STOP PRESS:
Our 32-day cruise on the Zuiderdam of Holland America is in fact two separate but back-to-back cruises !!! The first started 23 December 2025 and visited 5 UN Countries (Caribbean Total 13) and 2 Territories (Caribbean Total 15) over 12 days and 11 nights finishing in Miami at 8am on 3 January 2026. The second cruise departs Miami at 4pm on 3 January 2026 and visits 10 UN Countries and 6 Territories over 22 days and 21 nights finishing back in Miami on 24 January 2026. This short blog covers the day in Miami between cruises and the first day of the second cruise back in Half Moon Cay which was the last stop of the first cruise.
MIAMI STOPOVER:
We arrived back in Miami at 7am on 3 January 2026 and by 9am we were outside on the Miami Port kerbside near the ship ready to Uber it down to Miami Beach. Lucky for us we managed to grab a cheaper Uber before the bulk finishing passengers swarmed us and pushed the price up. It seemed like we were here ages ago. Today was housekeeping day. We got off at 6th and Collins and visited nearby Sunglasses Hut to tighten Bundy’s glasses and bag a screwdriver just in case they loosened again. Then it was off to Best Buy to bag a new GoPro Hero 13 Black since I left my Hero 9 in our favourite Green Jeep in the US Virgin Islands. GoPros are always easy to lose since they are so small. This was a blessing in disguise since it was time for an update anyway – I had the Hero 9 for several years and it served me well with hundreds of underwater coral shots over half the Pacific !!! Best Buy was just around the corner from our favourite supermarket “Publix” where we stocked up on olives, low-fat cheddar cheese and DOUBLE the wine since we knew we could smuggle it in !!! We walked out with 4 plastic 1.6L yogurt containers with a total of 6 litres or 8 bottles of wine hidden away !!! Add to this, 5 large jars of olives and we were each hauling 6kg of Culture Club each !!! The Uber back was quick and almost as cheap and we re-entered our ship without any problems arriving back in our cabin at 1230pm. It was a clockwork trip. Given the great 4bar 5G reception in Miami I rang confirmed car hire places to make sure they were real and ready for us. Never trust technology. Always follow-up with calls to make absolutely shore – I had saved one island doing this and I am sure it will not be the last.
SECOND CRUISE:
Our second cruise officially began as we pulled out of Miami dock at 4pm on 3 January 2026. It was smooth sailing and a terrific sunset to follow. That day in Miami was nothing short of spectacular. AT dinner, Bundy and I noticed that most first cruise passengers had left since there were no kids or familiar faces. The second cruise passengers suddenly increased the average age to 75 with a huge majority coming from China. The pushing in and shouting was breathtaking !!! The “casual dining” Lido Market was packed since the Chinese love to eat mountains of food until collapse !!! The more formal dining rooms must have been empty. This was looking like a very different “Part 2 Experience”. We were glad to leave the noisy feeding trough and return to the quiet of our cabin complete with wine and movie. Bliss.
The following morning, I was able to ft in my groin recovery exercises before leaving the ship in lifeboats to go ashore to Half Moon Cay. We were here the day before yesterday and it seemed like we had never left. As expected swarms of pushy Chinese swamped the aisles to get Tender Tickets. It was as if the ship was sinking !!! Why were they in such a hurry ??? Half of them could hardly walk !!! Such is culture. Bundy got tickets while I was exercising so we managed to get off on the first lifeboat and make it off first again on the island !!! My title was back !!! Given I had run on this island two days earlier, we walked to the centre of the island for something different. Viewed the internal lake and tried to get to a viewpoint via a “forbidden trail” which ended up blocked by a new road development. Holland America was building a new ship jetty here to eliminate the need to transport passengers in lifeboats or smaller craft (called “TENDERING”). It also looked like they may be building hotels since the beach is idyllic and only 444km from Miami in a straight line.
After our inland walk, we headed for the quiet end of the beach from which I swam 2km. A little rougher than the other day but just like swimming in a giant salty pool. Excellent and still the best beach to date. After testing my new GoPro, we headed back to the ship. On board at 1230pm and ready for more car hire ringing, emails and blogging. Bundy even gave me a clipper trim – at least now I look like a soldier and I may even get preference in the food queue – “thank you for your service” !!!
The first day of our second cruise concluded with more seafood and Selina (VEEP) !!!
EVERY AFTERNOON WHEN BLOGGING (Yianni) & INSTAGRAMING (Bundy):
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