We had a wonderful breakfast this morning at the DoubleTree. After that I had a little chat with the hotel manager about our hour wait for their airport pickup and a few other "disappointments" we experienced last night.
At 10am our friend, Mario, came by and took us to Costco and Ulta. It came a monsoon downpour during our drive there. Mario said that was unusual for January here. Just before noon our limo showed up and brought us here to the Biltmore Hotel.
The Biltmore is in one of the oldest parts in the Miami area called Coral Gables. It is a lovely area with trees over 150 years old and the homes are lovely and expensive. The Biltmore Hotel was built 90 years ago as a grand hotel. The original Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuler, was the pool lifeguard prior to his movie years. From 1942 to 1968 it was closed and became a veterans hospital. What is now the spa was the psych ward and the fitness center was a morgue. I learned all this while talking to a bellman. All the employees are top notch here.
The lobby area is lovely
This is where our cocktail party will be this evening if not raining. Will move inside if raining. It is very humid today so I hope they move it inside as will be warm when wearing my sports coat.
The gala dinner will be in ballroom above the fountain.
The hotel is putting every one's checked luggage in a locked room and it will be loaded on a truck at 4am tomorrow and taken to the ship. Buses will start transporting passengers to ship at noon. We will be checking in and receiving our ship suite keys starting at 9am with breakfast from 9:30 onwards. So when we get to the ship, all we will have to do it go through security and just walk on the ship. I love this plan. Hope it works as they want it to.
Well, tomorrow is the big day! Our 128 night adventure will actually begin. We are looking forward to seeing old friends we have cruised with as passengers, and especially crew members we know and now call our friends too.
Note: Clicking on photos will enlarge them.
At 10am our friend, Mario, came by and took us to Costco and Ulta. It came a monsoon downpour during our drive there. Mario said that was unusual for January here. Just before noon our limo showed up and brought us here to the Biltmore Hotel.
The hotel is putting every one's checked luggage in a locked room and it will be loaded on a truck at 4am tomorrow and taken to the ship. Buses will start transporting passengers to ship at noon. We will be checking in and receiving our ship suite keys starting at 9am with breakfast from 9:30 onwards. So when we get to the ship, all we will have to do it go through security and just walk on the ship. I love this plan. Hope it works as they want it to.
Well, tomorrow is the big day! Our 128 night adventure will actually begin. We are looking forward to seeing old friends we have cruised with as passengers, and especially crew members we know and now call our friends too.
Note: Clicking on photos will enlarge them.
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