caribbean lives up to their reputation. Check back in the future for articles of the ports and places, as well as reviews of the ship and the overall cruising experience.

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Charlotte Stone Crabs improved to 2-0 on the season by defeating the Palm Beach Cardinals 6-3 on Friday night at Charlotte Sports Park. A dominating performance from Nick Barnese combined with long balls from Matt Sweeney and Reid Fronk help lead the Stone Crabs to victory. The Stone Crabs took the lead in the second inning. Matt Sweeney drew a walk to lead off the inning. Jake Jefferies singled to right to move Sweeney to second. Reid Fronk then cleared the bases with a three run homer to right field, giving the Stone Crabs a 3-0 lead. The Stone Crabs increased their lead in the third inning by going deep again. Henry Wrigley singled to left to put a runner on base for Charlotte. Then Matt Sweeney belted a two run home run, his second of the season, to put the Stone Crabs ahead 5-0. Charlotte picked up their sixth and final run of the contest in the fifth inning. Isaias Velasquez singled to center leading off the inning. Velasquez later scored an RBI doub...

Port Charlotte, Florida: With a packed house and owner Cal Ripken in attendance, the Charlotte Stone Crabs began their title defense in winning fashion by defeating the Palm Beach Cardinals 4-2 on Opening Day at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs took the lead early in the second inning on a solo home run by Matt Sweeney to give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. Palm Beach tied the game in the third inning. Chris Swauger doubled to right field. Tony Cruz then singled to left, scoring Swauger to tie the game 1-1. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the fourth when the Stone Crabs struck for two runs. Matt Sweeney led off the inning with a walk, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jake Jefferies singled to right, moving Sweeney to third and giving the Stone Crabs runners on the corners. Michael Sheridan drove home the go ahead run with a double to right that scored Sweeney. Jefferies later scored on sac fly by Reid Fronk to give the Stone Crabs a 3-1 lead. The Cardinals pu...