Ocean Princess 2015 has finally arrived we are sailing the Caribbean Sea on day three. Our cruise started out in Fort Lauderdale January 2nd with a short visit to our snowbird friends in south Florida we boarded the Ocean Princess with heavy luggage and high hopes. We are heading for the Panama Canal and Easter Island! First we have to cross the mad Caribbean Sea and she is tossing us about.

First night out we waved goodbye to the crowds on the beach and in the boats alongside as we cleared the channel as the sunset for the first time on our cruise. Having missed my obligatory burger by the pool my habit on sail away every cruise we have sailed, we were hungry for some grub. Princess Lines requires big boy pants in the dining room, so Joy and I dressed up and met our first of many friends aboard.

It's hard to write of excitement and experiences on a cruise ship on sea days. It's more about eating, lying around getting burnt and watching shows. We have the eating part down to a science and lying around on deck gave me a hell of sunburn, the shows have been cancelled as the seas are too rough. This being our first Princess Cruise we find ourselves in the minority as most of the passengers are retired, I have yet find a person who didn't answer the question "so what do you do back home" with anything more than "Retired". Don't get me wrong I wish I could answer the same and when we come back with "Horse Transportation" we get many questions.

But having all the years of wisdom and retirement on board we get many stories of lives well lived. From the guy Ron who was a Lawyer and apologized before he told me his story to the airline pilot to the gear head guy who is giving lectures onboard about the automobile. Then there is Ivy who traveled 15 years with her now deceased husband in a fifth wheel camper and now travels on her own on cruise ships, I find her every morning on deck five promenade reading a book and smiling while greeting me by name.

Then there's the 80 year old guy also named Ron, using the Ocean Princess as a vehicle to Tahiti and New Zealand, his Wife a workaholic Doctor, Ron can be found at the bars drinking his way to Tahiti with his unlimited drink card. He tells me he's bored and promised if I were to get up for karaoke he would be my back up singer. Then there's Mannie and Lucy a 5 year married retired couple we meet every night at the Tahitian Lounge.

Needless to say my diet is out the window but my exercise regime isn't. Up by 6: oo am I walk a mile around and around the deck, ride the stationary bike 7 miles and do sit-ups as long as the rocking boats allows. The pool was empty today as the water was flying out but tonight is karaoke night maybe I'll get Ron out.

Tomorrow starts a new day as we enter the Panama Canal, if you want you can google Panama Canal and watch us pass through the locks. Our first lock is around 9:00am and we leave the canal around 5:00pm. Our thoughts are with the Donahue Family back home and their loss of their Patriarch Dave.