It's a monumentous, exciting and bittersweet day. It's my birthday, but it's also my last day on the Destiny. Jody's too. Neither of us care to have a crazy party on our last night on the ship when we have immigration at 6am and a long day of travel the next day, so a party tonight just isn't really an option. Last night we had a big party in the crew bar - a combo birthday / goodbye party. There were tons of people in the crew bar. People there to say goodbye. Though many people seemed surprised to realize that [View Full Entry]

---

---

Final day in Barbados. I've spent so many fraustrating days here in Barbados during my time on the Destiny. It's been nice the final few weeks to just be able to enjoy the island. Life on the ship is busy. Doing my handover with my replacement. Socializing with friends while I still can. Packing in every moment still possible with Jody. Plus there are all of these safety inspections happening this week which means extra drills and training and meetings and things. All this leaves little time for rest. But I'm determined to still get out this week for some final [View Full Entry]

---

---

After the full day of diving yesterday, followed up work and a late night in the crew bar, I was wiped today. I'd attempted to get a tour to the one site in Dominica I'm interested in still seeing, but that didn't work out. So today became a much needed day of rest where I slept nearly the whole day away. But I did get up and out to the crew deck to watch my final sail away from Dominica. Jody came up to join me. It was beautiful. A huge rainbow arched out of the city and across into the [View Full Entry]

---

---

I am a certified open water diver! Oh, I can’t believe it’s done, I did it. I mostly just feel relieved right now! Relieved to have it complete, done, out of the way. I’m free to enjoy St. Thomas as I please when I return here, and free to dive in any of the ports! I am also very pleased with myself. No panic today. No fear. Jay (my instructor) and I fired through all of my skills. My ears were troublesome today and my mask was irritating me, but my skills were perfect and my nerves were too. After “Open [View Full Entry]

---

---

Apparently one tour wasn’t enough for me today, because after going on the snorkeling tour with my teens, I went back to the ship, showered, ate and left again. This time, I went out with Logan and Allison and we headed to The Malibu Rum Distillery and Beach Club. To our surprise, the distillery was likely within a decent walking distance from the ship, just in the opposite direction from where we usually go. We got there, flashed our crew IDs and were given free tour passes, a free drink and free beach access. Moments like that, we love being crew [View Full Entry]

---

---

Even though my teen count this week is the lowest it’s been since I signed onto the Destiny, I had three sign up for the tour! This week’s adventure: the Carlisle Bay Shipwreck Snorkel tour. It was stellar. I’ve done plenty of snorkel tours, but none of them even fall into the same category as this one. Absolutely awesome. What was mind-boggling to me however, was where this stellar snorkeling experience was located - only a 5 minute boatride from the ship. Most times we’re in Barbados, myself and other crew go to the Boatyard beach club. Just down the shore [View Full Entry]

---

---

Today I was meant to again do more diving. I was good the night before - went to the crew bar for only gingerale, went to sleep at a moderately decent hour, set the alarm to get up early . . . except I made the classic AM/PM mess-up with the alarm, so I woke up an hour late, having missed the free shuttle to the beach. I rushed around, got in a taxi and headed out to Coki Beach. When I arrived, I learned that Jay (my instructor) left a message with Shore Excursions that he’s sick and can’t dive, [View Full Entry]

---

---

After Logan and I visited the forts in Old San Juan today, we walked along the path that follows along beside the city’s walls and the water of the bay. Passed through the San Juan Gate - the symbolic entrance to the city where ships once docked and people passed through when they arrived. More beautiful buildings and quaint little streets - the side of San Juan I adore. Bought some homemade sweets from a market vendor. And then we got back to the ship - completely exhausted, but as Lolo put it “historized”. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Today was the first Sunday/home port day where I didn’t work for the shopping specialists in the afternoon. Because of the Super Bowl, our entire schedule has been switched around. We’re not even doing a boat drill today; we’re doing it tomorrow afternoon instead. Don’t mess with the sports fans I guess. It meant that the shopping & port seminar was cancelled, so I had nothing to promote. And, I had a full day to myself in San Juan! I convinced Logan to go out with me again and we visited both of the fortresses in Old San Juan - El [View Full Entry]

---

---

This afternoon, Logan got off the ship with me, just for a couple hours, to go see La Romana, the town closest to the pier where we dock in the Dominican Republic. I figured it was time I saw some of this port besides the nightclub, and during the day for a change. Everyone talks about how sketchy La Romana is. But it’s just a busy small-city in a developing country. You need to be a smart and safe traveller. I wouldn’t go by myself at night or start wandering down random alleys, but really, that’s being logical. And I wouldn’t [View Full Entry]

---

---