Captain's Log Travel

06/21/2026

Captain’s Log Travel Academy - Day 2!

06/19/2026

Captain’s Log Travel Academy - Day 1!

06/18/2026

06/10/2026

Warning: This video may cause an uncontrollable urge to book a cruise, stare at turquoise water, and ignore responsibilities. Watch at your own risk. 🌊☀️🚢

After surviving a hotel evacuation earlier this week, Kathy was thrilled that I finally upgraded her accommodations to an entire ocean. See, I do take her to the nicest places. 😂🌊🚢

If this doesn’t lower your stress level, check your pulse. 💙🌊🐬

06/10/2026

Since I haven’t done a post in a few days, this one covers both Nassau and our second day at Ocean Cay.

When we pulled into Nassau, I immediately noticed we were docked next to a super cool-looking, very large sailing vessel. Upon Googling the name, Dar Młodzieży, I found that it is a Polish sail training vessel and is currently part of Gdynia Maritime University. GMU is one of the biggest centres of maritime higher education in the EU and the world—a university with rich maritime traditions.

This is probably super boring for many of you, but if you know me, you know I’m a total maritime geek. So here goes…
The story of Dar Młodzieży’s first weeks at sea is far from ordinary. During its first voyage, the ship left port in Gdynia on 10 July 1982 and headed for the port of Rostock, before arriving at the British port of Falmouth for the start of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races. On 27 July, the crew of Dar was involved in the rescue and transport of a sailor from the German yacht Peter Von Danzig, who sustained extreme burns following the explosion of the yacht’s on board oven. After the injured sailor was airlifted to hospital, Dar Młodzieży returned to the race, where after covering 770 nautical miles, it took part in an exciting race to the finish on 29 July. The debuting ship finished in first place in Class A, beating its nearest rival, Gorch Fock, by 14 minutes and 18 seconds.

And, on 16 April 2026 at 14:00 hours, the Dar Młodzieży set off from the port in Gdynia on a voyage to the USA. Gdynia Maritime University’s sail training ship will take part in Sail 250 – maritime celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. Okay, maritime history lesson over. There will be a short quiz later. The passing score is 100%, and yes, it counts toward your final grade.

I’ve also included some pictures of the Yacht Club pool area… which once again serves as proof of why we cruise in the Yacht Club. There were times I think the crew outnumbered the guests. For someone like me who prefers not to be packed into a crowd like a can of sardines, it’s pretty much paradise.

There are also some photos from the Yacht Club beach where you can also see there was virtually nobody there. If they could somehow arrange for even fewer people, I’d be interested in hearing the proposal.

You’ll also notice a photo of Kathy and me that proves I did NOT get roasted by the Caribbean sun this trip. Sunscreen before the pool. Sunscreen before the beach. Reapplied regularly. Basically, I treated sunscreen like it was my full-time job. It’s literally the only thing I’ve done consistently on this trip. I know I still look red compared to Kathy, but that’s just how I tan. Kathy turns a beautiful deep bronze. I look like a lobster that’s making steady progress.
Speaking of color, I’ve included more photos of my favorite colors—the incredible blues of the Caribbean water. Every shade from turquoise to deep sapphire. No matter how many times we come here, those colors never get old.

Another amazing week in paradise. Great ship, fantastic YC staff, great weather, beautiful water, and no sunburn emergencies, bitings or animal attacks to announce. I’d call that a successful cruise and we still have another day and a half!

,

06/08/2026

Day 1 of 3 at Ocean Cay… because apparently one day just isn’t enough.

Today we spent the day at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and in my opinion it is hands-down the best private island experience of any cruise line we’ve visited.

What makes it even more impressive is the story behind it. Ocean Cay wasn’t always a tropical paradise. The island was once an industrial sand excavation site that had been abandoned for years. MSC purchased the island and invested years restoring the island, cleaning up debris, rebuilding habitats, and creating the beautiful marine reserve it is today.

And yes, booking a back-to-back cruise with three days at Ocean Cay was completely intentional. This isn’t our first visit, or our second, or probably even our third. At this point we’re less like visitors and more like seasonal residents who keep showing up whenever a cruise ship gives us a ride.

The lighthouse is stunning, the beaches are beautiful, and the water? I dare anyone to find bluer water anywhere. Every shade of blue imaginable is on display here. It almost looks photoshopped in real life.

Kathy likes to joke that I take her to the nicest places. That’s easy to say now while we’re sitting on one of the most beautiful islands in the Bahamas. A few nights ago, while standing outside an evacuated hotel in Miami at midnight, her review of my travel planning was considerably less favorable. Ocean Cay should definitely improve my Yelp rating as a wife.

And to cap off a perfect day, tonight we saw Skywalker, the Michael Jackson tribute show onboard the MSC Seaside. The video I’m posting doesn’t do it justice. (I think I’ll have to post it separately but worth the watch). The music, dancing, costumes, and energy were absolutely phenomenal. If you’re sailing on Seaside, this is one show you do not want to miss. It had the entire theater singing, clapping, and wondering if Michael had somehow snuck onboard.

Swipe through the photos and tell me where you’ve seen prettier water than this. I’ll wait here.

06/07/2026

I haven't done a cruise post since the Great Hotel Debacle right before the cruise, so here's a little update from somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean ocean.

So far, all is well aboard the ship. The sailaway was beautiful, the weather has been fantastic although a bit cloudy, and we've successfully settled into the demanding routine of deciding whether to sit by the pool, eat, shop, or gamble.

Our cabin situation has provided some unexpected entertainment. We are sandwiched between two very different neighbors: one cabin with two young kids and another with two older women who appear to be conducting an intensive scientific study on how much alcohol a person can consume while still finding their cabin door. Surprisingly, the kids have been far quieter and more predictable. I never thought I'd find myself rooting for the children, but here we are.

Yesterday we were in Nassau. With 6 cruise ships in port, we decided to spend the day doing what highly motivated cruise passengers do best—claiming pool chairs and refusing to leave them. It was a tough day, but somebody had to do it.

Today we're at Ocean Cay, MSC's private island, and it remains our favorite private island we've visited. Beautiful beaches, crystal-clear water, and none of the feeling that you're being herded from gift shop to gift shop. It's the kind of place where you sit down for "a few minutes" and suddenly realize two hours have passed.

The food has been good, the drinks have been cold, and nobody has thrown themselves overboard because of the neighboring drunks yet, so we're calling this trip a success.

More updates to come if I can find a moment between all this exhausting relaxation.

06/05/2026

Vacation Status Update:

11:30 PM. Sound asleep in our Miami hotel room.

Suddenly, flashing lights start coming through the bottom of the door. Then a computerized voice announces: “An emergency has been reported in the building. Please evacuate immediately."
Naturally, I listened to it two more times because I was convinced some teenagers were in the hallway playing a recording on their phone.

Then it hit me...

Teenagers usually don't bring synchronized flashing emergency lights. So I wake up Kathy and tell her we need to leave NOW.
Of course, according to her, I'm being funny and playing a prank on her. I grab my phone, wallet, shoes, and head for the stairs.

Still dramatic.

Finally I asked, "Do you really think I'd be walking through a hotel hallway without a bra on if this wasn't an actual emergency?"
That seemed to get the point across. As we're standing outside with hundreds of our newest friends—all dressed in various combinations of pajamas, sleep shirts, flip-flops, and bedhead—Kathy looks at me and says, “You always take me to the nicest hotels." Nothing says luxury Miami accommodations quite like a midnight evacuation and a front-row view of a fire truck.

Good news: No fire. Bad news: Half the hotel has now seen me braless.

The cruise hasn't even started yet, and we're already participating in emergency drills. Stay tuned. At this rate we'll probably be conducting the muster drill before we even get on the ship.