Jan 16-17, 2024: On the evening of the 15th, our ship departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a light drizzle, heading straight for Miami.

Despite being at sea on the 16th and 17th, our days were packed with engaging onboard lectures covering topics like politics, science, history, and music, most of which were related to the Caribbean or current international affairs. Evenings were filled with a variety of performances, keeping us busy with back-to-back events and leaving little time for relaxation. On the night of the 16th, we attended Stardust Dinner club, a special intimate dinner party on the ship. Each cruise segment features one or two of these exclusive dinner shows with limited seating, requiring early reservations as soon as you board. Everyone dressed elegantly, enjoying fine wine and gourmet food while watching the performances and mingling with fellow passengers at our table.

The 17th was sunny and breezy, the best weather we’d experienced on this trip. After breakfast, we headed to the swimming pool for some exercise, fulfilling a pre-cruise goal. We had the entire pool to ourselves, with hardly anyone occupying the surrounding lounge chairs, making it incredibly peaceful. This was a stark contrast to other cruises we’ve been on, where the pool area is usually crowded. Besides attending lectures, we spent the day on deck looking for fish and birds, but unfortunately, apart from a few small flying fish, we didn’t see much else.

We had long dreamed of visiting the Caribbean, and this trip finally made that dream come true. The weather was perfect, with calm seas and sunny skies almost every day, except for two overcast days in Miami at the beginning and end of our trip. Our ship stopped at eight different islands, including U.S. territories, British, French, and independent islands, making the journey thoroughly enjoyable. The service and cuisine on Crystal Cruises were as excellent as always, truly top-notch. Before disembark, we had tried their famous egg tarts.

On the night of the 18th, we returned home smoothly and were ready to enjoy the best season in Phoenix.

一月十六，十七日：十五日傍晚我们的船在濛濛细雨中离开圣胡安，波多黎各，直奔迈阿密。

十六，十七日二天虽说是海上行，但白天船上安排了好些讲座，内容包括政治，科学，历史和音乐，大部分与加勒比海或者与目前的国际形势有关。晚上又有不同的表演，我们俩一场接一场的听，好像也没有什么空闲的时间。十六日晩上我们参加了船上小型的特别晚宴，每次行程游轮上都会安排一，二次这种晚宴秀，座位很有限，必须一上船就预订。大家盛装出席，一边品尝美酒佳肴，一边欣赏歌舞，同时也能有机会与同桌的游客交流。

十七日风和日丽， 是这次行程以来天气最好的一天。早餐后先去游泳池活动活动，也算是完成上船前订下的目标。整个游泳池就我们俩包场了，周围躺椅上也几乎没人，安静的不得了。完全不像之前坐过的其它邮轮，游泳池永远是人满为患，根本没法去。除了听讲座，白天还在甲板上找鱼，找鸟。只可惜这次除了小飞鱼，其它基本都没看到。

说想来加勒比海已久，这次总算如愿以偿。再加上老天爷帮了大忙，除了在迈阿密一前一后二天是阴天，几乎每天都是风平浪静阳光明媚。我们的船前后停靠了八个大大小小的岛，其中除了有美国的领地，还有英属的，法属的，以及独立的岛国，一路上玩得很开心。 Crystal 邮轮公司的服务和饮食还是和以前一样，的确是一流的。

十八日夜顺利回到家，也该享受一下凤凰城的最佳季节了。