MAR 23: Homeward Bound

At 7:00 a.m., SIRENA pulled into her terminal in the remote part of the port. Across the island were six much bigger cruise ships. 

Also overcast, it was about 70°with the promise of getting warmer as the morning progressed. 

All passengers were asked to leave their staterooms by 8:00. Pam and I were not scheduled to disembark until 8:45, so we went to the open dining area on the stern of the ship to have a leisurely breakfast. We got a great table in the corner on the starboard side, where we could keep an eye on what was happening in the parking lot below. 

The last time we were here, the ship was cleared by Customs and Border Protection to begin disembarkation at 7:45. This time, perhaps because resources were spread thinner with so many big ships in port, it did not start until 8:45. 

While we sat in our Crowsnest observation location, we saw the car that would take us to Fort Lauderdale airport pull in. Knowing where to look for him when we exited the terminal was helpful. 

I also got a message from the Luggage Forward representative that he was waiting for us just outside the terminal. 

With those two puzzle pieces in place, all we had to do was wait until our number was called, which happened at 9:10. Once in the chute, we moved continuously from our vantage point to the waiting car, with the brief intermediate stops of clearing Customs and turning the two big bags over to LuggageForward.

We were in the car and on our way at 9:30. We were out of the car at Fort Lauderdale airport by 10:30, The trip taking longer than expected due to some congestion along the way and at the terminals.

The first terminal we passed had a line stretching out the door and down the sidewalk. The other terminals were less overtly busy but, looking through the windows, were packed. 

Pam and I opted to stay out for a while, eventually finding an empty bench in a relatively quiet part of the airport. We hung out until about 1:00 when we decided to go through security and search for food, which we found at a marginally good Cuban restaurant.

After some more waiting, it was finally time to board our flight, which departed on time and arrived on time.

It was a wonderful trip, but getting home is always great, which we did at 8:40.