Flights to Miami went smoothly—even comfortably since our trip included first class; I could get used to that—and we boarded the ship successfully. First order of business was the mandatory (maritime law requirement) safety drill with life jackets and gathering place. Later it was very pretty sailing from Miami in the dark with all the city lights.

View from our table at dinner

our cabin

 Above are a view from our dinner table and of part of our cabin.  We are at sea all day today and tomorrow headed for Puerto Rico on Sunday; we passed Cuba close enough to see land.  We had an introduction to bridge on board and that includes an excellent instructor.  Beginning in a couple of days it will include duplicate games but today we just played ‘socially’.  A lecture on the age of exploration by our ‘resident historian’ was disappointing but there are other lecturers on board.  Since it is my birthday, we made reservations for Manfredi’s the Italian restaurant; it was very nice (albeit too much wine and sweets—they made me a beautiful cake) and we’ll try to go more often.  A violin/cello duo playing in the Atrium rounded off the evening.  Being this time of year, the Atrium is festooned with greenery and silver and gold balls—festive.