21st December 2024

Disembarkation day began early, in the dark, at 5:30 am. Although we had set the alarm for later, we were both awake and unable to get back to sleep. A shower and breakfast on Deck 9 seemed the best course of action. It was a leisurely meal; there was no rush, and we watched as daylight gradually crept over Port Everglades, erasing the twinkling lights of seven other cruise ships moored around us.

Once our hunger was satisfied, we returned to the cabin and watched the news until the announcements began for passengers on tours or airport transfers. We then made our way to one of the lounges on Deck 2. It wasn’t long before ‘Blue 1’ was called, and we disembarked, collecting our luggage in a large hangar. Security was minimal, just a glance at our passports and a brief stop in front of the facial recognition camera, and we were on our way.

We wheeled our cases to the same spot where we had boarded a coach for our Everglades trip the previous week. This time, a coach was waiting to take us on a tour of Fort Lauderdale, followed by a riverboat cruise along the city’s many canals. Some passengers would return to the ship, others to Fort Lauderdale Airport, while Sue and I were the only ones destined for Miami Airport.

Our guide was highly knowledgeable, describing the city’s buildings, parks, and roads with aplomb, peppering his commentary with anecdotes from her 40 years of experience. We made a brief stop to stretch our legs, take photos, and learn about the oldest remaining house in the city, tragically overshadowed by a large condominium built just a few years ago. One has to question the judgement of the city planning authorities.

With the land portion of our tour complete, we boarded one of the two riverboats moored at the quay. Captain Al Starts, who arrived in Fort Lauderdale in 1935, brought with him a Jacksonville-built vessel he named the Jungle Queen. This 60-foot craft, capable of carrying 50 passengers, marked the start of Fort Lauderdale’s tourist industry. At the same time, he purchased land along the New River to create an Indian Trading Post as a destination for his tours.

We departed the mooring with a full complement of passengers, gliding along the city’s waterways. Earlier in the day, we had been introduced to the extravagant and eye-watering prices of the waterfront properties. Now, on the water, those figures climbed to astronomical heights. This part of the city is not for the merely wealthy; it is ruled by the mega-rich. The famous and powerful reside here, and our guide’s list of notable names is extensive, encompassing the good and the not-so-good. If you own property in this area, you’ve either made your fortune or are deeply in debt (though one might argue there’s little difference).

Sue and I agreed that this final glimpse into the lives of Florida’s elite was fascinating. We highly recommend the tour to anyone visiting or cruising from the state.

Back on the coach, we navigated through heavy pre-Christmas traffic en route to Fort Lauderdale Airport. The coach company decided that passengers returning to the ship would transfer to another coach parked behind us, while those heading to Miami Airport would switch to our vehicle. Six other Miami-bound passengers joined us for the 45-minute journey.

Miami Airport is vast. We were dropped off at Zone A but had to walk, towing our luggage, to Zone J, an exhausting 20-minute trek through crowded concourses filled with travellers heading home for Christmas. Finding our check-in desk proved somewhat challenging, but we eventually succeeded. Our luggage disappeared into the airport’s labyrinthine depths, and with boarding passes in hand, we joined a 200-metre queue for security. Forty minutes later, we were through, with boredom being our only adversary.

A seven-hour wait for our flight lay ahead. We filled the time by dining at one of the airport’s eateries and browsing the internet. I managed to start this blog and edit a few previous entries.

Our Virgin flight to Heathrow departed an hour late, and we had to switch gates from the one printed on our boarding pass to board the aircraft. On a positive note, the pilot made up time, and we arrived just ten minutes behind schedule. Despite strong winds during our approach, the pilot executed a perfectly smooth landing on a day when numerous departing flights had been cancelled due to the weather.

While waiting for the Hoppa bus at a bitterly cold stop to reach our hotel and collect our car, we encountered a confused elderly lady dressed in just a thin top and skirt. She had returned from a holiday in Barbados and couldn’t remember the name of the hotel where her car was parked. After searching through her mobile phone, I found the confirmation email. Fortunately, her hotel was on the same route as ours. She had left her coat on a coach in Miami, and the day before, she misplaced some snorkelling equipment she had hired from the resort hotel, resulting in a $100 charge for replacement. I spoke to the Hoppa driver to ensure she got off at the correct hotel with her luggage. Fingers crossed, she found her car there.

We faced our own issues upon reaching our car; the battery was flat, and it wouldn’t start. We called Green Flag, our car recovery service, and they dispatched a mechanic. Sue stayed in the warmth of the Sheraton while I returned to the car and searched through its dashboard menu. Thankfully, I discovered I could force a start with minimal current by pressing both the clutch and accelerator simultaneously. Thankfully, it worked, so I cancelled the mechanic, and we set off home. However, the Satnav began acting up, insisting on directing us to Terminal 5. I ignored it and navigated to the M25 by instinct, after which it suddenly recalibrated and guided us home properly. We arrived exhausted at a chilly house as the sun set at 4:30 pm.

After warming drinks and sorting through the pile of letters scattered around the letterbox, we had an early night. It had been a fascinating trip, and we greatly enjoyed the islands we visited, especially relishing the warmth of the Caribbean weather. Now it’s back to reality and Christmas, not a bad pre-festivity warm-up!