YUCATAN DISCOVERY BLOG - DAY 4 CRYSTAL SERENITY

DAY 4 CRYSTAL SERENITY – BELIZE, MEXICO

Last evening we had another wonderful time on-board Crystal Serenity.  

We began our evening by attending a cocktail reception at Captain Birger Vorland's Quarters along with several other guests.  We were welcomed to the Captain's Quarters by the Captain and Crystal Society Hostess Alissa.

We spoke with some guests who we know from prior voyages and others that we met for the first time on this voyage.

Several Senior Officers and Senior Members of Serenity were on-hand including Hotel Director Hubert, the Vice Captain and the First Officer both of whom we sailed with on the Northwest Passage Adventure, the Chief Financial Accountant, the Food & Beverage Manager, the Bar Manager, the On Board Booking Consultant Paula Jean and the Activities Hostess.

We met our friends Larry and Anne after the reception at the Avenue Saloon for a pre-dinner drink.

We dined at the Prego Italian Specialty Restaurant at 7:00 PM.  For us Prego has the warmth and intimacy of a small town restaurant that one might experience in Italy or in their home-town.  We all enjoyed the cuisine, service and ambience of the dining venue.

We were greeted by Specialty Restuarnt Maitre d' Slavko.  Slavko will be leaving Serenity at the end of this voyage for a well deserved holiday before he returns to Crystal Symphony as their Specialty Restaurant Maitre d'.  Slavko spent several years on Symphony prior to coming to Serenity following a major makeover of the Lido Deck on Serenity.  Paolo who is the Specialty Restaurant Maitre d' on Symphony who we have known for many years will join Serenity following this voyage in the same capacity as the Maitre d' of the Specialty Restaurants.  We were also greeted by Prego Head Waiter Mario who also checked on everything from time to time during the meal.

We were taken excellent care of by Waiter Costa and Sommelier Jiri both of whom have taken great care of us for the past few years.  

Between the four of us we tried a range of items.  Keith had the lobster appetizer and Anne Marie had the Crab Meat Appetizer. We both had salads and Anne Marie had the Veal entree and Keith had the Lamb one which he first tried after all of these years on the cruises in August and September and loved it.  We both had fruit for dessert.  We recommended to Anne that she have the mushroom soup for an appetizer which she did and she thought it was great.

​All in all it was a fun evening.

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RACK OF BABY LAMB

We don't do this very often but after dinner the two of us ran into someone and went for an after dinner drink. Well, Keith had wine and Anne Marie had water since she is under the weather.  The good news is we set the clocks back one hour as we were sailing into a new time zone.

We slept well as Serenity sailed to our next port of call of Belize City, Belize. We began the day with the same routine that many who read our Blogs have become accustomed to.  This included an early morning workout for Keith in the Fitness Center, followed by breakfast in our room.  Keith took an 8:15 AM Indoor Cycling Class.  Once again Fitness Director Kyle taught the class.  Although the signup for the class was yesterday at 4:00 PM and the sheet was full with a waitlist only half the bikes were used and two of them by people who didn't sign up.  Either some forgot it was a port day or there was confusion about the times given the time change.  Keith got up there early to spin for about 45 minutes before the class and played his own music and thoroughly enjoyed the class taught by Kyle.

Anne Marie walked for awhile and then went to the Medical Center since she's been under the weather.  She learned she has Bronchitis so no more walking until she is better.   They want her to use the inhaler they have so she did that treatment in the morning and will do it again later in the day.  They put her on antibiotics and gave her cough medicine.  

We anchored of Belize City by 8:00 AM.  We had already decided before we boarded Serenity that we would make this port a sea day.  As it turned out with Anne Marie being sick we would not have gotten off anyways.  

We were here last January and saw exactly what we wanted to and this is one of a handful of ports that we have visited over the years that we didn't have an interest in spending any additoinal time touring or even walking around.  We think this is a port to take a tour if one is going to do sightseeing. 

Keith spent the ramainder of the morning talking with fellow guests and crew and with our friends as well as reading and writing and Anne Marie rested in our room and also read and wrote.  Lunch was back at the Lido Cafe where we made ourselves Salad Entrees.  

After lunch, Keith had hoped to play Paddle Tennis but didn't find anyone to play so hopefully he'll play tomorrow.  He worked out again and also read and wrote and got together with a few guests.  Anne Marie rested for the rest of the afternoon.


These are some photos that Keith took last evening at The Bistro.

We have added menus from the dinners at the dining room and a lunch menu and dinner menus from Silk Road, Prego and Tastes.  A big thank you to fellow guest Joan for helping us  with this. Some of the menus might not be in the proper order.

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TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY.......

Some people enjoy having a vacation home/condominium for certain times of the year.  For us, that vacation home is sailing Serenity or Symphony.  Spending aon board Serenity as we did today is very enjoyable to us and since we don't golf is even better for us then spending a day at a Country Club on land.

​Keith & Anne Marie