If you have been following along on this “back-to-back” cruise, you know that we returned to Ft Lauderdale and disembarked most cruisers and took on a new group of cruisers. Liz and I were amongst those that were staying for another adventure. The process for us was very easy. We had booked the same cabin so no need to shuffle luggage. There was a prescribed time for all of us BtB cruisers to meet and the staff handed out new Sea Pass cards. Then, as a group, we were escorted off the ship clearing the gangway with our old Sea Pass card. This way the ship can get a “zero count” for customs. We were then escorted (as a group) into the terminal and there was a special customs person waiting for us. We held up our passport as we walked by the customs agent, made a U-turn, and walked back onto the ship using our “new” Sea Pass card. Easy Peasy, as they say.

Leaving Ft Lauderdale, our first two days were sea days. If you missed my post about sea days you can see it here. 

Our first port call was Oranjestad, Aruba. We really enjoyed our previous trip to Aruba, if you missed that post you can see it here. This time we decided to take a long, leasurly stroll along the waterfront and check out the various stores and marinas and be back at Mojito’s Cantina & Grill for a relaxing lunch.

After walking a ways along the Lloyd G. Smith Blvd., we walked through the Wilhelmina Park ending up at Renaissance Beach. Along the beachfront we spotted a small crab and a juvenile iguana. Each had spotted the other and both were curious but cautious. Very slowly they approached each other and made tenuous attempts to touch one another. Finally they managed to touch each other at the same time but immediately jumped and went opposite directions. Both of us laughed at this sight and luckily I was able photograph the encounter.

Pictured below are some of the sights we saw on this visit to Aruba!