FLIGHT DAY---HEADING TO SOUTH FLORIDA

         We woke up at 2:30 this morning.  Mike, our usual driver to DFW, was to pick us up at 5am so just got up.  He was right on time and we arrived at DFW terminal C by 5:30.  No line to check our two pieces of luggage and no line for TSA so we arrived at the gate an hour before boarding time.

        The airplane we were to be on was a little late arriving so we arrived at the Ft Lauderdale airport 20 minutes late.

        CHEERS!  We were in first class so had some bloody Marys during the 2 hour 23 minute flight.

        We had pre-requested the three cheese omelets for our breakfast.  Not so good as they were overcooked.  Fruit was fresh!

        

        Our first class flight attendant, Hector, was great.  I told him Rebecca was a retired AA F/A after 37 years of flying and that I was a retired pilot.  He asked if there anything else he could do for us so I asked him for a "couple" vodkas for the road.  He brought me a bag full with these 9 minis of Titos!  

        Our checked luggage came out very fast for a change.  Our Blacklane limo driver was waiting for us and off we went for the Miami Hilton Downtown.  He said it would take 42 minutes and that was very close despite the I-95 traffic.

        We arrived at the hotel at 12:40 and no line to check in.  Sandra was very kind and found us a junior suite with views of the bay.  Being a Hilton "Diamond" status helps!!

                                       Our ship will be docked over there tomorrow morning.

                                                                    Our Jr suite

        Rebecca got to watch most of her soaps when we got to the room while I worked on this post.

        Afterwards we walked a block to a huge Publix grocery/pharmacy.  We always hit it for a bottle of chardonnay to have at happy hour.  I brought with us some Makers Mark manhattans for me to enjoy!

We needed some other items that we did not want to pack.  Also got 6 fried shrimp at the deli to tide us over until dinner.

        As we did the last few times we have stayed at this Hilton, we will be ordering a pizza to be delivered from Papa Johns as usual.  We can only eat maybe half of it so give the rest to the porters.

        We had the hotel concierge book us transportation from the hotel to our ship at 11am tomorrow.  Only $10 per person.  It will be a van with other cruisers.

        I always dread the day spent traveling to the cruise port city.  I worry about: 1) the weather at departure and arrival cities, 2)  flight canceling, 3) luggage not arriving with us.  WELL, WE MADE IT AND SO DID OUR LUGGAGE!