Royal Princess in Costa Maya, Mexico

Hello from Costa Maya/Mahahual. Costa Maya, the cruise port, has exploded in the past few years. We were here several years ago when the infrastructure in the port area was just being put into place. Compared to then it’s almost unrecognizable. For those wanting to shop or sun or eat or drink, there are now plenty of places right within the secure areas of port. But we never stop there. We instead go outside the port where we have two favorites we always choose from: Almaplena or Tropicante.

Almaplena is quite a bit farther from the port. It’s an all-inclusive resort on a remote beach. Lunch is served on a patio and drinks are served on the beach (or patio). They limit the number of cruise passengers that can buy day passes so every one of our visits has been pretty quiet. Just the way we like it. If you’re looking for quiet relaxation with no watersports or kids running around or loud music, Almaplena is your place.

But today we went to our other favorite spot, Tropicante. Tropicante is a pay as you go restaurant/bar and is located within the town of Mahahual, just a short ride from the cruise port. You can either take the trolley or taxi to make your way there. Last time we took the very bumpy, rattle-your-teeth trolley. We had planned on going with the taxi this time, but since you have to walk even farther to get to the taxis than the trolley, we went the closest route and again went with the $4 per person trolley.

But the walk is far. If you’ve been to Costa Maya before you know the pier is long. They used to have a free pier trolley to get you from your ship to the end of the pier, but the last few times we’ve been here it hasn’t been running. Again today, no pier trolley. Now they are even adding more length to the pier.

We had a Royal Caribbean ship in port with us today. 

They had a crew drill where they were using their water cannons.

Costa Maya is definitely a port that is challenging for someone with mobility issues. Just to get from the ship to the place to buy tickets to the town trolley my app logged one solid mile. And that was with taking a short cut. You used to be able to exit between a couple stores but they have now closed that exit off. But…if you walk to Pan Dulce (across from the flamingos) you can cut through their store and shave some steps off your walk. Even with that store cut-through, it is still a mile. And to the taxis? Even farther.

With the boom of the cruise port, there has also been a boom in the number of hawkers and scammers once you get into the town of Mahahual. You will find them everywhere, trying to direct you to their establishment. Don’t follow them and don’t listen to them. Heck, don’t even make eye contact with them. This is a port where once you leave the secure area you have to know where you want to go. While we haven’t found it unsafe in town, we do know others who have felt taken advantage of by them.

So we always tell the trolley driver more than once we are going to Tropicante. So far, we’ve had good luck. An American runs Tropicante and so far we’ve had good luck there as well. (Do contact him ahead of time - he'll reserve you a table or loungers.) The servers are friendly and take great care of you. The drinks are strong and the food is good.

Rum punch? Yeah, I had more than one. So nice to get a straw again!

So we’re worried about straws but not this pollution put out by ships?

And the view? Just plain nice. I had an amazing day just floating in the calm, easy-to-access water. 

Until the storm came.

It was a doozy. Power went out. Wind came up. Rain came down. Torrential, unrelenting rain. Those of us on the beach took cover inside the dark Tropicante bar to wait out the rain. The rain that never ended. Flooded the walkways and flooded the streets.

That's our walkway out. Yikes.

After a couple hours everyone started filtering out of the still dark, no-power bar, braving the downpours. Us included. (Now here is where I’ve done something I’ve only done once before in my cruising lifetime. I promised I would never do it again, but I did. It’s not like I was the only one – the bartender’s little girl seemed so excited when the first cruise passenger let her have their completely soaked towel. Then another passenger put a smile on the little kiddo’s face. And then another. While I’d like to say it was peer pressure that made me give the sweet little thing my pool towel, it wasn’t. So for the second time ever I did not return a pool towel to the ship.)

When we were ready to leave a guy from Tropicante grabbed a huge beach umbrella to try and keep us dry on our way to the taxi. But that umbrella wasn’t enough to keep us from being soaked by the sideways rain. Didn't help with the ankle-deep water, either. Once we arrived at port the rain got even harder. I couldn’t even imagine how that was even possible. More flooding. More ankle-deep water. And that hugely long pier to walk to get back to the ship.

How bad and relentless was the rain?

• For the first time ever, there was no security at the end of the pier. No one checking cruise cards at all.
• We had to wring every item of our clothing out once we returned to the ship. I mean every single item.
• I could have peed my pants without anyone ever noticing. 
• Once onboard crew members were handing out pool towels. Warm, just out of the dryer pool towels. It was like getting a warm blanket in the hospital. It felt so good.

We’re now tucked away in our cabin with the privacy sign out trying to get ourselves warm and dry. I think we'll be calling room service for dinner. Boy, it was a great day.

Off to Belize tomorrow!

Make a Fabric Christmas Countdown Chain - Tutorial Tuesday

It's Tutorial Tuesday and today we're making a Christmas countdown chain. Remember those from when you were a kid?

For this project you need:

• Fabric strips, assorted colors
• hook and loop tape
• Glue stick, optional
• Iron
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread

Click to get your copy of the pattern today!

The written pattern contains step-by-step how-to directions, photos, and link to the video tutorial to make a Christmas countdown chain. 

Looking for more fun Christmas projects?

Check out some of my other patterns and tutorials!

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

You can find the step-by-step how video directions for the homemade fabric Christmas countdown chain link here:

Grand Cayman

Hello from Grand Cayman!

Grand Cayman is a tender port and tender tickets are issued to distribute passengers into the boats. We had to go to the Symphony dining room, midship on Deck 5. As Elites we just had to show our card and head to the other side of the dining room and wait for the next tender. We were called less than five minutes later, along with some of the other numbers (I didn’t pay attention to how many numbers they were calling at once, sorry.) Our ship was the only one in port and I think we were anchored the closest we’ve ever been. It was a super quick tender ride.

But I have a strange story from those quick moments. The lady sitting across from me asked if we had been to Grand Cayman before. Of course, the answer was yes. She then wanted to know if we still had to get in the water when we got off the tender. I was quite confused by what she was asking. Only when I asked some follow up questions did she explain what it was she wanted to know. She told me the last time she was in Grand Cayman the tender operator dropped them off in the water and made them walk up the beach to get into port. My only answer was that there was no way that happened. That the tender doesn’t work that way. At that point she insisted. And I mean insisted, that it was the way it used to be in Grand Cayman a couple years ago. She even told me she had to wade in water up to her neck to get off the tender. I told her perhaps she had an excursion that did that, but no way does using a Princess tender mean you have to wade in water to get onto land. I could have told her I’ve been cruising for 15 years, and have been to Grand Cayman multiple times, and lots of other tender ports multiple times, and it has never, ever, ever happened. Tenders aren’t even set up to make something like that work. I finally gave up. I’ve learned when an old lady insists, just let it go. Everyone is an expert. Except when they aren’t.

Once on shore (surprise – by not walking through the water!) we only had to walk a few blocks from the port to find a salon/barber that would give hubby his shave. Although I’m pretty sure we stuck out like a sore thumb. It was clear this place catered to a different culture and clientele than us, but as he waited for his turn we found it interesting watching the happenings. You won’t find a sign telling customers not to eat fish in a salon/barber shop just anywhere.

Price on the ship for shave? $95. At this place? $5. Add in a dollar tip and hubby's white goatee is gone and he's back to looking baby-faced.

Since hubby was completely against taking the cane off the ship today we felt like it might not be best to then add additional walking to get to my snorkel spot. Just as well, I guess. I was going to have to rent equipment this time around as I didn’t bring my own since we needed the luggage space on our flight to Rome for other things. Plus my bum shoulder would make it a bit difficult to get in and out of a swimsuit, let alone having to get a backpack onto it. So instead of spending money on snorkel equipment, we spent money on drinks. The bar on the dock makes a mean Cayman Punch. With this much rum in one drink, how could you not have at least one? Or in my case, two...

The Green Parrot, the bar where we always stop, doesn’t serve frozen drinks when there aren’t a lot of ships so hubby couldn’t get his mudslide so he stuck with a local darker beer.

Since the Green Parrot is right there at the tender pick up/drop off we can watch the comings and goings as long as we want. Which wasn’t long because it was dead out there.

We made it back in plenty of time to get to ride in a half-empty tender, share a pizza at Alfredo’s, get a nice nap in, and get the blog posted while still hooked up to a Grand Cayman cell tower.

On to Costa Maya/Mahahual, Mexico tomorrow!

Royal Princess Sea Day

Today was a beautiful sea day. I could tell it was going to be nice when I woke up and saw this view out the door. I was way too tired to get up for the picture so this one was taken from the bed.

It stayed nice all day.

It feels so good to be back on a ship with on-demand TV and an absolutely amazing buffet. Yesterday at lunch we were like kids in a candy store when it came to the selections. There was oh-so-much to choose from. We went with healthy options and oh my gosh, there were tons. We knew we were missing the selections in the buffets these last few cruises but we really had forgotten how amazing it is here! For people who are buffet people we are in food heaven. Even at breakfast this morning the choices were plentiful and varied. Steak on the breakfast buffet? Oh, yeah. We also really like that the desserts have their own section away from the main line. It's going to make it much easier to stay away from all that sugar we don't need.

Knowing we were going to be coming off the two week transatlantic in an interior cabin and then had another week on land where we were with each other 24/7, we decided to book a balcony for this voyage. (If you've been married as long as we have you know your travel patterns and know when extra space is worth any extra dollars spent.) We had booked the cheapest guarantee obstructed balcony cabin they had on the ship. Lucky us, we were upgraded for free to a deluxe balcony with a sofa.

Our cabin is at the back of the ship, with the only cabins farther down being the aft-facing cabins. So far it's quiet down here. 

We love the on-demand system. Like I've mentioned before I don't watch TV or go to the movies at home so I'll get to catch up here. I got through a lot of them on our August-September month on the Caribbean Princess but there are new ones on the system now. Yay for that! Although you kind of have to tilt your head to the side just a little. I think someone needed a level when it was attached to the wall.

Movies Under the Stars has the same showings we saw on the Crown a couple weeks ago so we'll probably skip them. Here is the list of the rest of the entertainment for the week.

A note on the mini bar - we had the usual set up when we arrived at the cabin with one exception. Instead of tonic water (which we always return anyway) we had two diet Cokes in their place. Awesome. I always wondered why they added two Cokes but never two diet Cokes.

Tomorrow we're off to Grand Cayman. We usually walk down the road a bit for me to go snorkeling, but hubby has all of a sudden decided he wants his out of control goatee shaved off. So we'll be looking for a barber first  and then will base the rest of our day around how much time that takes.

Royal Princess Western Caribbean Cruise

Hello from the Royal Princess! Yep, we're headed out again.

We left the hotel at 10 am and were sitting in the embarkation lounge by 10:30. While we typically don't arrive at port that early, we were looking to have a leisurely, stress-free, line-free day. And  it worked! It took us all of 30 minutes to walk from our hotel to the pier, drop off our luggage, have someone glance at our passports and boarding passes, go through security, check in and get our cabin key and boarding card, grab some water in the elite/platinum embarkation lounge, and have a seat. Not a line to be found anywhere in that .85 miles from point to point. And bonus - our walk to the port took us over the exact pavement hubby fell on in September and this time there was no fall. Woo hoo!

Elites were called to board at 11:15 and now we are sitting watching boats come and go from the outside seating area behind the buffet. Can't get a better day than that.

Although life on a yacht might be pretty good, too.

I won't be posting the Princess Patters this time around as we still have a limited number of Internet minutes. Can't wait for the Royal to get the unlimited super-speedy MedallionNet! Until then, I'll need to conserve minutes. If you do have questions about something in the Patter, just email me. I won't throw them away until the end of the cruise.

But if you are looking for the officer's, this may help:

So where are we headed this time?

Off to a sea day tomorrow.

Crown Princess Resources

If you want to know anything else about the Crown Princess or have any questions about cruising or Princess Cruises, just ask. 

Encouraging Words Money Pocket Project

Woman's Day Magazine, February 2019

What is the Encouraging Words Project?

Those who know me know I believe in the power of the Universe. I believe in The Secret. I believe in the power of positive thinking. That if you look for the good you will find the good. I believe life is flippin' amazing and each day will be amazingly awesome. And I know in my heart that putting positive and grateful thoughts out into the world comes back to me ten times over.

To encourage myself and others to recognize the power within each and every one of us, I've been delivering words of support and inspiration. For the last several years I’ve been giving away dollar bills with these notes of encouragement. I’ve left them in restrooms and airplane magazines and sugar containers. I’ve left them in windowsills and tip jars and hotel room drawers. I’ve left them on buses and taxis and trains. And in shopping carts, store shelves, and doctor offices. Sometimes I place one somewhere once a day and other days I drop them off multiple times.

While most of the time I never know who winds up finding them or how they feel about the words on them, occasionally I do get "caught". When I do, I am awe-inspired how much those few kinds words mean to people. The money going along with the words is just a bonus.

I'd love to have your help in putting kind and grateful vibes out into the world. Click here to learn how to make the pockets and here to find out what others are doing with it. 

Don't want to make the pockets? Try using a sticky note to leave your dollar behind. Not able to give away any money right now? Just leave the encouraging words. It is the positive thought that counts!

What Readers Are Saying About the Encouraging Words Project

One of the best parts of sharing the encouraging words project has been seeing the project multiply into something bigger. If you haven't yet joined us, it's not too late to start. Check out the post here to learn more about it. Need even more inspiration? Take a look at what some of our readers are saying about it:

I am going to hand out 70 of these in honor of my 70th birthday which is coming up Sept. 26th. I want to do it on that day! I think they are wonderful and we so need touches of kindness in our world today. I also think I will create a "Kindness" basket for an upcoming raffle and place the idea as a kit inside along with other items that reflect kindness in our world.

Thank you in advance for this treasure trove of ideas.

Linda M. 

Thanks for sharing so much with others it really does cause a ripple effect,

Kim B.

Like you, I have left dollar bills and words of encouragement  for others to find. Yet, sometimes the words fail me. I saw that you offer a template with phrases that you use, and I would appreciate a copy. I absolutely believe in spreading Love in many ways! Spreading Joy to others is a wave of healing I firmly believe in!

Judit

I read about your money pockets today and I’m so excited to do this!  As my granddaughter gets old enough I think this will be a fun thing to do together.  Mimi & Josie’s secret campaign to leave smiles wherever we go! Thank you for doing good in the world …… spreading kindness and love.

Michele

I saw your letter in Pam Grout's newsletter, and I love what you're doing. I'm already cutting out the money envelopes!  Please consider me a fan.  

Infinite Love & Gratitude,

Diana H

And a followup from Diana:

I have used your template and words to produce several hundred of the encouraging word pockets.  I find it easy to slip them in all sorts of fun places, and it includes the price of a cup of coffee at our local cafe.  I recently took them on a trip to Las Vegas.  I like to think there may have been a "jackpot" involved for someone.

I've also created stickers with my own words.  I've never been around to see someone find a pocket but I love to imagine how tickled I would be if I found one.  I love setting my intention for kindness as I carefully cut each pocket, glue it, apply the sticker, and add the dollar.  Your project resonates with me. I believe the world is a better place for any and all kindnesses--no matter how seemingly small.

With heartfelt Thanksgiving Infinite Love & Gratitude,

Diana H

If you decide to be part of the project, I'd love to hear from you! Click below to email me.

I look forward to hearing about how you are putting those positive vibes out into world!

Stories of the Finders

Did you find one? I'd love to hear from you! Click below to email me your story.

And read on to hear the stories of some of the other finders...

I've been doing my encouraging words with dollar bills for several years now. I've left them in just about any place you can imagine, from restroom stalls to airplane magazines to grocery shopping carts. Sometimes I place one somewhere once a day and other days I drop them off multiple times.

Most of the time I never get to see who picks up the encouraging note money pockets. That's the point, though - it's a project that's totally anonymous. But occasionally I might see someone's facial expressions or hear some comments. And sometimes I visit a place enough that someone figures out who is leaving them behind. Here are a few stories about them I've picked up along the way.

• 5 O'Clock Charlie's was a place I had left them more than once. During one visit quite a while ago the bartender, figured out I was the one leaving them in the restroom because they only showed up there when I was there. So guess what she pulled out of her wallet to show me last time I saw her? One of those encouraging word money pockets she had found from long ago. All this time she's kept it in her wallet. It looks a little rough around the edges now, but how amazing is it that my dollar pocket with encouraging words meant so much to her that she keeps it with her all the time?
• A crew member who found one a couple months back found another. The new one said You are amazing. Her name is Grace and she said she knew it was meant for her, like Amazing Grace. Yep, really amazing.
• One of the girls that helped hubby in the morning found one in the sugar container when she was cleaning tables. Her cabin mate was also working at the time and we were all talking about the encouraging notes on them. I had a stack of others with me so I told the cabin mate to pick one out of my hand (she couldn't see the sayings so it was like a pick a card, any card kind of trick). When she turned it over it read Never Give Up. The two girls had a laugh and an oh my gosh and an I can't believe it. And why? Because in their cabin they have a poster. A poster that says Never Give Up. How awesome is that?
• When I leave a tip in a restaurant I sometimes place it in a pocket. I look carefully through the sayings I have on me and choose one I think the waitress needs the most. Usually I can sneak out of the restaurant before the waitress sees it but on Thanksgiving night in Key West I didn't get out quick enough. The waitress stopped me and told me thank you. And said the saying really meant something to her. That it spoke to her. That it was the journey she was on. The encouraging words I chose for her? We’re all stories in the end. Make yours a good one. 
• Many times when I leave them on a cruise ship I put them in the sugar container. Most of the time they never get touched until the crew member dumps all the sugar packets out and then reorganizes and refills them. That's how Sheila wound up with dollar after dollar after dollar. Only when another crew member spied me putting one into the container and told her did she realize it was me. Over the course of a couple years, as I've gone back to see Sheila again and again, she's picked up quite a few more. I do believe she's now found one pocket in every color. (It also helped that I gave her some outright. I now know her well enough that I was able to hand-pick messages of encouragement aimed right at her.) So what Sheila think about the notes? Here she is, in her own words:

I remember the first time I found the first one. I read it and the message was so touching and days after days I kept finding them with different messages, so from deep within the heart. I felt so emotional because I realized that someone on board cares for what we are doing and wants us to knows in some way. The money you put in the note was very helpful but the touching messages makes you feel good also.  Imagine after a hard day at work when you are about to finish your shift and you find one of the notes. It really makes your day. You are a blessing and special person that is trying to bless another person.

Encouraging Words Money Pocket Photos

Have you been leaving encouraging notes and documenting it? Email me the pics and I'll add them here. Let's keep putting those kind and grateful vibes out into the world!

Share Your Experiences

Do you have your own encouraging words project you'd like to share? Any interesting or fun things you've learned? I'd love to hear from you.

I look forward to hearing about how you are putting those positive vibes out into world!

Back to Fort Lauderdale

While we've had a few weeks of new, pushing-the-limit, getting-out-of-our-comfort zone adventures, today the newness ended. We made the drive from Key West to Fort Lauderdale today and quickly settled back into our normal routine. Stopped at Publix to buy our usual Kit Kats for crew members. Checked into a hotel we've stayed in before. And tomorrow we will be walking to a pier we've walked to before.

To board a ship we've been on before.
To sail to several ports we've visited before.
Where we'll eat at restaurants we've eaten at before.

Getting into a comforting, usual routine couldn't come at a better time. While I love road trips and new activities and adventures, hubby is about done with new discoveries. He's ready for an easy, predictable, relaxing, and comfortable routine.

That comfortable routine will begin tomorrow morning with the Royal Princess docked right behind this bridge.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Today was my day. While NASCAR Championship Weekend was hubby's activity of choice for the week, mine was a visit to Dry Tortugas National Park.

Dry Tortugas is located some 70 miles west of Key West. The only way you can get there is by boat or seaplane. Since the boat was cheaper (but still way too expensive), we went with that option. The ferry takes two and a half hours to get you there (and of course, another two and a half hours to get you back) so it made it an early morning and late evening for us. Check in at 7 am? Yikes. We don't do mornings, and hubby really doesn't do mornings, but he was a good sport about it. The ferry provides a continental breakfast, a lunch onboard, and snorkel equipment.

Snorkel equipment? Oh, yeah. That's why I went. (Well, that along with the fact we're working on getting to all the National Parks.) Unfortunately, so many things went not as planned today that I lost track. It was Thanksgiving and I wanted to make the day full of new, wonderful adventures. It didn't turn out that way. I even started making a list of everything that was not so fun about the day, but stopped myself. I'm about choosing joy. Looking for the good in each day. I believe life is flippin' awesome. So I had to change my attitude. It was Thanksgiving and despite the hard day all of a sudden realized I should be thankful.

Thankful we got to walk a bit of the fort.

Thankful we were able to each lunch on the dock while having this view.

 

That we were able to watch seaplanes load and unload passengers and land and take off.

That we wound up wandering Key West at night and came across a Thanksgiving meal in a restaurant at the marina. At sunset.

 That we were able to have yet one more piece of key lime pie.

 Thankful we saw the moon peeking through lit up palm trees.

Thankful and grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!