20 Apr 2013
Cozumel, Mexico
I hadn’t been on a Card Player Poker Cruise since I sold it to Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and Mark Tenner over 12 years ago. They are great friends, but I get plenty of poker in Las Vegas and spend about four months annually on cruise ships anyway.
Since they were kind enough to host this Card Player Poker Tour event in our first season, attending this one was the least I could do.
Plain and simple, their poker room is run great, absolutely everybody is friendly, and all have fun. While in port they always invite their guests to join them to fun places they know. Typically there may be a snorkeling group and maybe another group going to a fun, clean local place for lunch.
Here I am 20 minutes away at Playa Bonita in Cozemel with almost 40 new and old friends at a sensational place that I never would have found on my own.
Allyn and I had a great time. It’s not The Ritz, but the daily tab was maybe 15% of what we normally pay.
Not to sound too commercial, but if you travel with them and mention my name when booking, they will give you an extra discount.
Oh, the tournament. There were 43 players. Five places were paid. I finished sixth. 
In poker parlance, that is called on the bubble.
16 Apr 2013
Labadee, Haiti
Today we went to Labadee, Haiti, billed as Royal Caribbean’s private island. It was a nice beach day. However, it isn’t an island. It is a peninsula. Probably somebody in marketing thought potential passengers might get scared off if they knew it was part of Haiti what with sharing body fluids and stuff.
At least it allowed me to cross off another country visited.
14 Apr 2013
Oasis of the Seas
Before today I had been on 36 cruise ships and never have I seen anything that resembles The Oasis of the Seas. This monster is the largest cruise ship ever built and carries almost 6,000 passengers.
Yet I have never had such an easy time checking in. They had well over 100 lines to check in that were a snap. You walk on board and think you in a vibrant neighborhood in some city.
Throughout the ship there are huge touch computer screens telling you where you are, where to go, how to get there, and how busy venues are.
It’s amazing, but still mass market. We bought cases of water and bottles of wines at first day discounts. We bought a package to four of their restaurants that have supplemental charges. Others bought drink packages, alcoholic and soda. It is too early to have an opinion about the cruise.
Why am I here after a world cruise on Crystal Serenity? My friends at Card Player Cruises are hosting a poker tournament on our Card Player Poker Tour. It’s business, and it’s fun.
01 Apr 2013
Key West, Florida
Ten weeks ago our first stop was Key West, and here we are again after circumnavigating South America.
Having toured Key West several times previously, today we opted to hunt for the best key lime pie. We were getting stuffed and then we ran across Peppers.
This place is a hot sauce lover's dream. They ship all over the world. And you gatta love the free samples. They make you sign a waiver on many of them because they are so hot.
The evening was full of tears of happiness. The band was roaring, the balloons and confetti dropped. We were even singing auld lang syne. So many new and renewed friends. Such a great trip.
29 Mar 2013
Formal Night at Sea
My idea of the perfect formal night is having a lovely dinner on the balcony in shorts and a T-shirt with just my wife.