Pre-Cruise Logic…or Expensive Mistake?
Our cruise out of the Port of Miami departed on Saturday.
I always make a point of arriving at the cruise location at least a day early. This way, if there are problems with the flight, I have plenty of time to make it for embarkation.
The Economic Considerations
But flying into Miami on a Friday doubled the cost of four plane tickets. So our options were to fly out on Thursday or Saturday morning.
I’ll be honest, if it were only me, I might have chosen Saturday morning. At least if something went wrong, I’d only have myself to blame.
But there were four of us. And certain members of our party don’t move with the same sense of urgency that I do (teenagers…I am looking at you).
The price of the extra night at the hotel was far less than the additional cost of flights, so it seemed like a logical decision. Or was it?
South Beach…My Wallet says “Ouch”!
It has been roughly 15 years since I was in South Beach. What is that saying? Something like “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.
South Beach looked and felt just like it did fifteen years ago.
The only thing I didn’t see, but really wasn’t looking for, were the two-for-one fishbowl-sized cocktails at every restaurant along Ocean Drive.
Our hotel was one block from Ocean Drive. Actually prime location for South Beach, the cruise ports, and everything the area has to offer. The Kent Hotel served the purpose. Cost-effective, spacious rooms and easy access to the sun and fun.
Cost-effectiveness ended at the hotel.
Having arrived hungry at the hotel at 2:00 AM Friday, we ventured out for something to eat. At that point, cost wasn’t a concern as our options were limited. I considered it the “late-dining tax”.
But what followed was an assault on our wallets!
Breakfast for four? $140.
Lunch for four? $180.
Three ice cream cones? $48.
And dinner at the Versace Mansion? I’m blocking that price from my memory to save my sanity and the joy of travel. It was bordering on $600.
Essentially, every dollar we saved on airfare was immediately donated to the Miami economy.
So it may not have played out as the logical decision, but I still maintain it was a good decision.
South Beach…My Soul says “Oooh”!
The 36 hours in South Beach were the perfect mood-setter for the Caribbean cruise. Beautiful weather, palm trees, and the pastel buildings along Ocean Drive had us fully in vacation-mode.
The breeze off the Atlantic as we walked the beach had my unbuttoned shirt fluttering behind me as my toes buried into the sand. The calling of the seagulls and the rhythmic sound of the waves were music to my ears.
We walked to a couple of “upscale” shopping areas, allowing us to see a different part of South Beach that we had never seen.
And the old guy in the crocheted “banana hammock” still roamed the beach just before sunset. This is one of those, if you know, you know, situations. And yes, further proof, “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.
Saturday morning, I walked to Starbucks for a cup of coffee and walked along the bike path while everyone got ready.
The vacation started long before setting foot on the cruise ship.
Yeah, it was a very good decision.
